Six thumb reconstructions and one index reconstruction were performed by use of the wrap-around technique. All successful digital reconstructions were reviewed at an average of 37 months after surgery. There were complications related to the digits in three patients ; these included pin site infection (1), malrotation (1), and nail deformity (1). But we considered that function and cosmesis were excellent with a 100% viability rate. All patients regained protective sensation and sttained two-point discrimination (average 10mm). The wrap-around technique represents an esthetically and functionally excellent procedure of digit reconstruction for amputation at the level of metacarpo-phalangeal joint or distal to it.
Amputation ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Fingers ; Humans ; Joints ; Sensation ; Thumb

The rupture of anterior cruciate ligament has been diagnosed by stress test, radiogram and diagnostic arthroscopy, but these methods have several disadvantages of lack of objectivity, exposure to radiation and risk of anesthesia. To eliminate these difficulties, the K-T 1,000 knee ligament arthrometer was used for the objective diagnosis in the injury of anterior cruciate ligament. We performed instrumented measurement of anterior-posterior laxity of the knee in 100 normal subjects by using the K-T 1,000 knee ligament arthrometer under the 15 lb., 20 lb. and maximum anterior pulls, and 20 lb. posterior push. The following results were obtained: 1. The mean anterior displacement at 20 lb.: 4.43mm The mean posterior displacement at 20 lb.: 2.30mm 2. The mean right knee-left knee difference in anterior displacement: 0.89mm 3. The mean anterior compliance index: 1.16mm So, we believed that a right knee-left knee difference and a anterior compliance index are sensitive measures of the integrity of the anterior cruclate ligament. And this test method was helpful for the diagnosis and objective recording in the injury of anterior cruciate ligament. This test method has following advantages: 1. There is no anesthesia risk. 2. The patient and examiner undergo no radiation exposure. 3. Diagnostic arthroscopy may be avoided. 4. Due to patient comfort, there is minimal muscle guarding.
Anesthesia ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Compliance ; Diagnosis ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; Knee ; Ligaments ; Methods ; Radiation Exposure ; Rupture

Peptic ulcer can occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract that contact with acid and pepsin. But usually peptic ulcer occurs at the stomach and duodenum and the location of peptic ulcer are localized to specific area within the stomach and duodenum. So I think that predilection of peptic ulcer to localized area may have clue for releaving the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer. So I studied the location of peptic ulcer for the basic reserch of ulcer pathogenesis by means of dividing stomach into antrum, angle, lower body, middle body, upper body and lesser curvature, anterior wall, greater curvature, posterior wall and duodenum into anterior wall, lesser curvature, posterior wall, and greater curvature. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The chronic gastric ulcer was most common in the angle of lesser curvature (22.9%) and second common in the antrum of lesser curvature (22.3%). 2) The location of chronic and acute gastric ulcer was similar. 3) The proximal migration of ulcer site according to increasing age was not observed. 4) Chronic duodenal ulcer was occurred commonly in the lesser curvature (41.8%) and anterior wall (38.3%). 5) As the age increase, the incidence of chronic duodenal ulcer in the lesser curvature was increased and that of chronic duodemal ulcer in the anterior wall was decreased. 6) Acute ulcer of stomach and duodenum has no predilection site.
Duodenal Ulcer ; Duodenum ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Incidence ; Pepsin A ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Stomach ; Stomach Ulcer ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Priapism* ; Ureter*

This research was performed to investigate whether or not the psychobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder is related to dopamine systems. Plasma homovanillic acid levels were measured in 16 male patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and in 16 nonpsychiatric normal males. Posttraumatic stress disorder was diagnosed using the DSM-IV. Plasma homovanillic acid levels were significantly higher in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder than in normal control subjects(p<0.05). The findings of this study suggest that hyperactivity of dopamine systems may be related to the psychobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Dopamine ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Male ; Plasma* ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*

The study performed a systematic review of screening for preeclampsia with the combination of vascular parameters and maternal serum markers in the first and early second trimester. We identified eligible studies through a search of Medline, and, for each included study, we focused on the relationship between the maternal serum markers and preeclampsia. In the selected literature, a combination of maternal serum markers was analyzed, also. Several tests suggested moderate or convincing prediction of early preeclampsia, but screening for late preeclampsia was poor. Literatures for serum markers were selected. Each serum marker was identified independently, and where relevant, a combination of these markers was analyzed. Encouraging results for the first trimester screening were observed when it was combined with other markers. Even in the first trimester of pregnancy, we can present the reliable results for the prediction of early preeclampsia. Detection rate for combination markers may yield higher detection rate and be promising to identify patients at high risk of developing preeclampsia.
Biomarkers ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second

Brucellosis is a zoonosis caused by several species of Brucella. Brucellosis is usually an acute or sub-acute febrile illness that histologically develops granulomatous inflammation. Brucella prostatitis is a very rare complication and is usually accompanied by epididymo-orchitis. We now report a case of histologically proven granulomatous prostatitis due to Brucella without clinical evidence of epididymo-orchitis. A 61-year-old farmer presented with myalgia, low back pain, and fever. A needle biopsy of the prostate was performed due to symptoms of urinary frequency and high prostate specific antigen levels (17.3 ng/mL). Histologically, the prostate showed granulomatous inflammation without caseous necrosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies of blood and prostatic tissue for Brucella were positive, while a PCR study for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was negative. The patient was treated with doxycycline and rifampin. A possibility of Brucella prostatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of granulomatous prostatitis or prostatitis of unknown origin associated with or without epididymo-orchitis.
Biopsy, Needle ; Brucella ; Brucellosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Doxycycline ; Fever ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Low Back Pain ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Necrosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatitis ; Rifampin

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pregnancy, Twin* ; Twins*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the significance of color Doppler ultrasonography in patients of chronic prostatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed the pattern of color Doppler images and quantitative changes of vascular flow and flow velocity parameters(FVP) using a 7.0 MHz transrectal probe with findings of expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) from 22 patients with clinically suspected chronic prostatitis and 12 controls with clinically suspected prostatodynia retrospectively. RESULTS: Compared with 2 groups according to color Doppler flow grade, higher grades(grade 2 or 3) of flow increase were more frequently seen in prostatitis group(54.5%) than in control group(33.3%)(p <0.05). But no significant difference was found in flow velocity parameter(FVP: maximal flow velocity, minimal flow velocity, resistive index, and pulsatility index) between control and prostatitis group. Two months later follow up ultrasonography of 5 cases in the prostatitis group after treatment, all of 5 cases showed decrease the color Doppler flow compared with the initial color Doppler image grade. CONCLUSIONS: Grading of the amount of color flow with Doppler ultrasonography is of limited significance at efficacy decision after treatment in chronic prostatitis. But precaution should be taken to use color Doppler ultrasonography as objective diagnostic tool, although higher grades of flow increase were more frequently seen in prostatitis group than control group.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prostatitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color*

Soft-tissue expansion is a new surgical technique of providing donor tissue in modern reconstructive surgery. This technique provides a quantity of tissue of similar color, texture, and hair-bearing qualities for reconstruction of adjacent defects. It is known that the expanded skin shows several constant histologic changes including the increase in collagen fibers and vascularity within dermis, and thinning of subcutaneous tissue and dermis. In this study, the author observed serial histologic changes of rabbit skin induced by progressive tissue expansion up to excessive expansion of 6 times. The results are as follows: 1. Changes in the thickness of the epidermis was minimal until 3 times of expansion, but slight thinning was observed at excessive expansion state. 2. The thickness of the dermis was progressively decreased, and collagen fibers in the dermis was rapidly increased in early phase of expansion. 3. The vascularity in the dermis was also progressively increased. 4. The skin appendages showed no structural changes even in excessive expansion. 5. The panniculus carnosus showed no atrophic changes and the thickness was maintained in excessive expansion.
Collagen ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Skin* ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Tissue Donors ; Tissue Expansion*