No abstract available.
Electrocardiography* ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation*

In order to establish the predicted normal values of the systolic time intervals the duration of the systolic time intervals measured from simultaneous recordings of the electrocardiogram, the phonocardiogram and the carotid pulse tracing. The subjects studied were 160 healthy males and 160 females. The mean ages of males and females were 29 and 31 years old, respectively. The transformation period was not closely related to heart rate, and its mean values for males and females were 58 and 56 msec., respectively, and the mean for males and females combined was 57 msec. The remainder of the systolic time intervals, however, showed a significant linear and inverse relation to heart rate. Thus, based upon these data regression equations for the prediction of the normal values of electromechanical systole, left ventricular ejection time, mechinical systole, precjection period andisovolumiccontraction time for males, females, and males and females combined were obtained.
Adult ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Reference Values* ; Systole*

The antihypertensive effect and side reaction of pindolol were studied in 48 cases of essential hypertension 5mg to 15mg once regiment for average period of 6 weeks. 1) Average reduction of 25.11mmHg in systolic and 16.36mmHg in diastolic pressure were observed and their percentile reduction was 15.20% and 14.79%, respectively. The overall effect rate was 83.21%. The blood pressure was lowered significantly since 1 week of both in systolic and diastolic pressure with the daily of 10-15mg. 2) There was no significant change in heart rate before and after treatment. 3) No specific side reaction was observed except 1 cases in which discontinued the medication because of severe headache and fatigability on 2nd day of medication.
Blood Pressure ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Hypertension ; Pindolol

We report a case of bilateral chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) in a 75-year-old man after exercise using a vibrating belt machine on the head. He suffered from headache and intermittent left side numbness for ten days. He denied any head injuries except eccentric exercise using a vibrating belt on his own head for 20 days. An MRI revealed bilateral CSDH. The hematoma was isodense on the CT scan. We made burr-holes on the both sides under local anesthesia. We identified the neomembrane and dark red subdural fluid on both sides. In the postoperative CT scan, we found an arachnoid cyst on the left temporal pole. Although the arachnoid cyst itself is asymptomatic, trivial injury such as vibrating the head may cause a CSDH.
Aged ; Anesthesia, Local ; Arachnoid ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Head ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Vibration

We present a study on hospital stay in 1000 consecutive head injuries. The mean hospital stay and standard deviation were calculated in a given condition according to some variables, such as sex, age, Glasgow Coma Score on admission, skull fracture, CT findings, and treatment. Usually, standard deviation was greater than the mean value in a given condition and hospital stay varied in a wide range, representing that the duration of treatment is related not only to the severity but also various individual properties. Since the associated injuries were variable in location, type and severity, they altered hospital stay greatly. Thus hospital stay was analyzed in patients without associated injuries. Hospital stay was largely dependant on three variables. Low Glasgow Coma Score on admission, presence of intracranial mass lesion or diffuse axonal injury, and operative treatment prolonged hospital stay. Skull fracture also lengthened hospital stay but only in patients without associated injuries. Duration of treatment should be recorded in all medical certificates related to the injury. For the proper estimation of duration of treatment, more reports are needed in this field.
Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Diffuse Axonal Injury ; Head* ; Humans ; Length of Stay* ; Skull Fractures

OBJECTIVE: The lack of anatomical knowledge for the anterior cervical microforaminotomy is liable to injure the neurovascular structures. The surgical anatomy is examined with special attention to the ventral aspect exposed in anterior cervical microforaminotomy. METHODS: In 16 adult formalin fixed cadaveric cervical spine, the author measured the distances from the medical margin of the longus colli to the medical wall of the ipsilateral vertebral artery and the angle for the ipsilateral vertebral artery. The distances from the lateral margin of the posterior longitudinal ligament to the medial margin of the ipsilateral medial wall of the vertebral artery, to the ipsilateral dorsal root ganglion was measured too. RESULTS: The distance from the medial margin of the longus colli to the ipsilateral vertebral artery was 13.3~14.7mm and the angle for the ipsilateral vertebral artery was 41~42.5 degrees. The range of distance from the lateral margin of the posterior longitudinal ligament to the ipsilateral vertebral artery was 11.9~16.1mm, to the ipsilateral dorsal root ganglion was 11.6~12.9mm. CONCLUSION: These data will aid in reducing neurovascular injury during anterior cervical approaches.
Adult ; Cadaver ; Formaldehyde ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Humans ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Spine ; Vertebral Artery

PURPOSE: Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy in Korean females and can be treated with good prognosis. However, drugs to treat aggressive types of thyroid cancer such as poorly differentiated or anaplastic thyroid cancer have not yet been established. To that end, we analyzed the effects of berberine on human thyroid cancer cell lines to determine whether this compound is useful in the treatment of aggressive thyroid cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The two thyroid cancer cell lines 8505C and TPC1, under adherent culture conditions, were treated with berberine and analyzed for changes in cell growth, cell cycle duration, and degree of apoptosis. RESULTS: Following berberine treatment, both cell lines showed a dose-dependent reduction in growth rate. 8505C cells showed significantly increased levels of apoptosis following berberine treatment, whereas TPC1 cells showed cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Immunobloting of p-27 expression following berberine treatment showed that berberine induced a little up-regulation of p-27 in 8505c cells but relatively high up-regulation of p-27 in TPC1 cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that berberine treatment of thyroid cancer can inhibit proliferation through apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest. Thus, berberine may be a novel anticancer drug for the treatment of poorly differentiated or anaplastic thyroid cancer.
Antineoplastic Agents/*pharmacology ; Apoptosis/drug effects ; Berberine/*pharmacology ; Cell Cycle/drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Humans ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*metabolism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cholesteatoma in children has a more aggressive growth pattern than observedin adults and often involves the entire mastoid and tympanic cavity, which necessitates early surgical treatment. The rapid tissue growth, the greater degree of infection and inflammation brought on by the Eustachian tube, and well pneumatized mastoid are the major contributing factors for cholesteatoma being so extensive in children. In this study, we evaluated the result of epitympanoplasty and mastoid obliteration in cholesteatoma of children. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The operation was performed in 28 children patients under the age of 15 from May 11, 1995 to August 13, 2003. They were 3 congenital and 25 acquired cholesteatoma cases, which were accompanied by 4 cases of adhesive otitis media, 1 case of external auditory canal cholesteatoma, and 1 case of congential aural atresia that developed after two operations of canaloplasty. RESULTS: Of the 28 cases, 6 underwent one-staged operation and 8 underwent second-look operations, respectively. In 3 of the 8 cases that underwent second look operation, there was residual cholesteatoma in the tympanic cavity, and cholesteatoma was removed. After operation, there was no recurrent cholesteatoma. Among the 13 cases of ossiculoplasty, 9 could have the test of pure tone audiogram, and 5 cases could preserve postoperative air-bone gap within 30 dB. CONCLUSION: It is expected that epitympanoplasty with the mastoid obliteration technique reduces the air-burden of E-tube in children of cholesteatoma, and the technique probably can prevent the formation of retraction pocket and recurrence of cholesteatoma.
Adhesives ; Adult ; Child* ; Cholesteatoma* ; Ear Canal ; Ear, Middle ; Eustachian Tube ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mastoid* ; Otitis Media ; Recurrence

Gastric volvulus is an uncommon condition which is difficult to diagnose and treat. It designates abnormal rotation of the stomach along its longitudinal (organoaxial) or transverse (mesenteroaxial) axis. When the rotation exceeds 180 degrees, gastric obstruction or strangulation may occur. The classical presentation of acute gastric volvulus is the triad of severe epigastric pain, vomiting followed by retching without the ability to vomit, and difficulty or inability to pass a nasogastric tube. Delay in diagnosis and treatment of gastric volvulus can lead to fatal complications such as gastric ischemia, perforation, and hemorrhage. Gastric volvulus is a true emergency which should be treated immediately either surgically or by upper endoscopy. We report a case of an acute incarcerated gastric volvulus due to a left-sided diaphragmatic hernia in an adult male patient, which was treated successfully by operation.
Acute Disease ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic/*complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Volvulus/diagnosis/*etiology

OBJECTIVE: Morphometric data for the sympathetic ganglia (SG) of the upper thoracic spine was investigated to identify the exact location of the SG in order to reduce normal tissue injury in the thoracic cavity during thoracoscopic sympathectomy. METHODS: In 46 specimens from 23 formalin-fixed adult cadavers, the authors measured the shortest distance from the medial margin of the T1, T2 and T3 SG to the most prominent point and medial margin of the corresponding rib heads, and to the lateral margin of the longus colli muscle. In addition, the distance between the most prominent point of the rib head and the lateral margin of longus colli muscle and the width of each SG were measured. RESULTS: The shortest distance from the medial margin of the SG to the prominent point of corresponding rib head was on average 1.9 mm on T1, 4.2 mm, and 4.1 mm on T2, T3. The distance from the medial margin of the SG to the medial margin of the corresponding rib head was 4.2 mm on T1, 5.9 mm, and 6.3 mm on T2, T3. The mean distance from the medial margin of the SG to the lateral margin of the longus colli muscle was 6.7 mm on T1, 8.8 mm, 9.9 and mm on T2, T3. The mean distance between the prominent point of the rib head and the lateral margin of the longus colli muscle was 4.8 mm on T1, 4.6 mm, and 5.9 mm on T2, T3. The mean width of SG was 6.1 mm on T1, 4.1 mm, and 3.1 mm on T2, T3. CONCLUSION: We present morphometric data to assist in surgical planning and the localization of the upper thoracic SG during thoracoscopic sympathectomy.
Adult ; Cadaver ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Head ; Humans ; Muscles ; Ribs ; Spine ; Sympathectomy ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; Thoracoscopy