The great chain of sympathetic ganglia which extends from the base of the skull to the pelvis, including the suprarenal medulla, accounts for the origin of the ganglioneuroma which compound with the matured ganglion cells and neural elements. The ganglioneuroma is non-functioning tumor, but occasionally this tumor accompanies with hypertension and diarrhea and increased excretion of vanilmandelic acid in urine. Recently we experienced a housewife with the bilateral ganglioma which developed at both suprarenal medulla and after successful removal of the tumors hypertension was controlled.
Diarrhea ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Ganglion Cysts ; Ganglioneuroma* ; Hypertension ; Pelvis ; Skull ; Vanilmandelic Acid

Clear cell sarcoma of kidney(CCSK) is a rare pediatric neoplasm characterized by a predominating component of clear cells, a predilection for metastases to bone, and a poor prognosis. The incidence of CCSK peaks during the 2nd year of life and adult cases are very rare. We report a case of CCSK encountered in the right kidney of a 39-year-old man. Grossly, it was a lobulated mass showing infiltrative margin, measured 7x5.5x5cm and had a homogeneous gray-tan color with a soft, fish-flesh consistency. Microscopically, about half of the tumor revealed the classic pattern of CCSK, having tumor cell cords or nests separated by the characteristic alveolar capillary networks. The tumor cells had clear pale cytoplasm, bland looking round nuclei and inconspicuous nucleoli. The other half showed the epithelioid-trabecular pattern forming pseudorosette or cord-like structures. Immunohistochemically, there was only a focal positive reaction to vimentin. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells showed the primitive nephrogenic mesenchymal differentiation such as electron lucent cytoplasm, a small amount of organelles, scanty heterochromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli, and a lack of flocculant basal lamina material around the cytoplasmic membrane. We consider that this is a case of CCSK occuring in the oldest patient ever reported, confirmed by both immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Forensic autopsy is performed to investigate a death. However, this is difficult in some cases, particularly in putrefied bodies. Pulmonary ossification is a rare pathological process, characterized by progressive and metaplastic ossification, which leads to the formation of small bony fragments in the pulmonary tissue. This condition can develop within the pulmonary tissues that are injured due to various causes. Metastatic and dystrophic calcification occur in normal tissues in conditions of deranged calcium metabolism and dead or degenerative tissue, respectively. Here, we describe the case of a 54-year-old man who lived alone and whose putrefied body was discovered by his landlord. A forensic pathologist identified needle-like sharp materials in both the lower lobes of the lungs during autopsy. Microscopic examination revealed dendriform pulmonary ossification with calcification. After autopsy, his medical history, including chronic kidney disease, was recorded by forensic pathologist. A review of his past medical history and comprehensive postmortem examination findings of the gross dissection, microscopic examination, and postmortem laboratory tests led to the determination of the cause of death as renal problems.

Because nonspecific colonic ulcer is an unusual condition and varies markedly in clinical presentation and course, preoperative clinical diagnosis of nonspecific colonic ulcer is very difficult, But now, preoperative clinical diagnosis can he made by advent of colonofiberscopy. And, it is very important to diagnose this disease early, because late diagnosis make a poor prognosis. We report a case of nonspecific colonic ulcer diagnosed by repeated colonofiberscopy and treated with surgery.
Colon* ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Prognosis ; Ulcer*

