Cortical dysplasia is a cause of intractable epilepsy and a candidate for surgical resection to control epileptic attacks. The neuronal cytomegaly and balloon cell change are the diagnostic hallmarks of cortical dysplasia. Little research has been performed about the normal-sized dysplastic neuron which has complex arborizing dendrites and lacks in its polarity. The aim of this study was to define the histopathologic characteristics of the neurons in cortical dysplasia. Twelve cases of cortical dysplasia who underwent partial lobectomy for intractable seizures were selected and immunohistochemical staining for NF-M/H, MAP2, tau, and ubiquitin was performed. The perikarya and dendrite of dysplastic neurons were more intensely labeled with antibodies for the high and medium molecular weight neurofilament proteins (NF-M/H) than normal neurons. Immunoreactivity with the MAP2 antibody expressed mainly within the somatodendritic regions was present in the dysplastic or normal neurons without any significant difference in intensity. The complex arborizing dendrites of dysplastic neurons were easily identified due to pronounced immunoreactivity within the somatodendritic regions. Immunoreactivity with the primary antibody against tau and ubiquitin was present in the normal-looking neurons as well as the dysplastic neurons. This study suggests that the dysplastic neurons in cortical dysplasia are accompanied by changes of cytoskeletal neurofilaments, and the immunohistochemical stains for NF-M/H, MAP2, tau, and ubiquigin are useful to detect them.
Antibodies ; Coloring Agents ; Dendrites ; Epilepsy ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Molecular Weight ; Neurofilament Proteins ; Neurons ; Seizures ; Ubiquitin

No abstract available.
Tinea*

No abstract available.
Hypopituitarism* ; Hypothyroidism*

We studied the intradural variations of spinal nerve rootlets in 100 cases of Korean adults. The results of the study are as follows ; 1. The incidence of intrasegmental variations (abberrant rootlets) is high in cervical segments and decreased toward lumbosacral segments. The incidence is higher in posterior rootlets than anterior, except cervical sesments. 2. The incidence of intersegmental variations is higher in posterior rootlets than anterior, and generally high in cervical and lumbar segments. 3. We divide the intersegmental variations into supernumerary rootlets, dividing rootlets, and anastomosing rootlets, and among them the incidence of anastomosing rootlets is higher. We divide the anastomosing rootlets into parallel anastomosing rootlets, uniting anastomosing rootlets, and rearrangement anastomosing rootlets. 4. The anterior to posterior anastomosing of spinal nerve rootlet is present in 4 of cases studied.
Adult ; Humans ; Incidence ; Spinal Nerves*

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate and compare the Le Fort colpocleisis and conventional total vaginal hysterectomy in the uterine prolapse patients in the medically compromised or elderly patients. METHODS: This study was to analyze the data from 16 patients with uterine prolapse undergone Le Fort colpocleisis at the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Chung-ang university hospital from January 1991 to December 2000, and 36 patients with uterine prolapse undergone total vaginal hysterectomy from January 1999 to December 2000. We compared the age of patients, operation time, type of anesthesia, estimated blood loss, changes in hemoglobin, duration of hospitalization, occurrence of febrile morbidity, and medical complications based on the medical records. RESULTS: The mean operation time of 16 patients undergone Le Fort colpocleisis with uterine prolapse was 51+/-18 minutes, the estimated blood loss was 175+/-134 cc, hemoglobin change was 1.72+/-1.14 mg/dl, the mean days of hospitalization was 7.2+/-2.8 days, and the febrile illness occurred in 2 patients. In this group, general anesthesia was used in 10 patients (75%), local anesthesia in 4 patients (25%), and spinal and epidural anesthesia in 1 case respectively. The mean operation time of 11 patients undergone total vaginal hysterectomy with uterine prolapse was 86+/-29 minutes, the estimated blood loss was 366+/-154 cc, hemoglobin change was 2.36+/-1.22 mg/dl, the mean days of hospitalization was 7.8+/-1.6 days, and the febrile illness occurred in 3 patients. General anesthesia was done in total vaginal hysterectomy group and vulva hematoma was developed in 1 case postoperatively. There are significant difference (p<0.01) between the Le Fort colpocleisis and total vaginal hysterectomy in operational time, estimated blood loss, and type of anesthesia, but no significant difference in days of hospitalization, febrile morbidity. CONCLUSION: The assessment of Le Fort colpoclesis in uterine prolapse offers signinficant benefits in elderly or compromised patients and the method is safe for operation.
Aged ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local ; Female ; Gynecology ; Hematoma ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal* ; Medical Records ; Obstetrics ; Prolapse* ; Uterine Prolapse ; Uterus* ; Vulva

A 5-year-old girl was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF-2) due to multiple neurofibromas, cafe-au-lait spots, and schwannomas of the brain. During ophthalmologic evaluation, a posterior subcapsular cataract and a gray-green colored subretinal lesion were found in right eye. Fluorescein angiography (FA) revealed a combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (CHRRPE). At age 9, she underwent cataract surgery. At this time FA and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were taken. The SD-OCT showed an elevated hyperreflective mass in the retina with prominent attenuation of the inner and outer retina, but minimal attenuation in the photoreceptor layers. The underlying retina appeared to be disorganized and thick (791 microm). This is the first case report of SD-OCT imaging of a CHRRPE associated with NF-2 in a pediatric patient. By using SD-OCT in this patient, we could obtain detailed tumor characteristics, and SD-OCT may be helpful in the diagnosis and management of CHRRPE.
Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hamartoma/complications/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Neurofibromatosis 2/*complications/diagnosis ; Retinal Diseases/complications/*diagnosis ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium/*pathology ; Tomography, Optical Coherence/*methods ; Visual Acuity

Background: Information about the factors involved in the progress of both high distressed and low distressed victims in the early days after a sexual assault are needed to provide effective intervention for victims of sexual assault. In this study, we examined the relationship among posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, assault-related factors and trauma-related cognitions in Korean female victims of sexual assault. Methods: For this study, we retrospectively investigated the records of 94 female victims from the Sunflower Center for Women and Children Victims of Violence at the Ajou University Hospital in Korea. Demographic characteristics and the features of the sexual assault, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and trauma-related cognition were obtained from data recorded at the initial assessment. One month after the initial assessment, victims were contacted by telephone and their PTSD symptom severity was re-evaluated. The sample of 94 participants were divided into two groups depending on the PTSD symptom scale scores at initial assessment: High-distress group and Low-distress group. Results: Repeated-measured analyses of variance revealed that the high-distress group showed a decrease in PTSD symptom severity over the month, while the low-distress group did not show significant change of PTSD symptom severity. In correlation analysis, negative thoughts and beliefs about the assault were strongly correlated with PTSD symptom severity one month later in both the low-distress and high-distress groups. Conclusion Our results suggest that trauma-related cognitions seem to play an important role in the maintenance of PTSD both of high-distress and low-distress groups, and that effective intervention will need to address these cognitive factors.

Ormocer has organic-inorganic compound polymers. One of advantages of ormocer is reduced polymerization shrinkage. The purpose of this study was to compare the amount of contraction shrinkage of composite resins and ormocers. Additionally, the time of each material when there is no further change of contraction shrinkage was analysed. Four brands of composite resins (P-60, Surefil, Z-250 and Denfil) and two brands of ormocers (Definite and Admira) were used. 20 seconds, 40 seconds and 60 seconds of curing times were given. Contraction shrinkage of them were measured using a linometer for 80 seconds. The effect of material and curing time to contraction shrinkage at the time of 80 seconds was analysed by two-way ANOVA. The effect of time to contraction shrinkage was analysed by one-way ANOVA, and the time when there was no further change of the contraction shrinkage was analysed. The results are as follows : 1. P-60, Definite, Z-250 and Denfil had no further change of contraction shrinkage from the time of 20 seconds, and Surefil and Admira had no further change of contraction shrinkage from the time of 10 seconds. 2. Statistical analysis revealed volumetric shrinkage varied among material (p<0.05). No significant difference of contraction shrinkage among different curing times was found, and there was no effect of interaction between materials and curing times to contraction shrinkage. 3. Definite and Admira showed the statistically same contraction shrinkage with those of Z-250 and P-60, which is higher than that of Surefil and lower than that of Denfil (p<0.05).
Composite Resins* ; Organically Modified Ceramics* ; Polymerization ; Polymers

Vascular complications are uncommon, but it may pose a serious problem in posterior spinal surgery. Vascular injury during lumbar spinal surgery should be suspected if symptoms of circulatory instability are noted. If vascular injury is suspected, a contrast enhanced computed tomography should be checked and proper management, i.e., interventional treatment or surgery should be performed. To date, there have only been a few reports regarding vascular injuries during posterior lumbar spinal surgery. Clinicians should pay attention to signs of vascular injury during posterior spinal surgery, and accordingly, promptly perform treatment. In two patients with retroperitoneal hemorrhage, extravasation of the common iliac arteries was successfully repaired. One patient with pseudoaneurysm was treated by stent placement.
Aneurysm, False ; Diskectomy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Stents ; Vascular System Injuries*

OBJECTIVE: GnRH agonist used in the medical treatment of endometriosis, induces accelerated bone loss, which leads to osteoporosis. This study was performed to investigate the possibilities of prevention of bone loss by progestogen add-back therapy in GnRH agonist treatment. METHODS: Thirty patients, who were diagnosed as endometriosis from Apr 1996 to Jun 2001, were divided into GnRH agonist treatment group and progestogen add-back therapy group. The changes of lumbar spine and femur BMD were checked from the onset of treatment to 6 months later, and the changes of bone markers (serum osteocalcin, urine deoxypyridinoline) from the onset of treatment, to 3 months later, to 6 months later, respectively. RESULTS: In GnRH agonist group, the BMDs were decreased by 5.56%, 3.85%, 6.10% and 5.19% in lumbar spine, femur neck, ward triangle, and femur trochanter respectively. All of these changes were significant compared with basal BMDs at each sites. Basal serum osteocalcin level of 5.34+/-2.37 ng/ml was significantly and continuously increased to 8.87+/-3.06 ng/ml and 11.87+/-3.15 ng/ml at 3rd and 6th month of treatment respectively. Urinary deoxypyridinoline level was increased from basal 7.07+/-2.48 ng/ml to 9.56+/-3.13 ng/ml at 3rd month and 9.87+/-2.18 ng/ml respectively. The significant change was noted from 3rd month of treatment with no change between 3rd and 6th month of treatment. In MPA add-back therapy group, the BMDs after treatment were significantly decreased by 5.39% and 4.30% only in lumbar spine and ward triangle of femur compared with pretreatment basal BMD levels. But there was no significant change at femur neck and trochanter. Serum osteocalcin level was significantly increased from basal 8.02+/-3.25 ng/ml to 11.05+/-4.02 ng/ml at 6th month of treatment, while there was no change at 3rd month of treatment. Meanwhile urinary deoxypyridinoline level was not changed during treatment. CONCLUSION: Although the decrease of BMD and the increase of bone turnover rate are induced during GnRH agonist therapy for endometriosis, progestogen add-back therapy could prevent these changes to some degree.
Endometriosis* ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoporosis ; Spine