OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a possible involvement of estrogen receptor (ER)alpha, ER beta and insulin-like growth factor binding protein related peptide-1 (IGFBPrp-1) in the growth of leiomyoma. METHODS: The relative expressions of ER alpha, ER beta and IGFBPrp-1 mRNA were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in total RNA extracted from the paired specimens of leiomyoma and adjacent myometrium from untreated patients (n=25) and from leiomyoma specimens from patients (n=10) pretreated with gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa)-pretreated for 3 months. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in ER alpha, ER beta mRNA expression and ER alpha/ ER beta mRNA ratio between adjacent myometrium and leiomyoma, but IGFBPrp-1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in leiomyoma than in adjacent myometrium from untreated patients. No differences in ER alpha, ER beta mRNA expressions and its ratio between leiomyoma from GnRHa-pretreated patients and leiomyoma from untreated patients. Leiomyoma from GnRHa-pretreated patients had IGFBPrp-1 mRNA expresion similar to adjacent myometrium from untreated patients and higher than large myoma (more than 150 cm3 in volume) from untreated patients. No correlations among ER alpha, ER beta mRNA expression, its ratio and IGFBPrp-1 mRNA expression were found. CONCLUSIONS: IGFBPrp-1 may be involved in the growth of uterine leiomyoma but ER may not.
Animals ; Carrier Proteins* ; Estrogen Receptor beta* ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Mice ; Myoma ; Myometrium* ; RNA* ; RNA, Messenger

OBJECTIVE: Multiple birth implicates the important health and social problems such as preterm birth, low birth weight, high perinatal mortality, and increased medical cost. This study was performed to investigate the multiple birth rate in Korea using the birth certificate data. METHODS: Retrospective review and analysis of data from Korean birth certificate in 1996. RESULTS: Multiple birth rate was 1.4% of total births(683,043 cases). Mean birth weight was 3.29+/-0.47kg for singleton birth and 2.57+/-0.58kg for multiple birth. Mean gestational age was 39.56+/-1.32 weeks for singleton birth and 37.47+/-2.41 weeks for multiple birth. Rate of low birth weight (< 2.5kg) was 14 times higher for multiple birth compared with that of singleton birth, and rate of preterm birth(< 37 weeks) was 10 times higher. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between multiple birth and selected variables including maternal age, job and birth order. As the odds ratio(OR) was 2.47(95% CI: 2.34 - 2.59, p<0.001) for the second birth, and 5.31(95% CI: 4.99 - 5.65, p<0.001) for the third and over birth compared with the first birth, there was a significant correlation between multiple birth and birth order. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the birth certificate data in 1996, the incidence of twin and higher order multiple birth was 1.7%, and a significant correlation between multiple birth and birth order was revealed. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the etiology and prognosis of multiple birth and the developmental problems from birth to adolescence.
Adolescent ; Birth Certificates* ; Birth Order ; Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Maternal Age ; Multiple Birth Offspring* ; Parturition* ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Social Problems ; Twins

No abstract available.
Birth Certificates* ; Parturition*

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to compare the effects of static culture, dynamic culture, and the combination of dynamic culture with specialized surfaces involving co-culture on human embryonic development. Embryos cultured using conventional static culture (SC) techniques served as a control group. We compared dynamic culture using micro-vibration culture (MVC) and micro-vibration with co-culture (MCoC), in which autologous cumulus cells were used as a specialized surface. METHODS: We conducted a chart review of patients who were treated between January 2011 and November 2014 in order to compare embryonic development rates and pregnancy rates among the groups. Zygotes were cultured in micro-droplets, and embryos were subsequently selected for transfer. Some surplus embryos were cryopreserved, and the others were cultured for blastocyst development. A micro-vibrator was set at the frequency of 42 Hz for duration of 5 seconds per 60 minutes to facilitate embryo development. RESULTS: No significant differences among the groups were present in patient's characteristics. However, the clinical pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the MVC group and the MCoC group than in the SC group. No significant differences were found in the blastocyst development rate between the SC group and the MVC group, but the blastocyst development rate in the MCoC group was significantly higher than in the SC and MVC groups. CONCLUSION: The clinical pregnancy rate was significantly increased by the application of micro-vibration to the embryonic cultures of poor responders. The blastocyst development rate was significantly increased by the application of MCoC to surplus embryos.
Blastocyst ; Coculture Techniques* ; Cumulus Cells ; Embryo Culture Techniques ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Zygote

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical outcomes of single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles according to the hatching status of frozen-thawed blastocysts. METHODS: Frozen-thawed blastocysts were divided into three groups according to their hatching status as follows: less-than-expanded blastocyst (≤EdB), hatching blastocyst (HgB), and hatched blastocyst (HdB). The female age and infertility factors of each group were evaluated. The quality of the single frozen-thawed blastocyst was also graded as grade A, tightly packed inner cell mass (ICM) and many cells organized in the trophectoderm epithelium (TE); grade B, several and loose ICM and TE; and grade C, very few ICM and a few cells in the TE. The clinical pregnancy and implantation rate were compared between each group. The data were analyzed by either t-test or chi-square analysis. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in average female ages, infertility factors, or the distribution of blastocyst grades A, B, and C in each group. There was no significant difference in the clinical pregnancy and implantation rate of each group according to their blastocyst grade. However, there was a significant difference in the clinical pregnancy and implantation rate between each group. In the HdB group, the clinical pregnancy and implantation rate were similar regardless of the blastocyst quality. CONCLUSION: There was an effect on the clinical outcomes depending on whether the blastocyst hatched during single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer. When performing single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer, the hatching status of the frozen-thawed blastocyst may be a more important parameter for clinical outcomes than the quality of the frozen-thawed blastocyst.
Blastocyst* ; Embryo Transfer* ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies* ; Single Embryo Transfer ; Vitrification

