No abstract available.
Ischemic Contracture*

Thyroid nodules are the most common endocrine disease requiring surgical management. Various techniques for evaluating thyroid nodules have been developed and are being utilized, but it is difficult to differentiate the few malignant lesions from the numerous benign nodules. We reviewed 187 patients with thyroid nodules who were admitted to and operated on at the Department of General Surgery, Buchon Sejong General Hospital, from January 1990 to December 1996. The results are summarized as follows: 1) The incidence of benign nodules was 83.9%, and that of malignant nodules was 16.0% among the 187 cases of thyroid nodules. 2) The sexual distribution revealed female preponderance of 6.5:1 for benign nodules and 14:1 for malignant nodules. 3) The peak-incidence was in the 4th decade to both patients with benign nodules and patients with malignant nodules. 4) As to the duration of illness, 39.6% of cases were resolved within 3 months, 77.5% of cases within 1 year. 5) The most common subjective symptoms were a palpable mass (100%), fatigue, palpitation, and headache, in order of frequency. 6) Eight four percent (84%) of the nocules were unilateral, 46.5% were on the right, 37.4% were on the left, and 12.8% were bilateral. 7) The most common (36.9%) nodule size was 2~3 cm. 8) There was a single nodule in 142 (75.9%) cases and multiple nodules in 45 (24.1%) cases. There was no difference in the incidence of cancer between single and multiple nodules. Also, 35.7% of the benign tumors and 80.0% of the malignant ones were solid. 9) On thyroid scanning, 86.0% of the benign nodules and 93.3% of the malignant nodules were cold nodules. 10) The histopathologic classifications of the benign nodules in decreasing order of frequency were adenomatous goiter, 121 cases (77.1%); follicular adenoma, 20 cases (12.7%); Graves' disease, 6 cases (3.8%); Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 6 cases (3.8%), cyst, 3 cases (1.9%); and subacute thyroiditis, 1 case (0.6%). The malignant diseases were papillary carcinoma, 26 cases (86.7%); follicular carcinoma, 3 cases (10.0%); and medullary carcinoma, 1 case (3.3%). 11) Benign nodules were treated with a lobectomy (69.4%), a lobectomy with isthmectomy (17.8%), a near total thyroidectomy (11.5%) or a total thyroidectomy (1.3%). Malignant nodules were treated with a lobectomy (23.3%), a lobectomy with isthmectomy (20.0%), a total thyroidectomy (20%), a total thyroidectomy with radical neck dissection (20%) a near total thyroidectomy (13.3%), or a near total thyroidectomy with radical neck disection(RND) or modified RND (3.3%). 12) The postoperative complications were transient hypocalcemia (6.4%), permanent hypocalcemia (2.1%), transient hoarseness (1.6%), permanent hoarseness (0.5%), and hematoma (0.5%).
Adenoma ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Classification ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Fatigue ; Female ; Goiter ; Graves Disease ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Hoarseness ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Incidence ; Neck ; Neck Dissection ; Postoperative Complications ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule* ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute

Thyroid nodules are the most common endocrine disease requiring surgical management. Various techniques for evaluating thyroid nodules have been developed and are being utilized, but it is difficult to differentiate the few malignant lesions from the numerous benign nodules. We reviewed 187 patients with thyroid nodules who were admitted to and operated on at the Department of General Surgery, Buchon Sejong General Hospital, from January 1990 to December 1996. The results are summarized as follows: 1) The incidence of benign nodules was 83.9%, and that of malignant nodules was 16.0% among the 187 cases of thyroid nodules. 2) The sexual distribution revealed female preponderance of 6.5:1 for benign nodules and 14:1 for malignant nodules. 3) The peak-incidence was in the 4th decade to both patients with benign nodules and patients with malignant nodules. 4) As to the duration of illness, 39.6% of cases were resolved within 3 months, 77.5% of cases within 1 year. 5) The most common subjective symptoms were a palpable mass (100%), fatigue, palpitation, and headache, in order of frequency. 6) Eight four percent (84%) of the nocules were unilateral, 46.5% were on the right, 37.4% were on the left, and 12.8% were bilateral. 7) The most common (36.9%) nodule size was 2~3 cm. 8) There was a single nodule in 142 (75.9%) cases and multiple nodules in 45 (24.1%) cases. There was no difference in the incidence of cancer between single and multiple nodules. Also, 35.7% of the benign tumors and 80.0% of the malignant ones were solid. 9) On thyroid scanning, 86.0% of the benign nodules and 93.3% of the malignant nodules were cold nodules. 10) The histopathologic classifications of the benign nodules in decreasing order of frequency were adenomatous goiter, 121 cases (77.1%); follicular adenoma, 20 cases (12.7%); Graves' disease, 6 cases (3.8%); Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 6 cases (3.8%), cyst, 3 cases (1.9%); and subacute thyroiditis, 1 case (0.6%). The malignant diseases were papillary carcinoma, 26 cases (86.7%); follicular carcinoma, 3 cases (10.0%); and medullary carcinoma, 1 case (3.3%). 11) Benign nodules were treated with a lobectomy (69.4%), a lobectomy with isthmectomy (17.8%), a near total thyroidectomy (11.5%) or a total thyroidectomy (1.3%). Malignant nodules were treated with a lobectomy (23.3%), a lobectomy with isthmectomy (20.0%), a total thyroidectomy (20%), a total thyroidectomy with radical neck dissection (20%) a near total thyroidectomy (13.3%), or a near total thyroidectomy with radical neck disection(RND) or modified RND (3.3%). 12) The postoperative complications were transient hypocalcemia (6.4%), permanent hypocalcemia (2.1%), transient hoarseness (1.6%), permanent hoarseness (0.5%), and hematoma (0.5%).
Adenoma ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Classification ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Fatigue ; Female ; Goiter ; Graves Disease ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Hoarseness ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Incidence ; Neck ; Neck Dissection ; Postoperative Complications ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule* ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyroiditis ; Thyroiditis, Subacute

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical manifestations and treatments of parafoveal telangiectasis. METHODS: Twenty-two eyes of fifteen patients diagnosed as parafoveal telangiectasis were selected who had visited Kong Eye Center from September 1999 to August 2003 complaining of decreasing visual acuity. Visual acuity was checked and fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography were done. Authors treated six eyes of six patients experienced decreasing visual acuity due to macular edema with argon laser photocoagulation and one eye of one patient accompanying with choroidal neovascularization with photodynamic therapy. RESULTS: Among fifteen patients, group 1 cases were eight (1B eight) and group 2 cases were seven by classification of Gass and Blodi. Visual acuity improved in two eyes of six eyes and maintained in four eyes of six eyes and optical coherence tomography showed decrease of macular edema in six eyes of six patients all after argon laser photocoagulation. Visual acuity improved and optical coherence tomography showed decrease of macular edema in one eye of one patient after photodynamic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Group 1 cases were more than group 2 cases. Argon laser photocoagulation can be effectively used to treat decreasing visual acuity due to macular edema in parafoveal telangiectasis patients. Photodynamic therapy seems to be effective in parafoveal telangiectasis accompanied with choroidal neovascularization but we think that additional studies with more cases are needed.
Argon ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Classification ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Macular Edema ; Photochemotherapy ; Telangiectasis* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity

The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of needed shunt surgeries in 514 patients who underwent surgery for a ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The patients were consisted of 207 patients who were treated from 1986 to 1988(historical control group) and 307 patients treated from 1994 to 1996(study group). In the study group, an earlier aneurysm surgery and more frequent use of adjunctive procedures applied(lumbar and cisternal drainage, and opening of the lamina terminalis and the Liliequist membrane) compared to the control group(p<0.005). Twent-one patients(6.8%) required shunt operations in the study group, while it was necessary in 32 patients(15.5%) of the control group(p<0.005). However, occurrence of a hydrocephalus in both groups were similar. It is concluded that the frequency of a shunt operation has been decreased in the study group presumably due to an earlier surgical intervention, and an aggressive drainage of the bloody cerebrospinal fluid from the cisterns and the ventricles during or after an aneurysm surgery.
Aneurysm* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Drainage ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Hypothalamus ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Heart disease is one of the major cause of death in diabetic patients, but the thogenesis of diabetic cardio-myopathy remains unclear. In this experiment, to sess the significance of G protein signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of abetic cardiomyopathy, we analyzed the expression of G proteins and the tivities of second messenger dependent protein kinases: cAMP-dependent protein nase (PKA), DAG-mediated protein kinase C (PKC), and calmodulin dependent otein kinase II (CaM kinase II) in the streptozotocin induced diabetic rat art. The expression of Galphaq was increased by slightly over 10% (P<0.05) in abetic rat heart, while Galphas, Galphai, and Gbeta remained unchanged. The A activity in the heart did not change significantly but increased by 27%<0.01) in the liver. Insulin treatment did not restore the increased activity the liver. Total PKC activity in the heart was increased by 56% (P<0.01), and sulin treatment did not restore such increase. The CaM kinase II activity in e heart remained at the same level but was slightly increased in the liver 4% increase, P<0.05). These findings of increased expression of Galphaq in the reptozotocin-diabetic rat heart that are reflected by the increased level of C activity and insensitivity to insulin demonstrate that alteration of Galphaq y underlie, at least partly, the cardiac dysfunction that is associated with abetes. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
Animal ; Ca(2+)-Calmodulin Dependent Protein Kinase/metabolism ; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/chemically induced ; GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Insulin/pharmacology ; Liver/metabolism ; Liver/drug effects ; Male ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Protein Kinase C/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Streptozocin

BACKGROUND: Preemptive analgesia is an antinociceptive treatment that prevents the establishment of central sensitization, which amplifies the postoperative pain. In this study, we investigated the preemptive effect of local infiltration of bupivacaine on postoperative pain after inguinal herniorrhaphy. METHODS: Thirty adult patients scheduled for inguinal herniorrhaphy were randomly assigned to one of two groups. 0.25% bupivacaine 20 ml was infiltrated in the surgical wound site either 15 min before skin incision or immediately after skin closure. Postoperatively, visual analogue scale (VAS) at rest and movement were assessed. Also the time to the first request for postoperative analgesic and the total dose of postoperative analgesics were assessed. In addition, the number of patients who didn't require any analgesics during the postoperative period were assessed. RESULTS: The VAS at rest and movement was not significantly different between the two groups. The time to the first request for postoperative analgesic, the total dose of supplemental analgesics and the number of patients who didn't require any analgesics were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: In pain after inguinal herniorrhaphy, we could not demonstrate the pre-emptive analgesic effect of preincisional bupivacaine infiltration. Traction pain after inguinal herniorrhaphy was sustained during the study period and this kind of pain was not inhibited (or prevented) by local infiltration of bupivacaine.
Adult ; Analgesia ; Analgesics ; Bupivacaine* ; Central Nervous System Sensitization ; Herniorrhaphy* ; Humans ; Pain, Postoperative* ; Postoperative Period ; Skin ; Traction ; Wounds and Injuries

Background: In this comprehensive retrospective nationwide cohort study, we examined the relationships between various asthma medications and bone health, utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Service database of South Korea. Methods: From 2015 to 2019, the relevant dataset included 168,611 individuals aged 66 years, among whom 8,747 were diagnosed with asthma. We focused on a subset of 6,173 patients, all 66-year-old women. Participants were categorized into four groups: nonusers of asthma medication (n=2,868), leukotriene antagonist users (n=2,281), inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) users (n=517), and those using a combination of ICS and long-acting beta-agonist (ICS+LABA) medication (n=507). The primary outcomes measured were the incidences of major osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures during the follow-up period. Results: Over 2.7 years of follow-up, 615 cases of major osteoporotic fractures and 96 cases of hip fractures were recorded. ICS users exhibited a heightened risk of both injuries, with hazard ratios of 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.63; P<0.001) for major osteoporotic fractures and 1.56 (95% CI, 1.33 to 1.83; P<0.001) for hip fractures. Similarly elevated risks were observed in the ICS+LABA group. Notably, the risk associated with ICS was particularly pronounced among patients with osteopenia for both fracture types. Overall, the use of ICS, alone or in combination with LABA, in patients with asthma is associated with significantly increased risks of osteoporotic fractures, especially among those with osteopenia. Conclusion These findings underscore the importance of considering bone health when managing asthma, especially in older patients and those with existing bone density issues.

Background: In this comprehensive retrospective nationwide cohort study, we examined the relationships between various asthma medications and bone health, utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Service database of South Korea. Methods: From 2015 to 2019, the relevant dataset included 168,611 individuals aged 66 years, among whom 8,747 were diagnosed with asthma. We focused on a subset of 6,173 patients, all 66-year-old women. Participants were categorized into four groups: nonusers of asthma medication (n=2,868), leukotriene antagonist users (n=2,281), inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) users (n=517), and those using a combination of ICS and long-acting beta-agonist (ICS+LABA) medication (n=507). The primary outcomes measured were the incidences of major osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures during the follow-up period. Results: Over 2.7 years of follow-up, 615 cases of major osteoporotic fractures and 96 cases of hip fractures were recorded. ICS users exhibited a heightened risk of both injuries, with hazard ratios of 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.63; P<0.001) for major osteoporotic fractures and 1.56 (95% CI, 1.33 to 1.83; P<0.001) for hip fractures. Similarly elevated risks were observed in the ICS+LABA group. Notably, the risk associated with ICS was particularly pronounced among patients with osteopenia for both fracture types. Overall, the use of ICS, alone or in combination with LABA, in patients with asthma is associated with significantly increased risks of osteoporotic fractures, especially among those with osteopenia. Conclusion These findings underscore the importance of considering bone health when managing asthma, especially in older patients and those with existing bone density issues.

Background: In this comprehensive retrospective nationwide cohort study, we examined the relationships between various asthma medications and bone health, utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Service database of South Korea. Methods: From 2015 to 2019, the relevant dataset included 168,611 individuals aged 66 years, among whom 8,747 were diagnosed with asthma. We focused on a subset of 6,173 patients, all 66-year-old women. Participants were categorized into four groups: nonusers of asthma medication (n=2,868), leukotriene antagonist users (n=2,281), inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) users (n=517), and those using a combination of ICS and long-acting beta-agonist (ICS+LABA) medication (n=507). The primary outcomes measured were the incidences of major osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures during the follow-up period. Results: Over 2.7 years of follow-up, 615 cases of major osteoporotic fractures and 96 cases of hip fractures were recorded. ICS users exhibited a heightened risk of both injuries, with hazard ratios of 1.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.63; P<0.001) for major osteoporotic fractures and 1.56 (95% CI, 1.33 to 1.83; P<0.001) for hip fractures. Similarly elevated risks were observed in the ICS+LABA group. Notably, the risk associated with ICS was particularly pronounced among patients with osteopenia for both fracture types. Overall, the use of ICS, alone or in combination with LABA, in patients with asthma is associated with significantly increased risks of osteoporotic fractures, especially among those with osteopenia. Conclusion These findings underscore the importance of considering bone health when managing asthma, especially in older patients and those with existing bone density issues.