Various kinds of bone cements mixed with antibiotics have been widely used for treatment and prevention of infections, especially combined with bone defects. But bone cements have some disadvantages in that they are rather expensive and capable of incurring some complications such ss fibrosis of surrounding soft tissue or local erosion of bone, and furthermore, they must be removed after infection is controlled for bone graft to fill up the defects because they do not have properties of osteoconduction or osteoinduction. So we have come to the idea of using theoretically advantageous plaster of paris to take place of bone cements, and performed in-vitro experiment upon the effectiveness of plaster of paris pellets containing antibiotics, then obtained good results comparable to those from many experimental studies using bone cements. By this, we think that it would be possible in the future to treat and prevent infections supervening bone defects with plaster of paris mixed up with antibiotics. The results are as follows : 1. Sustained release of large amount of antibiotics from plaster of paris enough to exert inhibitory activity on abcterial growth, and there was a direct relationship between concentrations of eluted antibiotics and diameters of inhibitory zones. 2. Tobramycin was capable of inhibiting the growth of S. aureus, E. coli, and Ps. aeruginosa for 7 days at maximum. 3. Cephradine inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli but did not affect that of Ps. aeruginosa. 4. The maximum antibacterial activity wss reached within first 24 hours from the start of elution of antibiotics from plaster of paris.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bone Cements ; Bone Regeneration ; Calcium Sulfate ; Cephradine ; Fibrosis ; Tobramycin ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To report a case in which radiotherapy damaged the microvasculatures of the retinal vessels and developed cotton-wool patches and retinal hemorrage as well as rubeosis iridis and intractable neovascular glaucoma. METHODS: A 64-year-old female presented with visual loss in her left eye two years after radiotherapy for malignant melanoma of the nasal cavity. The visual acuity of her left eye was counting fingers. Although any specific signs were not shown in the cornea or lens, multiple cotton-wool patches and retinal hemorrhages were noted around the optic disc. RESULTS: Multiple cotton-wool patches and retinal hemorrhages disappeared gradually. Finally, rubeosis iridis and intractable neovascular glaucoma developed which could not be controlled by panretinal photocoagulation. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy for malignancy of the nasal cavity was associated with intractable neovascular glaucoma.
Cornea ; Female ; Fingers ; Glaucoma, Neovascular* ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Melanoma ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Cavity ; Radiotherapy ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; Retinal Vessels ; Retinaldehyde ; Visual Acuity

Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis (DNM) is a complication of oropharyngeal infections that can spread to the mediastinum. It is difficult to diagnose early because clinical and radiologic findings appear in the late stage of the infection. late diagnosis is the principal reason for the high mortality in DNM. An 18-year-old female admitted with Ludwig's angina from dental caries. Despite of combined antibiotics, dental extraction and drainge of submental abscess, infection spread to the cervical area. Chest computed tomogram revealed extension of the abscess to the pretracheal and periaortic space and development of bilateral pleural empyema. We performed bilateral cervical mediastinotomy and thoracotomy for drainage and debridement. Tracheostomy to secure the airway and postoperative pleural irrigation were performed. Postoperative course was uneventful and patient was discharged on the 40th postoperative day. It is important to perform chest CT scanning for early diagnosis of DNM when oropharyngeal infection spreads to the cervical area. Improved survival of patients with DNM implies early and radical surgical drainage and debridement via a cervical mediastinomy and thoracotomy.
Abscess ; Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Debridement ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Dental Caries* ; Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Empyema, Pleural ; Female ; Humans ; Ludwig's Angina ; Mediastinitis* ; Mediastinum ; Mortality ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tracheostomy

Although myocardial bridge is not thought to have any hemodynamic significance in most cases, some have suggested that when it produces severe systolic narrowing, ischemia or infarction may result. Myocardial bridge in adults with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may be associated with a higher incidence of sudden death, myocardial wall-motion abnormalities, and perfusion defects on thallium-201 scintigraphy. When myocardial bridge is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, it is known to affect longer segment and cause more severe compression during systole. We report a case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with myocardial bridge at the middle part of the left anterior descending coronary artery, who also showed reversible perfusion defect on the thallium scan at the same coronary territory.
Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Coronary Vessels ; Death, Sudden ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Ischemia ; Perfusion ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Systole ; Thallium

