OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the static (SFF) and kinetic frictional forces (KFF) of a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing lingual bracket (CAD/CAM-LB) with those of conventional LB (Con-LB) and Con-LB with narrow bracket width (Con-LB-NBW) under 3 tooth displacement conditions. METHODS: The samples were divided into 9 groups according to combinations of 3 LB types (CAD/CAM-LB [Incognito], Con-LB [7th Generation, 7G], and Con-LB-NBW [STb]) with 3 displacement conditions (no displacement [control], maxillary right lateral incisor with 1-mm palatal displacement [MXLI-PD], and maxillary right canine with 1-mm gingival displacement [MXC-GD]; n = 6/group). While drawing a 0.016-inch copper or super-elastic nickel-titanium archwire with 0.5 mm/min for 5 minutes in a chamber maintained at 36.5℃, SFF and KFF were measured. The Kruskal-Wallis method with Bonferroni correction was performed. RESULTS: The Incognito group demonstrated the highest SFF, followed by the 7G and STb groups ([STb-control, STb-MXLI-PD, Stb-MXC-GD] < [7G-MXC-GD, 7G-MXLI-PD, 7G-control] < [Incognito-MXLI-PD, Incognito-control, Incognito-MXC-GD]; p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in SFF among the 3 displacement conditions within each bracket group. Within each displacement condition, the Incognito group demonstrated the highest KFF, followed by the 7G and STb groups ([STb-control, STb-MXLI-PD] < Stb-MXC-GD < 7G-MXLI-PD < [7G-control, 7G-MXC-GD] < [7G-MXC-GD, Incognito-MXLI-PD, Incognito-control] < [Incognito-control, Incognito-MXC-GD]; p < 0.001). MXC-GD exhibited higher KFFs than MXLI-PD in the same bracket group. CONCLUSIONS The slot design and ligation method of the CAD/CAM-LB system should be modified to reduce SFF and KFF during the leveling/alignment stage.

PURPOSE: To report three cases of Urrets-Zavalia syndrome after deep lamellar keratoplasty. CASE SUMMARY: A retrospective chart analysis of two men who underwent deep lamellar keraplasty after corneal chemical burns and one woman who was treated with deep lamellar keratoplasty due to lattice dystrophy was performed. To maintain the anterior chamber depth and prevent formation of a double anterior chamber after deep lamellar keratoplasty, air or gas (C3F8) was injected into the anterior chamber for all three cases. After injections of air or gas (C3F8) into the anterior chamber, pupillary blocks occurred and intraocular pressures increased. Afterwards, intraocular pressures were well-controlled, but the pupil remained irreversibly fixed and dilated despite the use of miotics. CONCLUSIONS: Urrets-Zavalia syndrome, a postoperative complication, was first reported in a patient who underwent penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus. This syndrome can also occur after deep lamellar keratoplasty on rare occasions.
Anterior Chamber ; Burns, Chemical ; Corneal Transplantation ; Female ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Keratoconus ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Male ; Miotics ; Postoperative Complications ; Pupil ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Type I endoleak is known to be associated with sac enlargement and occasional rupture, therefore, the treatment of type I endoleak is recommended at the time of diagnosis. The aim of this study was to identify the significance of early type I endoleak found on completion angiography. METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2012, a total of 86 patients underwent endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) and 10 patients (11.6%) were diagnosed with type Ia endoleak on completion angiography. Clinical and radiologic data were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 10 patients, two underwent EVAR with custom-made stent-grafts in the initial stage and both of them needed immediate treatment: one case involved open repair while the other involved insertion of an additional stent-graft. In 8 patients, the amount of leakage decreased after repeated balloon molding. They were managed conservatively and followed up with computed tomography angiography within 2 weeks after EVAR. In 7 of the 8 cases, type Ia endoleaks disappeared. In one patient with a persistent endoleak and a folded posterior wall of the stent-graft, coil embolization was performed 1 week after EVAR. With a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 1-61 months), no patients showed recurrence of type I endoleak or sac expansion. CONCLUSION: Type I endoleaks diagnosed on completion angiography sealed spontaneously in 7 of 10 patients (70.0%). In cases of decreased amounts of leakage after balloon molding, simple observation may be an alternative to repetitive procedures. The long-term follow-up of patients with self-sealed type I endoleaks is mandatory.
Angiography* ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Diagnosis ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Endoleak* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fungi ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture

No abstract available.
Smoking Cessation/*methods ; Research Design ; Humans ; *Acupuncture, Ear

Tuberculous spondylitis is the most common manifestation of musculoskeletal tuberculosis (TB). The progression of the disease is usually slow and insidious. The main symptom, back pain, is not specific, which frequently results in a delayed diagnosis resulting in neurologic deficits and more advanced vertebral destruction. It is more difficult to diagnose the disease if the involved area is an uncommon sites, such as the upper thoracic, cervical or sacral region. It is important to make an early diagnosis and treatment to achieve a better treatment outcome. We reported a 29 year old female with upper thoracic TB spondylitis(T2-8) and pulmonary TB complaining of back pain that persisted for 5 months and fever. TB spondylitis was not suspected to be due to upper thoracic involvement despite her pulmonary tuberculosis. Chest CT for the evaluation of pulmonary TB found T5 destruction and the paravertebral abscess that was consistent with TB spondylitis. Her spine was examined by MRI, which made an early diagnosis before the neurologic deficit had developed. She was treated with surgical intervention due to the spinal instability and anti-TB medication for 1 year with excellent results.
Abscess ; Adult ; Back Pain ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Sacrococcygeal Region ; Spine ; Spondylitis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Pancreatic lipomas are commonly diagnosed based on radiologic images, although the prevalence of lipomas has not been established. Histologic confirmation of pancreatic lipomas is extremely rare because surgical treatment is unnecessary in most cases. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology has been suggested to avoid unnecessary surgery to distinguish between a lipoma and a well-differentiated liposarcoma; however, surgery would be needed when the tumor is associated with symptoms or difficult to distinguish from a liposarcoma. We present a case of a pancreatic lipoma in a 54-year-old male patient that was histologically-confirmed by subtotal pancreatectomy.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Humans ; Lipoma ; Liposarcoma ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Prevalence ; Unnecessary Procedures

BACKGROUND: Recently, in addition to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become rapidly growing public health threat. This study examined the clinical differences between pulmonary TB patients with extensively drug resistance (XDR) and multi-drug resistance (MDR) at the National Medical Center in Korea in order to determine the clinical characteristics associated more with XDR-TB than MDR-TB. METHODS: Patients who received a diagnosis of culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and a drug sensitivity test (DST) for anti-TB drugs at the National Medical Center between January 2000 and August 2007 were enrolled in this study. The patients were identified into the XDR-TB or MDR-TB group according to the DST results. The clinical characteristics were reviewed retrospectively from the medical records. Statistical analysis for the comparisons was performed using a chi-square-test, independent samples t-test or binary logistic regression where appropriate. RESULTS: A total 314 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB were included. Among them, 18 patients (5.7%) had XDR-TB and 69 patients (22%) had MDR-TB excluding XDR-TB. A comparison of the clinical characteristics, revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection for the treatment of TB (odds ratio [OR], 3.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.052~15.011; P value 0.032) and longer average previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs, including a treatment interruption period prior to the diagnosis of XDR, than the MDR-TB group (XDR-TB group, 72.67 months; MDR-TB group, 13.09 months; average treatment duration difference between two groups, 59.582 months; 95% CI, 31.743~87.420; P value, 0.000). In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs was significantly associated with XDR-TB (OR, 1.076; 95% CI, 1.038~1.117; P value, 0.000). A comparison of the other clinical characteristics revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of male gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), age under 45, treatment interruption history, cavitations on simple chest radiograph and positive result of sputum AFB staining at the time of diagnosis of XDR. However, the association was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary TB patients with XDR have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection and longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs than those with MDR. In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs is significantly associated with XDR-TB.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Medical Records ; Public Health ; Retrospective Studies ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Background/Aims: Esophageal cancer is not an uncommon cancer in Korea, however, the prognosis still remains very poor with a 5 year survival rate bemg less than l0% mainly becauae of the delayed diagnosis. Although chromoscopy with lugol solution has been received to diagnose the esophageal cancer in an early stage without difficulty, its clinical use has not been popular yet in Korea. This study was performed prospectively to evaluate the usefulness of the chromoscopy for the detection of superficial esophageal cancer in risk patients for esophageal cancer. Methods: Ninety-five patients were selected among persons who received gasiroscopy at Asan Medical Center between Jan. 1996 and May 1996 and were prospectively included for chromoscopy. Inclusion criteria for the chromoscopy were patients older than 60 years of age with smoking history of more than 30 packyears, and/or past or family history of cancers. After conventional endoscopic examination, lugol solution was sprayed to stain the glycogen granules in the epithelial cells. The size of unstained lesion was measured and stainability was classified into 5 grades. All lesions unstained were biopsied for histological diagnosis.(continue...)
