PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and radiological incidence of parastomal hernia. METHODS: We reviewed, retrospectively, 83 patients with end colostomy operated on from January 2003 to June 2009 at Ajou University hospital. Age, sex, surgical procedure type, body mass index (weight/length2), stoma size, and respiratory co-morbidity were documented. We compared the incidence of radiological and clinical parastomal hernia. RESULTS: There were 47 males (56.6%) and 36 females (43.4%). During an overall median follow-up of 30 months (range, 6 to 45 months), 24 patients (28.9%) developed a radiological parastomal hernia postoperatively and 20 patients (24.1%) presented clinical symptoms. Using computed tomography (CT) classification, the groups were as follows: type 0 (40, 48.2%), type Ia (19, 22.9%), type Ib (8, 9.6%), type II (4, 4.8%) and type III (12, 14.5%), with 63 asymptomatic patients and 20 symptomatic patients. The aperture size was significantly different between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (76.45 mm vs. 49.41 mm; P = 0.000). There was a significant correlation between aperture size and the radiological type (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This study showed the incidence of radiological parastomal hernia is acceptable compared to previous studies. CT classification may be useful to evaluate parastomal hernia.
Colostomy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hernia ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Somatotypes

Purpose: This study investigated the immediate biomechanical effects of unilateral mastication for 10 minutes on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with 21 healthy adult participants. Methods: The gum group chewed gum on the right side for 10 minutes, and the control group rested for 10 minutes. Biomechanical data were obtained using a three-dimensional infrared camera before and after intervention. An independent t-test assessed the variation of kinematic data to identify differences between before and after intervention. Results: Among biomechanical variables, the gum group’s length of the left forehead middle region and the temporomandibular joint angle decreased compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion Caution with unilateral masticatory activity is recommended, as unilateral mastication causes biomechanical changes due to excessive load on the soft tissues of the contralateral TMJ.

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell neoplasm mainly involving the bone marrow and skeletal system. Myelomatous pleural effusion is rare, accounting for less than 1%. In cases with high adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity, with lymphocytic exudate in the pleural fluid, tuberculous pleural effusion should be differentiated first. We report herein a rare case of a unilateral pleural effusion in a patient who was undergoing chemotherapy for multiple myeloma, with an ADA level of > 100 IU/L and lymphocytic exudate in the pleural fluid. An acid fast bacillus stain and polymerase chain reaction test for tuberculosis were negative. Consequently, the patient was diagnosed with myelomatous pleural effusion with elevated ADA activity.
Adenosine Deaminase ; Bacillus ; Bone Marrow ; Drug Therapy ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Neoplasms, Plasma Cell ; Pleural Effusion* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tuberculosis

Among chemotherapeutic regimens used for advanced ovarian cancer, platinum-based combination chemotherapy remains a mainstay of the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer, providing significant response rates and survival benefits. However, with widespread use of long-term chemotherapy in treating ovarian cancer, emergence of secondary leukemia has become medical concern as one of the most unfavorable late complications. Depending upon the type, duration, and dosage of previous chemotherapy, the risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia has been estimated to be between 2% and 10%. Moreover, the frequency of this complication might increase as the survival in patients with ovarian cancer undergoing chemotherapy continues to increase with developing therapeutic options. Recently, we experienced a case of secondary acute myeloid leukemia developing 3.5 years after platinum-based chemotherapy. In this report, clinical course of the patient and contributing factors for the secondary leukemia were presented.
Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Platinum*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The extent of hepatic fibrosis is important in chronic liver disease. Liver biopsy is essential for diagnosis of fibrosis. However, biopsy is invasive and may not represent the whole liver state. Serum hyaluronic acid (HA), a major component of connective tissues, was introduced as a useful non-invasive index of hepatic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among HA, the degree of fibrosis, several hematologic and biochemical parameters in patients with chronic liver diseases or post state liver transplantation (PSLT). METHODS: Total 102 cases were divided into 4 groups: 57 chronic hepatitis (CH), 12 cirrhosis, 21 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 12 PSLT. HA was measured by enzyme-linked binding protein assay and evaluated in relation the degree of fibrosis, several hematologic and biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Among four groups, HCC showed the highest HA and HA of HCC significantly higher than that of CH. The degree of fibrosis were correlated with HA. HA was correlated with age, platelet count and albumin but, not with ALT and PT. There is no significant relation between HA and the presence of acute rejection in liver transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: In chronic liver diseases, HA is a useful non-invasive index of hepatic fibrosis and disease severity.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biological Markers/blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Graft Rejection/diagnosis ; Hepatitis/complications ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid/*blood ; Liver/pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/complications ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the short-term clinical outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) with conventional open total gastrectomy (OTG) for treating proximal early gastric cancer and to determine the usefulness of the LATG procedure. METHODS: The records of 21 patients who underwent LATG for proximal early gastric cancer from January 2004 to August 2006 were retrospectively reviewed and compared with those records of 20 patients who underwent OTG during the same period. RESULTS: The patient characteristics, including gender, age, body mass index and comorbidities, were similar between the two groups. Combined resections were more frequently done in the OTG group than in the LATG group. The blood loss in the LATG group was significantly less than that in the OTG group. The operating time, time to first flatus and initial oral intake and the postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the LATG group. The number of resected lymph nodes, lymph node metastasis, histologic type, TNM stage, complications, leukocyte counts and serum lactic acid levels were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: LATG is a technically safe and feasible procedure for treating proximal early gastric cancer. Prospective multi-center trials are necessary to establish LATG as the standard treatment for proximal early gastric cancer.
Body Mass Index ; Comorbidity ; Flatulence ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Length of Stay ; Leukocyte Count ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: The incidence pattern of malignancy after kidney transplantation is different from that of the general population. Because increased exposure to immunosuppressants results in an increased incidence of malignancy, institutional reports that do not consider duration of immunosuppression have limited value for providing future kidney recipients with the actual risk for malignancy or for developing a kidney allograft recipient surveillance program. Thus, we retrospectively analyzed our institutional data with regard to the duration of exposure to immunosuppressants. METHODS: A total of 757 patients who had kidney transplantation and were followed-up for at least 6 months at our hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The crude incidence rate (CI) was calculated by counting the days of exposure to immunosuppressants. RESULTS: Most malignancies after kidney transplantation were solid tumors (85.3%). The CI of malignancies was 641.1 in allograft recipients and 329.6 in the general population per 100,000 persons per year. Solid tumor cancers of the stomach, liver, lung, breast, cervix, and pancreas showed an increased CI in the allograft recipient group than the general population but cancers of the thyroid and colon did not. Based on the type of immunosuppressive agent, the CI was highest in the cyclosporine group (866/12 months/100,000 persons) than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: We have provided the CIs of cancers after kidney transplantation at our institute. The pattern of post-transplant malignancy is different from that of western countries. Nationwide registration is needed to provide a more rational approach to post-transplant cancer surveillance in Korea.
Breast ; Cervix Uteri ; Colon ; Cyclosporine ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Korea ; Liver ; Lung ; Pancreas ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach ; Thyroid Gland ; Transplantation, Homologous