• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.774-779
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• 2000

Pseudomembranous colitis, although uncommon, is an important complication of antibiotics that is related to a variety of deleterious effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Rifampicin is one of the 1st line agents in the treatment of tuberculosis and a large number of patients are exposed to its potential adverse effects. We report upon a patient that had diarrhea due to pseudomembranous colitis after receiving antitubeculous medication, and which was probably caused by rifampicin. A 77-year-old man was admitted with diarrhea of three weeks duration. One month previously, he suffered from left pleuritic chest pain and left pleural effusion was noticed at chest X-ray. One week prior to the onset of diarrhea, he was started on empirically isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazynamide as antituberculous medication. On admission, he complained of diarrhea, left pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea and sputum. On physical examination, breathing sound was decreased in the left lower lung field and bowel sound increased. Pleural biopsy revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation, which was compatible with tuberculosis, Sigmoidoscopy showed whitish to yellowish pseudomembrane with intervening normal mucosa, and his stool was positive for C.difficle toxin. He was diagnosed as pseudomembranous colitis and treated with oral metronidazole and vancomycin. The diarrhea did not recur after reinstitution of the anti-tuberculous medication without rifampicin inpatients with severe diarrhea receiving anti-tuberculous medication, rifampicin induced pseudomembranous colitis should be excluded.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.217-224
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• 2008

Purpose: For most surgeons, colon interposition after gastrectomy remains an infrequently performed procedure because of its complexity. The aim of this study was to assess its technical feasibility and safety as a post-gastrectomy reconstruction method by reviewing our experience with colon interposition. Materials and Methods: From March 2001 to February 2002, 30 colon interpositions after-gastrectomy were done with using the ileo-ascending or transverse colon. We analyzed the clinicopathologic features and the surgical outcomes. Results: There were 16 males and 14 females in this study with a mean age of 67.5 years (range: 31 to 76 years). Twenty-five ascending colons and 5 transverse colons were used for the interposition, respectively. The mean operation time was 373 minutes (range: 204 to 600 minutes). There were 9 operative morbidities (30%) and 1 operative mortality. The restoration of bowel motility was noted at 3.8 postoperative days; a soft diet was started at 4.9 postoperative days and the duration of the hospital stay was 18.2 days. The percentage of weight loss in the patients with total, proximal and distal gastrectomy was 16.3%, 14.0% and 8.8%, respectively, at 6 months, and thereafter the weight loss gradually recovered as 8.1%, 7.5% and 5.6%, respectively, at 5 years postoperatively. Gastric stasis was the one of the most meaningful long-term complications, and especially in the patients who underwent distal gastrectomy with colon interposition. Conclusion: Colon interposition after gastrectomy was a very complex procedure with a long operating time and many anastomosis sites. The postoperative outcomes failed to achieve satisfactory weight gain and the patients displayed postprandial symptoms. This suggested that this procedure was not an appropriate procedure for conventional reconstruction after gastrectomy.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the clinical significance IV-contrasted helical abdomen computed tomography (CT) as a diagnostic screening tool to evaluate hollow viscus injury in blunt abdominal trauma patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study encompassing 108 patients, presenting to Korea University Medical Center (KUMC) Emergency Department (ED) from January 2007 to December 2007, with an initial CT finding suggestive of intra-abdominal injury. An initial non-enhanced abdomen CT was taken, followed by an enhanced CT with intravenous contrast. Patients' demographic data, as well as the mechanisms of injury, were inquired upon and obtained, initial diagnosis, as dictated by specialized radiologists, were added to post-operational (post-OP) findings and to additional CT findings acquired during their hospital stays, and all were combined to arrive at final diagnosis. Initial CT findings were further compared with the final diagnosis, yielding values for sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, as well as positive and negative predictive values. Patients were further divided into two groups, namely, those that underwent operational intervention and those that did not. The initial CT findings of each group were subsequently compared and analyzed. Results: Initial CT scans revealed abnormal findings in a total of 212 cases - solid organ injuries being the most common finding, as was observed in 97 cases. Free fluid accumulation was evident in another 69 cases. Based on the CT findings, 77 cases (71.3%) were initially diagnosed as having a solid organ injury, 20 cases (18.5%) as having a combined (solid organ + hollow viscus) injury, and 11 cases (10.2%), as having an isolated hollow viscus injury. The final diagnosis however, were somewhat different, with only 67 cases (62.0%) attributed to solid organ injury, 31 cases (28.7%) to combined injury (solid + hollow), and 10 cases (9.3%) to hollow viscus injury. The sensitivity (CI 95%) of the initial helical CT in diagnosing hollow viscus injury was 75.6%, and its specificity was 100%. The accuracy in diagnosing hollow viscus injury was also meaningfully lower compared to that in diagnosis of solid organ injury. Among patients initially diagnosed with solid organ injuries, 10 patients (2 from follow-up CT and 8 from post-OP finding) turned out to have combined injuries. A total of 38 patients underwent an operation, and the proportion of initial CT findings suggesting free air, mesenteric hematoma or bowel wall thickening turned out to be significantly higher in the operation group. Conclusion: Abdominal CT was a meaningful screening test for hollow viscus injury, but the sensitivity of abdominal CT was significantly lower in detecting hollow viscus injury as compared to solid organ injury. This calls for special consideration and careful observation by the ED physicians when dealing with cases of blunt abdominal trauma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.230-236
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• 2001

Purpose : To evaluate treatment results in terms of local control, complications and survival after reirraidiation in recurrent cervical cancer following definite radiation therapy. Material and methods : From November 1987 through March 1998, eighteen patients with recurrent cervical cancer following definite radiation therapy were subsequently treated with reirradiation at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. In regard to the initial FIGO stage, one patient was stage la, five were stage IIa, three were IIb, two were IIb and two were IVa. The age range was 37 to 79 years old with median age of 57. The time interval from initial definite radiation therapy to recurrence ranged from 6 to 122 months with a median of 58 months. The recurrent sites were the uterine cervix in seven patients, vagina in ten and pelvic lymph node in one. Reirradiation was peformed with external radiation and intracavitary radiation in twelve patients, external radiation and implantation in four and external radiation alone in two. The range of external radiation dose was $2,100\~5,400\;cGy$ and the range of the total radiation dose was $3,780\~8,550\;cGy$. The follow-up periods ranged from 8 to 20 months with median of 25 following reirradiation. Results : Fourteen of eighteen patients $(78\%)$ had local control just after reirradiation. The two year disease free survival (2YDFS) rate was $53.6\%$. There were statistically significant differences in the 2YDFS according to both recurrent site (2YDFS $28.5\%$ in uterine cervix, $71.4\%$ in vagina, (p=0.03)) and the total dose (2YDFS $71.8\%$ in >6,000 cGy , $25\%$ in $\leq6,000$ cGy, p=0.007). Seven of ten patients who were followed for more than 20 months remain alive and disease free (7/18, $39\%$). Patients treated with external radiation and intracavitary radiation had a higher rate of 2YDFS. Seven patients including 4 patients with no local control experienced local failure in the uterus or vagina and two patients died with distant metastasis. Complications included rectal bleeding in 3 patients, bowel obstruction treated with surgery in two, hematuria in one, radiation cystitis in two, soft tissue swelling in two and vaginal necrosis spontaneously healed in one. There was no statistical difference in complications according to the total dose or the time to recurrence from initial radiation. Conclusion : In patients with recurrence following definite radiation therapy in the uterine cervical cancer, reirradiation may be effective but requires an effort to reduce radiation induced severe complications.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.253-263
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• 2002

Purpose : In order to understand in vivo radiation damage modifying of bFGF on jejunal mucosa, bone marrow and the effect of bFGF on the growth of transplanted mouse sarcoma 180 tumor in mice. Materials and Methods : Mice were treated with $6\;{\mu}g$ of bFGF at 24 hours and 4 hours before exposing to 600 cGy, 800 cGy and 1,000 cGy total body irradiation (TBI), and then exposed to 3,000 cGy local radiation therapy on the tumor bearing thigh. Survival and tumor growth curve were plotted in radiation alone group and combined group of bFGF and irradiation (RT). Histologic examination was performed in another experimental group. Experimental groups consisted of normal control, tumor control, RT (radiation therapy) alone, $6\;{\mu}g$ bFGF alone, combined group of $3\;{\mu}g$ bFGF and irradiation (RT), combined group of $6\;{\mu}g$ bFGF and irradiation (RT). Histologic examination was peformed with H-E staining in marrow, jejunal mucosa, lung and sarcoma 180 bearing tumor. Radiation induced apoptosis was determined in each group with the DNA terminal transferase nick-end labeling method ($ApopTag^{\circledR}$ S7100-kit, Intergen Co.) Results : The results were as follows 1) $6\;{\mu}g$ bFGF given before TBI significantly improved the survival of lethally irradiated mice. bFGF would protect against lethal bone marrow syndrome. 2) $6\;{\mu}g$ bFGF treated group showed a significant higher crypt depth and microvilli length than RT alone group (p<0.05). 3) The bone marrow of bFGF treated group showed less hypocellularity than radiation alone group on day 7 and 14 after TBI (p<0.05), and this protective effect was more evident in $6\;{\mu}g$ bFGF treated group than that of $3\;{\mu}g$ bFGF treated group. 4) bFGF protected against early radiation induced apoptosis in intestinal crypt cell but might have had no antiapoptotic effect in bone marrow stem cell and pulmonary endothelial cells. 5) There was no significant differences in tumor growth rate between tumor control and bFGF alone groups (p>0.05). 6) There were no significant differences in histopathologic findings of lung and mouse sarcoma 180 tumor between radiation alone group and bFGF treated group. Conclusions : Our results suggest that bFGF protects small bowel and bone marrow from acute radiation damage without promoting the inoculated tumor growth in C3H mice. Improved recovery of early responding normal tissue and reduced number of radiation induced apoptosis may be possible mechanism of radioprotective effect of bFGF.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.265-274
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• 2001

Purpose : Proctitis is one of acute complications encountered when radiotherapy was appled to the pelvis. Radiation-induced proctitis represents similar microscopic findings that are observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the inflammatory process and many data suggest a close relationship between NO production and gastrointestinal inflammation. This study was aimed to establish the optimal radiation dose for radiation-induced proctitis in rat and to find a relationship between radiation proctitis and NO production. Materials and methods : Female Wistar rats, weighing from 150 to 220 g, received various doses(10-30 Gy) of radiation to the rectum. On the 5th and 10th day after irradiation, rectal specimens were evaluated grossly and microscopically. In addition, the degree of NO production by irradiation dose was evaluated by study with NOS expression and nitrite production in the irradiated rectal tissue. To evaluate relationship between radiation proctitis and NO, we administered aminoguanidine, iNOS inhibitor and L-arginine, substrate of NOS to rats from 2 days before to 7 days after the irradiation. Results : There were obvious gross and hostological changes after 17.5 Gy or higher radiation dose but not with 15 Gy or less radiation dose. Twenty Gy or higher dose of radiation caused Grade 4 damage in most of rectal specimens which were more likely to be related to the late complications such as fibrosis, rectal bleeding and rectal obstruction. A single fraction of 17.5 Gy to the rat rectum is considered to be an optimal dose to produce commonly experienced proctitis in the clinic. The result demonstrated that severity of microscopic damage of rectal mucosa from irradiation significantly correlated with iNOS over-expression. However, administration of iNOS inhibitor or substrate of iNOS did not influence the degree of rectal damage. Conclusion : A single fraction of 17.5 Gy irradiation to the rat rectum considered to be an optimal dose for radiation induced proctitis model. These results indicated that an excess production of NO contributes to pathogenesis of radiation-induced proctitis in part but was not the direct cause of rectal damage.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2006

Purpose: We proposed a new classification of pediatric intussusception based on clinical and radiologic findings. Methods: Data from 88 consecutive patients with intussusception were reviewed. We retrospectively analyzed six factors; patient age, sites of intussusception, symptoms, therapeutic methods, existence of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, and ultrasonographic (US) findings from clinical records. Results: 1) There was one neonatal case (1.1%), the others (98.9%) were infants and children. 2) These 87 infant and child cases consisted of 14 cases (16.1%) of small bowel intussusception (SBI) and 73 cases (83.9%) of ileo-colic intussusception (ICI). Of the 14 SBI cases, 12 cases were symptomatic and 2 cases were asymptomatic. The symptomatic group comprised 8 transient cases (66.7%), 3 operative cases (25.0%), and 1 enema-reduction case (8.3%). Two asymptomatic cases were incidentally captured by computed tomography. Of the 73 ICI cases, 19 cases (26.0%) required operation, and 54 (74.0%) enema-reduction. 3) When transient SBI cases were compared with operated SBI cases, enema-reduced and operated ICI cases, the age ($38.0{\pm}22.9$ months) of transient SBI cases were significantly higher than those of the others (p=0.003). Mean mass size ($20.8{\pm}2.7mm$) in transient SBI was significantly smaller than in the others (p=0.0001). 4) No correlation was found between the existence of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and therapeutic method or concomitant illness. 5) Most of the target types observed by US were in transient SBI cases, the remainder were in the enema-reduced ICI cases. In terms of the doughnuts type, all 8 cases (34.8%) with an external hypoechoic rim thickness of >8.9mm were treated surgically. Conclusion: Pediatric intussusception may be classified based on clinical and radiologic findings, which are likely to indicate appropriate therapies.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2005

