BACKGROUND: We described a surgical method for osteosynthesis and reported the resultant strength after application of a PHILOS plate through the anterolateral approach for the treatment of fractures of the distal humerus. METHODS: Between February 2010 and March 2012, open reduction and internal fixation operations with the PHILOS plate for treatment of fracture of the distal humerus were performed on a total of nine patients (five men, four women). The mean age was 40.8 years (range, 24-50 years), and the average follow-up period was 9.1 months (range, 6-15 months). Clinical evaluations were performed 6 months after the operation. Clinical assessment included determination of the range of motion of the elbow, the Mayo and Oxford elbow scores, and any postoperative complications. RESULTS: Fracture union was noted in all patients, with an average period of 12.4 weeks. The average Mayo elbow and Oxford elbow scores were 87.2 (of a total of 100) and 43.3 (of a total of 48), respectively. For the postoperative range of motion of the elbow, all patients showed complete recovery to the preoperative range of motion. No other conditions, such as neurolepsis, plate breakage, or rotational deformity, were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Open reduction and internal fixation of distal humerus fractures with a PHILOS plating system via anterolateral approach can be effective. A high rate of union with good outcomes can be assumed.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; Humerus* ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; Range of Motion, Articular

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the changes in thalamic volumes in subjects at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. Subjects manifest changes which are similar to but different from those found in subjects with schizophrenia, and thalamic structural changes were often reported in schizophrenic subjects. METHODS: Thalamic volumes of 29 UHR subjects, 31 subjects with schizophrenia and 29 healthy controls, were measured from their T1-weighted coronal magnetic resonance (MR) images using manual tracing. RESULTS: UHR subjects showed greater right (6.243+/-0.848 cm3) and total (12.254+/-1.532 cm3) thalamic volumes compared to healthy control subjects (right thalamic volume=5.527+/-0.715 cm3, total thalamic volume=11.058+/-1.490 cm3) or patients with schizophrenia (right thalamic volume=5.855+/-0.938 cm3, total thalamic volume=11.513+/-1.784 cm3). The difference was significant for right (F=5.837, p=0.004) and total (F=4.217, p=0.018) thalamic volumes after intracranial volume had been accounted for as a covariate in ANCOVA. However, thalamic volume of subjects with schizophrenia showed no significant difference from controls. This difference was not affected by the presence of major depressive disorder or the magnitude of psychotic symptoms. Those among the UHR subjects taking antipsychotic agents did not show enlarged thalamic volume compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the possibility of a volumetric alteration of the thalamus characteristic of the UHR state.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Thalamus

The radiofrequency has been used for percutaneous cordotomy in patient having intractable pain. Recently the use of this radiofrequency has been extended to include other neurosurgical procedures, which in the past were done with chemical agents or mechanical methods etc. We treated one case of trigeminal neuralgia with the radiofrequency. The gasserian ganglion was punctured through the foramen ovale using a modified Hartel technique and the radiofrequency lesion was made in the second and third branches of the right trigeminal nerve selectively. The postoperative result was satisfactory. We reviewed the literature and described the technical procedures and complications.
Cordotomy ; Foramen Ovale ; Humans ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Pain, Intractable ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; Trigeminal Nerve ; Trigeminal Neuralgia*

Ischemic colitis is the most common vascular disorder of intestines, and usually affects older patients. Many predisposing conditions have been implicated in the pathogenesis of colonic ischemia, although many occurrences are spontaneous in nature. Ischemic colitis can induce a wide spectrum of radiological or endoscopic features, depending on the site, extend, and timing of its onset. The coexistence of colonic ischemia with carcinoma of large bowel is well documented. However It is less well recognized that a localized segment of ischemic colon can mimic a carcinoma. Here, we report a case of ischemic colitis mimicking colon cancer in a 66 year-old man.
Aged ; Colitis, Ischemic* ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Intestines ; Ischemia

No abstract available.
Headache* ; Humans

Solid and papillary neoplasms of the pancreas, a rare tumor usually found in young female patients, seldom presents with metastasis since it is a tumor with low potential for malignancy. The prognosis for this lesion is much more favorable than that for other pancreatic neoplasms. In an attempt to understand the characteristics and prognosis of this lesion, we reviewed twenty cases treated at the Department of Surgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University from 1985 to 1994. The mean age of the patients was 25.6 years (range: 13 to 39 years), and 19 (95%) were women. Chief complaints were palpable mass (50%), pain (45%), and indigestion(5%). In laboratory studies, tumor markers, including CEA, CA125, CA19-9, and aFP were studied in eight patients, and found negative. Other laboratory findings were also nonspecific. These tumors may occur anywhere in the pancreas. In our studies, the tumor was most often located in the tail (45%), and the head (40%) of the pancreas. These were treated by distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy (55%), Whipple's operation (20%), pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (10%), enucleation (10%) or excision (5%). Significant morbidity or mortality was not observed during hospitalization, and no recurrence or malignant degeneration occurred during the mean follow-up period of 4 years (range: 1 month to 9 years). In conclusion, this study has suggested that the patients with a solid and papillary neoplasm of the pancreas have a good prognosis for successful treatment, if the disease is diagnosed early and the tumor is completely resected. A higher index of suspicion, and more aggressive diagnostic workups are needed in dealing with this disease entity.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Papillary/diagnosis/*pathology/surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Male ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/diagnosis/*pathology/surgery

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis is an uncommon inflammatory disease of the gall baldder characterised by a focal or diffuse destructive inflammatory process. The pathogenesis is uncertain, but an inflammatory response to extravasated bile due to acute inflammation and obstruction is likely. Macroscopically, the gall bladder wall is invariably thickened, and extensive adhesions to adjacent organs are frequent. Clinically, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis can mimic gall bladder carcinoma and radiologic differential diagnosis is extremely difficult. Fistula to skin and duodenum was reported. We report the first case of cholecysto-colonic fistula due to xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis.
Bile ; Cholecystitis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Duodenum ; Fistula* ; Inflammation ; Skin ; Urinary Bladder

Central venous stenosis is a relatively common complication in hemodialysis patients; however, jugular venous reflux (JVR) and increased intracranial pressure are rare, and associated progressive visual disturbance was reported in only a few cases. Here, we report a case of JVR with visual disturbance and increased intracranial pressure. Notably, the MRI was accompanied by a dilatation of the superior ophthalmic vein, which was mistaken for a cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (CSdAVF). The patient had JVR on time-of-flight MR angiography (TOF-MRA) and severe stenosis of the left brachiocephalic vein on conventional angiography. After balloon angioplasty for central venous stenosis, he was discharged after improvement of his visual disturbance. Although JVR due to central venous stenosis and CSdAVF might show similar symptoms, treatment plans are different. Therefore, it is important to distinguish radiologically based on a thorough review of MRI and TOF-MRA and confirm the central venous stenosis on cerebral angiography for the accurate diagnosis.

PURPOSE: Carpal tunnel decompression using the limited one incision technique in carpal tunnel syndrome is difficult to evaluate in terms of postoperative improvement and complications. We analyzed the clinical efficacy by defining the effect of decompression after carpal tunnel release using the modified limited proximal one-incision technique. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Symptoms and signs (pain, paresthesia, Phalen test and Tinel sign) were analyzed in 35 patients, 63 hands, which were followed up for a year or more, among patients who had been operated upon using the limited proximal one-incision technique from January, 1994 to June, 1999. RESULT: Pain was relieved two weeks after the operation. Paresthesia, two-point discrimination, Phalen test, and Tinel sign improved progressively postoperativley. According to the Cseuz criteria, 53 hands (84%) were estimated to degreesgood "12 months after operation. CONCLUSION: The carpal tunnel can be released using a limited proximal one-incision technique, has few complications and produces results comparable with standard classical decompression or the endoscopic carpal tunnel release. Patient satisfaction was good at 12 months postoperatively. We suggest that carpal tunnel syndrome requires long-term follow-up and analysis.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Decompression* ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Paresthesia ; Patient Satisfaction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many people have been concerned about voice change after laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP). A number of studies reported acoustic changes after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and LAUP. However, there have not been any reports on the association between anatomic change and acoustic results after LAUP. The purpose of this study is to analyze changes in the voice and changes in the vocal tract after LAUP and to evaluate whether the anatomical changes of vocal tract have an effect on the voice change or not. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: By using CSL, we analyzed fourteen LAUP cases on the formant frequencies of six vowels (/a/, /i/, /u/, /=, /o/, /e/) and four nasal consonants (/hana/, /eomma/, /eoungga/, /chiken/). By using MR image, we analyzed changes in the vocal tract eight weeks after LAUP with preoperative findings in three cases. RESULTS: In acoustic analysis, the second formant frequencies of /u/ and /= phonation were significantly reduced postoperatively compared to those of preoperative status. In imaging study of /u/ and /=, the uvula and soft palate were contracted, so coupling was occurred between nasal cavity and oropharynx in /u/ and /= phonation and the tongue was shifted toward posterior pharyngeal wall to compensate coupling. CONCLUSION: LAUP reduced the second formant of /u/ and /=, which did not result in serious voice changes.
Acoustics* ; Nasal Cavity ; Oropharynx ; Palate, Soft ; Phonation ; Tongue ; Uvula ; Voice*