This study was conducted to examine the effect of mefenamic acid for treatment of PDA in premature newborns. Ductus arteriosus is reopened by locally produced prostaglandin E2 in a premature newborn during hypoxia. Mefenamic acid is one of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs acting by inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase in the prostaglandin synthesis pathway. For three premature newborns with PDA, we administered mefenamic acid and evaluated them with echocardiography to study the effect of mefenmic acid for closure of PDA. In all three babies, ductus arteriosus was closed successfully. We feel that mefenamic acid is safe and effective medication for treatment of PDA in premature newborns, but further-study need to be conducted with larger numbers of cases to confirm this effect.
Anoxia ; Dinoprostone ; Ductus Arteriosus ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Mefenamic Acid* ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases

Pott's paraplegia has been frequently serious complication of tuberculous spondylitis, although antituberculous drugs have improved the prognosis and healing of the disease. There are much controvercy on treatement of Pott's paraplegia, which comprises immobilization with or without anterolateral antituberculous drugs, immobilization and early posterior arthrodesis, anterolatear decompression and radical anterior decompression with anterior spinal fusion. The method of anterior decompression and anterior interbody fusion which was introduced by Hdgson since 1956 has good reults. The author analyzed 27 consecutive cases of Pott's parsplegia operated at orthopedic departement, In Je Paik Hospital from May 1980 to August 1988. The results were as follows, 1. Number of cases in child was nine(33%), both sexes were similar. 2. Regions of spine involved were most common at thoracic spine(62%). Number of affected vertebrae was averaged 3.3 vertebrae. 3. There were nineteen early(70%) and eight late(30%) paraplegia. 4. There were two complete and twenty five incomplete paraplegia. 5. In operative finding, inflammatory products and sequestrated material was extrinsic factor in early in paraplegia. 6. The recovery of the paraplegia occur in twenty cases(74%) 7. The recovery of paraplegia after treatment was far better in type of early onset, type of incomplete paraplegia less than one year duration. 8. The radical anterior decompression and anterior interbody fusion was considered as recommendable method for remove of all pathologic foci, recovery of paraplegia and healing the tuberculosis with stability.
Arthrodesis ; Child ; Decompression ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Paraplegia ; Prognosis ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine ; Spondylitis ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Spinal

Mid-arm circumference and mid-arm circumference/head circumference ratio(MAC/HC) were measured in 207 AGA(appropriate for gestational age) infants delivered at 26 to 42 weeks of gestation from January 1990 to December 1993 in Yeungnam University Hospital, Taegu, Korea. There were linear relationships between MACs and MAC/HC ratios and gestational age(MAC : y=03181x -2.2069, r=0.81, p<0.001 ; MAC/HC ratio : y=0.049x+0.1128, r=0.62, ; < 0.001). Using standard curves of MAC and MAC/HC ratio according to the gestational age, measurement of MAC or MAC/HC ratio can be a noninvasive, simple method to evaluate the intrauterine growth of newborn infants and the nutritional status of growing premature infants.
Daegu ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Infant, Premature ; Korea ; Methods ; Nutritional Status* ; Pregnancy

The proposed factors that affect the prognosis of osteosarcoma are the patient's age, site and size of the primary lesion, pathologic features(type and grade), duration of symptoms, spread of disease (local or regional extension, distant metastasis) at diagnosis, the patient's sex, serum alkaline phos- phatase(ALP) and lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) levels, chromosomal number or DNA index, response to initial chemotherapy, location of the lesion on the bone, presence or absence of pathologic fracture, and mode of therapy. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that affect the 5-year survival rates of osteosarcoma. Total 25 patients were included in this study who had treated form Jan. 1988 to Apr. 1994. The overall 5-year survival rate of 25 patients was 65.43%, and the 5-year survival rates were sig- nificantly higher(P < 0.1) in the groups in which limb salvage operation with neoadjuvant chemothera- py were performed(66.67%), with longer duration of symptoms(>2 months; 83.33%), with lower serum level of LDH( < 300 U/L; 100%), and with smaller mass size( < 10cm; 72.92%). However there were no significant differences in the 5-year survival rates according to age and sex of the patients. We also suggest that the better prognosis will be observed in the patients with the favorable radiologic response to the preoperative chemotherapy.
Diagnosis ; DNA ; Drug Therapy ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Limb Salvage ; Osteosarcoma ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

Computerized Tomography is now well established and important noninvasive method of diagnosting mediastinal mass lesions because of its superior imaging of their size, location and internal composition. Authors analyzed and present CT findings of 30 surgically proven mediastinal tumors and cysts that were studied and treated at the Yeungnam University Hospital during recent 6 years. The most common tumor was thymoma (9 cases), and teratoma (6 cases), lymphoma (6 cases), bronchogenic cyst (4 cases), neurogenic tumor (4 cases), pericardial cyst (1 case) were next in order of frequency. There were 5 cases of thymoma showing homogenous solid density mass, 2 cases were malignant thymoma and myasthenia gravis was present in 2 cases. A case of thymolipoma and a case of thymic carcinoma were included. All teratomas were cystic masses but pathognomonic fat, and calcified density were seen only in 4 cases. 5 cases were located in anterior mediastinum and 1 case was in posterior mediastinum. Lymphoma (3 Hodgkin's and 3 non-Hodgkin's) appeared as irregular lobulated mass in anterior mediastinum. Neurogenic tumor (2 ganglioneuroma and 2 neurilemmoma) appeared as homogenous density mass located in posterior mediastinum. Among the 4 bronchogenic cysts, 2 were located in retrotracheal area, 1 was located in subcarinal and 1 was in parathoracic area. One case of pericardial cyst was oval shaped cystic mass located in left pericardiac border.
Bronchogenic Cyst ; Ganglioneuroma ; Lymphoma ; Mediastinal Cyst ; Mediastinum ; Methods ; Myasthenia Gravis ; Teratoma ; Thymoma

In order to investigate the factors influencing QOL and life satisfaction of the physically disabled, the author interviewed, by using structuralized questionnaire, 440 individuals among the physically disabled who were participated in Health Examination from April to July, 1997. The questionnaire consisted of the general characteristics(sex, age, marital status, family number, etc), the Reintegration to Normal Living Index(RNLI) to assess QOL, and the single item of five-likert scale to evaluate life satisfaction. The means of RNLI were 16.2+/-4.8 in total score, 12.2+/-3.4 in daily functioning and 4.0+/-2.1 in perception of self. The respondents were less reintegrated toward social activities and relationships than impairments or disabilities. While the satisfied group was 47.3%, the dissatisfied group was 52.7%. As the results of multiple regression and logistic regression analysis, the significant predictors of QOL were age, education, job, grade of disability and subjective health status. The life satisfaction were related to economic status, job and subjective health status. To improve QOL and life satisfaction of the physically disabled, it is important that we improve their basic socioeconomic status by getting a job through rehabilitation education and induce them to have positive self-assessment by extending the opportunity of social participation.
Daegu* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Disabled Persons* ; Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Marital Status ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation ; Self-Assessment ; Social Class ; Social Participation

BACKGROUND: Diastolic dysfuction can be assessed by Doppler echocardiography of mitral inflow. Multiple factors including atrioventricular (AV) delay affect the mitral inflow Doppler indexes. This study was designed to assess the changes of mitral inflow patterns after successful radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of accessory pathway associated with a short AV interval during pre-excitation in patients with WPW syndrome. METHOD: Echocardiogram, ECG and BP were recorded before and after RFCA for treatment of accessory pathway in 15 patients with WPW syndrome (mean age : 39.7+/-14.6). Doppler indexes including E wave velocity and its velocity time integral (EVTI) ,A wave velocity and its VTI (AVTI), deceleration time (DT), isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), atrial filling fraction (AFF)and total mitral inflow VTI were measured. RESULTS: 1) PR interval prolonged 94+/-18msec to 174+/-34msec (p<0.001) without significant increment of heart rate and blood pressure after successful RFCA. 2) E/A ratio decreased from 1.29+/-0.58 to 1.1+/-0.53 (<0.001) but E wave velocity, DT and IVRT were not changed significantly after RFCA. 3) A wave velocity and AFF was 55.8+/-17.4msec and 0.35+/-0.08 and increased to 61.8+/-19.9msec and 0.42+/-0.1, respectively after RFCA (p<0.05). 4) Total mitral inflow VTI was 13.6+/-3.5cm and 14.9+/-3.6cm before and after RFCA, respectively (p<0.05) CONCLUSION: These results suggested that normalization of the PR interval after RFCA in patients with WPW syndrome had beneficial hemodynamic effects on the stroke volume by changing mitral inflow Doppler indexes. Therefore, the effect of AV delay is an another parameter to consider when evaluating Doppler indexes of LV filling.
Blood Pressure ; Catheter Ablation ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Relaxation ; Stroke Volume ; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome*

A 52-year-old man was taken to the emergency room following a motor vehicle accident. An echocardiogram showed moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation due to rupture of the anterior chordae. An operation to repair the traumatic tricuspid regurgitation was recommended; however, the patient refused because he was asymptomatic. Two years later, he developed mild generalized edema and dyspnea. The echocardiogram revealed progressive severe tricuspid regurgitation and annular dilatation. We treated the posttraumatic tricuspid regurgitation successfully using artificial chordae and ring annuloplasty.
Dilatation ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Motor Vehicles ; Rupture ; Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

No abstract available.
Retinopathy of Prematurity* ; Risk Factors*

BACKGROUND: Pathergy, or skin hypersensitivity to needle puncture has been reported as a diagnostic test for Behcets ciisease. But the positivity of pathergy test in recurrent aphthous stomatitis which can be a comporent of Behcets disease is obscure. In recent years it has been noted that the positivity of the test has decreased. It is possible to say that the disposable needles used nowadays are less trauniatic to initiate the reaction than are the nondisposable ones used in the preAIDS ara by some uthors. OBJECTIVE: It is the porpose of this study to clarify the value of pathergy test in differentiating Behcets disease from recurrent aphthous stomatitis and to evaluate the difference of positivity using various kinds of needles, and finally to suggest the most profitable one. METHODS: 34 patients with Behcets disease according to the diagnostic criteria of Shimizu(revisecl) 25 ones in case of applying that of International study group for Behcets disease(ISG) and 21 ones with recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and 25 normal controls were selected. A pathergy test, i.e., intradermal injection of 0.1 ml physiological saline by using 26 gauge & 20 gauge disposable needles and 26 gauge & 20 gauge nondisposable ones were given and the evaluation was made after 24 hours and 48 hours. RESULTS: 1. The positive rates of pathergy test using all kinds of needles in Behcets disease were significantly higher than thoen recurrent aphthous stomatitis and normal controls(p=0.00000-0.03600). The sensitivity were 29.4% 64.7% (Shimizu) and 32.0% 76.0% (ISG), respectively, and the specificity were 91.3%-100.0% for all of them. 2. In Behcets disease, the positive rates of the pathergy test using 26 gauge disposable needles were not significantly different from that of using ZO gauge disposable needles in total and active patients after 24 and 4.3 hours and so were 26 gauge R 20 gauge nondisposable ones(p=0.40134 -0.80603(Shimizu), 0.37551-0.77078(ISG) ). 3. In Behcets disease, the positive rates of pathergy test using 26 gauge nondisposable needles were 59%-68%(Shimiu) and 64% 79% (ISG), which were significantly different, from the test using 20 gauge disposable needles, i.e. 29%-36%(Shimizu), 40%-46%(ISG) in total and active patients(p==0.00753-0.01512) after 24 and 48 hours except for those by the criteria of ISG after 24 hours(p=0.14573-0.15597). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the pathergy test is obviously useful in differentiating Behcets disease from ecurrent aphthous stomatitis and we recommend the intradermal injection of 0.1 ml physiological saline by using 26 gauge nondisposable needle and the evaluation after 48 hours as a standard mithod of pathergy test.
Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Injections, Intradermal ; Needles ; Punctures ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin ; Stomatitis, Aphthous*