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We experienced an extremely rare case of proximal epithelioid sarcoma (PES) of the vulva in a 77-year-old woman. After history taking and physical examination, the patient was tentatively diagnosed as having Bartholin’s cyst in the right labium. Based on histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) findings, however, a final diagnosis of PES of the vulva was made. After receiving CyberKnife treatment, the patient survived but with recurrent episodes and poor prognosis. In conclusion, our case indicates that patients with PES of the vulva should be appropriately managed with radiotherapy after a differential diagnosis based on histopathological and IHC findings.

Background and Objectives: acute kidney injury (AKI), formerly called acute renal failure (ARF), is commonly defined as an abrupt decline in renal function, clinically manifesting as a reversible acute increase in nitrogen waste products—measured by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels—over the course of hours to weeks. AKI occurs in about 20% of all hospitalized patients and is more common in the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of AKI, and to detect and treat early, since it is known that a prolonged period of kidney injury increases cardiovascular complications and the risk of death. Despite advances in modern medicine, there are no consistent treatment strategies for preventing the progression to chronic kidney disease. Through many studies, the safety and efficacy of natural products have been proven, and based on this, the time and cost required for new drug development can be reduced. In addition, research results on natural products are highly anticipated in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. In relation to AKI, many papers have reported that many natural products can prevent and treat AKI. Conclusions: in this paper, the results of studies on natural products related to AKI were found and summarized, and the mechanism by which the efficacy of AKI was demonstrated was reviewed. Many natural products show that AKI can be prevented and treated, suggesting that these natural products can help to develop new drugs. In addition, we may be helpful to elucidate additional mechanisms and meta-analysis in future natural product studies.

OBJECTIVE To investigate if a self-obtained vaginal sample (SOVAS) contains sufficient DNA for a human papillomavirus (HPV) test and if the results are comparable to those obtained via cervical samples (CS) collected by a physician. METHODS One hundred and fifty-one women who had abnormal cervical smears or who were HPV-positive were enrolled. Self-sampling was done after reading instructions and watching a 2-min-long video, whereas CS was obtained with a cervical cytobrush during a gynecologic examination. RESULTS A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction-based assay detected the prevalence of any type of HPV to be 67.5% in the SOVAS and 57.4% in the CS, and that of high-risk (HR-) HPV to be 58.7% in the SOVAS and 48.6% in the CS. The sensitivity of detection of HR-HPV in the SOVAS was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.09 to 0.32) for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 78% (95% CI -0.09 to 0.13) for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or worse, and 95% (95% CI -0.01 to 0.25) for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or worse, which was statistically within the non-inferiority margin compared with that of CS. CONCLUSION Our study shows that the collection of a SOVAS is feasible and it is comparable to a CS for HPV DNA testing. Future studies are required to investigate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a mail-delivered SOVAS for cervical cancer screening.

Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of adjuvant treatment for morcellated, uterus-confined leiomyosarcoma in a multicenter setting. Methods We identified patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I uterine leiomyosarcoma primarily treated with surgery between 2003 and 2016. Among them, patients who underwent one of the following morcellation methods were included: (i) power morcellation; (ii) intracorporeal morcellation using scalpels or electrocautery; and (iii) vaginal morcellation. Patients' survival outcomes were compared according to the implementation of adjuvant treatment. Results From 13 institutions, 55 patients were included; 31 for adjuvant treatment group and 24 for surgery only group. The clinicopathological characteristics including the mass size, morcellation methods, extent of surgery, and mitotic count were similar between the groups. In the adjuvant treatment group, 67.7%, 19.4% and 12.9% of patients received chemotherapy, chemoradiation and radiation, respectively. After a median follow-up of 50.5 months, the adjuvant treatment and surgery only groups showed similar overall survival (5-year rate, 92.0% vs 90.4%; P = 0.959). No significant difference in progression-free survival was observed between the two groups (3-year rate, 46.1% vs 78.2%; P = 0.069). On multivariate analyses, adjuvant treatment did not affect progression-free survival (adjusted HR, 2.138; 95% CI, 0.550-8.305; P = 0.273). The adjuvant treatment group showed a trend towards more common distant metastasis, compared to the surgery only group (25.8% vs 4.2%; P = 0.062). The incidences of pelvic, retroperitoneal, and abdominal recurrences were not different between the groups. Conclusion Despite its frequent use in clinical practice, adjuvant treatment did not improve the survival outcomes of patients with morcellated, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I uterine leiomyosarcoma.

SummaryBackground The second trimester is a period of neurogenesis and neuronal migration, which can be affected by exposure to anesthetics. Studies also suggest that multiple exposures may have a greater impact on neurodevelopment. Aim We investigated whether in utero single or multiple exposures to anesthetics caused long-term behavior changes. Methods Pregnant mice were randomly divided into four groups on gestational day 14 (GD 14). Mice in the Control × 1 group were exposed to 100% oxygen for 150 min. Mice in the Sevo × 1 group were also exposed to 100% oxygen for 150 min, except that 2.5% sevoflurane was added during the first 120 min. Mice in the Control × 3 and Sevo × 3 group were identically treated as Control × 1 and Sevo × 1 group for three consecutive days, respectively (GD 14–16). Behavioral tests were performed only with the male offspring at the age of 2–4 months. Synaptic plasticity was also compared by inducing long-term potentiation in acute hippocampal slices. Results Single or multiple sevoflurane exposures in pregnant mice during the second trimester did not cause long-lasting behavioral consequences or changes in long-term synaptic plasticity of their offspring. Conclusion Our study suggests that neither single nor multiple exposures of mice to sevoflurane during the fetal developmental period induces long-term behavioral dysfunctions or affects long-term synaptic plasticity. Additional studies focusing on early stages of neurodevelopment are necessary to confirm the effects of sevoflurane exposure during pregnancy.

A2E-laden ARPE-19 cells were exposed to a blue light to induce cytotoxicity, in order to investigate the protective effects of various tinted ophthalmic lenses against photo-induced cytotoxicity in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells laden with A2E, known to be among the etiologies of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Different-colored tinted lenses with varying levels of tint and different filtering characteristics, such as polarized, blue-cut, and photochromatic lenses, were placed over the cells, and the protective efficacies thereof were evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase assay. When tinted lenses were placed over ARPE-19 cells, there were different reductions in cytotoxicity according to the colors and tint levels. The level of protection afforded by brown-tinted lenses was 6.9, 36.1, and 49% with a tint level of 15, 50, and 80%, respectively. For gray-tinted lenses, the protective effect was 16.3, 35, and 43.4% for the corresponding degree of tint, respectively. In the case of blue-tinted lenses, a protective effect of 20% was observed with 80% tinted lenses, but 15 and 50% tinted lenses provided no significant protection. In addition, photochromic lenses showed a protective effect but blue-cut lenses and polarized lenses provided no significant protection. Tinted lenses significantly reduced cytotoxicity in RPE cells irradiated with blue light. The protection was more efficient in lenses with a brown or gray tint than in blue-tinted lenses. Tinted glasses may provide significant protection against potential blue-light-induced photochemical and photo-oxidative damage in RPE cells.

Poland syndrome, which is characterized by an absence of pectoralis muscles and their innervated nerves, is marked by variable chest wall defects due to deficits of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th ribs and costal cartilage. Additionally, there are other reported combined anomalies of the heart, lung, kidney, ipsilateral hand and foot associated with the syndrome. The lung on the side with the thoracic deformity is more hypoplastic or smaller than the lung on the unaffected side, which can cause herniation of the lung or paradoxical ventilatory movement in severe cases, thereby increasing the risk of respiratory depression and hypoxemia. Patients may have profound lung complications due to depressed respiratory muscle function and exacerbation of the underlying chronic pulmonary disease during the perioperative period. These patients also show increased risk of malignant hyperthermia and therefore require careful attention during general anesthesia. We report here an anesthetic experience during reconstruction surgery of a chest wall defect in a male patient with Poland syndrome.

When first introduced, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) was performed using a bronchoscope. The bronchoscope itself, however, has several disadvantages, including interruption of ventilation. Modifications of the standard PDT technique have suggested that PDT can be safely performed without a bronchoscope. However, the safety of these modifications is unclear and many modifications have yet to be widely adopted. This study retrospectively evaluated the safety of a simplified PDT technique using the Cook® Ciaglia Blue Rhino™ in 186 patients. After confirming the underlying structures by palpation, PDT was performed without a bronchoscope or blunt dissection, 2.0 cm below the cricothyroid membrane. Ultrasonography was used only when palpation was difficult. Except for bleeding in three patients with coagulopathy, none of the patients experienced any early or late complications, and there were no deaths related to PDT. These findings confirm that PDT can be safely performed using a simplified technique, which may be useful in situations with limited equipment and medical personnel.

Rationales The natural history of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is unclear. Furthermore, the correlation between radiologic findings and clinical significance has not been documented. Previously, the development of new vascular symptoms was reported in a small number of patients, but some of these symptoms were from other vascular causes. New arterial lesions were rarely observed during follow-up in the previous reports. Patient concerns A 40-year-old man was admitted due to dysarthria and left-sided weakness. He had developed flank pain due to bilateral renal infarction about 10 months earlier. He had no known risk factors for atherosclerosis. Initial neurological examination revealed a mild weakness and central facial palsy on the left side. Diagnoses Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed a small acute infarction in the right insular cortex. Magnetic resonance angiography and digital subtraction angiography showed a severe stenosis with post-dilatation in the right internal carotid artery (ICA). There was a focal ectatic lesion in the left ICA. On the previous abdominal computed tomography angiography (CTA), there were arterial lesions suggestive of dissection in the bilateral renal arteries and a rod-shaped ectasia in the left common iliac artery (CIA). The pathological diagnosis was mixed-type FMD involving the intima and media. Interventions The patient was prescribed antiplatelet agents for prevention of further ischemic events and followed up regularly. Outcomes Seven years after the initial renal infarction, the patient developed abdominal pain radiating to the back. Abdominal CTA revealed that an aortic dissection had developed in the infrarenal aorta, which was shown as normal previously. The ectasia in the left CIA and left ICA showed no interval changes during follow-up. Lessons We present a patient who developed spontaneous symptomatic dissection of the bilateral renal arteries, right ICA, and abdominal aorta during 7 years of follow-up, which were caused by pathologically confirmed FMD. Besides the symptomatic multifocal dissection, the patient showed an asymptomatic multifocal ectasia on cerebral and abdominal angiographies that had not changed over 7 years.

Purpose The TWIK-related spinal cord K⁺ channel (TRESK) has recently been discovered and plays an important role in nociceptor excitability in the pain pathway. Because there have been no reports on the TRESK expression or its function in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in neuropathic pain, we analyzed TRESK expression in the spinal dorsal horn in a spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model. Materials and methods We established a SNL mouse model by using the L5-6 spinal nerves ligation. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry to investigate TRESK expression in the dorsal horn and L5 dorsal rot ganglion (DRG). Results The SNL group showed significantly higher expression of TRESK in the ipsilateral dorsal horn under pain, but low expression in L5 DRG. Double immunofluorescence staining revealed that immunoreactivity of TRESK was mostly restricted in neuronal cells, and that synapse markers GAD67 and VGlut2 appeared to be associated with TRESK expression. We were unable to find a significant association between TRESK and calcineurin by double immunofluorescence. Conclusion TRESK in spinal cord neurons may contribute to the development of neuropathic pain following injury.

Repeated-measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) continues to be used widely for the analysis of repeated-measures data in anesthetic research. RMANOVA, like other parametric statistical tests, specifies several assumptions and requires specific description in publications. A recent article in the Korean Journal of Anesthesiology (KJA) provided valid information on RMANOVA [1].

BACKGROUND: There has been little data reporting the usefulness of intensivist-performed bedside drainage of pleural effusion via ultrasound (US)-guided pigtail catheter. The objective of this study is to clarify the usefulness and safety of these methods in comparison with radiologist-performed procedures. METHODS: Data of patients with pleural effusion treated with US-guided pigtail catheter drainage were analyzed. All procedures were performed from September 2012 to September. 2013 by a well-trained intensivist or radiologist. RESULTS: Pleural effusion was drained in 25 patients in 33 sessions. A radiologist performed 21 sessions, and an intensivist performed 12 sessions. Procedures during mechanical ventilation were performed in 15 (71.4%) patients by a radiologist and in 10 (83.3%) by an intensivist (p = 0.678). The success rate was not significantly different in radiologist- and intensivist-performed procedures, 95.2% (20/21) and 83.3% (10/12), respectively (p = 0.538). The average duration for procedures (including in-hospital transfer) was longer in radiologist-performed cases (p = 0.001). Although the results are limited because of the small population size, aggravation of oxygenation, CO2 retention, and decrease of mean arterial blood pressure were not statistically different in the groups. Pigtail-associated complications including hemothorax, pneumothorax, hepatic perforation, empyema, kink in the catheter, and subcutaneous hematoma were not found. CONCLUSIONS: Intensivist-performed bedside drainage of pleural effusion via ultrasound (US)-guided pigtail catheter is useful and safe and may be recommended in some patients in an intensive care unit.

Purpose The clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with metastatic recurrent cervical cancer remain poorly understood. The goals of the present study were to investigate the survival outcomes according to the recurrence site in a large cohort of cervical cancer patients. Methods and Materials Of 1322 patients with primary cervical cancer from 2000 to 2013, 205 with recurrence after primary or adjuvant postoperative radiation were enrolled retrospectively. Aggressive salvage therapy (AST), which was defined as salvage therapy that aimed not only to relieve symptoms but also to ablate recurrent tumors by the single or combined application of surgical resection of local recurrence, metastasectomy, or metastasis-directed irradiation, followed by chemotherapy, was performed according to our institutional guidelines. The patterns of recurrence, application rate and mode of AST, and survival outcomes were evaluated retrospectively under approval from the institutional review board. Results Regarding the pattern of recurrence, distant-only (DO) recurrence was most common (59.5%), followed by combined (21.5%), central (cervix or vaginal stump; 10.7%), and pelvic (pelvic lymph nodes or pelvic side wall; 8.3%) recurrence. Two subgroups (distant lymph nodes and lung parenchyma) of the DO group demonstrated remarkably good prognosis and were categorized as type A DO; the other subgroups were labeled type B DO. Patients with type A DO recurrence constituted 36% of all recurrences and 83.8% of them received AST. The 5-year overall survival rates were significantly greater in the type A DO group than in the other groups (44.8% in the type A DO group, 12.6% in the pelvic group, and 6.8% in the type B DO group). Conclusions We identified a patient subgroup with favorable outcomes after salvage therapy, type A DO, defined as recurrence in the distant lymph nodes only or in the lung parenchyma only. A future prospective trial is needed to investigate whether AST improves survival in this group.

e17106 Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative adjuvant treatment for morcellated, uterus-limited leiomyosarcoma in a multicenter setting. Methods: We included primary FIGO stage I uterine leiomyosarcoma patients treated between 2003 and 2016. All received one of the following morcellation methods: (1) intracorporeal morcellation using motorized device; (2) intracorporeal morcellation using surgical knife or electrocautery; and (3) vaginal morcellation. Patients’ survival outcomes were compared according to the implementation of postoperative adjuvant treatment. Results: In total, 55 patients were enrolled from 13 institutions, and 24 and 31 patients were assigned to surgery alone group and adjuvant treatment group, respectively. Characteristics including age, mass size, morcellation methods, and extent of surgery were similar between the two groups. On pathologic examination, there were no differences in degree of nuclear pleomorphism, necrosis, and lymphovascular space invasion. In adjuvant treatment group, 67.7%, 19.4%, and 12.9% received chemotherapy, concurrent chemoradiation therapy, and radiation, respectively. While the two groups showed similar overall survival ( P= 0.959) after a median follow up of 50.5 months, adjuvant treatment group showed a trend towards worse progression-free survival (PFS; 3-year survival rate, 78.2% vs. 46.1%; P= 0.060). However, in multivariate analyses, adjuvant treatment did not influence PFS (adjusted HR, 3.478; 95% CI, 0.659–18.367; P= 0.142). Confined to 17 cases where motorized morcellation device was used, surgery only and adjuvant treatment groups also showed similar PFS (3-year survival rate, 57.1% vs. 44.4%; P= 0.874). Conclusions: In FIGO stage I, morcellated uterine leiomyosarcoma, post-operative adjuvant treatment did not improve patients’ survival outcomes. Further prospective cohort studies are warranted.

BACKGROUND: To analyze how lidocaine 40 mg mixed prevents injection pain of propofol affects the onset time of rocuronium, tracheal intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes. METHODS: This study consisted of 70 patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status class 1 or 2 for general anesthesia. All the patients were randomly allocated into two groups: propofol 2 mg/kg plus normal saline 2 ml (Group C) and propofol 2 mg/kg plus 2% lidocaine 40 mg (Group L). Each group was administrated intravenously during induction and the patient was intubated 1 minute after an injection of 0.6 mg/kg of rocuronium. The time at disappearance of the first twitch and intubation scores were recorded. Also, blood pressure and heart rate were measured at the baseline, after intravenous injection of propofol, before intubation, and at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 minutes after intubation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between group C and L (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 40 mg of lidocaine mixed with propofol to prevent injection pain did not affect the onset time of rocuronium, intubating conditions and intubation related hemodynamic changes.

Background Recent studies have reported that cancer surgeries involving regional anesthesia have better outcomes than those under general anesthesia. However, the effects of anesthetic technique have not been investigated in patients with bladder cancer. Therefore, this retrospective study was conducted to investigate which anesthetic technique results in a better bladder cancer prognosis. Methods Sixty-one of 531 patients underwent transurethral resection of a bladder tumor under general anesthesia from 2001 to 2008 in our hospital. Patients who attended five years of follow-up and who had pathological findings of urothelial carcinoma grades I–II were enrolled. Finally, 24 patients (G group) who underwent general anesthesia and 137 (R group) who underwent regional (spinal or epidural) anesthesia were compared. Five-year survival and recurrence-free time were compared using the chi-square and t-tests, respectively. A logistic regression and partial correlation analysis were performed to evaluate other factors affecting survival. Results Five-year survival was 87.5 % for general anesthesia and 96.3 % for regional (P = 0.099). The regression analysis showed that older age contributed to reduced survival (odds ratio = 0.85, P = 0.001). Regional anesthesia showed higher 5-year survival (coefficient = −0.167, P = 0.044) more than general anesthesia through the partial correlation analysis. Conclusions Though partial correlation analysis show that five-year survival is higher in patients whose surgery is under regional than general anesthesia, the association was not significant in the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Large prospective studies are needed to determine whether the association between regional anesthesia and survival is causative.

Objective Locally advanced bulky cervical cancer (LABCC) is characterized by poor local control. The objective of this study was to identify the clinicopathologic variables associated with one-year central-only recurrence, which will serve as criteria for adjuvant hysterectomy after radiation (AHR) in patients with LABCC. Study design Between January 2000 and August 2007, we retrospectively evaluated outcomes in 225 patients with LABCC who were initially treated with radiation or chemoradiation. Results Among the 225 patients with LABCC, there were 41 recurrences within one year after treatment (8 central-only and 33 pelvis and/or distant site recurrences). Age, stage, and treatment type were not associated with the one-year central-only recurrences, but tumor size ≥8 cm had a statistically significant association based on multivariate analysis (OR, 5.39; 95% CI, 1.15–25.31; p = 0.03). The combination of non-squamous cell (non-SCC) type and tumor size ≥8 cm had a significantly higher rate of recurrence within one year (OR, 43.0; 95% CI, 4.78–386.68; p Conclusions Of patients with LABCC, those with non-SCC tumors ≥8 cm in size were at high risk for early central-only recurrence after cisplatin-based chemoradiation, and represent the subset of patients for whom AHR is beneficial.

Background/Aims: We examined the association of fibrin sealant use with post-operative hemorrhage in patients who underwent a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). Methods: We retrospectively collected clinicopathologic data of 344 patients who underwent LEEP at our institute between 2007 and 2009. We defined hemorrhage which occurred between 1 and 30 days after LEEP and required electrocautery to achieve hemostasis as severe secondary hemorrhage (SSH). We determined whether or not the use of fibrin sealant during LEEP was associated with a decreased occurrence of SSH. In addition, we examined the associations of other clinicopathologic variables with SSH and fibrin sealant use. Results: SSH occurred in 6 of 200 patients (3%) with fibrin sealant and in 12 of 144 patients (8%) without fibrin sealant. Based on univariate analysis, the use of fibrin sealant was associated with SSH (p = 0.028). However, age, surgeons and pathologic diagnosis were not associated with SSH. Based on multivariate analysis, the use of fibrin sealant was associated with less SSH (p = 0.033, OR = 0.328, 95% CI 0.117–0.917). Conclusion: Fibrin sealant use reduces the incidence of severe post-operative hemorrhage after LEEP.

To determine whether adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) improves the outcome of cervical cancer patients with intermediate risk factors.Between January 2000 and June 2006, the medical records of 735 patients who had undergone radical surgery for Stage IB-IIA cervical cancer were reviewed retrospectively. Of the 735 patients, 172 with two or more intermediate risk factors (i.e., lymphovascular space involvement, deep stromal invasion, and tumor size≥2 cm) were grouped as follows according to the adjuvant treatment received: 34 patients, no further treatment; 49 patients, RT; and 89 patients, CRT. The significance of the clinical parameters and recurrence-free survival of each group were analyzed.Of the 172 patients with any of the intermediate risk factors, 137 (79.6%) had two or more intermediate risk factors. Of the 172 patients, 12 developed recurrences (6.4%)-(7.0%), with 6 in the pelvis and 6 in distant sites. All 12 recurrences occurred in those who had two or more intermediate risk factors (sensitivity, 100%); however, only six recurrences were detected in patients who met the Gynecologic Oncology Group criteria for the intermediate-risk group (sensitivity, 50%; Z test, p.05). A statistically significant difference was found in the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate among the no further treatment, RT, and CRT groups (67.5%, 90.5%, and 97.5%, respectively; p.05). The incidence of Grade 3-4 hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities was not significantly different statistically between the RT and CRT groups (6.1% and 13.4%, respectively; p.05).Postoperative adjuvant CRT can improve the outcome of cervical cancer patients with intermediate risk factors, with low increase in toxicity.

Non-obstetrical surgery during the first trimester is stressful to both the mother and the fetus. Anesthesiologists are also stressed, not only because of the effects of surgery itself, but also because of the uncertain influences of anesthesia thrown upon on the fetus. The authors present a case of breast surgery successfully performed on a woman 8 weeks pregnant requiring removal of breast abscess by the application of thoracic paravertebral block without any complications. Thoracic paravertebral block may be a safe anesthetic method for non-obstetric surgery during early pregnancy.

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the major causes of inhospital cardiac arrest as well as out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Bedside diagnosis of acute PE in the emergency department (ED) can be challenging, especially in a cardiac arrest setting. Even if the early diagnosis of an acute massive PE had been made, hemodynamic instability may be worsened unless obstructive shock gets resolved. We present a case of a 46-year-old woman who developed pulseless electrical activity (PEA) after complaining of weakness and dyspnea in an ambulance, presumptively diagnosed as acute PE by bedside focused echocardiography. She received thrombolytic therapy and was rescued by extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for recurrent PEA arrest in the ED. Focused bedside echocardiography provides a rapid diagnostic adjunct, and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be a valuable rescue therapy for PEA arrest from massive PE.

Central venous catheterization (CVC) can be difficult, especially with pediatric patients in critical care. Accessing the subclavian vein (SCV) can cause serious complications, including pneumothorax, arterial puncture, and hemothorax. Recently, the ultrasonographic (USG) technique has gained popularity, but its efficiency is not yet confirmed. Subclavian venous catheterization (SCVC) through the supraclavicular approach (SCA) with USG or accessing the brachiocephalic vein through the infraclavicular approach (ICA) has been reported in the past. A useful technique is reported that involves the use of a 40 mm probe rather than the usual 25 mm probe in order to confirm the location of the needle while successfully performing subclavian venous catheterization in pediatric patients weighing 1.1 kg to 15.0 kg.

ObjectiveThe objectives were to evaluate the risk of malignant adnexal tumors in women with nongynecologic malignancies and to identify variables associated with the risk of malignant adnexal tumors.MethodsThe eligibility criteria included the diagnosis of a nongynecologic malignancy and adnexal tumors, which were resected or subjected to biopsy at our institute between 1999 and 2010. The risk of malignant adnexal tumors was assessed by dividing the number of patients with metastatic tumors to the adnexa or primary adnexal cancers by the total number of patients. The association of clinicopathologic variables with the risk of malignant adnexal tumors was evaluated using the Fisher exact test and binary logistic regression analysis. In patients with metastatic tumors to the adnexa, the association of clinicopathologic variables with overall survival after adnexal surgery was examined using the log-rank test.ResultsIn 166 patients with adnexal tumors, 41 benign tumors, 113 metastatic tumors to the adnexa, and 12 primary adnexal cancers were diagnosed. Age older than 46 years, a tumor type associated with a high risk for malignant adnexal tumors, and bilateral tumors significantly increased the risk of malignant adnexal tumors. The overall survival of the patients with stomach cancer was significantly worse than the patients with colorectal or breast cancers.ConclusionOne hundred twenty-five of the 166 patients with nongynecologic malignancies who had adnexal tumors managed surgically were shown to have malignant tumors, and most of the tumors were metastatic from primary sites. The risk of malignant adnexal tumors was associated with age, nongynecologic malignancy, and bilaterality.

Purpose To compare compliance, toxicity, and outcome of weekly and triweekly cisplatin administration concurrent with radiotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer. Methods and Materials In this open-label, randomized trial, 104 patients with histologically proven Stage IIB–IVA cervical cancer were randomly assigned by a computer-generated procedure to weekly (weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m 2 , six cycles) and triweekly (cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks, three cycles) chemotherapy arms during concurrent radiotherapy. The difference of compliance and the toxicity profiles between the two arms were investigated, and the overall survival rate was analyzed after 5 years. Results All patients tolerated both treatments very well, with a high completion rate of scheduled chemotherapy cycles. There was no statistically significant difference in compliance between the two arms (86.3% in the weekly arm, 92.5% in the triweekly arm, p > 0.05). Grade 3–4 neutropenia was more frequent in the weekly arm (39.2%) than in the triweekly arm (22.6%) ( p = 0.03). The overall 5-year survival rate was significantly higher in the triweekly arm (88.7%) than in the weekly arm (66.5%) (hazard ratio 0.375; 95% confidence interval 0.154–0.914; p = 0.03). Conclusions Triweekly cisplatin 75-mg/m 2 chemotherapy concurrent with radiotherapy is more effective and feasible than the conventional weekly cisplatin 40-mg/m 2 regimen and may be a strong candidate for the optimal cisplatin dose and dosing schedule in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer.

Due to damaged vertebrae nerves, serious disease and aging, patients who have to lie down for long period of time need to exercise to maintain up-right standing position and recover their paralytic leg. This study describes a development of an intellectual tilt table which can provide a patient with rehabilitating condition. This can be possible by measuring and displaying the knee bent angle and pressure for each foot during exercise in real time. It is expected that the patient’s exercising effect can increase by monitoring these two values during exercise.

