No abstract available.
Hepatitis* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Plasmapheresis*

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is an important health concern among the postmenopausal women. Therefore, it is necessary to find out acceptable screening tools for osteoporotic patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Risk Index by OSTA as a screening test for osteoporosis. METHODS: The study population was 322 naturally caused menopausal women in Korea. Their was of femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD measured by DEXA. Risk Index by OSTA, based on weight and age, was calculated and the sensitivity and specificity for osteoporosis and osteopenia were evaluated. To find out the proper cut-off point for osteoporosis and osteopenia among the postmenopausal women in Korea, we also compared the sensitivity and specificity of each Risk Index value. RESULTS: The mean age and ages at menopause were 59.1(+/-6.2) and 50.7 (+/-2.7) years, respectively. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 9.6% with femoral neck BMD. For oeteoporosis, using a cut-off point of -1 yielded a sensitivity of 74.3% and a specificity of 52.2% with femoral neck BMD. Using a cut-off of -2 yielded a sensitivity of 87.3% and a specificity of 70.9%. The ROC curve showed an AUROC 0.88 for Risk Index in identifying osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: The Risk Index is an acceptable, simple and useful method in the diagnosis of osteoporosis with a Risk Index of -2 in Korean postmenopausal women.
Bone Diseases, Metabolic* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis* ; Prevalence ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spine

PURPOSE: To evaluate abnormal neurosonographic (NSG) findings of thalami and basal ganglia in full term babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and to correlate the findings with follow-up studies and prognosis. METHODS: We evaluated 13 full term babies with abnormal NSG findings of thalarni and basal ganglia. NSG was performed within 7 days after clinical abnormalities. Follow-up NSG was done in 11 cases; CT scan in 4 and MRI in 7. We classified NSG findings as diffuse, unilateral, and focal types according to increased echogenicity and evaluated prognosis based on follow-up studies and neurological sequelae. RESULTS: Nine cases of diffuse type had diffuse echogenic changes of bilateral thalami and basal ganglia, slit-like lateral ventricles suggesting cerebral edema, and increased parenchymal echogenicity. In diffuse type, follow-up studies showed more prominent echogencities and ventricular dilatations and cerebromalacia. One case of unilateral type caused by thromboembolism had unilateral echogenicity of right thalamus and basal ganglia with increased echogenicity of the ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere and compression of the lateral ventricle, suggesting cerebral infarction. Follow-up study showed unilateral cystic cerebromalacia. Three cases of focal type had a localized echogenic area in thalamus with lacunar infarction, which decreased in size during follow-up. Among nine cases of diffuse type, one died within 2 days, two were discharged against medical advice, and six had severe neurologic sequelae. One case of unilateral type had a moderate degree of neurologic sequelae. All 3 cases of focal type had normal development. CONCLUSION: Pattems of abnormal echogenicity in thalami and basal ganglia in fullterm infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy are correlated with the outcome and may be helpful for treatment planning.
Basal Ganglia* ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Brain Ischemia* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cerebrum ; Dilatation ; Encephalomalacia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Infant* ; Lateral Ventricles ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prognosis* ; Stroke, Lacunar ; Thalamus* ; Thromboembolism ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The double eyelid operation is one of the most common cosmetic surgery performed in orientals, and there are numerous studies about surgical procedures of that. In the case of appropriate candidates, the non-incision technique makes excellent cosmetic results, with the advantages of shorter operating time, less morbidity, less pain, no scarring and easy revision of shape. But, usually the non-incision technique is recommended in the cases with thin upper eyelid, small amount of orbital fat, less redundant skin of upper eyelid and in whom a wide fold is not desired so on. Therefore, the disadvantages of this method are that it cannot be applied to all patients. The postoperative complications are disappearance or faded fold, formation of cyst or lumps, asymmetry etc. and the incidence of these complications is slightly higher than those of the incisional method. In this study, the double eyelid operation using the continuous buried suture method was performed in 210 patients for formation of double eyelid from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1995. In conclusion very good results can be obtained by the continuous buried suture method even in the cases of puffy upper eyelid. This method can make a double eyelid shape in the fashion the patient wants and can be a new indication for correction of unilateral double eyelid. This method is safe, satisfactory and take shorter postoperative recovery time and it can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications.
Cicatrix ; Eyelids* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Orbit ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin ; Surgery, Plastic ; Sutures*

No abstract available.
Carotid Artery, Common* ; Rupture*

The use of a tissue expander and implant is the simplest option for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Use of a round dome-shaped prosthesis and the commonly used one-stage technique with a Becker type prosthesis, however, often produces an undesirable upper pole fullness. To overcome this and to achieve improved aesthetic results, we started using an anatomically-shaped expander and implant, as described by Maxwell, as a two-stage breast reconstruction. We reviewed the results of our 21 reconstructed breasts in 22 patients who were deemed suitable for reconstruction using this technique since January 1995. The most commonly used expander was 350cc (range 350-550cc) and an average of 4.2 inflations were required before replacing the expander with a permanent implant. All the expanders were placed in submuscular pockets and implant volume. The longest follow-up was 36 months. Few complications developed and most patients were satisfied with the results. We found that the anatomically-shaped expander and implant produced better aesthetic results compared to a done-shaped prosthesis.
Breast* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammaplasty* ; Mastectomy ; Prostheses and Implants ; Tissue Expansion Devices

PURPOSE: The main issue with the current ultrasonography (US) guidelines is the overestimation of malignant and indeterminate nodules as they do not aid in making decisions to treat patients. To overcome this, new US guidelines for thyroid nodules that have been shown to be better correlated with cytologic results have been proposed. We also suggested specific indications for US-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) using the new US guidelines. METHODS: Clinical and pathologic data from 925 patients and 1,419 thyroid nodules were retrospectively collected. All subjects underwent US- and US-guided FNA at Department of Surgery, Wonju Christian Hospital, between March 2010 and July 2011. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for both the current guidelines and the new guidelines. RESULTS: The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for the current guidelines in predicting malignancy were 24.1%, 99.3%, 62.2%, 25.0%, and 99.8%, respectively. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for the new guidelines in predicting malignancy were 66.0%, 96.0%, 86.7%, 47.7%, and 99.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of the new US guidelines allow for a more accurate and specific diagnosis and a better treatment plan than the current guidelines. Additionally, the use of the new FNA guidelines may help prevent unnecessary FNAs and promote cost-effective follow-up for patients.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule

No abstract available.
Lymphedema*

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 protein is known to be one of putative envelope proteins. To develop a sensitive detection method for HCV infected tissues and cells, monoclonal antibodys (MAbs) to the E2 protein of HCV were prepared from mice immunized with recombinant baculovirus-expressing E2 protein (Bac-E2). Several hybridoma clones secreting various levels of MAb were isolated and isotypes of these MAb were determined. One clone (L.2.3.3) was used for ascites production and the E2-MAb was purified and characterized. The L.2.3.3 reacted well with both Bac-E2 and E. coli expressed glutathione-5-transferase-E2 (GST-E2) fusion proteins. Using HCV patient sera, E2 envelope protein was found to be localized in the cell membrane boundary both in CHO cells and insect cells which express HCV E2 protein. Similar result was obtained when same cells were treated with the MAb L.2.3.3. These results demonstrated that Bac-E2 protein is capable of eliciting high titer antibody production in mice.
Animals ; Antibody Formation ; Ascites ; Cell Membrane ; CHO Cells ; Clone Cells ; Cricetinae ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Hybridomas ; Insects ; Mice

The surgical technique of renal transplantation has been well established, but surgical complications are not uncommon and still be important factors in postoperative mortality and morbidity. From August 1990 to May 1998, we performed 250 consecutive renal transplantations at Maryknoll hospital. The authors analyzed the kinds and incidences of surgical complications in a single center by using information from hospital records. The results were as follows: 1. The overall surgical complication rate was 9.6% (24 episodes in 250 cases). 2. These were composed of 6 vascular, 8 urologic, 4 lymphatic, and 6 wound complications. 3. Vascular complication included renal artery stenosis in 1 case and bleeding and hematoma in 5 cases. 4. Urologic complication included urine leakage in 4 cases, ureter stenosis in 2 cases and bladder stone in 2 cases. 5. Lymphatic complication was all lymphoceles. 6. One case in which renal artery stenosis had occured progressed to graft loss after 4 years later. There was no complication related mortality. 7. 1 year, 3 year and 5 year graft survival rate was 97.2%, 94.8% and 90.0%, respectively. and patient survival rate was 98.0%, 95.6% and 94.7%, respectively.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Graft Survival ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation ; Lymphocele ; Mortality ; Renal Artery Obstruction ; Survival Rate ; Transplants ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder Calculi ; Wounds and Injuries