No abstract available.
Animals ; Binding Sites* ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Rats* ; Serotonin*

No abstract available.
Transplants* ; Urinary Incontinence*

No Abstract Available.
Allografts* ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament*

Though high stone free rates were reported with ESWL monotherapy or anatrophic nephrolithotomy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy with or without ESWL appears to be the procedure of choice for most staghorn calculi. A total of 41 patients with staghorn calculi underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PNL) alone or primary percutaneous debulking followed by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy(ESWL) of residual stone fragments. For the objective analysis of the results of PNL stone removal rate was calculated with stone surface area which was determined by computer analyzer. For staghorn calculi smaller than 2000 mm2(38/41), a mean stone removal rate of about 90% was achieved in the PNL. When stone surface area exceeded 2000 mm2(3,41), the mean stone removal rate was 78.8%. The stone removal rates stratified by stone surface area were not significantly different. The stone free rate was 31.7% in the PNL only but 75.6% in the PNL with or without ESWL. The higher mean stone removal rate and stone free rate was achieved in the kidneys with non-dilated collecting system than those with hydronephrosis, but it was not statistically significant.
Calculi* ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous* ; Shock

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis is proliferation of fibrous tissue with inflammatory process due to unknown etiology, that may involve the ureters and other retroperitoneal structures. The majority of reported cases have been treated surgically by ureterolysis or intraperitonealization of the ureters. Recently, successful management of retroperitoneal fibrosis by administration of steroids also has been reported. We report two cases of patients who underwent successful treatment of an idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis with high dose steroids therapy.
Humans ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis* ; Steroids* ; Ureter ; Ureteral Obstruction

PURPOSE: The accurate diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis(APN) using clinical and laboratory parameters is often difficult in children. The 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scan is utilized as a gold standard for renal involvement, and renal ultrasonography(RUS) and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) are utilized to evaluate underlying urinary tract anomalies. In this study the radiological imaging in children of different age groups, with clinical APN, were retrospectively compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 1994 and April 2002, 375 children presented with a febrile urinary tract infection(UTI), and had a DMSA renal scan. Of the patients, 270 had RUS and 220 had contrast VCUG. The sensitivity of these tests in febrile UTI in three age groups was determined: group I less than 2 years; group II 2-5 years; group III older than 5 years. RESULTS: The clinical and laboratory manifestations of APN correlated better with a positive DMSA renal scan in the older children than in the younger children; 76.1% of the DMSA renal scans were positive in group III; 68.3% in group II; 50.8% in group I(p<0.05). RUS had no correlation with a positive DMSA renal scan in any of the age groups. Vesicoureteral reflux was more prevalent in the older age groups. High grades of reflux(grade IV-V) correlated better with positive DMSA renal scans(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the clinical and laboratory manifestations of APN do not correlate with the findings of DMSA renal scans in young children. Therefore, a young child with a clinical suspicion of APN should be evaluated by a DMSA renal scan to confirm renal parenchymal involvement.
Child* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Pyelonephritis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Succimer ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Tract ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

The nutcracker phenomenon consists in the compression of the left renal vein between the superior mesenteic artery and the aorta, and this syndrome is an infrequent cause of left-sided hematuria. We present a case of the nutcracker syndrome with intermittent gross hematuria to increase the awareness of this possible cause of hematuria.
Aorta ; Arteries ; Hematuria ; Renal Veins

