A most common site for the isthmic spondylolisthesis is at fifth lumbar vertebra(L5) and far less at fourth(L4). The pathogenic lesion in the pars interarticularis is essentially the same in LA and L5 isthmic spondylolisthesis, but the clinical characteristics may differ each other according to their anatomical and biomechanical differences. A retrospective review of 24 patients of LA(study group) and 27 patients of L5(control group) isthmic spondylolisthesis was undertaken for their medical records and radiographs to compare the clinical characteristics in each groups. Included in each groups were all patients who were surgically treated during the same period and followed for more than two years after surgery. In the study group, 18 of 24 patients were females having an average age of 42.5 years(ranging 34-65), while in the control group, 17 of 27 patients were males having an average age of 38,1 years (ranging 13-59). The symptoms were severe leg pain in most of the study group, but in the control group, the leg pain and back pain were equally complained. The degrees of slip were similar in two groups, but a narrowing of dise space at slip segment was more prominent in study group. The lateral radiographs taken in flexion and extension revealed more changes of slip in study group (4.7mm in study group vs 2.8mm in control group in averages), and more angular motion at slip segment in study group unless the dise space is not severely narrowed. A spinal stenosis in CT findings was disclosed in almost all patients of study group and in 18 patients of control group. The sizes of L5 transeverse process were bigger than twice as those of L4 in 17(70.8%) patients including 9(37.5%) sacralizations of L5 in suty group, while in control group they were only 8(29.6%) patients with no sacralization. The heights of intercreastal line revealed no difference in two groups. The surgical procedures in study group were fusion only in two and decompression with fusion in 22(91.7%) patients and those in control group were fusion only in 11 and decompression with fusion in 16(59.3%) paticnts. The satisfactory results of treatment were in 21(87.5%) patients of study group and 25(92.6%) patients of control group without significant difference between two groups. In conclusion, the L4 spondylolytic spondylolisthesis compared to L5 lesion was more unstable and developed spinal stenosis more often. The surgical treatment and decompression procedure were also more needed in L4 lesions particularly in agend women.
Back Pain ; Decompression ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spondylolisthesis

A study to evaluate the diagnostic significance of M. pneumoniae Infection by measurements of cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titers is performed with 191 pediatric patients who have visited Yeungnam University Hospital during the period through January to July, 1987. Forty eight of 191 cases made follow up tests feasible. The results obtained are as follows: 1. It is necessary to perform routine combined measurements of cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titers for the all pediatric pneumonia caser since a large proportion of pneumonia in children is caused by M. pneumonia. 2. For the diagnosis of M. pneumoniae Infection, measurements of cold agglutinin titer alone seems to be less significant than to check both cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titers. 3. The measurement of antimycoplasma antibody titer appeared to be more specific than cold agglutinin test in the diagnosis of M. pneumoniae Infection. 4. The present study urges the necessity of follow up study of cold agglutinin and antimycoplasma antibody titer for those who initially presented with normal titers in both tests, but are clinically suspected for M. pneumoniae Infection.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

Body fluid Lactate dehydrogenase and its isoenzyme Measurement was performed in 132 patients: 8 cases with peritonitis, 21 cases with malignant ascites, 43 cases with liver cirrhosis, 48 cases with tuberculous pleuritis, 12 cases with malignant pleural effusion respectively. Body fluid protein and glucose contents, red blood cell counts, white blood cell counts, cytologic examination were also performed as a comparative study. The results were as follows: 1. Measurement of total LD and protein amount could differentiate between transudate and exudates in the ascitic fluids. 2. In the malignant exudate of ascites and pleural fluid, the activity of LD2 isoenzyme was statistically increased compared with that of inflammatory exudates and the activity of LD4 isoenzyme was also incereased compared with that of serum (P<0.05). 3. The inflammatory exudates of pleural fluid and ascites demonstrated the increase of LD5 isoenzyme activity statistically compared with that of serum and malignant exudates (P<0.05). 4. A difference of total LD activity between malignant ascites and inflammatory ascites was significant statistically, while this was not observed in the pleural exudate. 5. Total LD and LD5 isoenzyme activity didn't correlated with the number of white blood cells in the exudate.
Ascites ; Ascitic Fluid ; Body Fluids* ; Erythrocyte Count ; Exudates and Transudates ; Glucose ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Lactic Acid* ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Peritonitis ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Pleurisy

Antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacterial strains isolated from clinical specimens during the period from June, 1983 to June, 1986 in Yeungnam Medical Center was studied and the following results were obtained. 1. Staphylococcus aureus was highly susceptible to cephalothin and its susceptibility to methicillin was gradually reduced. 2. Streptococcus strains except enterococcus were generally susceptible to penicillin, while most enterococci were susceptible to only ampicillin. 3. Gram-negative rods including Escherichia coli were highly susceptible to amikacin and tobramycin. 4. Serratia were generally less susceptible to the amtimicrobials tested than other Enterobacteriaceae. Among them, Serratia marcescens showed the highest susceptibility to amikacin and chloramphenicol. 5. Pseudomonas aeruginosa revealed the highest susceptibility to amikacin and tobramycin and moderate susceptibility to carbenicillin and gentamycin. 6. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus revealed low susceptibility to most antimicrobials tested, showing only 30% susceptibility to amikacin, tobramycin and gentamycin in 1986.
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ; Amikacin ; Ampicillin ; Bacteria* ; Carbenicillin ; Cephalothin ; Chloramphenicol ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Enterococcus ; Escherichia coli ; Gentamicins ; Methicillin ; Penicillins ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Serratia ; Serratia marcescens ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus ; Tobramycin

Experiments were conducted to define the optimal constituents of culture medium and atmospheric condition for growth of Campylobacter pylori. Two clinical isolates were streaked onto various media, incubated in two different atmospheric conditions (microaerophilic condition and carbon dioxide incubator), and growth was assessed semiquantitatively according to relative colony size and extent of growth through the streak. The growth obtained on Campy media, composed of GC agar base plus 1% hemoglobin, 0.2% activated charcoal, 1% IsoVitaleX, vancomycin 6mg /L nalidixic acid 20mg/L and amphotercin 2 mg/L, was used as reference. Our conclusions were as follows: Tryptic soy agar base was not acceptable for the growth of C. pylori. The organism grew in both atmospheric conditions, but generally showed a scantier growth in the carbon dioxide incubator than under the microaerophilic condition, however GC agar containing 1% hemoglobin and 0.2% activated charcoal supported well the growth of C. pylori in the carbon dioxide incubator. The authors have found that the GC agar base supplemented with 1% hemoglobin and 0.2% charcoal was the most satisfactory medium and a microaerophilic condition was optimal atmospheric condition for the growth of Campylobacter pylori in this study.
Agar ; Biopsy* ; Campylobacter* ; Carbon Dioxide ; Charcoal ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Incubators ; Nalidixic Acid ; Vancomycin

Adequate radiographic demonstration of renal injury following blunt abdominal trauma is an important guide totherapy. The diagnostic evaluation of renal injuries usually begins with excretory urography, but not providedetailed information about the extent of injury. The need for a more accurate noninvasive modality led us toinvestigate the use of CT. We evaluated with CT and excretory urography 30 selected patients suspected of havingmajor renal injury. Of these patients 11 were also underwent arteriography for assessment of renal arterialinjuries. In this paper, we wish to analyze the result of the above modalites, particulary angiography and CT. Thebrief results were as follow. 1. Among 30 patients, 21 cases were male and 9 cases were female. About one third ofthese occured between the age of 20-29. 2. All cases were nonpenetrating blunt traumas. 3. Renal injuries werecategorized into 3 groups. Category I is minor renal injuries(14 cases), II is major renal injuries(1 cases), andIII is catastrophic renal injuries(3 cases). 4. IVP is the most common inital diagnostic modality and good forscreening of patients, but lack of specificity. In our study the specificity is about 33%. 5. CT is more accuratein detecting hematoma, parenchymal laceration, fracture and extravasation of urine, but agiography is moreconfirmative in diagnosis of vascular injuries. 6. Conservative management was done in 19 cases; 13 cases ofcategory I and 6 cases of II. Operation was performed in 11 cases: 1 case of category, I, 7 cases of II and 3cases of III. 7. Associated injuries were noted in 17 cases(57%).
Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Male ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urography ; Vascular System Injuries

No abstract available.
Leukemia, Plasma Cell* ; Plasma Cells* ; Plasma*

PURPOSE: We analyzed the oncological outcome and prognostic factor of the chondrosarcoma arising from benign bone tumor due to malignant transformation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 1986 to April 2009, 18 cases were considered eligible. We analyzed retrospectively the patient's characteristics and prognostic factors that affect to the local recurrence and distant metastasis. RESULTS: As classified by primary benign bone tumor, 4 cases were solitary osteochondroma, 11 cases were multiple osteochondromatosis and 3 cases were multiple enchondromatosis. The mean follow-up period was 85 months. The 5-year disease free survival rate of 18 patients was 85.9%. Their overall MSTS score was 25.2 (84%). There were local recurrence in 3 cases and no distant metastasis. We found that tumor location and surgical margin affected to the prognosis significantly. CONCLUSION: In secondary chondrosarcoma patients, the prognosis was good relatively and tumor location and surgical margin are important prognosis factor.
Chondrosarcoma ; Disease-Free Survival ; Enchondromatosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteochondroma ; Osteochondromatosis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Apoptosis* ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia*

Nodular type malignant melanoma is uncommon in fingers. In previous publications, treatment, diagnosis and case reports of subungal melanoma is often, however fingertip lesion was not focused. A 64-year-old woman who had a non-healing red and dark colored nodular mass with ulceration over the finger tip in the right thumb visited our clinics. Biopsy results was malignant melanoma then we performed amputation surgery of distal phalanx. Lymph node biopsy and resection margin was negative for melanoma. Chemotherapy was administered immediately. After 5 months, pulmonary nodular lesion was found and diagnosed as metastatic malignant melanoma by the wedge resection surgery. The patient is treated for additional chemotherapy consistently and disease free for 2 years. Nodular type melanoma of the finger is uncommon and it could be presented as ulceration and amelanotic nodular mass. Therefore we recommend biopsy to diagnose correctly if there are chronic non healing lesions on the fingers.
Amputation ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Fingers ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Melanoma* ; Middle Aged ; Thumb* ; Ulcer