BACKGROUND: The successful management of chronic wounds requires adequate dressing materials and methods. Nanocrystalline silver is a recently developed form of silver antimicrobial barrier dressing material which has rapid and sustained anti-bacterial activity, reduces inflammation and promotes wound healing. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to evaluate the effect of nanocrystalline silver dressing method on the treatment of chronic wounds. METHODS: Twenty three patients with chronic wounds of various etiologies were treated with nanocrytalline silver mesh dressing material (Acticoat(TM)) using an occlusive method. Dressing changes were performed every 2 to 3 days until reepithelization. RESULTS: The treatment with nanocrystalline silver was effective in 21 of 23 cases. This dressing method can significantly reduce the frequency of dressing changes, and thus it was more comfortable to both patients and doctors. CONCLUSION: Occlusive method using nanocrystalline silver is a useful dressing method for various chronic wounds, particularly in an outpatient setting.
Bandages* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Outpatients ; Silver* ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries*

BACKGROUND: Rosacea is well recognized as a chronic cutaneous disorder primarily of the convexities of the central face. Despite its apparent high incidence, the nosology of rosacea is not well established in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this epidemiological study was to investigate the clinical manifestations of Korean rosacea patients diagnosed by the US National Rosacea Society guidelines of US. METHODS: We performed a clinical study in 90 patients with rosacea who visited the Department of Dermatology, Korea University Ansan Hospital from January 2005 to December 2006. These patients were evaluated with regard to age, sex, primary/secondary features, clinical subtypes and predisposing factors. RESULTS: The ratio of males to females was 1 : 1.3. The age distribution showed a peak incidence in the fifth decade. Primary features of rosacea were telangiectasia (70.0%), nontransient erythema (68.9%), papules and pustules (62.2%) and flushing (61.1%). The most common secondary features of rosacea were burning and stinging (62.2%). Other secondary features were dry appearance (46.7%), edema (35.6%), plaque (20.0%), phymatous changes(18.9%), ocular manifestations (17.8%) and peripheral location (2.2%). The most common subtype was erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (51.1%), followed by papulopustular rosacea (34.4%), phymatous rosacea (12.2%) and ocular rosacea (2.2%). The majority of rosacea patients revealed mild symptoms (83.3%). Predisposing or exacerbating factors of rosacea were stress (52.2%), hot baths (46.7%), alcohol (44.4%), hot weather (42.2%), sun exposure (38.9%), exercise (35.6%), cold weather (25.5%), skin-care products (23.3%), spicy foods (21.1%), indoor heat (15.6%), heated beverages (12.2%) and humidity (4.4%). CONCLUSION: In this study, the National Rosacea Society classification system applied well to Korean patients. We identified female predominance, a peak in the fifth decade and the majority of Korean rosacea patients suffering from the erythrotelangiectatic type of rosacea. Other similarities and differences to previous reports were also discussed.
Age Distribution ; Baths ; Beverages ; Bites and Stings ; Burns ; Causality ; Classification ; Dermatology ; Edema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Erythema ; Female ; Flushing ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Humidity ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Rosacea* ; Solar System ; Telangiectasis ; Weather

An epidermal cyst is the most common cutaneous cyst, and is the result of the proliferation of surface epidermal cells within the dermis. It is unusual that these cysts occur in mucosa, including an oral or perioral location. We report a patient with a labial epidermal cyst, which probably originated from adjacent hair follicles. We excised the tumor using an intraoral approach for better cosmetic result. This case is interesting, due to findings of a labial epidermal cyst resembling a mucocele or salivary gland tumor in morphology, and a connection finding of a cystic base with adjacent hairy skin, suggesting a subcutaneous infiltration of the cyst.
Dermis ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Lip* ; Mucocele ; Mucous Membrane ; Salivary Glands ; Skin

Nuchal-type fibroma is a recently described, rare, tumor-like process of fibrous tissue occurring chiefly in the dorsocervical area. Nuchal-type fibromas in extranuchal locations are morphologically indistinguishable from lesions involving the nuchal region. Histopathologic findings of nuchal-type fibroma are poorly demarcated, dense collagen bundles with sparsely scattered fibroblasts, some interspersed adipose tissue, and entrapped nerve fibers. We report a patient with a mass on the coccyx area, and these were histopathologically consistent with nuchal-type fibroma. This tumor was surgically excised, and no recurrence had been noted during the two year follow-up period.
Adipose Tissue ; Coccyx ; Collagen ; Fibroblasts ; Fibroma ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nerve Fibers ; Recurrence

In order to review the epidemiological data of cardiovascular diseases, statistical observation was made on the 7,271 patients with cardiovascular diseases who were treated in the Department of Internal Medicine, Han-Yang University Hospital during the 10 year period from May 1972 to December 1981. A. General Findings (1) Cardiovascular disease was seen in 18.6% out of a total 39,004 medical inpatients treated during this 10 year time span. (2) Incidences of cardiovascular disease seemed to increase in frequency in consecutive years, especially incidence of coronary heart disease and arrhythmia. (3) Incidence of cardiovascular disease occurred most frequently to patients in their fifth decade, and next most frequently to those in their sixth and fourth decade, in that order. (4) The overall ratio of male to female incidence of cardiovascular disease was 1:1. B. Specific Epidemiology (1) Hypertension was the most common form of cardiovascular problem, accounting for 52.9% of patients with cardiovascular disease and 9.9% of the total medical in-patients population. Incidence of hypertension occured most frequently in the fifth decade of life. It occured next most in the sixth and fourth decades, in that order. The male to female ratio of incidence of hypertension was 1:1. Patients with malignant hypertension made up 5.9% all hypertension patients. (2) Patients with rheumatic heart disease made up 6% of those patients with cardiovascular diseases. Male to female ratio of incidence of rheumatic heart disease was 1:2.4. The most common form of this disease was mitral valvular disease, but isolated aortic valvular disease proved to be rather uncommon in this study in Korea. (3) Coronary heart disease made up 15.5 % of all incidence of cardiovascular diseases. It occured most frequently to patients in their fifth and sixth decades, and in a male to female ratio of 1.5 to 1. (4) Congenital heart disease made of 0.9% of the total incidence of cardiovascular diseases with ventricular septal defect as the most common form of this disease. (5) The remaining forms of cardiovascular diseases diagnosed during the time span of this study were arrhythmia 16.8%, cor pulmonale 1.4%, cardiomyopathy 1.3%, peripheral vascular disease 1.0%, pericarditis 1.0%, thyrotoxic heart disease 0.8%, endocarditis 0.5%, postpartum cardiomyopathy 0.3%, myxedematous heart disease 0.1%, and miscellaneous heart ailments 1.5%.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Coronary Disease ; Endocarditis ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Malignant ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Internal Medicine ; Korea* ; Male ; Pericarditis ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Postpartum Period ; Pulmonary Heart Disease ; Rheumatic Heart Disease

Diffuse alopecia areata is the least common clinical type of alopecia, and this diffuse form lacks the characteristic hairless patches of alopecia and it begins as diffuse hair loss. Diffuse alopecia areata has been poorly characterized. In 2002, there was a suggestion to define this form of alopecia areata as acute, diffuse and total alopecia of the female scalp (ADTAFS). ADTAFS is characterized by a marked female predominance, tissue eosinophilia and a uniquely short clinical course. We report here on one case of ADTAFS.
Alopecia ; Alopecia Areata ; Eosinophilia ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Scalp

