No abstract available.
Hernia, Diaphragmatic* ; Stomach Volvulus*

No abstract available.
Humans

The authors analyse the ultrasonographic findings of 10 cases of appendiceal mucocele retrospectively. In atotal of 10 cases, 6 cases showed only cystic masses with posterior reinforcement. The remaining 4 cases showedinternal echoes in the cystic masses. Differential diagnosis of mucocele from periappendiceal abscess is notpossible in ultrasound. The possibility of mucocele shold be considered if cystic mass in right lower quadrantabdomen is observed in ultrasound.
Abscess ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Mucocele ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Animals ; Fetus* ; Immunohistochemistry* ; Rats*

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer is curable at early stages with local-regional therapy. However, most patients are diagnosed with advanced stage disease that requires combination therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy, in patients with advanced head and neck cancer by evaluating the response, survival and organ preservation rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 39 patients with advanced head and neck cancer who received docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy from March 2000 to July 2004. RESULTS: The average age of the 39 patients was 53.4 (range 30 to 73 years) years and the most common primary site was the hypopharynx (23.0%). There were 36 patients who had stage IV disease and three patients with stage III disease. The overall response rate was 76.9% (30/39), including 12 complete responses (30.8%) and 18 partial responses (46.1%). The response rate based on the primary cancer and neck metastasis was 74.4% and 69.3%; the differences were not significant. Among 16 patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer, 13 (81.2%) had their larynx preserved after chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and a survival rate of 61.5%; three patients (18.8%) received a total laryngectomy and had a survival rate of 66.7%. The overall survival rate from the start of chemotherapy was 56.4% with a median survival of 30 months. The common toxicities observed were alopecia, vomiting, diarrhea, hepatotoxicity and anemia but they were all generally manageable. CONCLUSION: Docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy is an effective regimen with a relatively high response rate and acceptable toxicity
Alopecia ; Anemia ; Cisplatin* ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms* ; Head* ; Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Hypopharynx ; Laryngectomy ; Larynx ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Organ Preservation ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer is curable at early stages with local-regional therapy. However, most patients are diagnosed with advanced stage disease that requires combination therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy, in patients with advanced head and neck cancer by evaluating the response, survival and organ preservation rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 39 patients with advanced head and neck cancer who received docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy from March 2000 to July 2004. RESULTS: The average age of the 39 patients was 53.4 (range 30 to 73 years) years and the most common primary site was the hypopharynx (23.0%). There were 36 patients who had stage IV disease and three patients with stage III disease. The overall response rate was 76.9% (30/39), including 12 complete responses (30.8%) and 18 partial responses (46.1%). The response rate based on the primary cancer and neck metastasis was 74.4% and 69.3%; the differences were not significant. Among 16 patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer, 13 (81.2%) had their larynx preserved after chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and a survival rate of 61.5%; three patients (18.8%) received a total laryngectomy and had a survival rate of 66.7%. The overall survival rate from the start of chemotherapy was 56.4% with a median survival of 30 months. The common toxicities observed were alopecia, vomiting, diarrhea, hepatotoxicity and anemia but they were all generally manageable. CONCLUSION: Docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy is an effective regimen with a relatively high response rate and acceptable toxicity
Alopecia ; Anemia ; Cisplatin* ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms* ; Head* ; Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Hypopharynx ; Laryngectomy ; Larynx ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Organ Preservation ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Vomiting

A recent study showed that comparative sequence analysis of rpoB DNAs could reveal natural relationships in genus Mycobacterium [J Clin Microbiol. 37 (6). 1999]. rpoB DNAs showed interspecies variation and intraspecies conservation, Based on these data, we developed polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) protocols which enable species differentiation in genus Mycabacterium. When this assay was applied to 24 clinical isolates identified as M. avium complex (MAC) by biochemical test, these were successfully differentiated into M. avium and M. intracellulare. These results were concordant with those obtained by 16s rDNA analysis. It is the first report that PCR-SSCP analysis of rpoB DNA could be used for species differentiation of MAC strains.
DNA* ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Mycobacterium avium Complex* ; Mycobacterium avium* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational* ; Sequence Analysis

PURPOSE: Although many studies have demonstrated improvements in short-and long-term outcomes of gastric cancer surgery, changes in long-term survival over time are not well-established. This study was conducted to evaluate changes in host, tumor, and treatment factors in patients treated at a single institution over a period of 45-yr. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 9282 patients with gastric cancer from 1955 to 1999, and divided the 45-yr into 4 time frames based on published articles: 1955 to 1962 (n=228), 1963 to 1972 (n=891), 1973 to 1988 (n=2789), and 1989 to 1999 (n=5374). RESULTS: Remarkable changes were noted in host, tumor, treatment factors, and prognosis. Among host factors, patients of more advanced age were identified in the 4th period and mean age shifted from 49 to 55 yrs. Among tumor factors, early gastric cancers and upper body tumors increased up to 32% and from 7% to 13%, respectively. An increase in the annual number of patients (from 29 to 649), gastrectomies (from 14 to 600), rate of resection (from 50% to 90%), rate of curative resection (up to 92%), and proportion of total gastrectomy (from 8% to 29%) was noted. Operative mortality was reduced from 6.1% to 0.7%. The overall 5-yr survival rate significantly increased from 22% to 65%. CONCLUSION: Treatment results of gastric cancer surgery have improved remarkably over the 45-year period. Increase of early stage gastric cancer with early diagnosis considerably influenced the improved survival of patients with gastric cancer.
Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Gastrectomy/adverse effects/*methods/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Distribution ; Stomach Neoplasms/mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic wedge resection (LWR) is replacing open wedge resection (OWR) as the standard surgical treatment for gastric submucosal tumors. However, few scientific comparisons exist as to whether LWR or OWR is better in terms of postoperative outcomes. This study was performed to compare these two treatment modalities for the treatment of gastric submucosal tumors by evaluating the postoperative outcomes. METHODS: Between 1993 and 2004, 112 patients with a gastric submucosal tumor had undergone either LWR (n=42) or OWR (n=70). Their medical records were retrospectively reviewed with regard to tumor size, operative time, time to first flatus, postoperative hospital stay and analgesics use. RESULTS: The demographics and tumor characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. Four (9 %) cases in the LWR group were converted to an open procedure. The mean operation time was longer in the LWR than the OWR group (100.6 vs. 84.3 min)(P = 0.015). The time to first flatus (1.8 +/- 0.1 vs. 3.3 +/- 0.1 days, respectively, P < 0.0001) and soft diet intake (3.5 +/- 0.3 vs. 6.0 +/- 0.2 days, respectively, P < 0.0001) were shorter in the LWR compared to the OWR group. The postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LWR than in the OWR group (5.3 +/- 0.6 vs. 8.5 +/- 0.2 days) (P < 0.0001). The number of analgesics uses (2.7 +/- 0.4 times) in the LWR was less than that in the OWR group (2.7 +/- 0.4 vs. 4.1 +/- 0.5 times)(P=0.0056). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic wedge resection of a gastric submucosal tumor was superior to open wedge resection in terms of the postoperative outcomes. Laparoscopic wedge resection could be considered the first-line treatment for gastric submucosal tumors.
Analgesics ; Demography ; Diet ; Flatulence ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mucin gene expression and mucin secretion are highly increased by inflammatory airway diseases such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and rhinosinusitis. Macrolide antibiotics is considered one of the effective drugs inhibiting mucus secretion for chronic bronchitis and rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp. However, the anti-secretory effect of macrolide is not clear. This study was designed to investigate whether macrolide can suppress interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-induced MUC4 gene expression and mucin secretion in the cultured human nasal polyp epithelial cells and NCI-H292 epithelial cells. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Nasal polyps were obtained from 20 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp during endoscopic sinus surgery. We observed the effect of roxithromycin on the IL-1beta-induced MUC4 gene and mucin secretion by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: Roxithromycin attenuated the IL-1beta-induced MUC4 mRNA expression and mucin secretion with a dose dependent pattern in both of the cultured human nasal polyp epithelial cells and NCI-H292 epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: This result suggests that roxithromycin may be considered as an effective anti-hypersecretory agent for its down-regulation of the MUC4 gene.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Asthma ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Down-Regulation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression* ; Humans* ; Interleukin-1beta ; Mucins ; Mucus ; Nasal Polyps ; RNA, Messenger ; Roxithromycin