BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy are increasing, and cases of tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy also are steadily on the rise. However, the awareness of patients visiting outpatient is much lower. This study was performed to understand the cognitive level of general public associated with tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy and to suggest the needs of educational program and promotion. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Prospective survey using structured questionnaire was conducted for 100 parents of patients before the age of 10 who were scheduled to undergo tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy. RESULTS: The total percentage of correct answers in questions related to the awareness level of tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy was 51.7%. In particular, the lowest awareness level corresponded to questions regarding post-operative complications and notes. More detailed information regarding post-operative course and notes was required of 47% of the subjects. CONCLUSION: The survey results indicate poor public awareness about tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy, suggesting more efforts on the behalf of Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Adenoidectomy ; Adenoids* ; Humans ; Hypertrophy* ; Neck ; Outpatients ; Palatine Tonsil* ; Parents* ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tonsillectomy

An intrathyroid thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) presented as an anterior neck mass in a 62-year-old male without history of prior thyroid disease or infection. This cyst was clinically indistinguishable from a thyroid nodule. In addition to that, fine needle aspiration cytology revealed normal–looking squamous cells. Diagnosis, work-up, management approach, and treatment of intrathyroid TGDC are discussed as well as distinguishing features between intrathyrod TGDC with tract and without tract. This is the very rare case of intrathyroid TGDC in Korean population and the possibility of intrathyroid TGDC should remain in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Thyroglossal Cyst ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Nodule

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the inclination, pertinence and influential factor in emergent cesarean section according to the assortment and analysis of the indication of emergent cesarean section. METHODS: The retrospective study was performed with the review of 360 emergent cesarean section cases from January 2003 to December 2003. RESULTS: The indication of cesarean section was followed by the order of progress failure (47.5%), previous cesarean section (19.2%), and fetal distress (15.8%). The improper operation of emergent cesarean section was done in fetal distress (28.1%), progress failure (8.6%), and induction failure (16.7%). The absence of acceleration with prolonged bradycardia was the most common (50.0%) type of fetal distress. The emergent cesarean section were done more commonly on Tuesday and Friday during weekdays and it was the peak time in a whole day of cesarean section from 11 o'clock to 12 o'clock and 16 o'clock to 17 o'clock. CONCLUSION: It was proved that twenty six (7.2%) cases of emergent cesarean section were done improperly. Now, work through the non-medical factors are considered more important to reduce improper section rate.
Acceleration ; Bradycardia ; Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the maternal and neonatal complications of the overt diabetes with that of gestational diabetes. METHOD : The medical records of 65 pregnant patients complicated by diabetes mellitus at Eulji medical center from January, 2001 to December, 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. Thirteen patients of them were diagnosed as a overt diabetes and the others were diagnosed as a gestational diabetes. RESULTS: Maternal complications were that preeclampsia in 15.4% and preterm labor in 15.4% in overt diabetes patients and preeclampsia in 9.6%, fourth degree laceration in 1.9%, preterm labor in 3.8%, placenta abruption in 1.9%, cardiomyopathy in 1.9% and polyhydroamnios in 1.9% in gestational diabetes patients. Neonatal complications were that hypoglycemia in 38.5% and respiratory distress syndrome in 15.4% in overt diabetes patients and hypoglycemia in 25%, hyperbilirubinemia in 9.6% and shoulder dystocia in 1.9% in gestational diabetes patients. There were no statistic differences in maternal and neonatal complications in two groups when management had done. And in gestational diabetes group, maternal and neonatal complications were significantly higher in no management group than management group regardless of management types. CONCLUSION: If early detection and management were done in overt and gestational diabetes, there were no difference in maternal and neonatal complications. Regardless of types of diabetes, early detection and management were important.
Cardiomyopathies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes, Gestational* ; Dystocia ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Hypoglycemia ; Lacerations ; Medical Records ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Placenta ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of ischemic heart diseases (IHD) has increased remarkably during the past 10 years in Korea. Because only few reports on risk factors of IHD in Korean women exist, the aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics (including risk factors) of IHD in Korean women. METHODS: Fifty-six female patients and 122 (out of 655) of male patients with significant coronary artery stenosis were included in this study. There were 12 cases of angina pectoris and 35 cases of myocardial infarction in the 56 female patients. There were 54 cases of angina pectoris and 68 cases of myocardial infarction in the 122 male patients. Age and sexdistributions, risk factors of atherosclerosis, and coronary angiographic findings were compared between the female and male patients. RESULTS: The female patients were older than the male patients (63+/-8 years vs. 58+/-4 years, p<0.01). The proportion of patients older than 60 was higher in women than men (70% vs. 48%, p<0.01). The number of risk factors was 1.17 in women and 1.27 in men, and the proportion of patients with multiple risk factors (> or = 2) was greater in men than in women (43% vs. 25%, p<0.05). Hypertension was more prevalent (66% vs. 11%, p<0.001) and smoking was less (65% vs. 11%, p<0.001) in women than men. After age adjustment, hypertension was more frequent in women, and smoking was more in men (p=0.001). On coronary angiograms there were no difference in the morphology of coronary artery stenosis, the distribution of culprit vessels, and the number of vessels involved between women and men, In terms of therapeutic modalities, there were no differences between women and men in our study. CONCLUSIONS: In Koean women with IHD, hypertension is more common and smoking is less common. However, coronary artery lesion morphology and distribution are comparable between women and men.
Angina Pectoris ; Atherosclerosis ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea* ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: The lesion length of coronary artery stenosis has been regarded as a risk factor for acute complication and long segment stenosis of the coronary artery is associated with a less chance of successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty(PTCA). Many new interventional techniques auch as excimer laser angioplasty, directional atherectomy, and long-balloon angioplasty catheter have been developed and used for long lesion of coronary artery stenosis. Only a little data is, however, available on long-balloon PTCA. This study was carried out to see the clinical results of PTCA using long-balloon angioplasty catheters. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty-four coronary arterial stenotic lesions in 49 patients(M:F=32:17, 54.48.9 years)were attempted to dilate with long-balloon PTCA. Clinical diagnoses in 49 patients were acute myocardial infarction in 13, old myocardial infarction in 9, unstable angina in 18, andd stable angina in 9. Lesion length and TIMI(Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) flow of target lesions were measured before PTCA. PTCA was performed in standard fashion using long-balloon angioplasty catheters. Immediate success rate, complications, and retenosis rate were evaluated. RESULTS: The associated risk factors of atherosclerosis were hypertension in 16, hypercholesterolemia in 10, smoking in 27, and diabetes mellitus in 9 patients. The target vessels were 34 left anterior descending arteries, 6 left circumflex arteries, and 14 right coronary arteries. PTCA using long-balloon catheters was performed as an adjunct to suboptimal PTCA using standard balloon catheters in 6 patients. In the remaining 44 patients, long-balloon PTCA was primarily performed due to lesion length greater than 2.0 cm. The overall success rate of long-balloon PTCA was 85.2%, and the procedure-related complications were occurred in 12(22.2%) lesions. Restenosis was revealed in 9(50%) of 18 lesions which were evaluated with follow-up coronary angiography. CONCLUSION: Above results suggest that PTCA using a long-balloon angioplasty catheter is efficacious in dilation long segment stenosis of coronary artery with a low complication rate.
Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Arteries ; Atherectomy ; Atherosclerosis ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Lasers, Excimer ; Myocardial Infarction ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: Coronary sinus(CS) electrode catheter has been used ad a very useful mapping and guiding tool in catheter ablation of the left-side atrioventricular pathway(AP). Recently, it was reporter that single catheter approach of catheter ablation of the manifest left-side AP was feaside with a comparable success rate but shorter fluoroscopy time, compared with the standard approach. This study was performed to evaluate the role of CS electrode catheter in catheter avlation of the lefr-side AP. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-five consecutive patients(43 men, 22 women) with a single left-side AP were included in this study. The first 32 patients underwent catheter ablation with an eletrode catheter in CS(CS+ group: 19 men, 13 women: 42.3+/- 14.6 years) and the later 33 patients with no electrode catheter in CS(CS- group: 24 men, 9 women: 38.8+/- 14.1 years). APs were localized by mapping the CS in CS+ group or by mapping the mitral valve annulus in CS- group with a 4mm-tipped deflectable catheter(7F, Webster or EPT). Radiofrequency energy(RF) was delivered unipolarly at a fixed power of 30-50 volts or 30-60 seconds. AP location, succes rate, number of RF applications, fluoroscopy time, and complications were compared between 2 group. RESULTS: APs were located at the left posteroseptal wall in 2(6.2%), left posterior wall in 5(15.5%), left posterolateral wall in 3(9.3%), left lateral wall in 18(56.3%), left anterolateral wall in 4(12.5%) in CS+ group. In CS- group, there were 6(18.2%) left posteroseptal, 2(6.1%) left posterior, 5(15.2%) left posterolateral, 12(36.4%) left lateral, 8(24.2%) left anterolateral AP with no significant difference in the distribution of the APs between 2 groups. The proportions of concealed and manifest APs wrer similar in 2 groups(17/15 vs. 19/14). Twenty-eight(87.5%) of 32 APs in CS+ group and 30(90.9%) of 33 APs in CS- group were successfully ablated showing no signigicant difference in the succes rates between 2 groups. The numbers of RF applications to ablate the APs were similar between 2 groups(3.9+/-3.4 vs. 3.5+/-2.9). Total fluoroscopy times wrer also similar between 2 groups(54.3+/-33.5 minutes vs. 47.2+/-21.4 minutes). There were no major conplications in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency catheter ablation of the left-side APs may be successfully performed without using a CS electrode catheter as a guide in diagmosing and localizing left-side APs.
Catheter Ablation* ; Catheters* ; Coronary Sinus* ; Electrodes* ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve

BACKGROUND: Coronary stents are effective in the treatment of acute complications after angioplasty and the prevention of restenosis. However, complications may arise posttreatment, the major cinical problems are stent thrombosis and restenosis. All coronary stents are imported from western countries and are not covered by medical insurance in Korea. Korean stents should be developed to reduce patient's economic burden. METHODS: We placed five Maximum Arterial Re-Creation (MAC) and five Palmaz-Schatz (PS) stents in ten porcine coronary arteries. Stent and artery diameter ratio was 1.3 : 1.0. Follow-up coronary angiogram and histopathologic examinations were performed four weeks after stent overdilation injury. RESULTS: All of the stented arteries were patent on follow-up coronary angiograms. Angiographic diameter stenosis was 23.1+/-9.2% in MAC stents and 18.5+/-12.3% in PS stents and pathologic area stenosis was 35.6+/-11.4% in MAC stent and 39.8+/-9.9% in PS stent at 4 weeks after stenting, which were not different between two stents. Maximal intimal thickness (0.28+/-0.12 vs. 0.36+/-0.17mm) and neointimal area (1.83+/-1.01mm2 vs. 1.50+/-0.65mm2) were not different between MAC and PS stent. CONCLUSIONS: MAC stents are as effective as PS stents in the prevention of stent restenosis in a porcine stent restenosis model.
Angioplasty ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Vessels ; Follow-Up Studies ; Insurance ; Korea ; Stents* ; Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation of accessory pathways using radiofrequency(RF) energy was recently introduced to cure accessory pathway related tachyarrhythmias. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory pathways and to determine factors influencing the outcome of catheter ablation. METHODS: Electrophysiology study was performed with standard technique and catheter ablation of accessory pathways using RF and conventional ablation technique. The outcome of RF catheter ablation were evaluated according to the location and the overtness of accessory pathways. Eighty patients(Mean +/-SD age, 36+/-15 years ; 50 male, 30 female)comprising 49(61%) with Wolff-Parkinson-White(WPW) syndrome and 31(39%) with atrioventricular reentry tachycardia(AVRT) using concealed bypass tract underwent RF catheter ablation for total of 85 accessory pathways in the Chonnam University Hospital. Five(6.3%) patients had multiple accessory pathways. RESULTS: Seventy-nine(92.9%) out of 85 pathways and all the pathways in 75(93.8%) out of 80 patients were ablated successfully. The success rate showed no significant difference between patients with overt accessory pathways and patients with concealed accessory pathways(92.0% vs. 93.9%). However, the success rate in right free wall location(72.7% of 11) was significantly lower than that in the other sites (95.9% of 74, p<0.05). More attempts were tried to ablate right-sided accessory pathway than left-sided pathways(6.4+/-24.1 vs. 3.8+/-6.8, p<0.05). Three(3.8%) pathways recurred within 30 minutes after the initial successful ablation. Four(5.1%) pathways recurred from 16 hours to 7 months after completion of the initial successful ablation session during the mean follow-up period of 43+/-24 weeks(range, 2-84 weeks). This late recurrence was more frequent, although statistically insignificant, in right-sided accessory pathways(11.1% vs. 3.3%, p=0.22). All 4 recurrent pathways(1 at the same session, 3 at the repeated sessions) reattempted for ablation were successfully ablated. As procedure-related complications, second degree AV block developed in a patients with mid septal and posteroseptal pahways and hemopericardium in a patients with a left anterolateral pathway. CONCLUSION: RF catheter ablation of atrioventricular accessory pathways is very effective and safe, with a success rate of 93.8% and a complication rate of 2.5%. Right-sided accessory pathways are more difficult to ablate than left-sided accessory pathways, requiring the development of a better technique for right free wall pathways.
Ablation Techniques ; Atrioventricular Block ; Catheter Ablation* ; Catheters* ; Electrophysiology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Male ; Pericardial Effusion ; Recurrence ; Tachycardia

BACKGROUND: One of most important mechanisms of coronary stent restenosis is neointimal hyperplasia. Although the process of neointima formation is not fully understood, a special role has been advocated for adherent platelets. Previous studies have shown a clear benefit with combined antiplatelet therapy such as aspirin plus ticlopidine in reducing the rate of thrombotic occlusions of stented vessels. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of duration of antiplatelet regimens on coronary stent restenosis. METHODS: After successful placement of coronary artery stents in 222 patients, we performed follow-up coronary angiograms in 99 patients (42.3%). Forty-six patients were randomly assi-gned to receive aspirin and ticlopidine for four weeks (Group I: 54+/-9 years: M 38, F 8) and 48 patients for 6 months (Group II: 58+/-8 years: M 38, F 10). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in clinical and procedural variables or coronary lesion characteristics before and after stenting. At 6 months after stenting, minimal luminal diameter was 2.16+/-0.93mm in Group I and 2.04+/-1.07mm in Group II (p-0.57). Late lumen loss was 0.80+/-1.07mm in Group I and 0.92+/-1.11mm (p-0.58) in Group II. The stent restenosis rate of Group I at 28.3% and that of Group II at 29.2% were not statistically significant between the two groups (p-0.92). CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic duration of combined antiplatelet regimen with aspirin and ticlopidine after coronary stent does not affect stent restenosis rate.
Aspirin* ; Coronary Vessels ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Neointima ; Phenobarbital ; Stents* ; Ticlopidine*