Papillary carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the thyroid gland, and it only infrequently invades the upper aerodigestive tract. When such invasion does occur, it is a source of significant morbidity as well as mortality. Although most thyroid tumors first clinically manifest as a neck mass, there have been few reports of patients whose initial compliant was a disturbance of the aerodigestive tract. The patient in our present study had no significant past medical history, and esophagoscopy and biopsy revealed papillary adenocarcinoma. We report here on a case of thyroid papillary carcinoma that was diagnosed by esophagoscopic biopsy.
Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Esophagoscopy ; Humans ; Neck ; Thyroid Gland

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal proliferative vascular tumor involving cutaneous and extra-cutaneous tissues. KS has been reported in patients treated with immunosuppressive agents for autoimmune diseases. However, KS has rarely been reported in patients with iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome. A 77-year-old woman was evaluated with multiple asymptomatic violaceous nodules and plaques on both lower legs. She had been diagnosed with iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome and had been treated with low-dose corticosteroid replacement therapy for >10 years. A histopathologic study showed extensive vascular proliferation in the dermis with spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical staining for CD31, CD34, human herpesvirus (HHV)-8, and D2-40 was positive. We hereby report a case of KS in a patient with iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome.
Aged ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Cushing Syndrome ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Leg ; Sarcoma, Kaposi

BACKGROUND: One of the most common breast reconstruction techniques that uses autologous tissue is the free muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (MS-TRAM) flap. However, patients hesitate to choose this method because of the long transverse scar between the anterior superior iliac spines. Furthermore, traditional reconstruction using a free MS-TRAM flap entails donor site morbidities such as pain, hematoma, or seroma. Here, we introduce a mini-abdominoplasty-designed free TRAM flap with flap beveling, which can be a good method for breast reconstruction in Asian patients who have small breasts. METHODS: Breast reconstruction with free MS-TRAM flaps using the mini-abdominoplasty design and flap beveling was performed in 10 patients following mastectomy. Patient age, presurgical brassiere cup size, tumor type, operation type, excised breast weight, elevated flap weight, flap weight used for the breast, recipient vessel, operation time, day that the abdominal drain was removed, and complications associated with both the flap and donor site were documented for all flaps and patients. RESULTS: For all 10 mini-abdominoplasty-designed free TRAM flap procedures, no flap loss or donor site morbidity was noted over a mean follow-up time of 16 months. CONCLUSIONS: The mini-abdominoplasty-designed free TRAM flap can safely and satisfactorily be implanted for the reconstruction of mastectomy defects. It can transfer the lower abdominal skin and subcutaneous tissue for breast reconstruction with minimal donor site scarring and morbidity, especially in Asian patients, who generally have smaller breasts.
Abdominoplasty ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Breast* ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Mammaplasty* ; Mastectomy ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Rectus Abdominis ; Seroma ; Skin ; Spine ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Tissue Donors

Maxillomandibular fractures usually require intermaxillary fixation as a means to immobilize and stabilize the fracture and to re-establish proper occlusion. Arch bars or intermaxillary fixation screws cannot be used for edentulous patients or for patients who have poor dental health. Here, we present a case of repeated intermaxillary fixation failure in a patient weak alveolar rigidity secondary to multiple dental implants. Because single-point fixation screws were not strong enough to maintain proper occlusion, we have used Y-shaped plates to provide more rigid anchoring points for the intermaxillary wires. We suggest that this method should be considered for patients in whom conventional fixation methods are inappropriate or have failed.
Dental Implants ; Humans ; Jaw Fixation Techniques ; Mandible ; Mandibular Reconstruction

Sclerotic fibroma is a rare skin neoplasm that can occur seen sporadically or in association with Cowden's disease. Clinically, it presents as asymptomatic flesh-colored or pinkish slow-growing papules or nodules with a wide anatomical distribution. We report a rare case of pedunculated type of sclerotic fibroma resembling soft fibroma, which has not been reported in Korea.
Fibroma ; Hamartoma Syndrome, Multiple ; Korea ; Skin Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Lower abdominal soft tissue transfer is the standard procedure for breast reconstruction. However, abdominal wall weakness and herniation commonly occur postoperatively at the donor site. To reduce the morbidities of the donor site, the superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap was introduced, but inconsistent anatomy of the SIEA has reduced its utility. In the present study, the anatomy of the superficial inferior epigastric vessels in Korean women was determined with regards to breast reconstructive surgery. METHODS: The vascular anatomies of the SIEA and superficial inferior epigastric vein (SIEV) were evaluated on 32 breast cancer patients receiving free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap reconstruction after mastectomy. The existence, pulsation, location, external diameter, and depth of the SIEA and SIEV were measured at the lower abdominal incision level. RESULTS: SIEA and SIEV were present in 48/64 (75.00%) and 63/64 (98.44%) hemi-abdomens, respectively. Pulsation of the SIEA was found in 44/48 (91.67%) cases. The mean locations of SIEA and SIEV were +5.79 (+/-12.87) mm, and -8.14 (+/-15.24) mm from the midpoint between the anterior superior iliac spine and symphysis pubis, respectively. The mean external diameters of SIEA and SIEV were 1.20 (+/-0.39) mm and 1.37 (+/-0.33) mm, and they were found at a mean depth of 9.75 (+/-2.67) mm and 8.33 (+/-2.65) mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The SIEA was absent in 25% of Korean women and had a relatively small caliber. Therefore, careful preoperative assessment of the lower abdominal vasculature is required to achieve successful breast reconstruction using SIEA flaps.
Abdominal Wall ; Anatomy, Regional ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Epigastric Arteries* ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; Mastectomy ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Rectus Abdominis ; Spine ; Tissue Donors ; Veins

