BACKGROUND: Scuba diving has become increasingly popular in Korea. Medical problems are common with dives, especially decompression sickness(DCS). This study was performed to obtain an useful information of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in DCS in Korea. METHOD: We reviewed the 62 cases of Korean divers, who were diagnosed as DCS and received recompression therapy according to U.S. Navy Standard Recompression Treatment Table at Ocean and Underwater Medical Research and Training Center of ROK Navy, for 6 years from Jan. 1993 to Nov. 1998. RESULT: 1) the mean no-decompression limit excess time between type I DCS group(72.7 min.) and type II DCS group(92.8min.) showed significant difference. 2) The rate of symptoms appeared on surfacing and within 10min. after surfacing of type I and type II DCS were 41.4%and 72.7% respectively. 3) The cure late of type I and type II were 75.9%and 42.4% respectively. In type II DCS group, the cure rate of the group within 12 hour-delayed recompression treatment and the group above 12 hour-delayed treatment were 64.3%and time 26.3% respectively, and in type I DCS group, 100% and 66.7% respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the education of safety, the strict observance of the standard decompression table, and the avoidance of excessive repeated diving are important for reducing the risk of diving related disease. And to offer proper management of DCS, there should be more multiplace hyperbaric oxygen chambers, the suitable transport system, and the specialist of diving medicine or hyperbaric medicine in Korea.
Decompression Sickness* ; Decompression* ; Diving ; Education ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation* ; Korea ; Oxygen ; Specialization

In order to assess the biocompatibility of domestic dynamic compression plates and screws manufactured at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technclogy), hematological, serological, histological, and metallurgical studies were carried out on sixty rabbits through thirty-two weeks. The rabbits were divided into two groups, group I: thirty rabbits for KAIST plates and screws, group II: thirty rabbits for Osteo plates and screws. The plate and screws were fixed on the fixed tibial shaft. All the resulg of hematological, serological, histological, and metallurgical study revealed that there were no meaningful differences between the two groups. This, in fact, enco.urages us to use domestic KAIST plates and screws clinically and to develop more complicated designs including total joint replacement system.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Joints ; Rabbits ; Stainless Steel

BACKGROUND: Mutated or deregulated expression of C-erbB-2 causes this gene to function as a potent oncogene. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a crucial angiogenic molecule in lung cancer. Both C-erbB-2 and VEGF can promote growth, proliferation and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to investigate evaluate the relationship between the expressions of the C-erbB-2 and VEGF genes using immunohistochemistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-five patients with NSCLC were involved (60 squamous cell carcinoma and 35 adenocarcinoma). The formalin-fixed paraffin embedded specimens were immunohistochemically stained for C-erbB-2 and VEGF using the avidin-biotin complex method. RESULTS: Positive C-erbB-2 expression was observed more often in adenocarcinomas than squamous cell carcinomas (p<0.05). Although the immunohistochemical expressions of C-erbB-2 and VEGF in non-small-cell lung cancer showed increased tendencies at an advanced stage, the correlation between early and advanced cancers was insignificant. In adenocarcinomas, the expressions of VEGF and C-erbB-2 were significantly (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The overexpression fo C-erbB-2 was significantly higher in adenocarcinomas than squamous cell carcinomas, and correlated with the expression of VEGF in adenocarcinomas of the lungs.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Paraffin ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

Prenatal Ultrasonographic findings of meconium peritonitis show calcificalion, and abdominal echogenic masses such as pseudocyst. Also, we can find availability of 3 dimensional ultrasonography above these descriptions. We present a case of meconium peritonitis in uterus which was diagnosed by means of prenatal 2D & 3D ultrasonography with brief review of literatures.
Meconium* ; Peritonitis ; Ultrasonography ; Uterus

When halothane was first introduced into the clinical anesthesia in 1956, it was acclaimed as the ideal anesthetic agent. Soon after its clinical introduction, reports were published regarding jaundice and hepatic necrosis following its use. Stock and Strunin group the etiologic factors as biotransformation, hypersensitivity (immune-related), hypoxia and pharmacogenetic. In contrast, Calahan and Mangano list as possible causes hypoxia, trauma, viral hepatitis and toxic injury. A few cases of hepatitis following enflurane anesthesia have been described and a diagnosis of enflurane hepatitis was made. However, it is much rare than halothane hepatitis and the case remains unproven. Regional anesthesia with local anesthetic agent (lidocaine or bupivacaine) does not cause hepatic injury, even patients with moderate hepatocellular disease may well be able to metabolize durgs normally. Decrease in hepatic blood flow in healthy individuals will cause no problems with regional anesthesia, as the blood flow and cardiac output can be reestablished with the use of fluids or appropriate vasoconstrictors. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of halothane, enflurane, and regional anesthesia with lidocaine or bupivacaine on liver function, particularly with serum glutamic oxaloacetic and pyruvic transaminases (SGOT and SGPT) values which are the most frequently determined indicators of possible liver disease. Whereas SGOT is present in a variety of tissues, SGPT appears to be the liver-specific transaminase. We studied randomly-selected 219 patients, ASA class I or II, aged 15-68 yr, scheduled for elective surgery. They had no history of liver disease, and preoperative liver function tests were within normal limit. And we excluded blood transfused cases in this study. They were divided into three groups according to the anesthetic agent used; Group I: Halothane anesthesia (116 cases). Group II: Regional anesthesia (50 cases). Group III: Enflurane anesthesia (53 cases). We also divided subgroups according to the duration of anesthesia in each group; Subgroup A (Subg-A): under 2 hours of anesthesia. Subgroup B (Subg-B): more than 2 hours of anesthesia. SGOT and SGPT were measured before surgery, and on 1st, 3rd and 5th postoperatine days. The results we as follows: 1) The values of SGOT and SGPT were increased (p<0.01) in both Subg-A and B of Group I. However, on the 1st post-operative day they were more prominently elevated than the other postoperative days (P<0.05), but clinically the change of values was all within normal limits. 2) The values of SGOT were increased (P<0.05) in Subg-B of Group II on the 3rd postoperatine day hut clinically were within normal limits. The values of SGPT in Group II were slightly increased within normal ranges. 3) The values of SGOT were increased in Subg-A (P<0.05) and Subg-B (P<0.01) of Group III on the 1st postoperatine day, but clinically were within normal limits. The values of SGPT in Group III were slightly increased within normal ranges. 4) In comparing Group I and Group II, the value of SGOT in Group I was significantly increased than Group II (P<0.05), but clinically was within normal limits, and the change in that of SGPT was not significant. 5) In comparing Group II and Group III, the value of SGOT in Group II was significantly increased (P<0.01) on the 5th postoperatine day than Group III, but clinically was within normal limits, and changes of SGPT were not significant. 6) In comparing Group II and Group III, the values of SGOT and SGPT were not significantly different. 7) The results show that the effect of halothane on liver function (SGOT, SGPT) is not significantly different from those of enflurane and regional anesthesia with local anesthetics.
Alanine Transaminase* ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Conduction* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Anoxia ; Aspartate Aminotransferases* ; Biotransformation ; Bupivacaine ; Cardiac Output ; Diagnosis ; Enflurane* ; Halothane* ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Jaundice ; Lidocaine ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Function Tests ; Necrosis ; Reference Values ; Transaminases ; Vasoconstrictor Agents

No abstract available.
Hemangioma, Cavernous*

In the past few years a wide variety of fetal abnormalities have been successfully prenatal diagnosed by maternal sonography. Early excision of the choledochal cyst in the newborn is considered to be the optimal treatment and may pose less risk to the patient than delayed surgical exploration. We present a new case diagnosed a choledochal cyst at 23 weeks gestation by routine ultrasound scanning. At 38 weeks gestation a female infant was born by spontaneous delivery. At 7 weeks of age the patient underwent a laparotomy performed cyst excision with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. We experienced a case of choledochal cyst at prenatal sonography and report our case with a brief review of literature.
Choledochal Cyst* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Laparotomy ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous catheter drainage for the treatment of postoperative lymphoceles following pelvic lymphadenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1995 and May 1996, 23 symptomatic lymphoceles in 20 patients who had undergone pelvic lymphadenectomy for uterine cancer were subjected to percutaneous catheter drainage under sonographic guidance. All the lymphoceles were confirmed by biochemical and cytological examination. When the amount of drainage decreased to less than 5-10ml/day and when the lymphocele was seen on US or sinography to have collapsed, the catheter was removed. US and sinography were performed to evaluate the efficacy of treatment at 1 week after catheter drainage, and all patients were followed up with US at 1, 3, and 6 months after catheter removal. RESULTS: On follow-up sonography, 20 of 23 lymphoceles (87.0%) were seen to have collapsed completely and three had recurred. Of these latter, two were treated by secondary percutaneous catheter drainage, and the other, which was asymptomatic and small, had collapsed spontaneously during the fifth months after catheter removal. Successful treatment of lymphocele was eventually achieved in all patients. The duration of catheter drainage ranged from 3 to 49 (mean, 22) days, and the size of lymphocele on initial sinogram varied from 5x4x3cm to 25x10x10cm; the total volume of drainage ranged from 300 to 17,240 (mean2,012)ml. Complications during the procedure and drainage arose in three cases. In one, there was secondary infection of the lymphocele, and in two, infection at the site of catheter insertion was seen; treatment involved changing the catheter and antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous catheter drainage is thought to be a safe and effective alternative to surgery for the treatment of symptomatic lymphoceles following pelvic lymphadenectomy for uterine cancer.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters* ; Coinfection ; Drainage* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Lymphocele* ; Ultrasonography ; Uterine Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous* ; Lung*

The frequency of vertebral artery aneurysm is rare and a common presenting sign is subarachnoid hemorrhage. Lateral medullary syndrome is characterized by loss of pain and temperature sensation on the contra lateral lesion side of the body and ipsilateral lesion side of the face, dysphagia, dysarthria, ataxia, vertigo, nystagmus, and Horner syndrome. Vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm is a common cause of lateral medullary infarction. We present a rare case of a 46-year old male patient that developed ischemic attack presenting as transient lateral medullary syndrome due to thrombosed-fusiform aneurysm of vertebral artery. He was treated with aspirin and heparin, and then discharged with complete resolution of symptoms.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; Aspirin ; Ataxia ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dysarthria ; Heparin ; Horner Syndrome ; Humans ; Infarction ; Lateral Medullary Syndrome ; Male ; Sensation ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Thrombosis ; Vertebral Artery ; Vertigo