Dense deposit disease (DDD) is a rare disorder characterized by the deposition of abnormal electron-dense material within the glomerular basement membrane of the kidneys. The diagnosis is made in most patients between 5 and 15 years of age, and within 10 years, approximately half of the affected patients progress to end-stage renal disease. We report a rare case of regressive DDD without C3 deposition after steroid therapy in an 11-year-old boy. The patient presented with edema, gross hematuria, and nephrotic-range proteinuria. Laboratory testing revealed a serum creatinine level of 1.17 mg/dL, albumin level of 2.3 g/dL, and serum C3 level of 125 mg/dL (range 90-180 mg/dL). The results of the renal biopsy were consistent with DDD without C3 deposition. After 6 weeks of steroid therapy, the nephrotic syndrome completely resolved. The follow-up renal biopsy showed a significant reduction in mesangial proliferation and disappearance of electron-dense deposits in the GBM.
Biopsy ; Child ; Creatinine ; Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane ; Edema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerular Basement Membrane ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Remission Induction

PURPOSE: Sono-guided FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) is a safe and accurate diagnostic procedure for thyroid nodules. We examined the use of an extension tube in FNAC as useful. METHODS: We reviewed 175 cases of patients with thyroid nodules where an extension tube was used in sono-guide FNAC and 153 cases where a syringe holder was used in Jeonju Jesus hospital, from July 2005 to September 2006. RESULTS: For cases with an extension tube, tumor size was smaller than 1 cm (38%), from 1 cm to 2 cm (27%), or larger than 2 cm (35%), with cytology results of benign (73%), intermediate (8%), malignant (7%), or nondiagnostic (12%). In cases with a syringe holder, tumor size was smaller than 1 cm (40%), from 1 cm to 2 cm (40%), or larger than 2 cm (20%), with cytology results of benign (51%), intermediate (4%), malignant (3%), or nondiagnostic (42%). The nondiagnostic percentage in cases where an extension tube was used was lower than in cases using a syringe holder. However, the number of tumors larger than 2 cm was significantly larger in the syringe group than the extension tube group. CONCLUSION: The use of an extension tube or a syringe holder in FNAC produce similar results.
Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Needles ; Syringes ; Thyroid Nodule

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to assess ventricular function by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in children with clinically diagnosed myocarditis (n=2) and dilated cardiomyopathy (n=5) and to compare those results with those of normal controls (n=28). METHOD: This study was conducted on 2 patients with myocarditis and 5 with dilated cardiomyopathy with multiple follow up studies (1-4 times) from one week to 6 months intervals (20 cases) from March 2004 to July 2005 at Kyungpook National University hospital. The results were compared with those of normal controls (28 cases). Peak early diastolic (E), and peak late diastolic (A) velocity of transmitral flow were measured by pulsed wave Doppler examination. Peak systolic (Sm), peak early diastolic (Em), peak late diastolic (Am) velocity in apical 4-chamber and 2-chamber views were measured by TDI. RESULTS: There were significant decreases of 4Etv, 4Eiv, 4Smv, 4Emv, 2Eiv in the patients group compared with those of control but no significant correlation with the fractional shortenings. CONCLUSION: Tissue Doppler imaging is useful for the evaluation of the myocardial function and more study for children is needed.
Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Child* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Myocarditis* ; Ventricular Function

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by a necrotizing vasculitis of small and medium-sized artery, which can involve several organs, such as, the kidney, skin, peripheral nerves, muscle, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. In addition to systemic involvement of the classical PAN, a localized disease of the gallbladder, uterus, testis, and skin has been reported. In particular, a limited involvement of the breast is an unusual manifestation of PAN and usually runs a favorable prognosis when compared with the classical PAN. We describe a 64-year-old female patient who had a limited disease of PAN on both the breasts. She presented with mass-like lesions on both the breasts. After surgical excision of the breast lesions, she has been doing well with only a low dosage of prednisolone.
Arteries ; Breast* ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Kidney ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; Peripheral Nerves ; Polyarteritis Nodosa* ; Prednisolone ; Prognosis ; Skin ; Testis ; Uterus ; Vasculitis

Primary tumors of the mesentery are uncommon, and primary leiomyosarcoma of the mesentery is especially rare, and thus an accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult. We experienced a case of 32-year female with primary leiomyosarcoma of the mesentery. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Mesentery* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

We report successful application of dual tracheobronchial stent to the diffuse tracheal stenosis. An one-month-old boy was transferred to the emergency room due to tachypnea and respiratory difficulty with CO2 retention. Preoperative computed tomography revealed pulmonary artery sling with diffuse tracheal stenosis. We found that the diameter of the both main bronchus was less than 3mm and the trachea was a complete ring. We divided the left pulmonary artery and implanted it to the main pulmonary artery under cardiopulmonary bypass. After that, tracheoplasty was performed with autologous pericardium. However, after the initial measures, CO2 retention and respiratory difficulty persisted due to the granulation tissue and dynamic obstruction of the airway ensued by the overlying pericardial flap. Therefore, we decided to apply a single tracheal stent. After the insertion of tracheal stent, residual stenosis of the both main bronchus opening continued to cause respiratory difficulty. Finally we applied dual tracheobronchial stent and resolved the airway obstruction.
Airway Obstruction ; Bronchi ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Male ; Pericardium ; Pulmonary Artery ; Stents* ; Tachypnea ; Trachea ; Tracheal Stenosis

PURPOSE: The evolution of cirrhosis from chronic inflammatory liver disease represents a dysmorphogenic "response to injury". It is important to understand how inflammatory cytokines, known to be associated with such responses, influence the growth of different cell populations within the liver. The purpose of this work is to establish a role of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) in liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy in N-nitrosodieth ylamine (DEN)-induced cirrhotic rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. Liver cirrhosis was induced using DEN (100 mg/kg) given once a week for 6 weeks. In Group I (n=18), 70% partial hepatectomy was accomplished and then the resected liver weight, regenerated liver weight, serum IL-6, and serum GOT/GPT was determined on postoperative days 1, 2, and 4 and at intervals. In Group II (n=19), partial hepatectomy was carried out and Laennec, a hepatocyte growth promoter, was injected on preoperative 1 day and postoperative days 1 and 2. RESULTS: The value of serum GOT in Group I was 415 IU/ml on the first postoperative day and peaked at 1870 IU/ml on the third day. In Group II, the level of serum GOT was 404 IU/ml on the first postoperative day and peaked at 593 IU/ml on the third day, then decreased gradually thereafter. The value of serum IL-6 was 106.54 pg/ml on the first postoperative day, 130.59 pg/ml on the 14th postoperative day in Group I, however in Group II, it was 40 pg/ml on thefirst postoperative day and then decreased to 29.18 pg/ml on the 14th postoperative day. The percentages of regenerated weights of liver at intervals following the 70% partial hepatectomy was 55.1% on the first postoperative day, and 102.3% on the 4th week in Group I and 60.4% on the first postoperative day, 95.8% on the first week postoperatively, and 116.1% on the 2nd week in Group II. CONCLUSION: As the value of serum IL-6 was sustained below 40 pg/ml, which was the value on the first postopeative day following partial hepatectomy with Laennec treatment, the resected liver was rapidly regenerated and restored to normal liver function. In cirrhotic liver, regenerative activity was related to serum IL-6 level, so downregulation of serum IL-6 might be helpful to the regeneration of resected liver.
Animals ; Cytokines ; Down-Regulation ; Fibrosis ; Hepatectomy* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Regeneration* ; Liver* ; Male ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pharyngoesophageal musculature plays an important role in swallowing, and prevents aspiration and supraesophageal reflux. These muscles are closed during the resting state and opens with swallowing to allow the passage of food. In this study, the histochemical characteristics of the upper esophageal sphincter muscles in human were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Muscle samples from the inferior pharyngeal constrictor, cricopharyngeus, upper esophageal muscle and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle were obtained from the healthy portion of nine laryngectomized specimen. We used the H&E staining for identifying the gross anatomy of these muscles, and the myofibrillar ATPase staining and the NADH-TR staining for differentiating the muscle fiber type. RESULTS: Analysis of the muscle fiber types of the upper esophageal sphincter muscle revealed a predominance of type I in the cricopharyngeus (78.9%) and the upper esophageal muscle (85.2%), and type II in the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle (80%). In the SCM muscle, the percentage of each fiber type was almost the same. The proportion of oxidative fibers within these muscles correlated well to that of the type I fibers. CONCLUSION: The distribution of the type I fibers tended to be higher in the upper esophageal muscle than in the inferior pharyngeal constrictor. These findings about fiber types represents well the physiological features of each muscle, i.e. the inferior pharyngeal constrictors are capable of short rapid contraction and the upper esophageal muscles are capable of slow rhythmic movement.
Adenosine Triphosphatases ; Deglutition ; Esophageal Sphincter, Upper* ; Histocytochemistry ; Humans* ; Muscles ; Pharyngeal Muscles

PURPOSE: Improvements in the prevention or control of rejection of kidneys and livers have been largely interchangeable and then applicable. However, the mechanism by which antirejection treatment permits any of these grafts to be accepted has been an immunological enigma. Recently, the exchange of migratory leukocytes between the transplant and the recipient, with consequent long-term cellular chimerism in both has been the basis for acceptance of all whole-organ allografts and xenografts. METHODS: The donors of liver transplants were male Lewis rats weighing 100-150 g in all experiments groups. Male Brown Norway rats were the experimental group and female Lewis were the control group. Heterotopic partial liver transplantation was performed by Lee's method without arterial reconstruction. All procedures were performed under ether anesthesia. Bone marrow was taken from the tibias and femurs and was processed in RPMI 1640. The cell counts of suspensions were 2.5x10(8) per experiment. Genomic DNA prepared from peripheral blood and various tissues. Male Lewis Sry-specific oligonulceotide primers were used. RESULTS: In allogenic liver transplantation with bone marrow transplants (LEW-BN), donor cells were detected in the liver, and the spleen by day 7. However, in rejection cases, donor cell were not detected in any tissues. In isografted transplants (LEW-LEW), after bone marrow transplantation, donor cells were found in lymph nodes, the liver, and peripheral blood. In isografted transplants (LEW-LEW), after liver transplantation donor, cells were only found in the grafts. CONCLUSION: In allogenic liver transplantation with bone marrow transplantation, chimerism induction was augmentedwith bone marrow-derived stem cells. Therefore, it is necessary to have many samples to investigate more precisely chimerism and rejection after liver transplantation with bone marrow transplantation.
Allografts ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Transplantation* ; Bone Marrow* ; Cell Count ; Chimerism* ; DNA ; Ether ; Female ; Femur ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Isografts ; Kidney ; Leukocytes ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Norway ; Rats* ; Spleen ; Stem Cells ; Suspensions ; Tibia ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplants

The migration of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) into the intraabdominal cavity is rare. However, the removal of such as IUD is recommended for the major reason of an intraabdominal inflammatory reaction and possible bowel obstruction or perforation. We report a case of migration of an IUD into the intraabdominal cavity, which was detected twenty-four years after insertion. The IUD was successfully removed by using laparoscopic surgery on an ambulatory basis.
Intrauterine Devices* ; Laparoscopy