PURPOSE: The hepatic resection is the gold-standard treatment for patients with colorectal-cancer liver metastases (CLM). This study aimed to identify prognostic factors in patients with synchronous CLM who underwent a surgical curative (R0) resection with respect to the number of metastatic nodules. METHODS: Of 1,261 CLM patients treated between January 1991 and December 2010, 339 who underwent a R0 resection for synchronous CLM were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were grouped according to the number of CLM nodules: 1-2 CLM nodules, n = 272 (group 1) and 3-8 CLM nodules, n = 67 (group 2). RESULTS: The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate in group 1was better than that in group 2 (P = 0.020). The multivariate analysis identified lymph-node metastasis (N2), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and three or more CLM nodules as independent poor prognostic factors for PFS in all patients and lymph-node metastasis (N2) and LVI as independent poor prognostic factors for patients in group 1. No independent prognostic factors were identified for patients in group 2. CLM treatment method and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were not associated with survival. CONCLUSION: Three or more metastatic nodules, lymph-node metastasis (N2), and LVI were independent poor prognostic factors for PFS in patients with synchronous CLM who underwent a R0 resection. The latter 2 factors were also independent prognostic factors for PFS in patients with less than 3 CLM nodules; however, in patients with three or more CLM nodules, the prognosis for PFS may be related only to liver metastasis.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Liver* ; Methods ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

Poststeroid panniculitis is a very rare complication of corticosteroid therapy, and this is characterized by firm subcutaneous nodules on the cheek, neck or upper trunk within days or weeks following rapid systemic steroid tapering or cessation in childhood. It can be identified by the clinical features and a history of using steroid, and if necessary, with a biopsy. There have been just 2 reported cases in adulthood, one was an autopsy case of a 28-year woman and another was a 60-year-old man after massive administration of corticosteroids for congestive heart failure. Herein, we report a case of panniculitis accompanied by Cushing's syndrome in an adult after long-term misuse of systemic steroid for rosacea.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Autopsy ; Biopsy ; Cheek ; Cushing Syndrome ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Panniculitis ; Rosacea

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between patients undergoing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) and those undergoing mastectomy alone. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction for resectable invasive breast cancer between 2002 and 2010 at a single center was conducted. These cases were matched to patients who underwent mastectomy alone in the same time period, performed by 1:2 matching. Matching control variables included age, tumor size, axillary lymph node metastasis, and estrogen receptor status. Overall, 189 patients were identified in the IBR group, and 362 patients were matched to this group. RESULTS: In the IBR group, 75 patients (39.7%) underwent conventional total mastectomy, 78 (41.3%) underwent skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM), and 36 (19.0%) underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM). The IBR group was significantly younger than the control group (41.9 and 45.1 years, respectively) (p=0.032), in spite of matching between three age groups. The DFS rates were similar between the IBR group and mastectomy alone group, at 92.0% and 89.9%, respectively, at 5-year follow-up (log-rank test, p=0.496). The 5-year LRFS was 96.2% in the IBR group and 96.4% in the mastectomy alone group (log-rank test, p=0.704), similar to data from previous reports. Subgroup analyses for SSM or NSM patients showed no differences in LRFS and DFS between the two groups. Additionally, in stage III patients, IBR did not cause an increase in recurrence. CONCLUSION: IBR after mastectomy, including both SSM and NSM, had no negative impact on recurrence or patient survival, even in patients with advanced disease.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Case-Control Studies* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Estrogens ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mammaplasty* ; Mastectomy ; Mastectomy, Simple ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to investigate the expression pattern of pro-inflammatory cytokines during distraction osteogenesis and to compare these with expression during simple fracture healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Regenerated bones from the rat tibia subjected distraction osteogenesis and simple fracture healing models were harvested over three-week periods. Temporal expressions of mRNA of pro-inflammatory cytokines were investigated by RNase protection assay. Immunohistochemical studies for IL-6 were performed in postoperative day 7 and 9 tissue section specimens. RESULTS: IL-1beta and IL-6 produced detectable signals, while IL-1alpha, TNFalpha and TNFbeta did not. The mRNA expressions of IL-1beta and IL-6 were markedly upregulated on postoperative day 1 and then subsided to the preoperative level. IL-1beta mRNA expression remained the same even when distraction began. However, IL-6 mRNA expression was reactivated during the distraction phase. Immunohistochemical study revealed the expressions of IL-6 not only at the transitional zone of the transchondroid ossification, in young osteoblasts lining newly formed trabeculae and in hematopoietic cells in the marrow but also in primitive mesenchymal cells at the distraction gap. CONCLUSIONS: Distraction strain re-induced IL-6 expression during distraction osteogenesis, which suggests that well-controlled inflammatory reaction might contribute to active new bone formation in distraction osteogenesis.
Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Cytokines* ; Fracture Healing ; Interleukin-6 ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Rats* ; Ribonucleases ; RNA, Messenger ; Tibia* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha