Effects of oral estrogen (Tibolone) on the urinary symptoms and urodynamics parameters were assessed by a double-blind prospective trial in 24 postmenopausal women. Patients were assessed subjectively and objectively before and after treatment by symptom score change, urethral pressure profiles and uroflow. There was statistical difference in the subjective response (symptom score) to treatment between the two groups (p<0.001), there was no significant urodynamic changes (p> 0.05). Although there was no significant urodynamic changes, estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women was effective to improve urinary symptoms. Careful observation with periodic follow up will be needed because of possible harmful side effects of estrogen.
Estrogens* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Urodynamics*

Primary hyperparathyroidism is not a rare disease, but only several cases have been reported in Korean literature. Recently, we experienced one case of primary hyperparathyroidism with hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, ureteral stones, skeletal abnormalities. We describe a case of primary hyperparathyroidism which was confirmed through the measurement of serum calcium and parathyroid hormone, neck CT scan, subtraction scan and surgical exploration The serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels were normalized postoperatively.
Calcium ; Child* ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Hypercalciuria ; Hyperparathyroidism ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary* ; Neck ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Rare Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ureter ; Urolithiasis*

The Authors recently experienced with a 11 years old female patient who had a cysticercus in her left inferior rectus muscle. Under the diagnosis of a conjunctival cyst, a surgical intervention was carried out. The microscopic studies revealed that as a cysticercus cellulosae. The post-operative outcomes are uneventful and the ocular functions are satisfactory, visual acuity and ocular motility as well.
Child ; Cysticercus* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Visual Acuity

Clinical Protocols ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genioplasty ; Humans ; Malocclusion ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Osteotomy

Cleft Lip ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Intention ; Maxilla ; Mouth ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Orthopedics ; Palate ; Palate, Hard ; Palate, Soft ; Prosthodontics ; Rehabilitation

Metabolic acidosis was shown to correlate with deterioration of renal function in patients with rhabdomyolysis. The present study was aimed to investigate whether the changes of type 3 Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE3), type 1 Na+/HCO3- cotransporter (NBC1), and Na+,K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit may play a role in the pathogenesis of metabolic acidosis in glycerol-induced experimental rhabdomyolysis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were deprived of fluid intake for 24 hours, and then were injected with 50% glycerol in normal saline (10 mL/kg, intramuscularly). At 24 hours after the glycerol injection, rats were sacrificed by decapitation. Control rats were injected with normal saline. The protein expression of NHE3, NBC1 and Na+,K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit was determined in the cortex of the kidney by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Following the treatment of glycerol, creatinine clearance was significantly decreased, and high anion gap metabolic acidosis developed. In the experimental group, the expression of Na+,K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit was significantly decreased in the cortex of the kidney. On the contrary, the expression of NHE3 and NBC1 was significantly increased. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed the immunoblotting data. In conclusion, the coordinate up-regulation of NHE3 and NBC1 may play an adaptive role against the metabolic acidosis in glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Acidosis ; Animals ; Creatinine ; Decapitation ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney* ; Male ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhabdomyolysis* ; Up-Regulation

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is quite difficult to comprehend and manage, of which etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms have not been fully understood. CRPS is classified as either type 1 (without any known nerve injury) or type 2 (with apparent nerve or tissue injury). Spinal cord stimulation is a restorative therapy that currently offers the best chances of obtaining long-term pain relief in CRPS patients with pain that has not responded to other treatments such as physical therapy or analgesic medications. A 45 years old male patient referred to our pain clinic due to uncontrolled pain at the middle finger for 4 years after crushing injury. He was diagnosed with CRPS type 2 and treated with medication, stellate ganglion block, thoracic sympathetic block, and pulsed radiofrequency therapy, but their effects were transient and not satisfactory. A percutaneous spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with a single quadripolar electrode was tried and the patient's finger pain was improved significantly (from VAS 10 to 2). SCS is an effective treatment for CRPS type 2 which results from crushing injury when alternative therapies fail.
Complementary Therapies ; Electrodes ; Fingers* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Clinics ; Spinal Cord Stimulation* ; Spinal Cord* ; Stellate Ganglion

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The therapeutic effect of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is usually assessed using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). However, dense lipiodol depositions can mask the enhancement of viable HCC tissue in MDCT. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) could be effective in detecting small areas of viability and patency in vessels. We investigated whether arterial enhancement in CEUS after treatment with TACE can be used to detect HCC viability earlier than when using MDCT. METHODS: Twelve patients received CEUS, MDCT, and gadoxetic-acid-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and 4 and 12 weeks after TACE. The definition of viable HCC was defined as MRI positivity after 4 or 12 weeks. RESULTS: Eight of the 12 patients showed MRI positivity at 4 or 12 weeks. All patients with positive CEUS findings at 4 weeks (n=8) showed MRI positivity and residual viable HCC at 4 or 12 weeks. Five of the eight patients with positive CEUS findings at 4 weeks had negative results on the 4-week MDCT scan. Four (50%) of these eight patients did not have MRI positivity at 4 weeks and were ultimately confirmed as having residual HCC tissue at the 12-week MRI. Kappa statistics revealed near-perfect agreement between CEUS and MRI (kappa=1.00) and substantial agreement between MDCT and MRI (kappa=0.67). CONCLUSIONS: In the assessment of the response to TACE, CEUS at 4 weeks showed excellent results for detecting residual viable HCC, which suggests that CEUS can be used as an early additive diagnosis tool when deciding early additional treatment with TACE.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology/therapy/*ultrasonography ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Contrast Media/*chemistry ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA/chemistry ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology/therapy/*ultrasonography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pilot Projects ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

The purpose of this study was about the experience of middle aged women's aging process. The qualitative research method used was the phenomenological approach. This study tried to discover meaning of life and to understand real experiences of their life and to explore the essence of middle aged women's experience of aging. Furthermore, this study tried to establish of concept of middle age women's holistic health and to help of theoretical development to improve the health. The interviewees were 12 members. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with audiotape recording done by the investigators over a period of five months. The data were analyzed Colaizzi method, new data were continuously coded into statements, cored meanings, themes, groups of themes, and categories. The data were separated into 4 categories; body change, feeling the miss, wise coping and planning the future. The group of themes belonging to 4 categories were body change, sexual change; fleeting, tiredness, attachment of the youth; acceptance, a situation as the adult, fill up the hollow feeling, management body; dying peacefully, preparing for the senior age, being ready to pass away.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aging* ; Holistic Health ; Humans ; Middle Aged* ; Qualitative Research ; Research Personnel ; Tape Recording