Peripheral cementifying fibroma is histomorphologically similar to the central cementifying fibroma, but this lesion is unique to the gingival mucosa and is only rarely seen in edentulous area. In most instances, it arise from interdental papilla, with 80% occurring anterior to molar region. This lesion appears to involve the maxilla and mandible equally, demonstrates the highest occurrence rate during the second decade of life, and affects female more frequently than male, with 4.3:1 to 3:2. Peripheral cementifying fibroma presents as firm, pedunculated or sessile mass with an intact or ulcerated surface depending on the presence of trauma. Microscopically, it reveals a highly cellular mass of connective tissue containing numerous plump, proliferating fibrolasts and several forms of calcification. Effective treatment requires deep excision, which includes the ligament and periosteum, followed by a thorough root scaling of the adjacent teeth. A reveiw of the literature and a report of a case of peripheral cementifying fibroma are presented.
Connective Tissue ; Dental Scaling ; Female ; Fibroma* ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Male ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Molar ; Mucous Membrane ; Periodontal Ligament* ; Periosteum ; Tooth* ; Ulcer

Some individuals may demonstrate a secondary phase nystagmus (SPN) following the caloric irrigation. It has been stated that if a SPN begins prior to 140 seconds after the onset of caloric stimulation and if the magnitude of the slow phase velocity is greater than 6 degrees/sec, then a premature reversal caloric nystagmus (PRCN) is said to exit. Thus far, there have been no reports describing PRCN in Korea. We described a typical PRCN in a patient with medulloblastoma within the 4th ventricle. The patient had a gaze-evoked horizontal and upbeating nystagmus. However, there was no indication of spontaneous nystagmus. A monothermal caloric test was administered. The initial left beating primary phase nystagmus was subsided at 60 seconds after right cold water stimulation and at 110 seconds, a right beating SPN with 14 degrees/sec of slow phase velocity was appeared and was continuous for 240 seconds. Although the precise mechanism of PRCN is unknown, vestibular nuclei damage may be related.
Caloric Tests ; Humans ; Korea ; Medulloblastoma ; Nystagmus, Physiologic* ; Vestibular Nuclei ; Water

In recent years, digital technology has been developed in dentistry, which denture frameworks can be manufactured using DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) technique. A traditional impression method can be replaced by oral scanning and wax pattern production process can be achieved by the use of CAD/CAM techniques. The designed STL files can be sent to DMLS devices to fabricate final components of removable partial dentures (RPD). The advantages of digital dentistry are concision and precision. In this case study, a fracture of occlusal rests providing support and indirect retention was repaired by DMLS and laser welding techniques. It shows satisfactory results in adaptation accuracy and functional properties of the repaired denture.

Sensory neuropathy is characterized by pure sensory dysfunction, ultimately evolving into areflexia and severe sensory ataxia in spite of the preservation of the other functions in the nervous system such as motor function. This disorder is known to be commonly found in cancer patients as a paraneoplastic syndrome, but nowadays many reports are made that sensory neuropathy is not merely related to malignancy but also with autoimmune disorders such as Sjogren's syndrome or polyclonal gammopathy, etc. Hence we report two patients who have been diagnosed as chronic idiopathic ataxic sensory neuropathy through electrophysiological and histopathological studies without any evidence of cancer or any other known cause.
Ataxia ; Humans ; Nervous System ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; Sjogren's Syndrome

We present a 50-year-old woman who sustained spastic left hemiplegia secondary to the right thalamic hemorrhage 6 years ago. She complained of persistent severe left calf pain after serial casting for the treatment of shortened plantar flexors of the left ankle. Two months later, magnetic resonance T1-weighted images showed diffuse high signal intensity involving the whole muscle bulk of the soleus and normal signal intensity of thin atrophied gastrocnemius. Needle electromyography of the soleus revealed myopathic patterns. Histologic findings of the soleus showed necrotic muscle fibers with phagocytosis, endomyseal collagen and fat deposition. We concluded that prolonged passive stretch of spastic plantar flexors of the ankle under serial casting induced soleus myopathy with segmental myonecrosis, and which developed left calf pain. Selective induction of soleus myopathy could be explained by the higher stretch tension produced by ankle dorsiflexion in the soleus compared to the gastrocnemius because of different proximal ends.
Ankle ; Collagen ; Electromyography ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Spasticity ; Muscular Diseases* ; Needles ; Phagocytosis ; Stroke*

Degos disease, also referred to as malignant atrophic papulosis, was first described in 1941 by Köhlmeier and was independently described by Degos in 1942. Degos disease is characterized by diffuse, papular skin eruptions with porcelain-white centers and slightly raised erythematous telangiectatic rims associated with bowel infarction. Although the etiology of Degos disease is unknown, autoimmune diseases, coagulation disorders, and vasculitis have all been considered as underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Approximately 15% of Degos disease have a benign course limited to the skin and no history of gastrointestinal or central nervous system (CNS) involvement. A 29-year-old female with history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presented with a 2-year history of asymptomatic lesions on the dorsum of all fingers and both knees. The patient had only skin lesions and no gastrointestinal or CNS vasculitis symptoms. Her skin lesions were umbilicated, atrophic porcelain-white lesions with a rim of erythema. On the basis of clinical, histologic, and laboratory findings, a diagnosis of Degos-like lesions associated with SLE was made. The patient had been treated for SLE for 7 years. Her treatment regimen was maintained over a 2 month follow-up period, and the skin lesions improved slightly with no development of new lesions.
Adult ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Central Nervous System ; Diagnosis ; Erythema ; Female ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infarction ; Knee ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Malignant Atrophic Papulosis ; Skin ; Vasculitis ; Vasculitis, Central Nervous System

Cushing's syndrome is produced by the hypersecretion of adrenal glucocorticoids and is characterized by moon face, central obesity, disappearance of diurnal variation of plasma cortisol and unsuppressibility of plasma cortisol by low-dose dexamethasone. On the other hand, hyperaldosteronism is produced by the hypersecretion of aldosterone and is characterized by hypertension and hypokalemia. We report a rare case of adrenal adenoma with concurrent hypercortisolism and hyperaldosteronism manifestated with hypertension, cushingoid appearance, left adrenal mass with low-normal plasma potassium. Laparoscopic unilateral tumor excision was performed and hypertension disappeared after the operation.
Adenoma* ; Aldosterone ; Cushing Syndrome* ; Dexamethasone ; Glucocorticoids ; Hand ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperaldosteronism* ; Hypertension ; Hypokalemia ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Plasma ; Potassium

We report four cases of toxic hepatitis that occurred after taking a decoction made by boiling down the root of Dictamnus dasycarpus. The four patients had a median age of 60 years, common symptoms of jaundice and general weakness, and stated that they had not consumed alcohol for at least 5 years. The markers of hepatitis A, B, and C were all negative in the patients. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed common bile ducts with normal diameters. Two of the cases were a mother and daughter, and the other two were sporadic. All of them had consumed a decoction made by boiling down the root of Dictamnus dasycarpus five or six times daily until several days before admission. Dictamnus dasycarpus induced liver injury presenting with a benign course lasting less than 1 month after cessation of the causative agent. We suggest that this natural product can cause acute hepatitis in rural areas.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Dictamnus/*adverse effects ; Female ; Hepatitis, Toxic/*diagnosis/etiology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plant Roots/*adverse effects

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gallbladder carcinoma has been associated with a dismal overall prognosis. Tumorigenesis of gallbladder carcinoma is complex and not completely understood. An association of gallbladder carcinoma with cholelithiasis or an anom alous arrangement of the panceraticobiliary duct suggests that long-term inflammation may modulate tumorigenesis and progression of carcinoma. COX-2 is a rate limiting enzyme of PG synthesis and related to chronic inflammation. Several report suggested the close relationship between and COX-2 and GB cancer. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of sixty-two patients with GB cancer who had undergone operation from January, 1990 to December, 1999 at Hanyang University Hospital. COX-2 expression of GB cancer were evaluated with im\munohistochemical staining and expression intensity was graded on a scale of 0-2 RESULTS: There were 62 patients, whose mean age was 52.5 years. The ages ranged from 28 years to 84 years. There were 27 male patients and 35 female patients. Generally, COX-2 expression was found in chronic inflammatory area and its level increased in dysplastic area and mucosal tumor. stromal tumor showed relatively weaker COX-2 expression level. COX-2 expression is related to depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, stage (TNM, Nevin) in a negative way. CONCLUSION: Early stage of GB cancer shows relatively increased level of COX-2. Its increased level means COX-2 can modulate early stage of GB cancer carcinogenesis. COX- 2 inhibitor, cancer chemopreventive agent in colon cancer, can be regarded as same one in GB cancer.
Carcinogenesis ; Cholelithiasis ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: People with epilepsy (PWE) are more likely to experience suicidality, with suicidal ideation and attempts, than people without epilepsy (PWoE). The aims of the present study were to determine 1) the characteristics of suicidality in Korean PWE, 2) whether PWE with suicidality receive psychiatric intervention, and 3) the risk factors for suicidality. METHODS: Patients who consecutively visited epilepsy clinics at secondary- and tertiary-care hospitals were recruited (n=684), along with age- and sex-matched PWoE (n=229). The presence of current major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and/or suicidality was established using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus Version 5.0.0. The Korean version of the Liverpool Adverse Events Profile (K-LAEP) was applied to detect adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). RESULTS: Suicidality was present in 208 (30.4%) of the 684 PWE. The rate of suicidality was 4.6 times higher among PWE than PWoE, and 108 (15.7%) PWE had suicidal ideation and had attempted suicide. Among those who had attempted suicide, 40.7% had made at least two attempts. The most common method of suicide attempt was drug overdose (34.9%). Unfortunately, of the 208 PWE with suicidality, 136 (65.4%) did not receive psychiatric intervention. The risk factors for suicidality were MDD [odds ratio (OR)=6.448, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.739-11.120, p<0.001], GAD (OR=3.561, 95% CI=1.966-6.452, p<0.001), item scores of 3 or 4 on the K-LAEP (OR=2.688, 95% CI=1.647-4.387, p<0.001), and a history of febrile convulsion (OR= 2.188, 95% CI=1.318-3.632, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality is more prevalent in PWE than in PWoE. Clinicians should monitor psychiatric disorders and the adverse effects of AEDs in PWE in an attempt to reduce the incidence of suicidal ideation or suicide attempts in this patient population.
Anticonvulsants ; Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Drug Overdose ; Epilepsy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Risk Factors* ; Seizures, Febrile ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted