PURPOSE: Measurement of colon transit time is well-known physiologic study for patients with chronic constipation. But information we get from it is frequently inconsistent with patient's complaint. This study was designed to ascertain the actual significance of that measurement. METHODS: The subjects included two groups of patients with chronic constipation. One group consists of 32 patients(group A), The other group 36 patients(group B). Colon transit time study and defecographic examinations were done using previously described methods. But the former study was a little modified in group A, in which sodium phosphate enema was given at the previous day of oral intake of radio-opaque markers. Findings of colon transit time study and their relations to the defecographic results were compared with each other. RESULTS: As for the 5th day-findings of colon transit time, 6 cases(18.7%) were abnormal in group A and 3 cases(8.4%) in group B(statistically not different). As for the 3rd day-findings, 15 cases(46.9%) were abnormal in group A and 7 cases(19.5%) in group B( statistically different, p=0.0163). Defecographic findings showed 7 cases(21.9%) of outlet obstruction pattern in group A and 9 cases(25%) in group B. Correlations between these findings and those of colonic transit time studies were not proven statistically. CONCLUSION: Colon transit time study with single marker bolus and the 5th day photography technique was considered not to reflect the actual conditions of patients with chronic constipation. But sodium phophate enema, given to patients before starting the study, seemed to enhance the accuracy of study.
Colon* ; Constipation* ; Enema ; Humans ; Photography ; Sodium ; Time and Motion Studies*

PURPOSE: To evaluate value of post-contrast 3-Dimensional fat suppressed Spoiled GRASS (FS SPGR) in detectiong subtle bony erosion and tenosynovitis of hands and wrists due to early rheumatoid arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen MR iraagings of the hands and wrists were performed in 7 early rheu- matoid arthritis without any abnormalities in plain radiography and in 7 healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent MR sequence of coronal 3D FS SPGR with and without contrast enhancornear in 1.5T MR unit. We evaluated the number of the bony erosion and tenosynovitis respectively in pre- and post-contrast FS SPGR images. RESULTS: The abnormal enhancing areas were not demonstrated in 7 healthy volunteers. Seven patients had 25 bony erosions in pre-contrast FS SPGR and 52 bony erosions with tenosynovitis (n=10) in post-contrast FS SPGR. Enhancing joint spaces were shown in 8 cases CONCLUSION: Post-contrast FS SPGR was better than pre-contrast FS SPGR in the evaluation of early rheumaotid arthritis and is valuable as a baseline study.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Hand ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Poaceae ; Radiography ; Tenosynovitis ; Wrist

No abstract available.
Animals ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Nasal Mucosa*

The uterus with rudimentary horn occurs as a result of a lack of development during fetal life of the middle and lower parts of one of the Miillerian ducts, in which there is a failure of fusion of the two ducts, The incidence of this uterine anomaly is rare. Many cases of rudimentary uterine horn are not discovered since they do not become involved in a pregnancy, and thus remain symptomless and uncomplicated, and the diagnosis usually being made only with pregnancy with rupture. In this presentation, we describe a case of diagnosis and management of unruptured non-communicating rudimentary uterine horn pregnancy at the third trimester. The patient diagnosed by ultrasonography and MRI, was hospitalized for further evaluation and delivery under the impression of unruptured non-communicating rudimentary horn pregnancy. A living male infant weighing 1,930 gm was delivered by cesarean section at 33+l weeks due to impending preterm labor. Some articles concerned this subject were reviewed briefly to discuss relevant method of diagnosis, treatment, and clinical characteristics.
Animals ; Cesarean Section ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Horns* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third* ; Pregnancy* ; Rupture ; Ultrasonography ; Uterus

Posterior transarticular screw fixation is known to be one of the best surgical method for the atlanto-axial instability. Between April 1995 and February 1997, this technique was used in the treatment of 21 patients(10 men, 11 women) suffering from this condition. The average age at the time of operation was 39 years(range, 17 to 63). and mean follow-up period was 14(mean 3 to 25) months. The indication for fusion were nine cases, type II-A odontoid process fracture; three cases, type II-P odontoid process fracture; three cases, os odontoideum; three cases transverse ligament laxity due to rheumatoid disease; and three cases, transverse ligament injury without bone fracture. Eleven operations involved cases were operated with posterior C1, 2 transarticular screw fixation using a 3.5 mm cortical screw augmented th interlaminar iliac graft and sublaminar wire fixation. The other ten patients underwent the same surgery without sublaminar wire fixation. In two cases d screw were misplaced; one was placed lateromedially and the other caused widening of the joint capsule space, but there were corrected by reoperation. Patients were ambulated with Philadelphia neck collar on the first post-operation day. At the end of three months follow-up, bone union was seen in all cases, and the following conclusions may be drawn: 1) Immediately after surgery, ambulation is possible; 2) The rate of occurrence of bone union is high; 3) A halo vest is not needed; 4) Sublaminar wiring is also unnecessary.
Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; Humans ; Joint Capsule ; Ligaments ; Male ; Neck ; Odontoid Process ; Reoperation ; Transplants ; Walking

The purpose of this study is to estimate early neonatal mortality rate in relation to obstetric factors. The early neonatal mortality rate was estimated on live births with a gestational period more than 28 weeks who died during the first 7 days of life in Ewha Womans University Hospital fro-m Jan. 1974 to Dec. 1978. During this period, there were 8218 single births and 127 early neonatal deaths. 1. We had 127 deaths out of 8218 single births, and early neonatal mortality rate came to 15.5 per 1000 live births. 2. The early neonatal mortality rate was increased in cases of maternal age over 40, higher in multipara, who had delivered more than 4 times, who had frequent abortions (more than 5 times) and it was also higher in para-one than para-two. 3. The early neonatal mortality rate was 7.9 times higher in abnormal presentation of fetus than normal one. 4. There was no significant difference in early neonatal mortality rate between spontaneous vaginal delivery and Caesarian section delivery, but significant high mortality rate was noted in breech delivery. 5. In cases of anemic mother (Hemoglobin less than 10 gm%, Hematocrit less than 32%), the early neonatal mortality rate was 2.8 times higher than non-anemic group. 6. The early neonatal mortality rate of babies from mothers without antenatal care was 3 ti-mes higher than that of mothers who had. 7. Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy was present in 15.8% of all live births and early neo-natal mortality rate was 10.8. The mortality rate was 6.5 times higher in chronic hypertensive vascular disorder with toxe-mia than in preeclampsia and 3.7 times higher in eclampsia than in precclampsis. 8. The obstetric complication which increased early neonatal mortality rate were polyhydra-mnios, amnionitis, abruptio placentae etc.
Abruptio Placentae ; Amnion ; Chorioamnionitis ; Eclampsia ; Female ; Fetus ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Mortality* ; Live Birth ; Maternal Age ; Mortality ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy

The purpose of this study was to identify how students majoring in nursing perceive cause of cancers and the effects of diet for preventing cancers. Data for the study were collected by 651 nursing students, who were registered in the second and third year in three technical colleges and third and fourth year in two universities. The research instruments included items on general characteristics of subjects, items about the degree of perception of the frequency of cancer onset and items on the perception of mortality, risk factors, preventive diets, knowledge, and high risk factor for cancer in specific body areas. The findings of this study are as follows : 1. Almost all subjects(92.8%) reported that the frequency of cancer onset increases and that it is 93.9% for people over 40. Degree of perception about cancer mortality was low at 33.0%. 2. As far as the perception of risk factors for cancer onset was concerned, smoking, stress, heredity, family history, and alcohol were rated high, over 80.0%. Risk factor in clouding, virus, hormones, pesticides were rated as low. 3. As to the perception of risk factor for body area as associated with diet salted and scorched food were rated at 44.5% for stomach cancer, alcohol, 50.4% for liver cancer, smoking, 72.8% for lung cancer, pregnancy times, 25.3%, and marriage age, 23.0% for uterine cancer, and no delivery experience, 40% for breast cancer. 4. The knowledge score for cancer was between 12 and 36, with a mean score of 26.75(SD=4.13). There was a statistically significant difference between experience in caring for cancer patients during clinical practice and knowledge score(t=3.09, p=.002).
Breast Neoplasms ; Diet* ; Heredity ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Lung Neoplasms ; Marriage ; Mortality ; Nursing* ; Pesticides ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Students, Nursing ; Uterine Neoplasms

No abstract available.

The authors measured the lateral & 3rd ventricles and cortical sulci in computerized axial tomographic films of 15 male patients with chronic alcoholism and 16 controls, who had been admitted to Kyng Hee University Hospital from Jan. 1, 1979 to Mar. 31, 1983. The results were as following: 1. The average age of patients was 47.5 yrs., and that of conntrols was 34.5 yrs. The average duration of habitual drinking was 11.6 yrs., and complicated with delirium tremens, head trauma, liver diseases (46.7% each other) and seizure (33.3%). 2. The sulcal widening was found in 9 cases (60.0%) of patients (mean +/- S.D. = 6.7 +/- 1.76mm) and no cases in control group (mean +/- S.D. = 2.3 +/- 0.88mm). The difference between patients and control group was statistically significant, especially in twenties (P<0.05). 3. The lateral ventricular enlargement was seen in 12 cases (80.0%) of patients (mean +/- S.D. = 17.1 +/- 0.93mm), and 8 cases (50.0%) of control group (mean +/- S.D. = 14.7+/- 1.46mm). There was statistical significance, especially in forties (P<0.05). There were no statistical significance except cella media index (P<0.05), according to various measuring indices. The width of 3rd ventricle was 1.88 +/- 0.152mm (mean+/-S.D.) in patients and 1.12+/-0.311mm (mean +/- S.D.) in control group. And the difference was statistically significant. 4. Cerebral atrophy was noticed in 10 cases (67.0%) among 15 taken C.A.T. of brain.
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium ; Alcoholics* ; Alcoholism ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Cerebral Ventricles* ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Drinking ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Seizures

BACKGROUND: An epidemiologic study was performed after the outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) from December 2006 to May 2007. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed using the medical records of the patients. The case and control patients were compared for age, gender, total length of stay in MICU, prior carbapenem use, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACH II) score, presence of central line, effect of mechanical ventilation, and sputum suction. Environmental and hand-washing studies were performed during the outbreak. RESULTS: Ten CRAB-affected patients and 29 controls were enrolled in this study. Univariate analysis showed that the age, total length of stay in MICU, presence of central line, and prior carbapenem use were associated with the CRAB outbreak. However, multivariate analysis showed that only prior carbapenem use was associated with the CRAB outbreak (odd ratio: 8.67, P=0.01). The outbreak disappeared after implementing a combined infection control strategy, including the sequential disinfection of MICU and strict compliance with cross-transmission prevention protocols. CONCLUSION: The use of carbapenem was associated with an increased risk of CRAB infection. This study suggests that the MICU contamination and infection transmission by health-care workers played a major role in the CRAB outbreak. Novel strategies such as restricted use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, strict hand hygiene, strict isolation of the patients, and MICU disinfection may be required to prevent the CRAB outbreak.
Acinetobacter ; Acinetobacter baumannii ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; APACHE ; Case-Control Studies ; Compliance ; Disease Transmission, Infectious ; Disinfection ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Hand Hygiene ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sputum ; Suction