Kerion celsi is severe inflammatory type of tinea capitis. It occurs almost exclusively in pre-pubertal children. We report a case of Kerion celsi occuring in a 79-year-old woman. Culture of infected hair on Sabouraud glucose agar showed Microsporum canis Farnily history and fungus study suggested the importance of indirect route in Microsporum canis infection.
Agar ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Fungi ; Glucose ; Hair ; Humans ; Microsporum* ; Tinea Capitis*

To evaluate whether mast cells are involved in developing pathologic feature of psoriasis, 60 biopsy specimens of patients with psoriasis were analyzed. They had not been treated for at least 1 week before skin biopsy. Histological findings in early and fully developed lesions and numbers of mast cells in their dermal papillae were investigated. The results were as follows: 1. In epidermal changes of psoriatic lesions, parakeratosis and acanthosis revealed different findings between early lesions and fully developed lesions. While early lesions revealed mounds of parakeratosis and mild to moderate acanthosis, fully developed lesions revealed confluent parakeratosis and moderate to severe acanthosis. In dermal changes of psoriatic lesions, papillomatosis revealed different findings between early developed lesions and fully developed lesions. While early lesions revealed normal to moderate papillomatosis, fully developed lesions revealed moderate to severe papillomatosis. 2. Degree of acanthosis is related to the degree of papillomatosis. The more increase in the degree of acanthosis, papillomatosis, and parakeratosis, mast cell numbers in dermal papillae were more increased. 3. Mast cell numbers in dermal papillae were more increased in fully developed lesions than early lesions. 4. These findings suggest that mast cell may play an active role in developing pathologic finding of psoriasis.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Mast Cells* ; Papilloma ; Parakeratosis ; Psoriasis* ; Skin

We report a case of trichorrhexis nodosa in 16-year-old male. Multiple broken hair patches were seen on the both eyebrows. Scanning electron micrascopic findings revealed typical trichorrhexis nodosa; nodular swelling of hair shaft, loss of hair cuticle, longitudinal fissuring and fracture of hair cortex, and paintbrush effect on the side of fracture. Simple avoidance of trauma gave some regrowth of hair. Intralesinional administration of triamcinolone acetonide was not to be effective.
Adolescent ; Eyebrows* ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

Antiseptics are substances that kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms when applied to living tissue. They must be effective against microorganisms but must also retain their activity in presence of body fluids without being harmful locally or systemically. Among many antiseptics, Betadine(R) has been widely used because of its low toxicity and high germicidal efficacy. We reported 2 cases of allergic contact dermatitis to Betadine(R) in surgical patients. They had eczematous eruption along the Betadine(R) applying sites. Path tests Betadine(R) confirmed the diagnosis.
Anti-Infective Agents, Local ; Body Fluids ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Diagnosis ; Humans

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) in the management of benign brain tumors, we reviewed the clinical, and radiographic responses of patients treated. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between March 1996 and March 2002, 36 patients with benign brain tumors were treated by FSRT. The pathological diagnoses consisted of pituitary adenomas (12 patients), craniopharyngiomas (5 patients), meningiomas (10 patients), and acoustic neurinomas (9 patients). Radiotherapy doses of 25 to 35 Gy (3~6 Gy/fraction, 5~10 fractions) were prescribed to the 85~90% isodose line, depending upon the location, size and volume of the tumors. The median clinical and radiographical follow- up periods were 31 (range, 2~74) and 21 (range, 4~56) months, respectively. RESULTS: In the 35 patients that could be evaluated for their clinical response, 13 (37.1%) were considered improved, 16 (45.7%) stable and 6 (17.2%) worse. Of the 33 patients who had radiographic studies, tumor shrinkage was noted in 17 (51.5%), tumor stabilization in 13 (39.4%), and tumor progression in 3 (9.1%). Of the 17 tumor shrinkage patients, 7 (21.2%) showed a complete response. Acute radiation-induced complications occurred in 11 (30.6%) patients. CONCLUSION: FSRT is considered a safe and effective treatment method for benign brain tumors, but large numbers of patients, with relatively long follow-up periods are needed to assess the exact role or effect of FSRT.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Craniopharyngioma ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Meningioma ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy*

We report a case of eccrine adenocarcinoma in 65-year-old man who showed tender, painful, dark-brown colored, and verrucous surfaced tumor on the left neck for 18 months. Hisopathologic examination revealed large atypical cell masses with a tubular cystic, or adenoid pattern in the demis and it was difficult to differentiate from metastatic adenocarcinoma. Materials in the lumina revealed PAS positive, diastase resistant, alcian blue positive at pH 2.5 but negative at pH 0,4 Electron microscopy revealed that tumor cells contained secretory vacuoloes and microvilli projected into intercellular space. Around the cells, myoepithelial cell was seen. After radiotherapy and chemotherapy, tumor size was reduced transiently but 2 months later, tumor was more spread.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenoids ; Aged ; Alcian Blue ; Amylases ; Drug Therapy ; Extracellular Space ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microvilli ; Neck ; Radiotherapy

PURPOSE: This study was tried to evaluate the potential benefits of concurrent chemoradiation therapy (low dose daily cisplatin combined with split course radiation therapy) compared with conventional radiation therapy alone in stage III non-small cell lung cancer. The end points of analyses were response rate, overall survival, survival without locoregional failure, survival without distant metastasis, prognostic factors affecting survival and treatment related toxicities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between April 1992 and March 1994, 32 patients who had stage III non-small cell lung cancer were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy. Radiation therapy for 2 weeks (300cGy given 10 times up to 3000cGy) followed by a 3 weeks rest period and then radiation therapy for 2 more weeks (250cGy given 10 times up to 2500cGy) was combined with 6mg/M2 of cisplatin. Follow-up period ranged from 13 months to 48 months with median of 24 months. Historical control group consisted of 32 patients who had stage III non-small cell lung cancer were received conventionally fractionated (daily 170-200cGy) radiation therapy alone. Total radiation dose ranged from 5580cGy to 7000cGy with median of 5940 cGy. Follow-up period ranged from 36 months to 105 months with median of 62 months. RESULTS: Complete reponse rate was higher in chemoradiation therapy (CRT) group than radiation therapy (RT) group (18.8% vs. 6.3%). CRT group showed lower in-field failure rate compared with RT group (25% vs. 47%). The overall survival rate had no significant differences in between CRT group and RT group (17.5% vs. 9.4% at 2 years). The survival without locoregional failure (16.5% vs. 5.3% at 2 years) and survival without distant metastasis (17% vs. 4.6% at 2 years) also had no significant differences. In subgroup analyses for patients with good performance status (Karnofsky performance scale 80), CRT group showed significantly higher overall survival rate compared with RT group (62.5% vs. 15.6% at 2 years). The prognostic factors affecting survival rate were performance status and pathologic subtype (squamous cell cancer vs. nonsquamous cell cancer) in CRT group. In RT alone group, performance status and stage (IIIa vs IIIb) were identified as a prognostic factors. RTOG/EORTC grade 2-3 nausea and vomiting (22% vs. 6%) and bone marrow toxicities (25% vs. 15.6%) were significantly higher in CRT group compared with RT alone group. The incidence of RTOG/EORTC grade 3-4 pulmonary toxicity had no significant differences in between CRT group and RT group (16% vs. 6%). The incidence of WHO grade 3-4 pulmonary fibrosis also had no significant differences in both group (38% vs. 25%). In analyses for relationship of field size and pulmonary toxicity, the patients who treated with field size beyond 200cm2 had significantly higher rates of pulmonary toxicities. CONCLUSION: The CRT group showed significantly higher local control rate than RT group. There were no significant differences of survival rate in between two groups. The subgroup of patients who had good performance status showed higher overall survival rate in CRT group than RT group. In spite of higher incidence of acute toxicities with concurrent chemoradiation therapy, the survival gain in subgroup of patients with good performance status were encouraging. CRT group showed higher rate of early death within 1 year, higher 2 year survival rate compared with RT group. Therefore, to evaluate the accurate effect on survival of concurrent chemoradiation therapy, systematic follow-up for long term survivors are needed.
Bone Marrow ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cisplatin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nausea ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Survival Rate ; Survivors ; Vomiting

Eosinophilic granuloma, Hand-Schuller-Christian and Abt-Letterer-Siewe syndrome are known to be the same disease entity involving the reticulohistiocytic system of the body, although their clinical manifestations are different. So they were included under the term of Histiocytosis X and this concept has been generally accepted. The authors have experienced one case of Hand-Schuller-Christian disease and that of eosinophilic granuloma. The former was a 23 years old man with complaints of exophthalmos, polyuria and a tender palpable mass on the right parietal area and in the latter a soft pulastile mase located on the left parietal area in a 3 year old boy. There was no neurological deficits on their admission. We managed them with radiation and steroid therapy following surgical curettage.
Child, Preschool ; Curettage ; Eosinophilic Granuloma ; Exophthalmos ; Histiocytosis* ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Male ; Polyuria ; Rabeprazole ; Young Adult

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is relatively rare occuring as one of important autoimmune disease to affect neuromuscular junction. This study was clinically to evaluate total body irradiation (TBI) against two patients including 33-year and 39-year females for chronic MG with thymoma who hospitalized in the St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University since 1994 as well as who showed no response by thymectomy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy. TBI designed by the dose of 150~180 cGy consisting of 10 cGy per fraction, three times a week, for 5~6 weeks using linear accelerator of 6 MV. During the treatment of TBI, they did complain acute side effect such as vomiting and also appear improved physical condition from 4~6 weeks after TBI. Through the follow-up period of 18 or 42 months after TBI, they did not have any symptomatic recurrence. Consequently, the results suggest that TBI can be used as an alternative tool for the patients concurrently for MG with thymoma who had been refractory to various conventional therapies like thymectomy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Neuromuscular Junction ; Particle Accelerators ; Recurrence ; Thymectomy ; Thymoma* ; Vomiting ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

OBJECTIVE: It has been suggested that hysterectomy has a disturbing influence on bowel function, mainly constipation. We performed a prospective study to assess the changes of ano-rectal physiology after hysterectomy. METHODS: Fourteen consecutive patients were assessed before and two months after hysterectomy. A detail questionnaire was devised to allow assessment of bowel function and ano-rectal pressure test and balloon expulsion test were performed before and after hysterectomy. The parameters measured in ano-rectal pressure test included the minimal sensible volume, ano-rectal resting pressure, maximal squeezing pressure, recto-anal inhibitory reflex and balloon expulsion test. Data analysis was carried out by paired t-test. Statistical significance was inferred when the p value was<0.05. RESULTS: Among the fourteen patients, the straining in defecation was found in three patients after operation, other defication habits were not significantly changed after hysterectomy(P>0.05). There were no significant changes in ano-rectal pressure test after hysterectomy. The disturbance of balloon expulsion capacity was increased in four patients after hysterectomy(29%). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that hysterectomy does not cause a decrease in ano-rectal pressure and rectal sensitivity, but has an adverse effect on rectal expulsion capacity in a some of patients.
Constipation ; Defecation ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Physiology ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaire ; Reflex ; Statistics as Topic