No abstract available.
Amyloidosis*

Adhesion around tendons of the hand and wrist and subsequent limitation of motion, is one of the major complications after tendon surgery. In addition to the tendon surgery such as tendon repair or graft, infection, open reduction of fracutres, and burn scar contracture could be the casuses of tendon adhesion. Tenolysis and adequate postoperative rehabilitation program, has been proved to be effective in preventing of adhesion, whatever the cause may be, if its continuity is maintained. In order to evaluate the efficiency and problems of tenolysis, we reviewed 37 fingers of 31 patients who had been treated by tenolysis at Seoul National University Hospital from 1981 to 1991. There were 20 men and 11 women, and the average age was 28.2 years(9-45 years). The causes of adhesion were various; 24 fingers(64%) after tendon repair or tendon graft, 3 fingers(8%) after infection, 4 fingers(10%) after treatment of fracture, 4 fingers(10%) after burn scar contracture, and the other 2 fingers(5%) after curettage of enchondroma. Involved tendon were flexor tendon in 28 fingers and extensor in 9. The average duration of follow-up was 17 months(13 months to 4 years). Active motion of involved finger was started within 2 days after operation. The Total Active Motion(TAM) after operation was average 213°(100°-260°), compared to 123°(40°-180°) before operation. According to Strickland formula which was modified by us, the postoperative results were excellent in 17 fingers, good in 9 fingers, fair in 6 fingers and poor in 5 fingers. In 24 cases who had tenolysis after repair or graft, 19 case(79%) were rated as excellent or good. But in 7 cases whose causes of adhesion were infection or burn scar contracture, only 3 cases(42%) were rated as excellent or good. Compairing the results between younger(less than 30 years of age) and older(more than 30 years of age) group, the younger group showed excellent and good in 8496 and the older group in 41%, The complications were tendon rupture in 3 fingers and minor infection in 2 fingers, respectively. In summary, tenolysis was considered as a useful procedure to improve function of tendon bound down in scar tissue. And the results were better in younger age group(p < 0.05) and in previous tendon repair or graft(p < 0.05) group.
Burns ; Chondroma ; Cicatrix ; Contracture ; Curettage ; Female ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Rehabilitation ; Rupture ; Seoul ; Tendons ; Transplants ; Wrist

To investigate the effect of tumor removal and administration of OK432 on the splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats, NK cell activity assay using a 4-hour 51Cr release assay and flow cytometric analysis for NK cell population were performed. The results were as follows: 1. Splenic NK cell activity and population in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats decreased along with the growth of the tumor. 2. The rats with subcutaneous tumor removal showed decrease of splenic NK cell activity, but splenic NK cell population was not decreased. 3. In the rats with subcutaneous tumor removal and OK432 administration, splenic NK cell activity was significantly increased 1 week after administration of OK432 and then gradually returned to normal, whereas increase of NK cell population was not significant. In the present study, splenic NK cell activity was significantly decreased despite removal of subcutaneous tumor. But with the administration of OK432, splenic NK cell activity returned to normal. Considering the role of NK cells on the first line of defense against the metastatic implantation of circulating tumor emboli, we suggest that perioperative administration of immunopotentiator such as OK432 may improve the patient's outcome after surgery of human neoplasm.
Animals ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Picibanil* ; Rats* ; Spleen

No abstract available.
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins*

No abstract available.

Cellular oncogenes are expressed as an intrinsic part of the transformed or neoplastic phenotype. More than 60 of the known cellular oncogenes play a specific role in normal cellular development and differentiation. To examine the correlation between ras oncogene expression and the development of cervical cancer, this study investigated the reactivity of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) and carcinoma of the uterine cervix by using anti-ras P21 mouse monoclonal antibody. The expression of ras oncogene significantly increased with the grade of malignancy from 11% in severe dysplasia, 30% in carcinoma in situ, 43% in microinvasive carcinoma, to 53% in invasive cancer. The expression of ras oncogene was not correlated with histologic type, tumor size, and nodal status of cervical cancer. It was concluded that expression of ras oncogene is related to early phase of carcinogenesis and tumor invasion of carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Genes, ras* ; Mice ; Oncogenes ; Phenotype ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Somatosensory evoked potentials(SEPs) has been an important part of electrodiagnosis and has been utilized as a clinical diagnostic technique in various neurological disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of SEPs in the analysis of sensory deficit as an objective method. The test was performed on the two groups of patients with cerebrovascular disease associated with motor and sensory impairment (grouip A) and pure motor impairment (group B), and then the results are compared with that of normal age-matched group. The results are as follows: 1. There is no significant difference in the abnormalities of N9 and N14 component between group A and B (P>0.05). 2. There is no significant difference in the decreased amplitude of N20 component (P>0.05), but there is a significant difference in the delayed peak latency or absent wave of N20 component(P<0.01) between group A and B. 3. There is a significant difference in the increased central conduction time between group A and B (P<0.01). 4. Although the difference is not significant statistically, there are more abnormalities of N20 or central conduction time in the intact hemispheres in group A than group B after stimulation of the median nerves of the affected sides.
Electrodiagnosis ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Humans ; Median Nerve

OBJECTIVES: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has the feature of excessive LH, hyperandrogenism and disturbance of folliculogenesis. Also, insulin, IGF-I and IGFBP-1 are involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Various surgical and medical therapies have been used and the action mechanisms are related to the endocrine effect. Laparoscopic ovarian electrocautery or laser vaporization is effective in the restoration of ovulation and normal menstrual cycle with minimal invasive procedure especially in the patients resistant to medical therapy. Clomiphen citrate (CC) is used for the ovulation induction in PCOS and the resistance is known to be related to insulin, IGF-I, IGFBP-1 levels. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of the laparoscopic laser vaporization on the levels of LH, FSH, testosterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-1 and on the ovarian response to clomiphen citrate in patients with CC-resistant PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The fasting basal serum LH, FSH, testosterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-1 level were measured in 10 PCOS patients with CC-resistance and 7 normal controls with regular menstrual cycle. In PCOS, after laparoscopic CO2 laser vaporization, endocrine levels were measured in 1 week interval for 4 weeks and then compared with preoperative levels. RESULTS: In PCOS group, mean serum LH/FSH ratio, testosterone, IGF-I levels were higher and IGFBP-1 level was lower than control. LH/FSH ratio decreased from 2.51+/-0.67 to 1.7+/-0.6 (p<0.05) in 2 weeks, to 0.56+/-0.2 (p<0.01) in 3 weeks and to 1.41+/-0.3 (p<0.01) in 4 weeks after operation. Testosterone level decreased from 1.51+/-0.82 ng/ml to 0.65+/-0.34 ng/ml (p<0.05) in 2 weeks, to 0.56+/-0.67 ng/ml (p<0.01) in 3 weeks after operation. IGF-I level also decreased from 436+/-47.5 microgram/l to 187+/-38 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 1 week, to 167+/-42 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 2 weeks, 179+/-55 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 3 weeks and to 120 +/-43 microgram/l (p<0.01) in 4 weeks after operation. IGFBP-1 level showed no significant change. In 8 of 10 PCOS patients, ovulation was induced with low dose clomiphen citrate. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic CO2 laser vaporization restores normal menstrual cycle and ovulation through endocrine effect of decreasing LH/FSH ratio, testosterone and IGF-I level and increases the response to CC. Therefore it is useful for restoration of normal menstruation and induction of ovulation in CC resistant PCOS patients.
Citric Acid ; Electrocoagulation ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperandrogenism ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Laser Therapy* ; Lasers, Gas ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Ovulation ; Ovulation Induction ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* ; Testosterone ; Volatilization

Three cases of giant pituitray adenoma are reported. Two cases were operated by transsphenoidal approach and a case by transcranial approach. Transsphenoidal approach showed satisfactory results despite of marked suprasellar extension of tumors. We report rare giant pituitary adenomas with review of relevant literatures.
Adenoma ; Pituitary Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Dipyridamole* ; Heart Ventricles*