Chondroblastoma is a rare primary bone tumor and that of sacrum was reported only 4 cases in the literatures. We report the case of 16 year old female with chondroblastoma of sacrum. The lesion was treated by partial excision of sacrum and coccyx as a block at 2nd sacral segment level. The excised tumor was round lobulated mass with diameter of 6 cm, and was consisited by yellowish cartilagenous tissue with scattered focus of calcification. Histological structure showed the proliferation of chondroblasts in chondroid ground substance with scattered multinucleasted giant cells. The ground substance showed the areas of calcification. During 22 months of follow up period, neither evidence of local recurrence nor metastasis could be boserved.
Chondroblastoma ; Chondrocytes ; Coccyx ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Sacrum

Although anterior fusion has several advantages in the management of fracture-dislocations of cervical spine than posterior methods, it has not been used in common. Because, it does not give sufficient stability to prevent the dislodgment of the graft and angular deformity and it requires prolonged rigid external immobilization. In order to promote the stability and to reduce the external support, authors have fixed with plate and screws in anterior spine fusion for various type of fracture-dislocations of cervical spine, and report the results of 29 consecutive cases. Minimum follow-up period was 6 months (Av. 12mos.). Two level fixation after anterior decompression by corpectomy was done in 7 cases. Ambulation was started from the day after operation with aid of orthosis, regardless of the neurological status. Bone union was observed in all, but one expired case, within 2–3 months. There was no failure in fixation and no worsening in neurology. Improvement of neurological status were observed in 17 patient during and follow up periods of treatment, among 23 patient with neurological symptoms on arrival. The observed complications of hoarseness(2 csses), dysphagia(2 cases) and Horner's syndrome(1 case) were improved later, but the patient with pneumonia was expired one month after operation. It is concluded that the procedure is a safe and better alternative for the fracture-dislocations including flexion injury between C2-T1, because it provides good stability, rapid union, short external support and possibility of neural decomprssion.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Decompression ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Neurology ; Orthotic Devices ; Pneumonia ; Spine ; Transplants ; Walking

For the evaluation of the clinical and radiologicaI result in the surgical reduction and internal stabilization of the fracture-dislocations in the thoracic and lumbar area, the authors analysed the 39 patients who were treated with Harrington instrumentation supplemented by segmental sublaminar wiring and were follow up 24 months in average. l. Indications for the operation were: compression type with more than 50% of body wedging, bursting type with less than 30% of canal involvement without cord injury, fracture-dislocation type with instability and any type with complete cord injury. 2. Amount of fusion were 6 segments in 25 cases, 7 segments in 11 cases, 5, 8 and 10 segments in 1 case each. 3. Among 31 cases whose lumbar segment were involved in fusion, numbers of movable lumbar motion segments were three or less in 26 and two or less in 8. 4. Angular deformity were changed from 27 preoperatively to 8 postoperatively and to 12 at the end of follow up. Wedging amount of anterior vertebral height were 53% preoperatively, 23% postoperatively and 27% at the end of follow up. 5. External support were applied for 4 months in 35 cases; Taylor brace in 22, TLSO in 10 and body cast in 3. Ambulation was started within a week according to the general status. 6. Solid bony union were observed in 38 cases within 4 months period. Dislodgement of instrumentation and deep infection in one each patient were observed as operative complications. 7. Among 21 cases with cord injury symptoms, 18 cases with complete type showed no neurological recovery, but 3 cases with incomplete type showed complete recovery. It is concluded that the Harrington instrumentation with sublaminar wiring is an effective method of reduction and stabilization for the fracture and dislocations of the thoracic and lumbar spine. On the other hand, the operation is an extensive procedure with significant involvement of lumbar motion segments.
Braces ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Methods ; Spine ; Walking

The plasmepsins are the aspartic proteases of malaria parasites. Treatment of aspartic protease inhibitor inhibits hemoglobin hydrolysis and blocks the parasite development in vitro suggesting that these proteases might be exploited their potentials as antimalarial drug targets. In this study, we determined the genetic variations of the aspartic proteases of Plasmodium vivax (PvPMs) of wild isolates. Two plasmepsins (PvPM4 and PvPM5) were cloned and sequenced from 20 P. vivax Korean isolates and two imported isolates. The sequences of the enzymes were highly conserved except a small number of amino acid substitutions did not modify key residues for the function or the structure of the enzymes. The high sequence conservations between the plasmepsins from the isolates support the notion that the enzymes could be reliable targets for new antimalarial chemotherapeutics.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Aspartic Endopeptidases/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Conserved Sequence ; DNA, Protozoan/chemistry/genetics ; Human ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmodium vivax/*enzymology/genetics/isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Gynecomastia is a proliferation of the glandular component of the male breast. Gynecomastia is the most common variant condition of the male breast and results from the effect of an altered estrogen-androgen balance on breast tissue or from the increased sensitivity of breast tissue to a normal estrogen level. We experienced a case of macrogynecomastia in a 16-year-old boy who had a normal male phenotype and was treated by reduction mammoplasty with breast tissue removal, which was effective and produced good cosmetic and psychologic results.
Adolescent ; Breast ; Estrogens ; Female ; Gynecomastia ; Humans ; Male ; Mammaplasty* ; Phenotype

