BACKGROUND: To comparatively analysis the epidemiological changes in the acute drug intoxication between 1980s and 1990s. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of the patients with acute drug intoxication in the emergency department of the Inha hospital from June 1986 to April 1987 and from June 1996 to May 1997. And we performed comparative analysis between two result. RESULTS: The ratio of the acute drug intoxication in the emergency medical center was reduced significantly in 1990s against 1980s. Sexual ratio and prevalent age group has no significant interval changes between 1980s and 1990s. The prevalent seasons were Spring in 1980s and Summer in 1990s but has no significance. The most commonly used drugs was rodentides in 1980s and hypnosedatives in 1990s and shown significant interval changes. The most common motive was suicidal attempts in both 1980s and 1990s, but significantly reduced. After emergency treatment the rate of curative-discharge has improved and the rate of admission has decreased significantly in 1990s against 1980s. The most critical agent was agricultural chemicals in both 1980s and 1990s. The mortality rate has no significant interval changes. CONCLUSION: There were some significant interval changes of the acute drug intoxication in prevalence rate, commonly used drugs, ratio of suicidal attempt and curative-discharge rate between 1980s and 1990s. New education programs far preventing acute drug intoxication and strict legal control of drugs are important and necessary.
Agrochemicals ; Education ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Emergency Treatment ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons

No abstract available.
Animals ; Fetus* ; Mice* ; Paraquat*

Many authors asserted that the incidence of sexually transmitted disease, especially syphilis, increased recently. We examined the annual reactive rate of VDRL test in 23,886 persons who took a medical check-up for employment from March, 1978 to August, 1981 and the snnual rate of condyloma acuminatum among 91,334 dermatologic outpatients from 1976 to 1980 to estimate the recent trend in sexually transmitted disease. The overall reactive rate of VDRL test was 1.40% and the annual reactive rate is l.85% in 1978, 1.31% in 1979, 0.92% in 1980 and 4.87% in 1981. The biologic false positive rate of VDRL test was 17.5% among 126 patients in whom TPHA test was done, using TPHA test as standard. The overall rate of condyloma acuminatum patients was 0.16% and the annual rate was 0.13% in 1976, 0.21% in 1977, 0.16% in 1978, 0.15% in 1979 and 0.17% in 1980.
Employment ; Humans ; Incidence ; Outpatients ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Syphilis*

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare neoplasm of young adults and it is characterized by polyphenotypic differentiation. We experienced a case of abdominal DSRCT that occurred in a 19-year-old female who presented with painful swelling of her right forearm. The tumor was cytokeratin-negative and it exhibited some tumor cells with intranuclear inclusions. Molecular demonstration of EWS-WT1 fusion transcripts is particularly useful to confirm the diagnosis of DSRCT without epithelial differentiation. We report here on a case of cytokeratin-negative DSRCT that showed an unusual feature of intranuclear inclusions.
Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor ; Female ; Forearm ; Humans ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Keratins ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To cmpare the clinical results of complex tibial plateau fractures treated by hybrid external fixation and dual plate fixation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied forty patients with Schatzker type V and VI fractures respectively and selected twenty seven patients who were followed at least one year between January 2000 and December 2005. We evaluated the clinical results in which fourteen fractures with hybrid external fixation were compared with thirteen fractures with dual plate fixation. The clinical results were evaluated according to Knee Society Clinical Rating System and the statistical analysis was performed by Student t-test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in terms of bone union time (average union time: dual plate fixation 13.8 weeks, hybrid external fixation 14.2 weeks). The quality of osseous reduction was superior in the fractures with dual plate fixation than those with hybrid external fixation. There were significant differences in functional score (average functional score: dual plate fixation 73, hybrid external fixation 62), but not in average knee score. CONCLUSION: The hybrid external fixation can be a useful modality for treatment of complex proximal tibial plateau fractures. But the good quality of the fracture reduction by dual plate fixation may be a indicator for favorable prognosis for satisfactory knee function.
Chimera ; External Fixators ; Humans ; Knee ; Prognosis

BACKGROUND: Dizziness is a common complaint in patients presenting to the emergency room and that has various pathologic causes. This study investigate the clinical differences in dizziness between the central origin and the peripheral origin and to provides the clues far diagnosis and proper treatment. METHODS: We analysed 290 patients with dizziness during 12 months period prospectively, who visited in ED, Inha University Hospital from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 1997. We analysized sex ratio, characteristics of the dizziness, associated past illness, associated symptoms, severity, results of the special radiologic study, nystagmus type, and causes of central origin and peripheral origin dizziness. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 1:1.4 in central origin(n=165) and 1:2.0 in peripheral origin(n=125). Most common age group was 11th decade in both groups. According to the characteristics of the dizziness, rotation sense was the main complaint of the peripheral origin dizziness. Most common past illness was hypertension in both groups. MRI has diagnostic priority than CT scan in central origin dizziness. Types of nystagmus has some significant differences between two groups. CONCLUSION: Dizziness may represented as a sign of significant pathological neurologic status especially in central origin. So we must precisely evaluate the patient history, neurologic examination of the inner ear and CNS, and special radiologic study incliding MRI.
Diagnosis ; Dizziness* ; Ear, Inner ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neurologic Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Sex Ratio ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 74-year-old man presented with recurrent vomiting and aspiration pneumonia in the left lower lobe. He entered the intensive care unit to manage the pneumonia and septic shock. Although a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube was implanted for recurrent vomiting, vomiting and aspiration recurred frequently during admission. Subsequently, he complained of neck pain when in an upright position. A videofluoroscopic swallowing study showed compression of the esophagus by cervical osteophytes and tracheal aspiration caused by an abnormality at the laryngeal inlet. Cervical spine X-rays and computed tomography showed anterior cervical osteophytes at the C3-6 levels. Surgical decompression was scheduled, but was cancelled due to his frailty. Unfortunately, further recurrent vomiting and aspiration resulted in respiratory arrest leading to hypoxic brain damage and death. Physicians should consider cervical spine disease, such as diffuse skeletal hyperostosis as an uncommon cause of recurrent aspiration pneumonia.
Aged ; Bays ; Decompression, Surgical ; Deglutition ; Esophagus ; Gastrostomy ; Humans ; Hyperostosis ; Hypoxia, Brain ; Intensive Care Units ; Neck Pain ; Osteophyte* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Aspiration* ; Shock, Septic ; Spine ; Vomiting

Bartter's syndrome is a rare tubular disorder characterized by hypokalemic, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis, hyperreninemic, hyperaldosteronism, hyporesponsiveness to pressor agents and juxtaglomerular apparatus heperplasia. We report a case of Bartter's syndrome of a 5 month-old male infant with subdural hematoma who was confirmed by characteristic clinical, laboratory findings and kidney biopsy.
Alkalosis ; Bartter Syndrome* ; Biopsy ; Epilepsy* ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Infant ; Juxtaglomerular Apparatus ; Kidney ; Male ; Seizures*

There are many options for the management of osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Recently, arthroscopic surgery has been added to the armamentorium of the treatment modalities in osteoarthritis of the knee which does not respond to conservative treatment. Among 74 arthroscopic pocedures(including partial menisectomy, removal of loose bodies, synovectomy, cartilage drilling and simple lavage) done for osteoarthritis of the knee, 68 patients studied at average 3.1 years after procedure and the results were as follows 1. Seventy-one percent of patients had at least 2.5 years or more relief of pain and symptoms. 2. Fifty-six percent were still good at follow-up of 3.1 years. 3. The best result were obtained after removal of loose bodies and resection of unstable flap tear of a meniscus in association with mild osteoarthritis. 4. The poor result were obtained in patients with severe degenerative changes of both femoral condyle, 5. The results were much better in the normally aligned knee compared with valgus knee.
Arthroscopy ; Cartilage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Tears

Multiple primary tumors are defined as cases involving primary malignant tumors of different histologic origins in one person. The absolute number of reported cases of double primary malignant tumors has increased in recent years diagnostic procedures. Primary adenocarcinoma of duodenum is a rare disease and represents less than 0.5% of all gastrointestinal malignancies. Therefore, synchronous multiple primary cancers of the stomach and duodenum are very rare. Recently, we experienced a case of triple primary malignant tumors of different site originating from the stomach, duodenum and cervix in 71- year-old woman. She had had radiation therapy and chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix 8 years previously. We performed subtotal gastrectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy with radical lymph node dissection. She remained healthy without any evidence of recurrence 12 months after the operation.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Drug Therapy ; Duodenal Neoplasms* ; Duodenum ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Rare Diseases ; Recurrence ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*