No abstract available.
Ichthyosiform Erythroderma, Congenital*

BACKGROUND: Acne is a common chronic disease which most frequently affects the face. This visibility is a major cause for concern in affected individuals. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life of patients with acne. METHODS: We interviewed 130 acne patients, and determined the impact of acne on the quality of life with a questionnare. RESULTS: Among 130 cases of acne, the numbers of male and female patients were 52(40.0%) and 78(60.0%) respectively, and tbe mean age was 21 years. There was no difference between the sexes in the quality of life criteria used. The scores of social criteria of patients older than 20 years were significantly higher than thme of patients younger than 20 years. The severity of facial acne was correlated with the severity of chest acne but not with that of back acne. The severity of chest acne was correlated with that of back acne. The severity of facial acne was correlated with the scores of the physical, social and psychological criteria, and the severity of chest acne was correlated with that of physical and social criteria. However, the severity of back acne was not correlated with those of any of the criteria. The psychological well-being of the patients was moderately or highly affected by the acne more often than the other criteria. CONCLUSION: Acne has a substantial impact on the quality of life. The practical use of these indices are: (1) reveal areas of particulur concern in patients with acne; (2) to identify individuals who may require more intensive treaiment; and (3) to give a patient oriented inforrnation on the quality of life expected.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Quality of Life* ; Thorax

The anti-inflammatory activity of a corticosteroid may mask the contact allergic reaction it is causing. This may be an important reason why contact allergy to corticosteroids has often been missed. A simple persistent aggravation of a dermatitis in a patient treated with one or more topical corticosteroids is sufficient to raise a suspicion of corticosteroid hypersensitivity. A 23-year-old male visited our department for the evaluation of his aggravated pruritic oozing erythematous papules, scales and edema of the face. Previously, he was treated with Dermatop ointment and Plancollotion. A Patch test showed positive reactions to prednicarbate 10%, 1%, hydrocortisone-17-butyrate 10%, and triamcinolone 10%. We conclude prednicarbate in Dermatop ointment, hydrocortisone-17-butyrate in Plancol lotion to be the etiological agents.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Edema ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Male ; Masks ; Patch Tests ; Triamcinolone ; Weights and Measures ; Young Adult

Spontaneous fracture of the Silastic shunt catheter is a rare complication of lumboperitoneal shunt. A review of the literature revealed only one case in which spontaneous fracture occurred after this procedure. The authors report a case in which fracture of a lumboperitoneal shunt catheter occurred within the interspinous ligament probably due to repeated tension caused by flexion and extension during lumbar motion. The fractured proximal catheter was located entirely within the intrathecal space exclusively from the level of L1 to S1, and caused incomplete cauda equina syndrome.
Catheters* ; Fractures, Spontaneous* ; Ligaments ; Polyradiculopathy

No abstract available.
Adenoids* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if short-term serum thyroglobulin (Tg) elevation after radioiodine administration can predict successful radioiodine remnant ablation (RRA) and whether comparable RRA effectiveness is exhibited between a group administered with recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) and a group experiencing thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW), in preparation for RRA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on 39 patients in the rhTSH group and 46 patients in the THW group. They were treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma by total or near total thyroidectomy, and referred for RRA between 2003 and 2006 (the rhTSH group) and between January and June of 2006 (the THW group). They were assessed for serum Tg levels just before I-131 administration (TgD0), reassessed 9 days later (TgD9), and again 6-12 months later. RESULTS: RRA was successful in 64 (37 from the THW group and 27 from the rhTSH group) of the total 85 patients. The success rates of RRA had no statistically significant differences between the two groups. In both groups, TgD9/TgD0 values were significantly higher in the RRA success group (the rhTSH group; P=0.03, the THW group; P=0.04). By combining cutoff values of TgD0 and TgD9/TgD0, the successful RRA value was determined to be 96.7% (29/30) with TgD0< or =5.28 ng/mL and TgD9/TgD0>4.37 in both groups (the rhTSH group; 100% (16/16), the THW group; 92.9% (13/14)). Using logistic multivariate analysis, only TgD0 was independently associated with successful RRA. CONCLUSION: We may predict successful ablation by evaluating short-term serum Tg elevation after I-131 administration for RRA, in both rhTSH and THW patients.
Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyrotropin ; Thyrotropin Alfa

Spindle cell hemangioendothelioma was first described in 1986 to characterize a particular angiomatous lesion which shows different clinical features, however, it has recently been designated as spindle cell hemangioma (SCH) due to its benign nature. Microscopically, this peculiar vascular tumor consists of cavernous blood vessels intermixed with solid areas predominantly composed of spindle cells, resembling Kaposi sarcoma. A 39-year-old woman presented with a bean-sized, tender, bluish nodule on the pulp of her right thumb. The 1 year old lesion had increased slowly in size over this time. Histologic examination of the lesion showed that it was composed of large irregularly-dilated, thin-walled cavernous blood spaces containing organizing thrombi, numerous red blood cells, and a spindle cell mass which was partially connected with the vessel wall and invaded the stroma. A diagnosis of SCH was made based on histologic and immunohistochemical findings. After the lesion was totally excised, there has been neither recurrence nor occurence of new lesions to date.
Adult ; Blood Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Hemangioendothelioma ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; Thumb

We compared postoperative visual outcome and corneal refractive power depending on preoperative corneal topographic pattern and the predictibility of corneal topographic measurement compared with keratometric measurement after PRK. The subjects were 91 eyes divided into two goups composed of 44 eyes, symmetric bow tie type(SB) and 47 eyes, asymmetric bow tie type (aSB). The visual acuity, central power, and topographic pattern were measured before operation, postoperative 1 week, 1, 2 and 6 month in two groups, but no statistical difference(p>0.05). The averages of uncorrected visual acuity at 6 month were improved to 0.80(SB) and 0.85(aSB) from 0.09(SB) and 0.11(aSB) before operation. Topographic central refractive powers of +42.98D (SB), +43.32D(aSB) before operation were changed to +37.68D(SB), 37.56D(aSB) at 6month. The pattern of the region affected by the excimer laser was classified by key hole type 38%(SB) , 34%(aSB) , uniform roud type 41%(SB), 43%(aSB), semicircular type 21%(SB), 23%(aSB). The proportion of the difference less than one diopter between PRK setting and the change of the corneal refractive power at 6month was 36% and 76% in keratometric and topographic measurement. Above results show that the asymmetricity of bow tie type did not influence the visual outcome. The topographic measurement was better than keratometric measurement in evaluating the corneal refractory change after PRK.
Lasers, Excimer* ; Visual Acuity

212 cases of hypertensive intracerebral hematoma were treated and followed for more than 3 months. The outcome was analysed in point of comparison between conservative treatment and operative treatment. The precipitating factors on prognosis depend on size and site of hematoma, level of mental deterioration, and blood pressure on admisson. Operative treatment showed better outcome than conservative treatment in cases of severly mentally deteriorated patients, large hematoma, and pontine hematoma.
Blood Pressure ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Precipitating Factors ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: There have been no clinical studies regarding the epidemiology and treatment outcome for unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) in South Korea yet. Thus, The Korean Society of Cerebrovascular Surgery (KSCVS) decided to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics, and outcome of the treatment of UIA in 2006, using the nationwide multicenter survey in South Korea. METHODS: A total of 1,696 cases were enrolled retrospectively over one year at 48 hospitals. The following data were obtained from all patients : age, sex, presence of symptoms, location and size of the aneurysm, treatment modality, presence of risk factors for stroke, and the postoperative 30-day morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: The demographic data showed female predominance and peak age of seventh and sixth decades. Supraclinoid internal carotid artery was the most common site of aneurysms with a mean size of 5.6 mm. Eight-hundred-forty-six patients (49.9%) were treated with clipping, 824 (48.6%) with coiling, and 26 with combined method. The choice of the treatment modalities was related to hospital (p = 0.000), age (p = 0.000), presence of symptom (p = 0.003), and location of aneurysm (p = 0.000). The overall 30-day morbidity and mortality were 7.4% and 0.3%, respectively. The 30-day mortality was 0.4% for clipping and 0.2% for coiling, and morbidity was 8.4% for clipping and 6.3% for coiling. Age (p = 0.010), presence of symptoms (p = 0.034), size (p = 0.000) of aneurysm, and diabetes mellitus (p = 0.000) were significant prognostic factors, while treatment modality was not. CONCLUSION: This first nation-wide multicenter survey on UIAs demonstrates the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, outcome and the prognostic factors of the treatment of UIAs in South Korea. The 30-day postoperative outcome for UIAs seems to be reasonable morbidity and mortality in South Korea.
Aneurysm ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Korea ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Treatment Outcome