BACKGROUND: Smoking greatly increases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. Besides direct harm from smoking, some dietary pattern of smokers have been reported to increase such risk. This study aimed to analyze various nutrients by smoking status, and to find out whether smokers maintain harmful dietary patterns. METHODS: One thousand and six hundred fourteen men were selected who visited the health promotion center of an university hospital in Seoul. The inclusion criteria was the completion of dietary survey. Dietary analysis was done by calculation of amounts of each nutrients from 24-hour recall method. We compared total intake of each nutrients and total calories by smoking status with analysis of variance (ANOVA). Then we adjusted the results for exercise and education level by ANCOVA (analysis of covariance). RESULTS: The study subjects were 840 current smokers (52.0%), 479 ex-smokers (29.7%) and 295 non-smokers (18.3%). The consumption of total fat and cholesterol was significantly high in smokers than non-smokers (P=0.012, P=0.005). The alcohol intake was higher in smokers and ex-smokers than non-smokers (P <0.001, P=0.007). The smokers and ex-smokers had less calcium than non- smokers (P=0.001, P=0.044). Furthermore, the smokers exercised less than ex-smokers and non-smokers (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The smokers consumed more total fat and cholesterol which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. They also had less calcium and drank more alcohol. Comprehensive approach which includes intervention for dietary intakes in addition to smoking cessation is desirable to decrease health risk for smokers.
Analysis of Variance ; Calcium ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Education ; Health Promotion* ; Humans ; Male* ; Osteoporosis ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking*

PUROPOSE: We analyzed retrospectively the result of urodynamic studies of the female patients with overactive bladder to reveal the incidence of accompanying bladder outlet obstruction and compared the urodynamic charateristics according to the diagnostic criteria for bladder outlet obstruction to help make the appropriate diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 230 women who underwent urodynamic studies for evaluation of overactive bladder were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were classified as having obstruction based on two criteria, including one pressure flow cutoff point criteria (free Qmax < 12ml/sec and pdetQmax > or = 20cmH2O) (group I) and moderate or severe obstruction by the Blaivas- Groutz nomogram (group II). Urodynamic characteristics of the patients in Group 1 and 2 were compared with those of 42 patients having only overactive bladder without any voiding symptom (OAB group). RESULTS: Of the patients 31 (13.5%) were in group I, 42 (18.3%) in group II. Qmax of group I was the lowest among 3 groups. Detrusor pressure at maximum measurable flow and maximum detrusor pressure during voiding in group 1 and II were significantly higher than in OAB group. Detrusor overactivity was more observed in group I and II, and there was no signigicant difference in the presence of voiding symptoms between group I and II. Only 9 patients (4%) had obstruction by both of criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the high incidence of bladder outlet obstruction in the patients of overactive bladder and non-specificity of the symptoms by bladder outlet obstruction, thorough urodynamic study may be helpful in detection and treatment of bladder outlet obstruction of the overactive bladder patients. The further study for the criteria of female bladder outlet obstruction should be necessary to make its accurate diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nomograms ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction* ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive* ; Urodynamics

OBJECTIVES: To suggest direction for improving policies by understanding current management of narcotics or psychotropic drugs and analyzing their distributions and usage. METHOD: We conducted a comparison analysis between health insurance claims and the amount supplied to health care institutions for narcotics or psychotropic drugs through health insurance claims data and drug distribution supply data from 2010 to 2012 collected from Korea Pharmaceutical Information Service Center (KPIS). Furthermore, we carried out literature investigation and online search to comprehend the current management of narcotics drugs in Korea. RESULTS: The amount supplied to medical institutions for all drugs in 2012 was 19.4 trillion won, which increased from 19.5 trillion in 2011 by 0.54%. For narcotic drugs, the amount supplied was 318.4 billion won in 2011 and increased to 335.1 billion won by 5.3% in 2012, which exceeded the rate of increase for the amount supplied for all drugs. The proportion of amount claimed in the total amount supplied to medical institutions for all drugs was 60.5% in 2012, whereas the proportion of amount claimed for narcotic drugs was 55.6%, which showed that narcotic drugs were used relatively less within health insurance. Furthermore, management of the current domestic distribution supply data focuses on manufacturing and medical institution supply stages. CONCLUSION: Hereafter, the management of narcotics or psychotropic drugs needs to be improved by reinforcing active monitoring in optimal prescription and usage in patients by collecting and analyzing information on drug usage of patients.
Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Information Services ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Narcotics* ; Prescriptions ; Psychotropic Drugs