Beneficial effects of fermented black ginseng and its ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in LLC-PK1 cells.

Background: Nephrotoxicity is a common side effect of medications. Panax ginseng is one of the best-known herbal medicines, and its individual constituents enhance renal function. Identification of its efficacy and mechanisms of action against drug-induced nephrotoxicity, as well as the specific constituents mediating this effect, have recently emerged as an interesting research area focusing on the kidney protective efficacy of P.

Prognostic Implications of Primary Tumor Resection in Stage IVB Colorectal Cancer in Elderly Patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors in stage IVB colorectal cancer in elderly patients, focusing on the influence of treatment modalities, including palliative chemotherapy and primary tumor resection.

Methods: A cohort of 64 patients aged over 65 years who presented with stage IVB colorectal cancer at the Gangneung Asan Hospital between July 1, 2001, and December 31, 2009, was analyzed. Demographics, tumor location, tumor grade, performance status, levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and distant metastatic site at diagnosis were analyzed.

Colorectal micropapillary carcinomas are associated with poor prognosis and enriched in markers of stem cells.

Colorectal micropapillary carcinoma has recently been reported as an aggressive variant of adenocarcinoma with a high incidence of lymph node metastasis, but has not been well investigated in terms of survival analysis. This study analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics, including survival data, of the patients with micropapillary carcinoma. We hypothesized that the aggressive features of micropapillary carcinoma might be related to the presence of more tumor cells with stem cell phenotype in colorectal cancer.

A case of a mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from a rectal diverticulum.

The occurrence of an adenocarcinoma arising from a rectal diverticulum that causes mechanical ileus is very rare. Recently, we diagnosed a case of a mucinous adenocarcinoma in a rectal diverticulum after an emergent abdominal perineal resection and permanent colostomy by laparotomy. Here, we present a case report and a review of the literature.

Lemierre's syndrome in a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Internal jugular vein thrombosis is usually associated with intravenous drug abuse, long-term venous catheterization, local infection, or spontaneous occlusion. The antiphospholipid syndrome is now recognized as one of the commonest causes of acquired arterial or venous thrombosis. Lemierre's syndrome is an uncommon but potentially lethal complication of internal jugular vein thrombosis after an oropharyngeal infection.

Deep femoral artery aneurysm presenting as lower limb swelling: a case report.

We report a rare case of lower limb swelling due to compression of the superficial femoral vein by a solitary deep femoral artery aneurysm. The patient was a 58-year-old man presenting with acute swelling of the right lower limb caused by deep venous thrombosis. A multi-detector computed tomographic scan (CT) confirmed the diagnosis of a deep femoral artery aneurysm and revealed no evidence of aneurysms or occlusive lesions in the other arteries.

Torsion of the gallbladder: report of a case.

Torsion of the gallbladder is a rare entity that is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. The condition occurs most often in the elderly. Although its etiology is unknown, a constant finding is the presence of the gallbladder on a mobile mesentery (floating gallbladder).

Aneurysm of the popliteal artery in neurofibromatosis.

The neurofibromatoses are a heterogeneous set of genetic disorders having clinical manifestations that involve the skin, the nervous system, or both. In addition, the disease can be confounded by a broad spectrum of complications, such as various kinds of osseous lesion, vascular lesions, aqueduct stenosis, optic glioma, and learning disabilities. Neurofibromatosis results in vascular involvement in approximately 10% of cases.

Mesenteric involvement of acute-stage Buerger's disease as the initial clinical manifestation: report of a case.

Buerger's disease is almost always a disease of the blood vessels in the extremities. Conversely, mesenteric involvement of Buerger's disease is rare, and no true series have been reported. We report the case of a 37-year-old man with clinical symptoms of upper extremity Buerger's disease, who underwent surgery for extensive small bowel infarction.

Compartment syndrome after compression sclerotherapy.

Acute limb compartment syndrome is a condition in which raised pressure within a closed fascial space reduces capillary perfusion below a level necessary for tissue viability. Although it is a rare but potentially disastrous complication of orthopedic injury to the extremities, it may occur spontaneously without a history of trauma, and any insult that tends to increase resistance to flow in the capillary bed in any anatomical situation may result in a compartment syndrome. We report an extremely rare case of compartment syndrome following compression sclerotherapy.

Endovascular management of iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis due to iliac vein compression syndrome in patients with protein C and/or S deficiency.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early outcome of endovascular management in patients with iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT) due to iliac vein compression syndrome (IVCS) and protein C and/or S deficiency. Between September 2000 and January 2003, catheter-directed thrombolysis was performed in 11 patients with a diagnosis of acute iliofemoral DVT: 7 with protein C and/or S deficiency and 4 without protein C and/or S deficiency. After thrombolysis, the diagnosis of IVCS was confirmed in 6 patients: 4 with protein C and/or S deficiency and 2 without protein C and/or S deficiency.

Role of endoscopy in the diagnosis of aneurysm-duodenal fistula.

Background: Aneurysms complicated by enteric fistulae are uniformly fatal clinical conditions and therefore should be placed high on the list of possible diagnoses in any patient with aneurysmal disease and gastrointestinal bleeding. A number of different diagnostic techniques have been proposed, but most of them are usually of little help or even misleading.

Methodology: Between May 2000 and April 2002, endoscopy was performed in 290 consecutive patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Staged surgery for chronic primary aortoduodenal fistula in a septic patient.

Aortoenteric fistula is one of the most challenging problems that confront the vascular surgeons. Controversy remains over the optimal treatment because of the continued publication of series with high mortality, amputation, and aortic disruption rates. A positive preoperative blood culture is the best predictor of mortality with increased amputation rates due to infection of the extra-anatomic bypass.

Severe lactic acidosis and thiamine deficiency during total parenteral nutrition--case report.

We encountered a case of total parenteral nutrition-associated lactic acidosis that did not respond to sodium bicarbonate or other conventional emergency treatments. He was characterized by minimal food intake before surgery, delayed gastric emptying after pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy due to pancreas head cancer and long-term total parenteral nutrition without food intake and vitamin supplements after surgery. After thiamine administration, the patient very quickly recovered with dramatic reestablishment of the acid-base balance.

Retroperitoneal abscess complicated by acupuncture: case report.

With acupuncture treatment becoming an increasingly popular analgesic, there have been increasing reports on its associated complications. Although pneumothorax is the most frequently reported injury caused by acupuncture needles, infectious complications may not be uncommon. Most infectious complications show less serious clinical manifestations than pneumothorax, but retroperitoneal or intraabdominal abscess caused by acupuncture may be much more serious conditions.

Role of diagnostic laparoscopy in managing acute mesenteric venous thrombosis.

We describe two cases with acute mesenteric venous thrombosis in which diagnostic laparoscopy helped to diagnose the possible bowel infarction. These patients presented with abdominal pain out of proportion to physical findings, and computed tomography demonstrated thrombus in the superior mesenteric vein. Anticoagulation with heparin followed by diagnostic laparoscopy was done immediately after the diagnosis was established.

Leakage of jejunal end of roux limb after total gastrectomy: management with a placement of a covered metallic stent: case report.

Postoperative leakage is a serious complication in patients after gastric surgery. It can lead to a rapid deterioration in the patient's condition and quality of life. Treatment is guided by the type of anastomosis and the patient's clinical status.