Three cases who were successfully treated for cardiac injuries by open thoracotomy were reported. The range of the ages of the patients was 3rd decade. Two of the 3 were males with blunt injuries by motor vehicle accident and one was male with stab wound by knife. In the case of blunt injuries, the right atrium was involved in one case and the right and left atrium were involved in the other. The site of stab wound was the right atrium. There were two cases with the pre-operative diagnosis of cardiac injuries and they were blunt injuries. The case of stab wound was not diagnosed pre-operatively. All cases were treated with open thoracotomy-one posterolateral thoracotomy, one median sternotomy and one Clam shell incision. All of them had an uneventfull post-operative course.
Bivalvia ; Diagnosis ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Vehicles ; Sternotomy ; Thoracotomy ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating ; Wounds, Stab

Authors reviewed the records of sixteen patients with traumatic diaphragmatic injuries from May 1992 through December 1996. Thirteen patients were male and three were female(M:F=4.3:1). The age distribution ranged from 2 to 46 years with the mean age of 30.2 years. The sixteen patients included thirteen who had blunt trauma and three with penetrating trauma. Of those thirteen blunt trauma, twelve patients(92.3%) were left sided and one(7.7%) involved the right diaphragm. Three patients with penetrating trauma had left sided diaphragmatic injuries. The diagnosis was made preoperatively in thirteen patients(81.3%) and during surgery in three patients(18.8%). Thoracotomy was performed in eleven patients and thoracoabdominal incision in five. There was one death and the mortality rate was 6.3%.
Age Distribution ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragm ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Thoracotomy

According to the reports, the prevalence of anti-HCV is about 1%. In past, the results of the high prevalence of anti-HCV in the patients of Hansen's disease were reported. So we study about the status of Hepatitis C of persons affected Hansen's disease. 1. The prevalence of anti-HCV is 35.1%(persons affected Hansen's disease), 0%(health contact), 0.71%(control, general populations). 2. Positivity of RT PCR is 88% in HCV-Ab-positive persons affected Hansen's disease. In the genotype of hepatitis C, type 1 genotype is 68%, and type 2 is 32%. 3. Statistical signification between patients & non-patients in ALT and HCV-Ab-positivity is found P=0.02, P=0.00) and statistical signification according to result of Hepatitis C antibody in ALT, GTT, and AFP is found in persons affected Hansen's disease(P=0.015, P=0.036, P=0.017).
Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis C ; Humans ; Leprosy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence

The measurements of skull in roentgenogram were made in 234 cases of korean adults, 128 male and 106 female. Results were obtained as follows. The Cephalic index was 84.7 in male, 84 in female, and 84.09 in both gender. The result was greater than other reported results. The Anterior-Posterior(AP) diameter of pituitary fossa was 1.19+/-0.14cm in male, 1.21+/-0.16cm in female and 1.20+/-0.15cm in both gender. The result was greater than other results. The depth of pituitary fossa was 1.00+/-0.13cm in male 0.99+/-0.12cm in female and 1.20+/-0.99cm in both gender. The mean value of AP diameter and depth of pituitary fossa was greater than the other reported results. The Basal Angle was 127.20+/-5.23 in male, 127.86+/-5.07 in female and 127.50+/-5.21 in both gender, which were smaller than other results. The sphenoid type was classified into 3 types as sella, presella, and concha. The percentage of each type was : sella type with 78%, presella type with 20%, and concha type in 2%. The pineal gland calcification rate in korean adults was lower than that of Westerners. The occurance of Metopic suture and Mendosal suture in simple skull X-ray was rare. We believe the above measurement will provide helpful information in planning a surgical approach as well as in understanding the data discrepancies between skulls of the Asian and European populations.
Adult* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pineal Gland ; Skull* ; Sutures

Localized bullous pemphigoid is a rare blistering disease characterized by chronic recurrent localized bullae with clinical, histopsthologic, and immunofluorescent features of bullous pemphigoid. It is generally accepted that this disease occurs in two forms : one with scarring bullous plaques located on the head and neck, described by Brunsting and Perry, and the other with nonscarring bullous lessions, usually present on the legs of women. We herein report a case of localized scarring bullous pemphigoid in 40-year-old man who showed vesicles, bullae and erosions on the right cheek. Histologic findings showed subepidermal bulla, and direct immunoflurescent study showed linear deposit of IgG & C3 on the basement membrane zone. This patient was cantrolled sucessfully with short-term systemic corticosteriod and local injection of triamcinclone actetonide.
Adult ; Basement Membrane ; Blister ; Cheek ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Leg ; Neck ; Pemphigoid, Bullous*

Leprosy is disease of skin and peripheral nerve especially. Sequale and disability of musculoskeletal system, especially peripheral extremities (hands and foots) can be developed due to severe and irreversible peripheral nerve damage in leprosy. In leprosy, Skin ulcers can relapse very often and progress to deformity and amputation of hands or foot. We need methods to treat skin ulcer effectively. We have used various therapies such as antibiotics in infectious state, disinfectant, variable wet dressing materials(transparent film, foams, gels&hydrogels, hydrocolloids, calcium alignate), silver dressing, Vacuum Assisted Closure unit, debridement, curettage, surgery to treat skin ulcer in leprosy patients. Sometimes we can treat skin ulcer successfully but, we often encounter ulcer resistant to treat. We need to find and develop methods to treat ulcer successfully. Several researches have reported articles to treat wound successfully using light emitting diode(LED). We tried to treat ulcer in old leprosy patients using LED. We divided ulcers patients into case group(conventional dressing therapy + LED therapy) and control group (only conventional dressing therapy) randomly in out patient department and in ward. This research was carried out from February 2012 to September 2012. Case group and control group have composed of 30 patients respectively. Average age of patients was 74 years old in case group and 69 years old in control group. We have used LED device composed of 700 pieces of diodes emitting 635nm and 500 pieces of diodes emitting 830nm, totally 1200 pieces of diodes. We have observed the size of wounds twice per week in control group and case group. Before treatment average size of wounds was 8509.76mm3 in case group and 8625.33mm3 in control group. P-vale was 0.49. There was no significant difference in case and control group. After treatment average size of wounds was 787.83mm3 in case group and 8074.63mm3 in control group. P-vale was 0.02. There was significant difference in case and control group. After treatment average reduction of size per time was 338.02mm3/day in case group and 26.55mm3/day in control group. P-vale was 0.002. There was significant difference in case and control group. Therefore we have concluded that LED device was effective in wound treatment. Some articles have reported that LED Device have helped to treat wounds in DM ulcer, third degree burn, oral ulcer, skin ulcer in Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome patient, some retinopathy etc. We have concluded that LED of infrared or long visible wavelength light can be used effectively in treatment of wound along with conventional treatment concurrently.
Amputation ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bandages ; Burns ; Calcium ; Colloids ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Curettage ; Debridement ; Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique ; Extremities ; Foot ; Foot Ulcer ; Hand ; Humans ; Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome ; Leprosy ; Light ; Musculoskeletal System ; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy ; Oral Ulcer ; Peripheral Nerves ; Recurrence ; Silver ; Skin ; Skin Ulcer ; Ulcer

The anemia still remains the most common hematologic disorder in the the world despite improvements in general health and nutrition. Recently, the prevalence of anemia was reported 7.7% in 60-69 years and 16.0% in 70 years or older in male and was reported 11.9% in 60-69 years and 19.5% in 70 years or older in female. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of anemia in the persons affected leprosy aged over 60 years. For evaluation of anemia, including prevalence, typing, and cause, hemoglobin, MCV(mean corpucular volume), RDW (red blood cell distribution width), ferritin, iron, TIBC, reticulocyte count, and etc were checked. The prevalence of anemia was 42.8%(male 43.6%, female 42.2%), the proportion of the anemia classified by MCV was 11.8%(microcytic), 50.9%(normocytic), and 37.3%(macrocytic). Our results was higher than other past reports. So we will consider about the evaluation of higher prevalence of anemia in persons affected leprosy, and management plan for anemia in them by the in-depth studies.
Aged ; Anemia ; Blood Cells ; Female ; Ferritins ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Iron ; Leprosy ; Male ; Prevalence ; Reticulocyte Count

Between 2008 and 2009, We found 9 new cases and 3 relapse cases, diagnosis by the clinical finding, skin smear, skin biopsy, lepromin test, ELISA for PGL-I antibody, and DNA-PCR. The obtained results were summarized as follows: 1. In 9 new cases, the mean age was 56.2 in 5 Koreans and 28.2 in 4 foreigners(Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines), the types of Hansen's disease were 5 lepromatous(2 Koreans and 3 foreigners), 1 borderline(1 foreigner) and 2 tuberculoid(2 Koreans), mean BI was 3.4+, mean O.D. of PGL-I antibody was 0.445, numbers of TTC repeat are 16(2 Korean and 2 foreigners), 11(2 Koreans), 12(1 Koreans) and 13(1 Koreans), and of GACATC repeats are 4(4 Koreans) and 3(1 Korean and 4 foreigners). Among 9 new cases, 1 case has the mutation offolP1 gene. 2. All new cases had no mutation of & rpoB gene. 3. In 3 relapse cases, the mean age was 63.7, the types of Hansen's disease were 3 lepromatous(3 Koreans), mean BI was 4.0+,and mean O.D. of PGL-I antibody was 0.846, and numbers of TTC repeat were 12(2 cases), 11(1 case), and of GACATC repeats are 4(all 3 Koreans). Among 3 relapse cases, 1 case has the mutation ofrpoB gene.
Biopsy ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Lepromin ; Leprosy ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Sri Lanka ; Thailand

The Ziehl-Neelson's AFB staining method was mainly used for the AFB observation of the diagnosis of leprosy. However, the fluorescent stain performs better and allows the detection of more positive smears. The limitation for its widespread use has been the high cost for fluorescent microscopes. Novel light-emitting diodes (LED) are inexpensive solutions for fluorescent microscopes, and thus fluorescent stain may be a cost-effective step to improve the diagnosis of leprosy in resource-poor countries. And the comparison of auramine and acridine orange for staining of acid-fast bacteria was showed significantly more acid-fast rods after using acridine orange and the number of "false positive" results was somewhat higher on auramine staining. So acridine orange offers a good alternative to auramine which is considered carcinogenic. This study evaluated the comparison of the Ziehl-Neelson's AFB stain and the acridine orange stain in the skin smear based on PCR. As PCR results were taken as gold standard, results of the study revealed that the sensitivity of Ziehl-Neelson's AFB stain was 50% and that of acridine orange stain was 92.2%. This study confirmed that the fluorescence stain method is more sensitive than the Ziehl-Neelsen's staining method. It is suggested that the training of laboratory technicians on fluorescence microscopy should be scaled up for increased disease control.
Acridine Orange* ; Bacteria ; Benzophenoneidum ; Diagnosis ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Laboratory Personnel ; Leprosy ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Mycobacterium leprae* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin

In 2006, we find 7 new cases and one relapse case, diagnosis by the clinical finding, skin smear, skin biopsy, lepromin test, ELISA for PGL-I antibody, and DNA-PCR. In new cases, the mean age is 59.3, mean BI is 3.3+, mean O.D. of PGL-I antibody is 0.941, numbers of TTC repeat are 13(3 cases), 11(2 case), 12(1 cases), and 31(1 case), and of GACATC repeats are 4(5 Koreans) and 3(2 foreigners). In relapse case, a 45 years-old male patient is revealed that BI is 5+, O.D. of PGL-I antibody is 1.096, numbers of TTC repeat are 12 and GACATC repeats are 4.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Lepromin ; Leprosy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Skin