Soft tissue coverage of heel defects has long been a difficult problem. In 1982, Iron reported eight cases of heel defects in children using an ipsilateral posterior thigh flap with use of the Hoff-man's skeletal fixation apparatus for immobilization. We report three cases of heel defects treatment in children using ipsilateral posterior thigh flap and detach flap in an average 13 days with aid of single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) for evaluation of circulation status of flap.
Child ; Fracture Fixation ; Heel ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Iron ; Thigh ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Proximal tibial osteotomy is a procedure usually employed for osteoarthritis of the knee with a predominant single compartment involvement accompanied by pain and angular deformity. It has as its objective the shift of the gravitational line of weight from an involved to a relatively uninvolved side of the knee. We studied the preoperative clinical status and postoperative results in twenty-two patients (twenty-four knees) who had had a proximal osteotomy for osteoarthritic varus deformity. The mean length of follow-up was 2.6years(Range, 6months to 4.8years). In the preoperative evaluation of the lesion, we used bone scintigraphy to estimate the range and extent of the osteoarthritic change. The scintigraphic results were more sensitive to simple x-ray finding in a disease process. The range of motion of the knee were improved after osteotomy, from 7.7degree-128 degree to 2.6 degree-135degree(5.1degree in flexion contracture and 7 degree in further flexion). Correction of the tibiofemoral angle was performed to the level that we had decided correction angle to 7 degree and 3 degree of overcorrection. The correltion of good clinical results and tibiofemoral angle was dependent on whether the postoperative tibiofemoral angle is more than 5 degree valgus or not.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Range of Motion, Articular

Percutaneous biliary drainage is an effective new nonsurgical method for combined external/internal catheterdecompression of obstructed extrahepatic bile ducts. Molnar and Stockum, and more recently others, have reportedsucdess utilizing this approach to establish biliary drainage in patients with obstructive jaundice. Percutaneousbiliary drainage was performed in 9 patients with obstructive jaundice. Internal drainage was accomplished in 4patients (44.4%), and external drainage in 5 patients (55.6%). Major complications occurred in 2 patients; bileleakage, one; sepsis, one. Minor complications occurred in 7 patients; mild or high fever, 5 cases; transienthemobilia, 2 cases. The catheter management problems encoutered including pain, catheter dislodgement ormigration, lumen occulusion, and external bile leakage.
Bile ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Catheters ; Drainage ; Fever ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Methods ; Sepsis

We investigated the effect of experimentally induced anisometropia on binocular function. Unilateral myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism(Axis 90degrees) was induced in eighteen adults with normal binocular function using softcontact lenses. Sensory status was assessed by measuring stereoacuity, Worth four dot test, and Bagolini lens test. Binocular function of all subjects decreased with increasing levels of anisometropia. In Worth four dot test, foveal suppression increased in proportion to the levels of anisometropia. Stereoacuity was similarly degraded by the induced anisometropia. Bagolinilens responses were normal in almost all subjects. Our study suggest that experimentally induced anisometropia cause significant abnormalities in binocular function in adults.
Adult ; Anisometropia* ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Myopia ; Telescopes* ; Vision, Binocular*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and the histopathologic tolerance of 2-octylcyanoacrylate versus 8-0 polyglactin sutures for conjunctival wound closure in rabbits. METHODS: We performed an experimental study on 16 eyes of eight New Zealand albino rabbits. Conjunctival peritomy of 8 mm was done in the superior limbus followed by extensive subconjunctival dissection in both eyes. The eyes of the rabbits were divided into two groups. The conjunctiva was then attached to the limbus again by the proposed 2-octylcyanoacrylate adhesive (left eye, Group A) or 8-0 polyglactin suture (right eye, Group B). The clinical efficacy of the closure of the conjunctival wound, either with sutures or adhesives, and the clinical and histopathologic tolerances such as hyperemia, discharge, residual adhesive or suture, inflammatory change and fibrosis were observed at 1 day and at 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks after surgery. Two rabbits were sacrificed at each of 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks, and specimens of their conjunctiva were examined histologically. RESULTS: Both conjunctival surgical closure methods were found to be equally efficacious in fixing the conjunctiva to the limbus. There were no significant clinical or histopathologic tolerance differences between the two groups. The conjunctiva at 6 weeks of Group A showed nearly normalized morphology with disappeared inflammatory cells and fibroblasts, whereas those of Group B showed foreign body inflammatory reaction around the absorbing suture materials. CONCLUSIONS: 2-Octylcyanoacrylate adhesive was an efficient conjunctival closure method and was very well tolerated by the ocular surface. 2-Octylcyanoacrylate may be a possible tissue adhesive for conjunctival wound closure.
Adhesives ; Conjunctiva ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis ; Foreign Bodies ; Hyperemia ; New Zealand ; Polyglactin 910* ; Rabbits* ; Sutures* ; Tissue Adhesives ; Wounds and Injuries*

Granular cell tumor is an uncommon neoplasm with uncertain histogenesis that rarely occurs in the orbit. Although it is regarded as a benign lesion, one case of malignancy has been recorded. The authors present a case of recurred, infiltrating orbital granular cell tumor in a 39-year-old woman. On light microscopic examination, the tumor cells showed the characteristic findings of granular cell tumor, but there were hyperchromatic and pleomorphic nuclei with unusual mitotic figures, suggesting a malignant nature.
Adult ; Female ; Granular Cell Tumor* ; Humans ; Orbit*

No abstract available.
Cleft Lip* ; Diagnosis* ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: Ginseng has been reported to reduce blood glucose levels in diabetic animals and patients, and it is also reported to slow the aging process by acting as an anti-atherosclerotic agent or as an anti-oxidant. This study was designed to investigate whether ginseng and irbesartan can prevent the development of diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: Diabetes was induced in 7 week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats by intravenous injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. Ginseng(1 g/kg/day) or irbesartan (20 mg/kg/day) was given to diabetic rats for 25 weeks. Blood glucose and body weight were checked weekly and urinary albumin excretion was evaluated every 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the kidneys were weighed and sliced for microscopic examination. Glomerular size and hyaline deposition were measured on light microscopy(on Masson' trichrome stain and PAS stain) and thickness of glomerular basement membrane(GBM) on electron microscopy. Renal histologic findings of ginseng or irbesartan treated rats were compared with those of normal control and diabetic control groups. RESULTS: The weight gain in diabetic rats was significantly reduced, and the final body weight of diabetic rats was lower than that of normal control rats. There was no significant difference in body weights between the diabetic control, ginseng, and irbesartan treated groups. Mean levels of blood glucose were significantly increased in diabetic rats compared to normal rats, but there was no significant difference in blood glucose among the three groups of diabetic rats. Urinary albumin excretion was increased in the diabetic groups compared to the normal control group, and it was significantly decreased in the irbesartan treated group compared to the diabetic control group at 13th week of treatment. At the end of the experiment, the kindeys of the diabetic rats were examined and showed significantly enlarged than those of the normal rats, and the ratio of kidney weight to body weight was decreased in the ginseng treated group compared to the diabetic control and irbesartan treated group. There was no significant difference in the size of glomerulus, the thickness of GBM, and glomerular hyaline deposition among the three diabetic groups. CONCLUSION: There was no significant hypoglycemic effect of ginseng in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Renal hypertrophy was relatively milder in the ginseng-treated group, but there was no difference in findings of renal histology between the treatment groups.
Aging ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Diabetic Nephropathies* ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Hypertrophy ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Injections, Intravenous ; Kidney ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Panax* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin ; Weight Gain

BACKGROUND: The proper management of the patients with hypotention remains a difficult clinical problem. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gepefrin in the treament of symptomatic hypotensive patients in outpatient clinic of university hospital. METHODS: Thirty milligrams of Gepefrin was given twice daily for 4 weeks in 30 patients with hypotension(6 males, 24 females ; 23-60 years of age). Blood pressure, heart rate, subjective symptoms and side effects were checked before medication and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th week of medication. RESULTS: 1) Grpefrin increased sitting systolic blood pressure significantly(p<0.05) by the end of 1st week and thereafter. 2) Hypotensive symptoms were improved in 76% of hypotensive patients and overall rate of usefulness was 70%. 3) Heart rate did not change significantly. 4) One patient complained of loose bowel movement and another one, of anorexia among 30 study patients and all laboratory parameters were within normal limits before and after drug treatment, thus the rate of safety was 93%. CONCLUSION: Results from this study suggests that gepefrin 60mg daily increases the blood pressure mildly and improves the symptoms moderately in symptomatic hypotensive patients.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Anorexia ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypotension* ; Male ; Quality of Life

Subconjunctival injection of gentamicin(R)(GM) can cause an acute myopathy of the extraocular muscles. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effect of various dosage of GM and reversibility of tissue changes after subconjunctival injection of GM with 10m/ml, 20mg/ml and 40mg/ml each rabbit respectively. We obtained the superior rectus at 1 day, 1 week, 4 weeks and 12 weeks after injection and examined the specimens by light and electron microscopes. On 1 day, light microscopy showed inflammatory change with polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes on 1 week. The higher the concentration of GM was, the more marked inflammation and degeneration of the muscle fibers were. The control group was normal. On 4 weeks there were markedly regenerated muscle fibers with focal degeneration. On 12 weeks there were nearly normal finding of the muscle with some degeneration. On 1 day and 1 week, electron microscopy showed various degrees of degeneration of the muscle fibers. On 4 and 12 weeks the muscle fiber showed satellite nucleus, deposit of abundant Golgi networks, increased numbers and enlargement of mitochondria with some degeneration. On early stage of injecton with normal saline, some vacuoles were seen in the control group. Our results suggest that gentamicin-induced myopathy is dose-related and reversible in histological aspect.
Gentamicins ; Inflammation ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mitochondria ; Monocytes ; Muscles ; Muscular Diseases* ; Neutrophils ; Vacuoles