Since Green et al has introduced a new technique of retrograde intramedullary nail, the use of retrograde interlocking intramedullary nails has been recommended as one of the treatment options for the distal femoral fracture. However there are some disadvantages that an arthrotomy is required for insertion and the knee joint could often be violated. Authors present a simple, arthroscopically assisted method using the retrograde intramedullary nailing for distal femoral fractures with minimal invasiveness to the knee. From March 1995 to March 1997, the retrograde intramedullary nail was used to treat 9 distal femoral fractures. Five of 9 patients were fractured at the distal shaft of the femur and others were fractured at the supracondylar region of the femur. Only one of the fractures was open injury(Gustilo-Anderson grade II). Significant concomitant knee joint injuries were revealed through the arthroscopy in 3 patients. Eight of 9 fractures healed by 5 months, but one fracture was not healed and required bone grafting. Average knee range of motion was 130. Complications included 1 nonunion and 1 hardware failure. There were no patellofemoral problems and no posttraumatic arthritis of the knee joint. This arthroscope-assisted method have some potential benefits that include decreased risk of damage to the knee joint, early evaluation and treatment of the associated knee joint injuries, and accurate placement of the nail.
Arthritis ; Arthroscopy* ; Bone Transplantation ; Femoral Fractures* ; Femur ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Range of Motion, Articular

Papular elastorrhexis is a connective tissue nevus that occurs in the second decade of life as asymptomatic small white-creamy papules scattered over the chest, shoulder, abdomen, or back Histopathologically, there is a decrease in elastic fibers with focal homogenization of collagen. Recognition of this entity is important to prevent use of unnecessary diagnostic procedures and therapy. We present three cases of papular elastorrhexis. All of them occurred in children under the age 10 years.
Abdomen ; Child ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Nevus ; Shoulder ; Thorax

Lymphoid tumors of the orbit are rare, and sometimes it is not possible either clinically or histologically to differentiate between lymphoid tumor and pseudolymphoma. Some authors assert that the degree of cytologic differentiation appears to be the single most important factor for determining the prognosis of patients with orbital lymphoid lesions. However, the cytomorphologic basis is not so helpful to diagnose and classify our case, which shows some discrepancy between pathological findings and clinical and radiological findings. At first we misdiagnosed our case as orbital malignant lymphoma on the basis of cytomorphology and immunohistochemical study. But no responce to local intensive radiotherapy and the follow up study of the patient suggest orbital pseudolymphoma.
Follow-Up Studies

PURPOSE: TRAM flap reconstruction has settled down as a common method for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. There are a few surgical contraindication in TRAM flap surgery. Previous abdominal liposuction has been a relative contraindication in TRAM flap surgery. The authors present 2 patients of successful breast reconstruction using pedicled TRAM flaps, who previously underwent abdominal liposuction. METHODS: Case 1: A 48-year-old woman with a right breast cancer visited for mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Her past surgical history was notable for abdominal liposuction 15 years ago. Skin sparing mastectomy and breast reconstruction with a pedicled TRAM flap was performed. Case 2: A 45-year-old woman with a left breast cancer visited us for mastectomy and autologous breast reconstruction. 3 years ago, she had an abdominal liposuction and augmentation mammaplasty in other hospital. Nipple sparing mastectomy and breast reconstruction was done using pedicled TRAM flap. RESULTS: One year after the reconstruction, partial fat necrosis was developed in one case but there was no skin necrosis or donor site complication in both patients. CONCLUSION: As aesthetic surgery becomes more popular, increasing numbers of patients who have a prior abdominal liposuction history want for autologous tissue breast reconstruction. In these patients, TRAM flap surgery will be also used for breast reconstruction. But, the warning of fat necrosis and the use of preoperative Doppler tracing to evaluate the abdominal perforator may be beneficial to patients who had abdominal liposuction recently.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Fat Necrosis ; Female ; Humans ; Lipectomy ; Mammaplasty ; Mastectomy ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Nipples ; Skin ; Tissue Donors

