From March in 1991, central photorefractive keratectomy(CPRK) have performed to correct the 700 myopic eyes. With the example of 310 eyes posibly observed over 6 months after CPRK, studed whether it was corrected by retrospective examining. Especilly in the study of 150 patients collected by answering sheet then studied how discomfort they took through complication, and analyzed the cause of change and Indivisual degree of sansfaction with their myopic degree and postoperative permd. This study led to a conclusion that the milder myopia and the longer postoperative period, the more patients sansfaction increased. This is because the change of refractive power become stable and corneal haze decresase with time, Futhermore we dunk that corneal haze and regression occur more frequently in higher myopla, The CPRK is promising surgical treatment for patients with higher myopia but considerable further investigation and longer-term studies are needed to increase satisfaction.
Glare ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Myopia ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

Dental erosion is defined as tooth structure loss by acidic chemical substance. It is caused by extrinsic factors such as acidic foods, drugs, and working environments, and also intrinsic factors such as gastric acid regurgitation in gastro-esophageal disorder or intensive vomiting in bulimia nervosa. These lesions can be treated with direct resin filling, laminate or full contour crown depending on the intensity of clinical problem. This is a case report about treatment of rare clinical case: labial erosion of anterior tooth caused by frequent intake of acidic fruit and palatal erosion of anterior tooth caused by intensive vomiting in bulimia nervosa.
Bulimia Nervosa ; Crowns ; Fruit ; Gastric Acid ; Intrinsic Factor ; Tooth ; Vomiting

The device for central photorefractive keratectomy(CPRK) was recently introduced for the correction of myopia. Of 61 sighted myopic eyes treated by CPRK. there were 21 female and 40 male patients. The eves were classified in the 3 refraction groups. Group I included eyes with myopia ranging from -2.0 to -4.75 D (3 eyes); Group II eyes with myopia ranging from -4.0 to -5.75 D (17 eyes); and Group III eyes with myopia ranging from -6.0 to -9.0 D (41 eyes). On the sixth postoperative months, mean skiascopic correction of the group I, II, and Ill were 2.30 D, 4.19 D and 6.01 D, respectively, and mean reduction of keratometric diopter of the group I, II and Ill were 2.28 D, 2.99 D and 3.26 D, respectively. Six months postoperatively, mean uncorrected visual acuity of the group I, II and Ill were 20/30, 20/25 and 20/40, respectively. The CPRK was better to the correction of moderate and high myopia than Excimer laser RK(Radial Keratotomy) or RK by diamond knife.
Diamond ; Female ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Male ; Myopia* ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: This study evaluated mid-term clinical and radiological results of autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for early stage osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) and analyzed prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 2003 to April 2008, 101 hips of 93 patients with early stage ONFH who underwent autologous BMT were followed for at least five years. For clinical results, preoperative and postoperative Harris hip scores (HHS) were evaluated and survival rate was obtained at the point of performing total hip arthroplasty or femoral head collapse progression. Radiologic results were assessed by changes in necrosis size on magnetic resonance imaging performed preoperative and postoperatively. For evaluation of prognostic factors, survival rate was analyzed according to age, gender, etiology, stage, necrosis size, and location. RESULTS: Averaged HHS at latest follow up showed no significant change in comparison with preoperative HHS. Of 101 hips, 35 hips required arthroplasty and six hips were running head collapse. Groups with use of steroid, lateral location of necrosis, large size of necrosis, or large necrotic angles showed lower survival rate. However, age, gender, and stage had no effect. CONCLUSION: In early days, autologous BMT for early ONFH can be considered as a treatment for improvement of clinical features and delay of radiologic progress. However, after some years, there was no effect compared with the natural course of ONFH.
Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Bone Marrow Transplantation* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head* ; Hip ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Necrosis ; Osteonecrosis* ; Risk Factors ; Running ; Survival Rate

