PURPOSE: Malignant soft tissue tumors, known as sarcomas, are well known to be locally aggressive, frequently metastatic, and highly recurrent. In other hands, intermediate soft tissue tumors often recur locally with adjacent tissue infiltration so the clinical management is difficult as sarcoma. In the present study, we evaluate the clinical course of the intermediate soft tissue tumors and consider the management plan for those. METHODS: From March, 1998 to April 2008, total 3 patients of intermediate soft tissue tumors underwent operations. A patient with fibrohistiocytic neoplasm, a free flap reconstruction was performed, and he underwent several more operations because of recurrences. Other patients with desmoids-type fibromatosis showed local invasion and adhesion, and one of them underwent reoperation due to local recurrence. RESULTS: Two of 3 patients underwent recurrences of tumors and reoperations were performed. In case of the other patient with no recurrence, follow-up period was just 5 months, so there may be recurrence of tumor in long term follow-up. CONCLUSION: The clinical course of intermediate soft tissue tumors shows high recurrence rate. So clinically, intermediate soft tissue tumors should be considered as sarcomas. The successful management requires wide resection, carefully planned reconstruction, and close follow up with radiologic evaluation
Fibroma ; Follow-Up Studies ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Hand ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Sarcoma ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Cyclin D1 and bcl-2 are involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis in tumor development and are commonly expressed in breast cancer. But there are few clinical reports on the correlation between cyclin D1 and bcl-2 expression. This study was designed to analyze the correlations of cyclin D1 and bcl-2 and their clinical implications in breast cancer. METHODS: Immunohistochemical expression of cyclin D1 and bcl-2 were studied in 342 infiltrative ductal carcinoma cases and were compared with clinicopathologic parameters such as age, tumor size, histologic grade, lymph node status, p53, c-erbB2 and hormone receptors. RESULTS: Cyclin D1 expression was found in 86 of 342 cases (25.1%). Bcl-2 was positive in 227 of 342 cases (66.4%). Bcl-2 overexpression was associated with the high expression of cyclin D1 (p=0.001). Correlation was detected between both cyclin D1 and bcl-2 and hormone receptor positivity (p<0.001). There was a reverse correlation between bcl-2 and histologic grade, p53, c-erbB2. And the bcl-2 overexpression group showed better disease free survival rates at 3-year follow up. CONCLUSION: Higher expression of cyclin D1 was associated with bcl-2 overexpression. Positive estrogen receptor expression was associated with high cyclin D1 and bcl-2 expression. Bcl-2 tends to correlate with a positive clinical outcome.
Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclin D1 ; Cyclins ; Disease-Free Survival ; Estrogens ; Follow-Up Studies ; Lymph Nodes ; Prognosis

Carcinoid tumors are derived from Kultschitzky cells, and often found in the appendix, ileum, rectum and bronchus, but those of the biliary tract are rare. Here, the case of a 59-year-old man, unexpectedly found to have a carcinoid tumor obstructing the common bile duct, is reported. A gallbladder carcinoid tumor was also found incidentally during a planned subtotal gastrectomy operation. The literature on carcinoid tumors of the extrahepatic bile duct and gall bladder is also reviewed.
Appendix ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Biliary Tract ; Bronchi ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Common Bile Duct* ; Gallbladder* ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Ileum ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; Urinary Bladder

The incisional hernia through trocar site is an uncommon complication of gynecologic laparoscopy. Its incidence is less than 1% and most of them are occurring through 10 mm trocar site. Small bowel herniation through 5 mm trocar site is very rare. Furthermore, 5 mm trocar site bowel herniation with drain tube in situ has not yet been reported. We present a case of small bowel herniation through 5 mm trocar site with drain tube in situ and its reduction by laparoscopy with a brief review of literature.
Drainage ; Hernia ; Incidence ; Laparoscopy ; Surgical Instruments

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and the clinical efficacy of the laparoscopic myomectomy through analyzing several operation factors. METHODS: There were 185 cases of laparoscopic myomectomy between January 2004 and December 2008 at the department of obstetrics and gynecology in Hanyang University Guri Hospital. Retrospectively many factors of the operation were analyzed. The factors include the size, number and type of the myoma, BMI (body mass index), operation method, operation time, and complication and the prognosis of the operation. RESULTS: For the type of myomas, 115 (62.2%) cases were intramural myomas, 38 (20.5%) cases were subserosal types and 32 (17.3%) cases were mixed types. The average diameter of the biggest myoma was 6.67+/-0.16 cm (range, 2.5~15 cm) and the average number of the myoma was 2.07+/-0.15 (range, 1~15). Previous operation history and pelvic adhesion did not show correlation with the operation time. The size, type and number of myoma and the operation methods showed correlation with the operation time. According to myoma size and number, we divided the cases into two groups, low risk group (122 cases) and high risk group (63 cases). The analysis showed that post-operation hemoglobin drop (2.89+/-0.10 g/dL vs. 4.03+/-0.23 g/dL) and blood transfusion amount (2.89+/-0.10 pints vs. 4.03+/-0.23 pints) as well as the operation time (137.58+/-4.37 min vs. 193.73+/-9.88 min) showed noticeable increase in the high risk group. CONCLUSION: This statistics show that laparoscopic myomectomy is now being applied to patients with larger and more myomas. Factors affecting operation time were the weight of myomas, number of myomas, type of myomas, number of trocars and methods of resected myomas removal. Also, operation time and post-operative hemoglobin drop increased in the high risk group.
Blood Transfusion ; Gynecology ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Myoma ; Obstetrics ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Instruments

PURPOSE: This study was performed to determine the optimal tile size for the fractal dimension of the mandibular trabecular bone using a tile counting method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Digital intraoral radiographic images were obtained at the mandibular angle, molar, premolar, and incisor regions of 29 human dry mandibles. After preprocessing, the parameters representing morphometric characteristics of the trabecular bone were calculated. The fractal dimensions of the processed images were analyzed in various tile sizes by the tile counting method. RESULTS: The optimal range of tile size was 0.132 mm to 0.396 mm for the fractal dimension using the tile counting method. The sizes were closely related to the morphometric parameters. CONCLUSION: The fractal dimension of mandibular trabecular bone, as calculated with the tile counting method, can be best characterized with a range of tile sizes from 0.132 to 0.396 mm.
Bicuspid ; Fractals ; Humans ; Incisor ; Mandible ; Molar ; Trabecular Meshwork

A death of one fetus in twin pregnancy is a rare obstetric complication. And the stenosis of umbilical cord artery is a very rare complication of cord abnormalities. The umbilical cord showed a false knot due to accentuation of a vascular spiral with a dilated vein and two arteries with incomplete patency of the lumen. This is the first report of single demise of twin pregnancy due to umbilical artery stenosis and umbilical vein varix.
Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Fetus ; Humans ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Twins ; Umbilical Arteries ; Umbilical Cord ; Umbilical Veins ; Veins

Plexiform neurofibroma (PN) is an uncommon benign tumor, usually associated with neurofibromatosis type 1. As most PNs involve the craniomaxillofacial region, PN of the colon is very rare. Here we present a case of PN involving the sigmoid colon. A 43-year-old male patient presented to the outpatient clinic for the evaluation of an incidentally discovered sigmoid colon mass. A colonoscopic biopsy was performed for the mass, and the result revealed neuronal proliferation. The patient visited the outpatient clinic a year later with symptoms of abdominal pain and stool caliber change. Biopsy was repeated for the sigmoid colon mass, and the results showed mucosal Schwann cell proliferation and S-100 immunostaining positivity. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed for further evaluation, and neurofibroma or schwannoma was suspected based on the imaging studies. For an accurate diagnosis, the patient underwent surgery to remove the sigmoid colon mass. The final diagnosis of the mass was confirmed as PN. We hereby report a rare case of PN involving the sigmoid colon that could not be diagnosed before surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and early outcomes of the Pipeline device for large/giant or fusiform aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Pipeline was implanted in a total of 45 patients (mean age, 58 years; M:F=10:35) with 47 large/giant or fusiform aneurysms. We retrospectively evaluated the characteristics of the treated aneurysms, the periprocedural events, morbidity and mortality, and the early outcomes after Pipeline implantation. RESULTS: The aneurysms were located in the internal carotid artery (ICA) cavernous segment (n=25), ICA intradural segment (n=11), vertebrobasilar trunk (n=8), and middle cerebral artery (n=3). Procedure-related events occurred in 18 cases, consisting of incomplete expansion (n=8), shortening-migration (n=5), transient occlusion of a jailed branch (n=3), and in-stent thrombosis (n=2). Treatment-related morbidity occurred in two patients, but without mortality. Both patients had modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores of 2, but had an improved mRS score of 0 at 1-month follow-up. Of the 19 patients presenting with mass effect, 16 improved but three showed no changes in their presenting symptoms. All patients had excellent outcomes (mRS, 0 or 1) during the follow-up period (median, 6 months; range, 2-30 months). Vascular imaging follow-up (n=31, 65.9%; median, 3 months, range, 1-25 months) showed complete or near occlusion of the aneurysm in 24 patients (77.4%) and decreased sac size in seven patients (22.6%). CONCLUSION: In this initial multicenter study in Korea, the Pipeline seemed to be safe and effective for large/giant or fusiform aneurysms. However, a learning period may be required to alleviate device-related events.
Aneurysm* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea* ; Learning ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombosis

This study describes the purification and characterization of type II restriction endonuclease of Helicobacter pylori in order to understand the DNA restriction and modification of H. pylori. H. pylori cell extract was subjected to polyethyleneimine treatment, salt precipitation, heparine-sepharose column chromatography, and fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) using Resource Q column and Mono Q column to purify the type II restriction endonuclease. Hpy51-I was characterized to recognize the sequneces 5`-GT(G/C)AC-3`, yielding 5-base 5` protruding ends. The restriction sequence was identical to that of Tsp 45 I. The enzyme exhibited its maximal activity in the presence of 10-20 mM LaCl, but was inhibited completely in the presence of more than 80 mM NaCl. The enzyme showed its maximal activity in the presence of 1-10 mM MgC1(2). The optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity was pH 9.0 and 37 degrees C, respectively. MnC1(2) could not substitute for MgC1(2) in reaction mixture. And addition of j3-mercaptoethanol and bovine serum albumin in reaction mixture led to loss of enzyme activity of Hpy51-I. The whole cell extract of H. pylori strain 51 was confirmed to carry the enzyme activity for methylation of Hpy51-I-recognised sequence. Hpy51-I digested genomic DNAs of enteric bacteria to less than I kb while it could not cut the genomic DNAs of H. pylori isolates. In this study, the type II restriction enzyme (Hpy51-I) of H. pylori was identified and characterized its biochemical properties, demonstrating that Hpy51-I might be one of the barriers for preventing the introduction of foreign DNAs into H. pylori.
Chromatography ; Chromatography, Liquid ; DNA ; DNA Restriction Enzymes* ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Methylation ; Polyethyleneimine ; Serum Albumin, Bovine