The cryopathic hemolytic anemia is an autoimmune hemolytic anemia induced by cold antibody. Authors report a case of cryopathic hemolytic anemia confirmed by immunohematologic examination. A 22-year-old man was admitted at Kyung Hee Medical Center in March, 1994, with a past history of Kleinerfelter's syndrome and complained jaundice as well as dizziness. Direct antiglobulin test using polyvalent and anti-C3d monovalent antisera was positive, but was negative against anti-IgG, anti-IgA, and anti-IgM monovalent antisera. Cold agglutinin titer was as high as 1:1024 at 4 degrees C and anti-I specificity was confirmed by using cord bloods. The patient was not improved despite transfusion of washed red cells and administration of prednisolone, and on 16th day of hospitalization he manifested sudden episode of headache and loss of conscioussness, soon followed by death.
Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Coombs Test ; Dizziness ; Fetal Blood ; Headache ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Jaundice ; Prednisolone ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Arm* ; Blood Component Transfusion* ; Hospitals, General*

The association rate of antibody with antigen has been reported to be greatly increased by lowering ionic strength. Low-ionic strength salt solution(LISS) method has been used for the detection of various alloantibodies. To investigate the sensitivity of LISS in indirect antiglobulin test, a comparison study of LISS with saline and albumin methods was conducted. A total of 32 patients' samples requested for indirect antiglobulin test were evaluated. Out of 32 patients with clinical immune hemolytic anemia, 11(34.3%) were positive in 37 degrees C saline antiglobulin test, 18(56.2%) in albumin antiglobulin test, 23(71.8%) in LISS antiglobulin test respectively. These results were statistically analyzed using non parametric Page's test for ordered alternatives. LISS method is more sensitive than 37 degrees C saline method or albumin method significantly (p<0.01).
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Coombs Test* ; Humans ; Isoantibodies ; Osmolar Concentration

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Humerus*

BACKGROUND: Tinea barbae(TB) is a rare dermatophytosis localized on the bearded areas of the face and neck. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the epidemiological, clinical and mycological characteristics of TB. METHODS: During the 24-year-period from 1983 to 2004, 74 patients with TB were evaluated in regard to annual incidence, the distribution of the subjects according to age, season, involved site, occupation, a place of residence and concurrent fungal infection. Patients with TB were further assessed concerning causative agents by fungal culture and their association with clinical type and a place of residence. RESULTS: In epidemiologic aspect, annual incidence was increased until 1989, thereafter gradually decreased. TB showed peak incidence in April in monthly distribution. TB occurred predominantly in middle-aged adults, especially in fifties in age distribution and countryfolk in residential distribution. In clinical aspect, superficial type was the most common in clinical types, followed by follicular and kerion type. Upper lip was affected mostly. In mycologic aspect, fungal culture showed positive results in 57 patients. Trichophyton(T.) rubrum was the most common causative agents followed by T. mentagrophytes and T. verrucosum. Thirty six patients had concurrent fungal infection and tinea pedis was the most common. CONCLUSION: The result suggests that although the incidence of TB is decreasing, it is important not only to isolate cattle with dermatophytoses from people but also to treat concurrent dermatophytoses in order to decrease the incidence
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Animals ; Cattle ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lip ; Neck ; Occupations ; Seasons ; Tinea Pedis ; Tinea*

Infantile fibromatosis, which represents the childhood counterpart of musculoaponeurotic fibromatosis (abdominal or extraabdominal desmoid), usually arises as a solitary mass in skeletal muscle or in the adjacent fascia, aponeurosis, or periosteum. It chiefly affects children from birth to 8 years of age and is slightly more common in boys than in girls. Although infantile fibromatosis is a benign tumor, its nature is malignant for an aggressive clinical course with a tendency to recur in high percentage. Complete excision with an ample margin, the choice of treatment, is often extremely difficult and in some cases, may be impossible without disfigurement or dysfuction. In recurred cases, supplemental radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be tried. We present one case of infantile fibromatosis that has appeared at the right neck during first several months of life. The lesion was excised and diagnosis was confirmed by histologic examination. Some reviews with literature were supplemented.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Fascia ; Female ; Fibroma* ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neck* ; Parturition ; Periosteum ; Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An occult primary tumor is defined as histologic evidence of malignancy in the cervical lymph nodes with no apparent primary site of origin for the metastatic tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients who have failed to detect primary tumor on their initial physical examinations, endoscopy and other imaging studies, underwent endoscopy-guided biopsy under the general anesthesia. The histologic examination of frozen sections was done in the operation room. For those failing to give results by the histologic study, we performed the ipsilateral tonsillectomy biopsy. RESULTS: Nine primary lesions were identified: four cases of tonsillar fossa, one case each of nasopharynx, base of tongue, hypopharynx, supraglottis, and esophagus. In the three of the four tonsillar cancer cases, the primary foci were also identified by tonsillectomy biopsy. All the patients whose primary foci were tonsillar fossa showed metastasis of the jugulodigastric lymph node. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that patients who are considered to have occult primary tumor should be evaluated by endoscopy-guided biopsy under the general anesthesia. Also, this study finds that if the histologic result of the frozen section were negative, ipsilateral tonsillectomy can be justified, especially for patients who show metastasis of jugulodigastric cervical lymph node.
Anesthesia, General ; Biopsy* ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus ; Frozen Sections ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; Lymph Nodes ; Nasopharynx ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Physical Examination ; Tongue ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; Tonsillectomy*

PURPOSE: To describe the characteristic MRI findings of the Rathke cleft cyst. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a seven-year period, we retrospectively evaluated the MRI findings of 24 pathologically-proven Rathke cleft cysts. The patients included ten men and 14 women, And their mean age was 37. MRI findings were analyzed in terms of location, shape, size, signal intensity, homogeneity of cyst content, pattern of contrast enhancement, displacement of the pituitary stalk, and mass effect of the cyst on adjacent structures. RESULTS: The location of 14 cases (58%) was sellar or suprasellar; nine (37%) were intrasellar. The mean size of the cysts was 16 x 12mm, as seen on sagittal or coronal images. The characteristic shape of the cyst was a sagging water bag in 13 cases (54%) and upward tenting in eleven (46%). The signal intensity of the cyst varied ; on T1-and T2WI, eleven cases (46%) showed high signal intensity relative to brain parenchyma ; five (21%) showed iso signal intensity on T1WI and high signal intensity on T2WI. While 18 (75%) showed inhomogeneous signal intensity on T1- and T2WI;13 (54%) showed a smudge pattern within the cysts, and six (25%) showed homogeneous signal intensity on T1 and T2WI. On Gd-DTPA enhanced images, thin-rim enhancement surrounding the cyst was seen in 20 cases (83%). While no enhancement was seen within the cyst. Seventeen cases (71%) showed anterior displacement of the pituitary stalk; two showed posterior displacement and five were indeterminate. Mass effect included compression of the optic chiasm (11cases) and bony erosion or tilting of the sellar floor (8 cases). CONCLUSION: MRI findings of midline intrasellar cyst with a sagging water bag appearance, high signal intensity on T1- and T2WI, inhomogeneity of cyst content, and peripheral rim enhancement surrounding the cyst are common, and are characteristic of the Rathke cleft cyst.
Brain ; Central Nervous System Cysts ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Optic Chiasm ; Pituitary Gland ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the fertility outcomes after abdominal or laparoscopic myomectomy in infertile patients with no other infertility factors except uterine myoma. METHODS: From January, 1992 to December, 1998, abdominal or laparoscopic myomectomy was performed in 76 patients with desire for children and no other recognizable infertility factors. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively. The mean duration of postoperative follow-up was 23.4+/-21.2 months(1~82 months). RESULTS: After myomectomy, 35 patients(46.1%) became pregnant during the follow-up period, especially with 24(68.6%) within 12 months. Excluding 7 cases of spontaneous abortion and 2 cases of intrauterine fetal death, 26 patients(74.3%) had a viable birth. Parity, duration of infertility, number, type and location of myoma, and the proportion of opening the intrauterine cavity during operation were not significantly different between the pregnant and nonpregnant groups. However, the size of uterine myoma was significantly larger in the pregnant group(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We obtained a reasonable pregnancy rate in infertile patients with uterine myoma as a sole infertility factor. The size of myoma may influence the postmyomectomy pregnancy rate, and this may indicate a more beneficial effect of myomectomy in infertile patients with a relatively larger myoma.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Child ; Female ; Fertility* ; Fetal Death ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infertility ; Leiomyoma ; Medical Records ; Myoma* ; Parity ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterus*