Approximately 6% of all head and neck skin cancers arise from the external ear, of which squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) are the most common. Acquired helical rim defects can be caused by injury or after excision of a tumor. Since many patients feel that the auricle has a functional and cosmetic importance, it is crucial to consider the esthetics. In cases where the defect exposes bare cartilage, second-intention healing is usually not achieved. Therefore, full-thickness skin grafts have been adopted, but the healing time is long and in many cases, mismatch of color between the grafted skin and the surrounding ear has been observed. Alternatively, reconstruction with flaps may provide optimal coverage. Among the many possible flap designs, the rhombic transposition flap has become widely utilized in dermatologic surgery, due to its simplicity and versatility. Herein, we report a case of SCC on the superior helical rim (of which the cartilage was spared) successfully managed with a rhombic transposition flap. The surgical procedure had been relatively simple and the resultant ear helix was free from deformity. In future, we recommend that defects of the ear helix, which have an intact cartilage, should be treated with a rhombic transposition flap to give a successful cosmetic and functional outcome.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cartilage ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures ; Ear* ; Ear, External ; Esthetics ; Head ; Humans ; Neck ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Transplants

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) typically presents as an eczematous, eroded or crusted plaque. Only a few cases with depigmentation have been reported. We herein report a patient with a depigmented scrotal patch as the sole finding of EMPD. Since he had concurrent rectal cancer, we stained the tissue with gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 (GCDFP-15) and cytokeratin 20 (CK20) in order to differentiate primary/secondary EMPD. This case represents coincidental primary EMPD and rectal cancer, of which the initial features of EMPD were unusual.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Humans ; Keratin-20 ; Paget Disease, Extramammary* ; Rectal Neoplasms*

Liposarcoma of the spermatic cord is a rare tumor. Most are of a low-grade malignancy and recurrences tend to be localized. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Wide local excision with radical orchiectomy appears to be adequate treatment. A regional lymph node dissection is usually not advocated since the pattern of spread is hematogenous. We report a case of liposarcoma of the spermatic cord in 49-year-old male with brief review of the literatures.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Liposarcoma* ; Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orchiectomy ; Recurrence ; Spermatic Cord*

Duplication of the urethra is an unusual congenital anomaly. It exists in two distinct forms, either complete or incomplete : complete form is a rarer anomaly. We presented a case of complete duplication of the urethra in 27-year-old male with brief review or literature.
Adult ; Humans ; Male* ; Urethra*

The results with management of urethral stricture are disappointing, with a high rate of early and late recurrence. Recently, the success of internal urethrotomy has made us question the role of open urethroplasty in the management of urethral strictures. Thus a clinical evaluation was made on 116 patients with urethral stricture in the Department of Urology, Masan Koryo General Hospital, during the period from May 1985 to July 1991. The or stricture was incomplete in 92 cases and complete in 24 cases. The length of stricture was less than 1cm in 86 cases, 1 to 2cm in 19 cases, more than 2cm in 3 cases and multiple strictures in 8 cases. The treatment modality of incomplete urethral stricture was internal urethrotomy in 68 cases and urethroplasty in 9 cases regardless of length, and dilatation in 15 cases with mild stricture. Incomplete urethral stricture, internal urethrotomy was carried out in 7 cases with less than 1cm long stricture and urethroplasty in 17 cases regardless of length. The overall success rate in incomplete urethral stricture was 88.2 % in internal urethrotomy and 88.9 % in urethroplasty, and in complete urethral stricture, 85.7 % in internal urethrotomy and 82. 4% in urethroplasty. We think that visual internal urethrotomy is a valuable initial method, when stricture is incomplete or less than 1cm in length in cases of complete urethral stricture.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Urethral Stricture* ; Urology

Degenerative involution of the spine causes destruction of spinal stabilizer which consists of bone, ligament, joint capsule, and disc, which substantially leads to hypermobility and instability of the spine. Generally the hard fixation system has been used for the treatment of lumbar instability. However, it has many complications, including screw loosening, screw fracture, and instability on, above, and below the fusion segment. These complications of the hard fixation system has brought to the invention of a more physiologic fixation device, the soft fixation system. We have used the Graf soft fixation system as an instrument for degenerative lumbar disease. 106 cases were operated between August, 1993 and March, 1996. The clinical assessments, radiologic findings, and operative results were analyzed. The height of disc space significantly increased from 8.84mm to 9.84mm on L3/4, 9.28mm to 10.13mm on L4/5, and 9.44mm to 10.47mm on L5/S1. Flexion instability changed from -6.9 degrees to 5.5degrees on L3/4, -7.45 degrees to 5.04 degrees on L4/5, -2.09degrees to 10.81degrees on L5/S1, translation instability was corrected from 16.8% to 14.9% on L3/4, 19.9% to 12.4% on L4/5, 27.1% to 20.1% on L5/S1 after Graf soft fixation. The clinical results were as follows: excellent in 56%, 27% good, 9% fair, and 8% poor. These results suggest that Graf soft fixation system for degenerative lumbar disease would not only be useful and effective, but also be safer in terms of unwanted complications of the hard fixation system.
Inventions ; Joint Capsule ; Ligaments ; Spine

BACKGROUND: Recently, the prevalence of colorectal cancer related with metabolic syndrome is increasing in Korea. The aim of this study was to reveal a relationship between components of metabolic syndrome and the development of colon polyp. METHODS: Among the subjects who visited a health promotion center of one university hospital and underwent colonoscopic examination from February 2010 to February 2011, a total of 1,630 (males 1,156, females 474) asymptomatic adults were included for the study. Sex, age, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol levels and the presence of colorectal polyps were measured. Alcohol consumption, smoking and exercise were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome was defined by criteria of 2004 American Heart Association/Updated NCEP Adult Treatment Panel III. RESULTS: The prevalence of colon polyps and metabolic syndrome was 21.7% and 16.0% respectively among study subjects. After adjustment for sex and age, metabolic syndrome (odds ratio [OR]=1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-2.82, P=0.031) and waist circumference (OR=1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.06, P=0.009) were associated with increased risk of colorectal polyps. CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome and waist circumference were associated with increased risk of colon polyps in asymptomatic Korean adults.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Colon* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Fasting ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Heart ; Humans ; Korea ; Polyps* ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Benign tumors of the testis are rare, accounting for one percent of all testicular tumors including epidermoid cyst of the testis. Herein we report one case of epidermoid cyst of the testis and discuss the pathological criteria for diagnosis and clinical management of the lesion.
Diagnosis ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis*

Pheochromocytoma, derived from the neural crest, accounts for less than one percent of all patients with hypertension, but is most important because of its potentially lethal nature. It may occur at any age, and surgeons are often first to see the disease because of sudden hypertensive crises during anesthesia or unexplained shock following operations. Herein we report a case of right adrenal pheochromocytoma in 57-yr-old woman who was successfully treated with surgical intervention.
Anesthesia ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Neural Crest ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Shock

PURPOSE: Tbis phase II study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of docetaxel in patients with anthracycline-pretreated metastatic breast cancer (MBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 1996 to January 1998, 27 patients with metastatic breast cancer from 31 to 63 years of age with a performance status of 0 to 2 were registered in the phase II trial. All patients had metastatic breast cancer which had progressed or relapsed 2 during or after treatment with an anthracycline-based regimen. Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 was ad- ministered over 1 hour every 21 days until disease progression was documented or until toxic effects precluded further therapy. All patients received dexamethasone orally at the dose of 16 mg on days -1, 0, 1 of each cycle. RESULTS: Objective responses were seen in 9 of 25 assessable patients (two complete and seven partial responses), with an overall objective response rale of 36%. The median duration of response was 36 weeks (range 19.0~40.5). The median time to progression and survival duration were 17.5 and 69 weeks, respectively, for assessable patients. One hundred fifty cycles (median, five) of docetaxel were administered. Among 27 patients assessable for toxicity, the following side effects were reported: nadir neutropenia grade 3 (4 patients) and grade 4 (22 patients); grade 2 stomatitis (6 patients); grade 2 alopecia (5 patients); grade 2 to 3 neurosensory toxicity (4 patients); no hypersensitivity reaction; mild fluid retention (4 patients). CONCLUSION: Docetaxel is an active agent in patients with antracycline-pretreated metastatic breast cancer. Docetaxel was associated with severe but reversible neutropenia. Dexamethasone prevented hypersensitivity reactions and appeared to ameliorate fluid retention.
Alopecia ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Dexamethasone ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neutropenia ; Respiratory Sounds ; Stomatitis