The Attitudes of Infertile Male Patients Toward the Use of Artificial Insemination by Donor: A Korean Regional Survey

PURPOSE: Infertile couples interested in nonspouse artificial insemination by donor (AID) not only require a thorough understanding of the medical procedure but also must scrutinize the effects it will have on family relationships, including those on the infant to be born. We conducted a series of surveys in couples with male infertility to collect information necessary for AID counseling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 384 cases with noncurable male infertility were enrolled in this inquiry survey. The questionnaire consisted of 18 items that assessed demographic characteristics, background information concerning the choice to use AID, subjective experiences, long-term effects, and an overall evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 126 surveys were returned (32.8%). AID was first suggested by the husband in about half of the cases. The major reason for considering the procedure was to form a complete family. Two-thirds of the couples were anxious about the procedure, most often about possible congenital or acquired deformities in the infant. After the birth of the child, most couples were positive about their decision to have used AID. About half of the couples felt that the child was their own and expected not to tell the child about AID. Overall, about 50% of the couples were satisfied with the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Those who underwent AID experienced various psychological effects, including anxiety about the child to be born. To overcome these problems, sufficient medical information and consultation about the process of selecting the donor and about AID procedures should be provided before the procedure is used.

Multiple Intratesticular Cysts

Intratesticular cysts, once thought to be a rarity, are now being reported with an increasing prevalence as a result of the wider use of scrotal ultrasound scanning. Despite greater understanding of intratesticular cysts, their management remains unclear. Treatment has included enucleation and even radical orchiectomy over fear of the possibility of an associated malignancy. A more conservative approach with serial ultrasound scanning has been advocated if a clear distinction can be made between neoplastic and non-neoplastic testicular cysts. However, in view of the benign nature of such cysts, even repeated ultrasound scanning may not be necessary and may be considered over-treatment. In this study we present clinical and morphological characteristics of multiple cysts in the right testicle in a 62-year-old patient, where a slightly nodular lesion in the right testicle was detected.

Primary Undifferentiated Penile Sarcoma in Adolescence

We report a case of primary penile undifferentiated sarcoma. A 16-year-old adolescent man visited Pusan National University Hospital complaining of a painless mass on his penis that was increasing in size. Magnetic resonance images revealed a 5x5-cm mass and pathological examinations revealed small round cell sarcomas with neuroendocrine differentiation. The tumor, which had metastatic pulmonary nodules, was treated by tumorectomy and systemic chemotherapy. Thirty-four months after the initial diagnosis, the patient was still alive without evidence of local recurrence or metastatic disease. This is our second case of an undifferentiated penile sarcoma.

A Case of Fulminant Hepatic Failure Secondary to Hepatic Metastasis of Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / 대한간학회지

Although liver metastasis is commonly found in cancer patients, fulminant hepatic failure secondary to diffuse cancer infiltration into the liver is rare. Liver metastasis-induced fulminant hepatic failure has been reported in patients with primary cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, breast and uroepithelium, and in patients with melanoma and hematologic malignancy. Small cell lung cancer is so highly invasive that hepatic metastasis is common, but rapid progression to fulminant hepatic failure is extremely rare. We report here on a case of a patient who died because of rapid progression to fulminant hepatic failure as a result of hepatic metastasis of small cell lung carcinoma.

The risk of seizure recurrence of pediatric epileptic patients while receiving anticonvulsant drugs treatment

To evaluate the risk and factors associated with seizure recurrence in children with epilepsy while receiving the adequate anticonvulsant treament, we studied 58 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy who were followed prospectively for a median of 26 months (range 7 to 54). The results were as follows: 1) Forty-four of the 58 patients (75.9%) had recurrence of seizure. 2) The rate of recurrence according to type of seizure was observed to be 22 patients (68.8%) in generalized tonic-clonic seizure, 6 patients (85.7%) in simple partial seizure, 5 patients (83.3%) in complex partial seizure, 3 patients (100%) in mixed seizure, 2 patients (100%) in absence, 3 patients (100%) in infantile spasm, 1 patient (100%) in atonic seizure, 2 patients (50%) in secondary generalized seizure. There was no significant difference in the risk of recurrence observed among these seizure types. 3) The risk of recurrence varied according to the history of seizure, seizure recurrence was observed in 100% of the cases with history of neonatal seizure, 72.7% of the cases with febrile convulsion, and 73.3% of the cases with non-specific history. No significant difference was observed among these past history of seizure. 4) The rate of seizure recurrence according to electroencephalographic abnormalities did not differ significantly. Seizure recurrence was noted in 13 of the 18 patients with mildly disordered tracings (72.2%), 15 of the 20 patients with moderate abnormality (75.0%), and 12 of the 16 patients with severe abnormality (75.0%). 5) Recurrence rate according to cause of seizure was more significantly frequent in those with symptomatic epilepsy than in those with idiopathic type (100% vs 70.2%, p<0.05). 6) The frequency percentage of seizure recurrence by age groups of below 1 year, 1 to 3 years, 4 to 6 years, and above 6 years at onset of seizure were 100, 66.7, 57.1, and 72.7, respectively. The rate of seizure recurrence was significantly highest in patients aged below 1 year at onset of seizure. 7) There was significant difference in seizure recurrence between those with and without abnormalities as shown by neurologic examination (100% vs 70.8%, p<0.05). 8) There was no consistent difference in valproic acid serum levels between those who had a recurrence and those who did not. The patients receiving phenobarbital had significantly high serum levels of the phenobarbital in recurrent groups than those who had no recurrence. In conclusion, factors associated with an increased risk of seizure recurrence were early age at onset of epilepsy, symptomatic epilepsy, and neurologic abnormalities. We found no associations between risks of recurrence and types of epilepsy, or electroencephalographic abnormalities.

A Case of Surgically Corrected-Combined form of Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return(connection) is a congenital heart disease. Especially, the reports of the patients with double connections of all pulmonary veins were rare. An infant who underwent operation for total anomalous pulmonary venous return had double drainge of all pulmonary veins to both left vertical vein and anomalous descending vein. This second lesion was not diagnosed preoperatively, but in operative field. Operative treatments were performed by ligation of left vertical vein and central pulmonary vein-to-left atrium anastomosis without ligation of the descending anomalous vein. For these less common variants fo total anomalous pulmonary venous return,a more detailed and precise understanding of morphology can facilitate accurate surgical repair. And also, early detection of the disease is an another issue for a good prognosis.

The value of computerized axial tomography of the brain in children with central nervous system disorders

No abstract available.

The value of computerized axial tomography of the brain in children with central nervous system disorders

No abstract available.