No abstract available.
46, XY Disorders of Sex Development* ; Humans ; Male*

Authors performed angio-CT(portal &/or arterial CT) in 35 patients with various hepatic masses. We obtained portal CT in 32 and arterial CT in 13 patients. The contrast material was injected into superior mesenteric artery for portal CT and into hepatic artery for arterial CT after transfemoral cathetrization of these arteries. We concluded that portal CT was superior to other imaging modalities highly sensitive in detecting hepatic masses, especially, early hepatocellular carcinomas, daughter nodules, and subclinical metastatic hepatic malignancy, With this method, detection rate of early hepatocelluar carcinomas improved 62% in number of patients and 90% in number of masses. Detection rate of subclinical hepatic metastases improve 60% each in number of patients and in number of masses. It was also useful for the detection of portal vein invasion. Arterial CT was useful in differential of masses and in defining the characteristics of entire or part of the masses because this method revealed hemodynamic patterns more definitely.
Arteries ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hemodynamics ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Methods ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nuclear Family ; Portal Vein

Autogenous costal cartilage graft has been commonly used for reconstruction of auricular deformity. However, the risk of complication and discomfort at the donor site, as well as distortion of the graft due to morphological change in the cartilage have been serious drawbacks to this procedure. Previous studies examining the chondrogenic potential of perichondrium have suggested that perichondrium may be used as graft for cartilage reconstruction. When a perichondrial flap or a free perichondrium was used as graft, new cartilage formed appositional to the grafted perichondrium. However, the neocartilage was often irregular in shape and varied considerably in quantity. In this study, the feasibility of controlling the shape and the mass of neocartilage was investigated using coral, a porous biomaterial, as a template. A coral a template was wrapped with perichondrial flap from the ears of New Zealand white rabbits and placed into a subcutaneous pocket in the rabbits and placed into a subcutaneous pocket in the rabbit's back by incision. A total of 12 animals were used. Formation of new cartilage was later evaluated by gross and histological examination of the perichondrial flap and the coral template. New cartilage was formed in 11 animals. Immature chondrocytes were visible by 3 weeks after the surgery, and by 8 weeks the immature chondrocytes had formed a cartilage. New cartilage was formed only on the surface of the coral template. These results indicated that the shape and the mass of new cartilage may be controlled by using coral template. Therefore, the desired shape of cartilage may be achieved using a coral template of corresponding shape, and this may help in correcting subtle auricular contour defect and in correcting other structural defects that also require new cartilage formation.
Animals ; Anthozoa* ; Cartilage ; Chondrocytes ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Ear ; Humans ; Rabbits ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of terazosin in chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and compare the effect of terazosin between CPPS IIIa and IIIb. Materials end Methods: Between January 2004 and February 2005, CPPS patients, aged 45 or below, with a small size prostate (0.05). In category IIIb (n=56), the T group (n=29) showed significant improvements in all NIH-CPSI domains and the Qmax (p<0.05), but the non-T group (n=27) showed no significant improvement in the NIH-CPSI domains or the Qmax (p>0.05). Comparing both category IIIb groups, the T group showed a greater improvement in the pain score in the NIH-CPSI domains and the Qmax than the non-T group. Conclusions: Terazosin was effective in all domains of the symptom score and in the Qmax for CPPS.
Humans ; Massage ; Pelvic Pain* ; Prostate ; Prostatitis ; Quality of Life ; Ultrasonography ; Urinalysis

We experienced a case of adenocarcinoma arising in sacrococcygeal teratoma. The patient was a 52-year-old woman. She was admitted due to one month of sacral pain. She had a sacral mass since birth. On physical examination, anal fistula was present at the perianal area and pus drainage was noted. MR image showed multiple variable-sized cysts with inhomogeneous density. Resected specimen, mesuring 12.5 7.0 cm in diameter, showed multiple variable-sized cystic lesions admixed with grayish solid portion. The cysts contained mucoid material. The microscopic examination showed mature teratoma composed of cysts lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium, intestinal mucosa, mature cartilage, bone, and fat tissue. A moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma developed from the cystic area in the mass.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adult ; Cartilage ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Rectal Fistula ; Suppuration ; Teratoma*

No abstract available.
Chondrogenesis* ; Ear*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic role of a three-dimensional MR cholangiopancreatography(MRCP) over endoscopic retrograde cholangio- pancreatography(ERCP) in various extrah-epatic biliary disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRCP and ERCP were performed in 45 consecutive patients with suspected extrahepatic biliary diseases. MRCP was obtained using a reverse fast imaging with a steady-state free precession (reverse FISP : PSIF) sequences, and then images were reconstructed by standard MIP algorithm. The predictability of biliary dilatation and level of obstruction of MRCP was evaluated using ERCP as a gold standard. The accuracy distinguishing malignant from benign lesions, and overall diagnostic accuracy were compared between MRCP and ERCP. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRCP in predicting biliary dilatation were 94.6%, 75.0% and 91.1%, respectively. The level of obstruction was accurate in 87.0% with MRCP. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy MRCP and ERCP in distinguishing malignant from benign lesions were 76.2%, 87.5% and 82.2% and 71.4%, 83.3% and 77.8%, respectively. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 60.0% with MRCP and 55.6% with ERCP. CONCLUSION: 3D MRCP shows a good diagnostic value compared to that of ERCP, and can replace a ERCP.
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity

A traditional tie-over dressing may be applied to support the take of a skin graft. Although there are many advantage of this method, it has significant disadvantages, including time-consuming application. Furthermore, when the dressing is changed, the gauze becomes hard and can be stuck to the graft, causing damage and pain upon removal. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the effect of semi-occlusive dressing using polyurethane foam and film dressing(Allevyn(R), Opsite(R)) after full thickness skin graft. The authors treated 45 cases including burn scar contracture(n=38), syndactyly (n=1), absence of nipple-areolar complex(n=4), traumatic skin defect(n=1) and contact burn(n=1) with authors' method and 39 patients including burn scar contracture (n=39) with the tie-over dressing between 2000 and 2004. The patients in polyurethane foam and film dressing group ranged from 1 to 62 years of age (mean age, 15.1 years) and the patients in tie-over dressing group ranged from 2 to 60 years of age(mean age, 21.3 years). The postoperative results were analyzed according to the following measures: (1) the duration of graft-taking, (2) the admission period, (3) complications. Compared with the traditional tie-over dressing, polyurethane foam and film dressing was shown to be more successful in a reduced duration of graft-taking, in which was similar to the former in the rate of graft-taking, a reduced admission period and patient's discomfort. We concluded that semi-occlusive dressing using Allevyn(R) and Opsite(R) was an effective method after full thickness skin graft, which was easy to shape to difficult body locations, such as web spaces, fingers and maintains a moist environment for wound healing and does not stick to the wound.
Bandages* ; Burns ; Cicatrix ; Contracture ; Fingers ; Humans ; Occlusive Dressings ; Polyurethanes* ; Skin Transplantation ; Skin* ; Syndactyly ; Transplants* ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

No Abstract Available.
Mass Screening*

OBJECTIVE: To identify the effects of isokinetic strengthening of trunk muscles on balance in hemiplegic patients after stroke. METHOD: All participants were ambulatory hemiplegic patients, injured at least 6 months prior to study. The patients (n=16) were randomly divided into two groups. The control group received neurodevelopmental treatments and gait training 3 times a week. In addition to the same treatments provided for the control group, the experimental group received trunk isokinetic strengthening exercises using isokinetic dynamometer 3 times a week. Trunk muscle peak torque and balance in the experimental group were compared with those in control group at baseline and 4 weeks after treatments. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, lesion of hemiplegia, time after stroke onset, trunk muscle strength and Berg balance score before treatments between two groups. In the experimental group, peak torques of trunk extensor increased significantly at 60degrees/sec and 90degrees/sec at 4 weeks (p<0.05), but there were no significant improvements in peak torques of trunk flexor at all degree and extensor peak torques at 120degrees/sec. Both the extensor and flexors showed no significant changes in the control groups. In the experimental group, a mean percent change in peak torque involving the trunk extensor was significantly increased at 60degrees/sec. In the experimental group, Berg balance scores, 10 m gait velocity, sit to stand and gait 3 m and return, and 10 seconds stair up and down were improved (p<0.05). No significant improvements were noted in the control group. CONCLUSION: Isokinetic strengthening of trunk muscles can improve balance in hemiplegic patients.
Exercise ; Gait ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Muscles ; Stroke ; Torque