BACKGROUND: Punch grafts and punch elevation can be useful for the correction of deep pitting or round atrophic acne scars. The traditional punch elevation technique gives inadequete results. Even round scars leave a retraction space and do not always heal well. OBJECTIVES & METHODS: To improve the cosmetic results of traditional punch elevation and thus promote the use of punch elevation instead of punch grafting, we performed punch elevation with purse-string sutures on 10 patients with acne, pox & atrophic scars. We performed dermabrasion or CO2 laserbrasion after 8 weks. RESULTS: Nicely fit margins of the punch elevation site with purse-string suture left no retraction spaces and enhanced the aesthetic results. CONCLUSION: Punch elevation is a simple, satisfactory method of improving cosmetic results in scars. The Purse-string suture technique can make it a more valuable tool for surgery of facial scars, because it overcomes of disadvantages the punch elevation.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Cicatrix* ; Dermabrasion ; Humans ; Suture Techniques ; Sutures* ; Transplants

Giant congenital melanocytic nevi may lead to severe cosmetic and psychosocial problems. Another important problem is the relatively high potential to undergo malignant transformation. The management of congenital melanocytic nevi remains controversial as there is no universal agreement. We report two cases of giant congenital melanocytic nevi which were removed by curettage and dermatomes. There is relatively less intra and postoperative morbidity using these methods than with other treatment modalities. They were also considered as acceptable surgical methods and there are potentially more pleasing cosmetic results.
Curettage* ; Nevus, Pigmented*

BACKGROUND: A majority of patients undergoing chemical peeling complain of pain severe enough to disturb the process of the peeling. However, there has been few controlled studies on pain control during chemical peeling. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of pretreatment with intramuscular ketorolac (Tarasyn, 30 mg) and oral diazepam(Valium, 5 mg) in comparison with control and diazepam groups, and compared the sensitivity of pain between two sexes. METHODS: The patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups; control, diazepam, and ketorolac plus diazepam groups. Pain intensity was assessed 5 times at every ten minutes from the beginning of the peeling using visual analog scale(VAS). RESULTS: At every 10 minutes of pain assessment, ketorolac plus diazepam group recorded the lowest VAS among the three groups. Except at the first 10 minutes, nificant. There was no significant difference in the pain intensity between the sexes at all five times. After application of Jessner`s solution, there was significant increase of VAS in all groups. CONCLUSION: The ketorolac pretreatment is a safe and effective modality of pain relief prior to chemical peeling without the adverse reactions.
Diazepam ; Humans ; Ketorolac* ; Pain Measurement ; Premedication*

We report a case of pigmented spindle cell nevus occurred in a 4-year-old girl. The lesion was well-demarcated, 2.5 x 3mm sized black macule on the left thenar area. The histopathologic findings of excisional biopsy specimen revealed the prociferation of uniform spindle-shaped pigmented melanocytes at the dermoepidermal junction and sharply definded lateral margins.
Biopsy ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; Nevus, Spindle Cell*

Two typical cases of epithelioid sarcoma were examined by immunohistochemical stain using antibodies to epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, vimentin and cytokeratin. Both cases showed positive reactivity for the four kinds of antibodies. These results point to the fact that epithelioid sarcoma simultaneously expresses epithelial markers and characteristic mesenchymal phenotypes. Epithelioid sarcoma appears to be a tumor derived from a multipotential mesenchymal cell with multidirectional differentiation.
Antibodies ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Keratins ; Mucin-1 ; Phenotype ; Sarcoma* ; Vimentin

We evaluated the characteristics of HMB-45 monoclonal antibody(MoAb) and compared it with a polyclonal anti-S-100 antibody in immunohistochemical staining of 22 primary melanomas of the skin ; 13 acral lentiginous melanomas(ALM), 3 superficial spreading melanomas(SSM), 4 lentigo maligna melanomas(LMM), 3 nodular melanomas(NMM). All speimens were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded, and were studied with the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique. The results can be summarized as follows : l. In all tissue specimens, all or some of the melanoma cells in the dermis reacted with HMB-45 MoAb and anti-S-100 protein. 2. HMB-45 MoAb is more sensitive in detecting malignant melanoma cell heterogeneity t,han anti-S-100 protein. 3. Melanoma cells within the epidermis in 6 of 12 ALMs and 3 of 4 LMMs did not react with anti-S-100 antibody, whereas most melanoma cells within epidermis of 12 ALMs and 4 LMMs reacted with HMB-45 monoclonal antibody. These results indicated that immunohistochemical staining with HMB-45 MoAb and anti-S-100 protein is very useful in the study of biologic behavior of malignant, melanoma.
Dermis ; Epidermis ; Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle ; Melanoma* ; Population Characteristics ; Skin

No abstract available.
Osteoma*

STUDY DESIGN: This study was undertaken to document the effect of TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta2 on the proliferation of lumbar facet joint capsule. OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 on the proliferation of lumbar facet joint capsule and their proliferation mechanism. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta proliferated mesenchymal tissue . This proliferatine mechanism was involved of PLC-gamma- 1 and tyrosine kinase in signalling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three lumbar facet joint capsule was cultured in DMEM-20 media. Its proliferatine and inhibited effect was studied under the metabolic inhibitors and trasnsforming growth factors . RESULTS: TGF-beta1, and TGF-beta2, increased cell proliferation dependent on time and dosage. Both of TGF-beta1, and TGF-beta 2, specific antisense oligonucleotide blocked tile autoc.me effect of growth factor, PLC-gamma-1 specific antisense oligonucleotide inhibited the effect of TGF-beta 1, and TGF-beta2, Genistin inhibited the effect of TGF-beta 1, and TGF-beta2, in time and dosage dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The cell proliferation of lumbar facet joint capsule was involved in PLC- gamma-1 and tyrosine kinase in signalling.
Cell Proliferation ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta2* ; Zygapophyseal Joint*

Annular erythema associated with lupus erythematosus/ Sjogrens syndrome has recently been described in Orientals. We present a patient with recurrent annular erythema who partially demonstrated features of lupus erythematosus. A 32-year-old man was referred to us for recurrent annular erythema. Laboratory findings revealed mild leukopenia and the presence of antinuclear antibodies at a titer of 320 with a finely speckled pattern on Hep-2 substrates. Anti-Ro/La antibodies were also detected. A skin biopsy specimen revealed the findings of perivascular and periappendageal lymphocytic infiltration without prominent hydropic degeneration of the basal layer. Skin lesions subsided with hydroxychloroquine (400-200mg/day).
Adult ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Biopsy ; Erythema* ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Leukopenia ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; Skin

No abstract available.
Keratins*