The Ilizarov fixator allows significantly more axial motion at the fracture site than the conventional monofixators. But the transfixing wires have inevitable problems of soft tissue impalement. Therefore the Rancho mounting technique, replacing the transfixing wires with half pins, has become a common place. But the increment of the axial stiffness secondary to replacing transfixing wires with half pins has not been defined clearly yet. The authors measured the axial stiffness of the Ilizarov fixator and two different configurations of the Rancho frame. The group I frame was the Ilizarov fixator composed of four rings and two transfixing wires on each ring. The group II frame was the Rancho frame and it was constructed same as the Ilizarov frame but a transfixing wire was replaced with a half pin from two central rings respectively. The group III frame was another type of Rancho frame which was constructed same as the second group but the remaining transfixing wire was replaced with a half pin from the two central rings respectively. The axial stiffness of the Group I , II and Group III frames were 71.54+/-7.21N/mm, 89.65+/-6.42N/mm, 101.01+/-7.92N/mm respectively. The axial stiffness difference between the Group I frame and the Group II frame was statistically significant(p<0.01). Also the difference between the Group I frame and the Group III frame was statistically significant(p<0.01). This study shows that the replacement of two transfixing wires with two stainless half pins resulted in significant increment of the axial stiffness of the Ilizarov frame.

The characterization of genetic variation at the level of DNA has generated significant advances in gene mapping and disease diagnosis, and forensic identification of individuals. It is now possible to identify individual DNA from various tissue specimens, like hair, using the PCR and oligonucleotide probes. To date, however, the number of hairs needed, the preservation conditions, and the kinds of hair suitable for DNA extraction have not been well known. We performed DNA extraction using hairs from different body sites, using different numbers of hairs, under various different preservation conditions to investigate the acquisition conditions of DNA data from hair using PCR and specific HLA-DQA probe. HLA-DQA genotyping of DNA extracted from peripheral blood was performed to compare the results of hair and blood HLA-DQA genotyping from individuals. The results are as follows: 1) The concentration of DNA extracted from a single strand of hair is 5.23+/-0.54 g/ml. It is possible to extract sufficient DNA for HLA-DQA genotyping from a single strand of hair. 2) DNA concentration is different according to body site. Concentrations are 7.01+/-0.33 g/ml in scalp hair, 6.28+/-0.29 g/ml in axillary hair, and 6.10+0.24 microgram/ml in pubic hair. 3) There is no difference between the electrophortic bands resulting from DNA extracted from the hair of an individual preserved under different conditions, such as room temperature, exposure to sunlight, exposure to low temperature (+4degrees C), or exposure to moisture. 4) There is no difference between the electrophoretic bands resulting from DNA extracted from hair of a single individual preserved for different lengths of time. 5) In an individual, the HLA-DQA genotype obtained from peripheral blood is identical to that obtained from hair. Even though the amout of DNA obtained from hair is limited, it is possible to identify the HLA-DQA genotype of an individual using a single strand of hair. This requires adequate extraction of DNA for PCR analysis using an allele specific probe. We believe that HLA-DQA genotyping using the PCR method on DNA extracted from hair is useful for disease diagnosis and forensic science.
Alleles ; Chromosome Mapping ; Diagnosis ; DNA* ; Forensic Sciences ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Hair* ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Scalp ; Sunlight

Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Prospective Studies* ; Stents*

No abstract available.

Is superselective embolization of the brain AVMs, the possibilities of adjacent normal brain tissue damage necessitates preembolic evaluation. The authors performed the Sodium Amytal test on 15 patients with brain AVMs. In the AVM patients with negative Amytal test(30 cases), all patients showed normal pattern on EEG and neurologic examinations after embolization Among the five patients with positive Amytal test, three cases showed neurologic deficit and the others two didn't. In eleven patients. Repeated embolization without the Amytal test were done. Among them, 5 cases showed neurlogic deficit and the others were quite normal. In conclusion, the Amytal test is a useful method of evaluation of the risk to damage normal brain tissue which are supplied by superselected feeding vessels. Combining the EEG with this test is a sensitive and objective method in evaluating patients following the Amytal test. And it is essential to performed the Amytal test for repeat embolization procedures.
Amobarbital* ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Brain* ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Methods ; Neurologic Examination ; Neurologic Manifestations

No abstract available.
Arthroplasty* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Head* ; Hemiarthroplasty* ; Necrosis*

The authors studied 54 patients (55 cases) of femoral shaft fractures treated by compression plate fixation and IM nailing from August 1986 to December 1991. The purpose of this study is to analyse comparatively the radiological and clinical results between the compression plate fixation and IM nailing in femoral shaft fracture of adult. The obtained results were as follows: 1. Among the 54 patients, the ratio of male and female was 44: 10, and the highest in cidence of age was between 3rd and 4th decades. 2. The main cause of injury was traffic accident in 38 cases. 3. The most common fracture type was B1-② in ten cases by AO-ASIF classification. 4. The mean duration of union was 13 weeks in compression plate fixation by the Koostra's criteria and the average 23 weeks in IM nailing by the Bjorens criteria. 5. The clinical result according to Margerl et al, was good in 25 cases (80.6%) with compression plate fixation and good in 20 cases (83.3%) with intramedullary fixation. 6. Complications of compression plate fixation were metal failure in 2 cases and deep wound infection in 1 case, and 1 case of femur neck fracture during operation and 1 case of metal failure in intramedullary fixation.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adult ; Classification ; Female ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Humans ; Male ; Wound Infection

The thoracic and lumbar spine fractures were usually combined with neurological deficit. But the prognostic factors in degree of neurological damage and process of the recovery are controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors affected neurological injury and the recovery. The 31 cases who had been performed surgical interventions due to traumatic thoracic or lumbar spine fractures with the neurological deficits were studied according to the radiographic findings of the spinal columns and neurological changes of the injured cord and/or the roots. The duration of mean follow-up was 32.6 months, and all cases were evaluated by motor index score and Frankel grade. Total cases were divided into complete paralytic (N=8) and partial paralytic(N=23) group. In incomplete paraplegia group, the neurological recovery rate was better than complete group(P < 0.001) and neurological recovery period was shorter than complete group (P=0.005). The neurologic deficits according to the Frankel grade were higher in Chance fracture, flexion-distraction and translation (complete paraplegia: 4/7 cases, 57.1%) than unstable bursting fracture (complete paraplegia: 4/24 cases, 16.7%)(P=0.031). The recovery rate of Chance fracture, flexion-distraction and translation were worse than unstable bursting fracture (0.001). The fracture which occurred in T5-11 showed higher incidence of complete paraplegia(75%) compared with that of the T12-L1(30.8%) & L2-4(7.1%)(p=0.021). The neurological recovery in motor index score in L2-4 was higher than T5-11 or T12-L1(P=0.0017). There was no correlation in kyphotic deformity and anterior body height loss between complete and incomplete paraplegia groups. But the A-P diameter of compromised neural canal showed significant difference between complete and incomplete paraplegia group(P=0.027)
Body Height ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Incidence ; Neural Tube ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paraplegia ; Spine

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of paucibacillary leprosy is difficult owing to lack of sensitive diagnostic tools. Recently, several investigators have studied the use of polymerase chain reaction(PCR) to detect Mycobacterium leprae. Using nested-PCR the sensitivity and specificity of DNA amplification is considerably improved. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of investigation is to assess the efficacy to nested-PCR which is applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsies material of patients with leprosy. METHODS: Biopsy samples were taken from patients with lepromatous(11 patients) and tuberculoid (10 patients) leprosy, fixed in formalin, and embedded in paraffin. The DNA from samples was extracted and amplified through 25 cycles by using the outside pairs of primer(L1 and L2). The second amplification was allowed to proceed through 15 cycles using inside pairs of primer(L3 and L4). RESULTS: All twenty one samples showed 347-base-pair products. To confirm that the 347-bp product did correspond to the expected portion of the M. leprae groEL gene, the amplified product was digested with Pst I. Pst I digestion yielded 254-and 93-bp fragments, as predicted from the sequence of the M. leprae gene. The sensitivity was that a single organism was identified by nested-PCR. CONCLUSION: The nested-PCR is sensitive, specific, and simple diagnostic tool for leprosy.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Digestion ; DNA* ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Leprosy ; Leprosy, Paucibacillary ; Mycobacterium leprae* ; Mycobacterium* ; Paraffin* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Research Personnel ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Inadvertent application of ionizing radiation, a valuable tool in diagnostic radiology and radiotherapy, results in injury and death of adjacent normal cells, inducing gene mutations or even producing latent cancers. Captopril, an angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, has been reported to prevent the structural and functional changes in variable organs, such as lung and kidney, from radiation injury in different experimental animal models. An experiment was carried out to elucidate the radiation-induced histomorphologic changes of small intestine, especially jejunum, and to determine whether captopril can reduce or prevent the radiation-induced injuries in jejunum. Twenty-six healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Experimental group (n=24) was divided into two large groups: the first one (n=16) was treated with two different single dose (9 Gy, 17 Gy) irradiation only and was sacrificed at 12 hours and at 8 weeks following irradiation; the second one (n=8) received captopril 500 mg/l per oral continuously after same doses of irradiation and was sacrificed at 8 weeks. The control group (n=2) was maintained on a stock diet in a same period of experimental group and sacrificed coincidentally. On light and electron microscopy, the 9 Gy and 17 Gy 12 hours groups revealed frequent apoptosis and necrosis but extremely decreased mitotic figures of the crypt cells. However, the 9 Gy and 17 Gy 8 weeks groups and the combined irradiation with captopril groups showed extremely reduced apoptosis and necrosis with increased mitotic figures. There was good correlation between experimental groups in apoptotic count and mitotic count (p<0.05). In the 9 Gy and 17 Gy 12 hours groups, the mucosal surface was focally or diffusely fragmented and the villi were slightly to moderately distorted. Collagen deposition was very mild and confined to the lower portion of the lamina propria. The 9 Gy and 17 Gy 8 weeks groups showed more severe mucosal surface fragmentation even with foci of erosion, short and distorted villi, and more intense collagen deposition. In contrast, the combined irradiation with captopril groups revealed complete regeneration of the mucosal surface epithelium and absent collagen deposition. These findings suggest that the acute radiation injuries to small intestine occur principally in the mucosal crypt cells. Captopril, the ACE inhibitor, might provide a useful intervention in the radiation injuries of intestinal mucosa.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Captopril ; Collagen ; Diet ; Epithelium ; Intestinal Mucosa* ; Intestine, Small ; Jejunum ; Kidney ; Lung ; Microscopy, Electron ; Models, Animal ; Mucous Membrane ; Necrosis ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Radiation Injuries ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Radiotherapy ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration