Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrom is characterized by the absence of the vagina and the uterus, the presence of apparently normal tubes and ovaries, feminine appearance, normal female secondary sexual characteristics, a normal 46, XX karyotypes, and a feminine psychosexual orientation. Absence of the vagina results from an embryological arrest in the development of the lower portion of the Mullerian system. Various methods of surgical treatment for the vaginal absence in this syndrom have been introduced but the ideal method to restore the original dimension and function of the normal vagina was not found. The two cases reviewed in this paper were all treated with modified McIndoe operation using full thickness skin grafts. Postoperatively both women were satisfied without complications, i,e. lack of skin graft, bleeding, urethrovaginal fistula, perforation of the rectum, rectovaginal fistula and significant vaginal stricture. This paper reveals the satisfactory results that were uniformly good.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Fistula ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Ovary ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Rectum ; Skin* ; Transplants* ; Uterus ; Vagina

Although bimaxillary surgery enhances patients' self-esteem and mood by improving their facial appearance, surgical outcome assessments for this procedure are limited. This preliminary study investigated differences in brain activity on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during self-face evaluation before and after bimaxillary surgery. Three patients (1 man and 2 women, age range: 20–27 years) underwent fMRI while viewing self-face images before and after bimaxillary surgery for maxillofacial deformity. The activation in the left postcentral gyrus, and medial orbital frontal cortex was significantly great in response to after-surgery self-face images compared to before-surgery images. Our preliminary results may facilitate the development of an objective measure for patient satisfaction after orthognathic surgery including bimaxillary surgery.

Spondylolisthesis is the slippage of all or part of one vertebra onto another. The term is derived from the Greek words spondylos and olisthesis. Wiltse, Macnab, and Newman combined their concepts in what remains the most widely accepted classification. Wiltse and Rothman in 1989 suggested a common congenital component in the etiology of dysplastic and isthmic types and added the postsurgical group to the original classification. The precise anatomy of the pars lesion is extremely important in understanding the pathogenesis. The pars interarticularis is the connecting link between pedicles, transverse processes, laminae, and the two articular facets acting as the pivot center. The L5-S1 articulation, being in the coronal plane, is more stable than the sagittal placement of the L4-5 facet joint. The fifth lumbar vertebra is stabilized by a large L5 transverse process, which supports strong muscular and ligamentous(iliolumbar) attachment. An increased lumbar lordosis increases the shear stress at the L4-5 level. Both congenital and isthmic types are often associated with spina bifida of the L5 or S1 segments. There seems to be a definite sex and racial difference, with black women (1.1%) having the lowest prevalence and white men(6.4%) the highest. The increased prevalence is in Alaskan natives and young sportsmen, ranging from 11% to 35%. Repetitive flexion, combined flexion-extension and both forcible hyperextension and rotation of the lumbar spine predispose to a pars stress fracture. Most of isthmic type develops during the first year of school, and by age 7 the prevalence is 4%. A further 1.4% of cases occur during adolescence, most between 11 and 15 years of age. In patients under 25 years of age with low back pain and isthmic spondylolisthesis, this lesion is most probably the cause of the symptoms(18.9%). In patients older than 40 years, it is seldom the only cause of low back pain (5.2%). The radicular pain is found in 14% of patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis. Degenerative spondylolisthesis results from long standing intersegmental instability. 10% of women over 60 years had a 1st or 2nd degree. It occurs 6 times more often at the L4-5 level and 5 times more often in women, mostly in those older than 40 years. The patient may have back pain (5.6%) with or without leg pain and/or may have intermittent claudication (80%). In traumatic spondylolisthesis, acute fractures of the pars interarticularis are rare and are always due to fracture of the other part of the posterior elements caused by severe trauma. In pathological spondylolisthesis, the bony strength is insuffient to resist forward motion of the proximal vertebra on the one below. In postsurgical spondylolisthesis, the most common etiology is extensive decompression with sacrifice of the facet joints.
Adolescent ; Animals ; Back Pain ; Classification* ; Decompression ; Female ; Fractures, Stress ; Humans ; Intermittent Claudication ; Leg ; Lordosis ; Low Back Pain ; Natural History* ; Population Groups ; Prevalence ; Spinal Dysraphism ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis* ; Zygapophyseal Joint

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are different from those of normal controls and SLE patients and to find out any correlation with disease activity parameters of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Sera from 20 healthy normal persons, 16 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 16 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were collected and measured for IL-10 and IL-6. Various disease activity parameters were measured in RA patients. RESULTS: The serum level of IL-10 in RA patients was significantly elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. In RA patients there was no definite correlation between the disease activity parameters and serum IL-10 levels. Despite significant improvements in terms of various disease activity parameters, there was no significant change of serum IL-10 levels after treatment in RA patients. In seropositive RA patients, positive correlation was found between serun IL-10 and rheumatoid factor levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the serum IL-10 levels in patietns with RA are elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. There was no correlation between serum IL-10 levels and disease acivity parameters of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Rheumatoid Factor

We report a case of congenital vellus hamartoma, which consists of numerous matured vellus hair follicles and sebaceous glands. This patient is 4-month-old male with multiple, variable sized nodules on the right epicanthsl fold area since birth. Histopathologically, some of the infundibular portion of the vellus hair shows irregular and reticulated hyperplasia. There are numerous well-formed vellus hair follicles surrounded with thick fibrous sheath and some of them are associated with rudiment sebaceous glands.
Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Infant ; Male ; Parturition ; Sebaceous Glands

While the domain of gastrointestinal endoscopy has made great strides over the last several decades, endoscopic assessment of the small bowel continues to be challenging. Recently, with the development of new technology including video capsule endoscopy, device-assisted enteroscopy, and computed tomography/magnetic resonance enterography, a more thorough investigation of the small bowel is possible. In this article, we review the systematic approach for patients with suspected small bowel disease based on these advanced endoscopic and imaging systems.
Capsule Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammation

We evaluated the renal function could be estimated by the visual analysis of the perfusion images of Tc-99m DTPA renal scan. Renal scan, creatinine clearance(CCr) and serum creatinine(s-Cr) were obtained in 105 patients. Intensity of renal activity(RA) at 6 sec perfusion image after the first visualization of abdominal aortic activity(A or A) was considered as the parameter for estimating renal function. Intensity of RA was scored from grade(Gr.) 1 to 3(Gr. 1: RAsplenic activity(SA), Gr. 2: RA A or A, Gr. 3: RA60 mL/min. The P.P.V. of Gr. 2 RA was 92% for s-Cr from 1.5 to less than 3.5mg/dL and 83% for CCr value from 20 to less than 60mL/min. The P.P.V. of Gr. 3 RA was 95% for s-Cr3.5mg/dL and 95% for CCr<20mL/min. As the intensity of RA of perfusion images decreased, renal function more decreased. We could detect renal dysfunction by visual analysis of perfusion images of renal scan.
Creatinine ; Humans ; Pentetic Acid* ; Perfusion*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Radioisotope Renography*

No abstract available.
Apoptosis* ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans*

Subungual exostosis are not uncommon, however, they are infrequently mentioned in the dermatologic literature. We report herein a rase of subungual exostosis in the great toe of 16-year-old female student which was confirmed by histopathologic and radiologic findings. Histopathologic examination showed that the mass was ooeered by a dense fibrous tissue which merged into a fibrocartilage cap and bone. Computed tomography showed a well defined, oval shaped, radiopacity of bony density capped by a radiolucency.
Adolescent ; Exostoses* ; Female ; Fibrocartilage ; Humans ; Toes