PURPOSE: The use of thyroidectomy has increased as a diagnostic technique for thyroid disease. However, performance of a, thyroidectomy is accompanied with complications. Post-thyroidectomy complications include recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, hypocalcemia, hematoma, infection, and thyroid storm. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical incidence and to evaluate complications after a thyroidectomy, including recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, hypocalcemia, hematoma, and scaring, following a retrospective review of cases. METHODS: From July 2004 to May 2006, 661 consecutive patients that had undergone a thyroidectomy were identified. Through a retrospective review, we evaluated the incidence and type of complications, including recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, hypocalcemia, hematoma, and postoperative scaring. RESULTS: 1) Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy was a very serious complication, but had a very low incidence. Eight cases out of 661 cases developed and most of the cases developed after a total thyroidectomy. 2) Hypocalcemia was the most common complication. Each incidence of hypocalcemia of methods of thyroid surgery was significant (P= 0.019) but, thyroid disease did not have significant difference (P=0.071). 3) The incidence of postoperative hematoma was 2.74% (18/655). Graves’ disease was more predominant than other diseases. CONCLUSION: Post-thyroidectomy complications and cosmetic problems include recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, hypocalcemia, hematoma, and postoperative scar. An understanding of the incidence and review of complications after a thyroidectomy may reduce their incidence.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Korean fracture-risk assessment tool (FRAX) model for routine application in women who had a general check-up for bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at a university hospital and comprised 343 patients, whose BMD and clinical risk factors were assessed for FRAX calculation. The 10-year probabilities of hip and major osteoporotic fractures were compared with the result of the FRAX(R) tool (http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX, web version 3.5) applied to Korean models developed at the World Health Organization Collaborating Center with or without femoral neck bone mineral density. RESULTS: The T-score gradually decreased with increasing age. Additionally, the 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture increased with age. However, the probability of hip fracture showed no correlation with age if BMD was not included in the estimation. CONCLUSION: Previous report on patients whose probability of a proximal femoral fracture were calculated using Korean FRAX models produced a higher score than our data because our data involved a general population. A larger general population is needed to confirm the Korean FRAX model. However, our data provide information for physicians to assess the Korean FRAX model in the general female population.
Bone Density ; Female ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur Neck ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Korean fracture-risk assessment tool (FRAX) model for routine application in women who had a general check-up for bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at a university hospital and comprised 343 patients, whose BMD and clinical risk factors were assessed for FRAX calculation. The 10-year probabilities of hip and major osteoporotic fractures were compared with the result of the FRAX(R) tool (http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX, web version 3.5) applied to Korean models developed at the World Health Organization Collaborating Center with or without femoral neck bone mineral density. RESULTS: The T-score gradually decreased with increasing age. Additionally, the 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture increased with age. However, the probability of hip fracture showed no correlation with age if BMD was not included in the estimation. CONCLUSION: Previous report on patients whose probability of a proximal femoral fracture were calculated using Korean FRAX models produced a higher score than our data because our data involved a general population. A larger general population is needed to confirm the Korean FRAX model. However, our data provide information for physicians to assess the Korean FRAX model in the general female population.
Bone Density ; Female ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur Neck ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; World Health Organization

Allogenic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (Allo-PBSCT) is being used to treat hematological malignancies with increasing frequency. Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a complex complication of PBSCT. A 43-year-old woman came to the gynecology clinic for amenorrhea. She had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia 2 years earlier and treated with induction and consolidation chemotherapy. After developing complete remission, she underwent Allo-PBSCT. When she started chemotherapy, her menstrual cycle completely disappeared. Fourteen months after menopausal hormone replacement therapy, it was discovered that her upper vaginal canal was completely obstructed. The lower vagina had an atrophic appearance. We report a rare case of partial vaginal obstruction as a complication of chronic GvHD and review the literature. We expect that this case report provides an opportunity to remind clinician of the gynecologic complications of GvHD.
Amenorrhea ; Consolidation Chemotherapy ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Gynecology ; Hematocolpos ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Menstrual Cycle ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Porphyrins ; Vagina

Lichen sclerosus (LS) refers to a benign, chronic, progressive dermatologic condition that primarily causes anogenital lesions in middle aged women. But LS has been identifi ed in patients of all ages including those in the fi rst years of life. The risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva is 4% to 5% in women with LS, and has been reported to be as high as 7% in some reviews. We recently encountered a case of LS in a post-menopausal woman without hormone therapy. To remind clinicians of the neglected issue of LS, we report a case of LS with literature review.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Female ; Humans ; Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus ; Lichens ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause ; Vulva

The term rete ovarian cyst has been used mostly in animal pathology. Cysts of the ovarian hilus have been reported in experimental animals, but have not received attention in human beings. In the literature review, most women with these cysts were postmenopausal and the cysts were not malignancy. But, there have been some reports of hormonal imbalance associated with these cysts. This article reports the clinicopatholgical findings of a case of ovarian rete cyst in postmenopausal woman with some literature review.
Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Ovarian Cysts ; Ovary ; Postmenopause

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in Bucheon province. METHODS: Two hundred eighty Korean women (average age 41.9, range 21~90 years) were enrolled, who received a regular thinprep pap test and an HPV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) chip test simultaneously at Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Bucheon, from February 2011 to March 2011. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of HPV infection was 33.9% (95/280). The prevalence of HPV infection in postmenopausal women (24.3%) was significantly lower than that of premenopausal women (37.1%, P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence of HPV infection in postmenopausal women was lower than that of premenopausal women, HPV infection is more critical in postmenopausal women as HPV infection in postmenopausal women is more likely to induce cervical cancer than in premenopausal women.
DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Papilloma ; Perimenopause ; Prevalence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Viruses

BACKGROUND: Injury severity scoring systems that quantify and predict trauma outcomes have not been established in Korea. This study was designed to determine the best system for use in the Korean trauma population. METHODS: We collected and analyzed the data from trauma patients admitted to our institution from January 2010 to December 2014. Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) were calculated based on the data from the enrolled patients. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the prediction ability of each scoring system was obtained, and a pairwise comparison of ROC curves was performed. Additionally, the cut-off values were estimated to predict mortality, and the corresponding accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were obtained. RESULTS: A total of 7,120 trauma patients (6,668 blunt and 452 penetrating injuries) were enrolled in this study. The AUCs of ISS, RTS, and TRISS were 0.866, 0.894, and 0.942, respectively, and the prediction ability of the TRISS was significantly better than the others (p < 0.001, respectively). The cut-off value of the TRISS was 0.9082, with a sensitivity of 81.9% and specificity of 92.0%; mortality was predicted with an accuracy of 91.2%; its positive predictive value was the highest at 46.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study were based on the data from one institution and suggest that the TRISS is the best prediction model of trauma outcomes in the current Korean population. Further study is needed with more data from multiple centers in Korea.
Area Under Curve ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Korea ; Mortality ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trauma Centers

In gynecology, endosalpingiosis is a benign condition in which the fallopian tube-like epithelium is found outside the fallopian tube. The thirty-four point five percent of endosalpingiosis cases have concurrent endometriosis and 40% of the endosalpingiosis group are in postmenopausal states. In contrast with endometriosis, there are no significant links between infertility, chronic pelvic pain and endosalpingiosis. The symptoms of endosalpingiosis are not yet settled. Endosalpingiosis is almost always an incidental finding; it is commonly found through microscopic examinations, and is then confirmed by pathologists for excision and biopsy. Therefore, the clinical differential diagnosis of an intramural mass is more important for clinicians when discussing further surgery with the patients. We report case of woman who has endosalpingiosis and is presented with vaginal bleeding. We first suspect the disease during physical examination. Under the impression of pelvic mass, laboratory tests and radiological images of contrast enhanced chest computer tomography are taken. Images show multisepted cystic masses in left adnexa. To rule out the pelvic mass, we executed exploratory laparotomy. Pathologic results show endosalpingiosis near the ovary section. But the endosalpingiosis, is not generally considered a pathology, and thus, no treatment is necessary.
Aged* ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endometriosis ; Epithelium ; Fallopian Tube Diseases ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidental Findings ; Infertility ; Laparotomy ; Menopause ; Ovary ; Pathology ; Pelvic Pain ; Physical Examination ; Thorax ; Uterine Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and hormone therapy (HT) and its duration in postmenopausal women. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on 291 postmenopausal women who had their BMD and follow-up BMD measured in a university hospital. We analyzed BMD, HT types and HT duration according to clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The mean age of the study subjects was 53.7 +/- 5.9 years. HT types and HT duration were not statistically related to improvement in BMD (P = 0.956, 0.483). But osteoporosis in patients with hormone therapy improves bone mineral density showed statistical significance (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: HT types and HT duration did not have any effect on bone mineral density, but further prospective multicenter studies regarding HT should be considered for osteoporosis.
Bone Density ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies