BACKGROUND: Pap smear is well known as a useful method for early detection of the cervical cancer and known to be widely performed by women. But the cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Korean women until now. So we surveyed to find out the status of womens practice and the result of Pap smear. METHODS: A questionnaire was filled up by the 270 women who had taken Pap smear from June to July in 1994 at the department of family medicine of Kyung Hee Medical Center. The family physicians gynecological findings at Pap srnear and the results of Pap smear were obtained. Af ter then we analyzed the data by SAS(Statistical Analysis System). The data which were not answered at each item were excluded in the analysis of each item. RESULTS: Among the 270 women, thirties were 98 persons(36.3%), forties were 115 persons(42.6%). The women who had never been taken Pap smear before were 34.6%. At the age performed Pap smear first, 30-39 years old was most common as of 39.8%. In the interval of Pap smear among the performed, 2 years interval was 36.8%. The medical facility usually being performed Pap smear was obstetrics and gynecological clinic as of 49.7%. At the opinion of int,erval which they think they should take Pap smear, the women answered that 1 year interval was appropriate were 50.7% and the opinions of the experienced group were statistically different from those of the non-experienced group(P<0.01). Gynecological findings showed normal in 74.8%, the cytological results of Pap smear showed class I as of 88.9%, class II 6.3%, class III 4.4% and class IV 0.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Almost of them knew correctly the appropriate interval of Pap smear they should take, but the practice rate was very low. They had good results in the final cytological results of Pap smear, but the cervical cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in Korean women until now. So they should continuously get public informations and be educated to take Pap smear at the appropriate interval for the reduction of death due to cervical cancer.
Female ; Humans ; Obstetrics ; Physicians, Family ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Carbamazepine is a derivative of iminostilbene with carbamoyl group and related chemically to the tricyclic antidepressants. Carbamazepine has been introduced for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Recently it is used as an antiepileptic agent such as diphenylhydantoin. Antiepileptic drugs are known to affect experimentally induced cardiac arrhythmia and are now widely used clinically for treatment of ventricular tachyarrhythmias, particularly those produced by digitalis intoxication. Steiner et al. (1970) reported that carbamazepine was found to be very effective in converting ventricular tachycardia due to digitalis toxicity to normal sinus rhythm. Clinically bradycardia, complete heart block, ventricular standstill and Adams-stokes attack were reported in the course of carbamazepine treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of carbamazepine on the ouabain-induced arrhythmia in vivo. The rabbits of either sex, weighing from 1.6 to 3.2 kg were anesthetized by urethane. After the trachea was cannulated, the rabbits were ventilated with room air using a respirator. Drugs were given into polyethylene cannula in the femoral vein. Blood pressure were recorded by physiograph via pressure tranducer connected with the cannula in the femoral artery. EKG were recorded by physiograph via electrode implanted in both fore leg and left hind leg. The results are summarized as follows 1. Arrhythmia was induced by continuous infusion of ouabain (65±8.8 µg/kg). 2. Single administration of ouabain (64 µg/kg) induced arrhythmia which was persisted for 7-8 min. 3. Ouabain induced arrhythmia was restored to normal sinus rhythm by administration of carbamazepine (the more dosage, the less frequent and the longer duration). 4. Severe bradycardia, A-V block, atrial fibrillation were seen on the EKG after injection of carbamzepine alone. By the above results, it may be concluded that carbamzepine inhibits the ouabain-induced arrhythmia by dose-dependent.
