No abstract available.
Apoptosis* ; Caspase 3* ; Endothelial Cells* ; Perforin* ; Vibrio vulnificus* ; Vibrio*

This study was undertaken for the clinical analysis and evaluation on 121 patients with incompetent internal os of the cervix, who were admitted and treated with McDonald operation or Shirodkar operation at the Soonchounhyang Medical Center from January 1991 to December 1995. The results of this study were as follows : 1. The incidence of this IIOC was 1.1% of 11,116 cases of total delivery. 2. The mean age of IIOC was 31.7 years old. 3. The average number of gravida was 3.2. 4. The most common contributary factor was previous history of artificial abortion (51.2 %), and midtrimester abortion (17.4 %), cervical laceration due to previous vaginal delivery (8.3 %) etc. was followed. 5. The success rate of operation was 76 %, and the highest success rate (85.7 %) was reveald with period from 15th weeks to 16th weeks of gestation. 6. When cervical dilatation was abscent or small, the success rate of operation was high. 7. The factors of failed operation were preterm labor (58.7 %), PROM (34.5 %), and PIH, bleeding. 8. The delivery method after operation was vaginal delivery in 83 cases (68.6%) and cesarean section in 38 cases (31.4 %).
Cervix Uteri* ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Labor Stage, First ; Lacerations ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second

BACKGROUND: Tuffier's line, which connect the two iliac crests, is the often used landmark in determining the level for the needle insertion into lumbar intervertebral space for the spinal and/or epidural blocks. However, the level of Tuffier's line varies depending on the observer. METHODS: Two methods were used to measure the level of Tuffier's line was measured on a simple abdominal X-ray taken in the supine position (study 1). Second, the level of Tuffier's line was also measured on fluroscopy of students in the sitting position (study 2). RESULTS: Overall, the level of Tuffier's line was most frequently observed along the L4-5 intervertebral space and second most frequently observed along the lower one-third of L4. In study 1 using abdominal X-ray, the level of Tuffiers line was most frequently observed along the L4-5 intervertebral space, however, the second most frequently observed level varied depending on the ages of the volunteers. In study 2 using fluoroscopy, the level of Tuffier's line was most frequently observed along the L4-5 intervertebral space and second most frequently observed along the upper one-third of L5. CONCLUSIONS: The level of Tuffier's line was most frequently observed along the L4-5 intervertebral space both in the supine and sitting positions. Further, the level of Tuffier's line went higher with age for women but stayed constant independent of age for men in the supine position.
Adult* ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Supine Position ; Volunteers

BACKGROUND: Since 1985 when ILAE proposed its first classification system of epilepsy, many studies have reported the practical applicability of the system. However, its limitations have been elucidated. In order to find out the applicability and limitations of the ILAE classification system and the role that diagnostic parameters (semiology, EEG and MRI) take in the anatomical localization of localization-related epilepsies (LREs), we investigated the clinical data of adult patients with LRE in step-wise way. METHOD: We recruited 173 patients with newly-referred/diagnosed LRE from our departmental data registry. Idiopathic epilepsies were excluded. We evaluated the anatomical localization rate(LR) according to each diagnostic parameter, the concordant localization rate(CLR) between two parameters and between three parameters. LR in total patients by any one of three diagnostic parameters was also evaluated. MRI abnormalities were evaluated in those patients showing concordant localization between semiology and EEG. RESULTS: The highest anatomical LR(67.1%) was reported in the semiological parameter. CLR between semiology and EEG was 28.9%. CLR between three parameters was 16.2%. MRI abnormalities were seen in 60% of patients with concordant localization between semiology and EEG. Fifty six percent of electroclinically concordant patients showed concordant localization with an MRI and 79% of them were concordantly localized in the temporal lobe. The LR in total patients was 71.7%. In each of the evaluation steps, the temporal lobe LR was the highest. CONCLUSIONS: Total lobar LR by any one diagnostic parameter in all the patients was high according to the ILAE diagnostic criteria. Semiology was the best localizing parameter, however, combined evaluation with either EEG or MRI reduced the localizability. Even though the MRI study showed a significant discordance rate in patients with electroclinical localizations, it could identify the underlying etiology in a major proportion of the patients. This study showed the importance of an imaging study in the lobar localization of LREs combined with an electroclinical localization by the ILAE classification system.
Adult* ; Classification* ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial* ; Epilepsy* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Temporal Lobe

No abstract available.
Cleft Lip ; Humans ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Palate

Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Humans ; Observer Variation ; Skull ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ultrasonographic findings of testicular teratoma arising in pre-pubertal children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 6 cases in 5 patients with pathologically proven testicular teratoma. Ultrasonography was performed in all cases and MRI in 5 cases. The location, size, shape, margin and internal echo pattern of the lesion were evaluated on ultrasonography and the shape, signal intensity and presence or absence of contrast enhancement were evaluated on MRI. RESULTS: The shape of all cases was round or oval and the lesion size ranged from 0.5 to 3.5 cm (average, 1.7 cm). Four of 6 cases were seen as cystic lesions, Three of which were multilocular and one was unilocular. The cystic lesions were filled with echo-free fluid without any solid component. The inner wall and septa were minutely granulated. One of 6 cases was seen as a predominantly cystic lesion containing heterogeneous, high echoic portions. One case was seen as a heterogeneous mixed echoic lesion with dirty posterior sonic shadowing. Three of the 4 cases seen as a cyst on ultrasonography were also seen as a cyst on MRI. In one case seen as a predominantly cystic lesion on ultrasonography, the periphery of the lesion was hypointense and the center was hyperintense on T2-weighted image. The remaining case seen as a heterogeneous mixed echoic mass was markedly heterogeneous in signal intensity both on T2- and T1-weighted images and hyperintense fat components were noted. Contrast enhancement was not seen in any of the 4 cases. CONCLUSION: On ultrasonography, pre-pubertal testicular teratoma is commonly seen as a multilocular or unilocular cyst and a minutely granulated appearance is noted in the inner wall or septa of the cystic lesion.
Child ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Teratoma* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Breast*

OBJECTIVE: Using the standardization of disease diagnosis of disease, and surgical procedures, the authors have made a clinical application for the analysis of inpatient data with the ability to search for information pertinent for writing of clinical articles. METHODS: A client-server system and database software was developed for networking. For clinical application, a computerized daily report has been developed. Data from Neurosurgical patients admitted at Soonchunyang University Hospital from January to December 1998 were analyzed with this system. Data for clinical articles was obtained using the search mode, information such as orbital infarction syndrome following intracranial aneurysm surgery and epidemiological analysis or geriatric neurosurgical patients. RESULTS: For the daily report it takes approximately 10 minutes to input the patients demographic information, name of disease, diagnosis and surgical procedure. The daily report also numbers and sorts the inpatients according to large categories of diagnosis, reports the ratio between inpatients and operative patients. The annual report that was obtained was very accurate and gave rapid statistics for the one year. By retrospective study for the past 18 years, we calculated the incidence of orbital infarction syndrome following intracranial aneurysm surgery as 1.4%, and also estimated the population of geriatric inpatients as 18.3% by retrospective study. CONCLUSIONS: It has been found to be most useful to make a daily and annual report for tracking and research purposes. For use in clinical articles, it can be possible to do a search of the patients using the standardized disease, diagnosis and neurosurgical procedures application and obtain pertinent information in a timely manner.
Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Inpatients ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Neurosurgical Procedures* ; Orbit ; Retrospective Studies ; Writing

OBJECTIVE: The the international classification of disease and surgical procedure has been found to be a lengthy and time-consuming text for use by neurosurgeons. A more subject matter related classification system is needed for use by this specialty. The author has developed a more comprehensive and standardized classification system specified for diagnosis of neurological disease and neurosurgical procedures. METHODS: Standardization of disease was completed by modifying the name of disease according to that which was used for daily report past 10 years, and from textbook of neurosurgery. The fields of international coding are continued in each. Neurosurgical procedures were designated and modified according to Current Procedure Terminology 96. Client-server system will be used for networking and database software applications have been developed. RESULTS: Disease was classified in 14 large categories and 379 subcategories. Diagnosis was classified in 12 large categories and 43 subcategories. Neurosurgical procedure has 20 large and 202 subcategories. The international coding system such as ICD-10 and ICD-9CM is maintained for the diagnosis and procedures to each category. CONCLUSIONS: It could be possible to make and use a standardized database model of disease, diagnosis and neurosurgical procedures to be used by physician.
Classification ; Clinical Coding ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; International Classification of Diseases ; Neurosurgery ; Neurosurgical Procedures*