Proliferating trichilernmal tumor is a rare benign solitary tumor that may be histopathologically misinterpreted as squarnous cell carcinoma. It affects frequently the scalp of elderly women. We present herein a case of proliferating trichilemmal tumor in an 87-year-old male who had had a slowly growing tumor on the scalp for 30 years.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Scalp

SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Many authors haute described the association between lumbar disc degeneration and segmental instability but it has not been delineated in detail. OBJECTIVES: To compare the MRI assessment of disc degeneration with the conventional plain X-ray evaluation of the intervertebral disc, in order to study lumbar segmental instability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 75 patients with low back pain and/or sciatica, we analyzed disc space height, angular displacement, and horizontal displacement on plain radiographs of the lumbar spine. These parameters were compared with the grade of disc degeneration as evaluated by magnetic resonance Imaging. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed the association between grade of disc degeneration as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging assessment and segmental instability as evaluated by plain radiographs of the lumbar spine. RESULTS: Disc space height was decreased In proportion to the grade of disc degeneration. Angular displacement was increased according to the grade of disc degeneration, but significantly less with severe degeneration, accompanied by a tendency to stabilization of the motion segment. Horizontal displacement was not correlated with the grade of disc degeneration CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of lumbar segmental instability increased in proportion to the grade of disc degeneration but significantly decreased with severe disc degeneration.
Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration* ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Sciatica ; Spine

Ossifications of the ligamentum flavum(OLF) and the posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL) are uncommon clinical entities as a cause of the progressive compression myelopathy or radiculopathy. Although there are considerable literatures concerning OPLL or OLF in cervical and thoracic spine, there are only a few references about OPLL or OLF in the lumbar spine. OLF and OPLL have been reported that they may lead to severe complication only with a minor trauma or even without trauma, such as paraplegia. The authors have experienced 2 cases of OLF accompanied by OPLL In the lumbar spine, who were treated with decompressive laminectomy and excision of ossified ligaments. For its rarity of OLF and OPLL in the lumbar region, we report here with review of literature.
Laminectomy ; Ligaments ; Ligamentum Flavum* ; Longitudinal Ligaments* ; Lumbosacral Region ; Paraplegia ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine*

STUDY DESIGN: This retrograde study was designed to compare the clinical features and postoperative clinical results of diabetic and non-diabetic patients who had undergone decompression and postero-lateral fusion with instrumentation. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether diabetes affected the outcome of surgery and to identify the clinical features associated with a poor outcome. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Symptoms of peripheral angiopathy and neuropathy as long-term complications of diabetes closely mimic those of lumbar stenosis and there may be a risk of inappropriate surgical intervention in patients with both diabetes and spinal stenosis. In the presence of diabetes, a poor surgical outcome might be expected. But only a few literatures have been documented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 21 diabetic(mean age 58.2 years) and 21 non-diabetic patients(mean age 61.3 years) who had undergone decompression and postero-lateral fusion with instrumentation for lumbar spinal stenosis at a mean of 32 months after operation by reviewing the medical records such as clinical symptoms and results of objective examination(including electrophysiologic study). RESULTS: The preoperative symptoms were similar in the two groups except that abrupt onset of symptoms, the presence of night pain and the absence of any posture-related pain relief were recorded only by diabetic patients. The level of decompression, co-morbidity rate, and intra-operative blood loss were similar in two groups, too. Nerve-conduction velocity was lowered in 66.7% of the diabetic and in 25% of the non-diabetic patients. Polyneuropathy, which are highly suspicious of diabetic neuropathy was detected 46.7% in only diabetic group. The long-term result was excellent or good for thirteen(61.9%) of the twenty-one diabetic patients and for nineteen(90.5%) of the twenty-one non-diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Thus diabetic patients who haute spinal stenosis cannot be expected to have same clinical outcome as non-diabetic patients, which is consistent with the general belief of impression. Therefore, the selection of patient according to clinical and electrophysiologic findings would be the most important factor in determining the rate of success of surgical treatment.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Polyneuropathies ; Spinal Stenosis*

Background: Rhinoplasty is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures. Most Asians desire elevation of their relatively flat nasal dorsum and tip to make them appear more prominent. This study introduces a simple method of nasal tip plasty using three-dimensional (3D)-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) (Smart Ball®), which provides the required length and volume for this purpose and enables the creation of a nasal tip of the desired shape in a safe and simple manner. Methods: Between September 2014 and May 2017, 22 patients participated in a survey to assess postoperative satisfaction levels. Additionally, three plastic surgeons compared patients’ pre- and 1-year postoperative photographs to evaluate the results. All patients underwent 2- to 4-year postoperative follow-up. Results: Levels of subjective satisfaction among patients were 3.59, 3.50, 3.82, 3.73, 3.55, and 3.82 for each of the 6 categories evaluated, with a mean of 3.67/4 points, indicating high satisfaction levels. The mean plastic surgeon-reported score for the 22 patients was 4.47/5 points, which also indicates highly successful outcomes. Postoperative nasal tip rotation and tip projection were ideal in most patients. Conclusion Our novel method using 3D-printed PCL (Smart Ball®) provides the optimal length and volume required for nasal tip plasty and enables the creation of a nasal tip of the desired shape, in a safe and simple manner. An advantage of our method is that it retains the original nasal structure in contrast to structural changes observed with the use of conventional methods.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in health behaviors and dietary habits between the metabolically healthy group and the metabolically abnormal group in overweight and obese subjects based on the data of National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES). METHODS: Using the NHANES data (2007–2010), a total of 18,188 subjects were grouped into the metabolically healthy group and the abnormal group using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) definition. Then we compared their health behaviors, dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes after adjustment for variables in overweight and obese groups. RESULTS: The proportion of metabolic abnormalities tended to increase with increasing age in both overweight and obesity groups.(P for trend <0.001) After adjusting various confounding variables, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of skipping any meal and breakfast for metabolically abnormality were 1.318 (1.066–1.631) and 1.354 (1.076–1.705) in male obese group and those of skipping breakfast and carbonated drink intake were 1.578 (1.168–2.133) and 1.540 (1.188–2.492) in female obese group. Daily potassium intake (P=0.032) and daily vitamin C intake (P=0.048) in the male overweight group and daily water intake (P=0.046) and daily carbohydrate intake (P=0.038) in the female overweight group were associated with metabolically abnormality. CONCLUSIONS: There were differences in health behaviors and nutrient intake according to metabolically abnormality in overweight and obese groups.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adult ; Ascorbic Acid ; Breakfast ; Carbonated Beverages ; Cholesterol ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Drinking ; Education ; Female ; Food Habits ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Male ; Meals ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity* ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight* ; Potassium

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess the clinical and epidemiological changes after the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Korea, as well as to determine the efficacy of the rotavirus vaccine among hospitalized rotaviral gastroenteritis patients over the past two years. METHODS: We analyzed yearly and seasonal patterns of 1,165 inpatients who were hospitalized for rotaviral gastroenteritis under the age of 5 years between 2006 and 2013. We also conducted a survey among 460 gastroenteritis patients who were hospitalized between 2012 and 2013 regarding the rotavirus vaccination and the symptoms of gastroenteritis. Among those individuals surveyed, clinical indices were analyzed for 124 patients who were tested positive for the rotavirus antigen. RESULTS: The incidence of Rotaviral gastroenteritis have decreased significantly by year 2010. After the introduction and widespread dissemination of the rotavirus vaccine, the onset of the disease and the seasonal peak have been delayed. Overall, the vaccinated group showed a lower rate of positivity than the unvaccinated group. Among the hospitalized rotaviral gastroenteritis patients, the vaccinated group had a shorter hospitalization period, less severe clinical symptoms of gastroenteritis, and better laboratory test results. CONCLUSIONS: After introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Korea, there were two main trends observed: 1) the overall level of disease incidence was reduced; 2) the severity of rotaviral gastroenteritis cases also decreased. Based on this data, more children should receive vaccination in order to prevent the rotavirus infection and decrease the severity of rotaviral gastroenteritis.
Child ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Epidemiology ; Gastroenteritis* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Rotavirus Infections ; Rotavirus* ; Seasons ; Vaccination

