Varicose veins are dilated, tortuous veins exhibiting reflux because of valvular insufficiency. Dilatation of veins may be primary, that is, initiated by an unknown process, or may be the result of postthrombotic changes, arteriovenous fistula, or diverted flow resulting from a blockade of deep veins. Theoretical causes of varicose veins are heredity, race, gender, posture, gravitational back pressure, pregnancy, hormonal influence, weight, primary and secondary valvular incompetences, incompetent perforating veins, arteriovenous communications, and vein wall weakness. Visual inspection and palpation permit a clinical classification with respect to many different factors, especially the type of varix and the clinical stage of chronic venous insufficiency. Refluxes play a decisive role in the pathogenesis of large varices. They are usually detected over the sapheno femoral junction or the saphenopopliteal junction. Identification of these refluxes needs Doppler ultrasonographic techniques. Highly effective noninvasive examination methods have become available and include photoplethysmography, air plethysmography, portable Doppler ultrasound, and duplex scanning. The sole invasive diagnostic technique is ascending or descending phlebography. Several different treatments have been recommended for varicose veins. Flush ligation combined with stripping, avulsion of local varicosities, and perforator interruption are still the most common surgical techniques. The aim of varicose vein surgery is the removal of diseased incompetent vein segment and the control of reflux. Development of new sclerosing agents renders sclerotherapy for varicose veins more effective, and use of Doppler and the duplex ultrasound techniques provides a better hemodynamic and anatomic precision, which ultimately improves the treatment efficacy. Because patients seek treatment for varicose veins most commonly for cosmetic reasons, recently developed lasers and intense pulsed light(IPL) have become the methods for treating telangiectasia. In summary, surgery treats the major venous reflux, sclerotherapy treats the feeding venous system, and the laser or IPL seals effectively the superficial vessels.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Classification ; Continental Population Groups ; Diagnosis* ; Dilatation ; Hemodynamics ; Heredity ; Humans ; Ligation ; Palpation ; Phlebography ; Photoplethysmography ; Plethysmography ; Posture ; Pregnancy ; Sclerosing Solutions ; Sclerotherapy ; Telangiectasis ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography ; Varicose Veins* ; Veins ; Venous Insufficiency

No abstract aailable.

No abstract available.
Joints*

Malignant MCA(middle cerebral artery) infarction is one of the leading cause of fatal stroke. It is usually caused by occlusion of the ipsilateral MCA or ICA(internal carotid artery). We report a 62-year-old man with posterior circulation stroke(distal basilar artery occlusion) which was later developed in malignant MCA infarction. MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) revealed high signal intensities in more than 2/3 of the right hemispheres and also in the bilateral thalamus, occipital cortices extending to the midbrain, pons and right SCA(superior cerebellar artery) territory of the cerebellum. Ipsilateral ICA and MCA of the infarcted hemisphere were not visible but ipsilateral PCA(posterior cerebral artery) seemed to be relatively prominent compared with the contralateral side in MR Angiography. From the pont of view of the initial pathologic brainstem sign and MR findings, we suggest that embolic occlusion of the distal basilar artery might be responsible for malignant right MCA infarction in this patient, from which the right PCA had dominantly supplied the most of the ipsilateral hemisphere.
Angiography ; Basilar Artery ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Mesencephalon ; Middle Aged ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Pons ; Stroke ; Thalamus

No abstract available.
Sclerotherapy*

No abstract available.
Health Policy*

PURPOSE: Fever plays an important role in causing disturbances in fluid and electrolyte balance. Hyponatremia has been thought to enhance the susceptibility to febrile convulsions in childhood and to increase a risk of repeat convulsion during same febrile illness. I therefore carried out a study in attempt to investigate how high the serum sodium level is in children with febrile convulsions, and whether there is an association between the recurrence of febrile convulsions and hyponatremia METHODS: Blood samples for serum sodium measurement were taken from 136 children visited to the Seoul Red Cross Hospital due to an acute febrile convulsion during the period between 1994 and 1996(patient group). I also checked serum sodium in a group of age-matched controls(control group I: no fever, no convulsion, control group II: fever only, control group In non-febrile convulsions). The patient group was divided into two groups, recurrent and non-recurrent groups. The results were analyzed by Student's t-test. RESULTS: The mean serum sodium level(134.99+/-3.59mmol/L) was significantly lower as compared to all control groups(control group I : 137.92+/-2.19mmol/L, control group II : 137.49+/-2.94mmo1/L, control group III : 137.73+/-2.52mmo1/L, p<0.001). The mean serum sodium levels were not different between each other control groups(p>0.05). Thirty-two of the 136 children(23.5%) with a febrile convulsion developed a repeat convulsion. The mean serum sodium level in the group with repeat convulsions(133.00 +/-3.21mmo1/L) was significantly lower than the mean in the group without repeat convulsions(135.85+/-3.28 mmol/L) The risk of a repeat convulsion approaches 60% In cases with serum sodium levels of 130 mmol/L and gradually decreases to less than 10% in cases with serum sodium levels of 140mmo1/L. CONCLUSION: Hyponatremia may increase the susceptibility to the febrile convulsions. The lower the serum sodium level, the higher the probability of a repeat convulsion This may be of practical value in deciding whether to admit the child and in advising parents or carers of the risk of a repeat convulsion.
Caregivers ; Child ; Fever ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Parents ; Recurrence* ; Red Cross ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile* ; Seoul ; Sodium* ; Water-Electrolyte Balance

No abstract available.

The editors of the Korean Journal of Radiology thank manuscript reviewers who completed their reviews for the journal from Nov. 2021 to Oct. 2022. We sincerely express our gratitude to all the reviewers listed below for their time and expertise.Please note that editors listed in the current masthead for the Korean Journal of Radiology were not included.