The purpose of this paper is to review the colonoscopic fingings of twenty two patients with colonic tuberculosis which were diagnosed by colonoscopic finding, histopathology, and follow-up observation after antituberculosis chemotherapy at Pusan National University Hospital from January 1992 to December 1994. The results were as follows: 1) The male to female ratio was 1: 1.2, and the average age of the patients was 39.4 years with a slight predominance in women. The age of peak incidence was the 4th decade 40.9%). 2) Abdominal pain(95%), diarrhea(63%), and weight loss(50%) were the most common clinical findings. Others were constipation, melena, and palpable abdominal mass. The location of the pain was right lower abdomen, epigastrium, central abdomen, and left lower abdomen in decreasing order. 3) Hematologic findings showed decrease in hemoglobin level, increase in ESR, and positive CRP(61.5%). The white blood cell counts were mostly normal. 4) The stool examination showed positive occult blood in 7 cases among 18 cases (38.9%). Acid-fast bacteria was observed in stool of one case. 5) On colonoscopy, the lesion sites were ileoeecal valve(75%), ascending colon(72.7 %), terminal ileum(52.6%), cecum(42.9%), transverse colon(31.8%), descending colon (27.3%), sigmoid colon(9%), and rectum(9%) in decreasing order of frequency. Most of them involved ileocecal area. 6) On colonoscopy, the shape of ulcer revealed circular(41%), fusion(36%), and irregular pattern(18%). It found skipped area in 9 cases, pseudopolyp in 8 cases, patency of ileocecal valve in 5 cases, and severe deformity of ileocecal valve in 6 cases. 7) Microscopic finding of biopsy specimens revealed noncaseating granulomatous inflammation in 12 cases, and nonspecific ulcerative inflammation in 10 cases. In conclusion the diagnostic yield may be greatly enhanced by obtaining multiple target biopsies frorn tbe deep portion of the ulcer bed and margins. Judged from the colonoscopic finding and clinical improvement after antituberculosis chemotherapy, more accurate diagnosis can be acquired.
Abdomen ; Bacteria ; Biopsy ; Busan ; Colon* ; Colon, Descending ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonoscopy ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Constipation ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileocecal Valve ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Melena ; Occult Blood ; Tuberculosis* ; Ulcer

A malignant fibrous histiocytoma is a rare pleomorphic tumor of the soft tissues. Primary retroperitoneal involvement of a malignant fibrous histiocytoma is very rare and often diagnosed in an advanced stage as it has no specific symptoms. Herein, a case of a malignant fibrous histiocytoma involving the retroperitoneum is reported, which was incidentally found in a 74-year-old male, who complained of pain in the right abdomen and thigh.
Abdomen ; Aged ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous* ; Humans ; Male ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; Thigh

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of symptomatic postdiscectomy pseudocyst (PP) after endoscopic discectomy and to compare the results of surgical and conservative management of them. METHODS: Initial study participants were 1,503 cases (1,406 patients) receiving endoscopic lumbar discectomy by 23-member board of neurosurgeons from March 2003 to October 2008. All patients' postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were evaluated. On the postoperative MRI, cystic lesion of T2W high and T1W low at discectomy site was regarded as PP. Reviews of medical records and radiological findings were done. The PP patients were divided into two groups, surgical and conservative management by treatment modality after PP detection. We compared the results of the two groups using the visual analogue scale (VAS) for low back pain (LBP), VAS for leg pain (LP) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI). RESULTS: Among 1,503 cases of all male soldiers, the MRIs showed that pseudocysts formed in 15 patients, about 1.0% of the initial cases. The mean postoperative interval from surgery to PP detection was 53.7 days. Interlaminar approach was correlated with PP formation compared with transforaminal approach (p=0.001). The mean VAS for LBP and LP in the surgical group improved from 6.5 and 4.8 to 2.0 and 2.3, respectively. The mean VAS for LBP and LP in the conservative group improved from 4.4 and 4.4 to 3.9 and 2.3, respectively. There was no difference in treatment outcome between surgical and conservative management of symptomatic PP. CONCLUSION: Although this study was done in limited environment, symptomatic PP was detected at two months' postoperative period in about 1% of cases. Interlaminar approach seems to be more related with PP compared with transforaminal approach.
Diskectomy ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Medical Records ; Military Personnel ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Treatment Outcome

This study was carried out to investigate the development rates of human embryos co-cultured with cumulus cells to each blastocyst stage. Human zygotes were co-cultured on cumulus cell monolayer in YS medium supplemented with 20% hFF. On day 2, if patient had four or more 'good' embryos(regular blastomeres without fragmentation), embryos were further cultured for 72hrs. Blastocysts on day 5 were classified into early blastocyst (ErB), early expanding blastocyst (EEB), middle expanding Blastocyst (MEB), and expanded blastocyst (EdB) on the basis of their morphological aspects of trophectoderm cells and blastocoele. Subsequently, maximum 3 of best blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles. The results in this study were as follows: Patients who had four or more 'good' embryos on day 2 were 498 persons, but patients whose embryos could not be transferred due to failure in development to the blastocyst stage on day 5 were 12 persons (2.4%). The development rate of embryos to the blastocyst stage was 58.2% (2,885/4,957) on day 5, and the rates that developed to the ErB, EEB, MEB, and EdB stage were 15.0% (743/4,957), 14.9% (739/4,957), 14.4% (714/4,957), and 13.9% (689/4,957), respectively. Total 1366 blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles (mean number=2.81). The implantation rate and the ongoing implantation rate obtained by observing the number of G-sac and FHB were 29.9% (409/1,366) and 22.5% (308/1,366), respectively. The clinical pregnancy rate was 51.2% (249/486), and the ongoing pregnancy rate was 39.1% (190/486). Among women showing ongoing pregnancy, women with singleton were 50% (95/190), women with twin were 37.9% (72/190), and women with triplet were 12.1% (23/190). Although triplet pregnancy rate in this study was high such as 12.1%, because many blastocysts with high viability were produced in our co-culture system using cumulus cells on day 5, we really believe that a multiple pregnancy except twin should not occur by selecting good embryos for maximum two blastocyst transfer. These results demonstrate that autologous cumulus cells may be used for the production of blastocysts with high developmental competence, and the use of autologous cumulus cells to be collected easily, and to be treated conveniently at OPU must be an effective means for obtaining high implantation and pregnancy rate.
Blastocyst* ; Blastomeres ; Coculture Techniques* ; Cumulus Cells* ; Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Humans* ; Mental Competency ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Pregnancy, Triplet ; Triplets ; Zygote

Enterovesical fistula is a relatively uncommon complication involving colorectal and pelvic malignancies, intestinal diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, radiotherapy and trauma in Asian countries. A 77-year-old male was referred with complaints of difficult urination, frequency, nocturia and abdominal discomfort. On admission, fever and fecaluria were present. Various diagnostic procedures such as excretory urography, cystography, cystoscopy, rectoscopy and pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan were performed. Under the impression of vesicosigmoidal fistula, segmental resection of the sigmoid colon with partial cystectomy was performed. The histopathology revealed diverticulosis of the sigmoid colon with diverticulitis and development of a vesicosigmoidal fistula.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Cystectomy ; Cystoscopy ; Diverticulitis* ; Diverticulum ; Fever ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Male ; Nocturia ; Radiotherapy ; Urination ; Urography

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of HA on the MMP-2 expression level during the healing process of an acute rotator cuff tear in rats by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mature Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this animal study. In each rat, 2x2mm partial thickness defect of the rotator cuff was made. The rats were assigned to receive either subacromial injection of HA (HA group) or saline (saline group). The rotator cuff was examined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR at 4 weeks after surgery and the results were compared the results. RESULTS: A gross inspection showed that the defects were covered with granulation tissue, which were similar in both groups. The histopathological findings from the HA group revealed collagen bundles with a more dense regular arrangement and small number of inflammatory cells. Semiquantitative RT-PCR for MMP-2 in the HA group demonstrated a higher expression level than in the saline group. CONCLUSION: A subacromial injection of extrinsic HA increased MMP-2 expression level during the healing process of a rotator cuff tear in rats and might play a key role in the acute healing process of an injured rotator cuff.
Animals ; Collagen ; Granulation Tissue ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rotator Cuff*