Endometriosis in the abdominal wall following Cesarean section is one of the very rare condition among the extrapelvic endometriosis. Although benign, endometriosis possesses the unique ability to invade tissue and to disseminate or metastasize by hematogeneous, lymphatic route, or direct implantation. We reported the case with brief review of the literature.
Abdominal Wall* ; Cesarean Section* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: High-resolution carotid ultrasonography is considered a fundamental technique for the investigation of the vascular system. However, it is still very unclear whether ultrasonographic studies of carotid arteries are useful for the prediction of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease. We have tried to assess the usefulness of carotid ultrasonography to predict the severity of coronary artery stenosis in the patients with ischemic heart disease. METHODS: We studied in 80 patients(53 men, 27 women) with acute chest pain, mean ages 63.1 10.8 yr(35 to 84 yrs), who underwent both coronary angiography and carotid ultrasonography with 10 MHz transducer. The patients who had received revascularization procedure were excluded. We classified the patients into two groups, the control group without significant coronary stenosis(23 patients) and the coronary artery disease(CAD) group(57 patients) with significant stenosis(>50%). The intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured in the far wall of CCA at 10 mm proximal to carotid bulb and the abnormal IMT was defined when the measurement was greater than mean IMT+2 SD of control group(>0.99 mm). Serum total cholesterolQlC), low density lipoprotein(LDL), high density lipoprotein(HDL), triglyceride(TG) and lipoprotein (a) (LP(a)) were measured and history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and smoking were investigated. RESULTS: A significant difference in IMT of the CCA was found between control and CAD group(0.75+/-0.12mm vs. 1.02+/-0.34 mm; p<0.001). Also a significant difference in the existence of plaque(control; 26.1% vs. CAD; 73.7%, p<0.00l) and the number of plaque(control; 0.39+/-0.94 vs. CAD; 2.20+/-1.87 p<0.001) was found. The existence and number of carotid plaque were more conelated with coronary artery stenosis severity than carotid IMT. The sensitivity of IMT for prediction of significant CAD was 42.1%, the specificity 95.7%, the positive predictive value 96%, and the negative predictive value 40%. The sensitivity of plaque presence on the carotid artery for prediction of CAD was 73.7%, the specificity 73.9%, the positive predictive value 87.5% and the negative predictive value 53.1%. Among the risk factors, age and LP(a) were correlated with IMT of CCA, and diabetes, hypertension, age were correlated with the presence of plaque. Smoking and hypertension were correlated with coronary artery disease. CONCLUSION: Carotid atherosclerosis was significantly correlated with severity of coronary atherosclerosis. We therefore suggest that carotid ultrasonography is useful to predict the severity of coronary artery stenosis and that the best index of coronary artery stenosis severity may be carotid plaque rather than carotid intima-media thickness.
Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Transducers ; Ultrasonography*

We performed the same day dipyridamole stress/rest myocardial SPECT in 14 healthy young men, reconstructed the polar maps according to Cedars-Sinal method and quantitated the radioactivity of myocardial wall. We divided the whole myocardium to 9 sectors. The latero-anterior wall contains the highest count. The infero-septal wall contains the lowest count. There isn't any significant differences of radioactivity in each segment between stress and rest polar map. The hemodynamic parameters after dipyridamole injection in the subjects were significantly changed except systolic blood pressure : the heart rate was increased and diastolic blood pressure was decreased. Adverse effects were reported in 85.7%. We suggest that these data can be used to dectect perfusion defect in the coromary artery disease.
Arteries ; Blood Pressure ; Dipyridamole* ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Myocardium ; Perfusion ; Radioactivity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is high in patients with diabetes. Since studies suggest that aspirin is less effective in diabetic patients, this study evaluated the prevalence of aspirin resistance and related factors in Korean type-2 diabetics. METHODS: All patients taking aspirin 100 mg/day for at least 4 weeks and no other anti-platelet agents were enrolled. The compliance of aspirin intake was determined from patient interviews and using the pill-count method. All other medications were continued during the study, including oral hypoglycemics, antihypertensives, and lipid-lowering agents. The effect of aspirin was assessed using the Ultegra Rapid Platelet Function Assay-ASA (VerifyNow-Aspirin, Accumetrics, San Diego, CA) and aspirin resistance was defined as >550 aspirin reaction units (ARU). RESULTS: The prevalence of aspirin resistance in Korean type-2 diabetics was 14.8%, and was more prevalent in males than in females (28.1% vs. 7.1%). Aspirin resistance was correlated with male sex, smoking, high hemoglobin levels, a high estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and low fibrinogen levels. After controlling for sex, aspirin resistance was related to the estimated GFR (r=0.247, p=0.029), hemoglobin (r=0.23, p=0.043), and fibrinogen (r=0.304, p=0.007) levels. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of aspirin resistance in Korean type-2 diabetics was 14.8%. Therefore, a laboratory test for aspirin resistance should be considered in diabetic patients taking aspirin to prevent cardiovascular complications.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Aspirin ; Blood Platelets ; Compliance ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Male ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking

Leiomyomas of the appendix are rare and most are encountered incidentally during exploration of the abdomen for some other disease, during postmortem examination, or in the course of routine pathologic examinations of surgical specimens. We report here the findings of ultrasonography, CT and surgery of a case of leiomyoma that arose from the appendix; this lesion was pathologically confirmed.
Abdomen ; Appendix* ; Autopsy ; Leiomyoma* ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of antegrade interlocking intramedullary nailing for complex fractures of the proximal and midshaft of the humerus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and radiologic results in 11 cases, which were treated by antegrade interlocking intramedullary nail. We assessed clinical outcomes according to ASES scoring system and radiological result. RESULTS: All cases had bony union and the mean union period was 14.7 weeks. Postoperative complications were 1 loss of fixation, 2 proximal protrusion of nail and 2 temporary shoulder pain. A case with loss of fixation was treated open reduction and refixation and had union at 14 weeks postoperatively. The mean ASES score was 85.9 and the clinical outcomes were 4 excellent, 5 good, 1 fair and 1 poor. CONCLUSION: Intramedullary nailing for complex fractures of the proximal and midshaft of the humerus can offer a reliable treatment option.
Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Humerus ; Nails ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder Pain

BACKGROUND: Bilirubin prevents oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein, and may protect vessels from atherosclerosis. Several studies showed an inverse relationship between serum bilirubin and coronary artery disease. However, there are some needs to clarify the relationship between serum bilirubin and carotid atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes, especially. METHODS: A total of 346 type 2 diabetic patients, between 35 and 95 years of age (146 men and 200 women), were studied. Subjects with normal serum total bilirubin were divided into two groups, according to their serum total bilirubin levels (group I, total bilirubin > or = 1.0 mg/dL [n = 59]; group II, total bilirubin < or = 0.5 mg/dL [n = 76]). Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque scores were measured by ultrasonography. Carotid atherosclerosis was defined by the presence of plaque or more than 1 mm of common carotid IMT. RESULTS: Carotid IMT was positively correlated with age, duration of diabetes and hypertension, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and fibrinogen, but, it was negatively correlated with bilirubin, gamma glutaryltransferase, albumin, hemoglobin, cystatin C and estimated-glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in all subjects. After controlling for sex, age and levels of hemoglobin, direct bilirubin only was negatively correlated with carotid IMT (r = -0.151, P = 0.034). Low serum total bilirubin group had a lot of female, long duration of diabetes and hypertension, higher hs-CRP, platelet counts, serum creatinine, HbA1c and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, lower albumin, hemoglobin, estimated-GFR and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index. Carotid IMT and plaque scores were significantly greater in low serum bilirubin group (0.785 +/- 0.210 mm vs. 0.678 +/- 0.146 mm, P < 0.01; 1.95 +/- 2.56 vs. 1.03 +/- 1.40, P < 0.05, respectively) than in the high serum bilirubin group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, serum albumin and total bilirubin were independent associated factors for carotid atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic women. CONCLUSION: Total bilirubin is inversely correlated with carotid atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients, and it is an independent associated factor for carotid atherosclerosis in women.
Atherosclerosis ; Bilirubin ; C-Reactive Protein ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Creatinine ; Cystatin C ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Filtration ; Hemoglobins ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance ; Lipoproteins ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Platelet Count ; Serum Albumin

PURPOSE: To collect data regarding the pronator-sparing approach using an anatomical study, which compared the fractures of the distal radius and pronator quadratus (PQ) muscle of an adult cadaveric radius. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen adult cadaver wrists that did not have previous fractures or previous surgery and computed tomography data 32 fractures of the distal radius, were obtained. The size of the distal fracture fragment was measured using the picture archiving and communication system. The distance between the distal margin of the PQ muscles and the articular margin was measured using a caliper. RESULTS: The PQ muscles had an average distance of 10.9 mm (range, 8-13 mm) from the radial styloid process and 10 mm (range, 8-12 mm) from the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). The fracture sites were located an average of 21.8 mm (range, 10-39 mm) from the radial styloid process and an average of 14.4 mm (range, 10-28 mm) from the DRUJ. Distal radial fractures overlapped an average of 11.8 mm from the radial styloid process and an average of 3.5 mm from the DRUJ. CONCLUSION: The pronator-sparing approach could be applied to a functionally reduced fracture because the non-overlapping area of the distal fracture fragment was > or =10 mm and it is possible to repair the anatomic plate without detaching the PQ muscle.
Adult ; Cadaver ; Humans ; Joints ; Muscles ; Radius ; Wrist

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO), which in Korea is used chiefly for CO poisoning, can be used in many disorders in orthopaedic field through the action of increasing oxygen tension of peripheral tissue, Since June 1986, when the multiplace hyperbaric chamber was built in our hospital, we have experienced 197 cases of HBO in orthopaedic field and we are to analyze the result of treatment and suggest reasonable indications. The outline of results are as follows ;1. Crushing injuries and wounds caused or accompanied by circulatory disturbance were most frequent among the 197 cases we've experienced, and received 17.5 times of HBO on average. 2. Discernible effectiveness was found in split thickness skin graft, diabetic ulcer and Buerger's disease as compared to the control group. 3. Otalgia was the most common side effect, but not severe. 4. From the above results, it is thought that HBO has fair range of indications in orthopaedic field and is worth using as an adjuvant means to surgery.
Earache ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Korea ; Oxygen ; Poisoning ; Skin ; Thromboangiitis Obliterans ; Transplants ; Ulcer ; Wounds and Injuries

Priapism is an abnormal persistent penile erection that continues for more than 4 hours, without sexual stimulation according to the definition of the AUA (American Urological Association) guideline on the management of priapism. It was relatively rare in the past but has been increasing in the incidence since the advent of pharmacological agents. Stuttering priapism is a recurrent form of ischemic priapism and its treatment goal is to prevent the recurrences of priapism and resultant erectile dysfunction. We present the case of a patient who took tadalafil and thereafter had idiopathic recurrent episodes of ischemic priapism during the sleep and we show several treatment options of stuttering priapism with review of recent related articles.
Carbolines ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Penile Erection ; Priapism ; Recurrence ; Stuttering ; Tadalafil