This study was conducted to invetigate the effect of high-dose steroid administration on adipogenesis and secretion of PAI-1 in rat. Sixty healthy Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Group A consisted of 20 control animals received 5 ml/kg isotonic saline for 1 weeks. Group B consisted of 20 animals received 10 ml/kg of methylprednisolone intraperitoeally for 1 week. Group C comprized 20 animals received 10 ml/kg of methylprednisolone intraperitoneally for 1 week. After the completionof treatment, blood sampling was performed for measurenement of PAI-1 and the animale were sacrificed for histopathologic examination and immunohistochemical study. The PAI-1 protein expressin of femoral heads were evaluated with Western-blotting. Blood level of PAI-1 increased significantly in high-dose steroid treated group(Group B and C) compared to control group. In histopathologic examination, significant fat morrow conversion, fat cell hypertrophy and fat cyst formation were observed in high-dose steroid treated group. Immunohistochemically, PAi-1 expression was sprominent in the fat cells. Protein expression of PAI-1 of femoral heads increased significantly in highdose steroid treated group compared to control group. In lights of above results, it is postulated that increased secretion of PAI-1 from fat cells could play a major role in the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in rats treated with high-dose steroid.
Adipocytes ; Adipogenesis* ; Animals ; Head ; Hypertrophy ; Methylprednisolone ; Osteonecrosis ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1* ; Rats* ; Rats, Wistar

A case of retroperitoneal teratoma was presented in a 40-year-old Korean Male. The radiologic studies were evaluated a space occupying mass containing tooth like a density in the retroperitoneal region. Surgical removal of mass wag performed and histological finding was conformed the benign teratoma.
Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Teratoma* ; Tooth

To assess the influence of diabetes mellitus on the healing of segmental defect of rat, a defect measuring 5mm was made at right sciatic nerve in thirty-three adult female Wistar rats(control group:17, diabetic group:16). To induce diabetes in rats, Streptozotocin(50mg/kg body weight) was injected into tail vein after dissolution in saline solution. Both proximal and distal nerve ends were connected with 9mm long silicone tube, and the tube was filled with 10µl collagen(Vitrogen 100) solution. Two and 4 weeks after the operation, electromyographic study(latency period and amplitude) and histologic examination(the number of myelinated axon, non-neuronal cell, and vessel at mid-chamber level, the mid-chamber cross-sectional area) after toluidine blue staining were carried out. From the results, we concluded that diabetes mellitus retarded the healing process of segmental defect of sciatic nerve in rat. And we might suggest that if we meet this situation in clinical practice, we have to consider some supportive measures to overcome the bad effect of diabetes mellitus on the healing of nerve defect.
Adult ; Animals ; Axons ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Myelin Sheath ; Rats ; Sciatic Nerve ; Silicon ; Silicones ; Sodium Chloride ; Tail ; Tolonium Chloride ; Veins

Purpose: To evaluate the risk factors for the development of osteonecrosis in civilian professional divers by an epidemiologic study and to determine the correlation between osteonecrosis in divers and coagulopathy by analysis of serologic markers that are related to thrombophilia and hypofibrinolysis. Materials and Methods: Forty-two divers, who collected pen shells (Atrina pinnata), and among whom 10 had osteonecrosis (group 1), were compared with 32 divers without osteonecrosis (group 2). Both groups were evaluated based on the number of years of diving experience, number of dives per year, mean number of dives per day, mean diving time and depth, and diving methods. We determined any statistically significant differences among these variables. We measured the levels of serologic markers that were related to hyperlipidemia, thrombophilia, and hypofibrinolysis from the divers and a control group of 20 physicians (group 3). The levels of the serologic markers were compared between groups 1 and 2 and between the divers and the control group, in order to determine the relationship between the serologic markers and the development of dysbaric osteonecrosis. Results: None of the variables demonstrated any statistically significant differences, except for the mean diving time, in which group 1 had a mean diving time of 124 minutes and group 2 had a mean diving time of 62.1 minutes (P<0.05). In the analysis of the serologic markers, there were no statistically significant differences between groups 1 and 2; however, in comparison with the group 3, the divers demonstrated significantly decreased activity levels of proteins C and S (Protein C: P<0.05; Protein S: P<0.05), and an increase in the levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) (P<0.05). Conclusion: The divers with osteonecrosis had a longer mean diving time than did those divers without osteonecrosis. In the serologic marker analysis, the divers with osteonecrosis demonstrated significantly decreased activity levels of Proteins C, S and a significant increase in the levels of PAI-1, compared with the control group.
Biomarkers* ; Diving ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Epidemiology ; Hyperlipidemias ; Osteonecrosis* ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; Plasminogen Activators ; Protein S ; Risk Factors ; Thrombophilia

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate our experience on laparoscopic appendectomy. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on 2,856 patients who had been operated by laparoscopic appendectomy under diagnosis of acute appendicitis at the Sung-Ae Hospital and Kwang-Myoung Sung-Ae Hospital from October 1991 to July 1998. RESULTS: Among 2,856 patients who had undergone laparoscopic appendectomy,2,379 patients (83.3%) were operated due to simple acute appendicitis, 275 patients (9.6%) due to perforated appendicitis. Operation time was 44.6 minutes for simple acute appendicitis and 60.3 minutes for perforated appendicitis. In perforated appendicitis, intra-peritoneal irrigation and drain insertion was performed. The length of hospital stay in patient with simple acute appendicitis was 3.7 days (5.82 days in conventional appendectomy) and patients with perfotrated appendicitis was 6.1 days (9.91 days in conventional appen-dectomy). Complications such as wound infection, intra-abdomen abscess, trocar site bleeding, subcutaneous emphysema developed in 43 (1.5%) patients (79/1,947, 4.5% in conventional appendectomy). In 202 (7.1%) patients, appendix was normal, but another diseases were detected, including acute pelvic inflammation, ovarian cyst, mesenteric lymphadenitis, enteritis, diverticulitis in order. CONCLUSION: Overall complication rate was lower in laparoscopic appendectomy compared with conventional appendectomy and the length of hospitalization of laparoscopic appendectomy was shorter. When the acute appendicitis is suspected, especially in the reproductive women, the laparoscopic approach would be better diagnostic and therapeutic value than conventional method. Therefore laparoscopic appendectomy would be replaced with conventional appendectomy.
Abscess ; Appendectomy* ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Diagnosis ; Diverticulitis ; Enteritis ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Length of Stay ; Mesenteric Lymphadenitis ; Ovarian Cysts ; Retrospective Studies ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; Surgical Instruments ; Wound Infection

To evaluate the possibility of Dacron patch for artificial sclera. Dacron(polyethylene terephthalate) which is readily available, biocompatable, safe, and inert synthetic material was implanted in the area of full-thickness scleral defect in rabbits. The histopathologic examinations showed that fibrovascular tissue invested into all interstices of Dacron filaments and fibroconnective tissue encapsulation around Dacron patch had strong connection with collagen fibers of recipient sclera at 4 weeks after graft There were no adverse reactions such as retinal detachment and fibrous proliferation into the vitreous cavity except mild inflammatory response of surrounding tissue at the early postoperative stage. As a result, Dacron graft showed successful firm adhesion to the recipient sclera without serious complications. Thus, We think that Dacron could possibly be used, instead of donor sclera, as artificial scleral graft material for the surgical treatment of perforating scleral diseases.
Collagen ; Humans ; Polyethylene Terephthalates* ; Rabbits* ; Retinal Detachment ; Sclera ; Scleral Diseases ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants*

Desmoplastic malignant melanoma (DMM) is an uncommon variant of malignant melanoma featuring a proliferation of spindle cells with pronounced desmopaasia. DMM commonly occurs on the sun-damaged skin such as head and neck in older persons, and it can be associated with lentigo maligna. We report an unusual case of desmoplastic malignant melanoma that developed de novo on the trunk in a young patient.
Head ; Humans ; Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle ; Melanoma* ; Neck ; Skin

Recently, a hydroxyapatite sphere has been increasingly used as a buried integrated orbital implant for the great improved motility of the prosthesis after enucleation. To allow more rapid ascess of vasculature into the hydroxyapatite implant, Dacron as a new synthetic wrapping material of the implant for anophthalmic sockets had been used and compared histologically with donor sclera in rabbits. At 4 weeks after implantation, fibrovascular ingrowth was found mainly near the scleral windows, where fibrosis extended 2 mm centrally in scleral-wrapped implants. In Contrast, in Dacron-wrapped implants, there was extensive fibrovascular infiltration through Dacron filaments and windows as well, making the hydroxyapatite sphere completely invested with fibrovascular tissue to the center within 4 weeks of implantation. Thus, Dacron as a new wrapping material appears to allow a more rapid vascularization into the hydroxyapatite implant than other collagen material without any serious complications, resulting in early rehabilitation with an artificial eye.
Collagen ; Durapatite* ; Eye, Artificial ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Orbital Implants ; Polyethylene Terephthalates* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Rabbits ; Rehabilitation ; Sclera* ; Tissue Donors*

Plexiform schwannoma is a relatively rare, benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor that can be located either in the deep soft tissues or in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue. This tumor may occur singly or as multiple lesions and may be localized to one anatomic site or diffusely distributed. Plexiform schwannoma should be differentiated with plexiform neurofibroma or other plexiform malignant tumors. We describe a case of a 6-year-old patient with multiple cutaneous plexiform schwannomas who had no other stigmata of neurofibromatosis 1 or family history suggesting a genetic disorder. The histopathological study revealed a tumor composed of multiple intradermal or subcutaneous interlacing and interconnecting fascicles and nodules that vary in size and shape. Characteristic Antoni A type cellular tissue showing frequent nuclear palisading and Verocay bodies were observed within well circumscribed elongated nodules.
Child ; Christianity ; Dermis ; Humans ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Peripheral Nerves ; Subcutaneous Tissue

The purpose of this study is to access and describe the status of patients with untreated anterior cruciate ligament ruptures to determine if prediction of functional deterioration in these knees were inevitable. 29 patients with rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament verified arthroscopically were evaluated at an average of 3 years and 8 month after injury. This group of patients was selected by the retrospective review in patients who were treated with traumatic ligament injury of the knee joint. The average age at the injury time was 25.9 years ranged from 16 to 44 years and most of injuries occured during sports activities including 12 cases (4196) occured while the patients were playing football. Meniscal lesions were found in 21 cases(72.4%) of all 29 cases of which were 15 cases in the medial, 4 in the lateral and 2 in both side. Follow up functional average score using the Hospital for Special Surgery Knee was 35.8 which would be fall in the Fair range defined as moderate functional disability and depending on the condition of thigh muscle, the functional score was 38.3 in case of less than 2cm atropy of the thigh on the involved side and 32.6 in case of more than 2cm atrophy. There was statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) of the functional score. Reinjuries of the same knee joint were experienced in 22 cases (76%). Rehabilitation of thigh muscles would play an important part in recovery from the injuries.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Atrophy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Football ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Ligaments ; Muscles ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Sports ; Thigh