OBJECTIVE: Ectopic pregnancy is still a major health problem among women of childbearing age, causes major maternal morbidity and mortality with pregnancy loss, and its incidence is increasing worldwide. This study is an analysis of the clinical profile of ectopic pregnancy, the current status of the incidence and the management options. METHODS: One hundred and seventy six cases of ectopic pregnancies managed at the Daedong Hospital between January 1998 and December 2002 were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall incidence of ectopic pregnancy was 1 in 28 pregnanciies and the most common age group was 31-35 years of age (35%). Nullipara was 34.6% and the cases who experienced artificial abortion was 76%. Twenty four percentages of cases had a history of previous abdominal surgery and 20% of patients reported a history of pelvic inflammatory disease. Common complaints of ectopic pregnancy were fallopian tube (91%), interstitial (6.2%), ovary (0.05%) and in tubal pregnancies, the most frequent site was ampullar (74%). Laparotomy was done in 64%, pelviscopic operation was done in 32% and the most common operative procedure was salpingectomy in 76%. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and appropriate management of ectopic pregnancy will remain the most effective means of reducing the mortality and morbidity, increasing the fertility. Ectopic pregnancy must be excluded in a sexually active woman with a positive pregnancy test, abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. treatment should be tailored to individual needs.
Abdominal Pain ; Early Diagnosis ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Fertility ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laparotomy ; Mortality ; Ovary ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Tests ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; Salpingectomy ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Uterine Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effects and toxicities of docetaxel-carboplatin combination chemotherapy against recurrent or persistent ovarian cancer who were previously heavily treated with one or more lines of chemotherapy. METHODS: Sixteen patients with a recurrent or persistent ovarian cancer, previously received first or more line chemotherapy, had been treated with docetaxel-carboplatin combination chemotherapy at Kosin Medical Center from December 2001 to May 2003. The docetaxel-carboplatin combination chemotherapy consists of docetaxel 75 mg/m2 and carboplatin 450 mg/m2 given i.v. every 3-4 weeks. The response of patients was evaluated with the tumor marker (serum CA-125) and imaging studies (ultrasonogram, CT, MRI). The toxicities were defined according to the WHO toxicity criteria. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 50% (8/16). Eight patients were evaluable for response by WHO criteria. The response rate by WHO criteria was 37.5% (3/8). In detail, complete response was 12.5%, partial response was 25%, stable disease was 37.5% and progressive disease was 25%. The serologic CA-125 response rate was 50% (8/16), in detail serologic partial response was 50%, and serologic stable disease was 31% and serologic progressive disease was 19%. The median response duration was 10 months (3 to 17 months), the median time to response was 1 month (1/2 to 2 months) and the median time to re-progression was 5 months (3 to 7 months). The most common toxicity was gastrointestinal toxicity and the bone marrow suppression was proved as a most serious side effect. CONCLUSION: The docetaxel-carboplatin chemotherapy as a 2nd or more lines regimen against heavily pre-treated recurrent or persistent ovarian cancer is considerable but was associated significant gastrointestinal and bone marrow side effects. Routine premedication is recommended.
Bone Marrow ; Carboplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Premedication

Peritoneal desmoplastic small round cell tumor is a very rare malignant neoplasm and has specific clinical features; It is predominant in children and young males and has a well-demarcated large intra-abdominal tumor, which has not been associated with a primary visceral organ, with diffusely scattered multiple small tumors and rarely involves ovaries. It is a very aggressive and fast growing tumor along the peritoneal surfaces of the abdomen and pelvis. It has a typical histologic features and a specific immunohistochemical staining pattern. There is no definite treatment. It responses to surgery and chemotherapy at early period of therapy but relapses soon and rapidly progresses and then causes the death. We have experienced a peritoneal desmoplastic small round cell tumor which involved both ovaries, so we report this case with a brief review of literature.
Abdomen ; Child ; Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ovary* ; Pelvis ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVES: Korea was an endemic area for lymphatic filariasis (LF), caused by the nematode parasite Brugia malayi, until the 1970s. The World Health Organization recognized Korea as LF-free in June 2008. However, it is necessary to confirm that patients that have had LF in the past still test negative, to prevent the re-emergence of LF in Korea. METHODS: We followed up a total of 83 patients who had been diagnosed with LF between 2002 and 2010 in endemic LF areas. RESULTS: Fifty-two of the 83 subjects were negative for LF, whereas 31 subjects had re-located to a different city or province, were dead, or were unaccounted for. Most subjects with negative test results still exhibited edema in the legs or the arms, and some complained of redness and swelling in the legs or ankle joints. However, we found that these symptoms were due to diseases other than LF. CONCLUSION: In this follow-up study, we did not find any evidence indicating the potential re-emergence of LF in Korea.
Ankle Joint ; Arm ; Brugia malayi ; Edema ; Elephantiasis, Filarial* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Leg ; Parasites ; World Health Organization

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare benign disease of unknown etiology characterized by accumulation of calcium phosphate in the submucosa of large airways and benign proliferation of bone and cartilage resulting in nodular formation. We report a case of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica diagnosed by Endobronchial ultrasonography in a 56-year-old man. Chest Computed Tomography revealed thickening of tracheal and bronchial wall, and multiple nodules through whole trachea. Endobronchial ultrasonography showed numerous submucosal nodules with hetero-echogenecity in the third and fourth layers. Histopathological examination revealed nonspecific bronchitis with squamous metaplasia and metaplastic ossification. We confirmed tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica. The patient's symptoms were successfully treated with antibiotics and oxygen supplyment. endobronchial ultrasonography can helpful diagnosis in tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bronchitis ; Calcium ; Calcium Phosphates ; Cartilage ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Osteochondrodysplasias ; Oxygen ; Thorax ; Trachea ; Tracheal Diseases

This study was performed to investigate prevalence of clonorchiasis among the inhabitants living in villages along the 4 major rivers, Nakdong-gang (= river), Seomjin-gang, Youngsan-gang, and Guem-gang in southern Korea. From January to December 2006, a total of 24,075 stool samples (1 sample per an inhabitant) were collected in 23 localities and examined by the formalin-ether sedimentation technique. Of the inhabitants examined, 3,441 (14.3%) were found to harbor various types of intestinal parasite eggs, cysts or larvae. Numbers of infected people were 2,661 (11.1%) for Clonorchis sinensis, 431 (1.8%) for heterophyids, 226 (0.9%) for Entamoeba spp., 57 (0.2%) for Giardia lamblia, 30 (0.1%) for Trichuris trichiura, and 18 (0.07%) for echinostomes. Prevalence rates of clonorchiasis according to the river basin were 17.1% in Nakdong-gang, 11.2% in Seomjin-gang, 5.5% in Youngsan-gang and 4.6% in Guem-gang. Of the 2,661 C. sinensis egg-positive cases, 57.7% was male. The present findings suggest that clonorchiasis is still highly prevalent among inhabitants in the riverside areas of southern Korea, and it is necessary to implement a systematic control program in the endemic areas.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Clonorchiasis/*epidemiology ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Endemic Diseases ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parasite Egg Count ; Prevalence ; Rivers

Purpose: Advances in chemotherapeutic and targeted agents have increased pathologic complete response (pCR) rates after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST). Vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) has been suggested to accurately evaluate pCR. This study aims to confirm the non-inferiority of the 5-year disease-free survival of patients who omitted breast surgery when predicted to have a pCR based on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and VAB after NST, compared with patients with a pCR who had undergone breast surgery in previous studies. Methods The Omission of breast surgery for PredicTed pCR patients wIth MRI and vacuumassisted bIopsy in breaST cancer after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (OPTIMIST) trial is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, non-inferiority study enrolling in 17 tertiary care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. Eligible patients must have a clip marker placed in the tumor and meet the MRI criteria suggesting complete clinical response (post-NST MRI size ≤ 1 cm and lesion-to-background signal enhancement ratio ≤ 1.6) after NST. Patients will undergo VAB, and breast surgery will be omitted for those with no residual tumor. Axillary surgery can also be omitted if the patient was clinically node-negative before and after NST and met the stringent criteria of MRI size ≤ 0.5 cm. Survival and efficacy outcomes are evaluated over five years.Discussion: This study seeks to establish evidence for the safe omission of breast surgery in exceptional responders to NST while minimizing patient burden. The trial will address concerns about potential undertreatment due to false-negative results and recurrence as well as improved patient-reported quality of life issues from the omission of surgery. Successful completion of this trial may reshape clinical practice for certain breast cancer subtypes and lead to a safe and less invasive approach for selected patients.