The first case report of granular cell tumor was by Abrikossoff in 1926, the tumor has been named with more than 20 different synonyms. It is found usually in the tongue, oral cavity, and the skin. It occurs rarely in the esophagus. Esophageal granular cell tumor is a benign lesion which can be diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy. Large symptomatic lesion can be removed by polypectomy. A 29-year-old female visited our hospital for intermittent epigastric pain and anterior chest discomfort. Endoscopy showed a 0.6 *0.4 cm whitish yellow nodule in the mid-esophagus, 25 cm from the incisor teeth. Endoscopic polypectomy was performed with "O"-type rubber band for endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL). A case of esophageal granular cell tumor conformed by S-100 protein stain is reported with the review of literature.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus* ; Female ; Granular Cell Tumor* ; Humans ; Incisor ; Mouth ; Rubber ; S100 Proteins ; Skin ; Thorax ; Tongue ; Tooth

Thin study measured dietary intakes in late pregnancy and psychological stress during the period of gestation and examined the roles of diet and psychological stress in pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight. Study subjects were 98 pregnant women who delivered infants at 2 general hospitals in Taejon city. Mean weight gain during pregnancy was 14.6+/-4.89Kg. Mean infant birth weight was 3.39+/-0.62kg in males and 3.28+/-0.43Kg in females. Mean energy and protein intake levels were adequate, but mean iron and calcium intakes were only 61.2+/-14.9% and 79.1+/-18.2% of RDA, respectively. Fat intake which constitutes 22.0+/-4.3% of total energy intake, and animal protein intake which constitutes 22.0+/-4.3% of total energy intake, and animal protein intake which constitutes 53.7% of total protein intake were moderately high. Though mean energy, fat, animal protein, and meat protein intakes in the low psychological stress group were higher than those in the middle or high stress group, psychological stress did not significantly affect pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight. High intakes of nutrients except for dairy protein, iron, and niacin were associated with higher pregnancy weight gain and high intakes of protein and meat protein were associated with higher infant birth weight. It is concluded that dietary intakes during pregnancy has effects on pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight, and psychological stress has no direct effect on them.
Animals ; Birth Weight ; Calcium ; Daejeon* ; Diet ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Infant ; Iron ; Male ; Meat ; Niacin ; Parturition* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Stress, Psychological* ; Weight Gain

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to report the outcomes of patients treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for refractory plantar fasciitis of the foot. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 2005 to October 2006, a total of sixty-two patients with refractory plantar fasciitis were treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy. The main outcome measurements were visual analogue scale (VAS) and Roles and Maudsley score evaluated before treatment and at one and six months after treatment. RESULTS: Roles and Maudsley score was excellent (0%), good (6.4%), fair (35.4%) and poor (58.2%) before treatment which improved to excellent (56.5%), good (38.7%), fair (4.8%) and poor (0%) at final follow-up. VAS scores also significantly improved after ESWT (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between clinical results and body mass index (BMI) (p=0.102). CONCLUSION: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy appears to be an effective and safe treatment modality for refractory plantar fasciitis and may help the patient to avoid surgery for refractory heel pain.
Body Mass Index ; Fasciitis, Plantar* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Heel ; Humans ; Shock*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Referral and Consultation*

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate public opinion regarding personal health management service using Personal Health Record (PHR) in Korea. Specifically, the relationships between consumer's demographic characteristics, need for health information, consumer's benefit and concern, type of health information, type of management and security of patient information using PHR and attitude to PHR were explored. METHODS: A survey was conducted, using questionnaire developed by the study team based on literature review. Structured questionnaires were completed through a telephone survey for 715 consumers. RESULTS: A key finding was the significant difference for customer's attitude towards using PHR by customer's characteristics. Regarding factors affecting attitudes of customers with higher concern about their health, considering authorization level to access their private information and using reliable method to certificate were more likely to prefer PHR system positively. CONCLUSION: Public opinion is reflected in policy of health information. Meeting consumers' needs sufficiently, the goal of health information service to improve consumers' accessibility to and satisfaction will archive successfully.
Archives ; Health Records, Personal ; Humans ; Information Services ; Korea ; Public Opinion ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Telephone

PURPOSE: As growth hormone was reported to improve cavernosal nerve regeneration, we studied the action mechanism of growth hormone(GH) on the regeneration of nitric oxide synthase(NOS)-containing penile nerves after unilateral cavernous nerve neurotomy in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male rats were divided into three groups: sham operation(n=10); unilateral neurotomy of a 5mm segment of the cavernous nerve(n=10) and unilateral neurotomy with GH injection(n=10). Electrostimulation of the intact cavernous nerve was performed at 1 and 3 months after operation. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH) diaphorase staining was used to identify nNOS in penile nerve fibers of the mid-shaft segment. The gene expression for nNOS, insulin like growth factor(IGF)-I and nerve growth factor(NGF) were investigated in corporal tissue by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) using specific oligonucleotide primers. RESULTS: Electrostimulation in the GH-treated group revealed a greater maximal intracavernosal pressure and a shorter latency period than in those given neurotomy alone at 3 months after operation. One month after unilateral neurotomy, both neurotomy alone and the GH-treated groups showed a significant decrease in NOS-containing nerve fibers in the dorsal and intracavernosal nerves on the side of neurotomy, however mRNA expression of nNOS and IGF-I showed a significant increase in GH-treated group. At 3 months, the number of NOS-containing nerve fibers in the neurotomy alone group did not increase while the GH-treated group showed a significant increase. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that GH significantly enhances the regeneration of NOS-containing fibers in the dorsal and intracavernosal nerves after unilateral cavernous nerve injury via IGF-I.
Animals ; DNA Primers ; Gene Expression ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Latency Period (Psychology) ; Male ; NAD ; Nerve Fibers ; Nerve Regeneration ; Nitric Oxide ; Rats* ; Regeneration* ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard surgical method within the urological community. This study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a standard laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) compared to an open radical nephrectomy (ORN) at a single medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2003 and March 2006, laparoscopic radical nephrectomies for renal cell cancer were performed in 30 patients and the results of the laparoscopic radical nephrectomy were compared with those of the open counterpart. Surgical results, such as the operation time, estimated blood loss (EBL), transfusion rate, narcotic analgesic requirement, hospital stay, complications and pathologic results, were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed using the Student's t-test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the demographic data between the two groups. The pathological reports showed a clear cell type in 59 cases and a chromophobe type in 1 case. For the LRN and ORN groups, the mean operation times were 208 (120-320) vs. 206 min. (115-300) (p>0.05), EBL of 135 (100-200) vs. 318ml (100-2,000) (p=0.02), transfusion rates of 6.6 vs. 30%, narcotic analgesic requirements of 160 vs. 255mg diclofenac sodium, hospital stays of 6.7 vs. 10.5 days (p=0.04) and intraoperative complications in 0/30 (0%) vs. 2/30 cases (7%), respectively. The pathological surgical margins were all negative. The surgical and pathological parameters of the LRN group showed no significant differences to those of the ORN group, with the exception of the EBL and hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy resulted in less blood loss, a shorter hospital stay and earlier rapid recovery than an open radical nephrectomy. In our opinion, laparoscopic surgery could be a standard surgical treatment in renal cell cancer.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Diclofenac ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Kidney Neoplasms ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Nephrectomy* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To compare the techniques and complications of intra-arterial port implantation for intra-arterialchemotherapy between PIPS and the port system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For intra-arterial port implantation, 27cases in 27 patients were retrospectively evalu-ated using PIPS(PIPS-200, William Cook Europe, Denmark) while for21 cases in 19 patients a pediatric ve-nous port system(Port-A-Cath, 5.8F, SIMS Deltec, U.S.A.) was used. Allintra-arterial port implantation was performed percuteneously in an angiographic ward. Hepatocellular carcinomawas diagnosed in 18 patients and hepatic metastasis in 16. Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma, and pancreatic gastric,ovarian, renal cell and colon carcinoma were included. We compared the techniques and complications between PIPSand the port system. The follow up period ranged from 23 to 494(mean, 163) days in PIPS and from 12 to 431(mean,150) days in the port system. RESULTS: In all cases, intra-arterial port implantations were technicallysuccessful. Port catheter tips were locat-ed in the common hepatic artery(n=8), proper hepatic artery(n=7), righthepatic artery(n=5), gastroduodenal artery(n=2), left hepatic artery(n=1), pancreaticoduodenal artery(n=1),inferior mesenteric artery(n=1), lum-bar artery(n=1), and renal artery(n=1) in PIPS, and in the proper hepaticartery(n=6), gastroduodenal artery(n=6), common hepatic artery(n=3), right hepatic artery(n=4), inferiormesenteric artery(n=1), and in-ternal iliac artery(n=1) in the port system. Port chambers were buried ininfrainguinal subcutaneous tissue. Using PIPS, complications developed in seven cases(25.9%) and of these, four(57.1%) were catheter or cham-ber related. In the port system, catheter or chamber related complications developedin four cases(19.0%). CONCLUSION: Because PIPS and the port system have relative merits and demetrits, successfulintra-arterial port implantation is possible if equipment is properly selected.
Catheters ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Colon ; Drug Therapy* ; Europe ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Vascular Access Devices

Cavernous hemangiomas are rarely found in the adrenal gland. Most of the tumors are nonfunctioning, and the patients present with no clinical symptoms. Although rare, the presence of adrenal hemangiomas should be kept in mind in the differential diagnoses of adrenal tumors. We report a case of an adrenal cavernous hemangioma that was removed by laparoscopic adrenalectomy in a 71-year-old female patient. The chief complaint was right flank pain. The patient was pathologically diagnosed as a having a cavernous hemangioma of the adrenal glands.
Female ; Humans ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangioma

Most ingested foreign bodies spontaneously pass through the upper and lower intestinal tract. The impaction of an ingested foreign body in the colon is rare. Foreign bodies swallowed inadvertently often cause serious complications, such as perforation, obstruction, abscess formation, enterocolic fistula, or hemorrhage. Physicians should proceed with routine medical care while considering the possibility of the ingestion of a foreign body In cases where abdominal pain of an unknown origin is observed, particularly in elderly patients who wear dentures, alcoholics, mentally disturbed, or rapid eating, and presenting with altered bowel habits. We report a case of a colonoscopically-removed wooden toothpick that impacted the sigmoid colon and was complicated by the formation of a local abscess with a review of the literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Aged ; Alcoholics ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid* ; Colonoscopy ; Dentures ; Eating ; Fistula ; Foreign Bodies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans