OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on pressure ulcers which is a major, functionally-limiting medical problem impairing quality of life for many people each year. METHOD: Seven patients who had stage 3 pressure ulcers were enrolled for the study. Each patient was treated with 6 sessions of low-energy (0.10~0.15 mJ/mm2, 1,000 impulses) ESWT. The length, width, depth and soft tissue biopsy of pressure ulcers were evaluated every 2 weeks for 6 weeks. RESULTS: The length, width and depth decreased significantly after 2 weeks of ESWT application. Healthy granulation tissue was formed. Soft tissue biopsy revealed increased the number and size of capillaries and decreased inflammatory cells in treated case. CONCLUSION: ESWT promoted wound healing and revealed favorable histological changes in pressure ulcers. We suggest that ESWT can be used for the safety and effective management of pressure ulcer.
Biopsy ; Capillaries ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Pressure Ulcer ; Quality of Life ; Shock ; Wound Healing

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis(LASIK) theoretically provide less corneal haze and more accurate correction. In the LASIK. however, photo refractive keratectomy(PRK) will be done on the stromal surface exposed after removal of the 130 micrometer thick lenticule. Deep stromal ablation after removal of 130 micrometer thick lenticule may result in endothelial damage. We observed endothelial cytoskeletal changes after deep PRK to evaluate the endothelial safety in rabbit. PRK was performed on the rabbit cornea without removing the epithelium with VISX 20/20 (160mj/cm2/pulse, 5Hz) to correct 6, 9, 12, and 15 diopters of myopia by single or multiple zone. Seven days after ablation, the rabbit was euthanized, corneas excised and endothelial F-actin was stained with NBD-phallacidin to demonstrate any cytoskeletal changes. No F-actin changes were observed in corneas after either single zone, 6 or 9 diopter correction, and multiple zone ablation. However, 12 diopters or higher correction in a single zone resulted in pleomorphism and polymegethism on focal areas. In the LASIK procedure, the endothelium might be damaged and further investigation for the endothelial preservation during the procedure is needed in human.
Actins* ; Cornea ; Endothelium ; Endothelium, Corneal ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Myopia ; Photorefractive Keratectomy

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the 5-year survival rate, socioeconomic status, and SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) stage of stomach, colorectal, breast and cervical cancer patients. Methods: A total of 11,770 cases of four target cancers, which were diagnosed during 2005-2007, were extracted from the database of Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Cancer Registry. The subjects of the study were 11,770 including stomach (n=5,479), colorectal (n=3,565), breast (n=1,516) and cervical cancers (n=710). Cox’s proportional hazards model was used to obtain the hazards ratio (HR) according to the SEER stage and socioeconomic status. Results: Stomach cancer had a significantly higher HR in the medical aid recipients (HR=1.39), and the group below 20% (HR=1.20) compared to the group with the highest income level. Colorectal cancer had a significantly higher HR in the medical aid recipients (HR=1.26) than in the group with the highest income level. In addition, stomach, colorectal, breast and cervical cancers had a significantly higher HR according to the SEER stage in regional direct (stomach=4.10, colorectal=1.76, breast=12.90, cervical=3.10), regional lymph only(stomach=2.58, colorectal=2.33, breast=4.32, cervical= 4.43), regional both (stomach=6.74 colorectal=3.04, breast=15.57 cervical=6.50), and regional NOS (Not Otherwise Specified)/distant (stomach=17.53, colorectal=11.53, breast=25.34, cervical=26.51) than in situ and localized only. Conclusion In order to increase the cancer survival rate, a support system for early detection and early treatment of cancer should be established for groups with low individual income levels, and regular health checkups and management measures should be actively implemented through the National Cancer Screening Program.

BACKGROUND: Induced hypotension reduces blood loss in the surgical field and provies better visibility. May methods have been used for induced hypotension. Recently Esmolol is favored in induced hypotension because of its short action of sympathetic beta-1 receptor antagonist and easy to control. Thoracic epidural bldegrees Ck can provide cadiovascular stability in induced hypotension. The purpose of the study is to compare postoperative liver function after induced hypotension between thoracic epidural bldegrees Ckade and esmolol combined with general anesthesia with isoflulane. METHOD: Fourty patients scheduled for spinal posterior fusion under general anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups. In thoracic epidural bldegrees Ckade group(Group I, 20 patients), 8~10 ml of 2% liddegrees Caine was injected into the epidural catheter ldegrees Cated in T6~7 interspace in a bolus. In Esmolol group(Group II, 20 patients) received 0.5 mg/kg as loading dose and 50~150 microgram/kg/min continuously. We measured preoperative and postoperative 1, 3, 5, 7 day's serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase(SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvate transaminase(SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase(ALP). RESULT: In the thoracic epidural bldegrees Ckade group, there was statistically significant increase of SGOT level above normal range on postoperative 1 day, which decreased on postoperative 3 and 5 day(p<0.05). But it was within normal range on postoperative 7 day. SGPT was increased within normal range. Similarly, in the esmolol group, there was statistically significant increase of SGOT level above normal range on postoperative 1 day, which decreased on postoperative 3 and 5 day(p<0.05). But it was within normal range on postoperative 7 day. SGPT was increased within normal range. The level of ALP was increased within normal range in both groups. There was no statistically significant difference in liver function between two groups. CONCLUSION: We consider that postoperative liver function is little influenced with induced hypotension by thoracic epidural bldegrees Ckade and esmolol combined with general anesthesia with isoflurane.
Alanine Transaminase ; Anesthesia, General ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Catheters ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Isoflurane ; Liver* ; Reference Values

During intraocular surgery including cataract, air bubbles occasionally enter the anterior chamber during irrigation. The influences of these air bubbles on the cornea endothelium, however, have yet to be known. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of bubbles on the rabbit corneal endothelium during irrigation and aspiration mode in experimental phacoemulsification. After anesthesia, the anterior chamber was irrigated and aspirated for 1 minute with balanced salt solution. The rabbits were then randomly divided into 4 groups. In group 1, corneal endothelial irrigation and aspiration were performed without air bubbles for 1 minute. In group 2, corneal endothelial irrigation was performed in the presence of air bubbles in the anterior chamber for 1 minute. In group 3, corneal endothelial irrigation and aspiration were performed in the presence of air bubbles in the anterior chamber for 1minute. In group 4, corneal endothelial irrigation was performed with silicone oil at 50 mmHg pressure in the presence of air bubbles in the anterior chamber for 1 minute. In group 1, the cornea endothelial cells showed normal F-actin without cell damage. In group 2, a ring shaped endothelial cell destruction area adjacent to the border was found along the margin of the air bubble. In group 3, similar ring-shaped lesion found in group 2 were observed but with more extensive cell destruction. In group 4, a partial number of cell to cell separation was found without endothelial cell destruction. In conclusion, air bubbles in the anterior chamber during irrigation with balanced salt solution showed destructive changes in rabbit corneal endothelial cell.
Actins ; Anesthesia ; Anterior Chamber ; Cataract ; Cell Separation ; Cornea ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Endothelium, Corneal* ; Phacoemulsification ; Rabbits ; Silicone Oils

OBJECTIVE: Although marker chromosome is defined as an abnormal chromosome in which no part can be identified, derivative chromosomes with structural abnormalities of unknown origin are also called as marker chromosomes conventionally. The clinical significance of a marker chromosome is determined according to the origin of marker chromosome. In this study reverse painting fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) methods were employed to elucidate the origin of marker chromosomes in 5 clinical cases. METHODS: Reverse painting probes were generated from five copies of each marker chromosomes microdissected with micromanipulator, amplified with DOP-PCR, and labeled with fluorochromes. The probes were hybridized to normal metaphases. For CGH, normal control and patients' DNA were directly labeled with spectrum-red-dUTP and spectrum-green-dUTP by CGH nick translation kit, and hybridized to normal reference metaphases. The CGH images were captured with a computer controlled fluorescence microscope equipped with a CCD camera and analyzed by Cytovision workstation. RESULTS: Five marker chromosomes were identified as follows (1) derivative chromosome 15 inducing partial trisomy of 15pter->q21, (2) isochromosome of 18p causing 18p tetrasomy, (3) short arm of chromosome 5 causing 5p trisomy (4) small accessory chromosome originated from centromeric region of chromosome Xq11->q12 (5) der(17) with inverted duplication of the short arm of chromosome 17. In all cases the origin of each marker chromosomes were identified successfully with reverse painting FISH, and these results were concordant with the CGH profiles. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that combined reverse painting FISH and CGH is a rapid, convinient and powerful tool to identify the origin of marker chromosomes and derivative chromosomes caused by various chromosome abnormalities such as translocation, duplication, deletion.
Arm ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5 ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization* ; DNA ; Fluorescence* ; Fluorescent Dyes ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Isochromosomes ; Metaphase ; Paint* ; Paintings* ; Tetrasomy ; Trisomy

BACKGROUND: Somato-sensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring has been used to help minimize neurologic morbidity during spinal surgery. However, SSEP is affected by anesthetics, technical errors and physiologic aspects. We reviewed 50 cases of spinal surgery done with total intravenous anesthesia under SSEP monitoring. METHODS: Fifty patients, ASA class I-II, free of neurologic disease and scheduled for elective spinal surgery were randomly selected for the study. All of the operations were performed under general anesthesia employing the method of total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and fentanyl (Group I, P-F) or ketamine (Group II, P-K), and monitored by SSEP. We checked the changes of blood pressure and heart rates during the operation, recorded latency and amplitude of SSEP in the pre-induction, post-induction, during screw insertion and post-distraction periods. Also, we checked the number transfers to the ICU and application of a ventilator. RESULTS: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were increased significantly in the propofol-ketamine group (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in heart rate between both groups. In addition there were no statistical differences in latencies and amplitudes of SSEP. The number of patients transferred to the ICU and placed on a ventilator showed no statistical difference. CONCLUSIONS: We think that the combination of propofol and fentanyl or ketamine used for total intravenous anesthesia is a very useful method in spinal surgery under SSEP monitoring.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Anesthetics ; Blood Pressure ; Evoked Potentials* ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Ketamine ; Propofol ; Spine* ; Ventilators, Mechanical

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate intercostal neuropathy after rib fracture and to determine the severity of intercostal neuropathy with using a numerical rating scale and according to the duration of pain and the body mass index. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We measured the positive sharp wave and fibrillation on the intercostal and paraspinal muscles in the thoracic region by performing needle electromyography in 47 patients who had intercostal neuralgia after rib fracture and who had needed daily analgesic for more than three months. RESULT: We diagnosed 11 cases as intercostal neuropathy among the 47 cases. Of the total 11 cases, 8 were male and 3 were female and they were most often of an active generation in the community. The common location of intercostal neuropathy was the intercostal space below the rib fracture and from the 7th to the 12th intercostal rib area. The incidence of intercostal neuropathy was significantly related with multiple rib fracture rather than single rib fracture. The symptoms observed were chest pain (90.9%), sensory change (81.8%), paresthesia and numbness (63.6%), back pain (27.2%) and muscle atrophy (18.2%). The numerical rating scale, the duration of pain and the body mass index showed no significant correlation with the severity of intercostal neuropathy. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the electrodiagnostic approach with considering the affecting factors and the clinical findings will be helpful for diagnosing and treating persistent intercostal neuralgic pain (more than 3 months) after rib fracture.
Back Pain ; Body Mass Index ; Chest Pain ; Electromagnetic Phenomena ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Incidence ; Intercostal Nerves ; Male ; Muscles ; Muscular Atrophy ; Needles ; Neuralgia ; Paresthesia ; Rib Fractures ; Ribs

Sigmoid volvulus is a unfrequent cause of colon obstruction in Korea. Colonoscopic reduction and decompression is the preferred initial treatment of patients with sigmoid volvulus who do not have signs of bowel strangulation because of the high mortality associated with emergency surgery. We experienced a case of sigmoid volvulus in a 60-year-old male who presented with constipation, abdominal distension and abdominal pain. Sigmoid volvulus was diagnosed by simple abdominal film and he had taken successful emergency colonoscopic reduction of sigmoid volvulus. We report our experience & reviews the literature on the use of the colonoscope to treat sigmoid volvulus.
Abdominal Pain ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid* ; Colonoscopes ; Constipation ; Decompression ; Emergencies* ; Humans ; Intestinal Volvulus* ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the capability of silk fibroin (SF) and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 loaded SF (SF-BMP) as a bone defect replacement matrix when grafted in a calvarial bone defect of rats in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total 70 calvarial critical size defects (5.0 mm in diameter) made on 35 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The defects were transplanted with (1) rhBMP-2 loaded silk fibroin graft (SF-BMP: 0.8+10 microg), (2) Silk fibroin (SF: 10 microg), and (3) no graft material (Raw). The samples were evaluated with soft x-rays, alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium/phosphate quantification, histological and histomorphometric analysis at postoperative 4 and 8 weeks. RESULTS: The SF-BMP group (48.86+/-14.92%) had a significantly higher mean percentage bone area than the SF group (24.96+/-11.01%) at postoperative 4 weeks.(P<0.05) In addition, the SF-BMP group (40.01+/-12.43%) had a higher % bone area at postoperative 8 weeks than the SF group (33.26+/-5.15%). The mean ratio of gray scale levels to the host bone showed that the SF-BMP group (0.67+/-0.08) had a higher mean ratio level than the SF group (0.61+/-0.09) at postoperative 8 weeks. These differences were not statistically significant.(P=0.168 and P=0.243, respectively) CONCLUSION: The rhBMP-2 loaded silk fibroin graft revealed fewer immunoreactions and inflammation as well as more new bone formation than the pure silk fibroin graft. Therefore, silk fibroin may be a candidate scaffold for tissue engineered bone regeneration.
Adult ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; Bone Regeneration ; Female ; Fibroins ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Osteogenesis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Proteins ; Silk ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transplants