No abstract available.
Brain* ; Hormone Replacement Therapy*

PURPOSE: To analyze the imaging features of brain abscess. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR studies of nine patients with surgically verified brain abscess were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The shape of abscesses were round(n=6), multilobulated(n=2) or triangular(n=1). All lesions were located in corticomedullary junction and extended into white matter. On gadolinium-DTPA enhanced images, smooth rim-like(n=6) or irregular thick enhancement(n=3) of abscess wall was noted. Budlike projection from the abscess capsule was found in 4 cases. The signal intensity of abscess capsule was either hyperintense (n=5) or isointense(n=4) relative to white matter on Tl-weighted images, and hypointense(n=6), isointense (n=2) or mixed hypo and isointense(n=l) on T2-weighted images. Satellite nodules were found in 2 cases. PNS inflammation(n=2), meningitis(n=1), ventriculitis(=2) and subdural empyema(n=1) were associated CONCLUSION: The MR features of brain abscess included characteristic intensity of abscess capsule, budlike projection from the abscess wall, moderate amount of peripheral edema, satellite nodules, and associated meningitis, ventriculitis or PNS infection. The morphology of abscess wall was not specific for the diagnosis of brain abscess.
Abscess ; Brain Abscess* ; Brain* ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of chronic deprivation of estradiol on the serotonin level in Sprague-Dawley rat's cerebral cortex and hippocampus. METHODS: One hundred of female Sprague-Dawley rats were taken care for seven to eight weeks, then they were randomly assigned into two group; fifty rats underwent bilateral oophorectomy & the remaining rats were the control group. Six months after oophorectomy, brain tissue was extracted from cerebral cortex and hippocampus and then homogenated: this was done in the both groups. The upper layer of the homogenated substance was taken and frozen and finally dried up. The next process was marking with PITC, quantification through HPLC and comparing with authentic serotonin. Protein quantity was measured by using Bradford method. RESULTS: Comparison between the bilateral oophorectomy group and the control group for serotonin content in the cerebral cortex was 134.2+/-14.3 nmol/mg protein(mean+/-SEM) and 122.5+/-11.6 nmol/mg protein in each group. As for the serotonin content in the hippocampus was 148.8+/-13.9 nmol/mg protein and 132.9+/-13.7 nmol/mg protein in each group. It shows that, there was no significant difference in the serotonin level, in the two areas mentioned above. CONCLUSION: The effect of estradiol on the serotonin level may be dependent on the hormonal change duration. Chronic effect of hypoestrogenism might have no effect on tryptophan hydroxylase and monoamine oxidase, thus not changin the serotonin level. These data supported the previous findings that chronic hypoestrogenism had no effect on serotonin level.
Animals ; Brain ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Estradiol ; Female ; Female* ; Hippocampus* ; Humans ; Monoamine Oxidase ; Ovariectomy* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley* ; Serotonin* ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase

No abstract available.
Animals ; Arteries* ; Rats*

Percutaneous nephrostomy has been effectively performed 107 times in 72 patients for relief of obstruction,drainage of urinary fistula and renal or extrarenal fluid collection, and functional preservation of urinarysystem, and follow-up check has been made for recent 3 years at department of Radiology in Seoul NatinalUniversity Hospital. All procedures were successful and bilateral nephrostomy was done in 1 case of bilateral congenital UPJ obstruction. Percutaneous nephrostomy was done in left kidney in 38 cases(52.8%), permanent drainagewas done in 55 cases(76.4%) and external drainage was done in 65 cases (90.3%), and the duration of follow-up wasup to 8 months. Underlying disease were supravesical obstruction in 63 cases(87.5%), urinary fistula in 3 casses,inflammatory disease in 5 cases and infravesical obstruction in 1 case. Satisfactory outcomes were made in 68patients, whose BUN and serum creatinine levels have decreased near to upper normal range in at least 3 weeks. Major complications have occurred in 7 cases; symptomatic urinary infection in 3 cases, fracture of the catheterin 2 cases, pneumothorax in 1 case and sepsis in 1 case. Minor complications have occurred in 76 cases; catheterdislodgement or obstruction in 42 cases, fever in 10 cases, perirenal extravasation in 2 cases and periureteralleakage in 2 cases, etc. These complications can be prevented by adequate method duing Seldinger technique undnerultrasonography, CT or fluoroscopy, prophylactic and post-nephrostomy antibiotics, use of disposable catheterkits, frequent irrigation of the catheter and dressing of catheter fixation site when contaminated, prevention ofextraction of the catheter due to patient's carelessness, adequate fixation of the catheter to skin, and continuous follow-up of patients, It is expected that the territory of this iterventional procedure will beextended by instrument insertion and drug instillation through the nephrostomy tract.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bandages ; Catheters ; Creatinine ; Drainage ; Fever ; Fluoroscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Instillation, Drug ; Kidney ; Methods ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Pneumothorax ; Reference Values ; Seoul ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Urinary Fistula

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female

For the reconstruction of soft tissue defect combined with open fracture in the lower leg, free flap, especially muscle free flap which has abundant blood supply, is considered to be the most suitable method. Sometimes, however, injury to the main vessels in the lower leg makes it impossible to use a principal vessel as a recipient vessel. In such cases, vein graft or end-to-side anastomosis can be employed. To acquire a healthier vessel as a recipient,the authors performed crossleg muscle free flap, using a non-injured healthy vessel of the contralateral leg as a recipient vessel. Controversy still lingers over the angiogenesis of cross-leg muscle free flap and thus safety after flap detachment. There have been some clinical case reports on cross-leg muscle free flap, but flap survival after pedicle detachment has been known to be variable according to different authors. Because of the uncertainty of neovascularization in muscular free flap at the time of flap delay procedure,many surgeons hesitate to use a pure muscle free flap as a delay flap. Eight cases of cross-leg muscular free flap were performed by the authors using the rectus abdominis muscle, latissimus dorsi muscle and a combination of the latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscle flap. During the operation, the authors estimated the ratio of poorly vascularized bed in recipient soft tissue defect. Despite the high ratio of non-vascularized bed, there was no flap necrosis after pedicle detachment and ample neovascularization within the muscle was confirmed by post-division angiogran. As well, there was no recurrence of osteomyelitis. Conclusively, enough neovascularization in cross-leg free muscle flap, even placed on a poorly vascularized bed, could be induced through a delayed procedure.
Fractures, Open ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Leg ; Necrosis ; Osteomyelitis ; Rectus Abdominis ; Recurrence ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Transplants ; Uncertainty ; Veins

PURPOSE: To analyze the characteristies of traumatic brainstem injury by CT and MR MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT and MR studies of 10 patients with traumatic brainstem lesion in MR were retrospectively reviewed, particularly attended to location, signal intensity and associated lesions. RESULTS: CT failed to depict 8 of 10 brainstem lesions. All lesions were detected in MR images with T2-weighted images showing higher detection rate (n=10) (100%) than Tl-weighted images (n=3) (30%) or CT (n=2) (20%). The brainstem lesions located in the dorsolateral aspects of the rostral brainstem(mid brain and upper pons)in 7 (70%) cases, in ventral aspects of rostral brain in 2 (20%) cases and in median portion of pons in 1 (10%) case. Corpus callosal (n=5), Iobar white matter(n=5) diffuse axonal injury, and 2 hemorrhagic lesions in basal ganglia were the associated findings. CONCLUSION: MR imaging is more helpful than CT in the detection of brainstem injury, especially T2 weighted images. Primary brainstem lesions were typically located in the dorsolateral aspect of rostral brainstem(midbrain and upper pons). Corpus callosum and white matter lesions were frequently associated.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Brain Stem* ; Corpus Callosum ; Diffuse Axonal Injury ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pons ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate effects of patients' age, amenorrhea duration, motivation, purpose, regimen, side effects on compliance to hormone replacement therapy(HRT) Methods: Compliance to HRT was assessed in 258 postmenopausal women who began HRT in the Menopause Clinic of Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym university. One hundred sixty nine women who had intact uterus received continuous combined therapy with 0.625 mg of conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) and 100 mg of micronized progesterone. Eighty nine women who were hysterectomized received only 0.625 mg of CEE. RESULTS: A total of 103 women (39.9%) reported that they continued HRT at least for one year. Continuation of HRT was significantly more common among women who started HRT becuase of recommendation by gynecologist after hysterectomy in our department (p< 0.05). A greater percentage of women who received only CEE without uterus continued HRT than women who received continuous combined therapy (p< 0.05). Duration of amenorrhea, reasons for taking HRT and side effects such as irregular bleeding or breast tenderness were not related to the continuation of HRT. CONCLUSION: Education of menopausal women about the benefit/risk and side effects of HRT may be critical in improving compliance.
Amenorrhea ; Breast ; Compliance* ; Education ; Estrogens ; Female ; Heart ; Hemorrhage ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Menopause ; Motivation ; Progesterone ; Uterus

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Teratoma*