PURPOSE: The quality of life of patients who have undergone surgery for carcinoma of the esophagus, breast, or lung has been discussed, however, little is known of the results following radical surgery for gastric cancer. We evaluated the quality of life of patients who had undergone radical surgery for gastric cancer and clarified the factors that influenced the quality of life for patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: We surveyed one hundred and thirty seven patients without recurrence of disease or chronic diseases following gastrectomy for gastric cancer. A questionnaire based on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 was used to analyse the correlations between six functional scales and nine symptom scales and stage, surgical methods, chemotherapy, and performance status by scoring system. RESULTS: The quality of life following gastrectomy was determined by the stage of the disease at surgery, the surgical method, the application of anticancer chemotherapy, and the patient's own performance status. Patients with more advanced stages had a lower quality of life, and those who underwent total gastrectomy were expected to have a lower quality of life than patients who received subtotal gastrectomy. However there were no differences in the quality of life between patients with gastrojejunostomy and gastroduodenostomy following subtotal gastrectomy. The severity of postoperative weight loss had no influence on the quality of life. Patients undergoing chemotherapy showed higher points in the symptom scale rather than the functional scale. The functional scale and the symptom scale both showed asignificant difference according to the patient's performance status as assessed by the surgeon after a survey of the patient. CONCLUSION: We consider the periodic evaluation of the quality of life following gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer to be useful in obtaining information concerning the patient's postoperative course and in assessing the therapeutic efficiency of the patient.
Breast ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Therapy ; Esophagus ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Bypass ; Humans ; Lung ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recurrence ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Weight Loss ; Weights and Measures

Six patients with macular hole and retinal detachment and no visible vitreoretinal connection examined by slitlamp and 3-mirror contact lens were treated by two methods. In two patients with relatively localized retinal detachment in central fundus, 0.7ml or more of pure SF6 gas was injected into vitreous cavity by 27 gauge needle after paracentesis was done because of keeping the large space of gas injection as preventmg the increase of lOP. In the remained 4 patients, 1.2ml or more of pure SF6 gas was injected into vitreous cavity after the subretinal fluid was released externally, and then paracentesis was done because of preventing the increase of lOP. After operation, all patients were placed in prone position for 6 hours or more in a day. In 5 of 6 patients, the retina remained attached duing more than 6 months. Even if 2 with posterior staphyloma in 6 patients were treated with two or more operations, 1 patient was failed. Although visual improvement at 6 months after operation was limited due to macular degeneration, the visual acuity were above 0.05 in 3 patients. This operation is simple and safe and not damaged en macula. This procedure is good surgical method in patients with retinal detachment wirh macular hole but without other breaks or visible vitreous adhesion or posterior staphyloma.
Drainage* ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; Needles ; Paracentesis* ; Prone Position ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinal Perforations* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Subretinal Fluid* ; Visual Acuity

Six patients with macular hole and retinal detachment and no visible vitreoretinal connection examined by slitlamp and 3-mirror contact lens were treated by two methods. In two patients with relatively localized retinal detachment in central fundus, 0.7ml or more of pure SF6 gas was injected into vitreous cavity by 27 gauge needle after paracentesis was done because of keeping the large space of gas injection as preventmg the increase of lOP. In the remained 4 patients, 1.2ml or more of pure SF6 gas was injected into vitreous cavity after the subretinal fluid was released externally, and then paracentesis was done because of preventing the increase of lOP. After operation, all patients were placed in prone position for 6 hours or more in a day. In 5 of 6 patients, the retina remained attached duing more than 6 months. Even if 2 with posterior staphyloma in 6 patients were treated with two or more operations, 1 patient was failed. Although visual improvement at 6 months after operation was limited due to macular degeneration, the visual acuity were above 0.05 in 3 patients. This operation is simple and safe and not damaged en macula. This procedure is good surgical method in patients with retinal detachment wirh macular hole but without other breaks or visible vitreous adhesion or posterior staphyloma.
Drainage* ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; Needles ; Paracentesis* ; Prone Position ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinal Perforations* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Subretinal Fluid* ; Visual Acuity

With the recent development of digital dentistry, fully digitalized methods for fabricating dentures, using intraoral scans and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM), are getting popular. Digital methods have the advantage of simplifying the fabrication process in the clinic and laboratory, supplementing digital data. This case report shows a fully digital fabrication method for interim removable dentures in a patient with anterior tooth loss in which implant placement is impossible or delayed. Interim removable dentures were fabricated using two methods. One method is printing tooth and base parts separately and combining, and the other method is printing the whole denture at one time and coloring on the base part. Afterward, dentures were delivered and adaptation was evaluated using the triple scan technique. The extracted site was scanned intraorally (first scan) and the interim removable denture was digitally scanned both intraorally (second scan) and, after removal extraorally (Third scan). In both method, denture adaptation was shown favorable. We report this case report as both the patient and the operator were satisfied with a simplified process using a fully digital method in the clinic.

No abstract available.
Adrenocortical Carcinoma*