Patterns of branches and distribution of right coronary artery in Korean adult hearts were observed at the viewpoint of newly edited Nomina Anatomica, and the results were as follows. Generally the right aortic sinus had one orifice, but sometimes had two orifices which were related to conal branch. The right coronary artery had mural coronary in 17.5% of cases. In the most of the cases, right coronary artery was dominent, and type 4 was most frequent. Descending septal artery was observed in 17.5% of cases. The atrial branches can be grouped as anterior, posterior and left atrial, and each group was composed of one or two branches when present. In 97.5% of cases, intermediate atrial branch was observed. The sinuatrial nodal artery was originated mostly from right coronary artery. The atrioventriclar branch was observed in 7.5% of cases. The ventricular branches can be grouped as right anterior, right posterior and left posterior, and composed of 3-6, 0-2, and 0-4 branches respectively. Right marginal branch showed great variation, and other branch originated from superiorto to it was found to distribute the apex of the heart. Based on the results, the authors depicts typical arrangement of the rignt coronary artery in Korean.
Adult ; Arteries ; Coronary Vessels* ; Heart ; Humans ; Sinus of Valsalva

No abstract available.
Embryonic Structures* ; Head* ; Humans* ; Neck*

The tricuspid valve is not a simple but a complex structure, tricuspid valve complex. This complex is composed of tricuspid orifice, annulus, valve leaflet, chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. There are flew articles about these structures. The authors studied tricuspid valve complex in 53 cases of normal korean adults, such as circumference of tricuspid annulus, the maximum diameter of the tricuspid orifice, height and breadth of the cusps, including commissures, the ratio of rough to clear zone, the number of scallops of posterior cusp, the number, length and pattern of arrangement of the several types of chordae, the number and morphological characteristics of papillary muscles.
Adult* ; Chordae Tendineae ; Heart* ; Humans ; Papillary Muscles ; Pectinidae ; Tricuspid Valve*

BACKGROUND: Sun exposure and therapeutic irradiation have been shown to induce alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including elastin, glycosaminoglycan and collagens. The integrity of the connective tissue mainly depends on balanced rates of matrix synthesis and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may be involved in ultraviolet irradiation (UVR)-induced alterations in ECM proteins. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of UVA as well as UVB irradiations on ST-1 gene expression in cultured human skin fibroblasts. METHODS: After exposure of different doses of UVA and UVB on cultured human skin fibroblasts, we examined the expression of ST-1 gene by Northern blot analysis, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay with CAT construct containing AP-1 binding site. Additionally, we carried out the gel mobility shift assay to investigate the effects of UVR on the DNA-binding activity of AP-1. RESULTS: After UVR on fibroblasts, the steady-state levels of ST-1 mRNA were in-creased in response to UVA and UVB by 2.5-fold and 4.2-fold, respectively, as compared with controls. Similar results were obtained by CAT assay showing that CAT activity increased as the UVA and UVB doses increased. Furthermore, gel mobility shift assay demonstrated that both UVA and UVB increased AP-1 DNA binding complexes. CONCLUSION: UVB as well as UVA up-regulated ST-1 gene expression at transcriptional levels in vitro. We speculate that modulation of MMPs, including ST-1, gene expression by UVR may contribute to the connective tissue damage related to photoaging and other photocutaneous disorders.
Animals ; Binding Sites ; Blotting, Northern ; Cats ; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; DNA ; Elastin ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Solar System ; Transcription Factor AP-1

We report a case of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis on Rt. forehead and perioral area of 57 year old woman with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and Lt. cerebral infarction. She had large ulcers with yellowish purulent exudates on Rt. forehead and perioral area for 2months. A histopathological examination from the lesion showed numerous encapsulated, round spores and the organisms were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans in a series of fun-gal studies. The patient received a 5-week course of IV and oral fluconazole with resolution of her skin lesion. The patient is free of any lesion several months after completing therapy. This experience supports the use of fluconazole as initial and single therapy in primary cutaneous cryptococcosis.
Cerebral Infarction ; Cryptococcosis* ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Fluconazole* ; Forehead ; Humans ; Skin ; Spores ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Embryonic Structures* ; Humans*

Cervical spine injuries are increasing recently due to increasing traffic accidents. Many patients have been treated with cervical laminectomy but stabilization of the cervical spine has been neglected as a part of the treatment. 30 patients with cervical spine injuries who were admitted to our hospital from January 1, 1973 to December 31, 1978 were evaluated. The following observations were made: 1. The ratio between male and female was 2:1 and the majority(43%) were found in the 4th decades. 2. The common causes of cervical spine injuries were traffic accident(40%) and falls(33.3%). The most common site of the lesion was the 5th and 6th cervical spine level (33.3%). 3. Among 30 cases, 10 cases(33.3%) had complete paralysis, 12 cases(40%) incomplete paralysis, 6 cases (20%) had nerve root injury and no neurological change is 2 cases. 4. The mechanisms of cervical injuries were classified morphologically and flexion-rotation injuries (55.5%) were the most common. 5. We evaluated the results of treatment neurological & radiographically. In complete paralysis, there was no neurological improvement and cervical kyphosis increased after laminectomy. In incomplete paralysis and nerve root injury, anterior fusion showed slight neurological recovery but mild cevical kyphosis and displacement of the graft were observed. In posterior fusion or cast immobilization, we had a satisfactory result with a high fusion rate and normal cervical curvature. 6. lt is impossible to compare anterior interbody fusion with posterior fusion for neurological recovery. For early mobilization and rehabilitation, we emphasize early stabilization by anterior or posterior fusion according to the mechanism of injury.
Accidents, Traffic ; Clinical Study ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Kyphosis ; Laminectomy ; Male ; Paralysis ; Rehabilitation ; Spine ; Transplants

Enlargement of bone tunnels has been noted on plain X-rays following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. The cause of this widening is unclear, but it has been hypothesized that it may be due to either mechanical or biological cases. Ishibashi et al. reported anatomical proximal fixation resulted in the most stable reconstructed knee, with increasing instability as the level of fixation moved away from the tibial plateau. The purpose of this study is to determine if any difference exists in the amount of enlargement of the femoral tunnel following arhotoscopic ACL reconstruction with position of interference screw fixation and instability, and to know the factors which affected to the enlargement of the femoral tunnels. Total 39 patients were retrospectively reviewed for tunnel measurements radiologically at one year post-operation. (27 patients received bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft, 12 patients received bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft and Kennedy LAD-ligament augmentation device). The surgery was performed using an arthroscopic single and double incision technique. AP and lateral X-rays were obtained and the tunnels were measured by two independent observers using a digital caplper. The measurements were made at the widest part of the tunnel. Correction for magnification was performed by comparing the measured width of the interference screw used for fixation of the graft with its actual width. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) and t-test. 1. Radiographic tunnel enlargement of femoral side was average 2.42 mm (bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft : 2.36 mm, Kennedy-LAD and autograft : 2.56 mm)(p>0.05). 2. According to the position of the interference screw, the femoral tunnel enlargement were 2.25 mm in anatomical fixation, 2.40 mm in mid-tunnel fixation, 2.62 mm in mid-tunnel fixation, 2.62 mm in outer-tunnel fixation(p < 0.05). 3. The femoral enlargement according to the overall results(Clancy, 1982) were 2.39 mm in above good result group and 2.50 mm in below fair result group(p < 0.05). Tunnel enlargement group of femoral side was related to a distance between femoral articular surface and the position of interference screw. We conclude that femoral tunnel enlargement following arthoscopic bone tendon-bone ACL reconstruction is related to the mechanical effect rather than the properties of grafts and the clinical results.
Autografts ; Humans ; Knee ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Foot* ; Tarsal Bones*

BACKGROUND: Suction auto epidermal graft for the treatment of stable vitiligo has become popular clinically. In general, depigmented epidermis is removed by liquid nitrogen freezing for preparation of the recipient site. There have been some problems with the nitrogen freezing method, uneven repigmentation, appearance of Koebner's phenomenon on normal colored skin around the graft site, scar formation on recipients sites. In our view these resulted in unwanted damage to the dermis and epidermal and skin appendageal melanocytes of normal skin by freezing. OBJECTIVE: To introduce a method to remove the depigmented epidermis of recipient site with minimal unwanted damage to melanocytes and dermal tissue. METHODS: Using Ellman surgitron, irradiation equipment of 3.8MHz frequency the depigmented epidermis was removed with a blade electrode under rated electric power around 10 watts depending on the thickness of the epidermis. Operating mode was fully filtered current for minimal charring and destruction of tissue through pure micro-smooth cutting. RESULTS: In the case of removal of the epidermis with Ellman surgitron, oozing and inflammation decreased markedly compared with those applied with liquid nitrogen. And it was confirmed histopathologically that there was no significant unwanted destruction of healthy tissue. Moreover, the electrode of Ellman surgitron is designed to be apt to trace the margin of depigmented lesion. And Ellman surgitron features a continuously linear intensity setting for precise, predictable control to minimize tissue destruction and charring. So we were able to remove the epidermis of the shallow lesion looking like a pseudopod and of the thinnest part of the body like eyelid also. And we grafted normal epidermis successfully on the depigmented lesion. CONCLUSION: The removal of depigmented epidermis by radio-frequency gave satisfactory results in the suction auto epidermal graft by overcoming the defects shown as depigmented epidermis which were removed by liquid nitrogen freezing. And this method made patients comfortable because of less pain, a one day operation procedure and good results.
Cicatrix ; Dermis ; Electrodes ; Epidermis* ; Eyelids ; Freezing ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Melanocytes ; Nitrogen ; Skin ; Suction* ; Transplants* ; Trout ; Vitiligo