Foot complications are a well known factor which contribute to the morbidity of diabetes and increases the chance of amputation. A total of 126 consecutive diabetic patients were evaluated by diabetic foot screening. Forty-one patients showed an impaired protective sense when tested with Semmes-Weinstein monofilament 5.07 (10 g), and 92% of them showed peripheral polyneuropathy in nerve conduction study (NCS). The mean vibration score of the Rydel-Seiffer graduated tuning fork in patients with peripheral polyneuropathy in nerve conduction (NCV) study was 5.38+/-2.0, which was significantly different from that of patients without polyneuropathy in NCS. Among the deformities identified on examination, callus, corn, and hallux valgus were the greatest. While checking the ankle/ brachial index (ABI), we also evaluated the integrity of vasculature in the lower extremities. After extensive evaluation, we classified the patients into eight groups (category 0,1,2,3,4A,4B,5,6). The result of this study suggested that the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test, Rydel-Seiffer graduated tuning fork test, and checking the ankle/brachial index were simple techniques for evaluating pathologic change in the diabetic foot by office screening, and that this screening based on treatment-oriented classification helps to reduce pedal complications in a diabetic population
Diabetic Angiopathies/diagnosis ; Diabetic Angiopathies/complications ; Diabetic Foot/physiopathology ; Diabetic Foot/diagnosis* ; Diabetic Foot/classification ; Diabetic Neuropathies/diagnosis ; Diabetic Neuropathies/complications ; Female ; Foot/physiopathology ; Human ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Age ; Podiatry/methods ; Sensory Thresholds

The possibility of whether minimal F-wave latency and a simple ratio between the sural and superficial radial sensory response amplitudes may provide a useful electrodiagnostic test in diabetic patients was investigated in this report. To evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity of minimal F-wave latency, the Z-scores of the minimal F-wave latency, motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV), amplitude of compound muscle action potentials (CMAP), and distal latency (DL) of the median, ulnar, tibial, and peroneal nerve were compared in 37 diabetic patients. For the median, ulnar, and tibial nerves, the Z scores of the minimal F-wave latency were significantly larger than those of the MCV. In addition for all four motor nerves, the Z scores of the minimal F-wave latency were significantly larger than those for the CMAP amplitude. Furthermore, 19 subjects showing abnormal results in the standard sensory nerve conduction study had a significantly lower sural/radial amplitude ratio (SRAR), and 84% of them had an SRAR of less than 0.5. In conclusion, minimal F-wave latency and the ratio between the amplitudes of the sural and superficial radial sensory nerve action potential are sensitive measures for the detection of nerve pathology and should be considered in electrophysiologic studies of diabetic polyneuropathy.
Aged ; Diabetic Neuropathies/physiopathology ; Diabetic Neuropathies/diagnosis* ; Electrodiagnosis* ; Female ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Polyneuropathies/physiopathology ; Polyneuropathies/diagnosis* ; Radial Nerve/physiopathology* ; Reaction Time ; Sural Nerve/physiopathology*

PURPOSE: We aimed to describe the differences in clinical characteristics that affect readmission between late and moderate preterm or full-term infants. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for 881 patients with gestational ages of ≥31⁺⁰ weeks who were born at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital between1 January 2013 and 20 September 2015. The patients were categorized into three subgroups as follows moderate preterm infants: those born at 31-33 weeks' gestation (n=73), late preterm infants: those born at 34–36 weeks' gestation (n=169),and full-term infants: those born at ≥37 weeks' gestation (n=639). We compared the late and moderate preterm or full-term infants in terms of clinical characteristics that affect readmission. RESULTS: The readmission rate was 18.9% in the late preterm infants, 21.9% in the moderate preterm infants, and 16.7% in the full-term infants. The independent risk factors of readmission were gestational age in the late preterm infants, positive pressure ventilation at birth in the moderate preterm infants, and air-leak syndrome in the full-term infants. In addition, antenatal care at the first trimester of pregnancy was an independent protective factor against readmission in the full-term infants. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that gestational age may affect the readmission rate of late preterm infants.
Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Patient Readmission ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Protective Factors ; Risk Factors

The Urachus lies between the peritoneum and transversalis fascia and extends from the anterior dome of the bladder toward the umbilicus. During the 4th and 5th months of gestation, the urachus narrows to a small-calibered epitherial tube. During fetal development, as the bladder descends into the pelvis, its apical portion narrows progressively into a fibromuscular strand of urachus. Recently, we reviewed three cases of urachal anomalies with literatures.
Fascia ; Fetal Development ; Pelvis ; Peritoneum ; Pregnancy ; Umbilicus ; Urachus ; Urinary Bladder