Purpose: Physiologic intestinal FDG uptake is frequently observed in asymptomatic individuals for cancer screening FDG PET Colonic FDG accumulation is a well-known confusing findings that interfere true cancer detection or cause false positive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern and intensity of colonic uptake in whole body FDG PET in asymptomatic healthy adults and to correlate them with colonoscopic findings. Materials and Methods: We reviewed retrospectively 64 subjects (age: 27-87, M:F=31:33) who underwent both FDG PET and colonoscopy for cancer screening. FDG uptake patterns were classified as focal, segmental and diffuse. Maximum SUV were measured. The PET results were compared with colonoscopic and histologic findings. Results: In 13 patients FDG bowel uptake was interpreted as focal, in 17 patients as segmental and in 34 patients as diffuse uptake. Six adenomas (17.6%, average diameter=5.0 mm) were found in diffuse pattern, 7 adenomas (41.1%, 5.6 mm) in segmental and 4 adenomas and 1 adenocarcinoma (38.5%, 16.4 mm) in focal uptake pattern. In patients with focal uptake, four were non-adenomatous pathologic lesions (30.8%, 2 intestinal tuberculosis, 2 mucosal ulcer). There is no difference of mean SUV between patients with adenoma and with negative colonoscopic results in each group of intestinal FDG pattern (Diffuse: $1.7{\pm}0.1\;vs.\;1.9{\pm}0.5$, Segmental: $4.8{\pm}3.6\;vs.\;4.2{\pm}1.2$, Focal: $6.5{\pm}4.7\;vs.\;3.5{\pm}1.3$). large adenomas (>1 cm) can be detected more in the focal uptake pattern (4 out of 5) rather than in segmental (1 out of 7) or diffuse uptake (none) and had higher SUV ($6.3{\pm}4.8$) than small adenomas ($3.5{\pm}3.0$) (statistically insignificant). Conclusion: focal FDG uptake is associated more often with large adenoma and other pathologic findings in colonoscopy. Segmental uptake cannot discriminate presence of adenoma from negative results, while diffuse pattern may have more chance to be normal.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to evaluate diet-related Quality of Life (QOL) and to analyze the relationship among diet-related QOL, dietary regimen practice, health-related QOL, and gastrointestinal symptoms in hemodialysis patients. Subjects were recruited from an artificial kidney center in Seoul. The self-report questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic characteristics, diet-related QOL, compliance with dietary regimen practice, health-related QOL, and gastrointestinal symptoms was distributed. Diet-related QOL includes a 'Quality of Life and Related to Dietary Change Questionnaire', 'Satisfaction Survey', and 'Dietary Impact Survey'. According to their responses, participants had experienced the greatest difficulty with 'Dietary Impact'. In particular, the mean score for general health was low. Association of dietary regimen practice showed a positive association with 'Cost' and 'Self-care' score. In addition, diet-related QOL showed positive correlation with health-related QOL, particularly in 'taste'. Scores for 'Taste', 'Convenience', and 'Dietary Impact' were lower for subjects with constipation compared to those of subjects without constipation. Scores for 'Taste' and 'Dietary Impact' were lower in subjects with irritable bowel syndrome compared to those of subjects without the syndrome (p < 0.05). Diet-related QOL showed a positive association with health-related QOL (p < 0.05), whereas it showed a negative association with constipation (p < 0.01). In conclusion, hemodialysis patients in Korea suffer from burden of dietary regimen practice and most scores for diet-related QOL and health-related QOL from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were low. Therefore, appropriate nutrition education considering gastrointestinal symptoms is necessary for improvement of patients' QOL during dietary regimen practice.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2001

Background: The accidental swallowing of foreign body is a common problem in the children. Ingested foreign bodies may be managed by endoscopy, observation, or surgery. So we analyzed the methods of removal, type, location and complications of foreign bodies. Materials and Methods: This report reviewed 37 cases of ingested foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract at the Department of Pediatrics, Yeungnam University Hospital between January 1997 and April 2001. Results: The age ranged from 8 months to 8 years. The most prevalent age group was between 1 year and 2 years of age(19%). The male to female ratio was 2.1:1 with 25 male and 12 female patients. The type of foreign bodies were coins in 20 cases(54%), nail in 4 cases(11%), key in 4 cases(11%), pin in 2 cases(5.5%), necklace in 2 cases(5.5%) and others. The locations of foreign bodies were upper esophagus in 12 cases(32.5%), lower esophagus in 4 cases(10.8%), stomach in 16 cases(43.2%), small bowel in 5 cases(13.5%). 4. Presenting symptoms were variable with asymptomatic(59.4%), vomiting(19.0%), epigastric pain(8.1%), dysphagia(5.4%) and others. The methods for removal of foreign bodies included 20 cases of endoscopic removal(54.0%). 3 cases of spontaneous removal(8.1%) and there was no surgical removal. 14 cases(37.9%) did not confirmed removal of foreign body because of no revisit of our hospital. Endoscopic finding of patients were normal(15 cases), ulceration(2 cases), erosion(1 case), inflammation(1 case), mucosal scratch(1 case). Conclusion: It appears that the endoscopic approach is the preferable method for the removal of upper gastrointestinal foreign bodies in the children.