BACKGROUND: Facet joint have been implicated as a source of chronic low back pain. Radiofrequency denervation has demonstrated the most solid evidence. To increase safety and efficacy of treatment, computed tomography (CT) guidance injection has been used in several disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of CT-guided radiofrequency rhizotomy in the treatment of facet joint pain. METHODS: A total of 40 patients were randomized to undergo radiofrequency facet joint denervation under CT guidance or C-arm guidance. All patients were examined visual analogue scale (VAS) score before treatment, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: The VAS in both groups showed significant improvement over the 1-month interval. No significant difference in the VAS score among the group was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study there was no significant difference between CT guidance lumbar rhizotomy and C-arm guidance lumbar rhizotomy. Therefore CT-guided radiofrequency denervation of the lumbar facet joint was a minimally invasive technique that appears effective.
Denervation ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Rhizotomy ; Zygapophyseal Joint

It is generally recognized that the environmental noise of the various working places thought to be the cause of hearing disturbance. This survey was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of noise-induced occupational hearing loss among the weavers of 39 textile industries in Taegu, Korea. For this survey, 432 male workers and 2,023 female workers were examined their hearing acuity by individual pure tone threshold determination test(air conduction), from November, 1972, to January, 1973. Main findings were as follows: 1. The mean of noise intensity of the 54 weaving rooms was, in over all, 95.6+/-4.2dB (A), 95.9+/-4.0dB (B) and 96.2+/-3.9dB (C). 2. The mean hearing threshold levels by service years in the 4,000 Hz were intensively increased from 1st to 3rd year and slightly decreased, than that of 3rd year, from after 3rd to 5th year, after 5th year that increased slightly. 3.The mean hearing threshold levels by frequencies were highest in the 4,000Hz(male:25.0+/-11.3dB, female:22.0+/-10.2dB) and followed by 6,000, 8,000 and 3,000Hz. 4. The mean hearing threshold level of the 6,000Hz(male:17.0dB, female:17.9dB)was higher than that of 4,000Hz(male:16.4dB, female:17.1dB) in the 1st service year. 5. The mean hearing loss of examinees was 16.2+/-8.0dB in male and 15.4+/-7.8dB in female.
Daegu* ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Noise ; Prevalence ; Textile Industry ; Textiles*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is an emerging infectious disease and a life-threatening infection with high mortality. The clinical outcomes of PM have not improved significantly over the last decade because early diagnosis of PM is difficult and antifungal agents show limited activity. We evaluated the clinical manifestations of PM in a Korean tertiary hospital and identified the role of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) in diagnosing PM in patients admitted to an intensive care unit. METHODS: The medical records of adult patients (aged 16 years and older) who met the criteria for proven or probable PM in a Korean tertiary hospital were retrospectively reviewed from January 2003 to December 2013. The clinical features, computed tomographic findings, diagnostic methods, treatment, and outcomes in patients with PM were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the nine patients, four were male. The median age was 64 years (range, 12 to 73 years). PM was proven and probable in seven and two cases, respectively. Computed tomography findings of PM were unilateral involvement in eight cases (89%), consolidation in eight (89%), ground glass opacity in four (44%), and reverse halo sign in one (11%). Six of nine cases (67%) were diagnosed as PM from TBLB via portable bronchoscopy. There were no complications after TBLB. Mortality rate was 56% (five of nine cases). CONCLUSIONS: TBLB can be an easy and useful technique for diagnosing PM in the intensive care unit.
Adult ; Antifungal Agents ; Biopsy* ; Bronchoscopy ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Critical Care* ; Early Diagnosis ; Glass ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lung* ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Mucormycosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers

No abstract available.
Ribs* ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Enophthalmos* ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*

High septal deformities exert pressure on upper lateral cartilages and nasal bones and cause external deviation of the nose. However, detection of high septal deformities causing deviated noses is very difficult if a detailed intranasal examination is not performed. As well, the high septal border is a difficult area to approach via the endonasal rhinoplasty and is the weakest portion in the septum resulting in much difficulty in correcting deformities and in frequent later recurrence of deviation secondary to the healing process. In order to solve the above problems in 33 cases of deviated nose associated with high septal deformities, the authors evaluated deformities in the high septal border after separation of the septum from upper lateral cartilages and nasal bones. The high septal border is centralized by scoring after resection of the mid or lower-septal portion. And spreader grafts were applied to the convex sides of deviated septal borders to stabilize the high septal border and to prevent long-term recurrence of deviation. Also, to balance the traction force of side walls, the length of both upper lateral cartilages and nasal bones were equalized by resection in the longer side and grafting in the shorter side. Clinical follow-up ranged from 3 to 31 months. There was no surgical or septal complication. Also, there was no incomplete correction, recurrence of deviation, or compromized nasal support. All patients except 2 were satisfied with the aesthetic and functional results. We found that separation of septum from side walls allows detection and correction of higher septal deformities and that spreader graft allows long-term support and prevents later recurrence of deviation.
Cartilage ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nasal Bone ; Nose* ; Recurrence ; Rhinoplasty ; Traction ; Transplants*

Hyperkeratosis of the nipple and areola is rare dermatosis that may be divided into three categories: a type of epidermal nevus, a type associated with ichthyosis and a type of nevoid form seen in voung women. A 23-year-old woman was seen for skin lesion involving both nipples. These changes were first noted when the patient was in the sixth month of gestation. Physical examinations revealed papillomatous thickening of both nipples with brownish black discoloration. Histopathological changes were mild hyperkeratosis, keratotic plugging and telangiectasia. It was interesting to note that the skin lesions disappeared spontaneously 7 days after parturition without treatment. A possible correlation between pregnancy and acquired form of this rare skin disorder is suggested.
Female ; Humans ; Ichthyosis ; Nevus ; Nipples* ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Pregnancy* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Telangiectasis ; Young Adult

Generalized varicella-like eruption occurs in 2 to 10 percent of unselected patients with localized zoster, the majority of whom are patients with immunologic defects due to underlying malignanies (particularly rnalignancy of hematopoietic system) or immunosuppressive therapy. A 25-year old male noted onset of pain and burning sensation on the right side of cheet nine days prior to admission. The following day multiple vesicles were noted on right side of the chest. Three day before the admisson erythernatous maculopapules were noted on the abdomen. One day prior to admission vesicular lesions appeared over the entire hody. The patient was treated with topical application of calamin lotion, and with kanamycin and Cephalexin to prevent secondary infection. The secondary vesicles had disappeared by the fifth hospital day, but the initial lesion had not improved. On the fifteenth hosptital day the initia1 lesions has disappeared.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Burns ; Cephalexin ; Chickenpox* ; Coinfection ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Kanamycin ; Male ; Sensation ; Thorax