PURPOSE: To analyze the risk factors of Korean patients with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION). METHODS: Medical records of 48 Korean patients (24 men, 24 women) who were diagnosed as having AION were retrospectively reviewed and the risk factors of AION including age, sex, associated systemic disease, past medical history, social history, hematologic findings, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, and optic disc of the clinically normal fellow eye, were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the 48 patients was 59.4 years (range, 36~80 years). There were 6 patients (12.5%) less than 45 years of age, 18 patients (37.5%) of 45 to 65 years of age, and 24 patients (50.0%) more than 65 years of age. There were 29 patients (60.4%) with associated systemic diseases such as hypertension (65.5%), diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, migraine, and heart disease with a decreasing order. Nine patients (18.8%) with a mean age of 50.6 years were smoker. Four patients developed AION after a cataract operation. There were 17 (68.0%) out of 25 patients with an increased level of cholesterol. Four patients whose 24-hour blood pressure was monitored showed that their blood pressure in night was lower than that in the day time. A cup disc ratio less than 0.2 was observed in 28 contralateral eyes (68.3%) of 41 patients with unilateral AION. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension, high cholesterol and decreased cup-to-disc ratio were observed in more than 60% of the Korean patients with AION, thereby composed the major risk factors.
Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitors ; Cataract ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Medical Records ; Migraine Disorders ; Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors*

We report an extremely specific case of Pendred's syndrome, originally described with an association of thyroid organification defect and hearing impairment; normal-sized thyroid, severe hypothyroidism manifested by profoundly retarded physical and mental development, cardiomegaly and severe hypochromic & microcytic anemia associated with asymmetrical septal hypertrophy.
Adolescent* ; Anemia* ; Cardiomegaly ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Hypertrophy* ; Hypothyroidism ; Thyroid Gland

No abstract available.
Mandibular Condyle

The presence of a single coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly; such patients often present with severe myocardial ischemia. We experienced the case of a 13-year-old girl with the right coronary artery originating from the left circumflex artery. She visited our Emergency Department owing to severe chest pain; her cardiac enzyme levels were elevated, but her initial electrocardiogram (ECG) was normal. Echocardiography showed normal anatomy and normal regional wall motion. When she presented with recurrent chest pain on admission, the ECG showed significant ST-segment elevation in the left precordial leads and inferior leads with ST-segment depression in aVR lead, suggesting myocardial ischemia, and her cardiac enzyme levels were also elevated. We performed coronary angiography that showed a single right coronary artery originating from the left circumflex artery without stenosis. We confirmed the presence of a single coronary artery using coronary computed tomography. In addition, the treadmill test that was performed showed normal results. She was discharged from the hospital without any medications but with a recommendation of a regular follow-up.
Adolescent ; Arteries* ; Chest Pain ; Child* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels* ; Depression ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia

PURPOSE: The lessor saphenous vein is an anatomical index in various surgical methods involving an approach to the popliteal fossa. However, occasionally, there have been some cases where the surgical process was difficult because the lessor saphenous vein was not found in the popliteal fossa during the operation process. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of the anatomical variation of lessor saphenous vein not found in the popliteal fossa with a review of the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 83 cases of selective neurectomy for hypertrophic calf performed in our clinic from March 1997 to June 2013. There were 42 patients, with a mean age of 32.8 years old. We confirmed the existence of the lessor saphenous vein in the popliteal fossa during the operation process. RESULTS: Among 83 cases during this study period, the lesser saphenous vein was not found in four cases. In one patient, no lesser saphenous vein was found on either side of the popliteal fossa, and in two patients, no lesser saphenous vein was found on the left side of the popliteal fossa. As a result, the frequency of variation was found to be 4.8%. CONCLUSION: Due to the anatomical variation of the lessor saphenous vein, it may not be found in the midline of the popliteal fossa. Based on the literature review, several possibilities for failure to observe the lesser saphenous vein could be suggested. If surgeons are well aware of these possibilities, the steadier operation could be performed.
Anatomic Variation ; Humans ; Methods ; Popliteal Vein ; Saphenous Vein*

