Tuberculous infection of the ischium is a rare condition. It is recommended that antituberculosis chemotherapy is combined with surgical intervention. The patient in this case had an abscess on his right gluteal region and he had undergone an operation without antituberculosis chemotherapy. After eight years, an abscess recurred in the same area and he was treated with surgical resection. Antituberculosis chemotherapy was administered following histopathological confirmation of tuberculosis. At 1 year postoperatively, the patient had no pain and there was no evidence of recurrence.
Abscess ; Buttocks ; Humans ; Ischium ; Pelvis ; Recurrence ; Tuberculosis

Objective: This study examined the efficacy of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm-based diagnostic assistant solutions in the interpretation of brain computed tomography (CT) by emergency medicine (EM) residents. Methods: This study included 350 patients who visited a local emergency medical center over 5 months and underwent brain CT scans. EM residents initially interpreted the patients’ scans. A second interpretation was performed using an AI algorithm-based solution. The initial and second interpretations were compared with that of a radiology physician. Results: The first interpretation by EM residents showed agreement in 318 cases (90.9%), while the second, assisted by an AI algorithm-based solution, showed agreement in 308 cases (88.0%). The first interpretation had an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 93.1%, 43.9%, and 99.7%, respectively, and the second had an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 92.0%, 39.0%, and 99.0%, respectively (P<0.001). Most of the discrepancies observed in the first and second interpretations were classified as Grade 1. Conclusion The interpretations assisted by the AI algorithm-based solution resulted in lower accuracy and higher discrepancy rates than independent interpretations by EM residents. The AI algorithm-based solution provided efficacy in accurate interpretation depending on the cases. Further study will be needed to address the weaknesses of the function and utility of AI.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of infrared thermography in the diagnosis of unilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHOD: Thirty six patients confirmed electrodiagnostically as CTS and fifteen adults with normal electrodiagnostic study were included in this study. For the thermographic diagnosis, we measured the skin temperature of the palmar area of all 5 fingers, thenar area, hypothenar area and volar area of forearm bilaterally. We compared the interside peak temperature difference between median nerve innervated area and noninnervated area in three different groups (normal control, mild CTS and moderate to severe CTS groups). RESULTS: Thermography of the CTS patients showed significant temperature differences in more than one area of the median vasomotor nerve territory, and no significant temperature difference in all the areas that were not innervated by the median vasomotor nerve. When we considered interside temperature differences of more than 0.3 degrees C as abnormal findings, the sensitivity of thermography was 2.7% and the specificity was 86.6%. With more than 0.6 degrees C as abnormal, the sensitivity was 25% and the specificity was 66.6%. With more than 1.0 degrees C, the sensitivity was 8.3% and the specificity was 73.3%. There was no significant interside peak temperature difference in all groups. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that infrared thermography has low sensitivity and specificity, which implies that it is not useful for the diagnosis of CTS.
Adult ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Electrodiagnosis ; Fingers ; Forearm ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Temperature ; Thermography

According to recent studies, the immunogenetic factors are thought to be account for a part of the etiopathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease. In Korea, there was one report on the relationship between HLA DR5, DR8, B13 and autoimmune thyroid disease. There were also several reports on a familial hereditary transmission of autoimmune thyroid disease in other countries but not in Korea. We describe the occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease that affected three members of a family through three generations. This is the first report on familial hereditary transmission of autoimmune thyroid disease in Korea. We report on an 80-year-old woman who presented with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, her 53-year-old daughter who had Graves' disease, and her 29-year-old grand-daughter who had Graves' disease. In order to identify the immunogenetic influence in these cases, HLA haplotypes & thyroid autoantibody were studied. HLA DRB3*02 was obseved in each of the patents. HLA DQB1*0301, DR11, DQB1*05031 and DR14 were observed in the two cases. However, HLA B13, DR5 and DR8 were not observed. The patients are currently undergoing follow-up using PTU, methimazole and synthyroid medication.
Adult ; Aged, 80 and over ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graves Disease ; Haplotypes ; HLA-B13 Antigen ; Humans ; Immunogenetics ; Korea ; Methimazole ; Middle Aged ; Nuclear Family ; Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study were to observe the nystagmus of normal general populations on galvanic vestibular stimulation, to set a new korean standard for galvanic vestibular stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHOD:We recruited 10 healthy adults and they were stimulated by 1,2,3 mA monaural monopolar, monaural bipolar, binaural monopolar, binaural bipolar galvanic vestibular stimulation through carbon-rubber electrode and Ag-AgCl electrode. We evaluated galvanic stimulating nystagmus and after galvanic stimulating nystagmus on sitting position through Frenzel goggle and video-nystagmography. RESULTS:We detect stimulating and after-stimulating nystagmus on 1,2,3 mA monaural monopolar, monaural bipolar, binaural monopolar, binaural bipolar galvanic vestibular stimulation. The nystagmus on galvanic vestibular stimulation was directed to the negative electrode side and after-galvanic stimulating nystagmus was directed to opposite side. The greater current, the more occurrence of nystagmus was found. We detect nystagmus mostly on monaural bipolar vestibular stimulation through carbon-rubber electrode. We thought most effective Galvanic vestibular stimulation was 2 mA monaural bipolar vestibular stimulation through carbon-rubber electrode in consideration of increased pain and discomfort on 3 mA monaural bipolar vestibular stimulation in spite of high occurrence of nystagmus. CONCLUSION:Galvanic vestibular stimulation evoked different nystagmus according to stimulation, stimulated site. We thought 2 mA monaural bipolar vestibular stimulation through carbon-rubber electrode was most effective, stable galvanic stimulation. Specifity and sensitivity of 2 mA monaural bipolar vestibular stimulation were 100%, 100% respectively. Galvanic vestibular stimulation is useful to evaluate vestibular function.
Adult ; Electric Stimulation ; Electrodes ; Humans

Henoch-Sch nlein purpura is a systemic small-vessel IgA dominant vasculitis involoving the capillaries, arterioles, or venules. It is characterized by the classic tetrad of abdominal pain, arthralgia, typical rash, and renal involvement, all of which can occur in any order and at any time over several days to weeks. The central nervous system and lungs may be involved. The gastrointestinal tract is involved in more than 50 percent of patients, manifested most commonly by abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding. And rarely may occur intussusception, bowel nerosis, perforation and intramural hematoma of the duodenum. We report a case of intramural hematoma of the duodenum with Henoch-Sch nlein purpura in 48 year old female patient which was demostrated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, abdominal CT scan, hypotonic duodenography and histologic finding of duodenal biopsy. She was treated with supportive care and improved rapidly without any serious gastrointestinal complications.
Abdominal Pain ; Arterioles ; Arthralgia ; Biopsy ; Capillaries ; Central Nervous System ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Exanthema ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Intussusception ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Purpura* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vasculitis ; Venules

Gallbladder perforation is a grave complication of acute cholecystitis, which has a high incidence of morbidity and mortality in the elderly patients. The unfavorable nature of this disease is due in part to a delay in diagnosis because of the similarity in clinical presentation of patients with uncomplicated cholecystitis and those with perforation. Although prompt surgical intervention with cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice, morbidity and mortality rates rise markedly in the elderly patient with severe systemic illness. In acute cholecystitis, percutaneous cholecystostomy is a good alternative to surgical cholecystectomy or is a temporary measure until a patient is sufficiently stable for surgery. In this report, we describe our experience of successful use of percutaneous cholecystostomy and intra- abdominal percutaneous catheter drainage for the therapy of gallbladder perforation in two patients with high surgical risk.
Abscess* ; Aged ; Catheters ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Cholecystostomy* ; Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship among the alcohol drinking history, autonomic symptom scores (ASS), and the autonomic functions measured with sympathetic skin response (SSR) and heart rate variability (HRV) of alcoholic patients, and to assess the difference between the values from the autonomic function tests of patients and normal controls. METHOD: SSR and HRV were measured in 44 patients and 26 controls. ASS and Toronto clinical neuropathy scoring system (TCNSS) scores were also assessed. For the HRV, the mean heart rate, standard deviation of the NN intervals (SDNN), total power (TP), very low frequency (VLF), low frequency (LF), and high frequency (HF) in both the supine and standing positions were evaluated. For the SSR, the onset latency and amplitude of both the palm and sole were measured. RESULTS: There were no significant relationships among the alcohol history, the TCNSS, and the results of the autonomic function tests. There were, however, significant relationships among their ASS and some values from autonomic function tests [i.e., the sole amplitudes, the SDNNs (supine), and the TPs (standing)]. There were significant differences between the sole amplitudes of the patients and controls. In HRV, there were significant differences between the patients and controls with respect to their SDNNs and TPs at a standing position. CONCLUSION: Autonomic function tests such as SSR and HRV are related to ASS, but not to alcohol history and TCNSS. Moreover, the values from the autonomic function tests of the alcoholic patients decreased, unlike the normal controls.
Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholics ; Alcoholism ; Equidae ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Skin

PURPOSE: VEGF-C and VEGF-D are angiogenetic factors, and abnormal expression of E-cadherin hasa role in the progression of gastric carcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the expression of E-cadherin, VEGF-C and VEGF-D with the presence of lymph node metastases (LNM) using cytokeratin 18 in early gastric cancer (EGC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for E-cadherin, VEGF-C and VEGF-D was performed in 49 EGC patients from March 1997 to December 2002. To evaluate the real extent of LNM, 1,562 lymph nodes from 49 patients were re-examined with the use of cytokeratin 18. RESULTS: Eleven (0.7%) LNM were newly found in 12.2% (n=6) of patients. The real LNM rate was 3.6% in mucosal invasive (m) cancer and 38.1% in submucosal invasive (sm). Stage migration was seen in three patients (6.1%). Abnormal expression of E-cadherin was detected in 36.7% of the patients and expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D was detected in 16.3% and 36.7% of the patients, respectively. Abnormal expression of E-cadherin was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation (P=0.0103) and Lauren classification (P<0.0001). There was no positive relationship of VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression with the clinicopathological findings for EGC including LNM. However, the frequency of lymph node metastases was significantly higher in patients that demonstrated abnormal expression of E-cadherin with positive immunoreactivity of VEGF-C or VEGF-D (P=0.031). CONCLUSION: In present study, we could not demonstrate a relationship between the presence of LNM and expression of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in EGC. However, VEGF-C or VEGF-D expression, in addition to the abnormal expression of E-cadherin, was correlated with the real extent of LNM in EGC.
Cadherins ; Humans ; Keratin-18 ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Deoxycholic acid (DCA) has been appeared to be an endogenous colon tumor promoter. In this study, we investigated whether DCA induces nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) activation and IL-8 expression, and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDC) inhibits this signaling in HT-29 cells. METHODS: After DCA treatments, time courses of NF-kappa B binding activity were determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Also, we performed Western blotting of I kappa B alpha to confirm NF-kappa B activation. Time and concentration courses of DCA-induced secretion of IL-8 were measured with ELISA in supernatants of cultured media from the cells. To evaluate the role of NF-kappa B, IL-8 levels were assessed after pretreatment with using phosphorothioate-modified anti-sense oligonucleotides (ODN). Moreover, DCA-induced secretions of IL-8 were measured after pretreatment with TUDC. RESULTS: DCA dose-dependently induced prominent NF-kappa B binding complexes from 30 min to 8 hr and degradation of I kappa B alpha. The secretions of IL-8 were increased with DCA (50~200 micro M) treatment in a time and dose-dependent manner. Pre-incubation of the cells with TUDC (0.1~10 micro M) for 2 hours caused significant decreases in DCA induced IL-8 secretion. However, transient transfection using p50 or p65 AS-ODN showed no effect on IL-8 secretion. CONCLUSIONS: DCA may play as a colonic tumor promoter through anti-apoptotic effect of NF-kappa B activation and IL-8 expression, and DCA-induced NF-kappa B independent IL-8 expression is inhibited by TUDC.
Blotting, Western ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Deoxycholic Acid/*pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; English Abstract ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; Interleukin-8/*metabolism ; NF-kappa B/*metabolism ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense/pharmacology ; Signal Transduction/*drug effects ; Taurochenodeoxycholic Acid/*pharmacology ; Trans-Activation (Genetics)/drug effects