BACKGROUND: Korea is one of the endemic areas of viral hepatitis B, and 6-8% of general population are hepatitis B virus carriers. Although there have been little reduction in morbidity and infectivity of viral hepatitis B owlng to newer vaccines and the effects of immunizations, there are some differences among physicians in managing hepatitis B virus infection, and guidelines have not been established. Therefore in this study, we investigated general practitioners' concept and the practical management of viral hepatitis B in comparison with the hepatologists'. METHODS: Information was obtained through questionnaires sent to 67 hepatologists and 400 general practitioners(general internists, general surgeons, family physicians, general physicians, and public health center managers) in Pusan during the 5 months from April to August, 1997. Overall respondents were 142(116 General practitioners, 26 Hepatologists), and the response rate was 32.9%. RESULTS: In general practitioners, the most commonly used serologic test for viral hepatitis was HBsAg/MBsAb(71.0%). 51.9% of subjects underwent anti-HBs test 3-5 months later after vaccination. The most common revaccination method for healthy non-responders of initial vaccination was 3 series of immunizations with the same vaccine of equal dosage (36.9% ). 65.7% of subjects were tested for LFT every 6 months for chronic carriers, and 41.5% of them were advised - interferon treatment for chronic active hepatitis patients only if the patients requested it. In comparison with general practitioners, hepatologists had a tendency to add anti-HCV test for the serologic evaluation of hepatitis(56.6% vs 26.2%), to limit age for vaccination(82.6% vs 54.1% ), and to delay prescribing hepatotonics until the AST and ALT levels increased up to 2 folds normal(53.8% vs 39.1%). 38.5% of hepatologists did not recommend giving booster injection of hepatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Practioal guidelines is necessary to manage viral hepatitis B patients.
Busan ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; General Practitioners* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunization, Secondary ; Interferons ; Korea ; Physicians, Family ; Public Health ; Serologic Tests ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

Healing is an intricate, interdependent process that involves complex interactions between cells, the microcellular environment, biochemical mediators and extracellular matrix molecules. The goals of wound healing are to minimize bloods loss, to replace any defect with new tissue, and to restore an intact epithelial barrier as rapidly as possible. The rate of wound healing is limited by the available vascular supply and the rate of formation of new capillaries and matrix molecules, which are heavily influenced by locally-acting growth factors that affect proliferation, angiogenesis, chemotaxis, gene expression, proteinases, and protein production. We present a new method for wound control and treatment, the V.A.C (vacuum-assisted closure) technique. It places open-cell foam dressing into the wound cavity and applies subatmospheric pressure. The application of subatmospheric pressure accelerates the rate of wound healing by the foollowing two mechanisms: 1. Removal of excessive interstitial fluids, which decrease localized edema, reduce concentration of inhibitory factors, and increase local blood flow. 2. Transmission of mechanical forces to surrounding tissues with resultant deformation of the extracellular matrix and cells, which then increase protein and matrix synthesis as well as cell proliferation. We applied it to 17 patients: 1 Livedo vasculitis, 1 burned by flame 3 pressure sores, 1 extravasation injury, 1 wound infection, 2 wound disruption, and 8 diabetes mellitus feet. In the end, most of the remaining wounds were treated with a simple split-thickness skin graft and the results were encouraging. We concluded that the V.A.C technique may be an effective substitute to help promote wound healing. It could be especially helpful in chronic complicated wounds in aging or debilitated patients who can not tolerate aggressive surgical procedures.
Aging ; Bandages ; Burns ; Capillaries ; Cell Proliferation ; Chemotaxis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Edema ; Extracellular Fluid ; Extracellular Matrix ; Foot ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Pressure Ulcer ; Skin ; Transplants ; Vasculitis ; Wound Healing* ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries*

PURPOSE: The detection and removal of synchronous cancer and polyps in colorectal surgery is important to prevent the future development of metachronous cancer. However, it is occasionally impossible to evaluate the entire colon with colonoscopy preoperatively due to luminal obstruction by tumors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of synchronous colorectal tumors and to emphasize the importance of their peri-operative detection through vigorous application of colonoscopy. METHODS: Three hundreds two patients underwent a potentially curative resection for colorectal cancer in Ilsan Paik Hospital from January 2000 to March 2005. Colonoscopy was performed preoperatively or intraoperatively. All the synchronous polyps detected by colonoscopy and contained in the surgical specimen were included in the analysis. The data on synchronous cancer and polyps were collected through medical records and colonoscopic databases. The incidence, the risk factors, and the effects of synchronous polyps on surgery were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 268 polyps were detected in 112 patients (37%) when all types of polyp were included whereas true adenomatous polyps were present in 78 patients (26%) among 302 patients. Synchronous cancers were found in 14 patients (4.6%). The detection of polyps on preoperative colonoscopy changed the surgical strategy in 30 out of the 223 patients (13.5%) who had completed preoperative colonoscopy. Neither the age and the gender of the patient, the location and the stage of the tumor, nor the family history were related with increased risk of synchronous polyps. Seventeen among 46 intraoperative colonoscopy cases had synchronous lesions which were not known on preoperative evaluation. Another bowel resection was needed to remove the lesions in nine of them. CONCLUSIONS: Synchronous colorectal polyps or cancer is frequent, and preoperative detection is important. Intraoperative colonoscopy can provide valid information if a preoperative colonoscopic evaluation is not available.
Adenomatous Polyps ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Colorectal Surgery ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Phenobarbital ; Polyps ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Rhabdomyosarcoma* ; Urinary Bladder*

