We describe a case of mycosis fungoides (infiltrative plaque type) in an 86-year-old male. He had experienced dark erythematous round plaques on the face, trunk, buttock, upper and lower extremities. Histopathologic findings revealed band-like superficial dermal infiltration of atypical lymphocytes, epidermotropism, and Pautrier's microabscess in the epidermis. The infiltrative cells were positivly stained with CD3, but not with a CD20. He was treated with a topical application of 0.2% carmustine, but he died due to poor general condition and septicemia.
Aged, 80 and over ; Buttocks ; Carmustine ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Sepsis

Cervical tab is one of rare developmental anomalies of the brachial apparatus which appears as firm, protruding papule or nodule on the neck along the line of anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. A 5 year-old male patient developed a pea sized, movable, semi-solid mass on the lower portion of right sternocleidomastoid muscle area. On microscopic examination, well-marginated oval shaped cartilage was present. Individual cells in the lacunae had ample cytoplasm and eccentric nucleus. Verhoeff-van Gieson stained section of the mass showed cartilage with a rich elastic network in the matrix, most heavily concentrated about the chondrocyte. We report a rare case of cervical tab manifesting as a skin-colored nodule on the sternocleidomastoid muscle area.
Cartilage ; Child, Preschool ; Chondrocytes ; Cytoplasm ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Peas

This study was done to report the epidemiologic characteristics of medical retirement from the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army due to visual impairment and to suggest a practical screening system for the draft. The medical records of 423 eyes of 301 patients who retired from the ROK Army due to visual impairment were reviewed retrospectively between January 2010 and December 2014. The patients were grouped by the presence of trauma, and each group was subdivided by military rank. We analyzed demographic and ophthalmic data, including the etiology of ophthalmologic disease. The etiology was classified into 5 anatomical categories (ocular surface, lens, retina, optic nerve and extraocular visual pathway, and extraocular muscle and orbit), which were then subdivided into the type of disease. The mean age was 24.5 years, and non-traumatic mechanisms accounted for 81.1% (343/423 eyes) of medical retirements. Visual acuity was better in patients without trauma. In enlisted soldiers, disease in the optic nerve and extraocular visual pathway was the most common anatomical category (40.5%), and primary open angle glaucoma (30.8%), retinal dystrophy (18.3%), congenital cataract (14.5%), and retinal detachment (9.7%) were the four most common diseases. Most medical retirements due to visual impairment resulted from non-traumatic mechanisms, even though patients were young. The fundus examination and visual field test would be more useful tools than a conventional vision test for large-scale draft screening for the most common two disease types: primary open angle glaucoma and retinal dystrophy.
Adult ; Cataract/epidemiology ; Cohort Studies ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retinal Dystrophies/epidemiology ; *Retirement ; Retrospective Studies ; Vision Disorders/epidemiology/*pathology ; Visual Acuity ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
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A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of the pathogenic Yersinia pestis from other Yersinia spp. was developed. Five Y. pestis strains, ninety-two other Yersinia species and twenty-four Enterobacteriaceae strains were collected in Korea and from other countries. Oligonucleotide primers were designed from pathogenic gene of antiphagocytic protein capsule gene (fra 1) and plasminogen activator gene (pla). The 428 bp DNA fragment was amplified from five Y. pestis which contained the fra I gene. No product was amplified from other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. The 439 bp DNA fragment was amplified from three K pestis which contained the pla gene. No product was amplified from two Y. pestis, other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. These showed that the designed primers were specific for detection of Y. pestis among other Yersinia species and Enterobacteriaceae strains. Amplification was successful whether the template was derived from purified DNA or from aliquots of boiled bacterial suspension. The detection limits were 100 pg of DNA and 100 colony forming units (CFU) for fra I and 100 pg DNA and 10 CFU for pla, respectively. Our results prove that the PCR method using specific primers for Y. pestis is a rapid and convenient procedure for routine clinical detection and identification of Y. pestis.
DNA ; DNA Primers ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Korea ; Limit of Detection ; Plasminogen Activators ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Stem Cells ; Yersinia pestis* ; Yersinia*

During the last 9 years, 6 patients of renal angiomyolipoma were managed at Catholic University Medical College. All were unilateral and were not associated with tuberous sclerosis. Preoperative diagnosis were hypernephroma (4), angiomyolipoma and renal stone. All patients were treated with nephrectomy. 17 patients were reported in Korean literature previously. In the review of the 26 cases (23 pts.), 16 cases were diagnosed as angiomyolipoma preoperatively and other as hypernephroma(9) and renal stone(1). Almost all cases(22) were managed with nephrectomy and only 4 cases were managed with conservative treatment (arterial embolization or observation).
Angiomyolipoma* ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Nephrectomy ; Tuberous Sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Cancer that tends to metastasize to other internal organs also involves the skin with various clinical features. OBJECTIVE: We studied the clinical and histopathological findings of metastatic skin cancer and primary lung cancer. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical features and histopathological findings in 7 patients with metastatic skin cancer from the lung cancer. We performed routine hematoxylin-eosin stain and immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibody to cytokeratin, neuron specific enolase, S-100, leukocyte common antigen, and epithelial membrane antigen using the formalin-fixed paraffin embedded skin tissue of cutaneous metastatic and primary lung cancer. RESULTS: All patients are men ranging from 44 to 72 years in age(mean, 63.0 years). Cutaneous lesions were nodule, tumor, and sclerotic plaque. Skin lesions appeared on all parts of body. The neck, chest, and scalp were the most common locations of metastases. Pathologic findings were squamous cell carcinoma in 5 patients, adenosquamous cell carcinoma in 2 patients. We found some different immunophenotypes in cutaneous metastatic lesion and lung cancer. Mean survival time from the diagnosis of lung cancer was 10.4 months, and 8.4 months from the diagnosis of skin metastasis. CONCLUSION: We conclude that patients with cutaneous metastasis of lung cancer reflect progressive, terminal stage, and poor prognosis of the disease.
Antigens, CD45 ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Male ; Mucin-1 ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Prognosis ; Scalp ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Survival Rate ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Dermatologic patients need advice on how much ointment or cream to apply, in particular topical corticosteroids. The instructions given to patients concerning topical therapy are frequently vague. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to make simple guidelines on the topical application of ointments or creams for patients, parents, doctors and nurses, and to check the accuracy of these guidelines in practice. METHODS: The average height and weight according to the different age groups and sex were measured from Korean standard growth and developement chart. From this chart, their total body surface areas(BSA) were calculated using a standard nomogram. The length of the tips of their index fingers was measured; measuring from the distal skin-crease to the end of the finger. One finger-tip unit(FTU) was defined as the amount of ointment expressed from a tube nozzle with a 5 mm in diameter, covering from the distal skin-crease to the tip of the palmar aspect of the index finger. The average area of abdominal skin covered by one finger-tip unit, and that of one palm were measured by computer scanner(Hurapack scanner, 4C) and image analyzed program(Image Pro. Plus(R) V. 3.0, Micromedical). Each patient then placed his or her right hand lightly, palm side down with the fingers and thumb closed, onto Hurapack scanner 4C. A tracing of the outer edge of the hand was made from the ulnar to radial styloid by photoshop program. The outlined area and enclosed area were measured by an image analyzer. RESULTS: 1. The average length of each finger-tip was 2.48+/-0.2cm in males and 2.24+/-0.13cm in females. 2. The average weight of one FTU was 0.46+/-0.03g in males and 0.40+/-0.02g in females. 3. The average area of palm was 145+/-12.4cm2 in males and 115.9+/-10.1cm2 in females. 4. The average area of abdominal skin covered by one FTU was 278+/-34.4cm2; The average area was 303+/-24.3cm2 in males and 253+/-21.9cm2 in females. 5. The number of FTU of adult male required to treat various anatomical sites was : face and neck, 2.6; trunk and buttock, 10.5; arm and hand, 5; leg and foot, 10. The number of FTU of adult female was : face and neck, 2.8; trunk and buttock, 11; arm and hand, 5.5; leg and foot 11. 6. The number of FTU of children required to treat each anatomical site was variable because of differential growth according to different age. CONCLUSION: The concept of FTU provides convenient means of rapidly assessing the approximate amount of ointment or cream required for the treatment of patients.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult* ; Arm ; Buttocks ; Child ; Female ; Fingers ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Neck ; Nomograms ; Ointments ; Parents ; Skin ; Thumb

A case of the tuberous sclerosis, 14-years old boy, was observed. In his father and sister, the cerebral tubers were noted by brain computerized tomography. This disease has been reported occasionally in dermatologic and psychiatric department because of adenoma sebaceum, mental retardation and epilepsy respectively, but it has not been reported at neurosurgical department in Korea. The histopathology of the brain lesion showed atypical cell(tuberous sclerosis cell), gliosis and nonspecific calcification which confirmed the diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis.
Adolescent ; Brain ; Diagnosis ; Epilepsy ; Fathers ; Gliosis ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Korea ; Male ; Sclerosis ; Siblings ; Tuberous Sclerosis*

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of an injection of bevacizumab into the sub-Tenon's capsule on ocular surface neovascularization disease including pterygium and corneal neovascularization. METHODS: Twenty-five eyes of 21 patients with pterygium and 19 eyes of 15 patients with corneal neovascularization were given an injection of 5 mg bevacizumab into the sub-Tenon's capsule. The clinical effects and complications were evaluated by analyzing the changes in anterior segment photo, visual acuity, and intraocular pressure at week one, week two, week four, and every month thereafter. RESULTS: After injections of bevacizumab, partial remission of corneal neovascularized lesion was observed in five eyes (20%) of the pterygium group, and there were no significant changes in the visual acuity and no complications. In the corneal neovascularization group, corneal neovascularized lesions of 18 eyes (95%: 2 eyes, complete remission 16 eyes, partial remission) improved after injections of the bevacizumab and the scores of extent and severity of corneal neovascularized lesion improved significantly, unlike the pterygium group. The visual acuity of two eyes (11%) improved more than two lines of Yong-Han Jin's distance visual acuity test and there were no systemic side effects. Localized side effects included four eyes (21%) with punctate epithelial erosions and two eyes (11%) with temporary, elevated intraocular pressure in the corneal neovascularization group. The side effects improved without any additional treatment. CONCLUSIONS: An injection of bevacizumab into the sub-Tenon's capsule is more effective in fresh lesions of corneal neovascularization disease than in old and stable lesions of pterygium. Therefore, it could be used as a prominent treatment of various corneal neovascularization diseases.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Corneal Neovascularization ; Eye ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Pterygium ; Visual Acuity ; Bevacizumab