PURPOSE: To evaluate the inflammatory response following the insertion of corneal epithelium into rabbit corneal stroma using confocal microscope. METHODS: Newzealand white rabbits were underwent corneal flap procedure using Microkeratome (Hansatome, Chiron, USA) and corneal epithelium was inserted. We divided the rabbits into three groups: Group A: flap only, Group B: flap with central epithelium insertion, Group C: flap with peripheral epithelium insertion. We examined the rabbit corneas at the time point of 4, 24, 72hours, 7days, and 1 month after surgery using confocal microscope and CD 11b immunohistochemical stain. RESULTS: At the early stage, the inflammatory cells were more frequently observed in the group C than in the group A and B, and at postoperative 72hours only in the group C. In stromal and total corneal thickness, there was a tendency of increase to the postoperative 24 hours and decrease in all groups, but the group C was more stronger tendency than other groups (P<0.05). There is no significant difference of the flap thickness among three groups (P>0.05). In immunohistochemical staining (CD11b), polynucleated cells and mast cells were more visible in group B and C than in group A. CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative inflammatory reaction of the LASIK flap may be related with corneal epithelial cells, and we think that more attention should be needed with the management of microkeratome.
Cornea ; Corneal Stroma ; Epithelial Cells* ; Epithelium ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Mast Cells ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Rabbits

Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia is a rare hereditary bone dysplasia, transmitted as autosomal recessive trait. This disorder is defined by Gorlin in 1969 as one of a family of severe bone disorders called "Craniotubular bone dysplasia", which is charaterized by massive and generalized hyperostosis and sclerosis, especially involving the skull facial bones. The major clinical features include marked craniofacial changes associated with bony overgrowth such as an enlarged head circumference, cranial nerve palsies and severe facial distortion. We experienced a case of craniodiaphyseal dysplasia in 2 year-9 month-old female patient who presented with typical clinical manifestation and radiologic findings nearly identical to those described by Gorlin. This is the first description of this rare disease in the Korean literature. Thus, we report a case of craniodiaphyseal dysplasia with brief related literature.
Bone Diseases, Developmental ; Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Facial Bones ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Hyperostosis ; Rare Diseases ; Sclerosis ; Skull

Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia is a rare hereditary bone dysplasia, transmitted as autosomal recessive trait. This disorder is defined by Gorlin in 1969 as one of a family of severe bone disorders called "Craniotubular bone dysplasia", which is charaterized by massive and generalized hyperostosis and sclerosis, especially involving the skull facial bones. The major clinical features include marked craniofacial changes associated with bony overgrowth such as an enlarged head circumference, cranial nerve palsies and severe facial distortion. We experienced a case of craniodiaphyseal dysplasia in 2 year-9 month-old female patient who presented with typical clinical manifestation and radiologic findings nearly identical to those described by Gorlin. This is the first description of this rare disease in the Korean literature. Thus, we report a case of craniodiaphyseal dysplasia with brief related literature.
Bone Diseases, Developmental ; Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Facial Bones ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Hyperostosis ; Rare Diseases ; Sclerosis ; Skull

Coloring Agents ; Cytomegalovirus ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Male ; Methenamine ; Mouth ; Oral Manifestations ; Stomatitis ; Tongue ; Ulcer

The role of amino acids in culture media for IVF-ET was examined in a total of 76 cycles. Patients received clomiphene citrate (CC) followed by hMG or GnRH-a combined with gonadotropins (FSH/hMG) for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Severe male (<4 x10(6) motile sperm) or age factor (>39 y) patients were excluded in this study. Pregnancy was classified as clinical if a gestational sac or fetal cardiac activity was seen on ultrasound. No significant differences were found in age, duration of infertility, follicle size, the level of E2 on the day of hCG injection, the mean number of oocytes retrieved, total motile sperm count, fertilization rate and the mean number of embryos transferred between bHTF (without amino acids) and mHTF (with amino acids) groups. However, total ampules of gonadotropins were higher (p<0.01) in mHTF group than bHTF group. Significantly (p<0.05) more clinical pregnancies were recorded in mHTF group (13/30) compared with bHTF group (9/46). The multiple pregnancy rates were 11.1% in bHTF group and 77% in mHTF group. There were one ectopic pregnancy in mHTF group and one heterotopic pregnancy in bHTF group. Abortion rates were 22.2% in bHTF group and 7.7% in mHTF, respectively The ongoing pregnancy or livebirth .ate was significantly (p<0.05) higher in mHTF group (12/30) than bHTF group (7/46). These results suggest that the addition of amino acids in culture media is essential for culture of zygotes in vitro and adjustment of energy substrates in phosphate-free culture media appears to be beneficial for human IVF-ET procedure.
Abortion, Induced ; Age Factors ; Amino Acids* ; Clomiphene ; Culture Media ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Gestational Sac ; Gonadotropins ; Humans* ; Infertility ; Male ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Sperm Count ; Ultrasonography ; Zygote

The pulmonic valve is the least commonly affected valve in infective endocarditis. Pulmonic valve endocarditis usually occurs in IV drug addicts or patients with congenital heart disease, most commonly pulmonic stenosis, patent ductus arteriosus, tetralogy of Fallot, and ventricular septal defect. The diagnosis of pulmonic valve endocarditis is difficult clinically and echocardiography is a reliable method to detect the presence of pulmonic valve endocarditis. Diagnostic finding is vegetations on the pulmonic valve appear as shaggy echo-dense masses or thickening of the pulmonic valve during diastole and/or systole. The prevalence of pulmonic valve endocarditis has increased significantly recent years, especially among intravenous drug addicts. However, few reports have dealt with the echocardiographic and clinical features of pulmonic valve endocarditis. We, therefore, reviewed the clinical spectrum and echocardiographic features of pulmonic valve endocarditis in two patients with ventricular septal defect.
Diagnosis ; Diastole ; Drug Users ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Echocardiography* ; Endocarditis* ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Systole ; Tetralogy of Fallot

Clobazam is one of the benzodiazepine compounds consisting of different structure compared to previously marketed other benzodiazepines. In rescent days, the antiepileptic effects of this drug has been recognized and used in epileptic patients. To confirm the efficacy and side effects of clobazam, we review the records of the 60 patients who was medicated clobazam more than 9 months. These patients had complex partial seizure with unsatisfactory control despite of adequate drug dosage and duration. Among these patients, the improved one were 23 (38. 3%), and tolerant one were 25 with 5.6 month mean remission duration. Only the 7 of 60 patients complained the adverse symptoms and this were not serious enough to discontinue medication. In conclusion, clobazam is relatively safe and efficacious medication enough to try for patients with unsatisfactory seizure control.
Benzodiazepines ; Humans ; Seizures

BACKGROUND: Myxoma makes up close to 50% of adult primary cardiac tumors, and this mainly occurs in the left atrium, and rarely in the right atrium or ventricle. The patients clinically present with symptoms of hemodynamic obstruction, embolization or constitutional changes. Diagnosis is currently established most appropriately with 2-D echocardiography. Surgical resection of myxoma is a safe and effective treatment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed our clinical experience in the diagnosis and management of 57 cases of cardiac myxoma that were seen over a 20-year period from July 1984 to July 2004. RESULT: The mean age of the patients was 53.5+/-14.0 years (range: 12 to 76 years). There were 38 (67%) females and 19 (33%) males. The preoperative symptoms included dyspnea on exertion in 27 patients, palpitation in 4, chest pain in 9 and syncopal episode in 4. The diagnosis was made by echocardiography alone in 51, and by combination of echocardiography, CT and angiography in 6. The tumor attachment sites were the interatrial septum in 50, the mital valve annulus in 3 and the left atrial wall in cases. The tumor was excised successfully via biatriotomy in 33 (58%), left atriotomy in 15 (26%), the septal approach via right atriotomy in 3, Inverted T incision in 3 and the extended septal approach in 3. The follow-up time ranged from 1 to 229 months (mean follow-up: 84.0+/-71.3 months). There were no early and late deaths and no recurrence during the follow-up period except for follow-up loss in 5 patients. CONCLUSION: It's concluded that excision of cardiac myxoma is curative and the long-term survival is excellent. Immediate surgical treatment was indicated because of the high risk of embolization or of sudden cardiac death. Radical tumor excision may prevent recurrences.
Adult ; Angiography ; Chest Pain ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Atria ; Heart Neoplasms ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Myxoma* ; Recurrence ; Syncope

In an attempt to clarify the relationshop between left ventricular function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), systolic time intervals were measured in 79 control subjects and 60 patients with COPD who had no evidence of organic heart disease. The patients with COPD were divided into three groups based on the percent predicted forced expired volume in one second. Significant differences in pre-ejection period index(PEPI) and left ventricular ejection time index(LVETI) existed between the control subjects and the patients with the most severe lung disease(Group III). A highly significant difference in PEP/LVET existed between these two groups. The abnormalities of systolic time intervals demonstrated in these patients are characteristic of left ventricular dysfunction and indicate that left ventricular dysfunction is frequently present in patients with moderate obstructive lung disease.
Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Systole* ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Ventricular Function, Left

No abstract available.
Splenomegaly*