No abstract available.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Renal Dialysis*

No abstract available.
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome*

To investigate the effects of prostaglandin E1(PGX1) in prevention of proliferative scar formation, we cultured fibroblasts of normal skin (NS), hypertrophic scar (HS) and keloid (KL) tissues obtained from patients. We have compared type I collagenase production of cultured fibroblasts from normal skin, hypertrophic scar, and keloid tissues under various concentrations of PGE1. Our results demonstrate that type I collagenase production was significantly increased after addition of PGE1 in HS and KL, but not NS. Type I collagenase production of HS and KL fibroblasts were increased similarly in 10M and 10M of PGE1 and maximally increased in the concentration of 10M. This promotive effects of PGE1 on the production of type I collagenase was larger in KL than in HS. These results also suggest that PGE1 may play the promotive effects on type I collagenase production in dose-dependent manner. PGE1 may have a role in the prevention of hypertrophic scar and keloid by enhancing the production of type I collagenase of HS and KL fibroblasts. The promotive effects of PGE1 on type I collagenase production was variable depending on its concentration, and its effects was maximum in certain optimal condition. The maximally effective concentration of PGE1 in the prevention of proliferative scar formation should be searched in further investigations for clinical use.
Alprostadil ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Collagenases* ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans ; Keloid* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Skin

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hypoplastic, Congenital*

PURPOSE: Supraventricular tachycardia(SVT) is the most frequent symptomatic arrhythmia in children. We performed this study to disover the SVT mechanisms, age at SVT onset, symptoms and ECG findings of SVT and effect of adenosine on SVT. METHODS: We studied 57 patients(male : 30, female : 27, age : 1 day-15.8 years) who had been admitted or transferred due to SVT from January, 1997 to March, 2001. Retrospectively we reviewed their medical records, ECG and electrophysiologic study findings. RESULTS: Of the total 57 patients, the mechanisms of SVT(including atrial flutter) were atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia(AVRT) in 36(63%) patients, atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia(AVNRT) in 9(16%) patients, ectopic atrial tachycardia(EAT) in 6(11%) patients, multifocal atrial tachycardia(MAT) in 3(5%) patients and atrial flutter(AF) in 3(5%) patients. Of the 12 primary atrial tachycardias(including EAT, MAT and AF), 11 tachycardias began before 1 year of age. The SVT occured before 1 year of age in 21(37%) patients, at 1 to 5 years of age in 7(12 %) patients, at 5 to 10 years of age in 19(33%) patients and after 10 years of age in 10(18%) patients. In symptomatic SVT, the frequent symptoms were palpitation, chest discomfort and chest pain, gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea and abdominal pain, dizziness and dyspnea in decreasing frequency. P wave was discernible in 31(86%) of the 36 AVRT patients and 5(56%) of the 9 AVNRT patients. Adenosine was effective in 19(91%) of 21 AVRT or AVNRT patients. No significant side effect resulted from was occured by rapid bolus intravenous injection of adenosine. CONCLUSION: AVRT was most frequent in pediatric SVT patients. SVT frequently occured before 1 year of age and at 5 to 10 years of age. Primary atrial tachycardia mainly occured before 1 year of age.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenosine ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrioventricular Node ; Chest Pain ; Child ; Dizziness ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography* ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Medical Records ; Nausea ; Retrospective Studies ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular* ; Thorax

Although sacrococcygeal mass is rare and usually found in infants or children, adolescent or adult patients with protruding mass in sacrococcygeal region occasionally come to us simply for a cosmetic problem. In this situation, even though there is no definite neurological deficit, it should be evaluated whether or not the underlying bony pathology or dural defect exists. Few cases about the sacrococcygeal mass have been reported in adults. We reviewed our cases including preoperative evaluation methods and postoperative diagnosis. From March, 1993 to February, 1997, we experienced 6 adult patients with sacrococcygeal mass and no neurological abnormality. Preoperative evaluation were made by plain X-ray, myelogram, computed tomography(CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as needed. Postoperative diagnoses were 2 meningoceles, 2 lipomyelomeningoceles, 1 desmoid tumor, and 1 teratoma. From our experiences, CT or MRI is essential to evaluate the sacrococcygeal mass preoperatively. These methods can visualize the precise anatomic location and extent of the mass, its relation to the spinal cord, and associated bony abnormalities. MRI is superior to CT, especially in defining the nature of the mass and involvement of the spinal cord. Conclusively, even a simple mass in the sacrococcygeal region in adults needs MRI or CT evaluation, and MRI is the most valuable method of evaluating the mass preoperatively and provides important information to establish a treatment plan.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Fibromatosis, Aggressive ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningocele ; Pathology ; Sacrococcygeal Region* ; Spinal Cord ; Teratoma

Proliferative scarring in the form of keloids and hypertrophic scars continues to be a clinical problem for some patients. The lack of an animal model for such scarring has been an obstacle to studying the biology and effective therapy of these entities. Consequently we created an accurate reproductive animal model to systematically study them. Human proliferative scars were explanted into flaps based on isolated vascular pedicles in congenitally rats. We compared the procollagen type III peptide levels of proliferative scar tissue before and after explanting. The procollagen type III peptide levels of explanted proliferative scar tissue remained increased as before explanting. Histological analysis of the explanted proliferative scar tissue revealed that all explants retained their original histotypic character even after 1 year. We could also retain the volume of implanted proliferative scar for 1 year and studied in vitro cellular proliferation. Fibroblast cultures from explanted scars demonstrated less aggressive growth characteristic than those from original surgical specimens. The advantages of this animal model are as follows: 1. The explants retain their histotypical character for a long period. 2. Placement of the explants outside the dorsum of a nude rat makes serial observation and measurement easier. 3. Agents under test can be injected into the explants through a catheter inserted into a single pedicle of island flap without the possibility of spreading systematically.
Animals* ; Biology ; Catheters ; Cell Proliferation ; Cicatrix* ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Collagen Type III ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Keloid ; Models, Animal* ; Rats ; Rats, Nude

A clinical evaluation was made on patients with urethral strictures, who had been admitted to the Department of Urology, Kyungpook National University Hospital during 7 years periods from January, 1977 to December, 1983. The results were as follows: 1. Out of total 1979 inpatients, 105 were male patients with urethral strictures, giving rate of 5.4% 2. The most frequently involved age group was the 4th. decade being 24.7% of total and 64.6% was seen in age group of 20 to 49 years. 3. Trauma was the most frequent cause of urethral strictures(81%), followed in order of frequency by iatrogenic(11.4 %), inflammatory and post-operative cause. 4. Out of 121 patients with urethral trauma during the study period, urethral strictures were developed in 85 (70.2 %). According to the initial managements of urethral trauma, the incidence of stricture was 74.5% in the suprapubic cystostomy, 78.6% in the primary realignment and 55.9% in the Foley`s catheterization. 5. The treatment modality was surgical intervention in 54 patients and conservative management in 51. Success rates were 90.7% in surgical intervention and 84.3% in conservative managements. Success rate according to the permanent urethroplasty was 93.7% in the perineal end to end anastomosis (30 out of 32 patients), 70% in the transpubic urethroplasty (7 out of 10) and 100% in the Badenoch pull through procedure(4) and realignment(5). 6. As to the late complications, restructure was observed in 7 patients, impotence in 4, false tract in 3 and incontinence in 1.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cystostomy ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Male ; Urethral Stricture* ; Urology

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bone is relatively rare than that affecting the soft tissue. The authors have first experienced a case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma affecting the distal tibia of thirty-two years old woman in Korea. We obtained good results from free vascularized fibular graft after radical resection in stead of amputation. A case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bone is reported with brief review of literature.
Amputation ; Female ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Humans ; Korea ; Tibia ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To determine whether correlation exists between anxiety/depression and the advent/ progression of the disease in glaucoma patients. We compared the degree of anxiety and depression among 3 groups which consist of glaucoma patients, cataract patients, and healthy individuals. METHODS: Between July 1, 1999 and December 31, 1999, a written survey was conducted on three groups of people-glaucoma patients, cataract patients, and healthy individuals, who visited Dankook University Hospital's Ophthalmology Outpatient Depatment. Each group consists of 25 people. The Spielberg's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was employed to quantify the degree of anxiety. STAI consists of 40 questions; 20 questions were designed to measure State Anxiety (STAI-S) and 20 questions to measure Trait Anxiety (STAI-T). In each question, the participants were asked to give scores of 1 to 4. In order to measure the degree of depression, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was employed which consists of 21 questions with a 0 to 3 scoring scale for each question. RESULTS: In glaucoma patient group, the average STAI-S score was 44.76+/-13.64, STAI-T score 43.92+/-11.66, and BDI score 15.72+/-10.16. The obtained score was significantly higher compared to cataract patient group (34.64+/-9.17, 34.84+/-10.76, 8.44+/-6.80) and normal group (35.56+/-7.30, 34.52+/-7.70, 8.76+/-4.92) and such findings implied that the degree of anxiety and depression was significantly higher in glaucoma patient group. The severity of intraocular pressure, visual field, visual acuity, and cup to disc ratio did not seem to be correlated with anxiety and depression. DISCUSSIONS: In glaucoma patients, a psychological self training in daily life, in addition to surgical or medical treatment, which can help reduce anxiety and depression can be a useful complement to the conventional treatment modalities.
Anxiety* ; Cataract ; Complement System Proteins ; Depression* ; Glaucoma* ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Ophthalmology ; Outpatients ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields