No abstract available.
Adenocarcinoma*

BACKGROUNDs: A retrospective study was performed to define objective radiologic parameters in diagnosing epiglottitis on soft-tissue lateral neck radiographic study. METHODS: Parameters of soft-tissue structures(epiglottis width, third vertebral body width, ratio of epiglottic width to third vertebral body width) in 30 adult patients compared with those of age and sex-matched controls with foreign body in throat whose radiographic reading was normal. RESULTS: Epiglottis width of more than 11mm, ratio of epiglottis width(EW) to the third vertebral body width(C3W) of more than 0.5 were, respectively, found to be 100% sensitive and specific in differentiating between patients with and without epiglottitis. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results suggest that EW/C3W ratio of more than 0.5, EW of more than 11mm, respectively, may be useful in the diagnosis of epiglottitis in adult patients.
Adult* ; Diagnosis* ; Epiglottis ; Epiglottitis* ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Neck ; Pharynx ; Retrospective Studies

Congenital tuberculosis is an infection that is established in the fetus by hematogenous spread or by the aspiration or inhalation of infected amniotic fluid either before or during labor. The diagnosis can be confirmed only if both the tuberculous nature of the lesion and the antenatal origin of the infection can be proved. The authors analysed roentgen findings of two cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, thought to be congenital; 1. Diffuse distribution of nodular densities and some confluent densities were seen in the entire lungs in the inital film.The pulmonary markings were decreased in some degree. 2. Air bronchogram was noted. 3. Hepatosplenomegaly was associated.
Amniotic Fluid ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fetus ; Inhalation ; Lung ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Although percutaneous abscess drainage has become and accepted alternative from of therapy for selected patients with abscess, it is well known that there are several factors in the failure of adequate drainage such as pre-and post- procedural management, technique itself, various features of abscess, and selection and application of catheters. Among these factors, we made an experiment about drain efficacy of commonly used various catheters with different viscosities of water-glycerin solution under the two different pressure gradients. The experimental values of flow rate were lower than than the calculated values. An efficacy of experimental value was 4-14%. Because the inner diameter of fittings and stopcocks was usually smaller than the inner diameter of catheters, these factors also affected the drain efficacy. Finally, we though that it will be very helpful to the treatment of patients as well as to study about the catheter drainage, if the drain efficacy of individual catheters has been notified.
Abscess ; Catheters* ; Drainage ; Humans ; Viscosity

The purpose of this study is to verify severity of asthma in asthmatic patients through through the arterial blood gas analysis. Subjects were consisted of 103 patients (74 boys and 29 girls), between 2~13 years of ages. Clinically, asthmatic patients were classified into 6 groups, i, e., group 0(no rhonchi), group 1(rhonchi only), group 2(mild attack), group 3(moderate attack), group 4(severe attack), group 5(respiratory failure with disturbance of consciousness). PH kept normal range in the group 0, group 1, group 1 and group 3,but began decrease in the group 4.There was linear fall in Po2 and began decrease in the group 3. HCO3- maintained normal level through the whole range. BE showed acidemia on the whole, and began distinctive decrease in the group 4 and group 5, especially. Hypoxemia, hypercapnia and acidemia were common in patients in severe attacks with disturbance of consciousness.
Anoxia ; Asthma ; Blood Gas Analysis* ; Child* ; Consciousness ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypercapnia ; Reference Values

BACKGROUND: Endocrine pancreas tumor is a rare disease which incidence is less than 2% of all pancreatic tumors. But it comprises various types of tumor and usually secretes several hormones from one type of tumor although the patient with this tumor complains of sole symptom associated with only one hormone. The mechanism and clinical significance of multiple hormone secretion in the endocrine pancreas tumom are not yet clearly defined. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively the clinicopathologic features of 20 cases which were operated at Seoul National University Hospital during the period between February 1989 and May 1998. RESULTS: The most common tumor was insulinoma (13 cases) and the second most common tumor was nonfunctioning tumor (6 cases). There was one case of somatostatinoma. Most of the patients with insulinoma complained of neuroglycopenic symptoms. There were 9 cases (45.0%) in which the tumors secreted more than two kinds of hormones, 7 cases in insulinoma, 2 cases in nonfunctioning tumors. Whether the tumor secreted multiple hormones was detected by the method of immunohistochemical staining. Though the tumors secreted more than two kinds of hormones, the patients with the tumors complained of symptoms which were associated with the cell type most strongly stained by immunohistochemical method. Whether or not the tumors secreted multiple hormones was not associated with the pathologic features such as tumor size, histologic patterns of the tumor, status of tumor cell differentiation and malignancy. CONCLUSION: From this results, we suggest that endocrine tumors of the pancreas secreted multiple hormones not by the mechanism of dedifferentiation from already differentiated endocrine cells but by the mechanism of neogenesis of multipotent islet stem cells. Since the relationship between the function of multiple hormone secretion in the endocrine pancreas tumors and islet stem cell would be significant, further study should be needed to find out the function of stem cells and application of stem cells to clinical use.
Cell Differentiation ; Endocrine Cells ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insulinoma ; Islets of Langerhans ; Pancreas* ; Rare Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Somatostatinoma ; Stem Cells

Meigs' syndrome is defined as a hydrothorax with ascites and a pelvic tumor, both of which resolve on removal of the tumor. Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome is a variant not possessing the original tumor cell types described by Meigs. Both these syndromes should be considered in otherwise healthy women who present with either new or recurrent hydrothorax and ascites. Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome occurs with the clinical triad of (1)ascites, (2)pleural effusion and (3)Brenner tumors, struma ovarii, benign thecomas, extreme ovarian edema, uterine leiomyomas or other benign pelvic tumors. A case of Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome associated with Brenner tumor is presented with a brief review of literatures.
Ascites ; Brenner Tumor ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrothorax ; Leiomyoma ; Meigs Syndrome ; Struma Ovarii ; Thecoma

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to get help in order to diagnose orthopaedic disease, measure its activity and determine treatment plan by measuring the beta-glucuronidase activity in urine, serum and joint fluid. METHODS: The beta-glucuronidase activity was determined in the serum, urine and joint fluid of the patients with degenerative arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteomyelitis and osteogenic sarcoma, and some other disease to study the change of the enzyme activity. These values of each specimen were calculated by standard curve and treated by statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results obtained were summarized as follows. 1. The beta-glucuronidase activity in the serum, urine and joint fluid was increased in patients with degenerative arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteomyelitis and osteogenic sarcoma etc. 2. The increased beta-glucuronidase activity in the serum and joint fluid of each disease does not show a specific finding about respective disease, but the increased beta-glucuronidase activity was statistically significant in the urine of all disease groups(male:p=0. 0041, female:p=0. 0001). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these results, it was suggested that beta-glucuronidase activity was affected by the orthopaedic disease and differed according to each specimen.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Glucuronidase* ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomyelitis ; Osteosarcoma

BACKGROUND : Borame hospital nuns geriatric wards with 120 beds (40 beds for patients in Dept. of Internal Medicine, 40 for patients in Dept. of Orthopedics 40 for patients in Dept. of Neurology) from December 1996. We studied clinical characteristics of admissions to acute geriatric wards in Borame hospital in order to assess current status of geriatric wards in Korea. METHODS : 334 patients admitted from December 1996 to May 1997 were studied. By reviewing clinical records of these patients, we studied clinical characteristics of patients in geriatric wards retrospectively. RESULTS : 1) Age distribution: 8.6% of patients were over 85 years old. 16.4% of patients were between age of 80-84. 20.0% between 75-79, 31.3% between 70-74, 26.3% between 65-69, respectively. 2) Disease: 43% of patients have single disease, 67% of patients have multiple disease(23% of patients with 2 disease, 25% with 3 disease, 6% with 4 disease, 3% with over 5 disease respectively). 3) Mortality rate :Total mortality rates were 4.3% with 6.1% of patients in Internal medicine, 3.2% of patients in Neurology. These rates were much higher compared with mortality rates of 2.4% in general wards but similar to those (6.7%) in general wards in Internal medicine. 4) Causes of admission: Malignancies were most common causes of admissions in males, and then cerebrovascular diseases, infectious diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, in order. Musculoskeletal diseases were most common causes, and then diabetes mellitus, infectious diseases, cerebrovascular diseases. CONCLUSION : The elderly patients tend to have multiple diseases, longer hospital stays and higher mortality rates compared with younger patients in general wards. but differences of hospital stays and mortality rates are less than be expected.
Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Communicable Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Mortality ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Neurology ; Orthopedics ; Patients' Rooms ; Retrospective Studies

Increased number of population participating in sports results in unavoidably increase of incidence of sports injury. It also causes a rise of total healthcare expenditure. Because the technology of a variety of imaging modalities and treatment for sports injury is rapidly developed, an up-to-date knowledge on technology is critical for the sports physician. Advances in areas of nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and multi-detector computed tomography, provides a variety of options to physician in the process of patient evaluation. Therefore, they should be aware of strength, limitation, indications, contraindications, and diagnostic accuracy of diagnostic tools.
Athletic Injuries ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Incidence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nuclear Medicine ; Sports ; Sports Medicine