High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an emerging therapeutic tool for the effective thermal ablation of pathological tissue. For accurate localization of the target and safe control of the HIFU dosage, real-time imaging guidance during the HIFU exposure is desired. Ultrasound imaging has the capability to guide clinicians toward a lesion in real time, but is not an ideal option, as HIFU application causes strong interference, thereby substantially distorting the images used for guidance. Thus, this study introduces singular value decomposition–based filtering capable of restoring ultrasound harmonic images from HIFU interference without undesirable spectral distortion. The results were experimentally validated with a custom-made phantom, indicating that this approach effectively eliminates HIFU-induced artifacts, which is essential for real-time monitoring of the therapeutic process.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Combined esophageal variceal ligation and sclerotherapy has been hypothesized to be more effective for the control of bleeding esophageal varices than ligation alone. The present study was to compare the combined therapy with ligation alone in terms of variceal eradication, rebleeding, complication and survival rates in patients with bleeding esophageal varices. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with bleeding esophageal varices were randomly assigned to receive ligation alone in 20 patients or the combined therapy in 18 patients. The clinical and endoscopic characteristics of patients in the ligation group were similar to those of patients in the combination group. In the combination group, 1-3 mL of ethanolamine was injected proximal to each ligated site. Treatments were repeated every 2- to 3-month until varices were eradicated. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the ligation and combination groups in variceal eradication rates (70% vs. 72%), numbers of endoscopic sessions required to achieve eradication (3.5+/-0.33 vs. 3.3+/-0.31), rebleeding rates (30% vs. 28%) or 2-yr cumulative survival rates (95% vs. 75%). There were significantly more complications in the combination group (25% vs. 89%, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Ligation alone is recommended rather than the combined ligation and sclerotherapy because of its lower complication rates.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Ethanolamine ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Ligation* ; Sclerotherapy* ; Survival Rate ; Varicose Veins

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Combined esophageal variceal ligation and sclerotherapy has been hypothesized to be more effective for the control of bleeding esophageal varices than ligation alone. The present study was to compare the combined therapy with ligation alone in terms of variceal eradication, rebleeding, complication and survival rates in patients with bleeding esophageal varices. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with bleeding esophageal varices were randomly assigned to receive ligation alone in 20 patients or the combined therapy in 18 patients. The clinical and endoscopic characteristics of patients in the ligation group were similar to those of patients in the combination group. In the combination group, 1-3 mL of ethanolamine was injected proximal to each ligated site. Treatments were repeated every 2- to 3-month until varices were eradicated. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the ligation and combination groups in variceal eradication rates (70% vs. 72%), numbers of endoscopic sessions required to achieve eradication (3.5+/-0.33 vs. 3.3+/-0.31), rebleeding rates (30% vs. 28%) or 2-yr cumulative survival rates (95% vs. 75%). There were significantly more complications in the combination group (25% vs. 89%, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Ligation alone is recommended rather than the combined ligation and sclerotherapy because of its lower complication rates.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Ethanolamine ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Ligation* ; Sclerotherapy* ; Survival Rate ; Varicose Veins

Despite major diagnostic advances, 10-30% of hepatic metastases of colorectal carcinoma remain undetected. In this study, CEA levels of peripheral (p-CEA), drainage venous blood(d-CEA) and gallbladder bile(b-CEA) in patients with colorectal cancer were determined to examine the significance of their CEA levels in predicting hepatic metastases. From January 1993 through May 1996, p-CEA, d-CEA and b-CEA were obtained in 50 colorectal carcinoma patients without gallbladder pathology. Synchronous hepatic metastases were found in 5 patients(Hm group) and 45 cases had no hepatic metastasis. Among the 27 cases who followed up over 2 years, metachronous hepatic metastases(Hr group) were found in 6 cases and remaining 21 cases had no metastases(Ho group). Elevation of p-CEA, d-CEA, and b-CEA was significantly correlated with lymph node metastases and hepatic metastasis. The b-CEA levels were significantly correlated with p-CEA(r=0.533926, p<0.0001) while d-CEA levels were not(r=0.276437, p=0.0520). Although all the levels of p-CEA, d-CEA, and b-CEA in Hr & Hm group were significantly higher than those in Ho group, d-CEA level was considered as most sensitive index in predicting hepatic metastases(mean 12.7 ng/ml in Ho, 88.6 in Hr, and 137.3 in Hm group. p<0.0001). The possible cut-off level of d-CEA was 40 ng/ml because all of the cases with d-CEA < 40 ng/ml had no hepatic metastasis nor hepatic recurrance, whereas 11 out of 12 patients with d-CEA > 40 ng/ml had hepatic metastases(5 synchronous, 6 metachronous). However it is impossible to establish the possible of b-CEA because of high false positive and negative rate in predicting metachronous hepatic metastases. In conclusion, it is suggested that d-CEA could be highly sensitive indicator for selecting high-risk patients of metachronous hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer.
Bile* ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Drainage* ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pathology

The gastric polyps may be premalignant lesions and they should be removed as possible. The gastric polyps can be remoued by various endoscopic methods. The safety and therapeutic effectiveness of snare polypectomy, neodymium YAG laser therapy and electrocutery were compared in a total number of 106 patients who were diagnosed as benign polyps by means of endoscopic biopsy.Safety was evaluated by the rate of complications such as perforation and bleeding, and therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated by the average numbers of treatment session of each modality. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 1.04, 1.38 and l.44, respectively. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of other two methods. Perforation was not occurred in any group. Bleeding rates after snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 17.4%, 1.0% and 3.8%, respectively. Bleeding was significantly (p<0,05) more frequent after snare polypectomy than after other two methods. In conclusion therapeutic effectiveness was best in snare polypectomy but complication was most frequent after snare polypectomy. There was no difference between laser therapy and electrocautery for therapeutic effectiveness and safety. Therfore, laser therapy and electrocautery caa be used for the removal of flat adenoma, alternatively.
Adenoma ; Electrocoagulation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Neodymium ; Polyps ; SNARE Proteins

The gastric polyps may be premalignant lesions and they should be removed as possible. The gastric polyps can be remoued by various endoscopic methods. The safety and therapeutic effectiveness of snare polypectomy, neodymium YAG laser therapy and electrocutery were compared in a total number of 106 patients who were diagnosed as benign polyps by means of endoscopic biopsy.Safety was evaluated by the rate of complications such as perforation and bleeding, and therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated by the average numbers of treatment session of each modality. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 1.04, 1.38 and l.44, respectively. Average numbers of treatment session of snare polypectomy were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of other two methods. Perforation was not occurred in any group. Bleeding rates after snare polypectomy, laser therapy and electrocautery were 17.4%, 1.0% and 3.8%, respectively. Bleeding was significantly (p<0,05) more frequent after snare polypectomy than after other two methods. In conclusion therapeutic effectiveness was best in snare polypectomy but complication was most frequent after snare polypectomy. There was no difference between laser therapy and electrocautery for therapeutic effectiveness and safety. Therfore, laser therapy and electrocautery caa be used for the removal of flat adenoma, alternatively.
Adenoma ; Electrocoagulation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Neodymium ; Polyps ; SNARE Proteins

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to survey the nasal colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among the patients admitted in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) and analyze risk factors associated with the colonization. METHODS: The study was carried out on patients admitted into the MICU in a 1,250-bed tertiary care university hospital from January through December 2006. Nasal surveillance cultures were obtained from patients within 24 hours of admission to the unit. Data were analyzed retrospectively by the review of medical records. RESULTS: A total of 312 patients were screened with active nasal cultures; 36 patients (11.6%) were positive for MRSA. Of these, 22 (7.1%) were positive in the nasal cultures only and 14 (4.5%) were positive in the cultures of other specimens (13, sputum; 1, joint fluid) in addition to the nasal swabs. Among the risk factors for MRSA nasal colonization were sex (man), route of admission (from other ICUs or wards), a history of ICU admission during the recent 12 months, and prolonged hospital days in ICU. CONCLUSION: MRSA nasal carrier rate was found higher in this study than in those reported in the literature. Most of the patients colonized with MRSA in the nostril were not colonized with the organism elsewhere in the body. Whether or not active surveillance for MRSA should be performed would depend on the nasal colonization rate of the patients at the time of admission to the ICU.
Colon* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Joints ; Medical Records ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sputum ; Tertiary Healthcare

Neuronal intestinal dysplasia in pediatric patients has similar clinical symptoms and often similar radiologic findings to those of Hirschsprung's disease. Yet neuronal intestinal dysplasia shows hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus for the pathology, and it requires different treatment compared with Hirschsprung disease. This disease has been reported many times in Europe but, to date, only one case has been reported in the radiologic literatures in Korea. We report here on a case of neuronal intestinal dysplasia that involved the entire colon in a two-month-old boy, and we include the radiographic findings.
Colon ; Europe ; Hirschsprung Disease ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Infant* ; Korea ; Male ; Myenteric Plexus ; Neurons* ; Pathology

Neuronal intestinal dysplasia in pediatric patients has similar clinical symptoms and often similar radiologic findings to those of Hirschsprung's disease. Yet neuronal intestinal dysplasia shows hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus for the pathology, and it requires different treatment compared with Hirschsprung disease. This disease has been reported many times in Europe but, to date, only one case has been reported in the radiologic literatures in Korea. We report here on a case of neuronal intestinal dysplasia that involved the entire colon in a two-month-old boy, and we include the radiographic findings.
Colon ; Europe ; Hirschsprung Disease ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Infant* ; Korea ; Male ; Myenteric Plexus ; Neurons* ; Pathology

Distal gastrectomy with Billroth I or II reconstruction may cause duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER), thereby resulting in digestive or respiratory symptoms. The mainstay of treatment is medication with proton pump inhibitors. However, these drugs may have limited effects in DGER. Laparoscopic fundoplication has been proven to be highly effective in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but it cannot be performed optimally for GERD that develops after gastrectomy. We report the case of a 72-year-old man with a history of distal gastrectomy and Billroth I anastomosis due to early gastric cancer. GERD due to bile reflux occurred after surgery and was refractory to medical therapy. The patient underwent Roux-en-Y conversion from Billroth I gastroduodenostomy and hiatal hernia repair with only cruroplasty. Fundoplication was not performed. His symptoms improved significantly after the surgery. Therefore, laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair and Roux-en-Y conversion can be an effective surgical procedure to treat medically refractory DGER after Billroth I gastrectomy.