No abstract available.
Mediastinoscopy*

PURPOSE: Tension-free hernioplasty has become the most popular procedure for the repair of groin hernias in the United States and United Kingdom. The purpose of this study is to describe a 7-year personal experience with Lichtenstein's tension-free groin hernia repair under local anesthesia. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the clinical outcome of 321 cases of Lichtenstein repairs, performed consecutively by an experienced surgeon between Jan. 1994 and Dec. 2000. RESULTS: Of the 321 cases, 242 (75.4%) were indirect, 34 (10.6%) were direct, 8 (2.5%) were femoral, 7 (2.2%) were pantaloon, and 30 (9.3%) were recurred hernias. The mean age was 55 years; 91% were male. The mean number of injections of analgesics required in the postoperative period was 3.2. The mean hospital stay following repair was 2.7 days. Complications occurred in 23 cases (7.1%). Most of these were minor, consisting of five cases of bruising or hematomas (1.6%), four superficial infections (1.3%), three seromas (0.9%), two hydroceles (0.6%), six patients with persisting groin pain for more than a month (1.8%), one foreign body granuloma, one urinary retention, and one testicular atrophy. There were no recurrences or operative deaths. CONCLUSION: Lichtenstein's tension-free hernioplasty is an easy and simple technique with less pain, minor complications and only rare instances of recurrence. This procedure can be performed on a same-day basis under local anesthesia. Lichtenstein repair may be the most promising technique for the repair of groin hernias.
Analgesics ; Anesthesia, Local ; Atrophy ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body ; Great Britain ; Groin* ; Hematoma ; Hernia* ; Herniorrhaphy ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seroma ; United States ; Urinary Retention

Maligant melanomas of the oral or nasal cavity, and the vulvovaginal area are relatively common among the melanomas of non-ocular mucosa. But, primary malignant melanoma arising in the mucosa of the palatine tonsil is rare. We present a case of primary malignant melanoma arising in the mucosa of the palatine tonsil. A 36-year-old male was admitted for evaluation of a recurrent sore throat. Tonsillectomy was performed on the basis of clinical suspicion of chronic tonsillitis. Grossly, the left tonsil was focally dark. Microscopically, the tonsillar mucosa was diffusely infiltrated with tumor cells. Tumor cells revealed numerous melanin pigments. Intraepithelial nests of tumor cells were noted, but pagetoid spread of tumor cells was not found. Tumor cells were positive for S-100 protein and HMB45 stain. There was no evidence of melanoma in the skin or eye.
Male ; Humans

G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the most attractive therapeutic target classes because of their critical roles in intracellular signaling and their clinical relevance to a variety of diseases, including cancer, infection and inflammation. However, high conformational variability, the small exposed area of extracellular epitopes and difficulty in the preparation of GPCR antigens have delayed both the isolation of therapeutic anti-GPCR antibodies as well as studies on the structure, function and biochemical mechanisms of GPCRs. To overcome the challenges in generating highly specific anti-GPCR antibodies with enhanced efficacy and safety, various forms of antigens have been successfully designed and employed for screening with newly emerged systems based on laboratory animal immunization and high-throughput-directed evolution.
Animals, Laboratory ; Antibodies* ; Epitopes ; Immunization ; Inflammation ; Mass Screening

Matrix metalloproteinases are believed to play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. But little is known about the role of them in the gastric adenocarcinoma. We investigated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1,2,3 in eighty paraffin blocks of the primary gastric adenocarcinoma tissues with immunohistochemistry and analysed their correlation with lymph node metastasis and survival. MMP-1,2,3 were expressed most intensely in the fibroblasts around the tumor stroma. In our study the increased immunoreactivity of MMP-2 only showed statistically significant correlation with lymph node metastasis (P=0.0517, Odd's ratio=2.274). But MMP-1,2,3 all were correlated with survival. Type IV collagen was observed in the vascular basement membranes and tumor basement membranes and showed statistically significant correlation with lymph node metastasis (P=0.0002, Odd's ratio=0.194) and prognosis (P=0.0001). The immunoreactivity of MMP-2 and type IV collagen was inversely correlated (Kendall's Tau-b correlation = 0.37482, P=0.0001). Our results suggest that in human gastric adenocarcinoma the increased immunoreactivity of MMP-2 and the decreased immunoreactivity of type IV collagen has an important role in lymph node metastasis and prognosis. MMP-1,3 are not correlated with lymph node metastasis but correlated with survival. The mechanism responsible for the production of MMP by the host fibroblasts remains obscure and requires further investigation.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Basement Membrane ; Collagen Type IV* ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Paraffin ; Prognosis*

Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiographic velocity profiles of four cardiac valves in a group of 85 infants and children with left to right shunt lesions(VSD, ASD and PDA) are presented. Velocities were obtained before operation and 10 days afterward. The results were as follows ; 1) VSD(type 2) Peak velocities of mitral valve were significantly decreased when compared preop. with postop. echocardiogram(n=37, preop 132+/-24, postop 98+/-16 cm/sec, p<0.0005). Peak velocities of tricuspid valve were also significantly decreased(n=30, perop 60+/-21, postop 50+/-17cm/sec, p<0.01). Peak velocities of aortic valve were decreased(n=18, perop 120+/-20, postop 108+/-26cm/sec, 0.010.05). Peak velocities of pulmonic valve were significantly decreased(n=17, perop 168+/-46, postop 104+/-51cm/sec, p<0.0005). 3) PDA Peak velocities of mitral valve were significantly decreased when compared perop. with postop. echocardiogram(n=29, perop 138+/-28, postop 111+/-19cm/sec, p<0.0005). Tricuspid valve velocities showed no significant changes between preop. and postop. echocardiogram (n=15, perop 47+/-12, postop 44+/-10cm/sec, p>0.05). Aortic valve velocities showed no significant changes (n=10, perop 134+/-23, postop 121+/-25cm/sec, p>0.05). Peak velocities of pulmonic valve were significantly decreased(n=28, perop 138+/-37, postop 107+/-27cm/sec, p<0.005). This study demonstrates that Doppler echocardiographic assessment of velovity changes are correlated with known hemodynamic data and also will be a good index in the evaluation of operation.
Aortic Valve ; Child ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Valves* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Infant ; Mitral Valve ; Tricuspid Valve

Broncho-gastric fistula caused by benign gastric ulcer perforation after esophagectomy is very rare. In general anesthesia of a patient with broncho-gastric fistula, in spite of hyperventilation, leakage of the anesthetic gases through fistula may make the patient hypercapneic, and positive pressure ventilation may increase the risk of the pulmanary aspiration by the regurgitation of gastric fluid by stomach distension. For that reason, in this patient, denitrogenation was performed during patient's voluntary respiration with 100% oxygen for 5 minutes, and induction was performed without positive pressure ventilation, and one lung ventilation was carried out. Hypoxemia was followed by one lung ventilation because his pulmonary function was moderate obstructive type and his lung was damaged by aspiration of gastric fluid via broncho-gastric fistula. A low level of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has no significant hemodynamic effect and can maintain the patency of nonventilated lung, so hypoxemia induced by one lung ventilation may be reduced. Thus we carried out one lung ventilation with CPAP (10 cmH2O) in nonventilated lung and blocked broncho-gastric fistula with a bronchial blocker for prevention of both regurgitation of gastric fluid and leakage of anesthetic gases. One lung anesthesia was performed without any problem in this case.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; Anoxia ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Esophagectomy ; Fistula* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Lung ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Oxygen ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Respiration ; Stomach ; Stomach Ulcer

No abstract available.
Mass Screening* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: Postoperative wound infection accounts for approximately 15% of all hospital infections. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are 14% of the domestic hospital infections and this is increasing in incidence over time. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the relationship between wound dehescence after urologic surgery and MRSA infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients (25 males and 5 females) who experienced wound dehescence after urologic surgery were subdivided into two separate groups; the MRSA group and non-MRSA group, and they were retrospectively analyzed via a chart review according to the age of the patients, the associated disease, the hepatic or renal functional status, the admission duration, the use of preoperative antibiotics and the number and duration of inserted catheters. RESULTS: The mean age of the MRSA group and the non-MRSA group was 62.6+/-12.4 years and 59.3+/-19.9 years, respectively (p=0.235). The elapsed operative time in the MRSA group and non-MRSA group was 355.8+/-99.5 minutes and 305.8+/-90.2 minutes, respectively (p=0.021). Contrary to 35.2+/-23.6 days of catheter duration in the MRSA group, that of the non-MRSA group was 14.6+/-8.5 days (p=0.007). The tendency for MRSA infection was observed for an increased duration of drain placement, a decreased hepatic or renal function and the preoperative antibiotic use. The extent of admission was obviously longer for the MRSA group (39.6+/-23.5 days) than for the non-MRSA group (28.9+/-9.9 days) (p=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Wound dehescence assocated with MRSA infection is intimately related to the elapsed operative time and the period of catheter-insertion, which in turn increases the number of admission days.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters ; Cross Infection ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Surgical Wound Infection ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries*

No abstract available.
Ulcer*