This study is performed to evaluate usefulness of dermal measurement of benzidine and benzidine based dye as one of the occupational exposure assessment method for these compounds. We selected one benzidine manufacturing factory and one dye manufacturing factory in Incheon area. Eleven workers were for benzidine manufacturing factory and twenty four for dye. We analyzed relationships among air level, amount on skin and concentration of urinary metabolites for these compounds. Airborne levels of benzidine and dye were measured by NIOSH 5509, 5013 methods. Amount of these compounds on skin was measured with skin wipe method. Concentration of benzidine metabolites in urine was measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography after alkaline hydrolysis. The amount of benzidine on hand skin was 25.05( - 233.2) ng/ur, and the amount of the neck was 2.01 ( - 11.9) ng/cm2 in the benzidine dihydrochloride manufacturing factory. The amount of benzidine on hand and neck skin has positive correlation with concentration of urinary monoacetyl benzidine (r=0.644, p < 0.05) . The amount of benzidine based dye on hand skin was 55.75( - 457.7) ng/cm2, and the amount of the neck skin was 18( - 284.7) ng/cm in benzidine based dye manufacturing factory The amount of dye on hand and neck skin has positive correlation with concentration of urinary benzidine for dye workers (r=0.467, p < 0.05). When assessing the exposure of workers who deal with benzidine, the amount of benzidine on skin should be measured for an accurate exposure assessment.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Hand ; Hydrolysis ; Incheon ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Neck ; Occupational Exposure ; Skin

No abstract available.
Nuchal Cord* ; Ultrasonography*

BACKGROUND: Nonsyndromic craniosynostosis is a relatively common craniofacial anomaly and various techniques were introduced to achieve its operative goals. Authors found that by using smaller bone fragments than that used in conventional cranioplasty, sufficiently rigid bone union and effective regeneration capacity could be achieved with better postoperative outcome, only if their stable fixation was ensured. METHODS: Through bicoronal incisional approach, involved synostotic cranial bone together with its surrounding areas were removed. The resected bone flap was split into as many pieces as possible. The extent of this ‘multi-split osteotomy’ depends on the degree of dysmorphology, expectative volume increment after surgery and probable dead space caused by bony gap between bone segments. Rigid interosseous fixation was performed with variable types of absorbable plate and screw. In all cases, the pre-operational three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) was checked and brain CT was taken immediately after the surgery. Also about 12 months after the operation, 3D CT was checked again to see postoperative morphology improvement, bone union, regeneration and intracranial volume change. RESULTS: The bony gaps seen in the immediate postoperative brain CT were all improved as seen in the 3D CT after 12 months from the surgery. No small bone fragment resorption was observed. Brain volume increase was found to be made gradually, leaving no case of remaining epidural dead space. CONCLUSION: We conclude that it is meaningful in presenting a new possibility to be applied to not only nonsyndromic craniosynostosis but also other reconstructive cranial vault surgeries.
Absorbable Implants ; Brain ; Craniosynostoses* ; Osteotomy* ; Regeneration

Functional paraganglioma of the mediastinum is an uncommon tumor of the paraganglion system that causes symptoms and signs of episodic catecholamine release. It has not been reported in Korea. We experienced a case of a 17 years old man with a history of diaphoresis and paroxysmal hypertension refractory to therapy since 14 years old. Urinary execretion of catecholamine and its metabolites were elevated. Computed tomography(CT) scan revealed high density mass located on the posterior mediastinum in the area of the right fifth intercostal space. At thoracotomy, a 3X3X4cm sized lesion was resected and confirmed as a paraganglioma.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Korea ; Mediastinum* ; Paraganglioma* ; Pheochromocytoma ; Thoracotomy

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rar, incurable, and progressive clinical entity. When associated with pregnancy, the prognosis of primary pulmonary hypertension is worsened with maternal mortality rates of at least 50%. The patient was a 29-year-old mother in her 2nd pregnancy, with previous uncomplicated gestation, 5 years ago. She had been well until the 28th week of present gestation when she was admitted because of increasing dyspnea on exertion. She was a housewife with no remarkable family and past histories. We have experienced a patient with primary pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy. She was treated with an oral calcium-channel blocker and low-molecular-weight heparin and was delivered vaginally with good maternal and fetal outcome. So we report a case of primary pulmonary hypertension associated with pregnancy and review literature.
Adult ; Dyspnea ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Maternal Mortality ; Mothers ; Pregnancy* ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Skin*

A 26-year-old male who had no underlying disease, including coagulopathy, underwent thoracotomy and bleeding control due to hemothorax. On the fifth postoperative day, paralysis of both lower limbs occurred. Urgent spine magnetic resonance imaging showed a massive anterior spinal epidural hematoma from C2 to L1 level with different signal intensities, which was suspected to be staged hemorrhage. Hematoma evacuation with decompressive laminectomy was performed. The patient's neurologic deterioration was recovered immediately, and he was discharged without neurological deficits. A drug history of naftazone, which could induce a drug-induced platelet dysfunction, was revealed retrospectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of whole spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in a young patient, with a history of hemorrhoid medication.
Adult ; Blood Platelets ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoids ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Paralysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Thoracotomy

PURPOSE: Perforator flap-using ischial sore reconstruction is performed in a prone position. But after the surgery, recurrence frequently occurs in a sitting position. In this sense, we introduce modified flap insetting method which closely resembles patient's sitting position to lessen the flap tension surgically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Authors tried to check a skin tension difference between prone position and sitting position in normal people group and to find out the importance of performing flap insetting in hip flexion position. Healthy volunteers were collected (n=20) and designed the same length of 4 divided sections around the ischium. Lengths of each section were measured when hip joint was flexed to 90 degree and when both hip and knee joints were flexed to 90 degree and the statistical evaluation was performed. Twenty cases with ischial sore underwent reconstructive surgery using perforator flap under hip flexion position and followed-up for any recurrences. RESULTS: There was a meaningful difference between the joint flexed skin length and that of the neutral position. Flap showed sufficient thickness over 12 months. CONCLUSION: It seems that recurrence could be reduced when the reconstructed flap could sufficiently cover in a sitting position regarding its significant length difference in normal people group.
Healthy Volunteers ; Hip Joint ; Hip* ; Ischium ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Methods ; Perforator Flap* ; Pressure Ulcer ; Prone Position ; Recurrence ; Skin

PURPOSE: The goal of this article was to characterize and explain the etiology of a left-sided gallbladders with intrahepatic portal vein anomalies, and these cases of this unusual anatomy were all encountered at a single center. METHODS: We reviewed the movies recorded during surgery, the database information and the preoperative radiologic examinations of 1,141 patients who underwent cholecystectomies at our institution between August 2007 and July 2010 to assess the presence of left-sided gallbladder and its combined anomalies. RESULTS: Four of 1141 patients (0.35%) were diagnosed with left-sided gallbladder. In all the cases, the gallbladder was located on the left side of the falciform ligament, under the left lobe of the liver with typical abnormal intrahepatic portal venous branching. The right posterior portal vein came directly from the main portal vein, and the right anterior portal vein originated from the left portal vein, but the ligamentum teres joined to the left branch of the portal vein in the liver. CONCLUSION: Left-sided gallbladder with intrahepatic portal venous branching anomaly resulted from the defective development of the central portion of the liver rather than from abnormal regression of the left umbilical vein with persistence of the right umbilical vein.
Cholecystectomy ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Diseases ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Liver ; Porphyrins ; Portal Vein ; Umbilical Veins

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationship between tinnitus and the level of anxiety and depression experienced by subjective tinnitus patients, and to determine the effect of the level of anxiety and depression to the results of tinnitus treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 104 patients were included in this study. All the patients conducted Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State Trait Anxiety Inventory 1, 2 (STAI 1, 2) to evaluate their psychometric properties. The subjective patterns of tinnitus before and after treatment were assessed through questionnaires. RESULTS: Significant correlation between THI scores and BDI, STAI 1, 2 scores were observed in the moderate and severe tinnitus group. The patients were classified into two groups depending on their THI scores, and also classified into two groups according to BDI, STAI 1, 2 results. Analysis of differences after treatment indicated significantly improved VAS scores after treatment in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The subjective level of tinnitus is significantly related with depression and anxiety symptoms when inconvenience caused by tinnitus was moderate or over. Assessments on tinnitus after treatment appeared to have improved significantly regardless of the severity of tinnitus, level of depression or anxiety disorder.
Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders ; Depression ; Humans ; Psychometrics ; Tinnitus