The amniotic membrane has some characteristics. First, it does not express the human leukocyte antigens, and therefore immunologic rejection is not a concern. Second, it can be obtained easily and sufficiently. Third, because it has antimicrobial properties, transplantation of the amniotic membrane has fewer risks of post-operative infection. So it is under research for the amniotic membrane transplantation in cases of sterile corneal ulcer, pterygium excision,severe chemical and thermal corneal burns, ocular surface defects, conjunctival surface reconstruction after removal of large conjunctival lesions. We have experienced a good result of amniotic membrane transplantation for the conjunctival defect resulting from conjunctival necrosis, in enucleated eye having undergone scleral graft for scleral necrosis. Therefore, we report this case with a review of the literature.
Amnion* ; Burns ; Corneal Ulcer ; HLA Antigens ; Necrosis* ; Pterygium ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Humans

Adenosquamous cell carcinoma (Ad-SCC) of the colon is rare. The pathogenesis of Ad-SCC is unclear, however, several hypotheses have been suggested. The clinical presentation and gross findings of Ad-SCC of the colon are similar to those of adenocarcinoma of the colon, but Ad-SCC has a more aggressive clinical course and a poorer prognosis. We report on two cases of Ad-SCC of the colon with obstruction; a collision-type Ad-SCC that has not only obstruction but also numerous hepatic metastases, and a composite-type Ad-SCC treated with left hemicolectomy followed by an adjuvant chemotherapy.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Humans

No abstract available.
Brain Stem* ; Brain* ; Oligodendroglioma*

PURPOSE: To assess the changes of corneal aberration in the front and rear surface measured by Pentacam(R) following cataract surgery. METHODS: Thirty-two eyes of 30 consecutive patients that underwent phacoemulsification and IOL insertion via 3 mm superotemporal corneoscleral incision were examined. The corneal aberration was measured with Pentacam(R) (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany) at 1 week and 1 month after the surgery, and these postoperative values were compared with values taken before the operation. The data were analyzed from 6 mm pupil size, using Zernike's polynomial expansion. RESULTS: In anterior corneal aberration, Z (4, -2); secondary astigmatism at 1 week postoperatively and Z (3, -3); the trefoil at 1 month postoperatively changed significantly (p<0.05). By contrast, in posterior corneal aberration, Z (2, -2), Z (2, 0), Z (2, 2), Z (3, 1), Z (4, -4), and Z (4, -2) changed significantly (p<0.05). However, there were no significant changes at 1 month postoperatively (Paired t-test). CONCLUSIONS: There were significant changes in posterior corneal aberration compared to anterior corneal aberration at 1 week postoperatively. However, the corneal aberration recovered to the preoperative level at one month after the operation. Presumably, these results might be due to the corneal edema of the incision site, caused by measuring the corneal thickness in the early phase of surgery.
Astigmatism ; Cataract ; Corneal Edema ; Eye ; Humans ; Lotus ; Phacoemulsification ; Pupil

Lentigo maligna melanoma and lentigo maligna are typically located on photo-exposed sites such as the head and neck, with the cheek being the most common site. Since lentigo maligna melanoma and lentigo maligna are found predominantly on such cosmetically-sensitive areas, it is critical to determine the exact histologic margin for maximal sparing of tissue and complete extirpation of the tumor. Since Mohs micrographic surgery has been recommended for tumors on cosmetically-sensitive locations where the tumor margin is indistinct, it appears to be a reasonable treatment modality for this type of tumor. We describe a case of lentigo maligna melanoma on the cheek, which was resected with Mohs micrographic surgery.
Cheek ; Head ; Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle* ; Lentigo* ; Melanoma* ; Mohs Surgery* ; Neck

OBJECTIVE: The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) is perhaps the most widely used and well-studied retrospective measure of childhood abuse or neglect. This study tested the initial reliability and validity of a Korean translation of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-K) among non-psychotic psychiatric outpatients. METHODS: The CTQ-K was administered to a total of 163 non-psychotic psychiatric outpatients at a university-affiliated training hospital. Internal consistency, four-week test-retest reliability, and validity were calculated. A portion of the participants (n=65) also completed the Trauma Assessment Questionnaire (TAQ), the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, and the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon. RESULTS: Four-week test-retest reliability was high (r=0.87) and internal consistency was good (Cronbach's alpha=0.88). Each type of childhood trauma was significantly correlated with the corresponding subscale of the TAQ, thus confirming its concurrent validity. In addition, the CTQ-K total score was positively related to post-traumatic symptoms and pathological dissociation, demonstrating the convergent validity of the scale. The CTQ-K was also negatively correlated with the competence and safety subscale of the TAQ, confirming discriminant validity. Additionally, we confirmed the factorial validity by identifying a five-factor structure that explained 64% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that the CTQ-K is a measure of psychometric soundness that can be used to assess childhood abuse or neglect in Korean patients. It also supports the cross-cultural equivalence of the scale.
Child ; Child Abuse ; Dissociative Disorders ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Outpatients ; Psychometrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reproducibility of Results ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Asthma*

BACKGROUND: Video assisted thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy is a safe and effective therapy for the treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with immediate symptomatic imporvement. However the degree of satisfaction may diminish with time due to cmpensatory sweating or excessive hand dryness. Therefore by comparing and assessing the degree of symptomatic improvement or compensatory sweating following sympathectomy or sympathicotomy at various levels we aim to determine the optimal level of sympathetic nerve block which will result in minimal side effects and maximal benefit. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Among 194 patients having undergone video assisted thoracic sympathectomy or sympathicotomy between January 1996 and June 1999, 137 patients who responded to either telephone interview or questionnaire were included in the current study. The patients were divided into three groups. Group I(n=61) ; patients having undergone T2,3,4 sympathectomy group II(35) ; patients having undergone T2 sympathicotomy and group III(41) ; patients having undergone limited T2 sympathicotomy which consist of block of interganglionic neuronal fiber on the third rib. The parameters studied comprised of pre- and post-operative palmar temperature change treatment satisfaction the degree of compensatory sweating or discomfort from palmar dryness postoperative complication and changes in plantar sweating. RESULT: There was no difference in age and sex among the groups and the mean postoperative elevation in palmar temperature was 21.59degrees C without any differences among the groups. Patients expressing satisfaction were 65.6%, 62.9% and 90.24% in groups I, II and III, respectively(p<0.05) Moderate to severe compensatory sweating was present in 65.6% 51.4%, and 24.39%, in group I, II, and III, respectively (p<0.05) Slight but comfortable amount of palmar humidness was expressed in decreasing order group III(41.6%) group I(24.6%) and group II(5.7%) (p<0.05) Ineffectiveness or recurrence was present in 5patients in group I(8.2%) 1 patient in group II(2.9%) and none in group III. With regards to plantar sweating decrease in sweating was expressed in 43 patients(31.4%) while similar degree of sweating in 61 patients(44.5%) and increase in sweating in another 33 patinets(24.1%). CONCLUSION: Limited T2 sympathicotomy resection of the lower interganglionic neuronal fiber of the second sympathetic ganglion on the third rib showed immediate effect in palmar hyperhidrosis and caused lesser compensatory sweating and hand dryness.
Autonomic Nerve Block ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Hand ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Interviews as Topic ; Neurons ; Postoperative Complications ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recurrence ; Ribs ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Sympathectomy