Purpose: A laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is known to cause less morbidity than a traditional open radical nephrectomy. In our institution, the laparoscopic approach, with intact specimen removal, has become the standard technique for radical nephrectomies. Herein, we report the results and oncological outcome of the experience of a single center. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 68 transperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomies, performed for suspected renal cell carcinoma between December 1999 and June 2006. All data were collected from the patient's medical records. Results: The mean tumor size, surgical time and estimated blood loss were 4.82cm (1.7-14), 228.5 min (120-480) and 409.1cc (32-1,312), respectively. Conversion to open surgery was required in one case due to Endo-GIA malfunction, and conversion to hand-assisted surgery was performed in one case. The histological findings were pT1, pT2 and pT3 in 40 (59.7%), 9 (13.4%) and 18 patients (26.9%), respectively. In one case, the histology confirmed a non-malignant disease. The follow-up period was from 3 to 80 months (median 18). Distant metastasis was observed in 2 cases, but there was no local recurrence or port metastasis. Conclusions: A laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is a safe and feasible treatment for localized renal cell carcinomas. Longer follow-up and large scale studies are necessary to evaluate the long-term survival and disease- free rates, and confirm the effectiveness of performing a radical laparoscopic nephrectomy.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Conversion to Open Surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nephrectomy* ; Operative Time ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: N-(3-[18F]Fluoroporpy)-2beta- carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane ([18F]FP-CIT) has been shown to be very useful for imaging the dopamine transporter. However, synthesis of this radiotracer is some what troublesome. In this study, we used a new method for the preparation of [18F]FP-CIT to increase radiochemical yield and effective specific activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: [18F]FP-CIT was prepared by N-alkylation of nor-beta-CIT (2 mg) with 3-bromo-l-[18F]fluoropropane in the presence of Et3N (5-6 drops of DMF/CH3CN, 140 degree C, 20 min). 3-Bromo-l-[18F]fluoropropane was synthesized from 5 microliter of 3-bromo-l-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxypropane (3-bromopropyl -l-triflate) and nBu4N18F at 80 degree C. The final compound was purified by reverse phase HPLC and formulated in 13% ethanol in saline. RESULTS: 3-Bromo-l-[18F]fluoropropane was obtained from 3-bromopropyl-l-triflate and nBu4N18F in 77-80% yield. N-Alkylation of nor-beta-CIT with 3-bromo-l-[18F]fluoropropane was carried out at 140 degree C using acetonitrile containing a small volume of DMF as the solvents. The overall yield of [18F]FP-CIT was 5-10% (decay-corrected) with a radiochemical purity higher than 99% and effective specific activity higher than the one reported in the literature based on their HPLC data. The final [18F]FP-CIT solution had the optimal pH (7.0) and it was pyrogen-free. CONCLUSION:: In this study, 3-bromopropyl-l-triflate was used as the precursor for the [18F]fluorination reaction and new conditions were developed for purification of [18F]FP-CIT by HPLC. We established this new method for the preparation of [18F]FP-CIT, which gave high effective specific activity and relatively good yield.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Ethanol ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Solvents

BACKGROUND: Vitamin C is one of the most typical types of water-soluble antioxidants that exerts a variety of biochemical actions on a living body. It acts on the skin by promoting wound healing, preventing skin aging, and inhibiting skin cancer. It also works not only as an antioxidant, protecting the skin from UV radiation but also as an anti-inflammatory agent. It reinforces immunity as well. Recent studies proved the whitening effect of vitamin C, and it can be instilled into the skin by way of iontophoresis. When vitamin C is transported in vivo it is either by simple diffusion or by a transporter. Only a small amount is transported by simple diffusion and the transporter is responsible for most of the vitamin C transport. This study was designed to evaluate the presence of sodium dependent vitamin C transporter (SVCT) and to identify which factor controls its expression. METHODS: Expressions of SVCT 1 and 2 mRNA in the rats' dermal fibroblast were measured by RT-PCR at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours. RESULTS: The results were used to compare the expression levels of SVCT-1 and SVCT-2 when treated with TGF-beta, estradiol, and retinoic acid. Estradiol showed the highest level of expression of SVCT-1 and SVCT-2. The next highest was TGF-beta, followed by retinoic acid. CONCLUSION: SVCT-1 and SVCT-2 were found to be expressed in the rats' dermal fibroblasts, and exposure to estradiol, TGF-beta and retinoic acid resulted in a higher degree of their expression.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Ascorbic Acid ; Diffusion ; Estradiol ; Fibroblasts* ; Iontophoresis ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Skin Aging ; Skin Neoplasms ; Sodium-Coupled Vitamin C Transporters* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tretinoin ; Wound Healing

BACKGROUND: With the advance of socioeconomy and medical science, the population of the aged has been significantly increased. Therefore it needs to be studied the fundamental epidemiologic survey of dermatologic disease in the elderly. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of common dermatoses in the elderly and to compare these to previous studies. METHOD: 1,916 out-patients over 65 years old who had visited the Department of Dermatology, University Hospital and Yongsan Hospital, College of Medicine, Chung Ang University from January, 1996 to December, 2001 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: 1. The incidence of aged group over 65 years old to total number of out-patients(24,723) was 7.7%(1,916 cases). 2. The ratio of male to female was 1.06 : 1(986:930). 3. The frequent skin diseases were herpes zoster(12.0%), benign tumor(9.0%), pruritus(8.9%), onychomycosis/tinea pedis(7.7%), contact dermatitis(7.2%), seborrheic dermatitis(5.4%). 4. Eczema was the most common disease group which revealed 18.5%. The second most frequent group was viral infection(15.3%), followed by fungal infection(12.7%), tumor(12.0%), urticaria, drug eruption and erythema(9.4%), pruritus(8.9%), papulosquamous disease(2.8%) and bacterial infection(2.6%). 5. The most common disease in each disease group were as follows : contact dermatitis in eczema, herpes zoster in viral infection, onychomycosis and tinea pedis in fungal infection, urticaria in urticaria, drug eruption and erythema group, generalized pruritus in pruritus group, psoriasis in papulosquamous disease and folliculitis in bacterial infection, respectively. 6. Among 235 cases of skin tumor, 175 cases(74.5%) were benign and the remaining 60 cases(25.5%) were premalignant or malignant. The frequency of benign tumor was in order of seborrheic keratosis, epidermal cyst, skin tag and lipoma, respectively. In malignancy, there were basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous metastatic carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Compared to previous studies, tumor and pruritus showed a increasing tendency but eczema a decreasing tendency.
Aged* ; Bacterial Infections ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatology ; Drug Eruptions ; Eczema ; Epidermal Cyst ; Erythema ; Female ; Folliculitis ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Incidence ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Lipoma ; Male ; Onychomycosis ; Outpatients ; Prevalence ; Pruritus ; Psoriasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin* ; Tinea Pedis ; Urticaria

Striae distensae are characterized by linear, smooth bands of atrophic-appearing skin. In histologic findings, the epidermis is thin and flattened. There is a decrease in the thickness of the dermis. Separation of collagen fibers and small, fragmented elastic fibers are seen in the dermis. Striae distensae develop as a result of disruption of the connective tissue framework. Main mechanism of edematous striae distensae is disintegration of collagen, followed by the pressure induced by generalized edema as the secondary mechanism. The patient is a 17-year-old boy who had generalized pitting edema and abdominal distension due to nephrotic syndrome. On the abdomen, he has presented with edematous striae and ulceration with exudate for 1 week. Edematous striae distensae are uncommon but can develop from the combined effects of glucocorticoid and generalized edema. We report a case of edematous striae distensae in nephrotic syndrome.
Abdomen ; Adolescent ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Dermis ; Edema* ; Elastic Tissue ; Epidermis ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Skin ; Striae Distensae* ; Ulcer

Extramammary Paget's disease is able to affect genital, perianal, axillary, periauricular regions and eyelids. Extramammary Paget's disease has been almost always reported on the genital and perinanal area. Extramammary Paget's disease of the axilla has not been reported until now in Korean literature. We report a case of extramammary Paget's disease of the axilla in a 53-year-old female.
Axilla* ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Paget Disease, Extramammary*

Dermatophytes usually do not invade beyond the epidermis. However mechanical breakage of the skin resulting from scratching or trauma and immunocompromised state may allow penetration of the fungi into reticular dermis. We report a patient with an unusual manifestation of Trichophyton rubrum infection. A 39-year-old male presented with 3.5x5 cm sized, erythematous, ulcerated lesion on the left heel for about 1 month. Histologic findings of the skin lesion showed granulomatous change and numerous hyphae in the dermis. Trichophyton rubrum was isolated on the fungus culture. The patient was treated with terbinafine (250 mg/day) for 10 weeks, resulting in the clearing of the skin lesion.
Adult ; Arthrodermataceae ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Fungi ; Granuloma* ; Heel ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Male ; Skin ; Trichophyton* ; Ulcer

Dermatophytes usually do not invade beyond the epidermis. However mechanical breakage of the skin resulting from scratching or trauma and immunocompromised state may allow penetration of the fungi into reticular dermis. We report a patient with an unusual manifestation of Trichophyton rubrum infection. A 39-year-old male presented with 3.5x5 cm sized, erythematous, ulcerated lesion on the left heel for about 1 month. Histologic findings of the skin lesion showed granulomatous change and numerous hyphae in the dermis. Trichophyton rubrum was isolated on the fungus culture. The patient was treated with terbinafine (250 mg/day) for 10 weeks, resulting in the clearing of the skin lesion.
Adult ; Arthrodermataceae ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Fungi ; Granuloma* ; Heel ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Male ; Skin ; Trichophyton* ; Ulcer

Agminated lentigines is characterized by numerous lentigines confined to a body segment, with a sharp demarcation at the midline. We report two cases of agminated lentigines, which were of asymmetric distribution on one side of the body, in a 16-year-old girl and a 27-year-old woman. The Lesions of the first patient were zosteriform, they involved the left side of the chest, axilla and shoulder. Lesions of the second case were involved on the left side of the abdomen and flank. Histologic examination showed hyperpigmentation of the basal layer, elongation of rete ridges, and an increased number of melanocytes.
Abdomen ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Axilla ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Lentigo* ; Melanocytes ; Shoulder ; Thorax

Scrofuloderma results from a direct extension of an underlying tuberculosis focus such as the lymph node, bone or joint to the underlying skin, and is often associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. One 72-year-old man presented with erythematous swollen patch with scales on the left hand and erythematous swollen patch on the left elbow. He had tuberculous osteomyelitis of left elbow. And another patient who is a 59-year-old man presented with hemorrhagic, purulent ulcers with crust and exudate on the left and right chest. Each size of ulcers are 6.0x5.0cm and 5.0x5.0cm. He had reactive pulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculous spondylitis. Biopsy specimens from the skin showed lymphocytes, epitheloid cells, and Langerhan's giant cells with caseation necrosis. Acid-fast bacilli were identified on AFB staining. We report two unusual cases of scrofuloderma associated with tuberculous osteomyelitis and pulmonary tuberculosis respectively.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Elbow ; Exudates and Transudates ; Giant Cells ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Osteomyelitis ; Skin ; Spondylitis ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Ulcer ; Weights and Measures