OBJECTIVE: We present the difference of histopathologic changes of the internal elastic lamina (IEL) and collagen III in the superficial temporal artery (STA) between aneurysmal patients and non-aneurysmal patients. Also, the pathologic data with clinical features by comparative methods to validate the risk factor of the intracranial aneurysm are presented. METHODS: Samples of the STA were harvested form 38 patients including aneurysmal and non-aneurysmal patients undergoing craniotomy. Paraffin-embedded sections were examined, using hematoxylin and eosin, van Giebson and mouse anti-collagen III staining techniques. Histopathological observations were analysed and correlated with clinical features such as presence of aneurysm, hypertension, age, and sex. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients had the intracranial aneurysm. Of these 24 patients were 50 years old or older. Nineteen patients had a history of hypertension. Twenty patients were female. Histopathological study demostrated the derangement of IEL and the deficiency of type III collagen were prominent in aneurysmal patients (p<0.05). Fifty years old or older patients did not show correlation with the deficiency of type III collagen, but with the derangement of IEL (p<0.05). The female sex was not correlated with the derangement of IEL but with the deficiency of type III collagen (p<0.05). However, Hypertension was not correlated with these pathologic data. CONCLUSION: Patients with intracranial aneurysms have severe histopathologic changes of the arterial wall showing the derangement of IEL and the deficiency of type III collagen. In the clinico-pathologic study, the advanced age and female sex were considered as risk factors of the intracranial aneurysm.
Aneurysm ; Animals ; Collagen Type III ; Collagen* ; Craniotomy ; Elastin* ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Female ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Mice ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Temporal Arteries*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to measure the relationships between ecological factors and Navy personnel's physical activity (PA) based on McLeroy's Ecological model. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 184 Navy personnel working in 10 Navyships. A self-reporting questionnaire consisted of measures of intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational and community factors related to Navy personnel's PA. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi2-test, t-test, analysis of variance, and hierarchical multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 17.0 programs. RESULTS: Their mean PA level was 2,848.1+/-3,344.5 MET-min/week, and mostly moderate level (50.5%). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that religion, working department, working type, perceived health status and community environment were significant PA correlates. CONCLUSION: Community environmental factors as well as intrapersonal factors were significantly associated with Navy personnel's PA, indicating that community health nurses should expand an approach for individual-level behavioral change to incorporate Navy personnel specific community environmental barriers into PA interventions.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Motor Activity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association among change in the sensation of the arms, the range of motion in the shoulders and depression in breast cancer patients. METHOD: This is a descriptive study on correlation. The participants were 132 patients who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and had mastectomy at a university hospital, and had participated in a breast cancer self-help group. The degree of depression was assessed by SCL-90-R scores. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS 12.0 for Windows. RESULTS: The participants complained of 'heaviness' as the most frequent and serious symptom of change in the sensation of the arms. 'Completely zip up the dress with a back-fastening zipper' was the most difficult motion of the shoulders. Participants who were in a worse stage of disease were in a worse condition in shoulder functions, and on a higher degree of depression. The degree of change in sensation and shoulder functions showed a positive correlation with each other, and both of them showed a negative correlation with the degree of depression. CONCLUSION: Sensation and motion change in the arms and the shoulders were common phenomena that affected depression in patients who had mastectomy. Nurses should consider not only depression but also discomfort of the arms and the shoulders for patients with mastectomy.
Arm* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; Range of Motion, Articular* ; Self-Help Groups ; Sensation* ; Shoulder*

Dermatofibroma is a common benign fibrohistiocytic tumor that occurs anywhere on the body surface, with a propensity for the extremities, usually the lower legs. A 31-year-old male presented with a skin-colored nodule measured 0.5 cm in diameter on the sole of hisfoot. A biopsy specimen revealed a poorly defined, nonencapsulated, nodular tumor composed of collagen bundles, fibroblasts and histiocytes, which were consistent with dermatofibroma. Herein we report a case of dermatofibroma on the sole.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Collagen ; Extremities ; Fibroblasts ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous* ; Humans ; Leg ; Male

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relevant clinical and radiographical findings for the diagnosis of an arteriovenous fistula after a lumbar discectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five patients with an arteriovenous fistula following a lumbar discectomy were preoperatively diagnosed and treated. We retrospectively evaluated the level of surgery, injured vessels, clinical symptoms, physical findings, and the interval between surgery and treatment. Effective and fast diagnostic methods for determining the presence of a postoperative arteriovenous fistula were evaluated. RESULTS: All of the arteriovenous fistulas resulted from operative injuries of the iliac arteries and veins. They were diagnosed after a mean time of 22 months (range 2 months-4 years) in spite of various symptoms and signs shortly after surgery. The arteriovenous fistulas were confirmed with angiography and were treated by surgery for 3 patients and by insertion of a stent-graft in 2 patients. Postoperative CT angiography showed the complete occlusion of the fistula tract and the normal blood flow. CONCLUSION: Essential clinical information and radiological examination, especially CT angiography with 3D reconstruction, is necessary to obtain to diagnose an arteriovenous fistula after a lumbar discectomy.
Angiography ; Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Diagnosis* ; Diskectomy* ; Fistula ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Retrospective Studies ; Veins

PURPOSE: To find the CT and US findings of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed CT and US findings of five cases of the pathologically proven multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma. We analysed CT and US with view points of tumor margin, growth pattern, renal contour change, echogenicity, attenuation on pre- and postcontrast scan, thickness and number of septum, and perirenal change. RESULTS: The CT findings of the multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma were large well defined round encapsulated multiple fluid filled cystic mass with exophytic growing pattern. The capsule and septum were relatively well enhanced with contrast medium. The cystic space and septurn were variable in size and shape. US revealed large multiple fluid filled cystic mass separated by echogenic septum. CONCLUSION: The above CT and US findings of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma may be helpful in the diagnosis.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: The prognosis of gynecologic malignancies was closely related to the nutritional status of patients as well as clinical or surgical staing at the time of diagnosis. The serum prealbumin has relatively short half-life among the nutritional parameters and could be used to detect immediate postoperative change of nutritional state in surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical impact of serum prealbumin and the validity of prealbumin in prediction and detection of postoperative complications in high risk patients with gynecologic malignancy. METHODS: 153 gynecologic malignant patients and 68 non-malignant patients operated from January 1999 to May 2003 were studied retrospectively. The serum albumin, total lymphocyte count (TLC), prealbumin were compared between the malignant and non-malignant patients, early and advanced stage cancer group, and complicated and uncomplicated group. Prealbumin was defined as the difference between preoperative and postoperative prealbumin concentrations. The correlation was statistically analyzed by Student's t-test, one way ANOVA test, and x2-test (SPSS ver. 11.0). RESULTS: There was significant difference in prealbumin between non-malignant patients and malignant patients (p=0.049). There was also significant difference in prealbumin between carcinoma in situ of uterine cervix and cervical cancer group (p=0.049). However there were no significant differences in prealbumin between early and advanced stage ovarian cancer and uterine cancer (p=0.48, p=0.67, respectively). There were no significant differneces between complicated and uncomplicated groups in prealbumin and delta prealbumin. CONCLUSION: Serum prealbumin was not useful in prediction and detection of high risk group of postoperative complications in gynecologic cancer patients.
Carcinoma in Situ ; Cervix Uteri ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Nutritional Status ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Postoperative Complications ; Prealbumin* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Serum Albumin ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Uterine Neoplasms

Hobnail hemangioma is a benign vascular tumor that typically presents as a small, single lesion on the skin of the trunk or limb. It occurs mainly in young or middle-aged adults (mean age: 30 years) but rarely in childhood. Histologically, hobnail hemangioma is characterized by a biphasic growth pattern, with dilated vascular spaces lined by hobnail endothelial cells in the superficial dermis, and collagen dissection narrow vascular channels in the deeper dermal parts, as well as inflammatory aggregates, fibrosis, and hemosiderin deposits. We report a case of hobnail hemangioma in a 10-year-old girl who had a violaceous papule surrounded by an ecchymotic halo on the left thigh. She underwent treatment with surgical excision with primary closure. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the first reported case of childhood hobnail hemangioma in Korean dermatological literatures.
Adult ; Child ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Endothelial Cells ; Extremities ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Hemangioma* ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Skin ; Thigh

PURPOSE: To evaluate percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral stent placement in patients with postoperative ureteral injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Percutaneous nephrostomy and antegrade ureteral stent placement we reattempted in 12 patients with postoperative ureteral injuries. The previous operations which caused ureteral injuries included ureteroscopic extraction of ureteral stones(7), total abdominal hysterectomy due to uterinemyoma(2), ureteroscopic biopsy in a patient with ureteral tuberculosis(1), open ureteroplasty due to retroperitoneal fibrosis(1), and ureterocystostomy during renal transplantation(1). After percutaneousnephrostomy, a 7.0 F ureteral stent was inserted in each patient. The stent was removed under cystoscopic guidancefour to six weeks after this procedure. Urinalysis was performed to evaluate the presence of urinary tractinfection after ureteral stent placement. Ultrasonography and/or intravenous urography were performed three weeksafter stent placement, and every six months after the stent removal. RESULTS: Percutaneous nephrostomy andplacement of an antegrade ureteral stent were successfully performed in all 12 patients. In three patients, the diagnosis of ureteral injuries was made immediately and in nine was delayed for between two and nineteen days. Theureteral stents remained in position for 25-95 days (average, 51) ; no evidence of urine leakage or ureteralstricture was seen on the follow-up examinations carried out from six months to several years after removal of thestent and no case required reintervention. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous nephrostomy and antegrade ureteral stentingare easy to perform, provide for the drainage of urine, cause no significant complication and show a successful therapeutic effect, and are this effective non-operative interventional techniques for patients with postoperative ureteral injury.
Biopsy ; Drainage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous* ; Stents* ; Ultrasonography ; Ureter* ; Urinalysis ; Urography

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the cesarean section (CS) rate is increased in women whose labor was induced compared to those who had spontaneous labor at term pregnancy. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in women whose labor was either induced (induction group, n=497) or spontaneous (spontaneous group, n=878) at 37+0 to 41+6 weeks of gestation from January 2008 to June 2009. Maternal age, parity, body mass index (BMI), Bishop scores, gestational age, hypertension, diabetes, delivery mode, indications for CS, neonatal outcome were compared between the two groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between the CS rate and labor induction after adjusting for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: CS (17.3% vs. 5.3%, P<0.001) and vacuum-assisted delivery (10.7% vs. 6.4%, P<0.001) rates were significantly higher in the induction group compared to the spontaneous group. The CS rate in the induction group was higher than the spontaneous group not only in nulliparous women (25.3% vs. 8.6%, P<0.001), but also in multiparous women (3.8% vs. 0.3%, P=0.002). However, after adjusting confounding factors, the higher CS rate was significantly associated with advanced maternal age, higher BMI, lower Bishop scores and nulliparity, with no demonstrable tie to labor induction. Neonatal outcome in the two groups were comparable. CONCLUSION: Although CS rate was higher in women whose labor was induced than those who had spontaneous labor, this higher rate was associated with maternal age, BMI, Bishop scores and parity, but was not impacted by labor induction per se.
Body Mass Index ; Cesarean Section* ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Maternal Age ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy* ; Retrospective Studies