Endosseous implants are used in the treatment of various types of tooth loss, and numerous long-term studies have demonstrated the excellent reliability of this method of treatment. However, the increase of implant failure are associated with inadequate quality and/or height of bone. At the end of the 1980s, Wide(>3.75mm) implants were initially used for managing these difficult bone situations. The recommended indications for its use included poor bone quality, inadequate bone height, immediate placement in fresh extraction sockets, and immediate replacement of failed implants. At the 2000s, wider implants(6.0mm and 6.5mm) were used in a few studies. Although good clinical outcomes have been reported in recent years, there is still a controversy on this topic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to estimate the survival rate of wide implants(6.0~8.0mm) in molar regions, evaluating the clinical outcome. In this study, 1135 RBM surfaced wide implants(Rescue(TM), MEGAZEN Co., Korea/ 595 maxillary, 540 mandibular) were placed in 650 patients(403 male, 247 female/age mean: 51.2+/-11.1 years, range 20 to 83 years). Of the total, 68.3% were used to treat fully or partially edentulous situations, including single-tooth losses and 31.7% were placed immediately after teeth extraction or removal of failed implants, of which all were in the molar regions. Implant diameter and length ranged from 6.0 to 8.0mm and from 5.0 to 10.0mm, respectively. The implants were followed for up to 42 months (mean: 14.6+/-9.5 months). Of 1135 placed implants, 58 implants were lost. Among them, 53 implants were lost within 12 months after implant placement. The survival rate was 93.6% in the maxilla and 96.3% in the mandible, yielding an overall survival rate of 94.9%, for up to 42 months. As the result of Cox regression model, prosthetic type, sinus graft, and patient gender have an statistical significance on the implant survival rate in this study. This study suggests that the use of wide implants(6.0~8.0mm) would provide a predictable treatment alternative in posterior areas.
Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Molar* ; Retrospective Studies* ; Survival Rate ; Tooth ; Tooth Loss ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Many kinds of method have been tried for the management of allergic rhinitis. However, there is no completely satisfactory modality of treatment. Recent studys are reporting that laser vaporization on the inferior turbinate for the treatment of allergic rhinitis may be a valuable surgical method with safety, less morbidity and good efficasy. But, long term effects are unkown as yet. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to observe histopathologic changes of nasal mucosal membrane about 2 years after laser surgery and to investigate relationships between improvement in subjective symptoms, frequency of surgery, and histopathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The inferior turbinates of 24 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis were vaporized by Contact ND: YAG laser. About 2 years after surgery, specimens obtained from the inferior turbinate were examined under the light microscopy. RESULTS: 1. Common findings of histopathologic change in all cases: 1) Fibrous proliferation and scar formation in the superficial layer of the submucosa. 2) Decreased number and atrophy of goblet cells, glands and vessels. 3) Complete regeneration of ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium. 2. Generally, grade of fibrosis in the submucosal superficial layer tend to increase as the frequency of surgery increase. but there is no relation, statistically. The higher grade of fibrosis do not induce the better subjective improvement. 3. Significant subjective improvement(Good and excellent results) was 75%. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that allergic symptoms may be inhibited by fibrous scar formation of the submucosal superficial layer and by decreased number and atrophy of overproliferation of cells leading to allergic reaction. In addition laser surgery may be a safe and effective method with good regeneration of ciliated epithelium and high rate of improvement for treatment of allergic rhinitis. However, further study is necessary to proper explanation for result that grade of fibrosis have not a relation with subjective improvement and for long term effect of the laser surgery.
Atrophy ; Cicatrix ; Epithelium ; Fibrosis ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Membranes ; Microscopy ; Regeneration ; Rhinitis* ; Turbinates

BACKGROUND: Methylmercury is an organic form of mercury that is highly toxic to humans. Here, we present and establish a novel method to detect methylmercury concentrations in the blood of Koreans. METHODS: Methylmercury concentration was analyzed with an automated methylmercury analytic system (MERX, Brooks Rand Co., USA) using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry (CVAFS). A variety of biological materials were digested in methanolic potassium hydroxide solution. The analysis method was validated by examination of certified reference material (955c, National Institute of Standard and Technology, USA). We randomly selected 30 Korean adults (age 20 yr or older) to analyze total blood mercury and methylmercury concentrations. RESULTS: The detection limit and methylmercury recovery rate using this method were 0.1 pg/L and, 99.19% (range: 89.33-104.89%), respectively. The mean blood concentration of methylmercury was 4.54+/-2.15 microg/L (N=30). The mean proportion of methylmercury to the total mercury concentration was 78.27% (range: 41.37-98.80%). CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first report to analyze blood methylmercury concentration using CVAFS in Korea. We expect that this method will contribute to the evaluation of mercury exposure and the assessment of the toxicological impact of mercury in future studies.
Adult ; Humans ; Hydroxides/chemistry ; Mercury/blood ; Methylmercury Compounds/*blood ; Potassium Compounds/chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea ; *Spectrophotometry, Atomic

PURPOSE: We evaluated the proper length of a central venous catheter (CVC) during subclavian vein catheterization and the usefulness of transthoracic echocardiography in identifying the position of the CVC. METHODS: From August 2002 to September 2002, we studied prospectively 30 consecutive patients who had a CVC inserted. The right subclavian vein was punctured by using the Seldinger method, and the patients were divided into two groups according to the method used to identify the position of the central venous catheter. In the radiology group, after central venous catheterization, we identified the position of the CVC by using a plain chest X-ray; then, we adjusted the length of the catheter. In the echocardiography group, during central venous catheterization, we inserted it deeply enough to observe the tip of the catheter in the right atrium by using echocardiography; then, we withdrew the catheter slowly until it was no longer observed in the right atrium, and we fixed the catheter at that position. We measured the heights, weights, and chest circumferences of the patients. RESULT: The maximal lengths of CVCs were 15.9+/-2.0 cm in the radiology group and 15.9+/-1.7 cm in the echocardiography group. There was no difference between the two groups (p=0.98). The maximal length of the CVC correlated to the height of the patient (Y=0.154X-9.8: Y=the length of the CVC, X=height, p<0.001, R2=0.394) and to the weight of the patient (Y=0.076X+11.2: Y = the length of the CVC, X=weight, p=0.042, R2=0.140), but not to the chest circumference (p=0.371). CONCLUSION: Echocardiography was a useful method in identifying the optimal positioning in central venous catheterization. The maximal length of the CVCs was 15.9 +/-1.9 cm via the subclavian vein approach in Koreans and correlated to the height of the patients.
Catheterization ; Catheterization, Central Venous ; Catheters* ; Central Venous Catheters* ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Subclavian Vein ; Thorax ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was conducted to investigate the mean nRBC count in very low births weight infants (VLBWIs) and to determine the usefulness of the nRBC as an independent prognostic factors of perinatal complications in VLBWIs. METHODS: This study was conducted on 112 VLBWIs who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the author's hospital within the period from March 2003 to and May 2008. Based on the infants' nucleated red blood cells (nRBC) counts at birth, on the third day after birth, on the seventh day after birth, in the second week after birth, and in the fourth week after birth in the medical records, the correlation between nRBC or absolute nRBC counts with birth weight, gestational age, and other perinatal outcomes were retrospectively investigated. RESULTS: In VLBWIs, their mean nRBC and absolute nRBC counts were showing a gradual decrease after birth, and they were consisteantly kept at low values since one week after and inversely proportional to the birth weights. The mean nRBC counts based on the stage after birth showed a significant correlation with perinatal death, necrotizing enterocolitis, and severe intraventricular hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: The increase in the nRBC count showed a significant correlation with having a severe intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and perinatal death in VLBWIs. If an increase or no decrease in the nRBC count after birth is observed, newborn-infant care precautions should be required.
Birth Weight ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Erythrocytes ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Prognosis ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies

Spontaneous bilateral rupture of the quadriceps tendons without a significant history of trauma is an uncommon disease. It is generally associated with mechanical factors and coexisting systemic and local factors are taken into consideration in the pathogenesis of these ruptures. In patients with some chronic systemic diseases, simultaneous rupture can occur spontaneously or with minor trauma. We present a case of patient with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis for the past 9 years, who sustained this injury, and subsequently had surgical repair of both tendons. We performed a preoperative magnetic resonance imaging to confirm the diagnosis, then we repaired the ruptured quadriceps tendons and performing MRI postoperatively 1 yr later. He regained his normal knee joint functions 1 yr after the operation.
Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Knee Joint ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Quadriceps Muscle ; Renal Dialysis ; Rupture ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Tendons