PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiographic and clinical results of displaced transverse patellar fractures using a tensioned anterior figure-eight wire placed through two cannulated screws MATERIALS AND METHODS: 9 patients with displaced transverse patellar fractures treated with cannulated screws and figure-eight wiring were analyzed retrospectively. The mean age was 53 years (range, 22 to 68 years). Controlled passive range of motion exercise were started on the first postoperative day. Full weight bearing was allowed as tolerated. The patients were evaluated with radiographs, clinical examination and Levack's scoring system. RESULTS: All fractures healed and mean time elapsed for union was 9.4 weeks (range, 8 to 12 weeks). All patients regained full knee range of motion. Clinical results according to the Levack's scoring system were excellent in 8 cases and good in 1 case. We found no complications like loss of reduction and soft tissue irritation caused by the wire and screw, loosening or migration of hardware. CONCLUSION: Anterior figure-eight wiring through paired cannulated screws is appropriate for transverse patellar fractures, is possible early knee motion exercise and weight bearing.
Humans ; Knee ; Patella ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Weight-Bearing

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of treatments by percutaneous Acutrak screw fixation for intra-articular tongue type fracture of calcaneus, especially in elderly patient or patients with underlying disease including diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven cases with intra-articular tongue type fracture of calcaneus, from November 2003 to February 2005, were reviewed. There were 6 males and 1 female with 65 years old mean age (range: 61~71 years old). The average follow-up period was 16 months (range: 10~25 months). Two Steinmann pins were used for closed reduction. After closed reduction was done like Essex-Lopresti's method, two Acutrak screws were inserted. The third Acutrak screw was inserted at the sustentaculum tali away from sinus tarsi to fix the primary fracture line. The patients were evaluated with Salama scale, the extent of recovery of Bohler angle, state of subtalar joint. RESULTS: Clinical results according Salama scale were excellent in 5 cases, and good in 2 cases. Average preoperative Bohler angle was 13 degrees (range: 12~15 degrees). Average postoperative Bohler angle was 31o (range: 23 degrees - 40 degrees). There were no soft tissue complications. There were two mild subtalar arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: We think that percutaneous Acutrak screw fixation is a good option for tongue type fracture of calcaneus in elderly patient or patients with underlying disease including diabetes mellitus.
Aged ; Arthritis ; Calcaneus* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Subtalar Joint ; Tongue*

Tularemia is a major laboratory acquired zoonoses caused by Francisella tularensis that have high virulence, and usually transmitted to humans from direct contact with infected wild animals like rabbits or insect vectors like ticks. Clinical tularemia can be divided with 6 major syndromes that are delineated by the mode of organism aquisition, in which ulceroglandular type is the most common. F. tularensis have 3 different biogroups which have homogeneous antigenecity, type A (biogroup tularensis), type B (biogroup palearctica) and biogroup novicida, and can be confirmed by serology most frequently. In the domestic area, there was no reports of tularemia in humans or presence of bacteria in the reservoirs. Authers experienced a case of tularemia which is suspected as F. tularensis type B, ulceroglandular type. A healthy 40-year-old man admitted the hospital for lymph node swelling in both axillary and upper arm area and for furuncles in both forearm and palm. He contacted with dead rabbit and eated it after cooking before 20 days from admission day. In laboratory cultures, F. tularensis did not grow in any of the routine or anaerobic culture media except for one blood agar plate at 5 days. After subculturing that to cystine containing chocolate agar plate at 37C degree, 5% CO2 incubator, we could see the accelerating growth of colony. In microbiological test, it was oxidase and urease negative. In acid production in cystine trypticase agar base, it was glucose positive and sucrose, maltose, glycerol negative. In agglutinating test, F. tularensis antiserum titer (Difco, USA) with isolates was 1:160 or over and antibody titer to F. tularensis antigen (Difco, USA) was 1:320 or over. Anti-F. tularensis-IF assay and Anti-F. tularensis-indirect-EIA with isolates were positive.
Adult ; Agar ; Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Arm ; Bacteria ; Cacao ; Cooking ; Culture Media ; Cystine ; Forearm ; Francisella tularensis* ; Francisella* ; Furunculosis ; Glucose ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Incubators ; Insect Vectors ; Lymph Nodes ; Maltose ; Oxidoreductases ; Rabbits ; Sucrose ; Ticks ; Tularemia* ; Urease ; Virulence ; Zoonoses

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of treatments by percutaneous Acutrak screw fixation for intra-articular joint depression type fracture of calcaneus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen cases with intra-articular joint depression type fracture of calcaneus, from September 2004 to March 2006, were reviewed. There were 9 males and 4 females with 52.5 years old mean age (range: 31~74 years old). The average follow-up period was 18 months (range: 8~32 months). Steinmann pins and Freers were used for closed reduction. After closed reduction, Acutrak screws and K-wires were inserted. The patients were evaluated with Creighton-Nebraska health foundation assessment sheet for calcaneal fracture, the extent of recovery of Bohler angle, fragment size, and state of subtalar joint. RESULTS: Clinical results according to Creighton-Nebraska health foundation assessment sheet for calcaneal fracture were excellent in 6 cases (46%), good in 4 cases (30%), fair in 2 cases (15%), and poor in 1 case (7%). Average preoperative Bohler angle was 7.6degrees (range: 2degrees~13degrees). Average postoperative Bohler angle was 24.4degrees (range: 4degrees~33degrees). There were no soft tissue complications. There were one mild subtalar arthritis and one moderate subtalar arthritis. CONCLUSION: We think that closed reduction and percutaneous Acutrak screw fixation with or without K-wire is a good option for joint depression type fracture of calcaneus.
Arthritis ; Calcaneus ; Depression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Male

