OBJECTIVES: The most often perfomed major operation in gynecology is hysterectomy.Our purpose was to compare the indications, charateristics and outcomes of patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy and total vaginal hysterectomy and to help to establish guidelines to determine the route of hysterectomy. METHOD: The hospital charts of 400 women who underwent elective inpatient hysterectomy at Kyung-Hee University hospital from January 1994 to January 1999, were abstracted retrospectively. Data were collected regarding patients, age, parity, preoperative indications, the route of hysterectomy, uterine weight, operative and postoperative complications and the length of stay. The operative indications were benign uterine disease except from uterine prolapse. Bisection or combined morcellation were used in most cases to obtain reduction in uterine size. RESULT: Patients in whom the vaginal route was successful included 18% of those with uterine weights exceeding 280gm. There was statistically significant difference for uterine weight, operative time, bleeding amount, the length of stay in two camparative group. 4% of vaginal hysterectomy and 7% of total abdominal hysterectomy has documented operative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal hysterectomy is safe operation with few intraoperative and postoperative complications without notable blood loss. Vaginal hysterectomy allow one to shorten the operating time and allows early postoperative discharge of some patients from hospital. Skilled performance of vaginal hysterectomy is worth greater attention and should be used more often in gynecological study.
Female ; Gynecology ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal ; Inpatients ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Parity ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Statistics as Topic* ; Uterine Diseases ; Uterine Prolapse ; Weights and Measures

Seventy cases of moderate to severe hallux valgus deformities were operated by proximal metatarsal chevron osteotomy combined with modified McBride procedures from September 1994 to September 1996. The hallux valgus angle improved from an average of 35.1 degrees to 12.1 degrees postoperatively. The first intermetatarsal angle improved from an average of 15.4 degrees to 7.9 degrees. The position of sesamoids was normalized and the metatarsal bone shortened minimally. Union occurred in 6 weeks. Subjectively, pain was relieved in 95% of the patients, while walking and standing abilities improved in 90%. The shoewear improved in only 60% of the patients, showing less satisfactory results compared to other factors. In terms of complications, two recurrences occured but were treated without repeat surgery. Two malunions and four superficial wound infections occurred. In conclusion, proximal chevron metatarsal osteotomy combined with modified McBride procedures is a reliable operation as regards stability, technical ease, low complications and satisfactory results for moderate to severe Hallux valgus deformities.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Hallux Valgus* ; Hallux* ; Humans ; Metatarsal Bones* ; Osteotomy* ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Walking ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Lung* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Uterus*

Image-guided localized, water-suppressed in vivo 1H MR spectroscopic studies were performed on the brain tumors in 3 patients. In all 3 patients, in vivo 1H MR spectra in brain neoplastic tissues revealed that the signal intensities of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) choline (Cho) resonances were decreased and increased, respectively, comparing with healthy normal tissue. A distinct lactate signal was identified in all three patients. A ratio that the observed metabolite alterations from localized, water-suppressed in vivo 1H MR spectroscopy can be useful as an index of brain tumors, and that the technique is clinically to highlight as one promising modalities in brain tumors for more accurate diagnosis.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Choline ; Diagnosis ; Humans* ; Lactic Acid ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy*

No abstract available.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn

BACKGROUND: Clonorchiasis is a trematodiasis caused by chronic infestation of liver flukes, Clonorchis sinensis(CS). We usually diagnosed clonorchiasis with stool examination. Intradermal(ID) test and radiologic findings have been also used for diagnosis. However, studies associated with ID test were very rare. So, we evaluated the stool examination and ID tests for CS detection associated with radiologic findings. METHODS: We analyzed 69 cases of patients requested stool parasite examination and ID test concurrently. For stool parasite examination, formalin ether precipitation method was used. Abdominal US and/or CT were also reviewed. Eosinophil counts and liver function test(LFT) were evaluated. Clinical diagnosis were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of ID CS test were 63% and 71.4% respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 58.6% and 75.0% respectively. US/CT findings showed 10% sensitivity and 52.9% specificity. Positive and negative predictive values of US/CT were 11.1% and 50% respectively. Paragonimiasis westermani ID test showed 17.2% positivity in CS ID test positive cases. No statistical differences were observed among groups in eosinophil and LFT results. Hepatobiliary diseases were the main clinical impression in CS ID test positive groups. CONCLUSION: For the diagnosis of clonorchiasis, stool examination was the most effective method. ID test and radiologic examination still have some limitations in diagnosis because of cured past infestation, small number of parasitic infestation or irreversible anatomical changes etc. However, ID test could have a better supplementary role for diagnosis of clonorchiasis rather than US/CT.
Clonorchiasis* ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils ; Ether ; Fasciola hepatica ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Intradermal Tests* ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Paragonimiasis ; Parasites ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: To evaluate the spatial distribution of various proton metabolites in the human brain with use of water-suppressed in vivo 1H MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) technique MATERIALS AND METHODS: All of water-suppressed in vivo 1H MRSI were performed on 1.5 T whole-body MRI/MRS system using Stimulated Echo Acquisition Method (STEAM) Chemical shift Imaging (CSI) pulse sequence. T1 -weighted MR images were used for CSl Field Of View (FOV; 24 cm). Voxel size of 1.S cm3 was designated from the periphery of the brain which was divided by 1024 x 16 x 16data points. RESULTS: Metabolite images of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr) + choline/phosphocholine (Cho), and complex of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) -I- glutamate (Glu) were obtained on the human brain. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary study suggests that in vivo 1H MRSl could provide the metabolite imaging to compensate for hypermetabolism on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans on the basis of the metabolic informations on brain tissues. The unique ability of in vivo 1H MRSI to offer noninvasive informations about tissue biochemistry in disease states will stimulate on clinical research and disease diagnosis.
Biochemistry ; Brain* ; Diagnosis ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Glutamic Acid ; Humans* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Protons

There are various reports referring to the clinical siignificances and removal of postgastrectomy bezoar. In this case, suture thread were thought to he the important factor of the bezoar formation, This bezoar was removed intaetly uaing fiber-optic endoscope in patinet who had postgastrectomy bezoar, by cutting the thread by biopsy forceps.
Bezoars* ; Biopsy ; Endoscopes ; Surgical Instruments ; Sutures*

The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a nationwide health survey in Korea. This survey is composed of three parts: the Health Interview Survey, the Health Examination Survey, and the Nutrition Survey. The aim of this study was to refine the nutrition survey system in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Based on the literature review, we summarized international survey systems and the limitations of the current system in Korea and proposed an improved system. We suggested the following: 1) A government agency which will be exclusively responsible for KNHANES overall is needed. 2) The current short-term nutrition survey should be a year-round survey. 3) The objectives of this survey should be written with more clarity and detail. 4) Biochemical measures in relation to nutritional status should be added. 5) The budget to set up various databases in the nutrition survey should be increased. 6) Various other issues should be addressed, including the definition of raw data (i.e., whether nutrient intake data per day is raw data), ethical issues in survey techniques, and strategies to produce evidence for the public using this survey data. Not all suggestions could be adopted in the short-term, but should be integrated into long-term goals for survey system improvement.
Budgets ; Ethics ; Government Agencies ; Health Surveys ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Nutritional Status

OBJECTIVES: The present study examines the relationship between depressive symptoms and subjective chewing and pronunciation ability in Korean seniors. Our goal is to provide the data required to develop appropriate oral health interventions programs for seniors. METHODS: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) is widely used depressive symptoms assessment. A Korean version was used for the 2009 Community Health Survey, which was consulted to extract the present study's subjects, comprising 50,694 Korean seniors (males, 20,582; females, 30,112) aged ≥65 years. Those with a CES-D score ≥16 were rated 'depressed.' SAS version 9.3 was used for the data analysis. RESULTS: Prevalence of depressive symptoms increased as the subjects' socioeconomic status decreased, number of health issues increased, health behavior worsened, and chewing and pronunciation discomfort increased. Males with chewing difficulties were found to have 1.45 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 1.63) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, while males with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.97 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.76 to 2.20). Females with chewing difficulty were found to have 1.50 times (95% CI, 1.39 to 1.61) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, and females with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.55 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.44 to 1.67). CONCLUSIONS: Intervention programs designed to help with oral health management and alleviate depressive symptoms in seniors are urgently needed. As the prevalence of depressive symptoms may vary geographically, research examining potential variance at city, district, and town levels would be beneficial.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Mastication* ; Oral Health ; Prevalence ; Social Class ; Statistics as Topic