No abstract available.
Aorta*

No abstract available.
Aortic Rupture* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal*

No abstract available.
Colon* ; Diverticulitis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the findings and the role of CT in plexiform neuro-fibromatosis of the mediastinum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retropectively reviewed the CT scans of five patients with plexiform neurofibromatosis of the mediastinum. The CT scans were reviewed with attention to the distribution of the lesions, appearance and attenuation of mediastinal lesions, enhancement pattern after intravenous contrast infusion and associated findingssuch as intercostal neurofibroma. RESULTS: In all five patients CT scans demonstrated fusiform low attenuated masses which were oriented longitudinally and extended over multiple contiguous scans along the distribution of major mediastinal nerves. In four patients, mediastinal lesions appeared infiltrative, obliterating adjacent mediastinal fat plane. One patient had well defined fusiform masses along the major mediastinal nerves. Postcontrast enhanced CT scans revealed slight central enhancement in two patient and no contrast enhancement in three patients. Associated findings such as neurofibromas of intercostal nerves and sympathetic trunk, or subcutaneous neurofibromas were detected on CTscans in all five patients. CONCLUSION: Characteristic CT findings of low attenuation masses along the major mediastinal nerves are helpful to differentiate plexiform neurofibromatosis from mediastinal lymphadenopathy and to prevent from misreading as a malignant disease.
Humans ; Intercostal Nerves ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mediastinum* ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The nature of gallbladder polyp is obscure before operation, and surgical indication is still controversial. The aim of this study is to suggest the therapeutic guideline for patients with the gallbladder polyps in the laparoscopic era. METHODS: Among 49 patients who received cholecystectomy because of gallbladder polyp from January 1, 1992 to December 31, 2000 in Department of Surgery, Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital, we studied 42 histopathologically confirmed gallbladder polyp patients retrospectively. These patients were divided into two groups as true polyp(adenoma, carcinoma) and pseudopolyp(cholesterol, inflammatory, hyperplastic), and clinical characteristics were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The mean age was 48.19+/-11.09 years and male to female ratio was 17:25 in all patients. Of 42 patients, 32 pseudopolyps(76.2%) and 10 true polyps(23.8%) were confirmed by pathologic examination. Of 32 pseudopolyps, cholesterol polyps(29cases, 90.6%) were most common type. 4 carcinomas and 6 adenomas were included in 10 true polyps. Of 6 adenomas, coexistence with dysplasia was present in two cases. 1 case of carcinoma was present as arising from underlying tubular adenoma. Compared with pseudopolyp, true polyp showed significant larger size in diameter than psedopolyp(p=0.014). Despite of these statistical difference, 44% of pseudopolyps was more than 10mm in maximum diameter. 2 cases of true polyp(20%) was less than 10mm. However all of the other clinical features such as, the patients's age, sex, symptom, presence of gallstones, and number of polypoid lesion were not significantly different between the groups. All 4 carcinoma patients received laparoscopic cholecystectomy are disease free state with mean 68.5 months follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Although true polyps showed statistically significant larger than pseudopolyps in maximum diameter, there was no clear cut point dividing the two groups. All of the other clinical characteristics could not differentiated true polyps from pseudopolyps. Because of the low morbidity of laparoscopic procedure, premalignant potential of gallbladder adenoma and the adenoma-carcinoma sequence are unquestionable, an aggressive surgical intervention should be proposed in the era of laparoscopic surgery.
Adenoma ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gallbladder* ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Polyps* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Huntington Disease*

No abstract available.
Calcitriol* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Gene Expression* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

No abstract available.
Calcitriol* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone* ; Gene Expression* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

Surgical treatment of congenital scoliosis is often frustrating due to its severity and rigidity. Many surgical methods were provided for these complex deformities and some instruments were used to achieve better correction. However, no surgical treatment was satisfactory to correct the deformities. Recently, pedicle screw fixation, enabling a powerful grip of individual vertebral segment, is becoming a promising method to enhance correction of these tenacious deformities. This study was to compare the correction, loss of correction and complications of the various surgical methods employed for congenital scoliosis in Seoul National University Hospital and to verify the advantages of pedicle screw fixation. Ninety-two congenital scoliosis subjected to surgery and followed up for more than 2 years(range 2-9 years) were analysed. Surgical methods were; anterior uninstrumented fusion, 5; posterior fusion, 50(14 without instrument, 15 with hooks, 21 with screws); combined anterior and posterior fusion, 37(7 without instrument, 11 with posterior hooks, 10 with posterior screws, 9 with anterior VDS and posterior screws). Mean preoperative magnitude of index curve was 58° with no significant difference between the groups except for the anterior VDS and posterior screw group which had a mean magnitude of 93°. Mean flexibility of index curve was 18.7% with no significant difference between groups. The correction of index curves were; anterior uninstrumented fusion, 23%; posterior uninstrumented fusion, 28%; posterior hook, 31%; posterior screw, 46%; combined anterior and posterior uninstrumented, 37%; anterior fusion and posterior hook, 30%; anterior fusion and posterior screw, 47%; anterior VDS and posterior screw, 48%. The correction of pedicle screws were significantly better(p < 0.01) with significantly smaller loss of correction(p < 0.01). Nonunion occurred in 4, 1 in posterior uninstrumented fusion, 2 in posterior hooks and 1 in posterior pedicle screws with concomitant instrument failures. However, there were no neurologic or visceral complications related to screw placement. Pedicle screw fixation offers an enhances correction of congenital scoliosis with low complication rate, and when combined with an anterior procedure, enables control of the most severe and rigid curves.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Hand Strength ; Methods ; Pedicle Screws ; Pliability ; Scoliosis ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Pneumothorax*