The safety and efficacy of the CO2laser as a replacement for the steel scalpel is well documented in plastic surgery, but the use of the laser blepharoplasty has been controversy. This study compares and contrasts the use of the CO2 laser with conventional method in cosmetic upper eyelid blepharoplasty. Thirteen Patients underwent blepharoplasty in a paired comparison study. Four patients(Group A) underwent blepharoplasty by laser, another four patients (Group B) underwent blepharoplasty by conventional method, and the other five patients(Group C) underwent upper eyelid blepharoplasty using the laser on one eye and a conventional method on the other side. Preoperative factor(set up time, equipment), intraoperative factor(actual operation time, bleeding, visibility), postoperative factor(swelling, ecchymosis, immediate & short term result) were evaluated. The advantage of using the CO2 laser rather than the steel scalpel in blepharoplasty are less bleeding and superior intraoperative visibility. The disadvantage of using the laser compared with steel scalpel include the cost of purchasing and maintaining the laser equipment, the need for additional and extensive laser training for surgeons and assistants, and the need for two assistants rather than the one needed for scalpel surgery There were no complications with either the scalpel or the laser.
Bleeding Time ; Blepharoplasty* ; Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Ecchymosis ; Eyelids* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas* ; Matched-Pair Analysis ; Steel ; Surgery, Plastic

For many years the standard surgical treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome has been division of the transverse carpal ligament under direct vision through a palm incision. Although the effectiveness and Patient acceptability of the conventional open carpal tunnel release are good, disability from a painful palm cutaneous neuroma, and prolonged swelling are reported Endoscopic carpal tunnel release seems to result in less postoperative morbidity, and minimal serious complications. Because endoscopic carpal tunnel release leaves the overlying skin, the subcutaneous fat and the palmer fascia and its attachments to the thenar and hypothenar musculature intact its proponents maintain that their patient have less scar tenderness, quicker recovery of grip strength, and earlier to return activities of daily living and work The endoscopic approach(Agee single portal technique), which includes specific localization of the hook of hamate, flexor retinaculum and the superficial palmar arch utilizing topographical landmarks, avoids entry into Guyon's canal and common digital nerves. We experienced four cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. In four cases, patients with carpal tunnel syndrome have been performed endoscopic carpal tunnel release with minor complication.
Activities of Daily Living ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Cicatrix ; Fascia ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Neuroma ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Fat

The cytolytic activity of CD4' T cells, both human and murine, has been clearly demonstrated in the immune response to mycobacterial infection and suggested to play a significant role in the protection and immunopathology. However, Uttle is known about the differentiation of CD4' CTL. In order to address this issue, we examined the influences of some factors on the generation of CD4' CTL specific to mycobacterial antigens. After 7 days' stimulation of PBMCs from healthy tuberculin reactors with mycobacterial antigens, the cytolytic activity of purised CD4' T cells toward autologous macrophages infected with mycobacteria was measured by Cr release assay. First, we found that both of live M. tubeiculosis and soluble antigens (ST-CF) induced the cytolytic activity of CD4' T cells, although the inducibility of the former was slightly greater than the latter. Second, the cytolytic activity was maximally induced at the relatively low antigen concentration (0.2:1 bacteria:monocyte ratio or 0.5 mg/ml of ST-CF). Finally, in the presence of increasing amounts of neutralizing anti-IL-12 or anti-IFN-r MoAb, the cytolytic activity of CD4+ T cells was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that low dose of antigen, its particulate type give mycobacteria), IL-12, and IFN-r give some positive signals for the generation of CD4+ CTL.
Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; Macrophages ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tuberculin

By the human is getting older, the factors which can the reason of the aging process in the frontal region are divided, static factor and dynamic factor. the static factor is gravity, and the dynamic factor is repeatitive competition of depressosr muscles and elevator muscles. the depressor muscles are corrugator muscle, procerus muscle and orbicularis oculi muscle and the elevator muscle is frontalis muscle. Correction methods of this aging process are divided to non-surgical and surgical method. Non-surgical method are Atecoll and fat injection, and using botulinum toxin. But the effect of these method is temporary and limited, and if the skin laxity is great, this method cannot be used. Surgical methods are laser, chemical peeling, dermabrasion, classical forehead lift which is dissected superficial to galea aponeurosis or subperiosteal plane through coronal or hairline incision, and endoscopy method that the corrugator muscle and procerus muscle are transected by using endoscope, and then the posterior elevation of forehead flap is induced. the endoscopy method is the most popular method in recent years, which has the many advantages of minimal incision, less amount of bleeding and lower complication, but expensive equipment, adaptation and training period are needed. We present the result of 10 patients from May. 1996 to Jan. 1997. After the superior orbital rim exposed through upper eyelid incision, the corrugator muscle was resected while careful attention to the supraorbital n. which was located behind the orbicularis oculi muscle. A communication was made through both sided of medial canthal area, and after the procerus muscle was resected, the fat graft was inserted between them. Finally, we made periosteal incision superiorly, and subperiosteal forehead lift was done without using endoscope.
Aging ; Botulinum Toxins ; Dermabrasion ; Elevators and Escalators ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopy ; Eyelids ; Fibrinogen ; Forehead* ; Gravitation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Muscles ; Orbit ; Skin ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Clone Cells* ; Humans* ; Lymphocytes*

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) isolated from Korean patients is different in the antigenic and genomic structure of gB from the laboratory-adapted strain. To dissect the reactivity to HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) domains, each domain gene of gB of HCMV SNUCH1, Korean isolate, was amplified from the extracted DNA of the virus-infected fibroblasts with the specific primers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplified DNA was cloned into pcDNA3. Immunofluorescent staining and western blot analysis revealed that the expressed gB in mammalian cells was immunoreactive and equivalent to the naturally expressed gB in virus-infected fibroblasts. The antigenic component reactive with monoclonal antibodies, MCMVA 57, 88, and 98 appeared at the D3 domain of gB molecule, and that with MCMVA 66 and 135 at the D2b domain. Antibody titer was measured with HCMV-infected fibroblasts and the domains of gB expressed in mammalian cells. There was no correlation between the antibody titer to the whole HCMV and neutralizing antibody titer, and between the antibody titer to whole HCMV and whole gB. It was more reasonable to use whole gB than whole HCMV in the comparison with the neutralizing antibody titer. D3 was representative domain in gB molecule in the anti-gB reactivity. Conclusively it is highly recommendable to use the representing isolates in Korea and its domains for the detection of antibody or the analysis of antigen in the aspect of immunological properties and molecular structures.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Antibodies, Neutralizing* ; Blotting, Western ; Clone Cells ; Cytomegalovirus* ; DNA ; Epitopes* ; Fibroblasts ; Glycoproteins ; Humans* ; Korea* ; Molecular Structure ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Hybridomas*

No abstract available.
Clone Cells* ; Humans* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; T-Lymphocytes*

We report here three cases of Amanita virosa induced toxic hepatitis. Two of the three cases recovered but the other died 10 days after mushroom ingestion. Since the mortality of Amanita mushroom induced toxic hepatitis is very high, prompt diagnosis and aggressive therapeutic measures should be initiated as soon as possible. Our cases showed that the initial serum aminotransferase levels might not predict the clinical outcome of the patient, but that the prothrombin time (PT) seemed to be a more useful prognostic marker. Close monitoring of aminotransferase levels and PT as well as appropriate therapy are recommended. All three cases showed signs of proteinuria and we were able to characterize mixed tubular and glomerular type proteinuria at 3 or 4 days after ingestion in two cases. Among the previously reported Korean cases of suspected Amanita induced toxic hepatitis, most species could not be identified except for four cases of Amanita virosa. No cases of Amanita phalloides induced toxic hepatitis have been identified in Korea so far.
Adult ; Amanita* ; Amanitins/poisoning* ; Case Report ; Female ; Hepatitis, Toxic/urine ; Hepatitis, Toxic/etiology* ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Mushroom Poisoning/complications* ; Proteinuria/etiology