Central venous catheterization (CVC) is vital for anesthetic management in pediatric patients undergoing major surgery [1]. The internal jugular vein (IJV), subclavian vein (SCV), and femoral vein are the most commonly used sites for CVC. Unfortunately, the failure rate and incidence of complications are much higher in pediatric patients due to the relatively small size of the vessels [2]. Experience is essential in order to successfully perform CVC in pediatric patients without causing complications. Other significant factors include the selection of an appropriate vein and a catheter of a suitable size. The IJV is relatively larger and easier to access than the SCV, and has been preferred for CVC in pediatric patients by many physicians. Yet, the IJV is easily collapsed by the ultrasound (US) probe or by needle pressure, making CVC challenging even though the vein may be well observed via US. In contrast, the SCV is not easily collapsed due to the presence of the clavicle and can be more appropriate when long-term catheter placement is required [3]. Although there are several studies regarding the size of the IJV in pediatric patients [1,2], few studies have been performed related to the size of the SCV. We attempted to find the most suitable variable, such as age, weight, or height, that could predict the size of the SCV in pediatric patients by measuring the size of the SCV in a group of these patients using ultrasound. Thirty-eight pediatric patients from 1 month to 10 years of age, who underwent an elective surgery were included in this study. Patients included in the study were scheduled for minor operations: inguinal hernia repair, hydrocelectomy, circumcision, and upper and lower extremity surgeries. Patients with congenital or cardiovascular diseases, and patients scheduled for cardiac, intracranial, or major vascular operations were excluded from the study. After induction of general anesthesia, patients were placed in a supine position with their arms positioned next to the trunk. The SCV was located with a linear probe using a method implemented previously [4]. Briefly, the longitudinalsection image of the SCV was obtained with an 18 MHz linear probe (LA435: 6–18 MHz, Esaote, Genova, Italy). Images were obtained by a single physican after acquiring a view in which the SCV seemed to have the largest diameter and the clavicle was positioned in the center of the image. Images were obtained three times on both sides at the end-expiratory phase of ventilation and were measured by two different study participants using image analysis software (MyLab TM Desk, Esaote, Genova, Italy). The internal diameter of the SCV was measured directly laterally and medially to the clavicle shadow, and defined as the average of these two values. The average of the values measured by the two different study participants was used as the SCV diameter in each pediatric patient. For statistical analysis, variables of regression modeling were selected using the stepwise selection method. R 3.1.0 (R Core Team, Vienna, Austria) was used as the statistical software, and variables were selected using the faraway and leaps packages. The leaps package automatically selects variables, and the Bayesian information criterion was used as the selection criterion. Sex, height, weight, and age were selected as independent variables

Methods Epithelial ovarian cancer (n=69), borderline tumor (n=18), benign tumor (n=10) and normal ovary tissues were obtained after operation. SPARC protein expression was examined using immunohistochemistry. With a retrospective review, patients’ characteristics and slide samples were analyzed. Results Cytoplasmic SPARC immunoreactivity was observed in stromal cells in nearly all cases of normal ovary, benign and borderline tumors (100%, 94.7%, and 100%). In contrast, SPARC was detected in the stroma of 63.8% (44/69) and the score of immunoreactivity was signifi cantly reduced in malignant tumors ( P

This study assessed the feasibility of F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) in the post-therapy surveillance for patients with endometrial cancer showing no evidence of disease (NED). From April 1997 to June 2007, 127 patients with endometrial cancer showing NED were performed (18)F-FDG PET scan. The feasibility of (18)F-FDG PET for the early detection of recurrence in patients with endometrial cancer was evaluated retrospectively. Of the 127 patients, 32 patients showed positive lesions on (18)F-FDG PET scan. Nineteen (19/127 cases, 15%) of them were confirmed to have a recurrence clinically or histologically. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value of (18)F-FDG PET for detecting recurrences in patients with endometrial cancer were 100%, 88%, 59% and 100%, respectively. In conclusion, (18)F-FDG PET may be a useful method for the post-therapy surveillance in patients with endometrial cancer.

To the editor: We read with interest the recent report from Lee et al. regarding the value of pelvic examination and imaging modality for the evaluation of tumor size in cervical cancer.1 Using pathologic results as standard reference, the authors compared the accuracy of pelvic examination with that of imaging modalities (CT or MRI) for tumor size measurement. Because the correlation coefficient between pelvic examination and pathologic results was higher than that between imaging modalities and pathologic results, the authors concluded that pelvic examination is superior to imaging modalities for tumor size measurement. However, we have several concerns with respect to the study. First, as shown in Figure 1(B), tumor was not detected by imaging modalities in 21 patients; even an 8 cm-sized tumor was not detected by imaging modalities. We presumed that the undetected tumors of those patients could partially account for poor correlation between imaging modalities and pathologic results. Considering that CT is inferior to MRI in tumor visualization,2 we think that most of 21 patients might undergo CT alone. Therefore, the causes of insensitive imaging modalities should be addressed. If the insensitivity were due to CT, the result of subgroup analysis that included only patients who underwent MRI has to be presented. Second, in terms of inclusion criteria, only patients with a clinically visible tumor were included in this study. However, the size of tumor can be measured with inspection, palpation, and colposcopic examination (althoughnot specifically addressed). Examiner would be able to measure the tumor size by palpation; hence, it is inappropriate to exclude the patients with a clinically invisible tumor (for example, a tumor located in endocervical canal). The inappropriate exclusion of patients with a clinically invisible tumor accounted for the fact that there were no tumors that were undetected by pelvic examination. Considering that, as we mentioned previously, tumors were undetected by imaging modalities in 21 patients and they presumably accounted for poor correlation between imaging modalities and pathologic results, the inappropriate inclusion criteria could cause a selection bias. In addition, the inappropriate inclusion criteria made the result of this study difficult to apply to patients with an endocervical tumor. Third, in the discussion section, the authors insisted that the accuracy of CT and MRI is overestimated by quoting the result of ACRIN 6651/GOG 183 Intergroup study.4 However, the authors did not mention another study which included the re-analysis of the result of ACRIN 6651/GOG 183 Intergroup study and directly addressed the same issue with the current study.4 In the study including 172 patients with cervical cancer, MRI is superior to CT and pelvic examination for measuring tumor size using pathologic results as the standard reference.4 The authors should have explained the discrepancies between the current study and ACRIN 6651/GOG 183 Intergroup study. Finally, we recommend a measurement method of tumor size at the time of colposcopic examination. We use a commercially available 8mm-sized round white paper, which is easily attached on the cervix, and then take a picture after application of lugol solution. The actual size of lesion can be measured by comparing the sizes of the lesion and 8 mm-sized reference paper.

4063 Background: Further efforts for optimal combination of CRT before surgery (S) were needed to increase patient (pt) compliance to surgical resection based on our phase III report (JL Lee, SB Kim. Ann Oncol, 2004). Induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent CRT treatment strategy was used and 5-FU was replaced with CAP in this study with an endpoint of pathologic complete response (pCR). Methods: : From Mar 2003 to Oct 2004, stage II, III resectable esophageal cancer pts enrolled and tumors were staged by CT, PET scan and EUS (when feasible). Pts received one cycle of induction chemotherapy [CDDP 60mg/m2, d1, CAP 1000mg/m2 bid, d1–14] and followed by radiotherapy (RT) [46 Gy, 2Gy/ fraction] concurrent with weekly chemotherapy [CDDP 30mg/m2, d1, 8, 15, 22, CAP 800mg/m2 bid, 5 days/week] and then S. S was performed 4∼6 weeks after RT was completed. Preoperative chemoradiation was done at outpatient clinic. Results: Thus far, 49 pts were enrolled. 4 pts dropped out due to economic problem (3) and unexp...

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.

Cervical cancer is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract in Korea. The most common histologic type of cervical cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. The simultaneous occurrence of histologically distinct squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and invasive adenocarcinoma of the cervix is extremely unusual. We have experienced two cases of synchronous squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. We report these cases with a brief review of the literature.

Background: Despite new anesthetic drugs and antiemetics, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting remains between 20% and 70%. The authors tested the hypothesis that seasonal diet and temperature change and preoperative gastric emptying time affects the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 626 women had undergone laparoscopic hysterectomy. Patients were anesthetized with nitrous oxides and inhalation anesthetics or propofol and injected butorphanol or nalbuphine or patient-controlled analgesia for postoperative pain control. Data were collected from records of recovery room and ward nurse's record and analysed with student t-test or chi-square test and logistic regression. Results are presented as meanSD; P

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension is a syndrome characterized by postural headache without trauma, spinal anesthesia or other medical history. The headache is usually resolved in a few days or weeks if the patient remains in bed with good hydration. Relief can usually be obtained by the application of a blood patch, by injecting 10-20 ml of the patient's own blood into the epidural space close to the leakage site. In the overwhelming majority of patients, the leak is at the level of the spine, particularly the thoracic spine and cervicothoracic junction. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension presenting with mental change has rarely been reported. We report a 39 years old male patient who was diagnosed with spontaneous intracranial hypotension. The patient experienced continuous headache followed by slight mental change. The patient was successfully managed by 3 episodes of epidural blood patch.

Propofol has become a popular intravenous agent for the induction and maintenance of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). However, the pro- or anticonvulsant properties of propofol remain controversial and abnormal muscle movement and convulsive activity are possible side-effects. We report a case in which a healthy 42-year-old man developed myoclonic and tonic-clonic seizures related to the use of propofol for sedation during a brachial plexus block.

Most authors regard lymphangiomas as malformations that arise from sequestrations of lymphatic tissue that should communicate normally with the lymphatic system. The majority of lymphangiomas seem developmental lesions occurring relatively early in life, but it rarely present in adult life. We report the case of a 17-year-old female with clitorial mass. Histological features that favor the diagnosis of lymphangioma over hemangioma are the presence of lymphoid aggregates in the stroma and more irregular lumina with widely spaced nuclei. The therapy of choice is a complete surgical excision. Our patient was excised her lesion completely and resulted in good prognosis.

The two major variants of malignant lymphoma are non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and Hodgkin’s disease. More than 90% of all cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas are of B-cell derivation. The malignant lymphoma localized in uterus is rare and characteristically symptom-free expressed, but when it does, the cervix is the presenting site three times more often than is the endometrium. We have experienced a case of malignant lymphoma originated from uterine cervix, so we report with a brief of literature.