We describe cytologic findings of two cases of pilomatrixoma which had been cytologically misdiagnosed as suspicious malignant and malignant lesions in 35 year-old and 22 year-old females who presented a palpable neck mass. The cytologic smears showed many basaloid cells with a high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, nuclear hyperchromatism and prominent nucleoli, keratinized squamous cells with pyknotic nuclei, foreign body giant cells, and chronic inflammatory cells in necrotic background. Retrospective view of this aspiration smear revealed that these findings were characteristic features of pilomatrixoma, and the evenly distributed chromatin pattern as well as the lack of nuclear pleomorphism were considered to be the differential points from malignant neoplasm. Pilomatrixoma is a benign neoplasm which should be included in differential diagnosis if the fine needle aspiration cytologic smear of a neck mass or subcutaneous mass of any site showed these features.
Female ; Humans ; Diagnosis, Differential

The development of the microvascular surgery revolutionalized the reconstructive surgery of the lower ext tremity. Especially, the defects of the heel and sole, the weight bearing area, were quite difficult and complicate to reconstruct by conventional methods. Many papers reported successful resurfacing the heel pad by free cutaneous or myocutaneous flaps. However, only few reports were conceming the late results of the reconstructed free flaps. The authors studied the histological and histochemical changes of the free flaps under the weight bearing stress in 10 cases. 1. The authors reconstructed 10 cases of the heel pad defects by dorsalis pedis free Aaps (5 cases) and latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps(5 cases). 2. Before transfer, the homy layer was very thin(about 0.16–0.2 mm) and had an arrangement of basket-weave pattem in both flaps. Until one year after transfer, this layer was wom out (0.02–0.08mm) However, after one year, this layer became thick (0.05–0.7 mm) and the arrangement was compact in both free flaps. 3. The granular and prickle cell layers were also increased in thickness after one year. 4. In the suprabasilar area, friction blisters were observed before one year, especially in latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. However, they slowly disappeared after one year and then the epidermis was stabilized. 5. In the dermis, the contents of the amyloid and acid mucopolysaccharides were increased up to the level of those of the normal heel pad in both flaps. 6. As a conclusion, the transferred free flaps were in distress before one year. But after one year, they began to adapt well histologically and histochemically to the weight bearing stress.
Amyloid ; Blister ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Friction ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Heel ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Weight-Bearing

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outcome of asthma treatment has traditionally been assessed by measuring the conventional clinical parameters such as symptoms, expiratory flow rates and needs for medications. But none of them tells us whether the patients are actually able to function properly in their lives. Only assessment of the quality of life (QOL) can reflect the parts of patients lives affected by the disease. However, there is no measure to assess the quality of life of patients with any chronic diseases in Korea yet. We developed the QOL Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics and evaluated its measurement properties. METHOD: The questionnaire was composed of 18 items in four domains : i.e. activity limitation (6 items), symptoms (5 items), emotional function (3 items) and environmental stimuli (4 items). At our out-patient clinic, 32 adults with moderate to severe persistent bronchial asthma were enrolled. The study design consisted of 4 week unblinded single cohort with visits at 0 and 4 weeks, and the patients were asked to answer the questionnaire by self administration method at the two separate visits. Forced expiratory volume for 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded at each visit. According to the patients and physicians global assessment, the patients were divided into two groups, i.e. stable and changed (improved). The responsiveness, reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. RESULTS: The total QOL scores at the second visit in the changed group were significantly higher than those at the first visit. The score differences between the two visits in the changed group were higher than in the stable group. In the stable group, the responses to the questionnaire were reproducible. The QOL scores showed good longitudinal correlation with the expiratory flow rates, whereas FEV1 did not correlate with the QOL in cross-sectional analysis. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire proved to be reproducible, responsive and valid in the subjects. It could be recommended for the outcome evaluation of Korean asthmatics.
Adult ; Asthma ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Quality of Life* ; Self Administration ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Sepsis*

BACKGROUND: Urticaria pigmentosa(UP) is primarily a disease of children. There have been no clinical studies of UP in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to find the clinical characteristics of UP in Korean child-hood patients. METHOD: Twenty-nine cases of urticaria pigmentosa confirmed clinically and histopathologically were analyzed. RESULTS: The maculopapular type was the most common with the usual age of onset before the age of 6 months, and the lesions tended to be distributed in the central portion of the body. Darier sign was positive in 92% of the patients(24/26). No systemic involvements were detected in any of the patients with minimal associated symptoms. Seven patients of the maculopapular type and one patient of the multiple nodular type followed up for more than 2 years showed a tendency to improve or clear by the age of 6 years. CONCLUSION: Neonatal or infantile-onset patients of UP in Korean pediatric population were considered to have a benign clinical course and to require no aggressive therapy.
Age of Onset ; Child* ; Clinical Study* ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Urticaria Pigmentosa* ; Urticaria*

So many modalities have been suggested for the treatment of servere pain and ankylosis of the elbow with destruction of the articular surfaces. Among them, two major methods which have been widely used are resection arthroplasty and prosthetic replacement arthroplasty. However prosthetic replacement arthroplasty has some problems. Its indications are limited in the elderly inactive subjects. And there have been many kinds of complications including loosening and infection. Also, resection arthroplasty in now rarely indicated due to severe instability. From July 1980 to July 1987, we tried distraction arthroplasty in 8 cases of elbow with severe destruction of its articular surfaces, mainly in the young active persons. The average follow-up period was 45 months. The effect of distraction arthroplasty on relief of pain was not remarkable. The average increase in ROM, including that of one reankylosed elbow, was 51 ±22 degrees in flexion-extension and 48 ±23 degrees in pronstion-supinstion. No deep wound infection and instability which was main complication of resection arthroplasty were observed with our method of distraction arthroplasty. On the basis of functional results, the the results were excellent in 4, good in 1, fair in 2 and poor in 1 cases. In conclusion, distraction arthroplasty of the elbow can be one of the of effective methods reconstruction for the young active patients with the destruction of the elbow, if they are intelligent and motivated.
Aged ; Ankylosis ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Wound Infection

OBJECTIVES: A significant number of patients who had a previous surgical treatment in the hip area experience subsequent hip fracture (SHF) on the opposite side. This study aims to analyze the risk factors and the correlation between osteoporosis and SHF on the opposite side by measuring bone mineral density (BMD) and treatment provided by risedronate for the prevention of SHF. MATERIAL & METHODS: We studied 475 patients without treatment who had unilateral hip and included following: death, SHF, alcoholism, living alone, dementia, dizziness, health status, osteoporotic treatment after fracture and BMD from March 1997 to June 2006. We selected 26 patients with SHF and the other 26 patients without SHF who had similar age, sex, BMI, BMD, diagnosis, treatment and follow up. The average follow up was 6.4 years (4~12 years) and 6.2 years (4~12 years).
Alcoholism ; Bone Density ; Dementia ; Dizziness ; Etidronic Acid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Risk Factors ; Risedronate Sodium

PURPOSE: A significant number of patients who have experienced previous surgical treatment for an osteoporotic hip fracture experience a subsequent hip fracture (SHF) on the opposite side. This study aims to analyze the risk factors and the correlation between osteoporosis and SHF on the opposite side in order to assess the usefulness of bisphosphonate treatment for the prevention of SHFs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 517 patients treated from March 1997 to April 2009 in this study. The inclusion criteria included previous unilateral hip fracture, without osteoporotic treatment, and a T-score less than -3.0 at the time of the fracture. We studied these patients in terms of death, SHF, alcoholism, living alone, dementia, dizziness, health status, osteoporotic treatment after fracture and bone mineral density (BMD). In total, 34 patients experienced a SHF. We selected another 34 patients without a SHF who had similar age, sex, body mass index, BMD, diagnosis, treatment and a follow up period for a matched pair study. We compared these two groups. The average follow up was 8.3 years and 8.1 years, respectively. RESULTS: The mortality rate of the 517 patients was 138 (27%). The BMD at the time of fracture demonstrated no statistical difference between the two groups (p>0.05). Nine patients (26%) within the SHF group were prescribed Risedronate and 18 patients (53%) received the same treatment in the non-SHF group. There was a statistical relationship with the treatment of osteoporosis (p=0.026). The average BMD of patients with SHF was -5.13 and -5.02 in patients without SHF was (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Although primary surgical treatments are important for an excellent outcome in osteoporotic hip fractures, treatment of osteoporosis itself is just as important for preventing SHFs.
Alcoholism ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip Fractures ; Hip* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Osteoporosis ; Risedronate Sodium ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the complication and recurrence rates in patients undergoing trocar-guided mesh implant for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) treatment. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed based on the medical records of patients who had undergone mesh implant by one surgeon from May 2006 to August 2013 at the Presbyterian Medical Center in Korea. We evaluated perioperative complications such as bladder injury, mesh exposure, urinary symptoms, infections, and chronic pelvic pain. Recurrence was defined as a POP-quantification system stage ≥II or any symptomatic prolapse. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients were evaluated, and the mean age of patients was 65.4±7.2 years. Stage ≥III POP-quantification Ba was noted in 61 patients (91%). Intraoperative complications included three cases of bladder injury (4.5%). The mean follow-up period was 44.1±7.9 months. Postoperative complications occurred in seven women (10.5%): four cases of urinary symptoms (6%), two cases of infections (3%), and one case of chronic pelvic pain (1.5%). Mesh exposure did not occur (0%). Prolapse recurrence was reported in five patients (7.5%). CONCLUSION: Based on our operational result, the trocar-guided mesh implant seems to provide safe and effective outcomes.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse* ; Pelvic Pain ; Postoperative Complications ; Prolapse ; Protestantism ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Mesh ; Urinary Bladder

Angiomyofibroblastoma is a distinctive, hitherto uncharacterized, benign soft tissue tumor of the vulva with histology similar to an aggressive pelvic angiomyxoma. It can be distinguished from an aggressive angiomyxoma by its circumscribed borders, higher cellularity, more numerous blood vessels, the frequent presence of plump stromal cells, minimal stromal mucin, and rarity of erythrocyte extravasation. We experienced a case of angiomyofibroblastoma of the vulva occurring in a 45-year-old woman. The lesion was a well-defined but not encapsulated mass, 4.5x4.2 cm. Histologically the mass was characterized by alternating hypercellular and hypocellular edematous zones in which abundant blood vessels were irregularly distributed. Immunohistochemically, the spindled, plump spindled, and oval stromal cells were reactive for vimentin and desmin, but not for cytokeratin, or S-100 protein.
Female ; Humans