Nevus comedonicus(NC) is an uncommon skin disorder, which appears as linear groups of open comedones clinically. A 56-year-old male patient presented a painful walnut-sized erythematous nodule with pus-like discharge on the right posterior aspect of the neck. He has extensive comedone like lesions on the right side of the body after his birth and has suffered from recurrent infections. Histopathologic finding showed the typical features of nevus comedonicus, wide and deep invagination of the epidermis filled with keratin plugs. He was treated with incision, pus drainage and systemic antibiotics. We report a case of extensive nevus comedonicus.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Drainage ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Nevus* ; Parturition ; Skin ; Suppuration

PURPOSE: This study was designed to compare Transilluminated Powered Phlebectomy (TIPP) with conventional surgical treatment (high ligation of the greater saphenous vein and above knee stripping with varicosectomy). METHODS: 428 cases of varicose veins, managed surgically at our hospital, were reviewed. A retrospective review of clinical records, between November 2000 an March 2003, was performed. The patients were divided into one of two groups: TIPP or a conventional operation. All the patients had at least a C2 CEAP disease. RESULTS: The demographics, hospital stays and operating times for the two groups were similar. However, a TIPP was associated with significantly fewer incisions (4.4+/-1.5 vs 8.2+/-3.9; P<0.001) and recurrence (n=14, 6% vs n=24, 12%; P=0.003). The incidence of a postoperative hematoma developing was more common with TIPP (n=20, 9% vs n=1, 0.5%; P=0.023). The problem of a hematoma formation in TIPP was solved by the insertion of a small closed suction drain. Skin perforation and wrinkling, and dermatosclerosis, were only complicated in the TIPP. The mean pain scores (out of 10) for the TIPP and conventional operation groups, at 2 and 7 days and 4 weeks, were 4.8, 1.4 and zero, and 4.8, 2.8 and zero, respectively. The cosmetic satisfaction score was higher in the TIPP group (8.7 vs 5.7; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: With respect to pain, cosmetic satisfaction and residual varicose, the outcomes in the TIPP group were significantly better than those in the conventional operation group.
Demography ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Knee ; Length of Stay ; Ligation ; Lower Extremity* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Saphenous Vein ; Scleroderma, Localized ; Skin ; Suction ; Varicose Veins*

A 24-year-old man that had previously undergone a complete resection of a cervical paraganglioma presented with multiple well-defined intrapulmonary nodules on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. All of the nodules showed homogeneously intense enhancement. The largest nodule was a hot spot on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. It was diagnosed as a paraganglioma using wedge resection via video-assisted thoracoscopic resection. Paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors and are exceedingly rare in the lung parenchyma. A few reports have described one or two intrapulmonary lesions, including primary tumors and metastases. We report a unique case of a multiple metastatic paraganglioma in the parenchyma of both lungs.
Humans ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Paraganglioma* ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Folliculosebaceous cystic hamartoma(FSCH) is a rare cutaneous hamartoma of follicular, sebaceous, and mesenchymal elements. The tumor usually has sessile or pedunculated papule or nodule and occurs frequently in the center of face and sometimes on the scalp, ear, and trunk. We report a case of FSCH, which a 36-year-old woman presented as a subcutaneous nodule on the occipital area of scalp. Histologic examination of the nodule showed a central large cystic structure connected with numerous sebaceous lobules, and stroma consisted of delicate fibrillary bundles of collagen in concert with dilated capillaries and venules, as well as with adipocytes.
Adipocytes ; Adult ; Capillaries ; Collagen ; Ear ; Female ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Mesoderm ; Scalp ; Venules

