Twelve patient with fracture of the neural arch of the axis (hangman's fracture or traumatic spondylolisthesis of the axis) were treated at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital between 1980 and 1986. There were three type I fractures, seven type II fractures, and two type III fracture. Non of these patients had neurological damage. Seven patients (five in type II and two in type III) in this series, underwent anterior interbody fusion operation between axis and third cervical vertebra following 6 weeks of cervical traction. The remaining five patients were treated conservatively by cervicel traction in the bed. Average follow up period was 24 months. The mean duration of fracture union was 10 weeks after trauma in 3 cases of type I and twelve weeks after trauma in 2 cases of type II which were treated conservatively. Otherwise in 5 cases of type II and two cases of type III which were taken anterior interbody fu sion, the mean duration of fracture union was 8 weeks in type II and 10 weeks in type III after surgery. All regained a stability of the cervical spines. Because the fracture healing of the neural arch invariably occurred through this study, it is felt that anterior interbody fusion between axis and third cervical vertebra is necessary surgical.procedure to gain the early stability if there is an evidence of persistant instability between axis and third cervical verbebrae even after 6 weeks of conservative traction treatment.
Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Healing ; Humans ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis ; Traction

Syphilitic aortitis, passing out of our mind, is the most common systemic manifestation of late syphilis and is more typically manifestated 10 to 30 years afterward. This diagnosis has been made less frequently in recent decades than in the past, because of public awareness of syphilis and screening program. Treponema pallidum lodge within vasa vasorum, especially ascending aorta cause the histologic changes, which are responsible for the three major forms of symptomatic cardiovascular syphilis, including aortic insufficiency, coronary ostial stenosis, and aortic aneurysm. We experienced a case of syphilitic aortitis with aortic insufficiency and aortic aneurysm in a 48-year-old man presented with progressive dyspnea. Echocardiography, chest CT, and later surgical correction were performed and surgical specimen revealed the histologic finding consistent with syphilitic aortitis. We report this case with a review of the literature.
Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm* ; Aortitis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Cardiovascular* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treponema pallidum ; Vasa Vasorum

The aim of this study was to evaluate endodontic irrigation methods with EndoVac(R) and EndoActivator(R) in the elimination of Enterococcus faecalis from the root canals. Extracted 70 human single-rooted teeth were used. The canals were instrumented by a crown-down technique with .04 taper ProFile to ISO size 40. After the teeth were autoclaved, the canals were inoculated with E. faecalis and incubated for 48 h. The teeth were randomly divided into three experimental groups of 20 teeth each according to canal irrigation methods and two control groups as follows: group 1 - EndoVac(R) group 2 - EndoActivator(R) ; group 3 - Conventional needle irrigation method. After canal irrigation using 2.5% NaOCl, first samples (S1) were taken using sterile paper point. And the canals were filled with sterile brain heart infusion (BHI) broth and incubated for 24 h, then second samples (S2) were taken. The samples were cultured on BHI agar plate to determine the numbers of colony forming units (CFU). In first sampling (S1), only one canal of conventional method among the all experimental groups was positive cultured. In second sampling (S2), EndoVac(R) group showed the least positive culture numbers of E. faecalis. There was statistically significant difference between the EndoVac(R) and conventional needle irrigation methods in the mean value of Log CFU. According to the results of this study, EndoVac(R) showed better efficacy than conventional needle irrigation method in the elimination of E. faecalis from the root canal.
Agar ; Brain ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; Enterococcus ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Heart ; Humans ; Needles ; Stem Cells ; Tooth

Adult ; Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Parents ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Retinal Artery ; Retreatment ; Stents ; Stroke, Lacunar ; Thromboembolism

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A prospective study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of low dose administration of cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) by repeated arterial infusion via a percutaneously implantable port system (PIPS) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (phase II trial). METHODS: Ten patients with hepatocellular carcinoma belonging to TNM stage IV, but without extrahepatic spread, were enrolled. Nine patients had main portal vein thrombosis. All the patients were positive for HBsAg. Patients were repeatedly treated with an arterial infusion of CDDP and 5-FU (10 mg and 250 mg, respectively, for 5 hours on days 1-5) via a PIPS at four week intervals. The response was assessed by dynamic CT after two courses of chemotherapy. RESULTS: Insertion of PIPS was successful in 8 of 10 patients. Two patients could not receive a second course of chemotherapy because one died of progressive hepatic failure and the other developed local infection and pseudoaneurysm formation. All the remaining 6 patients exhibited tumor progression after two courses of chemotherapy. The median survival time was 89 days (range, 59-204). The causes of death were progressive hepatic failure in one patient and uncontrolled esophageal variceal bleeding in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial infusion chemotherapy with CDDP and 5-FU via a PIPS was not an effective treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
Aneurysm, False ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cause of Death ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Fluorouracil* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Humans ; Liver Failure ; Prospective Studies ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: There were two occurrences of typhoon and the floods in Korea from early to late September, 2000. The Korean Combat Police and policemen participated in cleaning activities at the flooded area. Leptospirosis broke out among these participants. This study describes the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of leptospirosis patients among policemen. METHODS: Of 16,750 individuals involved, 3,752 subjected to passive hemagglutination antibody (PHA) test at the Regional Health Care Units or the National Police Hospital. With 1 case of dead plus 12 cases which were turned out to be seropositive by PHA test and confirmed by microagglutination (MA) test, epidemiological and clinical characteristics were studied by questionnaire survey, laboratory test, and history of treatment while being hospitalized. RESULTS: The seropositive rate of leptospira antibody was 0.3% (12/3,752). All 12 seropositives were bare-footed while working at the flooded area and of these, 8 patients (67%) were noticed abrasions either on hand or feet. However, no statistically significant correlation was found between the duration of outdoor activity and the seropositive rate (r=-0.46, p=0.36). There were clinical difference among patients who has the same serotype of leptospirosis, physical conditions, circumstance and the same work area. Two abnormal EKG results are present, the one who complained of chest pain is myocardial ischemia and the other who didn't complain of any symptoms is sinus pause. Correlation between the febrile period before and the duration of fever after the use of antibiotics was estimated as; febrile period after antibiotics use = 0.102804 + 0.995327 x febrile period before antibiotics use (p=0.058). CONCLUSION: When leptospirosis is related to group activities, it is possible to educate in advance and to manage systematically afterwards, it may prevent the occurrence of leptospirosis or the related complications.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Chest Pain ; Cyclonic Storms ; Delivery of Health Care ; Electrocardiography ; Epidemiology ; Fever ; Floods ; Foot ; Hand ; Hemagglutination ; Humans ; Korea ; Leptospira ; Leptospirosis* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Police ; Surveys and Questionnaires

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BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric variceal bleeding is a severe complication of liver cirrhosis with a high mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in patients with gastric variceal bleedings and predictive factors for survival. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 30 consecutive patients with gastric variceal bleedings from January 1998 to March 2001. The causes of cirrhosis were viral hepatitis in 17, alcohol in 12, and biliary cirrhosis in 1. Eighteen patients were in Child-Pugh class B and 9 in class C at the time of TIPS. The median follow-up period was 403 days (3-1,215 days). RESULTS: TIPS insertion was successful in all 30 patients. The portal pressure gradient (PPG) was significantly reduced from 23+/-8 mmHg to 11+/-5 mmHg (p<0.05). Hepatic encephalopathy, which developed in 3 patients and was aggravated in 1, was improved with medical therapy. Patients with non-alcoholic etiology experienced deterioration of liver function after TIPS. Those with alcoholic etiology did not. The 6-month and 1-year rebleeding rates were 22% and 41%, respectively. 56% of bleeding episodes were associated with stent dysfunction. The degree of PPG reduction and the development of stent dysfunction were independent predictive factors for rebleeding. The 6-month and 1-year survival rates were 83% and 79%. The causes of death were hepatic failure in 3 (37.5%), recurrent variceal bleeding in 3, and others in 2. Child-Pugh class C was the only prognostic factor for survival. CONCLUSIONS: TIPS was effective in acute hemostasis and the prevention of rebleeding in patients with gastric variceal bleeding. Especially, it can be safely applied to patients with alcoholic etiology and in Child-Pugh class A or B.
Adult ; English Abstract ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices/complications/*surgery ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/*etiology ; Human ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although several clinical trials have suggested that lamivudine treatment can be very effective in patients with decompensated HBV-associated cirrhosis, its role and clinical efficacy are still uncertain because of the study designs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of lamivudine in consecutively enrolled patients with decompensated cirrhosis. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with decompensated HBV-associated cirrhosis (Child-Pugh score >or=8) were enrolled consecutively and treated with lamivudine 100 mg or 150 mg daily for 2-51 months (median: 16 months). They were all positive for HBV DNA and 21 were positive for serum HBeAg. Eight were Child-Pugh class B and 16 were class C. Clinical improvement was defined as a decrease of Child-Pugh score of at least 2 points. RESULTS: At 6th month after lamivudine, all the patients cleared serum HBV DNA. The cumulative rates for HBeAg loss were 28.6% at 6th and 46.6% at 12th month. The cumulative viral breakthrough rates at 12th and 24th month were 20.0% and 37.5%. Fourteen patients (60.8%) showed clinical improvement, while 8 (34.8%) showed no change and 1 got worse, at 6th month after lamivudine. Most clinical improvement developed within the initial 6 months. The cumulative mortality rates were 20.8% at 1 year and 37.5% at 2 year. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that lamivudine can result in clinical improvement in about 60% of patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis. Because most improvement occurrs within 6 months after starting lamivudine, liver transplantation should be actively considered in cases which do not show clinical improvement despite 6-month lamivudine treatment.
Adult ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; English Abstract ; Female ; Hepatitis B/complications/*drug therapy/virology ; Hepatitis B Virus/isolation & purification ; Human ; Lamivudine/*therapeutic use ; Liver Cirrhosis/*virology ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has potential as a noninvasive neuromodulation treatment method for various neuropsychiatric disorders, and repeated sessions of rTMS are more likely to enhance the therapeutic efficacy. This study investigated neurophysiologic and spatiodynamic changes induced by repeated 1-Hz rTMS of the temporal cortex using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) indices and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). METHODS: Twenty-seven healthy subjects underwent daily 1-Hz active or sham rTMS of the right temporal cortex for 5 consecutive days. TMS indices of motor cortical excitability were measured in both hemispheres daily before and after each rTMS session, and 2 weeks after the last stimulation. FDG-PET was performed at baseline and after the 5 days of rTMS sessions. RESULTS: All subjects tolerated all of the sessions well, with only three of them (11.1%) reporting mild transient side effects (i.e., headache, tinnitus, or local irritation). One-Hz rTMS decreased motor evoked potential amplitudes and delayed cortical silent periods in the stimulated hemisphere. Statistical parametric mapping of FDG-PET data revealed a focal reduction of glucose metabolism in the stimulated temporal area and an increase in the bilateral precentral, ipsilateral superior and middle frontal, prefrontal and cingulate gyri. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated rTMS sessions for 5 consecutive days were tolerated in all subjects, with only occasional minor side effects. Focal 1-Hz rTMS of the temporal cortex induces cortico-cortical modulation with widespread functional changes in brain neural networks via long-range neural connections.
Brain ; Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Glucose ; Headache ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Salicylamides ; Tinnitus ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation