No abstract available.
Humans ; Mucin-1*

BACKGROUND: Pertechnetate ( Tc) has been widely employed for thyroid imaging. While pertechnetate and radioiodide have usually similar results in identifying thyroid nodules, occasionally differences have been noted. We intended to observe that the thyroid nodules which appeared to be hot on pertechnetate and to compare them with the images by radioiodide. METHODS: 'I scan was performed to thirty-eight cases (mean age: 48.9 +/- 13.2) presenting as hot nodule on Tc scan. Thyroid function test and pathologic diagnosis were obtained in all patients. RESULTS: Of the 38 patients, 24 had euthyroidism, 13 had hyperthyroidism, and 1 had hypothyroidism. Thirty patients had adenomatous goiter, 4 papillary carcinoma, 3 Hashimotos thyroiditis, and 1 had HQrthle cell tumor. 28 of 38 patients showed similar images, but the remaining 10 patients(26.3%) revealed discordant images on Tc and 131I scan. Among the concordant cases, 23 had adenomatous goiter, 3 had papillary carcinoma, and 2 had Hashimotos thyroiditis. Among the discordant cases, 7 had adenomatous goiter, 1 had papillary carcinoma, 1 had Hashimotos thyroiditis, and 1 had HQrthle cell tumor. The incidence of malignancy was 10.7% of concordant cases, and 20% of discordant cases and was revealed statistically insignificant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We observed higher incidence of malignancy in patients presenting hot nodules on 99mTc scan than ever reported. Fine needle aspiration should be performed to all patients with hot nodules and the 'I scan would not be recommended for further diagnostic study.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Diagnosis ; Goiter ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypothyroidism ; Incidence ; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroiditis

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: We assessed and compared the clinical and radiologic outcomes of treatment in periprosthetic fractures of the femur after total knee arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared 22 knees, 22 patients of femoral periprosthetic fractures which had been fixed with absolute stabilization such as plate or screw fixation in 16 cases (group A), and with relative stabilization such as retrograde intramedullary nailing or Ender nailing in six cases (group B) from November 2004 to March 2013; the mean follow-up period was 51.9 months. RESULTS: The mean tibio femoral angle and the mean mechanical axis showed statistically significant change in group B, between before fracture and last follow-up. The mean bone union time and the mean hospital for special surgery score were not significantly different between group A and B. Nonunion was demonstrated in one case in each group, malunion was demonstrated in one case in group B. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of periprosthetic fractures of the femur after total knee arthroplasty, absolute stabilization had an advantage for regain of limb alignment. Among the complications, more cases of refracture and infection were observed in the absolute stabilization group, while more cases of nonunion and malunion were observed in the relative stabilization group.
Arthroplasty* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Extremities ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Knee* ; Periprosthetic Fractures*

PURPOSE: The insertion site of K-wire for skeletal traction is proximal part of tibia or distal part of femur. However, people prefer proximal tibia over distal femur due to lower risk of infection rate when change to interlocking IM nailing is needed. We evaluated the infection rate of interlocking IM nailing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty-seven patients were included in this study who underwent interlocking IM nailing due to femur shaft fracture. Traction was applied at the distal femur in 19 cases and proximal tibia in 10 cases before interlocking IM nailing. No skeletal traction was applied to the remaining 18 cases. Thirty-eight patients were male and 9 were female. The average age at the time of surgery was 36.7 years old (range, 15~17 years). The average traction period was 9.5 days (range, 3~33 days) and the average followed-up period was 17.2 months. RESULTS: In the distal femoral traction group, 8 cases of superficial pin tract infection developed, but no case of deep infection such as osteomyelitis occurred. In the proximal tibia traction group, 2 cases of superficial pin tract infection developed, but no case of deep infection occurred. In the group that received no skeletal traction before interlocking IM nailing, no case of infection developed. CONCLUSION: In femur shaft fracture, the distal femoral skeletal traction followed by interlocking IM nailing of femur, compared to proximal tibia skeletal traction, did not increase the risk of deep infection such as osteomyelitis.
Female ; Femur* ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Male ; Osteomyelitis ; Tibia ; Traction*

PURPOSE: Peritendinous adhesion is one of the most notorious complication after the flexor tendon injury. In this study, Alloderm(R)(LifeCell Corp., Branchburg, N.J.), which is the decellularized human dermal analogue with its intact native basement membrane components, was used for the prevention of peritendinous adhesions following flexor tendon repair. METHODS: Thirty New Zealand white male rabbits were divided equally into 3 groups. In all groups, the flexor digitorum profundus of the third finger of the right back foot was cut totally and repaired by modified Kessler suture technique. Following tendon repair, Alloderm(R) was wrapt around the repaired tendon in the first group and sodium hyaluronate gel was sprayed to the operation field in the second group. In the control group, no external material was applied. The right back foot were immobilized for 6 weeks to optimize the formation of adhesion ingrowth. After death, the third finger that repaired tendons and sheaths was removed en bloc. We checked range of motion. and studied histologically for all groups. RESULTS: The experimental groups had better range of motion than the control group. We checked that the range of motion was 73.5 degrees in Alloderm(R) group, 55.9 degrees in the hyaluronic acid group, and 38.3 degrees in the control group. in the histological study, the experimental group had less adhesions compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that Alloderm(R) can decrease peritendinous adhesions following flexor tendon repairs in rabbits. We think the method could be used in clinical cases.
Basement Membrane ; Fingers ; Foot ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Male ; New Zealand ; Rabbits* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Suture Techniques ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationship between tinnitus and the level of anxiety and depression experienced by subjective tinnitus patients, and to determine the effect of the level of anxiety and depression to the results of tinnitus treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 104 patients were included in this study. All the patients conducted Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State Trait Anxiety Inventory 1, 2 (STAI 1, 2) to evaluate their psychometric properties. The subjective patterns of tinnitus before and after treatment were assessed through questionnaires. RESULTS: Significant correlation between THI scores and BDI, STAI 1, 2 scores were observed in the moderate and severe tinnitus group. The patients were classified into two groups depending on their THI scores, and also classified into two groups according to BDI, STAI 1, 2 results. Analysis of differences after treatment indicated significantly improved VAS scores after treatment in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The subjective level of tinnitus is significantly related with depression and anxiety symptoms when inconvenience caused by tinnitus was moderate or over. Assessments on tinnitus after treatment appeared to have improved significantly regardless of the severity of tinnitus, level of depression or anxiety disorder.
Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders ; Depression ; Humans ; Psychometrics ; Tinnitus

PURPOSE: A significant proportion of patients with cough variant asthma (CVA) eventually develops asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and development of asthma in preschool children with CVA. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of children aged 5 to 7 years who presented with chronic cough and had regular check-up by the school age. All children had methacholine bronchial challenge test (MBCT) at preschool age with a modified auscultation method. The end-point was defined as the appearance of wheezing and/or oxygen desaturation. Positive BHR was defined as end-point concentration (EPC)< or =8 mg/mL. MBCT was performed at the school age with spirometric method. Positive BHR was defined as PC20< or =8 mg/mL. We collected information on the development of wheezing or dyspnoea from the medical records. RESULTS: Thirty-six children with CVA were analyzed. During follow-up (2.1+/-0.9 years), 9/36 children developed wheezing or dyspnoea (group A), and 27/36 children did not (group B). EPC (geometric mean, 95% confidence interval) was significantly lower in group A than group B (1.59 mg/mL, 0.93 to 2.70 mg/mL vs. 3.43 mg/mL, 2.34 to 5.03 mg/mL; P=0.02, respectively). The prevalence of positive BHR at school age was significantly higher in group A than group B (77.8% vs. 22.2%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the increase and the persistence of BHR may have an important role in the development of asthma during the course of CVA in preschool children.
Aged ; Asthma ; Auscultation ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cough ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Methacholine Chloride ; Oxygen ; Phosphorylcholine ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Sounds

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of hyponatremia in epileptic children receiving carbamazepine or oxcarbazpine, we investigate serum sodium changes according to age, serum carbamazepine level, and daily oxcarbazepine dosage, and the prevalence of symptoms of hyponatremia. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data of the 197 children receiving carbamazepine and/or oxcarbazepine with or without antiepileptic therapy. And these were classified into the carbamazepine treated patients (group I), oxcarbazepine treated patients (group II), and carbamzepine or oxcarbazepine with other antiepileptics treated patients (group III). Potentially predictive values for development of hyponatremia were examined in each group: age, plasma level of carbamazepine and daily dosage of oxcarbazepine. We assessed the symptoms of hyponatremia. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hyponatremia was 20.8% (group I, II and III: 17.9%, 22.6%, and 21.8%, respectively), and the prevalence in groups II and III compared with controls (P<0.03) was significantly lower. The changes of serum sodium levels relation to age were not significantly different. The changes of serum sodium levels by increasing of serum levels of carbamazepine and dosage of oxcarbazepine were statistically significant (P<0.01). Among the 41 patients who had biochemical hyponatremia, the prevalence of hyponatremic symptoms was 17.1%. CONCLUSION: Hyponatremia may occur relatively more frequently with oxcarbazepine or combined other antiepileptics than carbamzepine therapy only. Age of children receiving carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine was no predictive value for occurrence of hyponatremia. The patients whose serum level were less than 125 mEq/L showed more severe clinical symptoms than any other study groups.
Anticonvulsants ; Carbamazepine ; Child ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Plasma ; Prevalence ; Sodium

Bilateral facial palsy is uncommon and it accounts for 0.3-2.0% of the facial palsy cases. In contrast to unilateral facial palsy, bilateral facial palsy may occur in association with a variety of neurological, infectious, neoplastic, traumatic, metabolic or degenerative disorders. Diabetes has been associated with bilateral facial palsy. Diabetes is more common among patients with bilateral facial palsy. But the correlation between diabetics and bilateral facial palsy is unclear. Herein, we report a case of a 66 year-old woman with bilateral Bell's palsy associated with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.
Bell Palsy ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Facial Paralysis ; Female ; Humans