No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma*

Sarcoidosis can affect two or more members of the same family, and the reported occurrence of such familial sarcoidosis is variable from 0.5 to 14%. Recently we have experienced familial sarcoidosis affected mother and daughter, for the first time in Korea. Mother was diagnosed as Stage II sarcoidosis 4 years ago by transbronchial lung biopsy and cervical lymph node biopsy with compatible BAL finding in our hospital. This time, the daughter was admitted with bilateral hilar enlargement and anterior uveitis. Even though she had positive tuberculin skin test and atypical BAL finding(lymphocyte: 61%, CD4/CD8: 1.22). Transbronchial lung biopsy and mediastinal lymph node biopsy revealed noncaseating epithelioid granulorna without AFB. Slit lamp examination of the eyes showed severe anterior uveitis. Systemic steroid therapy was started due to progressive uveitis with antituberculous medication.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Mothers ; Nuclear Family ; Sarcoidosis* ; Skin Tests ; Tuberculin ; Uveitis ; Uveitis, Anterior

The gastric adenoma, which is also called as borderline epithelial lesion, dysplasia, atypical epithelial lesion, is occasionally encoutered during gastroscopy, but the natural history of a gastric adenoma has not been clarified in view of the pre-melignant potential. In Korea, there has been few report for its gastroscopic feature, gastroscopic diagnostic accuracy, or loag-term clinical follow-up yet. (continue...)
Adenoma* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Gastroscopy ; Korea ; Natural History

The association of gastric tubular adenoma and adenocarcinoma is already well known. Then, are those two pathologic lesions merely incidentally coexisting or does the one evolve to the other? That is a longstanding controversy. Nowadays, as is the case with the colonic tubular adenoma, the hypothesis that gastric tubular adenoma may be a precancerous lesion is generally accepted. However the direct evidences are rare. We report a clear case proving the potential of direct malignant transformation of gastric tubular adenorna through the 9-year close endoscopic follow-up. The developed cancer is well differentiated, surrounded with background tubular adenoma and limited to the submucosal layer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma* ; Colon ; Follow-Up Studies*

Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) is effective for the management of bleeding esophageal varices, and its use is widespread now. EVL necessitates the use of overtubes. Two primary techniques have been used for overtube placement; one is with endoscope, and the other is with bougie dilator. Overtube placement with endoseope is not without risk. There are reportd of esophageal or pharyngeal laceration or perforation. Overtube placement with bougie dilator circumvents this risk, but it is rather cumbersome to use. The authors devised a safe and easy method for overtube placement, and applied it to a number of patients to test its safety and convenience. First, overtube-dilator assembly was prepared as follows. A Rigiflex achalasia dilator (balloon 30mm OD, 10cm length; Microvasive Co) was lubricated and inserted into the overtube. A tenth of the balloon tip was protruded out of the overtube, then the balloon was insufflated with air at 10-15 psi. Second, standard endoscopy was performed, followed by placement of guide wire in the stomach. Overtube-dilator assembly was lubricated and introduced over the wire as a rail. Once the overtube was properly positioned, the balloon was deflated, and the balloon and wire were removed as a whole, which completed overtube placement. For 65 patients with esophageal variceal bleeding, 82 procedures of EVL were performed using the new technique. Overtube-dilator assembly was easy to prepare and handle. This technique added little time to the procedure and minimizes patients discomfort. No patient suffered major complications such as bleeding, laceration or perforation. This novel method for overtube placement was safe and convenient for use in EVL. It can also be applied to other procedures using overtube such as endoscopic foreign body removal.
Endoscopes ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal Achalasia ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Foreign Bodies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Ligation* ; Stomach

Melanosis coli is the brownish black discoloration of the colon due to accumulation of pigment containing macrophages in lamina propria. The nature and source of this pigment is controversial but many studies have suggested that the pigment is related to lipofuscin. Melanosis coli has been reported to be closely associated with prolonged administration of anthraquinone purgatives. But this condition is sometimes associated with colonic polyp colon cancer, rediation therapy or non-anthraquinone purgatives administration. Moreover the fact that melanosis coli could be found in subjects who never used purgatives suggested that, even though chronic consumption of anthraquinone purgatives seems to play a major role, other factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of melanosis coli. We presented a case of melanosis Coli in a 47-year-old female with history of rectal instillation of petroleum for control of hemorrhoids.
Administration, Rectal* ; Cathartics ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonic Polyps ; Female ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Lipofuscin ; Macrophages ; Melanosis* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Petroleum*

A case of multiple hemangioendothelioma of the cauda equina nerve roots and conus medullaris is described. This case is the first report of intradural multiple hemangioendothelioma in Korea. A 74-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of progressive bilateral leg weakness and lancinating leg pain especially at night. Magnetic resonance image revealed multiple enhancing nodular masses in the cauda equina nerve roots and pial surface of the conus medullaris. We performed total removal of conus medullaris mass and partial removal of two nerve rootlets masses. Two lesions were histologically examined and found to be hemangioendotheliomas
Aged ; Cauda Equina* ; Conus Snail ; Female ; Hemangioendothelioma* ; Humans ; Korea ; Leg ; Spinal Cord*

Amidarone is one of the most commonly prescribed anti-arrythmic agents for almost all arrythmias, whether atrial or ventricular in origin. There are several side effects associated with amiodarone therapy. These include corneal deposits, abnormal liver function tests, hyper and hypothyroidism, bluish discolorations of the skin, bone marrow suppression, coagulopathies, peripheral neuropathies, and pulmonary toxicity. Amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity(APT), which was first described in 1980, is potentially serious side effects that are believed to develop in 5% of patients. Doctors often assume that APT occurs only when high amiodarone doses are used for a long time, but in practice a low maintenance dose of amiodarone may also be toxic. In this report, a case of amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity after a long course of a low dose therapy for refractory supraventricular arrythmia is described.
Amiodarone ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bone Marrow ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Liver Function Tests ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Skin

Carcinoid tumors of the intestinal tract are uncommon neoplasms thought to arise from argentaffin cells in the base of the intestinal crypts. Carcinoid tumors of other sites have since been reported with increasing frequency. We experienced one case of rectal carcinoid tumor and the other case of stomach carcinoid turnor. A 52-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital because of right upper abdominal discomfort. On the CT scan, multiple low density masses were noticed. Sigmoidoscopy revealed the whitish yellow ulcerofungating mass which had vague margin. And a 31-year-old male patient was admitted to the haspital because of hematemesis. On the gastrofiberscopic examination, an ovoid shallow ulcer crater which had elevated margin, smooth tapered fold and vissible vessel was noticed on the anterior wall side of the high body. The biopsy specimen in both these cases showed carcinoid cells. 24h urine 5-HIAA of these cases was negative. Awareness of carcinoid tumor in differential diagnosis of hepatic metastasis and of gastric ulcer is necessary.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Enterochromaffin Cells ; Hematemesis ; Humans ; Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum* ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Stomach Ulcer ; Stomach* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ulcer

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of spinal metastases continues to increase, likely a result of increasing survival times for patients with cancer. This retrospective study was undertaken to analyze the results of surgery and the outcome of patients with extradural metastases in the cervical spine. METHODS: Thirty-three patients with cervical spine metastases who underwent spinal surgery by two surgeon at a single center in a 14-year period(1993-2007) were analyzed. Indications for surgery include intractable pain, neurological deficits, spinal cord compression, and the need for stabilization of impending pathological fractures. Numerous factors affect outcome including the nature of the primary cancer, the presence of fracture or dislocation, approach of surgery, and the severity of spinal cord compression. The change of predominant symptoms and survival time were evaluated after surgery. RESULTS: There were 17 male and 16 female patients aged from 29 to 78 years old(mean age, 59.9 years). Among the metastatic tumors, colon, breast, and liver were the most common primary sites of origin, and lung, kidney, stomach and thyroid were also common. All patients had bony invasion and 24 patients had pathologic vertebral fracture and 6 patients had dislocation. Based on the tumor location, approaches included 12 anterior, 6 posterior and 15 combined. Epidural spinal cord compression on the axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance(MR) image was noted in 31 patients(93.9%). The American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA) impairment scale scores in preoperative state were stable in 29 patients(87.9%) who presented with ASIA Score D and E. The most common predominant symptoms of patients were cervical and/or radiating pain(26 patients) and 23 patients had neurological deficits. At Follow-up, predominant preoperative symptoms improved in 28(84.8%) patients who had pain or neurological deficits. The overall mean survival duration for patients with cervical metastatic tumors after diagnosis was 7.4 months in 28 expired patients and 17.4 months in 5 survived patients. There were four major early and late complications in this study. One patient suffered from the immediate postoperative epidural hematoma and improved after evacuation of hematoma. There were three cases of instrumentation failure. One of them was symptomatic and underwent second-look surgery. CONCLUSION: Surgery for the treatment of cervical spine metastases is effective for improvement of the neurological deficits and relief the local pain in a significant proportion of patients with acceptable complication rates. The tech- nical evolution of cervical implants has improved our ability to achieve long-term rigid fixation, particularly over the cervicothoracic junction.
Aged ; Asia ; Breast ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Colon ; Dislocations ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pain, Intractable ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spinal Injuries ; Spine ; Stomach ; Thyroid Gland