No abstract available.
Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Mouth Floor* ; Mouth* ; Tongue*

No abstract available.
Rhinoplasty* ; Transplants*

Nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn is a hamartoma of the skin with the potential to develop benign and malignant neoplasms. This case was characterixed by multiple basal cell epitheliomas, clinically one reddish nodule and multiple pigmented papules, arising in the nevus sebaceus. Histologically, epithelial papillomatous hyperplasia and high-positioned hyperplastic sebaceous glands were found, and tumor nests consisting of basaloid cells with peripheral palisading arrangements were mainly situated in the upper dermis without significant infiltrative growth. We report a rare case of nevus sebaceus with multiple basal cell epitheliomas in the right cheek of a 49-year-old woman.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Cheek ; Dermis ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Middle Aged ; Nevus* ; Nevus, Sebaceous of Jadassohn* ; Sebaceous Glands ; Skin

To investigate the effects of prostaglandin E1(PGX1) in prevention of proliferative scar formation, we cultured fibroblasts of normal skin (NS), hypertrophic scar (HS) and keloid (KL) tissues obtained from patients. We have compared type I collagenase production of cultured fibroblasts from normal skin, hypertrophic scar, and keloid tissues under various concentrations of PGE1. Our results demonstrate that type I collagenase production was significantly increased after addition of PGE1 in HS and KL, but not NS. Type I collagenase production of HS and KL fibroblasts were increased similarly in 10M and 10M of PGE1 and maximally increased in the concentration of 10M. This promotive effects of PGE1 on the production of type I collagenase was larger in KL than in HS. These results also suggest that PGE1 may play the promotive effects on type I collagenase production in dose-dependent manner. PGE1 may have a role in the prevention of hypertrophic scar and keloid by enhancing the production of type I collagenase of HS and KL fibroblasts. The promotive effects of PGE1 on type I collagenase production was variable depending on its concentration, and its effects was maximum in certain optimal condition. The maximally effective concentration of PGE1 in the prevention of proliferative scar formation should be searched in further investigations for clinical use.
Alprostadil ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Collagenases* ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans ; Keloid* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Skin

Although sacrococcygeal mass is rare and usually found in infants or children, adolescent or adult patients with protruding mass in sacrococcygeal region occasionally come to us simply for a cosmetic problem. In this situation, even though there is no definite neurological deficit, it should be evaluated whether or not the underlying bony pathology or dural defect exists. Few cases about the sacrococcygeal mass have been reported in adults. We reviewed our cases including preoperative evaluation methods and postoperative diagnosis. From March, 1993 to February, 1997, we experienced 6 adult patients with sacrococcygeal mass and no neurological abnormality. Preoperative evaluation were made by plain X-ray, myelogram, computed tomography(CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as needed. Postoperative diagnoses were 2 meningoceles, 2 lipomyelomeningoceles, 1 desmoid tumor, and 1 teratoma. From our experiences, CT or MRI is essential to evaluate the sacrococcygeal mass preoperatively. These methods can visualize the precise anatomic location and extent of the mass, its relation to the spinal cord, and associated bony abnormalities. MRI is superior to CT, especially in defining the nature of the mass and involvement of the spinal cord. Conclusively, even a simple mass in the sacrococcygeal region in adults needs MRI or CT evaluation, and MRI is the most valuable method of evaluating the mass preoperatively and provides important information to establish a treatment plan.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Fibromatosis, Aggressive ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningocele ; Pathology ; Sacrococcygeal Region* ; Spinal Cord ; Teratoma

During the acute stage of inflammation such as alkali burn, an intense local oxidation process takes place at the inflammatory foci through production of oxygen-derived free radicals. The extent of tissue damage would be the result of the balance between free radical generated and the local antioxidation defense system. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a major oxygen radical scavenging enzyme. Major active molecule in rat, rabbit and human is known as Cu-Zn SOD. We have been studied the difference of the distribution of SOD between normal and alkali burned rat cornea by immunohistochemical staining method. In normal rat corneal epithelium, the basal and intermediate layer cells exhibited intense intacellular staining, average 4.13 cell layers. In alkali burned rat corneal epithelium, average cell layers of intracelluar staining were 0.73, 2.2, 2.93 at postburn 1 day, 3 dyas, 7 days, respectively. We think these results are mainly due to the increase of oxygen free radical and decreased production of SOD at early postburn period. Therefore, free radical scavenging agent such as SOD may be helpful in would healing of corneal alkali burn.
Alkalies ; Animals ; Burns ; Cornea ; Epithelium, Corneal* ; Free Radicals ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Superoxide Dismutase* ; Superoxides*