BACKGROUND: Keloids and hypertrophic scars are benign fibrous growths which usually occur in predisposed individuals after trauma. Numerous modalities have been used to treat keloids and hypertrophic scars, but the final results have been so far unsatisfactory. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of tlis study was to evaluate the effect of the combination of cryosurgery and intralesional corticoster oid for treatment of these scars. METHOD: Thirty patients, aged 17 to 45 years old, with keloids or hypertrophic scars(mean duration, 6.4 years) were treated using solid CO2 followed by intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide(13.3 mg/ml). Two freeze-thaw cycles per lesion were employed. Freezing time was chosen arbitrarily from 7 to 20 sec depending on the characteristics of each scar. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows. 1. Excellent and good results were achieved in 57% of all subjects on average, 77% of those who were treated more than 3 times, and 48% of those treated less than twice. 2. The keloid of less than 2 years duration showed better results than older ones. 3. No recurrence was seen in 63% of patients, but partial recurrence in 21% of patients and complete recurrence in 10% were observed. Lesions on the trunk showed less improvement (p<0.05) and were more recurrent than other lesions. 4. There were complications in 9 patients, such as hyperpigmentation(6), hypopigmentation(1), infection(1) and telangiectasia(1). CONCLUSION: Cryosurgery and intralesional corticosteroid injections produced synergistic advantages. A cornbination of these modalities might be an effective treatment modality in keloids and hypertrophic scars.
Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Cryosurgery* ; Freezing ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Keloid* ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Triamcinolone

Hemorrhoid and anal fissure are common diseases in Korea. It has been demonstrated that patients with hemorrhoidal disease have increased activity of the internal anal sphincter. The fissure causes increased contraction in the internal anal sphincter, thereby increasing pressure in the anal canal. Many studies have reported differences in the anal canal pressures between males and females. Moreover, some papers have shown that sphincter pressures decrease with age. But the majority of these studies were not specific for the hemorrhoid and anal fissure. Therefore, we studied the effect of age and gender on anal pressure in hemorrhoid and anal fissure. Two hundred ninety six patients with hemorrhoid and sixty eight patients with anal fissure were retrospectively assessed. Anorectal manometry using a radial eight-port catheter was performed during resting and squeezing maneuvers of the anal sphincter. In hemorrhoid reduction in maximal average resting(MARP) and squeezing pressure(MASP) were found from the sixth decade, however in anal fissure reduction in MARP and MASP were found in the third decade. In hemorrhoid significant decrease of MARP and MASP were noted in entire ages of female, however in anal fissure increase of MARP and MASP were noted in fifth and sixth decade of female. In conclusion, in hemorrhoid both resting and squeezing pressure decrease with age in female. In anal fissure both resting and squeezing pressure decrease in third decade and in male with fifth and sixth decade.
Anal Canal ; Catheters ; Female ; Fissure in Ano ; Hemorrhoids* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Manometry ; Retrospective Studies

The presense of the esophageal varices might have a partial machanical obstruction and cushion effect on esophageal lumen due to blood within the varices. It may affect on the motility and acid clearance in the esophagus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acid clearance and the esophageal motility according to the degree of the varices in patients with esophageal varices. We have performed esophageal manometry and acid clearance test in 41 patients with esophageal varices. Esophageal motility disorder was abserved in 29.4% of patients with esophageal varices. The number of swallowing for acid clearance was significantly increased in patients with esophageal varices than control group(23.5 +/- 14.1 Vs 6.1 +/- 1.6, p=0.004). However, there was no significant corelation with form, location, and redcolor sign of the varices. In conclusion, patients with esophageal varices accompanied esophageal motility disorders and delayed acid clearance. This results might be a useful referance data for changes in esophageal motility before and after treatment of esophageal varices.
Deglutition ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Esophageal Motility Disorders ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Manometry ; Varicose Veins

No abstract available.
Fingers*

This study was intended to analyze the relation between the psychic traumatic experience and the psychological health of the aged. The authors carried out this study by means of the combined anxiety-depression scale (CADS) and the preadolescence traumatic experience scale (PTES) with 278 aged men and women residing in Taegu from September to October 1988. The results were as follows: 1. Based on the scores evaluated by CADS, the scores of the both groups showed that comparative group was accounted for 40.15±6.19, while the experimental group for 57.75±6.37, which showed significantly higher score in the experimental group (p<0.001). 2. The experimental group showed significantly higher early experience score than the comparative group in the dietary difficulty, alcoholism among family members, disunion between husband and wife, trouble between mother and children, early mother loss, parent's indifference and unwanted birth (p<0.001). 3. The experimental group showed higher early experience score than the comparative group by sex, age, marital status and grown location (p<0.001). 4. When the subjects were included in the unemployed and in the middle or low classes and their parents were engaged in agriculture and commercial business and believing in buddhism or no-religion, showed higher experience score (p<0.001).
Aged* ; Agriculture ; Alcoholism ; Buddhism ; Child ; Child, Unwanted ; Commerce ; Daegu ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Marital Status ; Mental Health* ; Mothers ; Parents ; Spouses