PURPOSE: Rapid growth of prescription drug expenditures is a problem in South Korea. The objective of this study was to assess the contributions of four variables (therapeutic choice, drug-mix, original use, and price changes) to increases in drug expenditures paid by the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2012 utilizing data from the NHI Claims Database of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The number of target drug types for final analysis was 13959. To analyze the growth rates of drug expenditures, this study used Fisher ideal index and the Laspeyres and Paasche indexes. RESULTS: With the exception of 2012, therapeutic choice contributed to about 40-60% of the increase in drug expenditures every year, while drug-mix contributed to another 30-40%. CONCLUSION: The rapid growth in prescription drug expenditure was found to be largely due to drug-mix and therapeutic choice over time. Original use had little impact on drug spending.
Cohort Studies ; Health Expenditures/*statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; National Health Programs/*economics ; Prescription Drugs/*economics ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We report our initial experience with percutaneous transvenous closure of atrial septal defects (ASD). MATERIALS AND METHOD: Between September 1997 and May 2000, we attempted transcatheter closure of ASD in 18 patients using CardioSEALTM (8), STARFlexTM (4) and Amplatzer septal occluder (6). The ages of patients ranged from 4.5-64.8 (mean 32.8) years, body weight ranging from 16-76 (mean 51) kg, Qp/Qs ratio from 1.3-3.4 (mean 2.2). RESULTS: Embolization of device occurred in two patients; right pulmonary artery in one and left atrium in the other. In one patient, the device slipped into the right atrium before detachment. After retrieval of the device, the defect seemed too large for transcatheter closure. There were no other complications apart from a transient aggravation of pre-existing atrial premature beats in two patients. There was no significant size difference between the data measured by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The stretched ASD diameter was larger (5.1 3.2 mm) than the size measured by transesophageal echocardiography. In the remaining 15 patients, complete closure of defects was confirmed by transthoracic echocardiography on the 1 day or 1 month follow-up. During the same period, transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale(PFO) was also attempted in 7 patients with stroke. The guidewire could not be passed in 2 of the patients. In the other 5 patients, transcatheter closure was successfully performed without any problems. Though the follow-up period may have been short, no patients were found with further stroke attack. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter closure of ASD can be performed with high efficiency and safety if patient selection is adequate. The indication for ASD closure can be extended to patients with larger defects. Transcatheter closure of PFO is an easy and safe procedure, but the indications of PFO closure in patients with stroke is still unclear. Further evaluation is necessary for long-term results.
Body Weight ; Cardiac Complexes, Premature ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Atria ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Humans ; Patient Selection ; Pulmonary Artery ; Septal Occluder Device ; Stroke

Adenoid basal carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma of the uterine cervix are rare tumors that have often been regarded as a single entity. But adenoid basal and adenoid cystic carcinomas of the cervix differ from each other in their histology, treatment, and prognosis. We experienced 2 cases of these neoplasms, with 1 case in each category. Whereas adenoid basal carcinoma is a slow-growing, locally invasive lesion amenable to simply hysterectomy, adenoid cystic carcinoma is an aggressive tumor associated with regional lymph node involvement and late distant metastases. This study reviews the literature and formulates a program for the management of these rare lesions.
Adenoids* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

Pseudotumors are not uncommon complications after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and may occur due to differences in bearing surfaces of the head and the liner ranging from soft to hard articulation. The most common causes of pseudotumors are foreign-body reaction, hypersensitivity and wear debris. The spectrum of pseudotumor presentation following THA varies greatly-from completely asymptomatic to clear implant failure. We report a case of pseudo-tumor formation with acetabular cup aseptic loosening after revision ceramic-on-metal hip arthroplasty. The patient described herein underwent pseudotumor excision and re-revision complex arthroplasty using a trabecular metal shell and buttress with ceramic-on-polyethylene THA. Surgeons should be aware of the possibility of a pseudotumor when dealing with revisions to help prevent rapid progression of cup loosening and implant failure, and should intervene early to avoid complex arthroplasty procedures.
Acetabulum ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Surgeons

Malignant melanoma of the anorectum is a rare disorder. Patients often present with local symptoms similar to benign diseases. The prognosis is very poor, and almost all patients die because of metastases. We report 2 female patients with unremarkable histories. Both of them received previous operations before visiting our center after they were diagnosed with anorectal malignant melanoma. One case underwent abdominoperineal resection and postoperative chemotherapy. The other had been treated with ultralow anterior resection followed by immunotherapy.