No abstract available.
DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Humans* ; Papilloma*

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes in postural balance before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA) using computerized dynamic posturography MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of 18 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. We evaluated each patient's postural balance prior to, and at least 12 months after, total hip arthroplasty by using computerized dynamic posturography. We compared the preoperative equilibrium scores with the postoperative equilibrium scores. Clinical results were assessed for all patients preoperatively and postoperatively using the Harris hip scoring system. We investigated whether postural balance improves, and what factors were related to this parameter. RESULTS: Patients showed significant improvement in postural balance by means of proprioception after total hip arthroplasty (p<0.05). We found, during intercepting visual compensation, that an increase in the Harris hip score was correlated with an improvement in balance (p<0.01, r = 0.649). CONCLUSION: Patients with Total hip arthroplasty showed improvement in dynamic postural balance through proprioceptive recovery, and balance improved as the Harris hip score increased. This resulted in decreased pain, recovery of articular function, enhancement of physical activity, and ultimately improvement in postural balance by means of total hip arthroplasty.
Arthroplasty ; Compensation and Redress ; Hip ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Prospective Studies

The finger flexor injuries are very difficult to treat satisfactorily. It is usually said that the earlier the treatment performed, the better result obtained. But the delicasy of the hand anatomy and its function as well as the absence of the hand surgeon in the first aid care make the problem more complex. Even if we made the primary treatment to the flexor tendon injuries, some disabilities are often remained. We have treated fifty eight cases of old flexor tendon injuries in forty eight patients, the results can be summarized as follows. 1. The cause of the tendon damage is due to the laceration injury in the majorities of the cases. T,he tendon injuries are especially common between the late second and the early third decade. 2. In the injury of the Zone II with pulley distortion, the pulley reconstruction using palmaris longus or fascia from other sites will prevent bowstring and help the tendon function. 3. The Zone II can be subdivided into two subspecific areas. The proximal area is from the distal palmar crease to the midoprtion of porximal phalanx and the distal one is from the midportion of the proximal phalanx to the insertion of the sublimis tendon. In the proximal area one can repair the injured tendon directly after removal of the A1 and about proximal half of the A2 pulley without any subsequent bowstring if the tendon and its tunnel is relatively well preserved. Thus one can convert this proximal portion of Zone II to Zone III. So the proximal area of the Zone II should be differentiated from the remaining distal part of the Zone II. 4. At six months after the operation the result of the operation was analyzed by the percentage of the recovery, which was calculated by the postoperative active range of the interphalangeal joints divided by one hundred seventy five degrees that means the available total range of motion of normal interphalangeal joints. Excluding the cases with the tenodesis or arthrodesis, the total result revealed good or excellent in about ninty percentages with this method. 5. There were two fingers that showed a postoperative lumbrical plus state in Zone II, which were recovered spontaneously within three to four months postoperatively. So it is considered that the relative shortening of the lumbrical muscles can be treated and overcome conservatively by the active use of the fingers, and there is no need to perform an lumbrical tenotomy to correct this kind of muscle imbalance.
Arthrodesis ; Fascia ; Fingers ; First Aid ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Lacerations ; Methods ; Muscles ; Patella ; Patellar Ligament ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons ; Tenodesis ; Tenotomy ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Ulcer*

A case of the comminuted fracture of the femoral shaft with osteoporosis is presented. The patient lacked sufficient bony stability and cortical bone-contact which allows union by conventional reconstruction method. Therefore, the authors performed a technique utilizing an intramedullary plate in combination with the standard lateral plate in order to obtain bony stabilization, early range of motion of the knee, and partial weight bearing ambulation and the technique is introduced.
Femur ; Fractures, Comminuted* ; Humans ; Knee ; Methods ; Osteoporosis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Walking ; Weight-Bearing

A case of the comminuted fracture of the femoral shaft with osteoporosis is presented. The patient lacked sufficient bony stability and cortical bone-contact which allows union by conventional reconstruction method. Therefore, the authors performed a technique utilizing an intramedullary plate in combination with the standard lateral plate in order to obtain bony stabilization, early range of motion of the knee, and partial weight bearing ambulation and the technique is introduced.
Femur ; Fractures, Comminuted* ; Humans ; Knee ; Methods ; Osteoporosis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Walking ; Weight-Bearing

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cisplatin (CP), an antitumor agent widely used in the treatment of head and neck cancers, has side effects such as ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity. These side effects are closely related to oxidative stress. In the present study, we attempted to suppress CP-induced ototoxicity in rats by administering melatonin, an antioxidant. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into different groups and were treated as follows: 1) saline control, 2) CP (16 mg/kg, i.p.), 3) CP plus melatonin (10 mg/kg, i.p.). The rats were sacrificed at the 6th day after CP treatment. RESULTS: CP-treated rats showed increase in cochlear malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase levels, and the decrease in cochlear superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase levels. CP-treated rats showed markedly decreased in the number of stereocilia on the inner hair cells and mildly decreased in the number of outer hair cells in organ of Corti under the light and scanning electron microscopic examination. Light and electron microscopic findings, and cochlear hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase levels were restored in the rats injected with CP plus melatonin than those with CP alone. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that melatonin suppresses CP-induced ototoxicity via the suppression of the increased production of reactive oxygen species.
Animals ; Catalase ; Cisplatin* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Glutathione Reductase ; Hair ; Head ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; Melatonin* ; Neck ; Organ of Corti ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Stereocilia ; Superoxide Dismutase

PURPOSE: Weight gain is a known side effect of valproic acid(VPA), which is associated with change of serum total cholesterol(TC) level. However, there are controversies on the correlation between VPA and serum TC. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the change of TC level in children with epilepsy on long-term VPA monotherapy and the related factors. METHODS: Epileptic patients on VPA monotherapy for more than one year were recruited at the Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Hospital. The body mass index (BMI) and TC before and after VPA treatment were obtained from all patients. We analyzed the change of serum TC according to dosage of VPA, serum drug level and other clinical data such as gender, age at start of treatment, type of seizure, etiology of seizure, duration of VPA medication and BMI. which could affect the serum TC. RESULTS: 82 children(49 male and 33 female) were included in this study. Mean serum TC of pre- and post-VPA medication was 153.5+/-31.0 mg/dL and 158.1+/-30.2 mg/dL(P>0.05), respectively. There were no clinically significant changes of serum TC level according to dosage of VPA, serum drug level and other clinical data such as gender, age at start of treatment, seizure type, etiology of seizure, duration of VPA medication and BMI(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that long-term VPA medication does not affect serum TC, and overweight at pre-VPA medication is not a risk factor.
Body Mass Index ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Male ; Overweight ; Pediatrics ; Seizures ; Valproic Acid ; Weight Gain

Candida infections after total knee replacement are extremely rare and show no specific symptoms and signs, thus make it difficult to diagnose. It is desirable to perform fungi culture from the beginning in case of persistent swelling and burning sensation in patients after total knee replacement with risk factors such as intraarticular steroid injection, intravenous drug abuse, immunosuppressive therapy, malignant hematologic tumor, etc. Positive culture of candida should never be considered as contaminated study, and be treated immediately. We report a case of candida infection after total knee arthroplasty, which was treated with staged reimplantation.
Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Electroencephalography (EEG) findings can play a critical role in a variety of decisions, including initiation and withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) therapy. Interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) are predictor of recurrent seizures. We investigated IEDs in EEG after AED therapy and related factors in epileptic children. METHODS: The subjects were 257 children [151 males and 106 females; age, 6.79 (3.40) years; duration of therapy, 2.48 (1.85) years] diagnosed with epilepsy at the Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Hospital between January 2001 and December 2007, who received AEDs for more than 6 months. EEG was performed at the intervals of 6-12 months. We divided patients into 4 groups according to IED detection before and after AEDs treatment. Related clinical factors, including gender, age at the start of treatment, seizure type, cause of seizure, AED frequency, seizure control, duration of AED therapy, and background activity were investigated in the 4 groups. RESULTS: Generalized epilepsy was relatively frequen in patients who did not show IEDs in last follow-up EEG. There were no clinically significant differences according to gender, age at the start of treatment, cause of seizure, AED frequency, seizure control, duration of AED medication, and background activity in the 4 groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: IEDs changed after AED treatment in one-third of the patients. Generalized epilepsy is positive factor for negative IEDs in last follow-up EEG.
Anticonvulsants ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Generalized ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Seizures