Colon has the highest bacterial concentration in the gastrointestinal tract. When the colon is perforated, the operator has to decide whether to perform primary closure, resection with anastomosis, proximal colostomy, and exteriorizatoion. In this retrospective study, from October, 1993, through July 1998, 56 patient with panperitonitis due to colon perforation were operated at Ewha womans University medical center. The rectal perforation was limited the intraperitoneal portion. Our cases were divided into two groups. Group I included 34 patients who treated with one step operations of primaryrepair or resection anastomosis. Group II included 22 patients who treated with two step operations of proximal colostomy or exteriorization. The one step operations were performed in 34 patients, proximal colostomy in 21 patients, and exteriorization in 1 patient. There was 13.7% in the incidence of motality and 33.3% in the incidence of morbidity. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the significance of differences between two groups. Independent risk factors for adverse outcomes were compared and used to analyse the probability for adverse outcomes with respect to the mode of treatmen. The mode of treatment was not dependent on the risk factors. These results suggest that one could select positively primary closure or resection with anastomosis for the treatment of patients with panperitonitis due to colon perforation.
Academic Medical Centers ; Colon* ; Colostomy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Natural cytotoxicity mediated by natural killer (NK) cells is believed to play an important role in host anticancer defense mechanisms. The aim of this study is to compare the number of NK cells in patients with colorectal cancer and hemorrhoids, and before and after surgery in patients with colorectal cancer. Twenty colorectal cancer patients and twenty hemorrhoid ones were studied. Venous blood samples were obtained preoperatively, and on the 7th, and 14th postoperative days. Mononuclear cells were isolated over Ficoll-Hypaque gradients, and T cells, B cells, and NK cells were measured with CD3 FITC (T cell), CD 19 PE (B cell), and CD56 FITC (NK cell) antibody, The number of T cell (/mm3) was 1224, 1280, and 1125 at preoperative, 7th, and 14th postoperative day in hemorrhoid patients and 1195, 901, and 1060 in colorectal cancer patients respectively. The number of B cell (/mm3) was 243, 160, and 250 in hemorrhoid patients and 147, 78, and 113 in colorectal cancer patients. The number NK cell (/mm3) was 148, 156, and 143 in hemorrhoid patients and 129, 85, and 128 in colorectal cancer patients. There was no difference among Dukes stages in the number of NK cells. In conclusion, the number of NK cells was not changed in colorectal cancer patients compared with hemorrhoid ones. Major operation changed the number of NK cells in colorectal cancer patients.
B-Lymphocytes ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Defense Mechanisms ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; T-Lymphocytes

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation and Extralobar Pulmonary sequestration are very rare congenital anomalies. We experienced a 4 year-old female patient who had Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation in her lower lobe of left lung. We accidently found extralobar pulmonary sequestration associated with Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation at operation field. The resection of the left lower lobe and the extralobar pulmonary sequestration were performed. The arterial supply of the extralobar pulmonary sequestration was one anomalous artery arised from the thoracic aorta. The Venous drainage of expralobar pulmonary sequestration was intercostal vein into the azygous vein. The patient was discharged without any problem.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Arteries ; Bronchopulmonary Sequestration* ; Child, Preschool ; Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of Lung, Congenital* ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Veins

No abstract available.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Humans ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor*

Synchronous neoplams are uncommon condition but the incidence is now being increased. The situation is rare when these tumors comes from different origin. We experienced the case with synchronous sigmoid colon cancer and anal squamous cell carcinoma with rectal mucosal metastasis. The patient was 61 years old male. He complained of intermittent hematochezia since 3~4 months ago. The patient underwent anterior resection for colon cancer and wide excision for anal squamous cell carcinoma. After surgical operation, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (5-FU + Leucovorin) and radiotherapy were done. In this case, we could preserve the anal sphincter using combined therapy. We think that this type of management may be useful treatment in patients with colon cancer and anal squamous cell cancer simultaneously.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Anal Canal ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colon, Sigmoid* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; Radiotherapy ; Sigmoid Neoplasms