Myoepithelioma of the Nasal Septum: A Case Report / 대한두경부종양학회지

Myoepithelioma is a rare benign neoplasm that mostly arises in the major salivary glands and sometimes in the minor salivary glands, which account only for less than 1% of all salivary glands neoplasms. However, its extra-salivary involvement is even rarer and only a few cases of nasal cavity myoepithelioma were reported in the English-language literature so far. In this case report, we present a 40-year-old female with unilateral nasal obstruction diagnosed as myoepithelioma of the nasal septum and treated with endoscopic sinus surgery.

Myoepithelioma of the Nasal Septum: A Case Report / 대한두경부종양학회지

Myoepithelioma is a rare benign neoplasm that mostly arises in the major salivary glands and sometimes in the minor salivary glands, which account only for less than 1% of all salivary glands neoplasms. However, its extra-salivary involvement is even rarer and only a few cases of nasal cavity myoepithelioma were reported in the English-language literature so far. In this case report, we present a 40-year-old female with unilateral nasal obstruction diagnosed as myoepithelioma of the nasal septum and treated with endoscopic sinus surgery.

A Case of Symptomatic Maxillary Retention Cyst

Retention cyst of the maxillary sinus is a benign lesion produced from obstruction of a seromucous gland or duct. It is mostly asymptomatic but sometimes is accompanied by facial pain, headache, nasal obstruction, and other symptoms. However, there are some debates on whether the symptoms are directly related with retention cyst. These cysts typically do not require treatment. However, when accompanied by symptoms, treatment can be administered for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. We report a case in which facial pain is caused by a maxillary retention cyst suspended from an infraorbital nerve.

Appropriate Rest Time after Repetitive Sleep Deprivation Suppresses Apoptosis and Cell Proliferation in the Hippocampus

PURPOSE: Sleep deprivation may exert many negative effects on hippocampus-dependent cognitive function, such as learning and memory. The present study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of repetitive sleep deprivation on cognition, apoptotic neuronal cell death, and cell proliferation in the hippocampus, using mice. METHODS: To induce sleep deprivation, mice were placed in a water cage containing six platforms (3 cm in diameter), surrounded by water up to 1 cm beneath the surface of the platform for 24 h. Mice were randomly divided into four groups (n=20 in each group): control group, 24 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group, 48 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group, and 72 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group. This cycle was continued for 36 days. Novel objective recognition test and immunohistochemistry for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), western blot for expression of Bax, Bcl-2, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and caspase-3 were performed. RESULTS: Results of the novel objective recognition test showed decreased cognition in the 24 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group, while a similar effect was observed in other groups, compared to the control group. Increased cell proliferation and enhanced expression of BDNF and Bax protein were observed in the 24 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group and the 48 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group, compared to the control group. Expression of Bcl-2 showed a decrease in the 24 h and 48 h rest groups, compared to the control group. Expression of caspase-3 in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus showed a significant increase in the 24 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group and in the 48 h rest after 24 h sleep deprivation group, compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Results of the present study indicate that insufficient rest after sleep deprivation may induce impairment of cognitive function. After sleep deprivation, at least 72 hr of rest time is needed for recovery.

Relationship between Serum Inflammatory Marker and Psychotic Symptoms in Inpatients with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder

OBJECTIVES: Despite the growing research interest in the role of immunological markers in schizophrenia, a few studies, with conflicting results, have focused on the association between high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and clinical characteristics in schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to examine the association of serum hs-CRP with psychopathology in schizophrenia. METHODS: Fifty-five inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were enrolled. Serum levels of hs-CRP were measured, and each patient was assessed with the Korean version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: In correlation analysis of hs-CRP with PANSS subscales, positive subscale score has significant positive correlation (r = 0.271, p = 0.046). In independent t-test analysis, subjects with hs-CRP > 0.3 mg/dL (elevated CRP group, n = 43) had significantly higher PANSS positive subscale score (t = -3.273, df = 24.107, p = 0.003) than those with hs-CRP < or = 0.3 mg/dL (normal CRP group, n = 12). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein in schizophrenia are associated with the severity of psychotic symptoms.

Chronic Granulomatous Mastitis

PURPOSE: Granulomatous mastitis is a rare benign inflammatory breast disease of an unknown etiology. Clinically and radiologically, it can mimic a breast carcinoma. Therefore, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists need to be aware of this condition in order to avoid unnecessary mastectomies. This study examined the modalities that are important for diagnosing and treating of the granulomatous mastitis. METHODS: The data regarding 14 patients with histologically confirmed granulomatous mastitis and treated at our hospital were analyzed. Age, associated disease, parity, past history of breast feeding and oral contraceptives, radiology findings were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 14 patients, the mean age was 41 years with 5 being in their thirties. Breast pain was the most common presentation. Of the 14 patients, 11 patients had breast-fed and none had previously used oral contraceptives. No patient suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis. Preoperative mammography and ultrasonography was not helpful in identifying granulomatous mastitis. After ultrasonography, 7 patients were found to have mastitis with an abscess and a benign or malignant tumor was found in 3 patients. Two of the 14 patients were diagnosed using pre-operative fine-needle aspiration, which that showed an epithelial histiocyte or multinucleated giant cell. Three cases completely recovered after an excision. In 11 cases, incision and drainage were performed but there was a recurrence in 4 of these, which needed to be treated more than twice by an incision and drainage and steroid. The average treatment period was 5 months and a recurrence was encountered in 4 patients within a 30-month follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Granulomatous mastitis is rare, but it is important to make a histological diagnosis at the early stages. It is believed that a complete excision of the lesion will help prevent a recurrence, and patients with a frequent recurrence can be treated with steroid after stopping unnecessary antibiotic treatment.

US-guided Vacuum-assisted Breast Biopsy with Air Localization for Patients with Microcalcifications

PURPOSE: Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (SV AB) has recently been introduced as an alternative to the traditional surgical excisional biopsy with needle localization (NLBB). Although SVAB has excellent sensitivity and specificity with very low false negative results, patients might complain about the uncomfortable table and the painful breast compression that is done during SVAB. Furthermore, the cost of SVAB is too expensive to be widely adopted in Korea. So we developed a new technique of vacuum-assisted breast biopsy with air localization (VAB-AL) for the patients suffering with microcalcifications. METHODS: From April 2005 to Oct 2005, 10 microcalcification patients, whose lesions were difficult to be seen on breast ultrasonography, underwent vacuum-assisted breast biopsies with air localization (VAB-AL). First, classical NL was done to localize the mammographic abnormalities. Instead of insertion of the wire, 1 cc amounts of air were injected through a needle. The injected air could be easily visualized as a hyperechogenic density on breast sonography. Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy for the air-induced hyperechogenic densities was then done under sonographic guidance. The specimen radiography was performed to confirm that the lesion was removed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 46 (range: 37~55). The upper-outer quadrant of the breast was the most common site of the lesions (6/10, 60%); the upper-inner quadrant (2/10, 20%), and then the lower-inner quadrant (1/10, 10%) followed. The specimen radiology for all 10 patients showed that the mammographic abnormalities were successfully removed. The most common pathologic type was fibrocystic disease (6/10, 70%); intraductal carcinoma (3/10, 30%), and then atypical ductal hyperplasia (1/10, 10%) followed. There were no major complications. CONCLUSION: Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy with air localization is a new technique that can minimize the complaints of patients with microcalcifications about the uncomfortable table, the painful breast compression and the economic burden of SVAB. This new procedure was successfully performed in our 10 patients, and we believe this procedure shows a lot of promise as one of alternatives to classical NLBB and SVAB.

Endoscopic Thyroidectomy of the Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

PURPOSE: Endoscopic neck surgery has a smaller wound size and enables the positions of the wounds to be moved to places of cosmetic benefit. Therefore, it is strongly preferred by many patients, especially women. We applied this technique to the treatment of thyroid cancer. METHODS: An endoscopic thyroidectomy was performed on 17 female thyroid cancer patients with a mean age 35 years in our Department from January 1999 to January 2003. The selection criteria were a tumor size < or =2 cm, no thyroiditis, no previous neck surgery or irradiation, no lymphadenopathy on a preoperative imaging study. The preoperative or intraoperative diagnoses of these patients included 13 papillary cancers and 4 follicular cancers. The procedure was performed using the anterior chest approach with CO2 gas insufflation. RESULTS: Fourteen hemithyroidectomies and three total thyroidectomies were successfully performed. The mean operative time was 84.2+/-20.9 min for the 14 hemithyroidectomies and 148.3+/-32.5 min for the 3 total thyroidectomies. There was no conversion to conventional surgery. The mean tumor size was 1.6 cm (0.8~2.7) The mean hospital stay was 8.9 days. All the patients were satisfied with the cosmetic result except for one patient who underwent a conventional salvage operation due to an involved surgical margin on a permanent section. The postoperative complications included one case of transient recurrent nerve palsy and one case of transient symptomatic hypocalcemia. The mean follow up period was 30 months(13~59). One patient after a total thyroidectomy had a paratracheal lymph node metastasis on the thyroid scan 2 years after surgery and received 131I radioablation. CONCLUSION: With the advent of preoperative imaging study, an endoscopic thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer is feasible and safe in properly selected patients. In addition, this procedure has a better cosmetic outcome than conventional open surgery.

The Usefulness of US-guided Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy for Probably Benign Lesions

PURPOSE: We wished to determine the usefulness of ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy (mammotome) for the removal of the breast lesions that had displayed benign evidence on sonography. METHODS: During an 11 month period, vacuum-assisted breast biopsy was performed for 186 probably benign lesions on sonography using 11-gauge (127 cases) and 8-gauge (59 cases) devices. The age of the patients ranged from 19 to 65 years, and the size of the lesions ranged from 0.4 to 3 cm. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical findings and medical history of the patients who underwent vacuum- assisted breast biopsy, and we then evaluated the complications, the histopathologic results, and the follow-up US findings. RESULTS: Of the 186 cases, the lesions were palpated in 95 cases (51%), and lesions were detected in women during a screening examination in 40 cases (36%), and lesions were detected in women having a history of benign breast biopsy or having a cancer operation in the remaining 18 cases (10%). Severe bleeding during or after the procedures was noted in 4 cases (2.2%). The lesions were pathologically proved as benign in 185 cases and malignant in 1 case. With vacuum-assisted breast biopsy, high-risk benign disease was found in 7 cases, but none of the lesions was pathologically upgraded on the subsequent open surgical biopsy. On the 3-month follow-up US, variable sized hematomas were observed in 6 of 24 cases (25%). We performed incidental treatment on four of the vacuum- assisted breast biopsy patients for nipple discharge that was caused by intraductal papilloma. CONCLUSION: US-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy is a minimally invasive, fast and convenient biopsy technique. In addition, it is safe and accurate to use for the histological diagnosis because it would remove all the sonographically demonstrated evidence of a probable benign lesion. This technique can potentially be a useful alternative to some forms of surgical biopsy for the properly selected patients.

Difference in Clinical Features between Appendicitis and Right-Sided Colonic Diverticulitis on Initial Diagnosis

PURPOSE: Most patients who are finally diagnosed as having cecal and right-sided colonic diverticulitis complain of pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen, many of them unfortunately undergo an emergency operation for presumed appendicitis. Our purpose was to differentiate the diagnosis of right-sided colonic diverticulitis from appendicitis in an emergency setting. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 450 patients between January 1997 and July 2003. Among them, 92 patients who had been diagnosed as having right-sided colonic diverticulitis were classified as Group I. In the remaining 358 patients with appendicitis, 268 patients with simple appendicitis were classified as Group II and 90 patients with perforated appendicitis were classified as Group III. RESULTS: The sex ratios were similar among 3 groups. The mean age of Group I (36.5+/-10.1 years) was significantly different from that of Group II (30.7+/-14.8 years, P=0.002), but not from that of Group III (38.7+/-20.9). Incidences of fever/chill and nausea/vomiting were less common in Group I (P<0.05). The duration of prodromal symptoms in Group I (2.6 days) was longer than that of Group II (1.6 days, P=0.02), but was not significantly different from that of Group III (3.3 days, P=0.83). The mean WBC count was significantly smaller in Group I (10913.8/mm3) than in Group II (13238.3/mm3) and III (15589.3/mm3, P<0.001). The percentage of segment form in differential counts was smaller in Group I (73.6%) than in Group II (79.1%) and III (81.8%, P<0.001). The percentage of lymphocytes in differential counts was larger in Group I (17.7%) than in Group II (13.9%) and Group III (9.4%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among the patients who complain of pain in the right lower quadrant abdomen in an emergency setting, cecum and right-sided colonic diverticulitis must be considered in the following conditions to avoid unnecessary emergency operations, relatively younger patients (20~40 years), infrequent prodromal symptoms, absent rebound tenderness with a laterally deviated maximal tenderness point, and absent or mild leucocytosis with a relatively low fraction of segment forms associated with a higher fraction of lymphocytes in CBC.

