No abstract available.
Osteoporosis*

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
Liver*

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Anticardiolipin* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) an lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with refractory lateral epicondylitis were treated with shock waves. The patients were evaluated by assessing of pain using visual analog scale (VAS) and a simple elbow test (SET). Overall clinical outcomes were evaluated using Roles and Maudsley scores at 12 months after ESWT. RESULTS: Significant symptom improvement were observed in 20 (83%) patients at the 12 months follow up according to the Roles and Maudesley scores. Average SET and VAS scores were also significantly improved after ESWT (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that shock waves therapy could be considered as an effective and noninvasive treatment modality for refractory lateral epicondylitis of the elbow.
Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Shock ; Tennis Elbow* ; Tennis* ; Visual Analog Scale

Segmental neurofibromatosis is a rare disorder characterized by cafe-au-lait spots and neurofibrobmas, or only neurofibroma, limited to one region of the body. Disease-associated systemic involvement is uncommon. Most patients with segmental neurofibromatosis do not have a family history of neurofibromatosis. In Korea, there have been 3 reported cases of segmental neurofibromatosis. None of them had caf6-au-fait spots, systemic involvement, or family history. This report describes a case of segmental neurofibromatosis in a 25-year-old woman who had Becker's nevus-like cafe-au-lait spots and this was linked to the presence of Fanconi's syndrome in a second degree relative of the patient.
Adult ; Cafe-au-Lait Spots ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1

Repairing of lacrimal canalicular laceration has some controversies on the golden time of surgery, the suture method, and the materials for stent. Recently, intubation of silicone tubes has become popular for repair of lacrimal canalicular injuries. Thirty-two cases of injured lacrimal canaliculi were repaired with use of silicone tube stents. The surgery can be done with monocanalicular(10 patients) or bicanalicular(22 patient) methods. The follow-up period was from two to eighteen months(mean ten months). Seven cases using the monocanalicular method and nineteen cases using the bicanalicular method were successful. Three cases of monocanalicular method had epiphora with canalicular obstruction due to early loss of the silicone tube. In monocanalicular method, postoperative complications were punctal granuloma(1 case), punctal slits(2 cases), and early loss of the silicone tube(3 cases). In bicanalicular method, postoperative complications were persistent epiphora during the period of intubaion(4 cases), conjunctival irritation sign(3 cases) and loop retraction(1 case). In conclusion, the success rate of bicanalicular stents were higher than that of monocanalicular stents for canalicular laceration. But the bicanalicular stent had some complications including cosmetic problem, possibility of injuries to the normal canaliculus during intubation, conjuntival irritation sign, and loop retraction.
Follow-Up Studies ; Intubation* ; Lacerations ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Postoperative Complications ; Silicones* ; Stents ; Sutures

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor (TGF)- has a large variety of biological functions, including the modulation of inflammation and the immune system, and is presumed to play important roles in repairing wounds and reducing scarring. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of TGF-1 on healing wounds and reducing scarring. We have also analysed the ability of the hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ) liposome mediated antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to specifically inhibit wound-induced expressions of TGF-1 proteins and mRNA in the rat skin. METHODS: Skin wounds were created on the backs of 80 anesthetized rats. The first group of wounds, as the controls, was unmanipulated. The second group of wounds, as positive controls or an excessive scarring model, was injected with TGF-1 subcutaneously. The third group of wounds was injected with anti-TGF-1 antibody subcutaneously. The fourth group of wounds was injected with HVJ liposome mediated antisense ODNs for TGF-1 subcutaneously. The wounds of all groups were bisected and analysed histologically 5, 10, 15, 30, and 50 days after the wounds were made. RESULTS: All control wounds (TGF-1 or no injection) healed with scarring, whereas the wounds treated with the antibody or antisense ODNs healed with less scar formation compared to the control group. The wounds treated with the antibody or antisense ODNs had fewer macrophages, less collagen and fibronectin contents than the other wounds. Northern blotting and in situ hybridization analysis showed that wound sites treated with HVJ liposome mediated antisense ODNs for TGF-1 exhibited decreased levels of TGF-1 mRNA after injury. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest an important new approach to controlling scarring in normal wound healing, complementing the practice of adding exogenous growth factors to chronic wounds in the attempt to inhibit collagen deposition.
Animals ; Blotting, Northern ; Cicatrix* ; Collagen ; Complement System Proteins ; Fibronectins ; Genetic Therapy* ; Immune System ; In Situ Hybridization ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Liposomes ; Macrophages ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides ; Oligoribonucleotides ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger ; Sendai virus ; Skin ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factors ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

Coagulants have been used for a long time to promote the hemostasis during operation. We have carried out the study to see the effect of the thromboplastin preparation. Thrombokinase, on the coagulation mechanism, thrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, Ca++, and operation time and amount of bleeding in the twenty patients undergoing laminectomy or femur fracture operation. The patients were divided into two groups, in the control group(n=10), disllied water 20ml, and in the Thrombokinase group(n=10), 20ml of Thrombokinase(4 amles) was administered intravenously during 5 minutes. The results were as follows: 1) Prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were significantly prolonged in the control group compared to the Thrombokinase group(p<0.05). 2) In the Thrombokinase group, the duration of operation was shorter and the amount of blood loss was less than in the control group, but there was no significant statistical difference(p>0.05).3) There was no change in either blood pressure or pulse rate and also no side reaction during or after the Thromobkinase injection.
Blood Coagulation* ; Blood Pressure ; Coagulants ; Factor Xa* ; Femur ; Heart Rate ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Prothrombin Time ; Thrombin Time ; Thromboplastin* ; Water

Pain is a sensory experience that is subjective and individual. It frequently exceeds its protective function and becomes destructive. We have met one case of causalgia, three cases of Buergers disease, and one case of arteriosclerosis obliterance. They sufferred from persistent pain and exkausted with the marked distrophy of affected limbs. Management of these patient involving lower limbs is a continuing challenge. Many other therapheutic procedures could be tried for these patients, but we tried chemical lumbar sympathectomy for these cases. With respect to the lower extremity, four patients had neurolysis of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ipsilateral or 2nd and 3rd bilateral lumbar ganglia using 3 to 5 ml pure alcohol for each space under the image intensifier. Immediately after these procedure, rest pain has relieved dramatically in most cases and marked skin temperature rising. This implied increased peripheral blood flow of sympathectomised portion and the relief of rest pain is probably explained by destrcution of the afferent pain fibres running with the sympathetic trunk.
Arteriosclerosis ; Causalgia ; Extremities ; Ganglia ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Running ; Skin Temperature ; Sympathectomy* ; Thromboangiitis Obliterans