BACKGROUND: Hydrops fetalis is defined as abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in two or more fetal compartments, and this malady is known to be associated with various pathologic conditions. METHODS: We collected 149 cases of hydrops fetalis out of 2,312 autopsies, and we tried to elaborate the underlying causes of hydrops fetalis. The diagnosis was based on the material from either antenatal termination or intrauterine death. RESULTS: The relative incidence of hydrops fetalis was 6.44% of all the pediatric autopsies we performed. The gestational age was evenly distributed from 18 to 33 weeks, except for 30 to 31 weeks. There was no sex difference in the incidence of hydrops fetalis. The main causes were cardiovascular diseases (30.9%), cystic hygroma (13.4%), chromosomal anomaly (8.05%), thoracic conditions (7.38%), followed by urinary tract malformation (4.03%), infection (4.03%) and anemia (3.36%). The most common chromosomal anomaly was Turner syndrome and the second one was Down syndrome. CONCLUSION: Since various conditions can be the cause of hydrops fetalis, pathologists should pay attention to elaborate the underlying causes in every single autopsy.
Anemia ; Autopsy* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Edema* ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Hydrops Fetalis* ; Incidence ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Sex Characteristics ; Turner Syndrome ; Urinary Tract

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a hereditary condition characterized by fragility of bone, deafness, blue sclera, laxity of joints and a tendency to improvement with age. Authors experienced osteogenesis imperfecta that develped over 3 generations in one pedigree. A 28 years old female exhibited severe anterior bowing deformity of left tibia. She has a past history of many times of bone fractures. She was treated with corrective osteotomy, plate fixation for correction of bowing deformity of left tibia and medullary nailing with fibular graft for paeudarthrosis of Rt. forearm bone.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Deafness ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Forearm ; Fractures, Bone ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta ; Osteogenesis ; Osteotomy ; Pedigree ; Sclera ; Tibia ; Transplants

Beta-fluoroethylacetate has been extensively used as the rodenticide in Korea. In some patients with acute poisoning, beta-fluoroethylacetate caused cerebellar dysfunction as a single and persistent neurologic sequela after a period of an acute neurological disorder which is characterized by mental deterioration, seizures, and respiratory failure. But there has been no report of pathological findings to explain neurological deficit. We tried to verify the histologic changes of the central nervous systems in beta-fluoroethylacetate poisoned rats. Silver staining(Gallyas) was used to evaluate the histology. In acute intoxication experiment with LD50(7mg/Kg), beta-fluoroethylacetate elicited acute onset of consciousness deterioration, generalized tonic-clonic seizures and large amplitude tremulous activity involving whole body with full recovery after 24 hours. There was no discernible pathologic change in CNS in acutely poisoned rats. However, when poisoned with sublethal dose(5mg/Kg) daily for five days, a moderate degree of nerve cell degeneration was found selectively in dentate nucleus, Purkinie cell layer, vestibulo-cochlear nucleus and striatum. This change was not seen in hippocampus, cerebral cortex or cerebellar cortex. These findings were well correlated with the previous reports of selective pathology in human 5-FU intoxication cases. Our preliminary results suggest that beta-fluoroethylacetate, a kind of cellular metabolism inhibitor may induce selective neuropathology mainly involving cerebellar output pathway in rats.
Humans ; Rats ; Animals ; Poisons

PURPOSE: To evaluate the causative factors of the false positive CT findings of parametrial invasions of cervial cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we analysed 17 parametria of 14 patients with the diseases staged over lib on CT, but confirmed to be under stage Ila on pathology. The CT findings were retrospectively reviewed, and compared with pathologic findings. RESULTS: The causes of false postive diagnosis of parametrial invasions on CT were prominent cardinal ligaments (n=12), vaginal fornix(n=3), and prominent uterine vessels(n=2). CONCLUSION: Familiarity with these CT finding may be helpful in avoiding false positive diagnosis of parametrial invasion in patients with uterine cervical carcinoma.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Pathology ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Retrospective Studies

Urethral prolapse is a circular eversion of the mucosa at the urethral meatus. It occurs in premenarchal and postmenopausal patients. We report a case of female urethral prolapse in a 79 years old female.
Adult* ; Aged ; Female* ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Prolapse*

Cubitus varus deformity is the most common angular deformity resulted by supracondylar fractures in children. Although, this deformity rarely limit elbow function, the correction is frequently requested due to cosmetic problem. The normal carrying angle can be restored by supracondylar osteotomy. Previous reports controversy over the cause of the deformity, the necessity and timing of operative correction, the operative technique itself, and the attendant risks. We performed 18 lateral closing wedge osteotomies with French technique(10 cases), and Sherman plate fixation(8 cases) by posterolateral approach from January 1978 to December 1988 at Chosun University Hospital. The results were as follows: 1. The most common cause of cubitus varus was suprcondylar fracture of the humerus(88.9%). 2. The results of supracondylar osteotomies were excellent is 8 cases(44.8%), good in 7 cases (38.9%), poor in 3 cases(16.7%). 3. The varus and rotational deformities were corrected by modified French method and Sherman plate fixation after lateral closing osteotomy. 4. In case of plate fixation, good results were obtained even older cases because of reducing time of extermal immobilization and promotion early joint exercise.
Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Elbow ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Joints ; Methods ; Osteotomy

Early stage osteonecrosis of femoral head is a major therapeutic dilemma in orthopedics. Many joint preserving treatment modalities have been proposed, but none of them is entirely satisfactory. Among them, core decompression has been widely performed. The results of twenty two core decompression procedures that were performed for osteonecrosis of the femoral head in fifteen patients were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedure. From January 1990 to December 1993, we had treated twenty two cases of the osteonecrosis of femoral head. The average follow-up was 31 months, ranging from 12 months to 58 months and the average age at operation was 39.6 years, ranging from 21 to 58 years. By Ficat-Arlet stage, the stages I were 1 case,IIa 6 cases, IIb 7 cases and III 8 cases. The functional and radiological evaluation was done preoperatively and at final follow up by the Harris Hip score and Ficat stage. The results were as follows. The improved cases were 10 cases and the progressed were 12. Radiologically, none of 1 hip(0%) with stage I, two of 6 hips(33%) with stage IIa, four of 7 hips(57%) with stage IIb, and six of 8 hips(75%) with stage III have progressed. Mean preoperative Harris Hip score was 57 points and it improves to 69 (the improved 13 cases; 85, the progressed 9; cases; 49)at final follow up. In six of the progressed 9 cases, the arthroplasties were performed. Among them, five cases are being observed. In conclusion, the core decompression is not only highly effective in preventing further change in femoral head, but also relieving pain and delaying time for arthroplasty at late stage osteonecrosis of femoral head.
Arthroplasty ; Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Joints ; Orthopedics ; Osteonecrosis ; Retrospective Studies

Tumor and tumor-like lesion of the patella are extremely rare. The following have been reported: giant cell tumor; osteoblastoma; osteoid osteoma; chondroblastoma; solitary osteochon droma; chondroma; ganglion; simple bone cyst; aneurysmal bone cyst; hyperparathyrodism (brown tumor); malignant lymphoma; haemangioendothelioma; haemangima; primary osteosarcoma; plasmocytoma and metastases. Chodroblastoma in patella were very rare and first repoted by Jerone Cohren in 1963. On review of our literatures, we could not find reported case in Korea. The purpose of this paper is to present an unusual case of chondroblastoma of the patella.
Aneurysm ; Bone Cysts ; Chondroblastoma* ; Chondroma ; Ganglion Cysts ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Korea ; Lymphoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoblastoma ; Osteoma, Osteoid ; Osteosarcoma ; Patella* ; Plasmacytoma

No abstract available.
Protein-Losing Enteropathies

Henoch-Schonlein purpura is a common pediatric disease presenting most frequently with skin, gastrointestinal, joint and renal manifestations. But in cases are infrequently only severe gastrointestinal manifestations. It is hard to diagnose promptly and exactly. Clinical manifestations and laboratory findings were observed and analyzed in 20 cases with Henoch-Schonlein purpura which were considered as acute abdomen, hospitalized at Kyung Hee university Hospital during the period from December, 1982 to September, 1992. The following results were obtained; 1) The age distribution of Henoch-Schonlein purpura had a peak incidence between 7 to 9 year old. And male preponderance was observed with male to female ratio of 2.33 to 1. 2) The most prevalent season for the initial presentation of Henoch-Schonlein purpura was in fall: in 10 cases (50%). 3) The frequency of each type of clinical manifestations showed 20 (100%), 20 (100%), 18 (90%), 8(40%) cases for skin, gastrointestinal, joint and renal manifestation respectively in order of frequency. 4) The common previous illness were URI, 40 cases (50%) and allergy, 2 cases (10%). 5) The onset time of skin manifestation from admission were 1 to 4 days (75%0, 5 to 8 days (15%), 9 to 12 days (10%) explolaparotomies were done the last 2 cases. 6) In all cases, X-ray study (100%), abdominal sono (50%), Meckels scan and colon study (5%) respectively were done. 7) Hematologically leukocytosis over 10,000/mm3 was observed in 80% of cases and increase in ESR over 20 mm/hr in 65% of cases. Coagulation studies, immunologic and complement level revealed the result within normal range in most of the cases. 8) Among 8 cases with renal involvement, all cases had both hematuria and proteinuria. 9) Most cases were recovered within 4 weeks but in 4 cases, renal biopsies were done because of relapse. The results were Meadow classification grade I (1 case), II (1 case), IVa (2 cases). After renal biopsy, steroid pulse therapy was started.
Abdomen, Acute* ; Age Distribution ; Biopsy ; Child ; Classification ; Colon ; Complement System Proteins ; Female ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Joints ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Proteinuria ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Recurrence ; Reference Values ; Seasons ; Skin ; Skin Manifestations