Degenerative disc disease has traditionally been thought of as low back pain caused by changes in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrous, in recent studies, however, changes in the upper and lower endplates cause degeneration of the disc, resulting in mechanical pressure, inflammatory reactions and low back pain. Recently, the bone marrow of the vertebral body-endplate-nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrous were considered as a single unit, and the relationship was explained. Once the endplate is damaged, it eventually aggravates the degeneration of the bone marrow, nucleus pulposus, and annulus fibrosus. In this process, the compression force of the annulus fibrosus increases, and an inflammatory reaction occurs due to inflammatory mediators. Hence, the sinuvertebral nerves and the basivertebral nerves are stimulated to cause back pain. If these changes become chronic, degenerative changes such as Modic changes occur in the bone marrow in the vertebrae. Finally, in the case of degenerative intervertebral disc disease, the bone marrow of the vertebral body-endplate-nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrous need to be considered as a single unit. Therefore, when treating patients with chronic low back pain, it is necessary to consider the changes in the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus and a lesion of the endplate.

The authors diagnosed a 54-year-old male as central mucoepidermoid carcinoma after undegoing clinical, radiologica l and histopathological examinations. The charateristics were as followed : 1. Clinically, the patient complained of the painless unilateral swelling of the left mandibular molar region and had a pus discharge through the fistula. Painful nodule was palpated on the scalp of the left frontal area and it was regarde d as a metastatic lesion. 2. Plain radiographs showed the ill-defined permeative radiolucent lesion. The osteolytic lesions were also detected in the cranial bone, number 9 and 11 ribs, scapula, and vertebral bodies. 3. The mandibular CT and PNS MRI showed the swelling of the left mandible and the enlargement of the several lymph node s of 1.5 cm in size. 4. Histopathologically, many solid epidermoid type cells were mixed with mucus-secreting cells and they were arranged i n duct-like structure. Most of them were epidermoid type, which indicates a high grade tumor. Mucins could be found in mucicarmine staining.
Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid* ; Fistula ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mandible* ; Middle Aged ; Molar ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ribs ; Scalp ; Scapula ; Suppuration

The authors diagnosed a 54-year-old male as central mucoepidermoid carcinoma after undegoing clinical, radiologica l and histopathological examinations. The charateristics were as followed : 1. Clinically, the patient complained of the painless unilateral swelling of the left mandibular molar region and had a pus discharge through the fistula. Painful nodule was palpated on the scalp of the left frontal area and it was regarde d as a metastatic lesion. 2. Plain radiographs showed the ill-defined permeative radiolucent lesion. The osteolytic lesions were also detected in the cranial bone, number 9 and 11 ribs, scapula, and vertebral bodies. 3. The mandibular CT and PNS MRI showed the swelling of the left mandible and the enlargement of the several lymph node s of 1.5 cm in size. 4. Histopathologically, many solid epidermoid type cells were mixed with mucus-secreting cells and they were arranged i n duct-like structure. Most of them were epidermoid type, which indicates a high grade tumor. Mucins could be found in mucicarmine staining.
Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid* ; Fistula ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mandible* ; Middle Aged ; Molar ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ribs ; Scalp ; Scapula ; Suppuration

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study OBJECTIVES: Contralateral undercutting laminoplasty via a unilateral laminotomy has been performed instead of bilateral partial laminectomy in lumbar spinal stenosis. This study compared the radiographic and clinical results of undercutting laminoplasty with bilateral partial laminectomy. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Less invasive surgery has become attractive for minimizing soft tissue injury and reducing the recovery time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty five patients, who underwent decompressive surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis and were followed-up more than one year, were enrolled in this study. Unilateral undercutting laminoplasty and bilateral partial laminectomy was performed in 13 and 12 cases, respectively. The blood loss was compared and the presence of instability was observed. The increase in dural cross sectional area was measured in the preoperative and postoperative CT scans. In the clinical assessment, the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) to pain was used. RESULTS: The average blood loss per segment was 273 ml and 436 ml in the laminoplasty and laminectomy group. There was no case of instability after surgery but there was a significant difference in the increase in dural cross sectional area between the two groups: 109.7 mm2 and 78.6 mm2 in the laminoplasty and laminectomy group, respectively. The preoperative and final change in the ODI and VAS scores was similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Unilateral undercutting laminoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure with less blood loss than the conventional technique and is equally effective.
Humans ; Laminectomy ; Retrospective Studies ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Spinal Stenosis

The multifactorial hypothesis is proposed as a working hypothesis which encompass both the genetic and environmental factors known to participate in the etiology of congenital heart malformations. So, it is believed that avoidance of suspected environmental factors in early pregnancy is the most certain preventive measure of congenital heart malformations. This study has been undertaken in order to find the possible environmental risk factors for congenital heart malformations in Korea. A total of 114 mothers of first graders of the elementary schools with congenital heart malformations confirmed through the screening program in Kyonggi Province from 1992 to 1995 were included as cases. And 206 mothers of healthy students matched by sex and elementary schools comprised the control group. Environmental risk factors including drug use during the first trimester of pregnancy, and other confounders were collected by telephone interview using standardized questionnaires by well trained interviewers. The result of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that congenital heart malformation were associated with family history of congenital heart malformations(OR=2.94, 95% CI: 1.08, 7.96), the order of birth(OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.31, 0.79). And the coffee consumption over 14 cups/week during early pregnancy showed marginal significance(OR=3.52, 95%CI: 0.98, 12.62). The mother's age at the subject birth and father's smoking at home were significant in linear trend test(p<0.05). It is recommended that the genetic counselling and the avoidance of known environmental risk factors in early pregnancy were needed to prevent congenital heart malformations.
Case-Control Studies* ; Coffee ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Heart* ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Mothers ; Odds Ratio ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: In vitro studies have revealed that treatment of various human cancer cell lines with specific cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors induces apoptotic cell death. The goal of this article is to investigate the benefits of combining COX-2 inhibitors with existing treatment modalities in the management of ovarian cancer. METHODS: In this study we sought to determine the effects of combining paclitaxel and the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib on apoptosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells. SK-OV-3 cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of paclitaxel (10(-7) M, 10(-6) M and 10(-5) M) and celecoxib (10(-8) M, 10(-7) M, 10(-6) M, 10(-5) M and 10(-4) M) as well as a combination of both drugs. The activity of apoptosis was evaluated by the morphologic examination and the MTT assay. The pattern of apoptosis was also assessed by the caspase-3 activity and the fraction of cleaved PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase) protein. RESULTS: Single application of both drugs could significantly increase the rate of apoptosis after 24 hours of continuous exposure. But concomitant treatment of SK-OV-3 EOC cell line with paclitaxel and celecoxib resulted in marked impairment of paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. The pattern of apoptosis induced by paclitaxel on SK-OV-3 EOC cell line was caspase-3 independent. CONCLUSION: Combining COX-2 inhibitors and paclitaxel does not have an additive or synergistic tumoricidal effect. On the contrary, celecoxib treatment markedly inhibited the apoptotic effects of paclitaxel in SK-OV-3 EOC cell line.
Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose ; Apoptosis* ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Cell Line* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Paclitaxel ; Celecoxib

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to estimate the accuracy of diagnosing a radio-lucent soft tissue foreign body with using ultrasound according to the different sizes and depth of the foreign bodies in an experimented model. METHODS: In the forefeet of swine, we made 45 incisions (4 in each forefeet) of 2 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm sized toothpicks at depths of 1 cm, 2 cm and 3 cm each. 15 incisions without foreign bodies were cannulated, simulating damage to the soft tissue made by a non captured foreign body. The twelve emergency physicians kept records not only for the presence or absence of a foreign body, but also for the depth of it. We then calculated the sensitivity, specificity, PPV (positive predictive value) and NPV (negative predictive value) according to the sizes of the toothpicks and the depths. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of all the depths and sizes were under 80%. The results of the staff and residents were not significantly different. The result of a 3 cm depth was especially poor. CONCLUSION: In our model, ultrasound performed by emergency physicians was neither sensitive nor specific for diagnosing a soft tissue foreign body of various sizes and depths.
Emergencies ; Foreign Bodies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Swine

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinical and radiographic differential diagnosis between ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) using clinical data, plain radiographs, and CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 cases of ameloblastoma and 44 cases of OKC diagnosed in biopsy, were selected from the files stored in Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Seoul National University Dental Hospital from 1999 to 2001, and evaluated using following criteria: sex and age, location, shape, border to normal bone tissue, effect to adjacent tissues, homogeneity in the lumen of the lesion, response of the cortical bone, long-to-short length (L/S) ratio of the lesion, and expansion angle of the cortex. RESULTS: Ameloblastoma and OKC were seen most frequently in third decades and no statistical significance was noted between both sexes. Ameloblastoma occurred most frequently in mandibular angle and ramus area (68%) and OKC at the maxillary molar (34.1%), and mandibular angle and ramus area (43.2%). The root resorption of the adjacent teeth, mandibular canal displacement, and the impaction of teeth were seen more frequently in ameloblastoma than in OKC. The L/S ratio measured in CT was largest in maxillary OKC cases, followed by mandibular ameloblastoma, and mandibular OKC (1.2, 1.8 and 2.4 respectively). The expansion angle of the cortex shows a statistically significant difference between ameloblastoma (48.8degrees) and OKC (31.5degrees). CONCLUSION: The numeric morphology (L/S ratio) and expansion angle of the cortical bone of the lesion measured in computed tomography can be used to differentiate the ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst.
Ameloblastoma* ; Biopsy ; Bone and Bones ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Molar ; Odontogenic Cysts* ; Root Resorption ; Seoul ; Tooth

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinical and radiographic differential diagnosis between ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) using clinical data, plain radiographs, and CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 cases of ameloblastoma and 44 cases of OKC diagnosed in biopsy, were selected from the files stored in Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Seoul National University Dental Hospital from 1999 to 2001, and evaluated using following criteria: sex and age, location, shape, border to normal bone tissue, effect to adjacent tissues, homogeneity in the lumen of the lesion, response of the cortical bone, long-to-short length (L/S) ratio of the lesion, and expansion angle of the cortex. RESULTS: Ameloblastoma and OKC were seen most frequently in third decades and no statistical significance was noted between both sexes. Ameloblastoma occurred most frequently in mandibular angle and ramus area (68%) and OKC at the maxillary molar (34.1%), and mandibular angle and ramus area (43.2%). The root resorption of the adjacent teeth, mandibular canal displacement, and the impaction of teeth were seen more frequently in ameloblastoma than in OKC. The L/S ratio measured in CT was largest in maxillary OKC cases, followed by mandibular ameloblastoma, and mandibular OKC (1.2, 1.8 and 2.4 respectively). The expansion angle of the cortex shows a statistically significant difference between ameloblastoma (48.8degrees) and OKC (31.5degrees). CONCLUSION: The numeric morphology (L/S ratio) and expansion angle of the cortical bone of the lesion measured in computed tomography can be used to differentiate the ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst.
Ameloblastoma* ; Biopsy ; Bone and Bones ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Molar ; Odontogenic Cysts* ; Root Resorption ; Seoul ; Tooth