Although wound healing is a natural biologic process by which the homeostasis is preserved, the resultant hypertrophic scar or scar contracture may produce undesirable morphologic and functional sequelae. To overcome these problems, a number of attempts to produce skin substitute have been made in recent years, but none have proved to be entirely satisfactory. We compared the wound healing of full-thickness dorsal skin defects between ADM(acelluar dermal matrix)-applied wound and ADM non-applied wound group in 20 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. The wound area was serially evaluated at 1,2,3 weeks and the difference in the mean area ratios between the two groups was then statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon rank sums test. We also performed histological evaluation of the wounds at 1,2,3 weeks. Results were as follows: 1. Experimentally produced ADM was easy to handle. Histologic findings showed no epithelium, no appendages, no cells dermal and subcutaneous layer and pure bundles of collagen. 2. The wound area ratio of ADM applied wound group was statistically larger than that of ADM non-applied(control) wound group. That is, ADM was able to inhibit the wound contraction compared with the ADM non-applied wound group. 3. In the ADM-applied group, we observed low grade exudates, no infection, fine take-up of ADM on full-thickness skin defect, gross and histologic findings of neovascularization, and progressive epithelization on ADM. These findings of biologic attachment implies the function of the ADM as a dermal substitute. These can be basis of the study on the development of artificial skin.
Acellular Dermis* ; Adult ; Animals ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Collagen ; Contracture ; Epithelium ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin* ; Skin, Artificial ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Female

No abstract available.
Dinoprostone* ; Suppositories*

Dentocutaneous fistula of the face neck is an infrequent manifestation of chronic dental infection. A periapical dental abscess may be initiated by disease, trauma, or thermal or chemical injury and develops into an extensive necrosis of surrounding tissue. Diagnostic errors can result in multiple excision, biopsies, and ineffective long-term antibiotic therapy. Awarness that periapical dental abscess is the most common etilolgic factor of cutaneous sinus tracts involves the face & neck will facilitate their early diagnosis and prevent needless treatment or anxiety for the patient. From 1994 to 1998, we have performed 6 cases of dentocutaneous fistula. Among of them, three were men and the others were women, age ranged from 18 to 66-year-old, and morbidity period was from 3 weeks to 3 years, the follow-up period ranged from 5 to 18 months (mean period 11 months). In conclusion, an understanding of the pathogenesis of cutaneous fistulae arising from dental infections will lead to proper early diagnosis and treatment without unnecessary surgery.
Abscess ; Aged ; Anxiety ; Biopsy ; Cutaneous Fistula ; Diagnostic Errors ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fistula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Necrosis ; Unnecessary Procedures

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the meaning of experiences in home visiting nursing service among the elderly in community provided by nursing students. METHOD: This is a phenomenological study to investigate the experience of community-based patients. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from the 4th of March to the 15th of December 2003. Individual interviews were conducted with 8 patients on subjective experiences. Data were analyzed through Colaizzi's method, in which meaningful statements were extracted. RESULT: Four categories were identified from nine theme clusters. The four categories were 'thankfulness', 'dependence', 'sorrowfulness' and 'the sense of being'. CONCLUSION: These results show the importance of visiting nursing service for the elderly in community.
Aged* ; House Calls* ; Humans ; Life Change Events ; Nursing Services* ; Qualitative Research ; Students, Nursing

A 70-year-old female Patient was admitted due to the impression of lung abscess via local clinic. Chest P-A showed air shadow containing huge mass lesion in the right lower lung field, pericardio phrenic angle. But the patient complained of only mild upper respiratioy tract infection symptoms and the laboratory tests were within normal limits. Barium enema and chest C-T taken right after barium enema were performad in suggesting of the diaphragmatic hernia. Barium tilled transverse colon and associated omentum were in the right anterior hemithorax surrounded by the hernial sac. The mass lesion shown in the chest P-A was compatible with the diaphragmatic hemia, Morgagni type. Operative reduction of the herniated bowel and simple closure of the diaphragm was performed.
Aged ; Barium ; Colon, Transverse ; Diaphragm ; Enema ; Female ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Abscess ; Omentum ; Thorax*

The retinal vascular changes and the results of treatment were studied in five incontinentia pigmenti patients. All patients were female and had a mean follow-up of 4 1/2 years (7 months~7 1/2 years). Abnormal retinal vascular changes included peripheral avascular retina, retinal and preretinal neovascularization, and dilated, tortuous retinal vessels. Two of them were treated; one received a cryotherapy and the other a laser photocoagulation to the avascular retinal area and showed regression of abnormal vessels. At last follow-up, no eye developed retinal detachment, but traction of the peripheral retina by a vitreous band was visible in three patients. One showed a degenerative macula and an atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium in the papillomacular bundle area. Our result suggests that incontinentia pigmenti eyes may show retinal vascular changes very similar to that in retinopathy of prematurity, and can be effectively treated by destroying an avascualr retina if indicated.
Atrophy ; Cryotherapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incontinentia Pigmenti* ; Light Coagulation ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Retinal Vessels ; Retinaldehyde* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Traction

Perigraft seroma is uncommon complication of polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) grafts applied as an arteriovenous shunt for hemodialysis. It is a collection of clear, sterile fluid confined to nonsecretory fibrous pseudomembrane, most commonly localized around the middle and distal portion of graft. The possible etiologic factors of perigraft seroma include poor graft incorporation, mechanical graft damage caused by alcohol and povidone-iodine, intraoperative streching of the graft, variations in quality control at the time of manufacture and contributing factors such as anemia and coagulopathy in uremia. The best strategy for management of perigraft seroma is not clear. spiration or drainage alone is not effective, and some authors advocate graft removal. We report a case of perigraft seroma around arterial end of PTFE graft along with a brief review of the literatures.
Anemia ; Drainage ; Humans ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Povidone-Iodine ; Quality Control ; Renal Dialysis* ; Seroma* ; Transplants ; Uremia

BACKGROUND: The importance of the determination of cell viability has prompted the development of several assays of viability that utilize the exclusion of certain dyes by viable cell membranes. Recently, flow cytometry has been adapted to estimate cell viability by using fluorescent dye which is excluded by living cells on the basis of altered dead cell properties. OBJECTIVE: We have developed a flow Cytometric method for measuring cell viability after staining with propidium iodide (PI) and have compared it with the classical colorimetric method, MTT assay, which is currently widely used in cytotoxicity assays in the research field. METHODS: We performed flow cytometry and MTT assay for the comparison of the sensitivity of the assessment of cell viability. RESULTS: Decrease of cell viability was measured by flow cytometry with the addition of as little as 0.002% Triton-X 100 in comparison to MTT assay which could only reveal a similar decrease of cell viability with the new method to 0.008% Triton-X 100. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate this new method to be more sensitive and simple for the assessment of cell viability.
Cell Membrane ; Cell Survival* ; Coloring Agents ; Flow Cytometry ; Methods* ; Propidium*