Chungcheongnam-do ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Epithelial Cells ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Glycogen ; Humans ; Korea ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical results of intrastromal ring segment (Keraring(R)) implantation using a femtosecond laser in patients with keratectasia. METHODS: Twenty eyes of 19 keratectatic patients (15 eyes of keratoconus and five eyes of post-LASIK keratectasia) who completed at least three months of postoperative follow-up were included in this study. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), spherical equivalent, keratometric value, corneal astigmatism, corneal higher order aberrations (HOA) and specular microscopy were determined or performed before and after surgery. In addition, intraoperative and postoperative adverse complications were recorded. RESULTS: UCVA improved in 13 out of 20 eyes (65%), and BSCVA improved in 16 out of 20 eyes (80%). At the postoperative examination there was no statistically significant reduction in the spherical equivalent with that observed at the examination before implantation. Conversely, there were statistically significant reductions in topographic mean K value and Sim K astigmatism, corneal total and coma-like HOA (p<0.05). On specular microscopy, there was no statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative endothelial cell density. There was one case of partial Descemet membrane detachment and one case of microperforation as a complication during surgery, which recovered over time without any treatment. CONCLUSION: Keraring(R) implantation appears to be an effective and safe procedure for improving visual acuity and stabilizing corneal refractive power in keratectactic patients.
Aniline Compounds ; Astigmatism ; Descemet Membrane ; Endothelial Cells ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratoconus ; Microscopy ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been reported that patients with chronic renal failure have a tendency foward increased incidences of peptic ulcer diseases. However, it is yet unclear whether the increased incidence is due to altered gastric acidity, hypersecretin of gastrin, or increased colonization of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This study was conducted to investigate the role of H. pylori in the development of peptic ulcer diseases in patients with chronic renal failure. METHODS: Forty nine patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and 41 age-matched controls with normal renal function, were examined for H. pylori infection using a rapid urease test, histological examination with Hematoxylin, Eosin, Warthin-Starry silver stain, and culture. The presence of H. pylori was defined either as the positive culture or as positive for both CLO and histological examination. RESULTS: Ninteen (38.8%) out of 49 ESRD patients were positive for H. pylori, which was lower than 70.7% of the controls (p<0.01). Endoscopic examination revealed that 6 ESRD patients (12.2%) had peptic ulcers, while 2.4% of the controls did, which was not statistically significant. The ESRD patients were divided into two groups by therapeutic modality: group 1 included 31 patients under dialysis, and group 2, 18 patients with maintenance therapy. The incidence of H. pylori infection in group 1 was 51.6%, which was significantly higher than the 16.7% in group 2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the increased incidence of peptic ulcers in ESRD patients cannot be explained by H. pylori colonization, and that there may be other factors such as a high concentration of urea in the stomach of patients with ESRD, which can suppress the colonization of H. pylori.
Colon ; Dialysis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Gastric Acid ; Gastrins ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence* ; Silver ; Stomach ; Urea ; Urease