PURPOSE: Extensive involvement of the abdominal wall or the diaphragm by benign or malignant tumor usually has precluded wide excision. The major reason has been the lack of a satisfactory replacement for the abdominal wall or the diaphragm. When skin and subcutaneous tissues can be preserved, it is possible to restore the abdominal wall or diaphragm by using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (GORE-TEX soft tissue patch). METHODS: From August 1993 to November 1999, we performed 6 reconstructions of the large abdominal wall or diaphragmatic defects using ePTFE following wide en bloc resection of the abdominal wall or diaphragm. RESULTS: The patients included 4 cases requiring a reconstruction of the abdominal wall. These consisted of one transverse colon cancer invading into the upper abdominal wall, a multiple teratoma recurring in the lower part of the abdominal wall, a recurrent cervix cancer inn the median line of the lower part of the abdominal wall, and an enormous desmoid tumor appearing in the right lower part of the abdominal wall. They were 22, 22, 8 and 4 months respectively after the surgical treatment. Diseases requiring extensive resection of the diaphragm included a case of hepatoma encroaching into the diaphragm and another case of a huge adrenal pheochromocytoma appearing in the right part of the diaphragm. They passed 8 and 4 months respectively following surgical treatment. There were no cases of wound infection or abdominal wall hernia, although seroma occurred in 2 cases (50%). CONCLUSION: In all 6 cases, a good result was achieved by restoring excised tissue using ePTFE graft after wide excision of tumors involving the abdominal wall or the diaphragm. Therefore, it may be possible to use this technique in cases of active excision of tumors that involve an extensive part of the abdominal wall or the diaphragm.
Abdominal Wall* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Colon, Transverse ; Diaphragm ; Fibromatosis, Aggressive ; Hernia ; Humans ; Pheochromocytoma ; Polytetrafluoroethylene* ; Seroma ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Teratoma ; Transplants* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Wound Infection

PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been identified as an endothelial cell-specific angiogenic factor of intraocular neovascularization, a pathologic complication of many vitreoretinal disorders. We studied to evaluate clinical correlation of intravitreal VEGF concentration and various vitreoretinal disorders. METHODS: Forty eight vitreous fluid samples were obtained at the time of vitreoretinal surgery from 43 patients of various disorders. Concentrations of VEGF1 6 5 in vitreous fluid were determined by Human VEGF ELISA kit and its correlation with diabetes, intraocular hemorrhage, neovascularization, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, retinal detachment, pan retinal photocoagulation, and postoperative condition was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Intravitreal concentrations of VEGF in case of intraocular hemorrhage (0.809+/-1.467 ng/ml), neovascularization (1.167+/-1.656 ng/ml), and anterior segment neovascularization (2.381+/-2.043 ng/ml) were significantly high (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: VEGF plays a major role in the development of neovascularization in the various retinal disorders.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinaldehyde ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A* ; Vitreoretinal Surgery ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Many dental clinicians are concerned about immediate loading of inserted implants. However, there have been few clinical studies surveying the success rates of immediate loading, based on Korean implant systems. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of immediate functional loading of the implant (SinusQuick(TM) EB, Neobiotech Co., Seoul, Korea) in partially edentulous maxilla or mandible. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Total 15 implants were placed. Within 2 weeks after implant insertion, provisional implant-supported fixed partial dentures were delivered to the patients. Quantitatively, marginal bone loss was measured at the time of immediate loading, after 3-months of continued loading and at the last follow-up. The mean follow-up period was 4.8 months. RESULTS: Mean marginal bone loss from implant surgery to early loading, 3-months follow-up and last follow-up was 0.03 +/- 0.07 mm, 0.16 +/- 0.17 mm and 0.29 +/- 0.19 mm. No implant failed up to 6 months after insertion, resulting in a 100% survival rate. CONCLUSION: Immediate loading exhibited high success rate in partial edentulism for up to 6 months. Well-controlled long term clinical studies with large sample size are necessary to confirm this finding.
Dental Implants ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Prospective Studies ; Sample Size ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: In many cases, the erroneous placement of a dental implant brings about undesirable results. Here, the effect of dental implant placement on the success of the final prosthesis was evaluated from the point of view of the prosthodontist. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All surgical operations were performed by the same oral surgeon with the same surgical protocol and all prosthodontic procedures were performed by the same prosthodontist. The problems faced by the prosthodontist, their causes, and their effect on prosthesis success were identified. The success of the final prostheses was evaluated by the same prosthodontist. RESULTS: Only 53% (238 implants in 105 patients) of dental implants were not associated with prosthodontic problems. Multiple implant placement (more than three implants) was associated more frequently with prosthodontic problems. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that the satisfactory construction of a prosthesis is highly dependent on the placement of the dental implant in the best possible position. It is strongly recommended that the oral surgeon and the prosthodontist engage in pre-operative discussions to establish a topdown treatment plan, as this will improve implant placement and ultimately the success of the prosthesis.
Dental Implants ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthodontics

No abstract available.
Choriocarcinoma* ; Female ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVES: Hairdressers in Korea perform various tasks and are exposed to health risk factors such as chemical substances or prolonged duration of wet work. The objective of this study is to provide descriptive statistics on the demographics and work characteristics of hairdressers in Korea and to identify work-related risk factors for dermatologic symptoms in hairdressers. METHODS: 1,054 hairdressers were selected and analyzed for this study. Independent variables were exposure to chemical substances, the training status of the hairdressers, and the main tasks required of them, and the dependent variable was the incidence of dermatologic symptoms. The relationships between work characteristics and dermatologic symptoms were evaluated by estimating odds ratios using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 1,054 study subjects, 212 hairdressers (20.1%) complained of dermatologic symptoms, and the symptoms were more prevalent in younger, unmarried or highly educated hairdressers. The main tasks that comprise the majority of the wet work were strictly determined by training status, since 96.5% of staff hairdressers identified washing as their main task, while only 1.5% and 2.0% of master and designer hairdressers, respectively, identified this as their main task. Multiple logistic regressions was performed to estimate odds ratios. While exposure to hairdressing chemicals showed no significant effect on the odds ratio for the incidence of dermatologic symptoms, higher odds ratios of dermatologic symptoms were shown in staff hairdressers (2.70, 95% CI: 1.32 - 5.51) and in hairdressers who perform washing as their main task (2.03, 95% CI: 1.22 - 3.37), after adjusting for general and work characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the training status and main tasks of hairdressers are closely related to each other and that the training status and main tasks of hairdressers are related to the incidence of dermatologic symptoms. This suggests that in the future, regulations on working conditions and health management guidelines for hairdressers should be established.
Demography ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; Eczema ; Hair Preparations ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Occupational Health ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors ; Single Person ; Social Control, Formal

Workplace violence is related to various health effects including mental illness such as anxiety or depression. In this study, the relationship between the experience of workplace violence and depression in substitute drivers in Korea, namely, daeri drivers, was investigated. To assess workplace violence, questions regarding types and frequency of the experience of violence over the past year were asked to the daeri drivers. In order to assess the risk of depression, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals of depression were estimated using multiple logistic regression analysis. All of the daeri drivers had experienced instance of verbal violence while driving and 66 of the drivers (34.1%) had been in such a situation more than once in the past quarter of a year. Sixty-eight daeri drivers (42.2%) had experienced certain type of physical violence over the past year. Compared to daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence less than 4 times and who had not experienced workplace physical violence over the past year, higher odds ratio was observed in daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence or physical violence, more than 4 times and more than one time respectively, after adjustment. Experience of verbal or physical type of workplace violence over the past year increased the risk of depression in the daeri drivers. Because violence against drivers can compromise the safety of the driver, the customer, and all the passengers, it is imperative that the safety and health of daeri drivers be highlighted.
Adult ; Aged ; *Automobile Driving/psychology ; Depression/epidemiology/*etiology ; Driving Under the Influence/prevention & control/psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Health ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; *Workplace Violence

No abstract available.
Thorax*

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancers in women and is responsible for about 14 percent of all female cancer found in Korean women. Early detection is very important because the likelihood of a complete cure is greater, and among the early screen only tools to detect cervical cancers, a Pap smear is most widely used. It has the clinical significance to follow - up patients whose results are classified as class II in their Pap smear. Thereto we tried to find the factors associated with follow-up in class II patients. METHODS: On Pap smear practiced from Jan. 1, 2000 to Dec. 31 in a University Hospital, 159 patients Pap smear results were categorized as class II, and among the 159 patients, we were able to collect data from 107 patients who voluntarily answered a phone survey. The categories in the survey were the followings : follow- up for the Pap smear, age, age of marriage, presence of menopause, age of menopause, occupation, family history of chronic diseases or cancers, educational level, presence of concomittant diseases, income, average hospital visit frequency in a year, belief of general health, and reason for doing follow- up and reason for not doing it. RESULTS: Among 107 patients, only 62 patients (57.9 Percent) did follow-up for their Pap smear results. The reasons were doctors follow-up recommendation for Pap smear results and regular health check-up, and the two main reasons not doing follow-up were nonexistence of further symptom and financial distress. In a single variable analysis, the higher educational level, individual income, and hospital visit frequency, the more People had follow-up. But in multiple logistic anarsis, only individual income was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The follow-up rate was as low as 57.9 percent, and the reasons why they did not follow-up were mainly the lack of understanding about the clinical significance of class II result on the Pap smear. Therefore, an advertisement and public education Programs to general public about cervical cancer will make more patients follow up their result on the Pap smear, especially to the low income and low education class people.
Chronic Disease ; Education ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Marriage ; Menopause ; Occupations ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Livestock breeders including poultry workers are exposed to various agricultural chemicals including pesticides and/or organic solvents. Multiple myeloma is a rare disease in Korea, and few reports have investigated the influence of occupational exposures on multiple myeloma occurrence. CASE PRESENTATION: A 61-year-old male poultry farm worker presented with bone pain and generalized weakness. A bone marrow biopsy was performed, and he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The patient had worked in a poultry farm for 16 years and was exposed to various pesticides and organic solvents such as formaldehyde without any proper personal protective equipment. Results of the work reenactment revealed that the concentration of formaldehyde (17.53 ppm) greatly exceeded the time-weighted average (0.5 ppm) and short-term exposure limit (1.0 ppm) suggested in the Korean Industrial Safety and Health Act. CONCLUSIONS: This case report suggests that poultry workers may be exposed to high levels of various hazardous chemicals including pesticides and/or organic solvents. Numerous previous studies have suggested an association between multiple myeloma and exposure to agricultural chemicals; thus, multiple myeloma in this patient might have resulted from the prolonged, high exposure to these chemicals.
Agrochemicals ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Formaldehyde ; Hazardous Substances ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Korea ; Livestock ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Occupational Exposure ; Pesticides ; Poultry* ; Rare Diseases ; Solvents ; Threshold Limit Values