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the laparoscopic incidental appendectomy during gynecologic laparoscopic operation. Methods: This study was evaluated for the clinical analysis of 118 patients who underwent laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy(LAVH group, 65 cases) and LAVH with laparoscopic incidental appendectomy(LAVH + IA group, 53 cases) at the Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital from Oct. 1996 to Nov. 1998. RESULTS: The following results were obtained: 1) There was no significant difference between two groups in regard to age. The mean age was 45.7 years in LAVH group and 43.8 years in LAVH + IA group. 2) There was no significant difference between two groups in mean operative time. The mean operative time was 90.4 minutes in LAVH group and 97.5 minutes in LAVH + IA group. 3) The mean appendectomy time was 7.1 minutes. 4) The mean time recovering normal bowel activity was 46.2 hours in LAVH group and 45.8 hours in LAVH + IA group. There was no significant difference between two groups. 5) The mean hospital stay was 6.4 days in LAVH group and 5.7 days in LAVH + IA group. There was no significant difference between two groups. 6) The postoperative complications occurred in 11 cases(9.3 %). The serious complications of appendectomy was not found. 7) Of the 53 appendices removed, 5(9.4 %) were abnormal pathologic findings. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic incidental appendectomy during laparoscopic operation was not found to influence the operation time, hospital stay, gas passing time, but there is one case of wound infection due to incidental appendectomy. Therefore, a large number of study should be performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic incidental appendectomy during laparoscopic operation.
Appendectomy* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Protestantism ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to compare the mastoid air-cell volume of the patients with superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) and that of the control patients with otosclerosis and temporal bone (TB) fracture. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ten patients with SCDS were enrolled and 10 patients with bilateral otosclerosis and TB fracture were selected as control groups by age and sex matching. To measure the mastoid air-cell volume, 3D reconstruction software was used. RESULTS: In 10 patients with SCDS, the mean age was 44.5 years, ranging from 16 to 79 years (M : F=4 : 6). Mean mastoid air-cell volume in the SCDS side was 3319.9 mm3, whereas 4177.2 mm3 in the normal side (p=0.022). Mean mastoid air-cell volume in the right side of otosclerosis patients was 6594.3 mm3 and it was not different from 6380.5 mm3 in the left side (p=0.445). Mean mastoid air-cell volume in normal side of TB fracture was 6477.2 mm3. The mastoid air-cell volume in the SCDS side was significantly smaller than that of otosclerosis and TB fracture patients (p=0.009, p=0.002, respectively). The mastoid air-cell volume in the normal side of SCDS was significantly smaller than that of TB fracture (p=0.019), but not significant with that of otosclerosis (p=0.063). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed that the mastoid air-cell volume in the SCDS side was significantly smaller than control group, which suggest that the decreased mastoid pneumatization is closely related to the generation of SCDS.
Humans ; Mastoid ; Otosclerosis ; Semicircular Canals ; Temporal Bone

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to compare the mastoid air-cell volume of the patients with superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) and that of the control patients with otosclerosis and temporal bone (TB) fracture. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ten patients with SCDS were enrolled and 10 patients with bilateral otosclerosis and TB fracture were selected as control groups by age and sex matching. To measure the mastoid air-cell volume, 3D reconstruction software was used. RESULTS: In 10 patients with SCDS, the mean age was 44.5 years, ranging from 16 to 79 years (M : F=4 : 6). Mean mastoid air-cell volume in the SCDS side was 3319.9 mm3, whereas 4177.2 mm3 in the normal side (p=0.022). Mean mastoid air-cell volume in the right side of otosclerosis patients was 6594.3 mm3 and it was not different from 6380.5 mm3 in the left side (p=0.445). Mean mastoid air-cell volume in normal side of TB fracture was 6477.2 mm3. The mastoid air-cell volume in the SCDS side was significantly smaller than that of otosclerosis and TB fracture patients (p=0.009, p=0.002, respectively). The mastoid air-cell volume in the normal side of SCDS was significantly smaller than that of TB fracture (p=0.019), but not significant with that of otosclerosis (p=0.063). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed that the mastoid air-cell volume in the SCDS side was significantly smaller than control group, which suggest that the decreased mastoid pneumatization is closely related to the generation of SCDS.
Humans ; Mastoid ; Otosclerosis ; Semicircular Canals ; Temporal Bone

No abstract available.
Blood Flow Velocity*

PURPOSE: Merkel cell carcinoma, also called neuroendocrine carcinoma, is a very rare type of skin cancer that develops as Merkel cells grow out of control. Merkel cell carcinoma is reported below 1% of whole skin neoplasms in the United States and is known that the 2-year survival rate is about 50~70%. The principles of treatment are wide excision of primary lesion with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy that decrease the local recurrent rate. There has been no report of reconstruction with free flap after resection of Merkel cell carcinoma in Korea. METHODS: We reconstructed the skin and soft tissue defect after wide excision of Merkel cell carcinoma with anterolateral thigh perforator free flap in two cases. No distant metastasis was found at the preoperative imaging work-up. In one case, preoperative chemotherapy was performed and the size of lesion was decreased. RESULTS: There were no recurrence and significant complications. Functionally and aesthetically satisfactory results were obtained with reconstruction. CONCLUSION: Wide excision and reconstruction with anterolateral thigh perforator free flap for Merkel cell carcinoma patient is the first report in Korea. We regard this method as the treatment of choice in Merkel cell carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Merkel Cell ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Korea ; Merkel Cells ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Survival Rate ; Thigh ; United States