PURPOSE: The corneal change induced by refractive procedures influence both the postoperative refractive status and the ocular spherical aberration (SA). We evaluated changes in corneal SA after three types of surface ablation: phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK), myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and myopic wavefront-guided laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). METHODS: Twenty-six eyes (25 patients) were subjected to PTK 26 eyes (14 patients) to PRK, and 34 eyes (17 patients) to wavefront-guided LASEK. Corneal SA was measured with the iTrace in all patients both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Six months after surgery, mean corneal SA was -0.173 +/- 0.171 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.672 +/- 0.200 micrometer in the PRK group, and 0.143 +/- 0.136 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. The mean difference between the preoperative and postoperative corneal SA (DeltaSA) was -0.475 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.402 micrometer in the PRK group, and -0.143 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. CONCLUSIONS: Surgically induced changes in corneal SA vary with procedure. The prediction of the pattern of SA change induced by various surface ablation procedures may be helpful for developing future surgical procedures.
Adult ; Aged ; Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary/*surgery ; Corneal Wavefront Aberration/*surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myopia/*surgery ; Photorefractive Keratectomy/*methods ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: The corneal change induced by refractive procedures influence both the postoperative refractive status and the ocular spherical aberration (SA). We evaluated changes in corneal SA after three types of surface ablation: phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK), myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and myopic wavefront-guided laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). METHODS: Twenty-six eyes (25 patients) were subjected to PTK 26 eyes (14 patients) to PRK, and 34 eyes (17 patients) to wavefront-guided LASEK. Corneal SA was measured with the iTrace in all patients both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Six months after surgery, mean corneal SA was -0.173 +/- 0.171 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.672 +/- 0.200 micrometer in the PRK group, and 0.143 +/- 0.136 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. The mean difference between the preoperative and postoperative corneal SA (DeltaSA) was -0.475 micrometer in the PTK group, 0.402 micrometer in the PRK group, and -0.143 micrometer in the wavefront-guided LASEK group. CONCLUSIONS: Surgically induced changes in corneal SA vary with procedure. The prediction of the pattern of SA change induced by various surface ablation procedures may be helpful for developing future surgical procedures.
Adult ; Aged ; Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary/*surgery ; Corneal Wavefront Aberration/*surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myopia/*surgery ; Photorefractive Keratectomy/*methods ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Humans ; Thrombocytosis

PURPOSE: To predict the accuracy of preoperative refractive error measurement methods in wavefront-guided laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) surgery and to formulate a nomogram for satisfactory surgical results. METHODS: The medical records of 30 patients (57 eyes) who had undergone wavefront-guided LASEK were reviewed. The ideal surgical ablation amount was defined as the sum of the real surgical ablation amount and the remaining refractive errors. Comparison between the ideal surgical ablation amount and preoperative refractive errors was made using autorefraction, manifest refraction, cycloplegic refraction, postcycloplegic refraction, wavescan, and iTrace aberrometer measurements. RESULTS: The refractive errors measured by the postcycloplegic refraction showed the closest relation with the ideal surgical amount, and the nomogram based on this refraction correlated statistically significantly with the ideal surgical ablation amount. The refractive error using the wavescan also showed more accurate refractive measurements than the autorefractor and iTrace aberrometer. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate manifest refraction immediately before surgery is the most important in determining the ablation amount. Additionally, the refractive errors measured with the wavescan, which is an aberrometer used for wavefront-guided LASEK, showed a minimal amount of errors. After reviewing the results, the nomogram based on these 2 methods can be concluded to possibly contribute to an increase in the accuracy of surgery.
Humans ; Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted ; Medical Records ; Nomograms ; Refractive Errors

The present study was designed to observe the expression patterns of NF-kappa B and AP-1, redox-sensitive transcription factors, and Bcl-2 and Bax, apoptosis repressing and promoting factors, respectively, upon repetitive cycles of short ischemia and reperfusion. Nine and thirty five weeks old Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the 3, 6, and 10 cycles of the ischemic process for 5 minutes followed by reperfusion for 5 minutes. The rats were divided by 5 groups, according to the time after treatment, such as 0, 3, 6, 24 and 72 hours. For short ischemia and reperfusion, left common iliac artery was occluded 3, 6, and 10 times for 5 minutes of ischemia followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion using rodent vascular clamps and left rectus femoris muscles were removed. The expression profiles and distribution of NF-kappa B, AP-1, Bcl-2, and Bax which were observed using immunohistochemical staining methods with 6 microgram thick paraffin sections of the rectus femoris tissue were as follows: The distribution of NF-kappa B was increased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. This phenomenon was prominent in 35 weeks-old rats. The distribution of AP-1 was increased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. This phenomenon was prominent in 9 weeks-old rats. The distribution of Bcl-2 was decreased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. The extent of such reduction was more prominent in 35 weeks-old rats than 9 weeks-old rats. The distribution of Bax was increased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. After 3 hours of treatment, Bax positivity was gradually decreased in 9 weeks-old rats, but increased in 35 weeks-old rats to reach a peak at 24 hour after reperfusion. The extent of enhancement in 9 weeks-old rats was higher than that in 35 weeks-old rats. In summary, multiple episodes of short ischemia and reperfusion altered the expression profiles of NF-kappa B, AP-1, Bcl-2, and Bax in the rectus femoris muscle at the similar extents in 9 and 35 weeks-old rats. Such alterations were more more increased when the episodes were more repeated.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemia* ; Muscles* ; NF-kappa B* ; Paraffin ; Quadriceps Muscle* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion* ; Rodentia ; Transcription Factor AP-1* ; Transcription Factors

Amyloidosis is not a single disease entity but a term applied to a complex of disorders associated with deposition of insoluble fibrillar proteins in virtually pure form in various tissues of the body. This disease is encountered sometimes in America or Europe, but rarely in Korea. We had experienced one case of primary cardiac amyloidosis who was admitted to Won Kwang University Hospital due to dyspnea on exertion. This cardiac amyloidosis was confirmed by echocardiogram and endomyocardial biopsy with congo-red stain. We will report a case and review the pertinent medical literature.
Americas ; Amyloidosis* ; Biopsy ; Cardiomyopathies ; Dyspnea ; Europe ; Korea

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of surface ablation with mitomycin C (MMC) for the retreatment of refractive errors following laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratectomy (LASEK). METHODS: In this retrospective clinical study conducted at a single center, we evaluated 23 eyes that received surface ablation with MMC (0.02%, 20 seconds) between 2009 and 2013 for the treatment of residual refractive errors following myopic LASIK and LASEK. All eyes were evaluated for corneal thickness, initial refractive error, time interval to retreatment, amount of retreatment, duration of postoperative topical steroids use as well as uncorrected vision, spherical equivalent and corneal haziness preoperatively and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Initially corrected myopia in the LASIK group was -6.47 +/- 2.17 D and -5.68 +/- 2.51 D in the LASEK group. Mean time between initial and retreatment by surface ablation was 11.88 +/- 5.59 months for LASIK and 14.07 +/- 10.10 for LASEK. Retreat amount was 1.49 +/- 0.36 D after LASIK and -1.65 +/- 0.41 D after LASEK. At postoperative 12 months, uncorrected visions were -0.061 +/- 0.886 (log MAR) in the LASIK group and -0.004 +/- 0.745 (log MAR) in the LASEK group and spherical equivalents were -0.55 +/- 0.56 D in the LASIK group and 0.36 +/- 0.33 D in the LASEK group. Postoperative hazes developed in 1 of 8 LASIK eyes and 3 of 15 LASEK eyes which resolved with application of topical steroid for 2-3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Surface ablation with 0.02% MMC is safe and highly effective for treating myopic regression following LASIK or LASEK. Application of 0.02% MMC for 20 seconds was effective in preventing postoperative haze formation and maintaining stable vision and spherical equivalent at 12 months after retreatment.
Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted* ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Mitomycin* ; Myopia ; Refractive Errors ; Retreatment* ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of surface ablation with mitomycin C (MMC) for the retreatment of refractive errors following laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratectomy (LASEK). METHODS: In this retrospective clinical study conducted at a single center, we evaluated 23 eyes that received surface ablation with MMC (0.02%, 20 seconds) between 2009 and 2013 for the treatment of residual refractive errors following myopic LASIK and LASEK. All eyes were evaluated for corneal thickness, initial refractive error, time interval to retreatment, amount of retreatment, duration of postoperative topical steroids use as well as uncorrected vision, spherical equivalent and corneal haziness preoperatively and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Initially corrected myopia in the LASIK group was -6.47 +/- 2.17 D and -5.68 +/- 2.51 D in the LASEK group. Mean time between initial and retreatment by surface ablation was 11.88 +/- 5.59 months for LASIK and 14.07 +/- 10.10 for LASEK. Retreat amount was 1.49 +/- 0.36 D after LASIK and -1.65 +/- 0.41 D after LASEK. At postoperative 12 months, uncorrected visions were -0.061 +/- 0.886 (log MAR) in the LASIK group and -0.004 +/- 0.745 (log MAR) in the LASEK group and spherical equivalents were -0.55 +/- 0.56 D in the LASIK group and 0.36 +/- 0.33 D in the LASEK group. Postoperative hazes developed in 1 of 8 LASIK eyes and 3 of 15 LASEK eyes which resolved with application of topical steroid for 2-3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Surface ablation with 0.02% MMC is safe and highly effective for treating myopic regression following LASIK or LASEK. Application of 0.02% MMC for 20 seconds was effective in preventing postoperative haze formation and maintaining stable vision and spherical equivalent at 12 months after retreatment.
Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted* ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Mitomycin* ; Myopia ; Refractive Errors ; Retreatment* ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids

BACKGROUND: The angle and depth from the insertion point to the brachial plexus (BP) and C6-7 intervertebral foramen (IF) was examined to prevent critical complications of an interscalene brachial plexus block (ISBPB), such as an epidural or subdural injection of local anesthetics and spinal cord injury. METHODS: Thirty patients (female = 12, male = 18), aged 20-64 years, undergoing shoulder or upper limb surgery were examined. ISBPB was performed at the interscalene groove intersecting the extended transverse line from the cricoid cartilage. A needle was then advanced towards the C6 transverse process (TP) and C6-7 IF under the C-arm fluoroscopic guidance. The depth and angle of the needle path intersecting the sagittal plane from the skin insertion point to BP, transverse process (TP) and IF were measured. RESULTS: The mean depth of the needle from the insertion point to BP, TP and IF were 2.6 +/- 0.3 cm, 3.2 +/- 0.4 cm, 3.7 +/- 0.3 cm in the female patients, and 2.7 +/- 0.3 cm, 3.6 +/- 0.5 cm, 4.1 +/- 0.3 cm in the male patients. The mean angle of the needle path at the same point was 56.0 +/- 7.2o (range, 42.0-65.0degrees), 54.2 +/- 5.8degrees, 53.7 +/- 4.4degrees in the female patients, and 59.3 +/-8.3degrees (45.0-75.0degrees), 54.0 +/- 6.3degrees, 54.9 +/- 4.2degrees in male patients. There were significant differences in the depth from the skin to the TP and IF between males and females. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are expected to provide a guideline for more accurate needle placement and successful block during ISBPB.
Aged ; Anesthetics, Local ; Brachial Plexus ; Cricoid Cartilage ; Epidural Space ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Shoulder ; Skin ; Spinal Cord ; Upper Extremity

BACKGROUND: The angle and depth from the insertion point to the brachial plexus (BP) and C6-7 intervertebral foramen (IF) was examined to prevent critical complications of an interscalene brachial plexus block (ISBPB), such as an epidural or subdural injection of local anesthetics and spinal cord injury. METHODS: Thirty patients (female = 12, male = 18), aged 20-64 years, undergoing shoulder or upper limb surgery were examined. ISBPB was performed at the interscalene groove intersecting the extended transverse line from the cricoid cartilage. A needle was then advanced towards the C6 transverse process (TP) and C6-7 IF under the C-arm fluoroscopic guidance. The depth and angle of the needle path intersecting the sagittal plane from the skin insertion point to BP, transverse process (TP) and IF were measured. RESULTS: The mean depth of the needle from the insertion point to BP, TP and IF were 2.6 +/- 0.3 cm, 3.2 +/- 0.4 cm, 3.7 +/- 0.3 cm in the female patients, and 2.7 +/- 0.3 cm, 3.6 +/- 0.5 cm, 4.1 +/- 0.3 cm in the male patients. The mean angle of the needle path at the same point was 56.0 +/- 7.2o (range, 42.0-65.0degrees), 54.2 +/- 5.8degrees, 53.7 +/- 4.4degrees in the female patients, and 59.3 +/-8.3degrees (45.0-75.0degrees), 54.0 +/- 6.3degrees, 54.9 +/- 4.2degrees in male patients. There were significant differences in the depth from the skin to the TP and IF between males and females. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are expected to provide a guideline for more accurate needle placement and successful block during ISBPB.
Aged ; Anesthetics, Local ; Brachial Plexus ; Cricoid Cartilage ; Epidural Space ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Shoulder ; Skin ; Spinal Cord ; Upper Extremity