Iron deficient state occurs commonly in the athlets, and the cause may be inadequate iron intake, loss of iron from sweat, blood loss of gastrointestinal tract, and hematuria. The age of the athletes ranged from 11 to 17 years old. I messured red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and related hematologic factors in the 32 adolescent female athletes and 21 female controls. a hematologic comparison was perfomed between the athletes and controls. The results obtained were as follows: 1) A value of hemoglobin were 11.6+/-1.4g/dl in the athletes and 12:4+/-0.8g/dl in controls (p<0.05). 2) Hematocrits were 34.1+/-3.4% in the athletes and 37.4+/-2.3% in controls (p<0.05). 3)A value of red bolld cell distribution width values were 13.9+/-2.1% in the athletes and 12.2+/-1.1% in controls (p<0.05). 4) Serum iron was 87.7+/-30.3ug/dl in the athletes and 121.8+/-39.0ug/dl in controls (p<0.001). 5) Total iron binding capacity was 445:6+/-31.8ug/dl in the athletes and 384:6+/-54.2ug/dl in controls (p<0.001). 6) Mean transferrin saturation values were 19.7+/-6.9% in the athletes and 32.5+/-10.8% in control (p<0.001). 7) Ferritin was 14.5+/-10.0ng/ml in the athletes and 33.9+/-13.9ng/ml in controls (p<0.001). 8) The duration of exercise was 4.8+/-2.5 years in the stage III iron deficiency, whil 3.0+/-2.0 years in normal group in iron deficient state (p<0.05).
Adolescent* ; Athletes* ; Erythrocyte Count ; Female* ; Ferritins ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hematocrit ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Iron* ; Sweat ; Transferrin

The patient of lumbar disc herniation complains low back pain and sciatica. The intervertebral disc was degenerated by aging, the lifetime incidence of low back pain ranges from 80 to 90%, as determined by epidemiologic studies, whereas the incidence of sciatica is only 2~40%. This article was made with review of the natural history, clinical manifestations and physical examinations of lumbar disc herniation. In conclusion, a careful history and physical examination remain the key to accurate diagnosis of the cause of low back pain and/or sciatica, and very helpful adjuncts to make a diagnosis of lumbar disc herniations.
Aging ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc ; Low Back Pain ; Natural History* ; Physical Examination ; Sciatica

OBJECTS AND METHODS: In order to evaluate the relationships between drinking habits and biological and psychosocial characteristics, the authors administrated the questionnaires about drinking patterns and acute physiological and psychological responses after drinking, several psychological scales and ethanol patch test to 94 male medical students in Chosun University. RESULTS: 1) Low consumer group had significantly more severe physiological repondents after drinking in family members than high consumer group(p<.005). 2) Low consumer had significantly more severe acute physiological responses(p<.005) and high consumer group revealed more positive psychological responses after drinking(p<.005). But there was no difference in the degree of negative psychological responses between tow groups. 3) High consumer group had significantly more extroversion tedency(p<.01) and recieved more financial support from family than low consumer group(p<.01). 4) In the results of ethanol patch test. low consumer group showed more positive skin reaction in three test occasions than high consumer grou(p<.005). 5) Also the high consumer group revealed higher scores in factor 1,2,4(alpha=0.005), and 3(alpha=0.01) in comparison of factors of Korean Alcohol Use Inventory. 6) In comparison of drinking habits, low consumer group revealed higher incidence of nearly non-drinkers and sublimatory drinkers. But there were more casulal social drinkers, selcontrolled social drinkers, impusive-binge drinkers, and habitual-excessive drinkers in high consumer group(p<.005). And in drinking patterns, the items of dependence and duration of drinking, daily drinking disposition, preferential beverage, average and maximum drinking amount of each liquor, and magnitude of sips taken were higher in high consumer group. Only one item of interval between sips was longer in low consumer group(p<.005). 7) In comparison of sociodemographic variables, there were more students who were smokers(p<.01), from larger cities and small family(p<.05), and whose parents were well educated(p<.05) but had worse marital realtionship(p<.05) in high consumer group. CONCLUSEION: For better explanation of the etiology and characteristics of alcoholism, we investigated the differences in various aspects between low alcohol consumers and high alcohol consumers in college students. The most evident differences lied in the degree of acute physiological reaction and positive rates of ethanol patch test that strongly suggested the relations with the activty of ALDH. Some differences in psychosocial aspects between two groups were noticed but could not appropriately be explained at this time.
Alcoholism ; Beverages ; Drinking* ; Ethanol ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Financial Support ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Parents ; Patch Tests ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Skin ; Students, Medical ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: This study aimed to find out the difference in between the anatomic properties children with intermittent exotropia and children with orthophoria. METHODS: The intermittent exotropia group consisted of 35 patients who had an angle of deviation of more than 15 prisms. The control group consisted of 35 orthophoric children with comparable age and sex ratio. From the view of skull AP, we compared the diameter, interlateral wall distance, and intermedial wall distance of the orbital rim. Also we compared the intercanthal distance, interlateral canthal distance of eyelids, and interpupillary distance. RESULTS: The average values of interpupillary distance, intercanthal distance, and interlateral canthal distance of exotropic group were 54.23+/-1.85 mm, 34.75+/-1.66 mm, and 78.25+/-4.21 mm, respectively. Compared to those of control group, which were 53.59+/-1.21 mm, 33.56+/-1.54 mm, and 76.68+/-3.23 mm, respectively, there was no significant difference (P>0.05). The average values of the diameter, interlateral wall distance and the intermedial wall distance of the orbital rim were not significantly different between two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the anatomic properties including orbital rim size and orbital exodeviation did not seen to influence the development of intermittent exotropia.
Child ; Exotropia* ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Orbit ; Sex Ratio ; Skull

We report a case of gastro-colic fistula caused by ectopic gastric mucosa developed at transverse colon. Fistula was detected by colonofiberscopy. And fistulous tract was proved by barium enema. Meckel's diverticulum scan finding was similar to that of GI bleeding; e.g. injected radioactivity was secreted into the lumen and moved along the lumen. There was no bleeding. And there was no diverticulum in the colon. Absence of diverticular pouch may explain this unusuaal GI bleeding-like scan finding rather than focal collection of radioactivity, which is typical of ectopic gastric mucosa found in the Meckel's diverticulum. Ectopic gastric mucosa was confirmed by colonfiberscopic biopsy. We suggest GI bleeding-like pictures should be included differential diagnosis of Tc-99m-O4 (ectopic gastric mucosa or Meckel's diverticulum) scan.
Barium ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diverticulum ; Enema ; Fistula* ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Hemorrhage ; Meckel Diverticulum ; Radioactivity ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m*

The hypotensive effect of tripamide(Normonal(R)) were evaluated in 31 cases of essential hypertension. Fifteen to thirty mg of tripamide per day were administered continuously for 8 weeks. The results were as follows; 1) The systolic blood pressure was significantly lowered from 175+/-15 mmHg(Mean+/-SD) before treatment to 144+/-17 mmHg after treatment(p<0.01), and the diastolic blood pressure was significantly lowered from 106+/-11 mmHg before treatment to 90+/-12 mmHg after treatment(p<0.01). 2) The systolic blood pressure was lowered 20 mmHg or more in 25 out of 31 cases(80.7%), and the diastolic blood pressure was decreased 10 mmHg or more in 25 out of 31 cases(80.7%) at the end of 8 weeks treatement. 3) There was no significantl differences in the level of SGOT, serum cholesterol, serum electrolytes(Na+, K+, Cl-), BUN, creatinine and urinc acid before and after treatment with tripamide. 4) In most cases the subjective symptoms disappeared or became easier after tripamide treatment. 5) Profound weakness was developed in 2 cases during tripamide administration.
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Hypertension*