PURPOSE: This work aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effect of pegmatite in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Author evaluated the suppressive effects of pegmatite on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) production, TNF-alpha and IL-6 release in the RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. RESULTS: Treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with pegmatite significantly reduced LPS-stimulated NO production and inflammatory cytokine such as TNF-alpha and IL-6 secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. Also pegmatite showed topical anti-inflammatory activity in the arachidonic acid (AA)-induced ear edema and acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability assessment in mice. It was also found that pegmatite (10 mg per ear in DW) inhibited arachidonic acid induced edema at 24 h more profoundly than 1 h by topical application. Furthermore, the vascular permeability increase induced by acetic acid was significantly reduced in mice that received pegmatite in 50 mg per mouse. CONCLUSION: Therefore the results of the present study suggest that pegmatite is a potent inhibitor of the LPSinduced NO and inflammatory cytokine in RAW 264.7 macrophages and showed anti-inflammatory activities in vivo animal model.
Acetic Acid ; Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; Capillary Permeability ; Ear ; Edema ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Nitric Oxide ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

OBJECTIVE: To see whether there is a relationship between Korean Falls Efficacy Scale-International (KFES-I) developed for measuring fear of falling and frequency of fall. METHOD: KFES-I was composed with 16 items of activities of daily living including social activities and graded from 1 to 4 in each item. Surveys of 250 patients over 65 years of age from the public health center of Kang-dong and Seong-buk based on KFES-I and fall questionnaire such as presence, frequency and severity of fracture within last 6 months, and combined medical illness were taken. The data of KFES-I, fall questionnaire, and the inter-relationship of KFES-I items had been analyzed by Spearman and Kendall test. RESULTS: There was strong positive correlation between KFES-I total score and the frequency of falls. Four items (item 4, 7, 11, 15) of KFES-I showed strong correlation with the frequency of falls. There was significant difference in KFES-I total score between control and fracture groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that there was strong positive correlation between frequency of falls and KFES-I. It is suggested that frequency of falls can be predicted by KFES-I.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Humans ; Public Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The Mulliken's method is a one of the very excellent technique to correction of the unilateral cleft lip. It could decrease the need of additional operation and second operation by the early simultaneous correction of unilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity, at a time. Numerous procedures were advocated for the correction of nasal deformity, but with general dissatisfaction of the results, it became obvious that no one procedure is the ideal one. The authors have been operating on unilateral cleft lip by Mulliken's method and long term follow-up of postoperative result was evaluated. METHODS: The authors have done long term follow-up of results in the 75 cases unilateral cleft lip patient, during 1-7 years. That was repaired by simultaneous correction of cleft lip and nasal deformity by Mulliken's method at the period from June 1997 to December 2007. The patients were unilateral complete cleft lip 39 cases, unilateral incomplete cleft lip 36 cases. In the severe complete cleft lip cases, lip adhesion operation was done before definite operation. The mean age of unilateral cleft lip operation was 3.2 months. Five anthropometric parameters, which were upper lip, cutaneous lip and vermilion mucosa height, nasal tip protrusion, columella length were measured by Sliding Vernier Caliper. The anthropometric analysis was performed preoperatively, and the results were com pared with those of age- matched, normal children postoperatively in 6 months, 3, 5 and 7 years. T-tests were used to analyze the differences between the measurements. RESULTS: Long-term postoperative results were evaluated by anthropometrically. Most patients showed adequate growth of upper lip height, vermilion mucosa height and columella length. But nasal tip protrusion was relatively short compare to the normal value. Incomplete cleft lip group was nearly normal growth results than complete cleft lip group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we could make harmonious Cupid's bow, natural philtrum and lip, appropriate nasal shape by Mulliken's method. But nasal tip protrusion was under the normal values on complete and incomplete group. And incomplete group showed more good results than complete group. We have experienced repair of cleft lip by Mulliken's method with 75 cases of unilateral cleft lip patients and conclude that it is a very useful method.
Child ; Cleft Lip ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lip ; Mucous Membrane ; Reference Values

PURPOSE: Adipose tissue injection as a free graft for the correction of soft-tissue deficiency or depression deformity is a widespread procedure in plastic surgery. This study is to analyze the changes and viability of cryopreserved adipose tissue and to find out efficient long-term storage period. METHODS: After centrifugation of aspirated abdominal tissues, 10mL of packed Adipose tissue were freezed at -20degrees C. For 2, 4, 6, 8 months, each frozen samples were taken and injected into scalp of SCID mice. After 15 weeks, injected Adipose tissue were sampled and analyzed at 2 months interval. We compared and analyzed each group about the weight of the injected fat, histologic impressions, activity of mitochondria, size of a fat cell and rate of survival. RESULTS: Significant weight changes were observed in cryopreservation for 2 months(p<0.05). Histologic changes were observed, independent of the freezing period with H-E stain. Among cryopreservations for 2, 4, 6 months, no significant change were observed. The reduction of mitochondrial enzymatic activity was observed independent of time interval but activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenase was reduced less than 50% in MTT assay. CONCLUSION: Freezing at -20degrees C for 6 months has no adverse effect to Adipose tissue, but fragile adipocytes, damaged cell membrane during harvesting procedure, were disrupted within 1-2 month and the maximum volume reduction were followed less than 2 months. These results demonstrate that tissue preparation cells without membrane damage have the greatest viability level and cryopreservation less than 2 months has great volume effect and cryopreservation for 6 months has stable volume effect.
Adipocytes ; Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Cell Membrane ; Centrifugation ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Cryopreservation ; Depression ; Freezing ; Membranes ; Mice ; Mice, SCID ; Mitochondria ; Oxidoreductases ; Scalp ; Surgery, Plastic ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Alloplastic implants, such as Silastic(R) , Supramid(R) , Porous polyethylene, Teflon(R) have been used to prevent reherniation of orbital tissue and are known to be inert for many years, though complications are infrequently reported many years after their insertion. Complications associated with implants are infrequent, but infection, orbital hemorrhage, implant extrusion, motility restriction, migration of implant causing dacryocystitis, cystic formation have been described. The latter was known as a rare late complication of blow-out fracture repair. METHODS: We report the case of a discovery of a intraorbital hemorrhagic cyst which developed after silicon implant insertion. This patient developed diplopia, unilateral proptosis, exophthalmos, vertical dystopia, ectropion 10 years after repair of blow-out fracture. In this case, orbital CT scan revealed intraorbital cyst surrounding the orbital implant. At surgery, a fibrous capsule surrounded the silicon implant and was filled with mucin pools. RESULTS: Proptosis, diplopia, exophthalmos, ectropion, vertical dystopia were resolved after surgical removal of the cyst and implant. CONCLUSION: This case illustrate that it is important for us to be aware of the complication of cyst formation around the silicon implants.
Dacryocystitis ; Diplopia ; Ectropion ; Exophthalmos ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mucins ; Orbit ; Orbital Fractures ; Orbital Implants ; Polyethylene ; Silicones

PURPOSE: Local skin necrosis after extravasation of adriamycin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, is a common problem in cancer patients. The extravasation of chemotherapeutic agents yields severe inflammatory responses, crust formation, skin necrosis, and ulceration. Even though several treatment options have been proposed for extravasation injury, there is still controversy regarding the management of such lesions. Thus the aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of saline injection (Group 1), hydrocortisone injection (Group 2), propranolol injection (Group 3) and early surgical excision as a treatment (Group 4) in a rat extravasation model. METHODS: The authors planned forty mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups and each group contained 10 rats. Administration of adriamycin (1.0 mg/mL) 1.5 mL by subcutaneous injection on the dorsal side of the rats was followed by protocol. The treatment options were applied 2 hours after adriamycin injection. At the end of the 5th day, the presence and size of ulcers at the injection site were checked. Three weeks after injection, a histopathologic examination was performed for each treatment and control group. T-tests were used to analyze the differences between the measurements. RESULTS: Propranolol significantly improved tissue recovery compared with control group and other groups. These data suggest that there is little role for saline and hydrocortisone in the treatment of adriamycin extravasation injury. CONCLUSION: In this study, we compared some treatment methods in adriamycin extravasation model. The findings support the propranolol injection may prevent extravasation injury. However this study was performed in the laboratory using rats, and the results could be different in clinical application. Further investigations and more clinical application are needed.
Animals ; Doxorubicin ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Male ; Necrosis ; Propranolol ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Ulcer

Liposuction of upper arm is often performed to attain muscular definition of arms and correct lipodystrophy, referred to as the "Bat-wing deformity", with scarless results compared to brachyplasty. Many complications, however, have been reported with this procedure, including hematoma, irregularity, inadequate skin retraction, and so on. Authors hereby report one of serious complications, which is a median nerve injury after liposuction of upper arm. A 51 years old woman underwent liposuction on both arms at a private clinic. Immediately after procedure, the patient complained bullae formation and color change on medial side of left arm, and tingling sensation on left hand. She was transferred to our hospital with necrotic wounds, swelling on left arm, and severe pain. Several evaluations were made, resulting in diagnosis of median nerve injury and CRPS(complex regional pain syndrome). Necrotic wound was treated by debridement and primary closure. Prednisolon(60mg; Kukje Pharm, Korea) was used for median nerve injury, and pain was managed by PCA(patient controlled analgesia). We should be aware of such complications that can occur during the liposuction on upper arm. Through this experience, we must pay attention to important structures, especially the medial bicipital groove, and avoid the injury of median nerve.
Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: In the orbital floor fracture, sensory impairment due to the damage of the infraorbital nerve is one of the most common symptom and complication. In this report, we have the assumption that tailoring of medpor(R) for decompression may have correlations to the damage and regeneration of the nerve. METHODS: Among patients who had open reduction for pure orbital floor fracture in our hospital from March 2005 to March 2008, we selected 80 cases. In 40 cases, we inserted tailored medpor(R), and in other 40 cases, non-tailored medpor(R) was inserted. Patient's reports were obtained and analyzed, and the pin-prick test and the 2-point discrimination test on the infraorbital nerve regions were done for testing the sensory impairments. RESULTS: The results show that the patients who adopted sculpture of medpor(R) showed higher tendency of recovery of sensory impairments in the patient's subjective report, static touch sensation, static two point discrimination using. And in postoperative 3 months, there are statistically significant recovery of sensory symptoms, signs and the result of sensory tests. CONCLUSION: From these results, tailored medpor(R) in reconstruction of orbital wall fracture may improve recovery of sensory impairments for decreasing of compression of infraorbital nerve.
Decompression ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Humans ; Orbit ; Orbital Fractures ; Regeneration ; Sculpture ; Sensation

PURPOSE: By virtue of good nourishment, obese boys are increasing in Korea, which may result in prevalence of cryptopenis. As milieu of economy, culture, and society changes, increased attention to the external genitalia in children should encourage surgeon to do assertive treatment for cryptopenis. But various operative methods have been devised yet to need sophistication and revision. The author performed suprapubic lipectomy and operation according to the modification of the Johnston's principle. METHODS: The patient was 5 years old, 32kg, and 122cm. He had no pain or tenderness. The operation was done under general anesthesia. It was done with excision of suprapubic fat, cutting of retracted dartos fascia instead of removing the fascia around penile base, and anchoring of dermis and the cutting margin of the fascia to the underlying fascia such as Buck's fascia, tunica albuginea and rectus fascia at penile base. And then circumcision was performed. RESULTS:Postoperative complication was not observed. The clinical result of the operation was satisfactory to both surgeon and parents of the patient. CONCLUSION: Suprapubic lipectomy and anchoring of dermis and retracted cutting dartos fascia margin to the underlying fascia in all directions at the penile base through a single suprapubic incision provide this patient with complacency.
Anesthesia, General ; Child ; Circumcision, Male ; Dermis ; Fascia ; Female ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Korea ; Lipectomy ; Male ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Virtues

PURPOSE: Transsexualism is considered to be the extreme end of the spectrum of gender identity disorders characterized by, among other things, a pursuit of sex reassignment surgery(SRS). We evaluated psychologic status, health-related quality of life in female-to-male (FTM), male-to-female(MTF) transgender individuals. METHODS: We used the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Moudsley obsessive-compulsive Inventory, SCL-90-R, Short-Form 36-Question Health Survey version 2(SF-36v2). We enrolled 40 transsexual participants. RESULTS: Analysis of quality of life health concepts demonstrated statistically significant(p<0.01) diminished quality of life among the transsexual participants as compared to the Korea male and female population. FTM transgender participants reported more higher hostile, phobic than MTF transgenders. Overall, in all psychologic status examination, Transgender individuals are within normal population boundary. On all category, result is improved post-operatively. CONCLUSION: Transgender participants reported mental status within normal boundary. SRS improved their quality of life and mental stability.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Female ; Gender Identity ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; MMPI ; Quality of Life ; Transgender Persons ; Transsexualism