PURPOSE: To evaluate the result of percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteorporotic stable burst fracture that has not neurologic symptom. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted in 37 vertebrae of 33 patinets with osteoporotic stable burst fracrure treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty from February 2000 to May 2003. Stable burst fracture was classified by McAfee. The operation was performed in the patient without neurologic symptom, BMD T-score was below -2.5 and hot uptake was seen in (99m)Tc bone scan. The operation was held from post-traumatic 7 to 32 days, average 17 days. Follow up period was from 5 months to 38 months, average 11 months. The result of the treatment was assesed by clinical finding (pain scale and work status by Denis) and radiologic findings (percentage height restored and change of kyphotic angle). RESULTS: In clinical assessment, 27 had a satisfactory pain scale below the P3, 25 had a satisfactory work status below the W3. In the radiologic findings, percentage height restore was increased from 0% to 62%, average 23.3%. The preop. kyphotic angle was from -20 degree to 42 degree, average 8.9 degree. The postop. kyphotic angle was from -20 to 42 degree, average 6.5 degree. The kyphotic angle was decreased average 2.4 degree after operation. CONCLUSION: Treatment of osteoporotic stable burst fracture with percutaneous vertebroplasty is the minimal invasive treatment that has satisfactory pain relief and reduction of fracture.
Equidae ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Vertebroplasty

OBJECTIVES: There is a great deal of interest in the possibility that environmental factors may influence the risk of developing allergic rhinitis (AR) in early life. We investigated the simultaneous effects of mode of delivery and duration of breastfeeding on the development of AR in children. METHODS: Data from 1,374 children participating in the Allergic Rhinitis Cohort Study for kids (ARCO-kids study) was analyzed. All subjects were divided into AR or non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) groups. Data on environmental factors, mode of delivery and duration of breastfeeding were collected using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Compared with short-term breastfeeding (<6 months), long-term breastfeeding (≥12 months) was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of AR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34 to 0.88). Children in the AR group also had a higher cesarean delivery rate than those in the NAR group (39.1% vs. 32.8%, P=0.05). Regarding the combined effects of mode of delivery and duration of breastfeeding, long-term breastfeeding with a vaginal delivery strongly suppressed the development of AR, compared to short-term breastfeeding with a cesarean delivery (aOR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.73). CONCLUSION: Long-term breastfeeding (≥12 months) and a vaginal delivery are associated with a lower risk of developing childhood AR.
Breast Feeding ; Cesarean Section ; Child ; Cohort Studies ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Female ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine subgoups of functional dyspesia and to evaluate the short-term effect of cisapride in patients with functional dyspepsia in Korea. METHODS: 1025 patients, with a mean age of 42.6 years, with symptoms of functional dyspepsia, were recruited consecutively and upper gastrointestinal symptoms were investigated by interview in 41 hospitals in Korea. In an open, multicenter trial, 1025 patients received Smg of cisapride three times a day (TID) for at least .2 weeks for the treatment of symptoms of functional dyspepsia. When necessary, the dose of cisapride was increased to 10mg TID and the duration of therapy was extended to 4 weeks. RESULTS: The most frequently reported symptoms of functional dyspepsia were epigastric discomfort or fullness (85%), bloating (70%), belching (53%), early satiety (52%) and epigastric pain (46%) retrospectively. Subgroups of functional dyspepsia were as follows; dysmotility-like 73.5%, ulcer-like 39.7%, reflux-like 13.0%, and unspecified dyspepsia 14.0%. However, 33.2% of subjects with functional dyspepsia could be classified into more than one subgroup. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms were decreased to average 50.3% (range; 42.2 to 59.2%) after 2 weeks of cisapride treatment and to 25% (19.2 to 29.9%) after 4 weeks. cisapride therapy resulted in good or excellent improvement in 59.0% of the patients after two weeks, in 75% of patients after 4 weeks. Adverse events were occurred in 52 patients (5.8% of all patients), most commonly, loose stools or diarrhea (3.5%), abdominal pain (1.1%), and dizziness (0.3%). The majority of adverse events was mild and transient in nature and led to premature discontinuation of treatment in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although the majorities of patients with functional dyspepsia have dysmotility like symptoms in Korea, there is such overlap among the dyspepsia subgroups. Most patients responded well to a short therapeutic trial with cisapride without significant side effects.
Abdominal Pain ; Cisapride* ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; Dyspepsia* ; Eructation ; Humans ; Korea* ; Retrospective Studies