The authors retrospectively reviewed the operative cases of 28 patients with lower cervical spine injury from August 1991 to July 1996. Data from charts were reviewed the following clinical parameters, e.g.) etiologies, neurologic findings, degrees of recovery, managements including operative treatments, and complications. The lower cervical injury was most common in men in the third decade. The most common cause, mechanism and site of lower cervical injury were motor vehicle accidents, flexion type injury and C5-6 respectively. The head trauma was frequently combined. In most cases operation for stabilization was done around two weeks after the trauma, but for decompression purpose it was done before two weeks. Three patients who had complete neural injuries died due to pneumonia, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A neurological recovery rate was high in incomplete neural injury group. In conclusion, early reduction and decompression of spinal canal in incomplete neural injury group is favorable for good recovery. Careful attention should be paid on the patient with complete injury for the development of serious complications such as upper gastrointestinal bleeding, ARDS and pneumonia.
Craniocerebral Trauma ; Decompression ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Vehicles ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; Spine*

Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a distinct type of systemic small vessel vasculitis affecting small sized vessels with few or no immune deposit and no granulomatous inflammation. Cause or pathogenetic mechanism of MPA has been unknown but association with silicon or silica exposure or pulmonary silicosis has been reported rarely and supports hypothesis that environmental factors are important modulating or triggering factors of the vasculitis in the indivisual who may be genetically predisposed. We report a case of microscopic polyangiitis with underlying pulmonary silicosis in 43 year-old male. He was admitted due to hemoptysis, dyspnea, fever and bilateral pulmonary infiltration with underlying small nodular densities in whole lung field and egg-shell calcification of both hilar areas. Laboratory findings showed hematuria, proteinuria and rapid deterioration of renal function. Renal biopsy revealed focal segmental necrotizing glomerulonephritis with early cellular crescents accompanied with membranous glomerulonephropathy and perinuclear-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody was positive. Under the diagnosis of MPA, he has been managed with high dose steroid, cyclophosphamide and hemodialysis. Chest infiltration decreased and hemoptysis and hypoxia was improved but renal function was not recoverd and he needed regular hemodialysis continuously.
Adult ; Anoxia ; Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous ; Hematuria ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Male ; Microscopic Polyangiitis* ; Proteinuria ; Renal Dialysis ; Silicon ; Silicon Dioxide ; Silicosis* ; Thorax ; Vasculitis

Choroidal osteoma is a benign ossified tumor that is found predominantly in healthy young women during their second and third decades of life. The lesions are white-to-cream or orange in color, are located in the peripapillary and macular areas, and are unilateral in most patients. The symptoms of choroidal osteoma include decreased visual acuity and metamorphopsia or scotoma corresponding to the location of the osteoma, but some patients have no symptoms. Prognosis of vision varies according to tumor location, retinal pigment epithelial and sensory retinal degeneration, subretinal fluid and hemorrhage, and development of a subretinal neovascular membrane.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/*administration & dosage ; Choroid Neoplasms/*complications/diagnosis ; Choroidal Neovascularization/diagnosis/*drug therapy/etiology ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Middle Aged ; Osteoma/*complications/diagnosis ; Photochemotherapy/*methods ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors ; Visual Acuity

Stenosis or occlusion of large arteries after radiation are rare. The authors report a case of internal carotid arterial occlusion after radiation therapy. The patient was 45 year-old female. She received postoperative radiation therapy, a total dose of 4940cGy, to treat the remnant tumor after transsphenoidal surgery for the asymptomatic nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma. She suffered intermittant ischemic symptoms from 18 month after radiation therapy, and died with global infarction due to stenotic occlusion of the internal carotid artery at 30 month after surgery. Endocrine or vascular complications occasionally follow radiation therapy of pituitary tumor. But with improved therapies for pituitary tumors and hypopituitarism, patients are expect to live longer. Yet we must consider another delayed complication of radiation induced carotid arterial disease. As a whole, hemispheric transient ischemic attacks, amaurosis fugax, and seizure are the major presenting symptoms and signs. In such a case, it is important to consider the possibility of radiation induced arterial stenosis, and prompt cerebral angiography and proper management are mandatory.
Amaurosis Fugax ; Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Stenosis ; Cerebral Angiography ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Humans ; Hypopituitarism ; Infarction ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Middle Aged ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Seizures

BACKGROUND: H. pylori-associated gastrointestinal diseases have been widely recognized. The aim of this study was to investigate the seropositivity of H. pylori in health check-up subjects and to find out the relating factors. METHODS: From November 2004 through June 2005, total 7,676 health check-up subjects (age > or =20) responded to the self administered questionnaires. The prevalence of H. pylori was assessed by measuring anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies. RESULTS: The overall seropositivity was 56.7% in 7,676 and 1,137 (14.8%) has been found to have history of H. pylori eradication therapy. The seropositivity rate of H. pylori was 61.3% (2,653) in 4,328 subjects without history of H. pylori eradication and current gastrointestinal symptoms. Seroprevalence of H. pylori was significantly lower in 20~29 years old, female, high income and subjects from Seoul respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The seropositivity of H. pylori in 2004~2005 is found to be 61.3% in subjects without history of H. pylori eradication and current gastrointestinal symptoms. This seems to be lower than 66.9%, the seroprevalence rate in asymptomatic Korean population in the age of > or =16 years in 1998. This decrease might be caused by improvement of socioeconomic status.
Antibodies ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Social Class ; Surveys and Questionnaires