Habitual snoring is common among males, especially among those who are overweight, and gets worse with the age. Snoring Is related to physical obstruction of breathing during sleep. This obstruction occurs when the palatal muscles, uvula muscles, and sometimes tonsiles relax during deep sleep and acts as vibrators. We have treated, with laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty(LAUP), twenty patients who suffer from snoring. CO2 laser was used and approximately I5-30 minutes of operation time was required. There were no singnificant complications, such as bleeding and asphyxia, in the 20 patients treated with LAUP. Results observed in the short term showed that 90% of the patients treated with LAUP considered thems to be essentially improved. Two patients developed scars at the posterior pillars. LAUP is a relatively simple and safe method which is performed at the hospital on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Local ; Asphyxia ; Cicatrix ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas ; Male ; Muscles ; Outpatients ; Overweight ; Palatal Muscles ; Palatine Tonsil ; Respiration ; Snoring* ; Uvula

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Chronic complication of diving and working in compressed air is dysbaric osteonecrosis. Dysbaric osteonecrosis could be diagnosed by simple bone x-ray, in the case of exposure history to dysbaric atmosphere. The case is 44 years old man who worked as a shell fish diver for 20 years. He was exposed dysbaric atmosphere during diving. He had bone necrosis in both femur head, both distal femur and proximal tibia. He had multiple attacks of decompression sickness. Other causes of bone necrosis are ruled out. We conclude that diver's bone necrosis is dysbaric osteonecrosis.
Adult ; Atmosphere ; Compressed Air ; Decompression Sickness ; Diving ; Femur ; Femur Head ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Osteonecrosis* ; Tibia

Many investigators are trying to elucidate the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders on the basis of neuroendocrine responses to stimulation or perturbation. Dexamethasone(DEX) suppression has been the most widely utilized as the prototypical challenge test. Dexamethasone suppression test(DST) has proven to be valuable in diagnosing the depressive spectrum disorder. Reported specificity of diagnosis of depression is relatively high, but sensitivity is limited. Some researchers used the combination of dexamethasone and corticotropin releasing hormone(CRH) in order to improve the sensitivity. They reported that combined DEX/CRH test, i.e., we administered the insulin instead of CRH. Total subjects were 28(7 normal controls, 10 manic patients, 11 schizophrenic, patients). Subject were token DEX(1.5mg p.o.) at 11 p.m., insulin 16 hours later(0.1 unit/kg i.v.). Five blood samples for the determination of cortisol and ACTH were serially drawn at 15 minute interval. The results are as following : 1) The cortisol an ACTH levels of manic subjects increased following insulin administration. Manic subjects showed higher levels of cortisol and ACTH than schizophrenic and normal control subjects. The cortisol and ACTH levels of schizophrenic and normal control subjects did not show gross changes. 2) The sensitivity of the test was lower than that of reported DEX/CRH test.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Depression ; Dexamethasone ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Insulin ; Research Personnel ; Sensitivity and Specificity

A total 48 cases of myelography using Metrizamide were performed between August 1981 and July 1983 at the department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kwangju Christian Hospital. Of these cases, H.N.P was 26, tuberculous spondylitis 16, spondylolisthesis 4, and multiple sclero-sis 2 cases. The advantages of this study were as folows: 1. Complications were minimal in most of the cases except a slight headache. 2. Large amount of infusion was possible. 3. Rootlet was clearly seen. 4. Removal of dye was not necessary. 5. It gave a good contrast for the radiologic study.
Gwangju ; Headache ; Metrizamide ; Myelography ; Orthopedics ; Spondylitis ; Spondylolisthesis ; Water

No abstract available.
Acidosis* ; Diagnosis*

Splenic abscess is an uncommon lesion and may be present either as a localized area of infection in the spleen or as a part of generalized sepsis. The diagnosis is difficult because of the rather nonspecific clinical picture. Hence, splenic abscess has a high mortality rate and is after diagnosed only at autopsy. Computerized tomography (CT) offers the clinician a reliable tool for the diagnosis of intra-abdominal abscess. A successful outcome is dependent on an early diagnosis and prompt treatment by splenectomy with antibiotic cover. We experienced a care of splenic abscess which was diagnosed by CT and treated by splenectomy with antibiotics. Postoperative course was relatively uneventful.
Abdominal Abscess ; Abscess* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Autopsy ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Mortality ; Sepsis ; Spleen ; Splenectomy

Leriche syndrome is a chronic disorder mostly in male and is a specific symptom complex due to thrombotic obliteration of the aortic bifurcation as result of an atherosclerotic change. The symptoms include 1) extreme liability to fatigue of both lower limbs; 2) symmetric atrophy of both lower limbs; 3) pallor of the legs and feets; 4) inability to maintain stable erection. There are several methods for surgical management of this disorder; 1) thromboendarterectomy with or without sympathectomy; 2) aortoiliac bypass graft; 3) aortofemoral bypass graft. Here we report a case of Leriche syndrome which was successfully managed with aortobifemoral bypass graft with Dacron and reviewed literatures on it briefly.
Atrophy ; Endarterectomy ; Fatigue ; Foot ; Humans ; Leg ; Leriche Syndrome* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Pallor ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Sympathectomy ; Transplants

Neurilemmomas of the extremities are nerve sheath tumors involving peripheral nerves of the extremities. We analyzed MR images of 16 surgically proved tumors in 12 patients and compared the MR images with gross pathologic specimens in two tumors (2/16). Spin echo T1-weighted images were obtained in all the patients but T2-weighted images were obtained in six patients with a gradient echo technique. Gadolinium dimeglumine enhanced T1-weighted images were obtained in 11 patients (15/16). Signal on T1-weighted images was iso or slightly higher than that of the adjacent muscles. Signal on T2-weighted images ranged from homogeneous high to heterogeneous. After Gadolinium injection, all the 15 tumors showed enhancement. Small sized tumors were enhanced homogeneously but there was a tendency tobe enhanced heterogeneously to the central portion with peripheral rim enhancement as the size of the tumors increased. Pathologically, the enhanced portion was correlated the with solid protion was correlated the with solid portion of the tumors. Also encapsulation of the mass (12/16), suspended nerve strings (9/16) and bony erosion (1/16) were detected. MR characteristics of neurilemmoma include heterogeniety on enhanced T1 and T2 weighted images, encapsulation, and suspended nerve strings. Signal heterogeneity on enhanced T1 and T2 weignted images may be attributed to the variable cellularity, cystic changes, vascularity and focal hemorrhage of the tumors.
Extremities ; Gadolinium ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Muscles ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Neurilemmoma* ; Peripheral Nerves ; Population Characteristics