The use of autologous fat with microlipoinjection is one of soft tissue augmentation and recently has been popular with the advent of tumescent liposuction. We performed this method successfully in 41 patients with atrophic, depressive change in the hands as a sequelae of Hansen's disease. Microlipoinjection using autologous fat has proven to be a safe and effective procedure for correcting tissue defects without significant complications.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Lipectomy

To affect the complete closure of the eyelids in leprosy patients with lagophthalmos, we have used various surgical methods to avoid using the temporalis transfer method. Although widely accepted as the most effective treatment for the chronic lagophthalmos patient, the temporalis transfer method creates a simultaneous involuntary closure of the eyelids while biting or chewing. This side effect creates a social stigmata which former leprosy patients wish to avoid. As a result, we have attempted to identify the most effective treatment which will also eliminate this involuntary closure of the eyelids during biting or chewing. In the upper eyelid, we performed gold plate implantation and levator muscle severing. In the lower eyelid, lateral tarsal strip, permanent medial tarsorrhaphy, horizontal shortening, cartilage grafting and alloderm graft have all been used in the treatment of ectropion. Based on our treatment of multiple patients, we now believe medial tarsorrhaphy supplemented with the various other methods mentioned above are insufficient to achieve the desired result of complete closure of the eyelids. As a result, we are now looking to a modified temporalis transfer procedure to ensure complete closure of the eyelids without the eye closing side effect.
Cartilage ; Christianity ; Ectropion ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Leprosy ; Mastication ; Transplants

Phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) is a Mycobacterium leprae-specific antigen, and the antibodies to the antigen may suggest an M. leprae infection. To compare the M. leprae infection among the populations, we compared the seropositivity and average O.D. of anti-PGL-I IgM antibodies among controls, workers in the leprosy control program offices and foreigners in Korea, the seropositivity of anti- PGL-I antibodies were 3.7% among controls, 7.8% among workers with occupational exposure and 13.6% among foreigners and the average O.D. of anti-PGL-I antibodies were 0.055 among controls, 0.065 among workers and 0.102 among foreigners. And a slightly difference was noted in the seropositivity rate and average O.D. of anti-PGL-I antibodies between children under 9 years old (0%, 0.029) and persons over 10 years old (1.97-6.38%, 0.046-0.065).
Antibodies* ; Child ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M* ; Korea* ; Leprosy ; Mycobacterium leprae* ; Mycobacterium* ; Occupational Exposure ; Phenol* ; Prevalence*

Among many reported applications of detection of antibodies to phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) of Mycobacterium leprae, seroprevalence may turn out to be very useful as an indicator of the magnitude of leprosy problem in its control program. Recently, simple tests for the detection of antibodies to PGL-I have been developed. As an effort to assess meaning of qualitative test for anti-PGL-I antibodies, we compared enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an immunochromatographic assay (ICA) using PGL-I neoglycoconjugate antigens for detection of antibodies in sera from 165 leprosy patients and 746 healthy controls. The upper limit of normal control O.D. in ELISA was 0.236, and the sensitivity of ICA was 56.4%, and its specificity was 93.9%.
Antibodies* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunochromatography* ; Leprosy* ; Mass Screening* ; Mycobacterium leprae ; Phenol ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Serologic Tests*

This study was attempted to explore the effect of laughter therapy on Hansen people's Interpersonal Relations, certify the effect, and use that as a useful means to improve Hansen people's interpersonal ability. The research method, Hansen people receiving outpatient and admission medical examination and treatment at the research institute of Korea Hansen Welfare Association located in Euiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, and Hansen People residing at Razaro Village, and divided 60 people approving participation at research into 30 as an experimental group and 30 as a control group, and conducted a questionnaire survey. The sex was distributed to 30 males, and 30 females, and this study conducted a laughter therapy to 30 of the experimental group over 8 times in total by 60 minutes for 2 weeks, and for the collected data, analyzed changes to interpersonal relations revealed before and after conducting the laughter therapy program using IBM/SPSS 20.0 program. The major findings of this study are as follows. Verification of effects of a laughter therapy on Hansen people' interpersonal relations indicated that the interpersonal scores of the experimental group statistically came out high, so the laughter therapy is effective in improving Hansen people' interpersonal relations. {Pre-test (M = 3.21) and post-test (M = 3.79) of the results showed a statistically significant difference (p<.001)}. It clarified that the laughter therapy is effective improving males' and females' interpersonal relations, where it has a higher effect on female Hansen people than male people. {(males : pretest (M = 2.93) and post-test (M = 3.48), females : pre-test (M = 3.45) and post-test (M = 4.07}
Academies and Institutes ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations* ; Korea ; Laughter Therapy* ; Laughter* ; Leprosy* ; Male ; Outpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires

According to the reports, the prevalence of anti-HCV is about 3%. In past, the results of the high prevalence of anti-HCV in the patients of Hansen's disease were reported. So we study about the Status of Hepatitis C of persons affected Hansen's disease. The prevalence of anti-HCV is 16%(persons affected Hansen's disease: total), 23%(live in settlement village) and 4.1%(live in home). Positivity of RT PCR is 37.8% in HCV-Ab-positive persons affected Hansen's disease. Statistical signification in age and duration of illness of Hansen's disesae between HCV-Ab-positive cases & HCV-Ab-positive case is found (P<0.01, P<0.01).
Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do* ; Leprosy* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to prove the effectiveness of professional maintenance care to the periodontal disease by non-surgical approach with the toothpick method to improve the periodontal health. METHODS: The patients of this study were composed of 46 patients( 18 men and 28 women), suffering from chronic adult periodontitis, who had visited the department of dental clinic center. All of the subjects were over 50years old and be treated just by non-surgical method. Professional maintenance care using the toothpick method was performed every 3 months, and evaluations were also done after 1, 2, and 3 year-professional maintenance care based on the indices such as plaque index(O' Leary index), periodontal probing pocket depth, bleeding on probing, tooth mobility, the number of tooth loss, and the rate of tooth loss representing the state of periodontal health. RESULTS: 1. The longer the maintenance care, the more the effectiveness of controlling plaque. The rate of decrease in the dental plaque index was 1.5%, 4.2%, and 6.5% in 1, 2, and 3 year maintenance groups respectively(P>0.05). 2. The periodontal pocket depth decreased depends on the severity of periodontal pocket depth in all groups the maintenance years(P<0.05). 3. On the evaluation of the bleeding tendency on probing, there was a significant difference in 1 year- maintenance group(P<0.05), but the other groups did not show any difference statistically(P>0.05). 4. Tooth mobility has decreased in the maintenance years, but did not show any difference statistically(P>0.05). 5. The number and the rate of tooth loss among the patients of 1year-maintenance group was 0.38, 1.44% respectively and that of 3 year-maintenance group was 0.44, 1.73% each. CONCLUSION: The results of this study mentioned above suggest that professional maintenance care should be operated effectively to prevent and to maintain the periodontal disease systematically on the purpose of proving the quality of life, and that it could be applied to the medical insurance system in other to try to make the most of the adult oral health care positively.
Adult ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Plaque Index ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Insurance ; Male ; Methods ; Oral Health ; Periodontal Diseases* ; Periodontal Pocket ; Periodontitis ; Quality of Life ; Tooth Loss ; Tooth Mobility

BACKGROUND: Ulnar nerve palsy in patients with Hansen disease causes hand wasting and atrophy. To masquerade these deformities, patients injected paraffin or silicone into the lesions, which results in paraffinomas. Several years later, painful inflammation, ulceration or abscesses may develop in the paraffinomas. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of paraffinomas in patients with Hansen disease, and to evaluate and compare the effects of various surgical treatment methods of paraffinomas. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with paraffinomas were randomized to receive debridement(curettage) with primary closure, skin graft, skin flap, or second intention at the hospital of Korean Hansen Welfare Association from 1998 to 2012. We analyzed retrospectively the final cosmetic results of three methods, primary closure, skin graft, and skin flap, in 33 patients with more than 6 months follow-up. The final results were classified into 4 grades, excellent, good, fair, and poor. RESULTS: Of 57 patients, the ratio of male and female was 42:15 and the average age was 73 and 71 years repectively. The location of the lesions was the hand and wrist in 54 patients and the face in 3. The total number of procedures was 72 and that of 3 methods was 55. In 33 patients, 19 showed above fair grades and the recurrence rate was 42%(14/33). There were no serious postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Wide and thorough curettage as debridement was very important to reduce recurrence and the primary closure was most efficient in consideration of an old age of patient, simplicity of procedure and cosmeosis.
Abscess ; Atrophy ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Curettage ; Debridement ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intention ; Leprosy* ; Male ; Paraffin ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Silicones ; Skin ; Transplants ; Ulcer ; Ulnar Neuropathies ; Wrist

BACKGROUND: Nerve conduction study(NCV) in elderly patients is considered as a useful diagnostic tool for elderly patients with peripheral neuropathy. OBJECTIVE: Here the author investigates parameters of NCV in elderly Hansen patients out of Sorokdo hospital and compares them with those of healthy elders. METHODS: The author enrolled 28 patients who were visiting OPD for surgical wound care. Out of them 8 patients were dropped off because of hypersensitive response to the test stimulation or having failed to attatch the electrodes on severely deformed hands and fingers. Consequently parameters of NCV such as latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity in upper extremities of 20 patients were investigated and compared with those of healthy elders at similar age range. RESULTS: The patients were 12 in male and 73 years old on the average. In sensory nerve study, the parameters for median nerve showed 5.52+/-3.5msec in latency, 23.01+/-16.71uV in amplitude, and 29.03+/-13.16m/s in conduction velocity. For ulnar nerve, 5.82+/-3.76, 19.48+/-11.51, and 27.61+/-13.19 respectively. In motor nerve study, parameters for median nerve showed 9.35+/-1.64, 3.45+/-2.03, 47.95+/-9.91 respectively. And for ulnar nerve, they were 9.13+/-1.20, 2.95+/-2.50, and 43.70+/-7.24 respectively. In comparison with healthy elders, latency for Hansen patients was prolonged longer, lower amplitude, and also slower nerve conduction velocity. CONCLUSION: This study was performed for elderly Hansen patients for the first time demestically. Even the results may not be generalized for the whole Hansen patients because of the limited number of study cases and not being standarized according to the grade of disability, this study may be considered as a useful reference for further NCV for Hansen patients.
Aged ; Electrodes ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Male ; Median Nerve ; Neural Conduction* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Ulnar Nerve ; Upper Extremity ; Wounds and Injuries

Osteoporosis has become a rapidly social burden for public health in South Korea, but the lack of study on osteoporosis of persons affected Hansen's disease. For the evaluation of the prevalence of osteoporosis of persons-affected Hansen's disease, we investigated a bone mineral density (BMD) of persons affected Hansen's disease who live in the settlement villages. 1,125 subjects(male: 462, female: 663 & MB: 743, PB: 382) were included, and the mean age was 72.2 +/- 8.3 years. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 67.8% and that of osteopenia was 26.7%. The T-score and Z-score of MB type patients showed a significantly lower compared with that of PB type patients(T-score: p=0.014, Z-score: p=0.018).
Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Leprosy* ; Osteoporosis* ; Prevalence* ; Public Health ; Republic of Korea