OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to observe the radiographic changes of lumbar facet joints by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in conservatively and operatively treated groups of patients with herniated intervertebral disc, and to compare the biomechanical effects to lumbar facet joints according to the treatment methods. METHOD: The patients composed of 20 conservatively treated control group and 40 operatively treated group who had disc herniation at lower lumbar spine. Follow-up MRIs were performed in order to assess the radiographic changes of intervertebral disc and lumbar facet joints, such as disc degeneration, lumbar facet joint angle and tropism in either treatment groups individually. RESULTS: There are significant increase in lumbar facet joint angle in operatvely treated group at the level of both L4/5, right L5/S1 compared to that of conservately treated group, but the disc degeneration and facet joint tropism were not changed after treatment in both groups. There's no relationship between treatment period and each parameters. CONCLUSION: The radiographic biomechanical lumbar facet joint changes on MRI seems to be related to degenerative change of lumbar facet joint in operatively treated group with a lumbar disc herniation. Therefore, careful selection of optimal operation time and criteria would be important.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spine ; Tropism ; Zygapophyseal Joint*

No abstract available in English.
Lasers, Gas ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

Schwannomas are benign nerve sheath tumors that can originate at any anatomic sites. These tumors are usually soitary, benign, and slow-growing masses attached to large nerve trunks. These tumors have been described as arising in the pelvic retroperitoneum. We present two cases of pelvic retroperitoneal Schwannomas with a brief review of literatures.
Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Neurilemmoma*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery compared with conventional radical surgery in stage Ib1 cervical cancer as to operative complications, the rate of lymph node metastasis, recurrence and overall five-year survival rates. METHODS: The study materal (98 cases of stage Ib1 cervical cancer) was divided into two groups; The one group was neoadjuvant chemotherapy (Cisplatin + 5-FU) followed by radical surgery (n = 41) and the other was the conventional radical surgery (n = 57) group. Reviewing records of operative and pathological reports and clinical findings, the outcome was statistically analyzed and compared. RESULTS: As to the complication, bladder dysfuntion was more frequent in neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, statistically significant.(43.9% vs 22.8%, P=0.034). No significant difference was found in the incidence of lymphnode metastasis (17% vs 17.5%, P=0.779) and overall five year survial rates(85.3% vs 87.7%, P=0.735). CONCLUSION: No benefical effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy could be found on stage Ib1 cervical cancer in this retrospective study. However, well controlled longterm prospective study will be need to get firm conclusion.
Drug Therapy* ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Postpartum thyroid dysfunction occurs in 5-10% of women within one year after delivery. Women with hypothyroidism antedating pregnancy are at high risk for postpartum thyroiditis and should be closely monitored during the first year post-partum. Here, we report a case of recurrent hyperthyroidism between two episodes of postpartum thyroiditis in a woman diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism prior to pregnancy. It is of particular interest that spontaneously remitting hyperthyroidism as a sequela of postpartum thyroiditis can occur.
Female ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism* ; Hypothyroidism ; Postpartum Period* ; Postpartum Thyroiditis* ; Pregnancy ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*

No abstract available.
Eosinophils* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Skin*

PURPOSE: Iron deficiency, particularly iron deficiency anemia(IDA) often not only decreases athletic performance but also impairs immune function and leads to other physiologic dysfunctions. This study was designed to assess and compare iron status and the IDA prevalence in female adolescent athletes with those of general adolescent students. METHODS: Physical measurements and hematologic examinations were performed for adolescent female runners(n=32), non-runner athletes(n=78) and apparently healthy students(n=511). Iron deficiency was defined as a serum ferritin concentration <12 ng/mL. The diagnosis of IDA was established when hemoglobin level <12 g/dL was associated with ferritin <12 ng/mL and/or transferrin saturation <16%. RESULTS: The prevalence of ID in the runners' group(40.6%) was significantly higher than that of the non-runner athletes' group(23.1%) and the control group(25.4%). The prevalence of IDA in the runners' group was 31.3%, which was significantly higher than that of the non-runners' group and the control group(7.7% and 16.4%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IDA of Korean adolescent females was relatively high, especially, in female adolescent runners. Screening for anemia and iron status is warranted. It is important to measure for iron nutrition and to enforce effective nutritional education in these groups.
Adolescent* ; Anemia ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency* ; Athletes* ; Athletic Performance ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Female* ; Ferritins ; Humans ; Iron* ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence ; Transferrin

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the craniofacial patterns of Korean children with snoring and adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) could be categorized into characteristic clusters according to age. METHODS: We enrolled 236 children with snoring and ATH (age range, 5–12 years) in this study. They were subdivided into four age groups: 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, and 11–12 years. Based on cephalometric analysis, the sagittal and vertical skeletal patterns of each individual were divided into Class I, II, and III, as well as the normodivergent, hypodivergent, and hyperdivergent patterns, respectively. Cluster analysis was performed using cephalometric principal components in addition to the age factor. RESULTS: Three heterogeneous clusters of craniofacial patterns were obtained in relation to age: cluster 1 (41.9%) included patients aged 5–8 years with a skeletal Class I or mild Class II and hyperdivergent pattern; cluster 2 (45.3%) included patients aged 9–12 years with a Class II and hyperdivergent pattern; and cluster 3 (12.8%) included patients aged 7–8 years with a Class III and hyperdivergent pattern. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the craniofacial patterns of Korean children with snoring and ATH could be categorized into three characteristic clusters according to age groups. Although no significantly dominant sagittal skeletal discrepancy was observed, hyperdivergent vertical discrepancy was consistently evident in all clusters.
Age Factors ; Child* ; Cluster Analysis* ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Snoring*

No abstract available.
Electrocardiography* ; Family Practice* ; Humans

Diabetes mellitus is a common disorder and presents in different ways. Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint, especially in middle-aged or older-aged men. While it is widely accepted that diabetics have an increased propensity to develop infections, a diagnosis of osteomyelitis of the humerus as the etiology of constant shoulder pain might be delayed, as occurred in this case study, until patients' develop clear signs of infection. Here, we describe a case of subacute osteomyelitis as the first physical symptom of diabetes; the possibility of osteomyelitis should therefore be investigated in all patients with diabetes mellitus who develop joint or bone-related pain.
Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Humerus ; Joints ; Male ; Osteomyelitis* ; Shoulder Pain