No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels*

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a relatively recent procedure in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. Bone cement embolism is a severe and potentially life-threatening complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty with cement. The risk for cement pulmonary embolism ranges between 3.5 and 23% for osteoporotic fractures. Bone cement leakage may be usually more frequent with vertebroplasty than with kyphoplasty. We experienced a 69-year-old female patient of an asymptomatic pulmonary embolus (length 8 cm) after kyphoplasty for an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture
Aged ; Embolism ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Vertebroplasty

The perichondrium has neochondrogenic potential. Many authors have published their study for the cartilage regeneration from perichondrium and the clinical uses of perichondrial graft. How is the difference of thickness of the regenerated cartilage after crushing the free perichondrial graft, compare with uncrushed graft? In this study, the perichondrium was obtained from rabbit, ears, and sectioned 10x10 mm slices. The uncrushed and crushed perichondriums were grafted into subcutaneous layer of back. After the 2,4 and 8 weeks, authors obtained regenerated cartilage from both crushed and uncrushed free perichondrial graft from rabbit back, examined the survival rate and thickness by histologic study.The results are as follows: 1. The survival rate was no difference between the uncrushed perichondrium & crushed perichondrium (p>0.05). 2. The cartilage from the uncrushed perichondrium was thicker than the crushed perichondrium, at only 8 weeks(p<0.01). 3. The thickness of regenerated cartilage was similar to the cartilage of the donor site of free perichondrial graft at 4 weeks(p>0.05).
Cartilage* ; Ear* ; Humans ; Regeneration* ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Biofeedback is the treatment of choice for functional defecation disorders such as idiopathic chronic constipation and neurogenic fecal incontinence. The pre-existing biofeedback systems have many disadvantages. The aims of current project are, first, to develop the biofeedback system into the application software in the Windows environment, and, second, to assess the possibility of clinical usage for patients with functional defecation disorders. The hardware and software of the BASCO (Biofeedback Anal Sphincter Control) system were based on the signal measurement and signal processing of anal sphincter EMG (Electromyography). BASCO system was applied to 5 normal healthy controls and 20 patients with functional defecation disorders. Patients group was categorized as constipation group (N1=15) and incontinence group (N2=5). With use of current system, EMG-based biofeedback therapy was performed, and the outcome was analysed. Anal EMG signal data was processed by the software, and displayed in the monitor of personal computer. The software of EMG-display and database management were adequately operated. In N1 group, a paradoxical elevation or equalized activity of anal EMG pattern was shown in the simulated defecation. In N2 group, low electrical activity was shown. These findings were used for the EMG-based biofeedback therapy as a pilot study. The clinical symptoms were improved in 12 of N1 group and 3 of N2 group in the period of 3.7 (range, 1~12) months follow-up. In Conclusion, newly-developed BASCO system was adequately operated in the volunteer and patients groups. The multi-tasking and multi-processing functions were adequately shown in the real time. Current results could be used for clinical appraisal. Specifically, this system could be used for the practical application of biofeedback therapy in the patients with chronic constipation or fecal incontinence.
Anal Canal* ; Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Constipation ; Defecation* ; Fecal Incontinence ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Microcomputers ; Pilot Projects ; Volunteers

A retrospective, multivariate statistical analysis of 394 patients who underwent cleft palate repair was performed to document the incidence of postoperative oronasal fistula formation, and to assess possible contributing factors. Fistulas of the secondary palate were included, but nasal-alveolar fistulas and intentionally unrepaired anterior palatal fistulas were excluded. Postoperative oronasal fistulas occurred in 25 of the 394 patients(6.35%). The mean age at repair was 16.4 months, and mean follow-up period was 2.5 years. Several variables that are included sex, age, extent of clefting(as estimated by the Veau classification), type of repair, and experience level of the operating surgeon were analyzed by means of the log-rank test to determine their significance in postoperative fistula formation. Sex (p=0.077), age(p=0.538), and experience level of the operating surgeon(p=0.094) did not significantly affect the rate of fistula formation. However, extent of clefting(p=0.005) and type of repair(p=0.001) are the strongest predictor of the occurrence of a cleft palate fistula.
Cleft Palate ; Fistula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intention ; Palate ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*

Morphological changes of hepatic microcirculation, especially in the peribiliary plexus, in cirrhotic livers of rats induced by repeated intraperitoneal injections of N-diethyinitrosamine (DEN) (100mg/kg/week) were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Control rats were treated with saline. The livers were perfused with saline and injected with methyl-methacrylated resin (Mercox CL-2B) through the thoracic aorta. Diffuse nodular changes mimicking human cirrhosis were seen in the livers six weeks after injections of DEN. The cirrhotic livers showed an increase of vascular channels composed mainly of venous branches around the regenerating nodules and increased arterioloportal anastonloses. Peribiliary plexi of the cirrhotic livers had more vessels than those of the controls. Many dilated veins and ramificating portal vein branches were also Present. Direct connections between peribiliary plexi and sinusoids or between peribiliary plexi and portal veins were increased in the cirrhotic liver. These results suggest that the peribiliary plexi in experimentally induced cirrhotic liver might play a role in a collateral circulation under a state of portal hypertension.
Humans ; Rats ; Animals

No abstract available.
Animals ; Evoked Potentials, Motor* ; Rats*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Toluene* ; Xylenes*