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the loss of bone mineral density on ovariectomized (ovx) rat in young and old rats. METHOD: Total 110 Sprague-Dawley female rats which composed of 3 months aged 88 rats and 12 months aged 22 rats were used. They were divided randomly into 5 ovx groups (15 rats for each group) and 5 sham operation group (7 rats for each group). The bone mineral density was measured by Hologic 4,500 Fan Beam bone densitometry at the time of second postoperation week, 4th week, 8th week, and 16th week in young aged group and 4th, 8th week in old aged group. RESULTS: The bone mineral density in young ovx rats was decreased measured at 2 week, 4 week and 8 week, but not 16 week compared with that of sham operation rats (p<0.05). In old rats, there was no significant change in bone mineral density between ovx and sham group (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: For the purpose of osteoporosis inducing experiment, young aged rat is more reliable for the detection of bone density change than old aged rat and the bone mineral density change will be continued at least 16 week postovariectomy period.
Animals ; Bone Density ; Densitometry ; Female ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Ovariectomy* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Fibrous hamartoma of infancy (FHI) is an uncommon benign fibrous proliferation, usually presenting as a single nodule. A 17-month-old male patient had an asymptomatic fingertip-sized subcutaneous nodule on the right side of the back for 6 month. Histopathologic findings showed the typical feature of FHI, that is well defined intersecting fibrous trabeculae, small immature cells within loosely textured areas, and mature adipose areas in the lower dermis and subcutaneous layer. Immunohistochemically, vimentin positivity was present in both the trabecular and loosely textured areas, but desmin was not present in any components which is positive usually only in trabecular areas. The lesion was excised without recurrence. We experienced and report an uncommon case of fibrous hamartoma of infancy in a 17-month-old male patient.
Dermis ; Desmin ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Recurrence ; Vimentin

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a X-linked disorder of sexual differentiation resulting from defective androgen receptor (AR) function. Androgens are secreted by the testes of 46,XY individuals, but there is loss of target organ response to the hormone. The abnormalities of AR are due to defects in the AR gene, and many mutations causing AIS have been reported since the cloning of AR gene. In this study, we analyzed the AR genes in twelve Korean patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome: 9 patients with complete AIS and 3 patients with partial AIS DNAs were isolated from patients with AIS, and the coding region of AR gene was amplified by a polymerase chain reaction using 7 pairs of primers (exon B-H). Sequence analysis of the AR gene was performed using direct sequencing and single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP). The AR gene mutations were identified in 7 out of 12 patients: 6 of 9 patients with complete AIS, and one of 3 patients with partial AIS. Mutations found were as follows: the point mutation (ATT->ACT) at position 680 of exon D, point mutation (TGG->TGC) at position 751 of exon E, point mutation (CAA->TAA) at position 792 of exon F, point mutations (CGC->TGC, GTG->ATG) at position 855 and 866 of exon G, and the deletion of 13 nucleotides (CGTATCATTGCAT) at position 840 of exon G, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the point mutations found in exon D, exon E, and exon F, and the deletion in exon G have not been observed before. SSCP revealed bands with abnormal mobility in 10 out of 12 patients tested. Mutations were found 5 out of these 10 patients. The other two patients showed no abnormal band on SSCP, but showed mutations by direct sequencing. In conclusion, we have demonstrated the AR gene mutations, including three novel mutations, in Korean patients with AIS, and these abnormalities might be related to the pathogenesis of androgen insensitivity syndrome.
Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome* ; Androgens ; Clinical Coding ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; DNA ; Exons ; Humans ; Male ; Nucleotides ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Receptors, Androgen* ; Sequence Analysis ; Sex Differentiation ; Testis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Magnetocardiography (MCG) is a noninvasive method for the registration of the magnetic component of electromagnetic fields in the heart that arise from electrical activity during the cardiac cycle. It has a theoretical advantage, over ECG, for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD), mainly due to its higher sensitivity for local currents and better spatial resolution. However, its clinical value in the diagnosis of CAD, compared to other diagnostic tools, remains untested. The feasibility of MCG for detecting myocardial ischemia was studied. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety three patients (54 male, 39 female) with chest pain were enrolled in this study. Patients with a pacemaker or other metal implants, as well as those in unstable conditions, were excluded. Coronary angiography was performed on all the patients, following ECG and MCG measurements, on the same day. Coronary artery disease was diagnosed when intraluminal narrowing was greater than 70%. The ECG and MCG findings were compared to those of the coronary angiography, which was used as the gold standard. RESULTS: Forty two patients were diagnosed with CAD by the coronary angiography. The sensitivities and specificities of MCG and ECG for detecting a CAD were 76.2 and 47.1%, and 38.1 and 86.3%, respectively. Seventy patients showed non-diagnostic ECG for CAD. The sensitivity and specificity of MCG for detecting a CAD in this group of patients were 69.2 and 52.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: MCG is a novel noninvasive technique for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, but further investigation for the optimization of the efficacy of this technology will be required.
Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular ; Electrocardiography* ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Heart ; Humans ; Magnetocardiography* ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Sensitivity and Specificity