Endoscopic Subcutaneous Mastectomy and Immediate Reconstruction of Breast Cancer / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: A subcutaneous mastectomy has been proven to be oncologically safe for early breast cancer. Although a subcutaneous mastectomy and reconstruction are well established, most incisions are made directly on the breast. To improve the cosmetic outcome, an endoscopic subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate reconstruction was undertaken, which can be performed through minimal axillary and periareolar semicircular incisions. METHODS: Between October 2002 and December 2003, 9 patients with early breast cancer, whose tumors were less than 4 cm in size and more than 2 cm-apart from the nipple-areolar complex, and who were clinically node negative without invasion to skin and pectoralis muscle, underwent 10 endoscopic subcutaneous mastectomies with immediate reconstruction employing saline bag implants. Firstly, an endoscopic dye-guided sentinel node biopsy was performed through a low transverse axillary incision lateral to the pectoralis major. A subpectoral pocket was gently created under the view of endoscopic monitor by Vein Harvest. A periareolar semicircular incision was made to create the skin flap using Visiport and PowerStar Scissors. Frozen section biopsies were performed to rule out tumor invasion to the resection margin. After resection of the entire breast tissue, a saline bag prosthesis was inserted. The patients and tumor characteristics, operation times, amounts of bleeding, and cosmetic results were evaluated. RESULT: The mean patient age was 45 years (25~55). The mean tumor size was 2.5 cm, ranging from 0.7 to 5.0cm. The average operation time was 112 minutes (80~150). The mean amounts of operative bleeding was 232 ml. There was one case of transient necrosis of the nipple-areolar complex. An early implant removal was performed in one patient due to a suspected microperforation. Excellent or good cosmetic results were obtained in 8 patients (88.8%). CONCLUSION: An endoscopic subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, is a new technique that can minimize the direct operation scar on the breast skin following a classic operation. In properly selected cases, our results show maximized cosmetic satisfaction of breast cancer patients, so offers a promising alternative to a classic subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.

Endoscopy-assisted Breast Conserving Surgery of Breast Cancer

PURPOSE: Breast conserving surgery is now accepted as one of the standard therapeutic options for stage I and II breast cancers. Although breast conserving surgery can retain a good breast shape, a long marked operation scar would be a disadvantage. To improve the cosmetic outcome of the breast, endoscopy-assisted breast conserving surgery which can be performed through minimal axillary and periareolar semicircular incisions, was undertaken. METHODS: Between October 2002 and May 2003, 19 breast cancer patients whose tumor sizes were less than 3 cm and clinically node negative without invasion to the skin and pectoralis major underwent endoscopy-assisted breast conserving surgery. Firstly, an endoscopic dye-guided sentinel node biopsy was performed through a low transverse axillary incision laterally to the pectoralis major. A subpectoral pocket was gently created by Vein Harvest under the view of endoscopic monitor. A periareolar semicircular incision was made to create the skin flap and the tumor-containing quadrant resected with a Visiport and PowerStar Scissors. Frozen section biopsies were carried out to rule out tumor invasion to the resection margin. The patients and tumor characteristics, operation time and amounts of bleedings were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 45 years (35~64). The mean tumor size was 2.2 cm (0.2~5.0 cm). The average operation time of the initial 8 cases, with the exception of the 3 that underwent axillary node dissection was 168 minute, and that of latter 8 was 138 minute (P<0.001). The mean amounts of operative bleeding were 184 ml. There were no major complications. CONCLUSION: Endoscopy-assisted breast conserving surgery is a new technique that can minimize the long operation scar obtained with classic breast conserving surgery. In properly selected cases, our results shows maximized cosmetic satisfaction of breast cancer patients, with a shortened operation time after the learning period, and shows promise as an alternative to the classic breast conserving surgery.

Endoscopy-assisted Breast Conserving Surgery of Breast Cancer

PURPOSE: Breast conserving surgery is now accepted as one of the standard therapeutic options for stage I and II breast cancers. Although breast conserving surgery can retain a good breast shape, a long marked operation scar would be a disadvantage. To improve the cosmetic outcome of the breast, endoscopy-assisted breast conserving surgery which can be performed through minimal axillary and periareolar semicircular incisions, was undertaken. METHODS: Between October 2002 and May 2003, 19 breast cancer patients whose tumor sizes were less than 3 cm and clinically node negative without invasion to the skin and pectoralis major underwent endoscopy-assisted breast conserving surgery. Firstly, an endoscopic dye-guided sentinel node biopsy was performed through a low transverse axillary incision laterally to the pectoralis major. A subpectoral pocket was gently created by Vein Harvest under the view of endoscopic monitor. A periareolar semicircular incision was made to create the skin flap and the tumor-containing quadrant resected with a Visiport and PowerStar Scissors. Frozen section biopsies were carried out to rule out tumor invasion to the resection margin. The patients and tumor characteristics, operation time and amounts of bleedings were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 45 years (35~64). The mean tumor size was 2.2 cm (0.2~5.0 cm). The average operation time of the initial 8 cases, with the exception of the 3 that underwent axillary node dissection was 168 minute, and that of latter 8 was 138 minute (P<0.001). The mean amounts of operative bleeding were 184 ml. There were no major complications. CONCLUSION: Endoscopy-assisted breast conserving surgery is a new technique that can minimize the long operation scar obtained with classic breast conserving surgery. In properly selected cases, our results shows maximized cosmetic satisfaction of breast cancer patients, with a shortened operation time after the learning period, and shows promise as an alternative to the classic breast conserving surgery.

Endoscopic Sentinel Node Biopsy / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Sentinel node biopsy has emerged recently as an alternative to routine axillary node dissection in predicting axillary nodal metastasis. However there have been some controversies in clinical application because of its various identification rates and false negative rates. We present the usefulness of dye-guided endoscopic sentinel node biopsy. METHODS: Between October 2002 and June 2003, 30 breast cancer patients with clinically node negative results underwent endoscopic blue dye-guided sentinel node biopsy from the Department of Surgery at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. The technique involved the injection of 5 ml of 1% isosulfan blue into subareolar plexus. The Visiport docked with Telescope was inserted through a low transverse axillary incison lateral to pectoralis major. During the dissection, we identified sentinel nodes by following blue-stained lymphatics directly into blue (or nonblue) lymph nodes. The identification rate and false negative rate was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean number of sentinel nodes was 2.2. The identification rate of th sentinel node was 93.3% (28/30). Among 22 patients with negative sentinel nodes on frozen section, 10 patients underwent axillary node dissection and the results were negative in all cases, indicating false negative rate of 0% (0/10). The overall accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 100%. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic technique of sentinel node biopsy can minimize the operative bleeding by handling the knife of Visiport pallelel to exposed vessels under endoscopic monitor analysis and and keep better operative visual field and less invasiveness. With the bright illumination of the endoscopic light, blue-stained sentinel lymphatics could be identified more easily. Our technique of dye-guided endoscopic sentinel node biopsy demonstrates a high sentinel node identification rate and absent false negative rate, promising it could be an alternative to the classic sentinel node biopsy.

The Usefulness of Colonoscopy in the Management of Right Side Colonic Diverticulitis

PURPOSE: Most patients who finally diagnosed as the cecal and ascending colonic diverticulitis would complain pain on right low quadrant of abdomen. So many of them unfortunately would be performed emergency operation for presumed appendicitis. We are purposed to verify the usefulness of colonoscopy for the diagnosis and aimed to treat many patients with this disease conservatively. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of the 46 patients who diagnosed as the cecal and ascending colonic diverticulitis under admission at general surgery department during 4 years from January, 1997 to December, 2000. RESULTS: The mean age was 40.1 years and the male to female ratio was 1.2:1. Most common clinical manifestation was abdominal pain (46 cases) and nausea/vomiting (13 cases), fever/chill (4 cases) followed. On physical examination on abdomen, 26 patients had tenderness with rebound tenderness on right low quadrant and 18 patients showed only tenderness on right low quadrant. The mean peripheral WBC count was 10,600.9/mm2. Diagnostic tools were abdominal ultrasonography (34 cases), abdominal CT (13 cases), barium enema (8 cases) and colonoscopy (22 cases). The sensitivities of each modalities were 52.6%, 46.2%, 33.3% and 81.8% respectively. The respective mean hospital days depending on the treatment arms were as follows: 6.0 days of the conservatively treated group, 8.0 days of whom were operated as exploratory laparotomy with incidental appendectomy and 16.9 days of whom were operated as Right-hemicolectomy. 17 patients of 24 colonoscopy-done patients were recovered with conservative treatment, compared with only 7 patients of 22 colonoscopy-undone patients (P=0.0005). 2 cases of the conservatively managed groups were operated later due to recurrences (mean follow up periods=20 months). 2 operated patients had complications of postoperative ileus. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our study, the indications of colonoscopy are that in whom impressed clinically as acute appendicitis, on physical examination there be obvious tenderness on right low quadrant but obscure rebound tenderness, on peripheral blood smear the WBC counts range from normal to mild increased (<15,000/mm2), and on ultrasonography, appendix couldn't be detected or colonic wall show thickening. In patients who selected fit for indications, colonoscopy is safe and highly sensitive. We would manage these patients more conservatively, and may reduce their hospital stay.