OBJECTIVE: To investigate the histologic features of the uterus and adnexae extirpated from gender identity disorder (GID) patients that received depot androgen injection. METHODS: We reviewed the histologic findings of the uterus and adnexae removed from sixteen GID patients, who had taken depot androgen injection for 5~168 months. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (87.5%) showed the atrophied epithelium of exocervix and all of 16 patients (100%) showed the atrophy of endometrium. Seven patients (43.7%) showed multiple cystic follicles in the ovarian cortex and 6 patients (37.5%), 3 patients (18.7%) showed corpus albicans and corpus luteum, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous androgen induced atrophy of cervix and endometrium. This effect was more prominent in the endometrium. In addition, PCO-like histologic features were observed in the ovary.
Atrophy ; Cervix Uteri ; Corpus Luteum ; Endometrium ; Epithelium ; Female ; Gender Identity* ; Humans ; Ovary ; Uterus*

Cold urticaria and cholinergic urticaria are considered to be distinct disorders in which mediator release and hives can be induced by different stimuli. Cold urticaria can be induced by cold stimuli, and cholinergic urticaria, characterized by micropapular wheals, by exercise, emotional stimuli, or other stresses that increase the body temperature. While neither cold urticaria nor cholinergic urticaira is rare, it is unusual to see both disorders occurring in the same patient. Also, our case presents atypical urtication to cold exposure, similar to classic cholinergic urticarial lesions, called "cold-induced cholinergic urticaria". We present a 20-year-old man with 4-year history who experienced generalized micropapular wheals induced by cold exposure as well as exercise and hot environment.
Body Temperature ; Humans ; Urticaria* ; Young Adult

A simple technique for transpedicular screw fixation of L5 is presented. This percutaneous screwing allows up-and-in screw placement without excessive lateral stretching and lessens the length of incision.
Spine*

A simple technique for transpedicular screw fixation of L5 is presented. This percutaneous screwing allows up-and-in screw placement without excessive lateral stretching and lessens the length of incision.
Spine*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: About one third of all people experience tinnitus in their life. And insomnia is the second most common symptom in tinnitus patients, following hearing disturbance. The aim of this study was to define the influence of insomnia on the clinical features of tinnitus patients and to assess the relation of tinnitus to insomnia and depression. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The consecutive 197 patients with tinnitus were enrolled from May 2012 to May 2013 for this study. All patients with tinnitus filled out the following questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for evaluating clinical features of tinnitus patients. Also we examined pure tone audiometry and tinnitogram for evaluating audiologic characteristics. RESULTS: When the insomnia was defined as more than five scores in PSQI, 46 of 197 patients had insomnia. Loudness of tinnitus was significantly higher in the tinnitus patients with insomnia group when compared to those of the tinnitus without insomnia group (p=0.018). The score of THI and BDI were significantly higher in the tinnitus with insomnia group, too (p=0.003, <0.001, respectively). A strong correlation (r=0.616, p<0.001) was shown between THI score and BDI score in both groups. CONCLUSION: It appears, due to the high possibility that depression and insomnia are related in tinnitus patients with insomnia, that proper evaluations about sleep disturbance and depression of tinnitus patients are necessary to produce better therapeutic results.
Audiometry ; Depression* ; Hearing ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* ; Tinnitus*

A 13-year-old girl presented in our unit with progressive alopecia and a long history of edematous scalp in the occiput. Biopsy specimen of a lesion showed two-type pathologic abnormality consisting of diffuse neurofibroma in the lower portion and trichotillomania in the upper portion. Since the tumor spread diffusely through the lower dermis and subcutaneous fat tissue without destroying surrounding structures, we concluded that the trichotillomania might result from repetitive scratching or other traumatic behavior at the same site of underlying diffuse nerurofibroma. We reported a case of the concomitant occurrence of trichotillomania associated with diffuse neurofibroma.
Adolescent ; Alopecia ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Neurofibroma* ; Scalp ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Trichotillomania*

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) in elderly high-risk patients with symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) in terms of reduction in hematoma volume and recurrence rate. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data prospectively collected from nine patients who underwent 13 MMAE for CSDH between June 2017 and May 2022. The volume of the subdural hematoma was measured using a computer-aided volumetric analysis program. Hematoma volume changes during the follow-up period were analyzed and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Results: The mean follow-up period was 160 days (range, 46−311 days). All procedures were technically successful and there were no procedure-related complications. Of the 13 MMAE, 84% (11 out of 13 hemispheres) showed mean 88% of reduction on follow-up volumetric study with eight cases of complete resolution. There was one refractory case with MMAE which had been performed multiple burr-hole trephinations, for which treatment was completed by craniotomy and meticulous resection of multiple pseudomembranes. There was no recurrent case during the follow-up period, except for refractory case. Conclusions MMAE for CSDH in selected high-risk elderly patients and relapsed patients might be effective. Despite the small cohort, our findings showed a high rate of complete resolution with no complications. Further prospective randomized trials are warranted to evaluate its usefulness as a primary treatment option for CSDH.

PURPOSE: The ureteric length is the most important factor in determining the ideal length of a ureteral stent. In most literature, the ureteric length has been estimated according to the patient height. The ureteric length and reliability of the patient's height were both investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The actual ureteral trace(AUT) and linear distance(LD) from the ureterorenal junction to the ureterovesical junction were measured on the 15 minute intravenous pyelography(IVP) view. A total of 203 patients(100 men, 103 women and 406 ureters), with normal findings, were studied. The AUT, LD and height were all measured. RESULTS: The mean+/-SD height and AUT of the right and left ureters of the patients were 164.3+/-8.3, 23.4+/-1.9 and 24.4+/-2.0cm, respectively. Mean LD of right and left ureters were 22.1+/-1.9 and 22.9+/-2.0cm, respectively. The patient's height showed significant correlations with both the AUT and LD, but these correlations were not linear (R2=0.024 [Rt], 0.059 [Lt]). However, the AUT and LD had a linear correlation (R2=0.879 [Rt], 0.884 [Lt]). Two formulae for estimating the AUT from measurement of the LD were suggested: Right AUT=0.94xright LD+2.6. Left AUT=0.96xleft LD+2.4. CONCLUSIONS: Our results have demonstrated that a patient's height was not reliable for estimating the ureteric length. The LD on IVP is preferable to the patient's height in estimating the ureteric length.
Body Height ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Stents ; Ureter* ; Urography*

We studied the best parameter to differentiate preoperatively between malignant ovarian tumors and benign ovarian tumors. From January 1988 to December 1992, 244 patients of ovarian tumor were treated with surgery at Chonnarn University Hospital. Patients diagnosed as malignancy by histopathology were 26.2%(64 patients), As the diagnostic pararnetar, we used age, ultrasonography, tumor markers, CT or MRI. The results were obtained as follows: 1. The predictive value of ultrasonographic examination for ovarian cancer was 73.1%. 2. The predictive value of seren CA-125 level for ovarian cancer was 69.1%. 3. The predictive value of combination af ultrasonographic examination and serum CA 125 level for ovarian cancer was 90%. 4. The predictive value of combination of the age older than 40 years, ultrasonographic examination and serum CA-125 level for warian canrer was 92.3%. 5. The predictive value of comhination of three tumor markers(CA-125, CEA and CA 72-4), ultrasonographic examination, CT and MRI for ovarian cancer was 94.6%. Finally, we could preaperatively most exactly differentiate between malignant ovarian tumors and benign ovarian tumors by use of age, three tumor markers(CA-125, CEA and CA 72-4) and ultrsonography, CT or MRI.
Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Unfractionated heparin (UFH) has unstable pharmacokinetics and requires close monitoring. The activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) test has been used to monitor UFH therapy for decades in Korea, but its results can be affected by numerous variables. We established an aPTT heparin therapeutic range (HTR) corresponding to therapeutic anti-Xa levels for continuous intravenous UFH administration, and used appropriate monitoring to determine if an adequate dose of UFH was applied. METHODS: A total of 134 ex vivo samples were obtained from 71 patients with a variety of thromboembolisms. All patients received intravenous UFH therapy and were enrolled from June to September 2015 at Gyeongsang National University Hospital. All laboratory protocols were in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines and the College of American Pathologist requirements for aPTT HTR. RESULTS: An aPTT range of 87.1 sec to 128.7 sec corresponded to anti-Xa levels of 0.3 IU/mL to 0.7 IU/mL for HTR under our laboratory conditions. Based on their anti-Xa levels, blood specimen distribution were as follows: less than 0.3 IU/mL, 65.7%; 0.3–0.7 IU/mL (therapeutic range), 33.6%; and more than 0.7 IU/mL, 0.7%. No evidence of recurring thromboembolism was observed. CONCLUSION: Using the conventional aPTT target range may lead to inappropriate dosing of UFH. Transitioning from the aPTT test to the anti-Xa assay is required to avoid the laborious validation of the aPTT HTR test, even though the anti-Xa assay is more expensive.
Heparin* ; Humans ; Korea ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Pharmacokinetics ; Thromboembolism