Volume deficiency and poorly defined cupid's bow of the upper lip are frequently encountered problems in secondary cleft lip deformities. In this report, we present the method of a periumbilical dermal graft for correcting secondary cleft lip deformity. A 17-year-old male patient presented with a poorly defined notching cupid's bow and volume deficiency of the upper lip. He had undergone cleft lip surgery when he was 2 years old. We planned to perform a periumbilical dermal graft. There were sufficient amount of periumbilical subdermis and fat tissue thickness to obtain abundant volume. The periumbilical contour was similar to the natural contour of the lip. Less scarring was expected. There was no need to change the posture during operation, making it easy to harvest. Postoperative evaluations showed vermilion symmetry. Ideal cupid's bow shape and position were achieved without color mismatch. As a result, we obtained an ideal volume of the upper lip. Therefore a periumbilical dermal graft is a good option for correcting volume deficiency of the lip with good aesthetic outcomes.
Adolescent ; Cicatrix ; Cleft Lip* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Dermis ; Humans ; Lip ; Male ; Methods ; Posture ; Transplants* ; Umbilicus

Scalp and calvarium defects are caused by trauma, burn, tumor resection, or congenital diseases. We experienced a few cases of severe electrical burn of scalp and calvarium, but fourth-degree contact burn of scalp and calvarium is a rare case. A 67 years old man was presented with a 25% total body surface area contact burn. A 20 cm×15 cm thick eschar on the patient's scalp was observed. Among various techniques for scalp reconstruction, we planned fasciocutaneous transposition flap with split thickness skin graft for coverage of large defect. Considering aesthetically satisfactory outcome, we designed a fasciocutaneous transposition flap including the hair-bearing areas. We additionally used skin graft for uncovered surrounding areas. There were no flap necrosis, graft loss, or any other surgical complications after the surgical flap and skin graft. At 6-month follow-up, the operation site was stable. The patient satisfied with functional and aesthetical outcomes, so we report this case.
Body Surface Area ; Burns* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Scalp* ; Skin ; Skull* ; Surgical Flaps ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Animals ; Constitution and Bylaws* ; Mice* ; Oocytes*

It is known that cases of osteomyelitis are less common than 5% in deep burn cases. This research presents a case of chronic osteomyelitis, presented 7 years after initial electrical burn injury. A 43-year-old male patient was admitted to the Department of Plastic Surgery, suffering from an 22900-voltage electrical burn on right medial malleolus in 2010. There was no postoperative complication for five years observation. In November 2016, he was admitted to the Plastic Surgery department, suffering from the skin and soft tissue defect on right medial malleolus without trauma history. The osteomyelitis on the right medial malleolus was found in bone scintigraphy. The medial malleolus was covered with a local flap two days after admission. Dehiscence was found after surgery and exudate was emerged continuously from the flap site. We decided to cover the raw surface with a perforator based propeller flap 22 days after admission considering reconstructive ladder. The flap survived successfully, and partial epidermal sloughing was healed completely by daily dressing at 51 days after the surgery. It is advisable to establish and access the prudent plan before surgery through many kinds of radiological tests and physical examinations considering vascular stability and delayed wound healing.
Adult ; Bandages ; Burns* ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Male ; Osteomyelitis* ; Physical Examination ; Postoperative Complications ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Skin ; Surgery, Plastic ; Wound Healing

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgeons have constantly investigated methods of nasal tip plasty and nasal lengthening in rhinoplasty. The septal extension graft has been widely applied as a very useful method for East Asians who have different internal nasal structures and nasal skin from those of Caucasians. In this study, we performed nasal tip plasty with a batten-type septal extension graft using ear cartilage. METHODS: Nasal tip plasty was performed for 48 patients by batten graft with ear cartilages at the Cocoa Plastic Surgery Clinic and in the plastic surgery unit of Hanil General Hospital from January 2009 to January 2015. A batten-type septal extension graft was constructed with cymba of the concha cartilage. An average area of 2.0 cm × 1.4 cm of the cymba and 1.0 cm × 1.0 cm of the cavum from the concha cartilage was harvested. RESULTS: Of the 48 patients who underwent batten-type septal extension graft using ear cartilages, nasal tip plasty and columellar lengthening were successfully achieved in almost all of the patients. The nasal tip's height was well-maintained for the follow-up period ranging from 6 months to 5 years after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal tip plasty using a septal extension graft is a very useful method for East Asians with a low nasal tip. The septal extension graft with ear cartilage enables the creation of a desirable nasal shape because there is a sufficient amount of ear cartilage to stably support the nasal tip, thus creating a natural and smooth nose shape.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cacao ; Cartilage ; Ear Cartilage* ; Ear* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Methods ; Nose ; Plastics ; Rhinoplasty ; Skin ; Surgeons ; Surgery, Plastic ; Transplants*