PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of orbital decompression surgery on quality of life in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients. METHODS: From August 2014 to December 2015, 80 patients diagnosed with TAO at our clinic were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 30 patients who underwent orbital decompression surgery and 50 patients who did not receive surgery. The Korean version of the Grave's ophthalmopathy specific quality of life (GO-QoL) questionnaire was completed by all patients. We compared questionnaire scores between groups and analyzed demographic and clinical factors affecting change in GO-QoL. RESULTS: The patients who underwent orbital decompression had lower mean GO-QoL score for appearance in comparison with patients without orbital decompression (p < 0.001). The mean GO-QoL score for appearance was increased from 28.8 ± 17.1 to 51.5 ± 18.8 after orbital decompression (p = 0.024). The mean GO-QoL score for visual function was not different between the patients who did not receive surgery and the orbital decompression group. The mean GO-QoL score for visual function was not changed after orbital decompression. There was a significant relation between postoperative proptosis degree and change in GO-QoL score for appearance after orbital decompression. CONCLUSIONS: GO-QoL score for appearance was significantly improved after orbital decompression surgery, and psychological interventions should be considered to enhance the quality of life outcomes.
Decompression* ; Exophthalmos ; Graves Ophthalmopathy* ; Humans ; Orbit* ; Quality of Life* ; Retrospective Studies ; Troleandomycin

Arachnoid cyst of the velum interpositum is unusual and causes symptoms similar to those seen with a third ventricular mass. This report describes a case in which the arachnoid cyst occupied the cistern of the velum interpositum and was coincident with multiple cranial neuropathies. The patient was treated by endoscopic fenestration of the cyst. The surgery resulted in decreased in the size of the cyst but aggravation of cranial neuropathies. The patient underwent methylprednisolone pulse therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin administration under the impression of the multiple cranial neuropathies and recovered completely 3 months later. The authors conclude that combined neurological disease that needs medical treatment should be differentiated and priority of the treatment should be determined carefully if arachnoid cyst is associated with unrelated or ambiguous neurological symptoms and signs. Careful considerations of cause and effect may avoid an unnecessary surgical manipulation
Arachnoid* ; Cranial Nerve Diseases* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Methylprednisolone

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric carcinoma is the most common malignant neoplasm in Korea and is known to be associated with intestinal metaplasia (IM) of gastric epithelium, of which type III IM is suggested to play a special role in the carcinogenesis. This study is to evaluate the subtypes of IM and to measure each subtype in chronic gastritis. Methods: From October 1997 to September 1999, 321 patients with endoscopic chronic gastritis were evaluated the grade of chronic gastritis and IM by histologic and histochemical stain. RESULTS: Chronic inflammation and IM were remarkably severe in men and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positivity was 69.4% in men and 65.2% in women. The frequency of IM was 50.1%, of which 65.4% was in men and 34.6% in women. The frequency of IM subtypes was 43.2%, 11.7% and 45.1% for type I, II and III respectively. Sixty percent of IM was noted in more than 50 years of age and ninety percent in more than 40 years of age. The frequency of type III IM was 61.6% in men and 38.4% in women. Sixty one percent of type III IM was noted in more than 50 years of age and ninety percent in more than 40 years of age. Interestingly, fifty three percent of type III IM was noted in men more than 40 years of age. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in type III IM was similar to in type I and II. The glandular atrophy in type III IM was remarkably severe than that in type I and II. Conclusions: The results of this study show that the proportion of type III IM in chronic gastiritis is remarkably high in Korean and age and sex distribution is similar to that of gastric carcinoma.
Atrophy ; Carcinogenesis ; Epithelium ; Female ; Gastritis* ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Male ; Metaplasia* ; Prevalence ; Sex Distribution

Fourty-seven patients with non-aneurysmal spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage were reviewed retrospectively. Attention was directed to the distribution and amount of subarachnoid hemorrhage on computerized tomography scans. Though the hemorrhage could be distributed in all cisterns, the frequency and amount of hemorrhage were higher in infratentorial cisterns than in supratentorial cisterns. Among infratentorial cisterns, the hemorrhage was distributed to cisterns around the brain-stem mainly and it had a predilection for interpeduncular cistern. Also the telangiectasia of thalamoperforating artery might be one of the causes of non-aneurysmal spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Arteries ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Telangiectasis

Dyspepsia refers to group of commonly occurring upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The majority of patients with dyspepsia suffer from functional (nonulcer) dyspepsia. Although there is a lack of epidemiological data from population-based or patient cohort studies in Korea, the current understanding of this condition has been updated using data from various recent research studies, which have facilitated the development of clinical guidelines for functional dyspepsia. According to a survey using the Rome III criteria, more than 40% of respondents who visited primary clinics and tertiary hospitals were defined as having functional dyspepsia, most of who were within a subgroup of patients with postprandial distress syndrome. In addition, a population-based cross-sectional survey revealed considerable overlap between functional dyspepsia and other functional gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (especially nonerosive reflux disease) and irritable bowel syndrome. In contrast to the results of Western trials, there is insufficient evidence to recommend a Helicobacter pylori test-and-treat strategy as an initial management approach to functional dyspepsia in Korea, suggesting the need for early endoscopic evaluation. Additional studies are necessary to adjust the cutoff age for implementation of immediate endoscopic evaluation of patients without alarm symptoms. Considering the prevalence of H. pylori infection and the limited efficacy of symptomatic relief after its eradication, further well-qualified studies in Korea are warranted.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; *Dyspepsia/diagnosis/epidemiology/microbiology/therapy ; Early Diagnosis ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; *Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis/drug therapy/epidemiology/microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori/*pathogenicity ; Humans ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Aneurysm*

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: We report the efficacy of the entry point and approach angle of a working cannula using preoperative prone abdominal computer tomography (PACT). SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: To date, there are no reports on the entry point and approach angle of a working cannula when performing transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TPELD) with consideration of the individual anatomic variations and characteristics of herniated disc and surgical instruments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases of herniated intervertebral discs from L4-5, who have previously undergone PACT before TPELD, were included. A total of 25 patients were observed over a 1 year period. The entry point and approaching angle of the working cannula with PACT were calculated, and the results were applied to the TPELD. The clinical results were assessed 1 month after surgery using the VAS, ODI and MacNab criteria, and were confirmed by a radiology and MRI examination. RESULTS: The preoperative measured data using PACT showed that the mean approaching distance and mean approaching angle of the working cannula were 12.4 cm and 75.4 degree, respectively. The VAS improved from a mean of 8.1 preoperatively to a mean of 2.3 12 months after surgery. The ODI improved from a mean of 59 preoperatively to a mean of 24 at 12 months after surgery. According to the MacNab criteria, all patients were classified as either excellent and good during the follow up periods. The extruded disc of all patients had been well removed according to the MRI scan performed 1 month after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The scientific approach method using PACT based on the characteristics of patients and surgical instruments can be performed easily and accurately, and access and decompress the extruded disc directly.
Catheters ; Diskectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Instruments

Among many contributing factors of implant failure, excessive loading and inflammation contribute mainly to increasing implant failure rate. Especially, poor oral hygiene around implants is one of the most common reasons for implant failure. When implant prosthesis fails to function, the clinician should re-diagnose and plan treatment using the remaining implants. Additional implantation may be needed to make a new type of prosthesis or either implant-assisted RPD and implant overdenture treatment may be performed using the remaining implants.In this article, a patient whose fixed implant prosthesis in the maxilla had failed of poor oral hygiene maintenance was reported to be recovered with removable implant overdenture by using remaining implant abutments and a milled bar with additional retentive elements. Through this treatment, the clinical results were satisfactory in terms of esthetics, masticatory function recovery and oral hygiene management.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the response and survival rate after three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) of patients with a solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients between May 1996 and June 2005 were evaluated with the salvage 3D-CRT treatment of a solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. The treatment fields included the gross tumor volume with 2 cm margins. The total radiation dose was 35.0~61.5 Gy (biologic effective dose of 43.7 ~76.9 Gy(10) using an alpha/beta ratio of 10 Gy), with a daily dose of 1.8~3.0 Gy. The tumor response was evaluated by the change in maximum tumor size via follow up CT scans 1~3 months after the completion of treatment. RESULTS: An objective tumor response was achieved in all patients, with a complete response in 5 patients and a partial response in 12 patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was 51.9% (median survival time: 27 months), and the most important factor affecting overall survival was the disease-free interval (interval from primary surgery of breast cancer to the development of sternal metastasis): The 5-year overall survival rate was 61.8% for patients with a disease-free interval > or =12 months and 0.0% for patients with disease-free interval <12 months (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: The response to 3D-CRT was good in patients with solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. Particularly, patients with long disease-free interval from primary surgery survived significantly longer than patients with short disease-free interval from primary surgery.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden

OBJECTIVES: Fibronectin is a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein found in the plasma and extracellular matrix. The presence of fetal fibronectin in cervicovaginal secretion of pregnant women during the second and the third trimester has been suggested as a means of identifying women in preterm labor who be delivered prematurely. Therefore, our purpose was to determine the clinical efficacy of the presence of fetal fibronectin in cervicovaginal secretion of patient in full term as biochemical predictor of Time of Induction. METHODS: Fetal fibronectin was obtained at external os and posterior vaginal fornix in 30 women in full term who had no uterine contraction with intact membrane. The cervix was assessed by digital vaginal examination and scored with a modified Bishop score. RESULTS: There was a good correlation in delivery time after induction between the fetal fibronectin and the modified Bishop score (r=0.695,P<0.005) CONCLUSION: The presence of fetal fibronectin is better than Bishop score that is dependent on clinical experience as biochemical predictor of Time of Induction.
Cervix Uteri ; Extracellular Matrix ; Female ; Fibronectins* ; Glycoproteins ; Gynecological Examination ; Humans ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Plasma ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Pregnant Women ; Uterine Contraction