The Analysis of Appendiceal Mucocele with Emphasis on the Colonoscopic Findings / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Appendiceal mucocele is relatively rare disease, however early diagnosis and adequate treatment is important because the rupture of mucocele during operation may results in pseudomyxoma peritonei which is fatal. Colonoscopy is very important tool to diagnose the mucocele of appendix earlier period. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the medical records of ten cases of appendiceal mucoceles which were suspected by colonoscopy and surgically confirmed from January 1997 to March 2004. RESULTS: There was no gender difference and mean age was 55 years old. The colonoscopic findings of appendiceal mucocele were a type of submucosal tumor and the orifice of appendix was not seen in all the cases. The size was variable from 2.5 cm to 5.0 cm and the shape was spherical in majority, but one case of appendiceal mucocele lately diagnosed as mucinous cystadenocarcinoma had elongated, oval shape. The histologic diagnosis after resection were as follows: mucosal hyperplasia 4 cases (40%), mucinous cystadenoma 5 cases (50%) and mucinous cystadenocarcinoma 1 case (10%). CONCLUSIONS: Colonoscopy is an important diagnostic tool for suspecting appendiceal mucocele. It is important to confirm by surgical resection of appendiceal mucocele which is found even incidentally by colonoscopy.

A Clinical Study of IgA Nephropathy with Serum Hepatitis B Surface Antigen / 대한신장학회잡지

There are some clinical evidences that hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection may cause IgA nephropathy. To evaluate clinical significances and pathogenetic roles of HBV infection in patients with IgA nephropathy, we studied that varius clinical and lab- oratory findings in 172 patients with IgA nephrop-athy as serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive (19 cases) and negative group (153 cases). The result was as following: 1) The incidence of positive serum HRsAg was 11.0%(19/172 cases) in patients with IgA nephropathy and it was higher than that of the randomized age-sex matched general population(4.1%) but has no significance statistically. 2) There was no significant differences in incidence of hypertension, serum levels of IgA, C3, SGOT, SGFf between HBsAg postive and negative group. 3) The cases of nephrotic range proteinuria (3.5g/ day) was more prevalent in HBsAg positive group (31.6%) than that in negative group(7.2%). significantly (p<0.05). 4) The cases of impaired renal function (serum creatinine more than 1.4mg/dL) were more frequent in HBsAg positive group (42.19%) than that in neg-ative group (13.1%) significantly(p<0.05).