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, may participate with pathogenesis of intercellular detachment and loss of cell-matrix interaction. Autoimmune bullous dermatoses is an entity charaterized by bullous lesions of the skin and mucosa, and autoantibodies to the specific tissue components. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the induction of apoptosis in the lesional skin of pemphigus vulgaris (PV), pemphigus foliaceus (PF), bullous pemphigoid (BP), and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA). METHODS: Hoechst 33342 (bisbenzimide) staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed to determine the induction of apoptosis in the lesional skin of each disease. RESULTS: In PV and PF, typical findings of apoptosis were observed in the lesional epidermis showing acantholysis. However, in BP and EBA, no apoptosis of the epidermis was observed. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that apoptosis is only associated with acantholysis of the epidermal keratinocytes, one of many components of pathogenesis in bullous disease, in patients with pemphigus.
Acantholysis ; Apoptosis ; Autoantibodies ; Blister ; Cell Death ; Epidermis ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa* ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Mucous Membrane ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Pemphigus* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous

BACKGROUND: To assess the current level of development of emergency medicine (EM) systems in Asia. METHOD: Survey of EM professionals from 12 Asian countries during a 90-day period from August to November 1998. 12 EM professionals from 12 Asian countries completed the survey. All participants were physicians. 7 participants (58%) gave presentations at an international EM conference during the study period. Respondents completed a 103 question questionnaire about the status of EM specialty, academic, patient care, information and management systems and the factors influencing the future of EM in their countries. RESULTS: 92% of respondents stated that their countries have hospital-based emergency departments (ED). More than 80% of respondents reported that their countries have EMS systems and ED systems for trauma care and patient transfer. More than 70% stated that their countries have national EM organizations, EM research, national EMS activation phone numbers, ED systems for pediatric emergency care, emergency physician (EP) training in ACLS and ATLS and peer review. More than 60% reported official recognition of EM as an independent specialty status, ED triage systems and systems for customer service. More than 50% reported EM residency training programs, EM journals and EP ability to perform rapid sequence intubation (RSI). 50% reported EP ability to perform thrombolysis for acute MI and 33% reported EP ultrasonography. 92% felt that a lack of funding posed a moderate or great obstacle to the future development of EM in their countries. CONCLUSION: Many essential systems of EM now exist throughout Asia. In the systems of administration and emergency medical information in many countries, there are some parts to be developed further.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Medicine* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Financial Management ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Intubation ; Patient Care ; Patient Transfer ; Peer Review ; Triage ; Ultrasonography

This case describes the reversal of early central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) with disc swelling after intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) injection. A 44-year-old female presented with sudden-onset intermittent blurred vision in her left eye. Fundus examination revealed multiple retinal hemorrhages without macular edema (ME). Two weeks later, an increased number of retinal hemorrhages with severe disc swelling were noted with still no sign of ME. An intravitreal dexamethasone implant was injected. Five days later, there were improvements in disc swelling and retinal hemorrhage. One month later, her subjective visual symptoms were completely improved, and fundus examination revealed marked improvement along with almost complete resolution of disc swelling. Intravitreal dexamethasone implant injection may potentially change the natural course of CRVO progression and its various subsequent complications.
Adult ; Dexamethasone/*administration & dosage ; Drug Implants ; Female ; Glucocorticoids/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Papilledema/*drug therapy ; Retinal Vein/*drug effects ; Retinal Vein Occlusion/*drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome