PURPOSE: We evaluated the surgical outcomes and complications of new pediatric intraocular lens in congenital cataract. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on 29 eyes of 22 patients diagnosed with congenital cataract that underwent optic capture following lens emulsification. New pediatric intraocular lens (LJC 575A, Lucid Korea, Seoul, Korea) implantation into the bag was performed with posterior capsulorrhexis and anterior vitrectomy. RESULTS: After follow-up of 17.79+/-7.08 months, 15 eyes showed a visual acuity of 0.5 or above, and 10 (71.4%) of the 14 eyes showed a visual acuity of 20/470 or above. As for complications, posterior synechia developed in 8 eyes, exudative membrane was found in 3 eyes, iris capture by IOL haptic was found in 1 eye, and slight opacification of posterior capsule was identified in 1 eye. CONCLUSIONS: Use of new 8 mm pediatric intraocular lens in congenital cataract may be considered selectively.
Capsulorhexis ; Cataract* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iris ; Korea ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Membranes ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy

BACKGROUND: Traditional visual reading of patch-test reactions is a rather subjective method, lacking the sensitivity and reproducibility needed in experimental studies. Recently the laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) has been used to measure objectively the increase in superficial blood flow which results in the appearance of erythema. OBJECTIVE: We designed this study to examine the relationship between the LDPI measurement and visual reading after patch test to several different irritants. METHODS: In this study, reading of erythema in experimentally-induced irritant contact dermatitis was performed visually and by laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI). In addition, we investigated whether the LDPI measurement was appropriate in the routine patch test clinic. RESULTS: A close correlation was shown between the 2 methods (r=0.9046, p<0.001) and the LDPI producing mean adjusted perfusion values (APVs) was able to discriminate between the different visual grades. CONCLUSION: LDPI is a valuable instrument to objectively assess intensity of irritant patch-test reaction, and is indeed one of the few methods which overcomes the inter-individual variations in visual reading, but this instrument is not appropriate to use routinely in patch test clinic because of unacceptably long measurement time.
Dermatitis, Contact ; Erythema ; Irritants ; Methods ; Patch Tests ; Perfusion Imaging* ; Perfusion*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Stomach cancer is the most common malignancy and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in Korea. The early diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer are very important because the prognosis of early gastric cancer is excellent. Gastric screening may provide an opportunity to detect asymptomatic early gastric cancer. We analyzed the characteristics of gastric cancer diagnosed with a health screening test to evaluate the usefulness of a screening program for gastric cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological characteristics of 111 gastric cancer patients diagnosed using gastric endoscopy as a gastric screening test at the Health Promotion Center of Kyungpook National University Hospital from July 1997 through December 2005. RESULTS: The incidence of gastric cancer was 0.38% and the mean patient age was 58.5 years old. The proportion of early gastric cancer was 73% of all gastric cancer. In 55 cases, constituting 49.6% of all gastric cancer and 68% of early gastric cancer, the lesions were confined to the mucosa. The most common macroscopic types were type IIc in early gastric cancer and Borrmann type 3 in advanced gastric cancer. There were significant positive correlations between lymph node metastasis and both the depth of tumor invasion and size of the lesion. The 5-year survival rates are 82.7% in total gastric cancer and 97.2% in early gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric cancer detected during health screening has a favorable prognosis because gastric cancer confined to the mucosa predominates and early gastric cancer detected at screening has a lower incidence of metastasis to regional lymph nodes.
Early Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Mass Screening ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Incontinentia Pigmenti*

BACKGORUND: A tourniquet is commonly used to achieve bloodless field in surgery of the extremities. However, use of tourniquet occasionally has been associated with intraoperative hypertension, but the mechanism of this tourniquet-induced hypertension is unknown. We investigated the effect of preoperative ketamine on tourniquet-induced changes of arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (Ci), and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRi). METHODS: Twenty-two patients of ASA physical status class 1 and 2, scheduled for lower extremity surgery using a tourniquet, were randomly assigned into two groups. Anesthesia was maintained with 1.5-2.0 vol% enflurane and 50% N2O in O2 with endotracheal intubation. The changes of BP, HR, Ci, and SVRi were measured (1) at 10 minutes after induction, (2) at 10 minutes after injection of normal saline (control group) or ketamine 0.25 mg/kg, i.v. (ketamine group) before skin incision and tourniquet inflation, (3) at immediately and 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 minutes after inflation of tourniquet, and (4) immediately after deflation of tourniquet. RESULTS: During tourniquet inflation, BP and HR were not significantly changed in each group and there was no significant differences between the two groups. However, Ci decreased during inflation of the tourniquet in both groups, and it significantly decreased in the control group at the time of 5 and 40 minutes after inflation of tourniquet. SVRi significantly increased during inflation of the tourniquet, and decreased immediately after deflation of the tourniquet in the control group. CONCLUSiONS: We concluded that preoperative iV ketamine, 0.25 mg/kg can prevent tourniquet-induced hemodynamic changes in patients under general anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Arterial Pressure ; Enflurane ; Extremities ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inflation, Economic ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Ketamine* ; Lower Extremity* ; Skin ; Tourniquets* ; Vascular Resistance

No abstract available.
Hypercalcemia* ; Incidence*

Adult pancreatic hemangioma is an extremely rare disease, with only 22 cases reported since 1939. Pancreatic hemangioma has no specific symptoms, diagnostic imaging, or laboratory findings, making it difficult to be clinically suspected and diagnosed. The majority are confirmed after surgery. In this report, a 61-year-old woman presented with melena and showed multiple small hyper- vascular lesions in the pancreas. A pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor was suspected, and the patient underwent a distal pancreatectomy. The pathology examination and immunohistochemical study revealed a pancreatic hemangioma.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence and causes of pseudohydronephrosis in the abdominal two-phase (arterial and portal) spiral CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 115 renal pelvises of 62 patients (hepatocellular carcinoma in 36, gastric carcinoma in 10 and others in 16 patients) whose entire renal pelvises were imaged in both phases of abdominal spiral CT. Arterial and portal phase scans were obtained 30 and 65-70 seconds after the injection of 100 mL of non-ionic contrast media (370mg I/mL) at a rate of 2.5 mL/sec, respectively. The renal pelvis was considered to be dilated when the shortest diameter of renal pelvis exceeded 1cm as seen on CT. In each patient, a plain film was obtained 5-10 minutes after the injection of contrast media for CT to confirm the hydronephrosis. RESULTS: Seven renal pelvises were dilated on spiral CT. All of them were pseudohydronephrosis with prominent renal pelvis and two of them were extrarenal pelvises. In 115 renal pelvises, there was one case of true hydronephrosis due to a ureteral stone not suspected clinically. CONCLUSION: A 6% incidence of pseudohydronephrosis due to prominent renal pelvis should be considered in interpreting the abdominal two-phase spiral CT.
Abdomen* ; Contrast Media ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Incidence ; Kidney Pelvis ; Pelvis ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Ureter

BACKGROUND: Vietnam veterans have suffered from a number of skin and general diseases. But in Korea, there are few reports about the relationship between dioxin and skin disease and dermatologists need more information about it. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the skin and general disease pattern of Koreans who have a history of exposure to dioxin in Vietnam. METHODS: 332 Vietnam veterans who visited St. Mary's hospital between July, 2001 and September, 2001. We perfomed a clinical evaluation, physical examination, medical history, serum and urine chemistry, electrocardiogram, electrodiagnostic study, and a roentgenographic study. For dermatologic evaluation, pathologic examination, KOH mount, fungus culture, and phototest were performed. RESULTS: 1. Among the 332 participating soldiers in the Vietnam war, the mean age of patient was 56.9 years old (the youngest-53 years, the oldest-61 years old). 2. The prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, and peripheral neuropathy of subjects was 12.0%, 6.9%, 5.7%, 4.5%, and 1.2%. 3. The prevalence of xerotic eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis vulgaris, photoallergic dermatitis, and chronic urticaria of subjects was 3.9%, 3.9%, 0.9%, 0.6%, and 0.3%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of general diseases was not significant between Vietnam veterans and controls.
Chemistry ; Dermatitis, Photoallergic ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Eczema ; Electrocardiography ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Liver Diseases ; Military Personnel ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Psoriasis ; Skin Diseases ; Skin* ; Urticaria ; Veterans* ; Vietnam*

BACKGROUND: Adrenal medullary transplants into the subarachnoid space have been demonstrated to reduce pain sensitivity. This analgesia most likely results from the release of neuroactive substances, particularly catecholamines and opioid peptides from the transplanted cells into spinal cord. METHODS: Isolated bovine chromaffin cells were encapsulated with alginate and poly-L-lysine prior to implantation into rat's subarachnoid space to protect them from host immune system. And then catecholamines from encapsulated chromaffin cells were measured quantitatively in vitro by High Performance Liquid Chromatograph. The animals were randomized into 2 groups, one of which received microencapsulated chromaffin cells and the other empty capsules. The effects of such implants were evaluated on the pain behavior resulting from a chronic constriction injury of the rat sciatic nerve for 30 days. RESULTS: Catecholamine concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was analyzed. Data (mean SD) are considered significant at P <0.05 (ANOVA for repeated measure and Dunnett's test). Continuous release of catecholamine and met-enkephalin with responsiveness to nicotine stimulation was measured from encapsulated cells in vitro. A significant reduction of allodynic response to acetone evaporation was observed in the animals implanted with cell loaded capsules compared to control animals with empty capsules. Catecholamine concentration in CSF was higher in the cell loaded capsule group. There were no complications related to implantation. CONCLUSION: We found that encapsulated chromaffin cells released continuously catehcolamines and opioids peptides in vitro and in the CSF. Those results may prove chromaffin cell's anagesic effect indirectly.
Acetone ; Analgesia ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Animals ; Capsules ; Catecholamines* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Chromaffin Cells* ; Constriction ; Drug Compounding ; Enkephalin, Methionine ; Immune System ; Nicotine ; Opioid Peptides ; Peptides ; Rats ; Sciatic Nerve ; Spinal Cord ; Subarachnoid Space