The suprapatellar plica is a remnant of the embryonic septum separating the suprapatellar pouch from the knee joint. Complete type of suprapatellar plica is rarely reported and its clinlical significance is controversial. The purpose of this study is to verify the complete type of suprapatellar plica as an important cause of anterior knee pain and to evaluate the clinical results after arthroscopic excisien of it. From September 1991 to April 1997, we studied prospectively 54 patients, 90 knees which were diagnosed as cornplete type of suprapatellar plica preoperatively. The mean age was 32 years (15-57 years) and sex distribution was 14 males and 40 females. For the preoperative diagnosis, we checked clinical symptom, past history, physical finding and plain X-ray routinely and performed bone scan, double contrast arthrogram and MRI, if necessary. All patients complained vague anterior knee pain at standing, sitting, stair climbing and exercise for long times. All 90 knees were examined arthroscopically. Among them, 80 knees had complete type of suprapatellar plica and remaining 10 knees had other findings. After all, positive predictive value of preoperative diagnosis for complete type of suprapatellar plica was 89%. Among 36 patients diagnosed as bilateral preoperatively, 33 patients(92%) were confirmed as bilateral in arthroscopic examination. After arthroscopic excision of plica, clinical results were total relief of pain in 19 knees(24%), improvement in 55 knees(69%), no change in 6 knees(7%) and none of worsening. In conclusion, complete type of suprapatellar plica should be considered as an important cause of anterior knee pain especially which is vague, intermittent and bilateral.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Sex Distribution

Ligament injuries of the knee joint are very common among competitive athletes. Acrurate assessment ot the nature of these injuries is a prerequisite for appropriate therapy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the significance of MRI findings in assesing the status of ACL tear and associated injuries. 31 cases of ACL injuries were examined and reconstructed arthroscopically from Jan. 1997 to Sep. 1997 at Kyung Hee University Hospital. 1n all cases, we reviewed preoperative physical and MRI findings and performed postoperative radiologic assessments. Results were as follows; 1. Lachman test and Pivot shift test were positive in all 31 cases but anterior drawer test was positive in 29 case,s. 2. In MRI findings, 24 cases were interpretated as complete ACL tear and / cases as inccomplete ACL tear. But these 7 cases were confirmed as complete tear in mthroscopic exanunation with careful probing of ACL fiher. 3. MRI showed associated meniscal injuries in 19 cases(61%)-14 cases(74%) at medial meniscus, 5 cases(26%) at lateral meniscus. All cases were confirmed arthroscopically. In conc1usion, physical findings are more reliable than MRI findings in diagnosing the complete ACL tear and deciding the ACL reconstruction. But MRI findings are very helpful to assess the associated injuries and plan the treatments.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Athletes ; Equidae ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; Knee Joint ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a systemic disorder which has frequent involvement of gastrointestinal tract. Non specific symptoms such as anorexia, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain are well known symptoms when the gastrointestinal tract is involved. The most feared gastrointestinal complication of systemic lupus erythematosus is lupus enteritis. The pathological change in lupus enteritis is usually a result of mesenteric vasculitis. Major complications such as intestinal bleeding and perforation may occur and sometimes result in sugery. Because of high mortality rate in case of major complications, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is very important. We experienced three patients with lupus enteritis who presented with severe abdominal pain and dirrhea. They were diagnosed by characteristic radiographical findings of small bowel series and barium study. All radiographical findings has been resolved completely with the steroid therapy. Conclusively we can induce complete remission by steroid therapy alone, if we diagnose lupus enteritis in the early period of disease course.
Abdominal Pain ; Anorexia ; Barium ; Diarrhea ; Early Diagnosis ; Enteritis* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Mortality ; Nausea ; Vasculitis

OBJECT: Accumulating evidence suggests a greater number of subcortical hyperintensities in the brain with bipolar disorder. We studied the Clinical correlates of subcortical hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Bipolar Disorder. METHODS: Magnetic resonance images of the brain were obtained for 32 patients with bipolar disorder. The presence and location of hyperintensities were assessed. We compared clinical variables between with subcortical hyperintensities and patients without them. RESULTS: Seven Patients(21.8%) had subcortical hyperintensities, but among 8 patients who were or older, 5 patients(625) had them, Age and age of onset of patients with subcotical hyperintensities were significantly older than patients without them. Psychotic symptoms were more frequent in patients with hyperintensities. Patients without hyperintesities had more familial loading. CONCLUSION: Given the limitations of the study, our results should be seen as preliminary. This study, however, provides preliminary evidence supporting the notion that the onset, clinical feature and course of some bipolar disorders of late onset may be determined by underlying subcortical abnormalities, with such abnormalities being the consequence of factors related to aging or neurodegeneration(such as impaired cerebral circulation) rather than genetic factors which predispose to early-onset bipolar disorders.
Age of Onset ; Aging ; Bipolar Disorder* ; Brain ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

No abstract available.
Leiomyosarcoma* ; Uterine Inversion*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Zinc*

Perioperative management of patients with pheochromocytoma is challenging. Accordingly, proper preoperative preparation is important. Prazosin, a selective alpha I blocker, may offer a potential advantage. This 54-year-old woman was treated with prazosin 2 mg, b.i.d. for 15 days and also with propranolol 20 mg, b.i.d. for a few days intermittently before the proposed surgery. Both symptoms and blood pressure were well controlled effectively. Induction of anesthesia was accomplished with nitrolingual spray, fentanyl 100 ug, 1% idocaine 50 mg, 2.5% thiopental sodium 200 mg, vecuronium 6 mg and 100% O2-enflurane. During the surgical and anesthetic procedure, the patient showed a reduced incidence of excessive blood-pressure variations and no arrhythmia was present except for supraventricular ectopic beats. Conclusively, we believe that careful preoperative preparation is recommended to minimize intraoperative hemodynamic dieturbances and their sequelae.
Anesthesia ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Prazosin* ; Propranolol ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide

No abstract available.

The ultimate goal of blood donor screening for anti-hepatitis C virus(HCV) antibodies is the specific exclusion of vital carriers from the blood donor population. Recently, a third-generation anti-HCV screening (Lucky HCD 3.0) and immunoblot assay (Lucky Confirm) using antigens derived from the core and different nonstructural regioris (NS3, NS4 and NS5) of the HCV vital genome were developed. To evaluate the usefulness of these assays, anti-HCV reaction patterns of the RIBA-2 and the presence of HCV-RNA detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) were examined in 180 sera, which were repeatedly positive in Abbott EIA-2, and HCV seroconversion panel sera. The reaction intensity of HCD 3.0 was higher than that of HCD 2.0. The sensitivity and positive predictive value for vital carrier state of HCD 3.0 were 98.4% and 85.4%, respectively. HCD 3.0 assay enabled the detection of the antibody response 2 weeks earlier than did other second-generation EIAs. RT-PCR testing of sera with RIBA-2-indetermihate results showed that 33.3%(10/30) had evidence of HCV-RNA. However, all of nine Lucky Confirm-indeterminate cases were negative for HCV-RNA. The sensitivity and specificity of Lucky Confirm test were 99.2% and 76.4%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 90.5% and 97.7%, respectively.
Antibodies ; Antibody Formation ; Blood Donors ; Carrier State ; Genome ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques* ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Chin*