For many years, healing membranous bone fractures have been known to show a persistent lucency at the fracture interface. Radiographic follow-up has proven to be of little value as a guideline for healing of mandibular fractures. Recently, a fracture has been treated by rigid internal fixation by metallic plate and screws rather than closed reduction and wire fixation, we expected that some difference in the radiographic features of fracture healing. To investigate these questions we undertook a retrospective radiographic and clinical analysis of 33 followed patients with fractures of the body and angle of the mandible from 1993 to 1997. There were 26 male and 7 female patients ranging in age between 5 and 74 years, with an average of 29.7 years. All patients were managed by open reduction with metallic plates and screws. The length of follow-up ranged from 9 to 187 weeks. Total 81 radiographic follow-up films were obtained and divided into 3 grades according to the degree of radiolucency of fracture lines; grade 0 radiolucent fracture line and no evidence of fracture interface calcification, grade 1 decreased radiolucent area and evidence of fracture interface calcification, and grade 2 disappearance of fracture line.Until follow-up of 8 weeks, all of the radiographs showed grade 0. From 8 weeks to 16 weeks, 62.5 percent showed grade 0 and 37.5 percent showed grade 1. From 16 weeks to 48 weeks, 38.5 percent showed grade 1 and 61.5 percent showed grade 2. After follow-up of 48 weeks, all showed grade 2.In this study we have shown that the radiographic disappearance of mandibular fracture lines was usually accomplished by 48 weeks. We feel that radiographic union of the mandible is lagging well behind clinical union, but disapperance of the fracture line in rigidly fixated mandibular fracture was occurred earlier than healed by fibrous union. We propose that radiographic union of the mandible by approximately 1 year can be a guideline for the normal mandibular bone healing.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Bone ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; Mandibular Fractures* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Nails

Complications after a median sternotomy incision, which is used currently in most open heart surgery, are serious, although it is infrequent. Reconstruction of the sternal defect resulting from dehiscence of median sternotomy is still big challenge to the most plastic surgeons. Since vascularized greater omentum was transposed to eliminate mediastinal wound problems, many vascularized regional muscle flaps became mainstay in reconstruction of median sternotomy wound. We treated 13 patients with median sternotomy dehiscence between October of 1993 and March of 1998. In two patients, the wound problems were so confined to superficial tissue that debrided and closed primarily. Eleven patients with deep wound infection were managed with vigorous debridement of all necrotic tissues and resultant defects were covered with regional muscle flaps: rectus myocutaneous flap(3) and bilateral pectoralis advancement flap(8). We used the pectoralis major advancement flaps without counter incision at humeral insertion site and the dissections were limited only medial to the anterior axillary line to preserve the axillary fold. In five patients with larger defects, we elevated muscle and cutaneous flaps separately to make these flaps more mobile. Large portion of two rectus abdominis flaps could not survive, whereas pectoralis advancement flaps had mo special wound problems. Only one patient developed fistula due to remained wire, regardless to flap surgery.
Debridement ; Fistula ; Humans ; Omentum ; Rectus Abdominis ; Sternotomy* ; Thoracic Surgery ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

Twenty five patients (twenty seven hips) who had Chiari osteotomy at Kang Nam St. Marys Hospital between 1980 and 1995 were reviewed to evaluate the factors in the operative technique that contribute to successful outcome and assess the clinical results in various conditions. The length of follow-up ranged from one to fourteen years and the age of at operation ranged from four to twentythree years. Eighteen patients had developmental dysplasia of the hip: four, septic hip: three had another disorders, Prior to the Chiari osteotomy, fourteen hips had an femoral osteotomy and four, trochanteric arthroplasty. We used to the standard osteotomy as described by Chiari with certain modification. A pneumatic saw and osteotome are used instead of Gigli saw. This technique is simple procedure to make the correct level and angle. Bone graft was not performed in all cases even the osteotomy was displaced more than 50 percent of the iliac width. The overall results were 12 excellent, eight good, five fair, and two poor. In eleven patients, the osteotomy had to be displaced more than 50 percent to provide good coverage of the femoral head. Their results were good or excellent. A good result will be obtained if enough attention is paid to displacing the osteotomy. The osteotomy using the pneumatic saw provides accurate level and direction of osteotomy and it is an simple procedure also.
Adolescent* ; Arthroplasty ; Child* ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteotomy* ; Transplants

The present study was undertaken to investigate the influence of cardamonin on vascular smooth muscle contractility and to determine the mechanism(s) involved. Denuded aortic rings from male rats were used and isometric contractions were recorded and combined with molecular experiments. Cardamonin significantly relaxed fluoride-, phenylephrine-, and phorbol ester-induced vascular contractions, suggesting that it has an anti-hypertensive effect on agonist-induced vascular contraction regardless of endothelial nitric oxide synthesis. Furthermore, cardamonin significantly inhibited the fluoride-induced increase in pMYPT1 level and phenylephrine-induced increase in pERK1/2 level, suggesting inhibition of Rho-kinase and MEK activity and subsequent phosphorylation of MYPT1 and ERK1/2. This study provides evidence that the relaxing effect of cardamonin on agonist-induced vascular contraction regardless of endothelial function involves inhibition of Rho-kinase and MEK activity.
Animals ; Fluorides ; Humans ; Isometric Contraction ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Nitric Oxide ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; rho-Associated Kinases*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the polymerization shrinkage stress among conventional methacrylate-based composite resins and a silorane-based composite resin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The strain gauge method was used for the determination of polymerization shrinkage strain. Specimens were divided by 3 groups according to various composite materials. Filtek Z-250 (3M ESPE) and Filtek P-60 (3M ESPE) were used as a conventional methacrylate-based composites and Filtek P-90 (3M ESPE) was used as a silorane-based composites. Measurements were recorded at each 1 second for the total of 800 seconds including the periods of light application. The results of polymerization shrinkage stress were statistically analyzed using One way ANOVA and Tukey test (p = 0.05). RESULTS: The polymerization shrinkage stress of a silorane-based composite resin was lower than those of conventional methacrylate-based composite resins (p < 0.05). The shrinkage stress between methacrylate-based composite resin groups did not show significant difference (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitation of this study, silorane-based composites showed lower polymerization shrinkage stress than methacrylate-based composites. We need to investigate more into polymerization shrinkage stress with regard to elastic modulus of silorane-based composites for the precise result.
Composite Resins ; Elastic Modulus ; Light ; Polymerization ; Polymers ; Sprains and Strains

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between social capital and depression in adults in their 20s. Methods: The study used data from the Community Health Survey 2019 (CHS 2019). The CHS 2019 covered a representative sample of 229099 adults from 17 census tracts in the Republic of Korea, of which 19589 adults in their 20s were taken as subjects for this study. The subjects completed a survey with questions regarding demographic characteristics, built environment and social capital. The symptoms of depression were evaluated through the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine whether social capital was associated with depression. Results: The multiple logistic regression results indicated that social capital was associated with depression in adults in their 20s. When demographic characteristics and built environment were included in the analysis, trust, contact with relatives, contact with friends, and social activities were associated with depression in adults in their 20s. Conclusion A lack of social capital was associated with depression in Korean adults in their 20s. Our study suggests a need to look beyond individual factors to intervene in national and community social capital and prevent depression in adults in their 20s.

The aim of this study was to compare and quantify the spatiotemporal and gait parameters obtained by foot pressure analysis during the gait in a group of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients compared with other Parkinsonism diseases, especially multiple system atrophy (MSA). Thirty-seven out of ninety-three patients who visited the center of neurology or rehabilitation with features of Parkinsonism were recruited. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were collected using gait analysis system. The results did not differ in terms of the stride length, step width, double stance phase, stride time, cadence, velocity, gait line and single support line differences, anterior-posterior position of center of pressure, and maximal gait line velocity; the lateral symmetry showed a significant difference between the PD and the MSA groups (p < 0.05). The study evaluated the differences in terms of spatiotemporal parameters between the PD and MSA along with other Parkinsonism diseases; it showed that the PD patients had a gait tendency to deviate laterally compared to the MSA patients. The result suggests conducting the gait foot pressure analysis might help distinguish PD from other Parkinsonism diseases in early stage, aiding the early decision for the treatment plans.
Foot ; Gait ; Humans ; Multiple System Atrophy ; Neurology ; Parkinson Disease ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Rehabilitation

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a rare and fatal cancer-related pulmonary complication leading to severe pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, and death. Few cases of PTTM have been diagnosed antemortem. A 62-year-old male showing complete remission of gastric cancer presented with exertional dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography showed marked dilation of the right atrium, right ventricle, and the small left ventricle with normal left ventricular function. Right heart catheterization also showed mild to moderate pulmonary hypertension. A chest computed tomography scan revealed no evidence of acute pulmonary thromboembolism, but it showed consolidations with subpleural nodules in both lower lobes, and a lung perfusion scan showed multifocal, non-segmental perfusion defects. Finally, a diagnostic lung biopsy with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed, and the pathologic findings were compatible with PTTM. Here, we report a case of gastric cancer-related PTTM that was diagnosed antemortem.
Biopsy ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Lung ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perfusion ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax ; Thrombotic Microangiopathies* ; Ventricular Function, Left

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a rare and fatal cancer-related pulmonary complication leading to severe pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, and death. Few cases of PTTM have been diagnosed antemortem. A 62-year-old male showing complete remission of gastric cancer presented with exertional dyspnea. Transthoracic echocardiography showed marked dilation of the right atrium, right ventricle, and the small left ventricle with normal left ventricular function. Right heart catheterization also showed mild to moderate pulmonary hypertension. A chest computed tomography scan revealed no evidence of acute pulmonary thromboembolism, but it showed consolidations with subpleural nodules in both lower lobes, and a lung perfusion scan showed multifocal, non-segmental perfusion defects. Finally, a diagnostic lung biopsy with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed, and the pathologic findings were compatible with PTTM. Here, we report a case of gastric cancer-related PTTM that was diagnosed antemortem.
Biopsy ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Lung ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perfusion ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax ; Thrombotic Microangiopathies* ; Ventricular Function, Left