PURPOSE: To avoid prolonged recovery time and scar tenderness in open carpal tunnel release and possible nerve or tendon injuries by bulky instruments in endoscopic techniques, we tried to percutaneously release the transverse carpal ligament using simple, thin instruments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed carpal tunnel release percutaneously through a single small incision on the wrist with curved mosquito and meniscectomy hook knife under general or regional anesthesia in 41 wrists of 27 patients during the last 5 years and followed up for at least one year. Before and after release, endoscopic examinations were done to rule out space occupying lesions or other anormalies and to confirm complete release. RESULTS: According to the Cseuz's criteria, 38 cases (93%) showed excellent or good results, which was compatible to open or endoscopic technique with special instruments and there was no major neurovascular injury except one superficial palmar arch laceration associated with the second palmar incision in complicated case. CONCLUSIONS: From earlier experience, we learned that this simple technique may be used successfully with low cost without any fear of complication.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Cicatrix ; Culicidae ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Ligaments ; Tendon Injuries ; Wrist

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Tuberculosis, Renal*

NO abstract available.
Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Lymphocytes* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

Background: Fine needle aspiration and biopsy(FNAB) has known the most accurate test(about 90%) in the preoperative evaluation of patients with a thyroid nodule. The false negative findings of thyroid cancer by FNAB are mainly due to the aspiration of cystic fluid in cystic degeneration of thyroid cancer and the ipossibility of differentiation between follicular adenoma and carcinoma by aspiration or FNAB because of the failure to evaluate the capsule invasion or angioinvasion of the tumor. Actually more than 80% of the nodules are found as benign nodules in aspiration or FNAB and the findings of follieular lesions are found about half of the samples tested, so limiting the cancer incidence in surgically resected samples up to 50% of the surgical resection. Sa reasonable guidelines to manage the benign nodules on aspiration or FNAB are needed which can select the maligna~nt nodules with false negative findings on aspiration or FNAB. We tried to evaluate whether the thyroxine suppression therapy can increase the malignancy rates on thyroidectomy, Methods: We treated the benign thyroid nodules in FNAB with thyroxine for 1 year and cornpared the nodule volume change before and after treatment (every 6 month) with ultrasonogram. We performed thyroidectomy on 1~7 thyroid nodules wbich showed less than 50% decrease of nodule volume after 1 year of thyroxine suppression therapy. Results: The results were as follows. 1) Of all 17 patients, surgical resection revealed malignant thyroid nodule(Group I) in 10 cases (58.82%, papillary cancer. 6 cases, follicular cancer: 4 cases) and benign thyroid nodule(Group II) in 7 cases(41.18%, follicular adenoma: 4 cases, adenomatous goiter: 3 cases). 2) Between group I and II, there was no significant differences in serum T, T and TSH levels before and after thyroxine suppression therapy. Also, there were no significant difference in TSH suppression % between group I and group II(5.60+5.39%, 14.64+11.48%, respectively). 3) Thyroid nodule volume decrease percent before and after thyroxi~ne therapy showed no significant difference between group I and group II (124.80+54.18% vs 159.42+79.82%, p>0.05). Conclusion: Our data suggested that the benign thyroid nodules on aspiration or FNAB which were not suppressed in volume after thyroixine therapy revealed more than 50% incidence of malignancy on surgical resection, so these nodules were highly reeommended to surgical exploration.
Adenoma ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Goiter ; Humans ; Incidence ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyroxine ; Ultrasonography

Many agents such as analgesics and sedatives have been used to decrease pain, anxiety and awareness during anesthesia. The effects of midazolam and propofol on cardiopulmonary functions and sedation were evaluated in a clinical study during spinal anesthesia. Thirty adult patients were received either midazolam 0.05mg/kg IV or propofol 1.25mg/kg IV after spinal anesthesia. Minute volume, arterial oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and heart rate were checked before and 20min after spinal anesthesia, as well as 2 min, 5 min, 10 min, 30 min, 60 min after each drug administration. The results were as follows ; 1) Minute volume and SaO2 were decreased from 2 min to 10 min in each group. 2) Mean arterial pressure was decreased from 2 min to 60 min in each group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. Heart rate was increased at 2 min in propofol group 3) Recovery time from sedation was faster in the propofol group than the midazolam group. From the above results, we have concluded that midazolam and propofol have some effects on cardiopulmonary function and many advantages if used carefully during spinal anesthesia.
Adult ; Analgesics ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Anxiety ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Intraoperative Awareness ; Midazolam* ; Oxygen ; Propofol*

The purpose of this study is to compare 76 cases of fractures of the proximal humerus both clinically and radiologically which were treated at Pusan National University Hospital from January 1987 to December 1996. According to Neers classification, among the 76 patients, there were nine one-part fractures (11.8%), forty two-part fractures (52.6%), eighteen three-part fractures (23.7%), four four-part fractures (5.3%), and five head-splitting fractures (6.6%). In terms of treatment method, among the 76 patients, 49 patients (64.5%) were treated conservatively. Thirty seven patients (75.5%) of one-part and two-part fractures were treated conservatively, and twelve patients (54.5%) of three-part and four-part fractures were treated operatively. The results of the cases were rated by the Neer s assessment, 42 patients (85.7%) had excellent or satisfactory results in one-part and two-part fracture, and 7 patients (31.8%) had unsatisfactory or failed results in three-part and four-part fracture. Total cases with complications were 14 cases (18.4%). From the viewpoint of the type of fracture, the results in two-part and three-part fractures were much better than those of fourpart fractures. The joint stiffness which was the most common complication must be prevented by allowing the early motion of the joint to obtain a better result.
Busan ; Classification ; Humans ; Humerus* ; Joints

BACKGROUND: Conventional visual assessment of coronary arteriogram is fraught with large interobserver variance and disagreement with pathologic findings. Thus quantitative coronary angiography had been recently developed to meet the requirement of more reproducible measurement of severity of coronary artery disease. This study was designed to evaluate the interobserver variability of quantitative coronary angiography and its usefulness in clinical application. METHODS: Three independent observers analysed coronary angiogram of 31 consecutive patients by visual assessment and quantitative measurement using computer based algorithm. RESULTS: 1) There was considerable disagreement between 3 observers in the identification of significant coronary stenosis. Complete agreement was achieved in only 29/61 (47%) coronary lesion and agreement of more than 2 observers in 41/61(67%) lesion. 2) In visual assessment, the largest interobserver variance was found in acute marginal artery and distal circumflex artery, whereas the least variance was observed in proximal right coronary artery. 3) The average interobserver variance was 13.1% in visual assessment, 14.9% in geometric analysis, and 10.5% in video densitometric analysis. There was no significant difference between these values. 4) Visual assessment was noted to overestimate the severity of stenotic lesion, by 5.6% compared to geometric analysis and by 11.8% compared to video-densitometric analysis. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that identifying significant lesion is major source of interobserve variability in both visual and quantitative analysis of coronary arteriogram. In addition, suboptimal image quality was responsible for the inability of quantitative analysis to reduce the variance. These factors seem to be major limitation of quantitative coronary arterirogam.
Arteries ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Observer Variation*

No abstract available.
Adrenal Glands* ; Ganglioneuroma* ; Hyperplasia*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography(CT) scanning in classification and selection of treatment method for distal radius fractures involving articular surfaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plain radiographs and CT scans of 42 patients with intraarticular distal radius fractures was analysed for type of fractures and surgical indication and then the results were compared. RESULTS: Fracture types were changed in 15 of 42 patients. 10 patients with AO B1, B3, C1 or C2 type fractures were reclassified as C3 type, which suggested that CT scan revealed articular comminution more accurately. According to the assesment of plain radiographs, 16 patient needed surgical treatment. However additional 17(68%) patients were necessary operation on the bases CT scan evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of intraarticular fractures of distal radius using CT scan was useful for fracture classification and selection of treatment methods, which provided an accurate assessment of fracture patterns and reduction status.
Equidae ; Humans ; Intra-Articular Fractures ; Radius ; Radius Fractures