PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of vitrectomy in patients with diabetic macular edema. METHODS: The results of pars plana vitrectomy in 10 eyes were analyzed. Major outcome measurements were preoperative and postoperative best corrected visual acuity, fundus findings of macula, and postoperative complications. All eyes had at least 4 months of follow- up after surgery. RESULTS: The improvement of visual acuity up to 2 lines on the chart was found in 5 eyes (50%) after the surgery and six eyes (60%) showed improvement in macular edema. The complications after surgery were vitreous hemorrhage in 1 eye and submacular exuadates in 1 eye. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy may be beneficial for patients with diabetic macular edema.
Humans ; Macular Edema* ; Postoperative Complications ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy* ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: We evaluated the risk factors and related results of residual diplopia and enophthalmos in patients who had orbital wall fracture repair. METHODS: 50 patients with orbital wall fracture who were followed up for at least 6 months postoperatively were included in this study. We analyzed effects of the patient age, timing of surgery, size and location of fracture on development of postoperative diplopia and enophthalmos. RESULTS: 32 patients had diplopia and 16 patients had enophthalmos greater than 2 mm. Among 32 patients with preoperative diplopia, 9 patients experienced postoperative diplopia. Among 16 patients with preoperative enophthalmos, 5 patients experienced postoperative enophthalmos. Delayed timing of surgery was a significant factor for development of postoperative diplopia and enophthalmos. Age of the patients and fracture size were not significant factors for development of postoperative diplopia and enophthalmos. CONCLUSIONS: Early surgical repair of orbital wall fractures decreases the incidence of residual diplopia and enophthalmos. Preoperative assessment of multiple variables could help to achieve cosmetical and functional better results.
Diplopia* ; Enophthalmos* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Orbit* ; Risk Factors

Compound nerve action potential (CNAP) of the mixed peripheral nerve is composed of A alpha beta, A delta, and C potentials. All components of CNAPs in the sciatic nerve were recorded by stimulating the tibial nerve of both control and lead-poisoned rats. Marked decrease of nerve conduction velocity and prolonged duration were found in A alpha beta and A delta fibers especially in large myelinated A alpha beta fibers. The amplitude decreased in A alpha beta potential, but the area did not change. In C potential produced by activation of unmyelinated fibers, nerve conduction velocity slightly decreased, but the amplitude and area did not significantly change. Pathologic correlates revealed prominent segmental demyelination with significant decrease of large myelinated fiber densities. Minimal axonal degeneration of unmyelinated fibers was present. We can conclude that electrophysiologic changes in the lead-poisoned rats correlate with pathologic changes in them.
Animals ; Electrochemistry ; Lead Poisoning/complications/*pathology ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/chemically induced/*pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; Sciatic Nerve/pathology

Coronary artery steonosis can be effectively treated by non-operative percutaneous tansluminal coronaryangioplasty(PTCA). We performed PTCA in three patients with coronary artery stenosis, who were referred to thedepartment of radiology, from January to Dec. in 1985. The results were as follows; 1. The locations of coronaryartery stenosis were the proximal anterior descending branch of left coronary artery. 2. The number of stenoticlesions was single without calcium plaque in all three cases. 3. The extent of coronary artery disease is focal,under 2cm in length. 4. PTCA was performed successfully with satisfactory post-dilatation results in all cases. 5.Severe complications such as arterial intimal dissection, acute myocardial infarction, did not occurred. PTCA hasmany advantages over vascular surgery on surgical, economical, and psychological aspects.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Calcium ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVE: It was to analyze two failed arterial embolization cases in the treatment for pseudoaneurysm followed by D&C. METHODS: Two failure cases out of eight cases were gained in the transarterial embolization treatment for eight years.(1. 1. 1992 - 12. 31. 1999) To search for the factors of failure, we went through obstetrical history and biopsy. RESULTS: Eight cases of transarterial embolization were performed to the treatment for pseudoaneurysm appeared after undergoing D&C. Six cases were successfully treated without complications. However, laparotomy was done due to the continuous bleeding in the other two cases. According to tissue biopsy, they showed the cervical pregnancy in one case and placenta accreta in the other. CONCLUSION: Transarterial embolization is proved to be more preferable to operate in the treatment of pseudoaneurysm than laparotomy, and transarterial embolization therapy failure rate is higher in case of existing remnant villi than not.
Aneurysm, False* ; Biopsy ; Dilatation and Curettage* ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Hysterectomy ; Laparotomy ; Placenta Accreta ; Pregnancy

If the replantation on the original position is not possible, the amputated tissue of a hand may be used as a donor for recovering hand functions at other positions. This procedure is termed 'heterodigital replantation'. An 63-year-old male patient who was in press machine accident came to our hospital. He had large dorsal soft-tissue defects (5x3 cm) on his left long finger and complete amputation on his left index finger through the proximal interpharyngeal joint. Replantation was not indicated because crushing injury of index finger was severe. So we decided to use index finger soft tissue as heterodigital free flap for the coverage of the long finger defect. The ulnar digital artery and dorsal subcutaneous vein of the free flap were anastomosed with the radial digital artery and dorsal subcutaneous vein of the long finger. The heterodigital free flap provided satisfactory apperance and functional capability of the long finger. The best way to treat amputation is replantation. But sometimes surgeon confront severely crushed or multi-segmental injured amputee which is not possible to replant. In this situation, reconstructive surgeons should consider heterodigital free flap from amputee as an option.
Amputation ; Amputees* ; Arteries ; Fingers* ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Replantation ; Tissue Donors ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Among facial fractures, nasal bone fracture, zygomatic arch fracture and mandibular subcondyle fracture take a large portion. Among surgical operations for nasal bone fracture, zygomatic arch fracture and mandibular subcondyle fracture, closed reduction has been generally used but, unlike open reduction, there is a problem in evaluating its accuracy of reduction. METHODS: An assessment was made from October 2011 until April 2013 prospectively on 37 patients. For all the operations, closed reductions were executed in a conventional way and simultaneously using C-Arm to verify the reduction of fractures. Two images of plain radiography, one taken before operation and another one taken one day after the operation, were compared. After obtaining images of plain radiography using C-Arm immediately after the correction upon operation, they were compared with the images of plain radiography taken one day after the operation. RESULTS: The fracture reductions of 26 patients among 27 nasal fracture patients were satisfactory but one patient showed a marginal overcorrection of less than 1 mm. The fracture reductions of 7 patients among 8 zygomatic arch fracture patients were satisfactory but one patient showed a marginal undercorrection of less than 2 mm. All of two mandibular subcondyle fracture patients showed less than 2 mm undercorrection. CONCLUSION: Closed reduction guided by C-Arm for nasal bone fracture, zygomatic arch fracture and mandibular subcondyle fracture was clinically useful because it could make a real-time assessment on fractured areas and add immediate corrections during the operation.
Facial Bones* ; Fluoroscopy* ; Fractures, Closed ; Humans ; Mandible ; Nasal Bone ; Prospective Studies ; Zygoma ; Zygomatic Fractures

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is an essential process for the growth and metastatic ability of solid tumors. One of the key factors known to be capable of stimulating tumor angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The serum VEGF concentration has been shown to be a the malignant pleural effusion showing a correlation with the biochemical parameters. The VEGF has been shown to play a role in the inflammatory diseases, but rarely in the tuberculosis (TB). The serum and pleural fluid VEGF levels were measured in patients with lung cancer and TB. Their relationship with the clinical and laboratory parameters and repeated measurement 3 months after various anticancer treatments were evaluated to assess the utility of the VEGF as a tumor marker. METHODS: Using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the VEGF concentration was measured in both sera and pleural effusions collected from a total of 85 patients with lung cancer, 13 patients with TB and 20 healthy individuals. RESULTS: The serum VEGF levels in patients with lung cancer (619.9±722.8ph/ml) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls (215.9±191.1pg/ml), However, there was no significant difference between the VEGF levels in the lung cancer and TB patients. The serum VEGF levels were higher in large cell and undifferentiated carcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The serum VEGF levels of lung cancer patients revealed no significant relationship with the various clinical parameters. The VEGF concentrations in the malignant effusion (2,228.1±2,103.0pg/ml) were significantly higher than those in the TB effusion (897.6±978.8pg/ml). In the malignant pleural effusion, the VEGF levels revealed significant correlation with the number of red blood cells (r=0.75), the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)(r=0.70), and glucose concentration (r=-0.55) in the pleural fluid. CONCLUSION: The serum VEGF levels were higher in the lung cancer patients. The VEGF levels were more elevated in the malignant pleural effusion than in the tuberculous effusion. In addition, the VEGF levels in the pleural fluid were several times higher than the matched serum values suggesting a local activation and possible etiologic role of VEGF in the formation of malignant effusions. The pleural VEGF levels showed a significant correlation with the numbers of red blood cells, LDH and glucose concentrations in the pleural fluid, which may represent the tumor burden.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Erythrocytes ; Glucose ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pleural* ; Tumor Burden ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

BACKGROUND: Burn injuries of the extremity can result in cosmetically offensive appearance. Postburn scar can improve by the combination of tangential excision and thin split-thickness skin graft. METHODS: From January 2005 and December 2012, 17 patients (10 males and 7 females) with postburn scar of the extremity underwent the combined techniques. The median time from initial injury to surgery was 66.2 months (range: 11-288 months). In the operation, burn scar was excised until viable dermis could be observed using electrical dermatome, after which thin split thickness skin graft was performed. RESULTS: Tangential excision and thin split thickness skin graft gave excellent grafting results without the need of reoperation. Depigmentation in the majority of patients were recovered within a year by the operation of thin split thickness skin graft. Recovery of range of motion and cosmetic results were good in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Tangential excision and thin split thickness skin graft are a good way of the reconstruction of deformed and depigmented skin from burns on extremity.
Burns* ; Cicatrix* ; Dermis ; Extremities ; Humans ; Male ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Reoperation ; Skin* ; Transplants*

PURPOSE: To determine the clinical efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty in cases of painful and medically intractable osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-eight patients (20 men and 78 women; mean age, 69 years) underwent 122 per-cutaneous vertebroplasty procedures for the treatment of osteoporotic vertical compression fracture. For the evaluation of bone mass, bone densitometry was performed in 45 patients, and to assess the recent evolution of the fracture, all 98 underwent MRI. Percutaneous vertebroplasty involves percutaneous transpedicular puncture of the involved vertebrae followed by the injection of a Polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA)-Barium mixture into the vertebral body. To assess leakage of the mixture into the epidural tissue, neural foramina, venous plexus and paravertebral tissue, we then immediately obtained a computerized tomographic (CT) scan, assessing the clinical efficacy of the procedure on the basis of time required for pain relief (defined as more than 60% reduction of initial pain), and time required for ambulation without significant pain. RESULTS: Percutaneous vertebroplasty was successful in all patients. Pain relief was accomplished within 1-5(mean, 1.8) days and early ambulation without significant pain was possible within 2 -15 (mean, 3.3) days. Post-procedural CT scanning revealed leakage of the PMMA-barium mixture into Paravertebral tissue(n=41), the paravertebral venous plexus (n=34) and epidural tissue (n=4). No neural foraminal leakage was identified, and no procedure-related complication requiring surgical treatment occurred. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is an effective new interventional procedure for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. It relieves pain, provides early mobilization, and strengthens involved vertebral bodies.
Densitometry ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; Punctures ; Spine ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vertebroplasty* ; Walking