Anticonvulsants ; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Carbamazepine* ; Catheters ; Digitalis ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Femoral Artery ; Femoral Vein ; Heart Block ; Leg ; Ouabain ; Phenytoin ; Polyethylene ; Rabbits* ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Trachea ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; Urethane ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Scleredema is a rare scleradematosis of unknown cause involving the face, neck, upper portion of the trunk, and proximal upper extremities. The clinical features of the disease are nonpitting indurated edema or stiffness of the neck, which may be sudden or insidious in onset. Diabetes mellitus and its complications have been frequently described to be associated with this disease. We present a case of scleredema developed on the nape, upper portion of the back and shoulder in 60-year-old man who had been suffered from diabetes mellitus for the past ten years.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Edema ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Scleredema Adultorum* ; Shoulder ; Upper Extremity

BACKGROUND: Erythema multiforme is an inflammatory disorder of the skin which may be characterized by erythematous papules, plaques, vesicles, and 'target-like' annular lesions. Mucosal lesions may occur. Symmetric irivolvement of the extrernities, especially the dorsurn of the hands and feet, and face is the classic pattern of cutaneous distribution. Palmoplantar lesions of erythema multiforme are relatively uricornmon. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the clinical and histopathological characteristics of erythema multiforme involving the palm and sole. METHODS: Thirty one cases of erythema multiforme involving the palm and sole, and thirty cases involving other sites wer collected and analysed with particular reference to epidemiological data, type and distribution of the skin lesion and histopathological characteristics. RESULTS: 1. The median ages of both groups were the early thirties. There were no sexual predominances. 2. The clinical features of erythema multiforme involving the palm and sole were relatively mild and showed atypical skin lesions including macules and papules compared with erythema multiforme involving the other sites. 3. The histopathological changes of the palmoplantar group were also mild, especially the epidermal changes which included keratinocytes necrosis, subepidermal blisters, focal parakeratosis, extensive epidermal necrosis and xocytosis etc. 4. The most important and consistent histopathological finding of the palmoplantar erythema multiforme group was lymphocyte tagging along the basernent membrane, which was found consistently apart from one case. CONCLUSION: We investigated the clinical and histopathological features of erythema multiforme involving the palm and sole. They showed mild clinical features and atypical skin lesions cornpared with other group. The histopathological spectrum of this group was diverse, and reflected the early stage of pathomecha nisms of erythema multiforme. Among them, lyrnphocyte tagging was the most important and censistent finding in palmoplantar erythema multiforme.
Blister ; Erythema Multiforme* ; Erythema* ; Foot ; Hand ; Keratinocytes ; Lymphocytes ; Membranes ; Necrosis ; Parakeratosis ; Skin

Background: The normal references for acetabular parameters are important for the diagnosis of hip diseases and planning of total hip arthroplasty. There are wide interindividual differences in acetabular morphology in the normal population, and little is known about differences in acetabular morphology in the average South Korean population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate side and sex differences in acetabular morphology in the South Korean population. Methods: The acetabular parameters, including anteversion angle, abduction angle, center-edge angle, acetabular width and depth, and acetabular-head index, were measured on three-dimensional computed tomography images in 197 healthy Korean adults. Differences in acetabular parameters according to side and sex were evaluated. Results: The mean acetabular anteversion angle of men and women was 17.3° ± 5.2° and 20.1° ± 3.5°, respectively. The mean acetabular width of men and women was 61.5 ± 4.6 cm and 56.5 ± 4.0 cm, respectively. There were significant sex differences in acetabular anteversion angle (p = 0.001) and acetabular width (p = 0.036) when adjusted for age, body height, and weight. The mean acetabular width of the right side and the left side was 60.2 ± 5.2 cm and 57.8 ± 4.5 cm, respectively. There were significant side differences in acetabular width (p = 0.007) when adjusted for age, body height, weight, and sex. Conclusions Differences and reference ranges of acetabular parameters are important for the diagnosis of acetabular deformity, such as femoroacetabular impingement and acetabular dysplasia. Moreover, these differences and reference ranges are useful for preoperative planning and safe positioning of acetabular components in total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we examined body image perception and dissatisfaction with weight and height in children and adolescents, according to age and body mass index. Additionally, we compared our findings with those of previous studies concerning eating disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In July and August 2008, 1,501 students were sampled from elementary, middle, and high schools in Ulsan and assessed using self-completion questionnaires. We used the Korean version of the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) to screen for eating risk groups. Participants were stratified by grade, gender, and body mass index. RESULTS: 1) Dissatisfaction with height, weight, and body image was greater in the older group. 2) Dissatisfaction with weight and body image was greater in the heavier group. 3) EAT-26 scores and the number of individuals at high risk for eating disorders were higher in the female group than in the male group. CONCLUSION: The EAT-26 score in this study was similar to those found in previous Western studies. 2) There were a number of high-risk individuals in the female group, with a tendency toward earlier presentation. Continuous health management and prevention programs are required.
Adolescent ; Body Image ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Eating ; Feeding and Eating Disorders ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of proximal plantar fasciitis after nonoperative treatment, and also to find the correlation of the heel pain with the plantar fascia thickness measured by ultrasonography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on 41 patients, 46 feet of the proximal plantar fasciitis that were treated conservatively with at least 12 months follow-up. All were treated with heel pad, Achilles and plantar fascia stretching and pain medications for at least 3 months. Heel ultrasonography was performed at the beginning of the treatment to measure the plantar fascia (PF) thickness and the echogenicity. PF thickness over 4 mm and less were grouped in to group A and B respectively to compare the clinical outcome. RESULTS: Average thickness of the PF at the calcaneal attach was 5.2 mm. Symptom duration before the treatment was average 13.2 month; group A being 14.6 months and group B being 9.0 months with no significant difference (p=0.09). As functional evaluation, Roles-Maudsley score improved from 3.4 initially to 2.3 at final follow-up, while morning heel pain also improved from average VAS pain score of 7.2 to 4.0. However Maudsley and VAS score both didn't show statistical difference between the 2 groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Plantar fasciitis improved substantially with the nonoperative treatments. However, the 2 groups, divided according to 4 mm thickness by ultrasonography, didn't show significant difference in either symptom duration or in the clinical outcomes.
Fascia ; Fasciitis, Plantar ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Heel ; Humans

PURPOSE: Emergency medical service (EMS) providers often care for pregnant women at risk for out-of-hospital delivery and born-before-arrival neonates. As the increase in mortality and morbidity from out-of-hospital delivery is well established, this study sought to determine whether a delivery and neonatal care education program could impact the knowledge and practice of EMS providers. METHODS: EMS providers working in the southeast Gyeonggi province in South Korea received an education program for out-of-hospital delivery and neonatal care. The program consisted of a pretest, didactic, mannequin training, and posttest. Six months after the education program a follow-up survey was administered. A paired t-test was then used to compare pretest and posttest scores. Overall, 56 EMS providers completed the study. RESULTS: The pretest average score was 80.4 and the posttest average score was 92.9 (p<0.001). The percentage of correct answers on each question was relatively and equally elevated in the posttest, regardless of the participant's certification. Participants expressed their satisfaction with the education program and this appraisal was maintained in the 6-month follow-up survey. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that EMS providers can benefit from a didactic and training session regarding out-of-hospital delivery and neonatal care. Further studies are needed, however, to develop the reliability and validity of the test and to determine its clinical applications.
Certification ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Education* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Manikins ; Mortality ; Pregnant Women ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare surgical outcomes after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to tumor size using a large, nationwide cancer registry-based cohort and propensity score matching. Methods: From 2008 to 2015, a total of 12,139 patients were diagnosed with liver cancer and registered in the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry. Patients without distant metastasis who underwent hepatectomy as a primary treatment were selected. We performed 1:1 propensity score matching between the small (<5 cm), large (≥5 cm and <10 cm), and huge (≥10 cm) groups. Results: Overall, 265 patients in the small and large groups were compared, and 64 patients each in the large and huge groups were compared. The overall and progression-free survival rates were significantly lower in the large group than in the small group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Overall survival tended to be poorer in the huge group than in the large group (P = 0.051). The progression-free survival rate was significantly lower in the huge group than in the large group (P = 0.002). Conclusion Although primary liver resection can be considered even in patients with huge HCC, greater caution with careful screening for recurrence is needed.

PURPOSE: In recent years, many psychological problems in patients with stomas have been addressed in a number of studies. But there are only a few studies that use objective measures to take into account self-appraisal by patients with permanent or temporary stomas. The aim of this study is to compare the psychological attitude of patients with permanent and temporary stomas and to determine the most appropriate psychological supportive care. METHODS: Sixty-five patients, who received a stoma between January 2009 and March 2012, were classified into two groups with either permanent or temporary stomas and were observed prospectively. We developed a questionnaire with the aid of a psychiatrist to analyze the grade of psychological attitude of self-appraisal of patients. The questionnaire was categorized into three parts; body image scale, self-esteem scale, and depression scale. Patients responded to the questionnaire 4 weeks after the operation and the answers of each group were compared. RESULTS: Out of 65 patients, 42 received temporary stomas and 23 received permanent stomas. There was no significant mean difference between permanent and temporary stoma patients in the body image scale, the self-esteem scale, and the depression scale. However, patients with a permanent stoma tended to have a worse body image and lower self-esteem on some specific items within the questionnaires. CONCLUSION: Patients with stomas have negative attitudes toward themselves and some meaningful differences were found between different types of stoma applied. Surgeons should be concerned about postoperative psychological support for patients with stomas.
Body Image ; Depression ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation* ; Humans ; Ostomy ; Prospective Studies* ; Psychiatry ; Self Concept ; Surveys and Questionnaires