Since they were introduced by Ward in 1923, periodontal dressing have been routinely used following the periodontal surgery to avoid pain, infection, desensitizing teeth, inhibiting food impaction of the surgical areas, and immobilizing injured areas. Recently, however, the value of periodontal dressings and their effects on periodontal wound healing have been questioned, several authors have been reported that the use of dressing has little influence on healing following periodontal surgical procedures. In addition, there is evidence that when good flap adaptation is achieved, the use of a periodontal dressing does not add to patient comfort nor promote healing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient postoperative pain experience and discomfort with and without the use of periodontal dressing following periodontal surgery. Twenty-eight patients, 11 male and 17 female. were selected for this study; The age range was 31 to 56, with an average of 40.2years. Patient selection was based on existence of two bilateral sites presenting similar periodontal involvement, as determined by clinical and radiographic assessment, and requiring comparable bilateral surgical procedures. Using a splitmouth dressing. one site received a periodontal dressing while the other site did not. Pain assessment was made according to a horizontal, rating scale(0-10). After at least a two - week period, the second surgical precedure was performed using the alternate postoperative treatment. At the conclusion of the trial, a self-administered questionnaire on postoperative experience was administered, and were asked of their preference of either, dressed or undressed. The results were as follows: 1. A similar trend for mean pain and discomfort scores as assessed by patients both dressed and saline-treated procedures was evident during 7-day postsurgical period. 2. Statistical analysis of differences between the dressed side and saline-treated side with respect to pain, discomfort and patient's experiences revealed that both treatment sides behaved similarly at any postoperative day(P>0.05). 3. Considering the patient's preference, on the basis of pain and discomfort experienced, 43% preferred the saline-mouthwash and 32% preferred the dressing, 25% showing no preference for either the dressing or the saline-mouthwash. There is evidence to support the use of a periodontal dressing in retention of an apically positioned flap by preventing coronal displacement, or its use to provide additional support to stabilize a free gingival graft. However, there will always be a use for periodontal dressing although routine use of dressings may decrease because of better surgical techniques and the use of antibacterial mouth rinses.
Bandages* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mouth ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative ; Patient Selection ; Periodontal Dressings ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tooth ; Transplants ; Wound Healing

Even though suicide ranks as the fourth cause of death and is causing a significant loss in Korea, it seems that the conventional notion regarding suicide as a feasible way of solving a troublesome life situation hinders early recognition and proper management of suicide. This article reviews suicide prevention strategies recommended based on robust experience and scientific understanding of the characteristics of the suicide problem. In the UK, a suicide prevention strategy was formed at the national level suggesting significant goals to reduce the rate of suicide. In the US, the Institute of Medicine study committee examined the state of the science base, gaps in knowledge, strategies for prevention, and research designs for the study of suicide. This recommendation includes more science-based, coherent and well-coordinated multidisciplinary approaches, and thus suggests important practical recommendations for a suicide prevention strategy of Korea. The author concludes that suicide should be defined as a treatable and even preventable medical condition. Constructing a national network of suicide research, data surveillance, developing tools for suicide prevention including early detection and safety planning, and comprehensive insurance coverage are recommended.
Cause of Death ; Depression ; Institute of Medicine (U.S.) ; Insurance Coverage ; Korea ; Research Design ; Suicide

Toxic hepatitis has been reported as a major cause of acute hepatitis, but its potential induction by herbal remedies and/or health foods is usually neglected. We experienced a case of toxic hepatitis associated with Polygoni multiflori, a Chinese herb commonly known as Ho-Shou-Wu. A 54-year-old woman consumed Ho-Shou-Wu for 1 month, after which she experienced fatigue and overall weakness. A diagnosis of toxic hepatitis was made based on her clinical history, the findings for viral markers and other laboratory data, and ultrasonography. Her condition improved considerably after she stopped taking Ho-Shou-Wu. However, she resumed taking Ho-Shou-Wu immediately after discharge from hospital, which aggravated her symptoms and liver function. She was immediately readmitted and stopped taking Ho-Shou-Wu. Her relapse into hepatitis immediate after resuming consumption of the herb is strongly indicative of the validity of Koch's postulate in this case.
Drug-Induced Liver Injury/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Plant Extracts/toxicity ; Polygonum/*toxicity

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was (1) to determine if serum creatine kinase (CK) activity is reduced in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with that of noninflammatory rheumatic diseases, (2) to examine the recently described association of low CK activity and disease variables in our RA population, and (3) to examine the influence of steroid on serum CK activity in patients with RA. METHODS: Cross sectional and longitudinal retrospective analyses of clinical and biochemical data of consecutive patients with RA and noninflammatory arthropathies. In all subjects we evaulated age, sex, weight, and, only for patients with RA, history of use of corticosteroids and Ritchie index. C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hemoglobin, and platelet count were simultaneously determined as variables of disease activity. CK activity was determined by automated biochemical analyzer (Hitachi 747, Japan). RESULTS: Serum CK activity was significantly reduced in RA (mean+SD: 45.7 +24.2 IU/L) compared to controls (81.3+33.9 IU/L) (p < 0.001). Ritchie index, CRP, and platelet count correlated inversely with CK values (correlation coefficient: 0.31, p < 0.01; 0. 45, p < 0.001; 0.42, p < 0.001, respectively). Patients taking steroids had lower CK activity than those without steroid, but not statistically significant.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Creatine Kinase* ; Creatine* ; Humans ; Platelet Count ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Steroids

A 41-year-old female complaining of easy fatigue, headache, thickened extremities and deepened facial folds was admitted to the hospital. As early as 6 years ago, she had been told by family members that her voice was changed and both hands was thickened. Cranial plain radiography indicated ballooning of sella turcica. Sella MRI disclosed 2.2cm sized pituitary tumor with suprasellar extension. The pituitary tumor with hypothalamic extension was removed via a transsphenoidal approach. The postoperative course was uneventful until hyponatremia with sudden headache and respiratory arrest was developed. The case was due to hyponatremic encephalopathy on the basis of the clinical course and symptoms, and 3% hypertonic saline was infused for 12 hours until the hyponatremia was corrected. We have experienced a mortality case of hyponatremic encephalopathy in which surgieal removal of a pituitary tumor from a female acromegalic patient in menstruant period was followed by the sudden occurrence of hyponatremia, which in turn was later associated with marked brain edema.
Adult ; Brain Edema ; Extremities ; Fatigue ; Female ; Hand ; Headache ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mortality ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Radiography ; Sella Turcica ; Voice

The pterional(Transsylvian) and subtemporal approaches are main surgical route for direct clipping of basilar bifurcation and basilar-superior cerebellar artery aneurysms. In general , the pterional approach has the advantage for high placed aneurysm and the subtemporal approach has the advantage for low placed and posterior directed aneurysm of basilar bifurcation. The authors has been performed surgery for 5 cases of basilar bifurcation and basilar-superior cerebellar artery aneurysms through subtemporal route during 1.5 years with good results in 3 cases, fair result in 1 case, and death in 1 case. We described about this 5 cases detaily and discussed the subtemporal approach for these lesions.
Aneurysm* ; Arteries*

OBJECTIVES: Medical complications are common and often serious in patients with eating disorders, however, little is known about complications in patients with bulimia nervosa. METHODS: We conducted a retrospectively investigation of clinical characteristics and hematologic, biochemical, hormonal, and bone density evaluations in 90 Korean women with bulimia nervosa together with 100 healthy Korean women of comparable ages. RESULTS: In patients with bulimia nervosa, 20% were anemic, 3.3% were hypokalemic, 14.4% had increased alanine aminotransferase, 24.4% were lower in serum protein, 8.8% were hypercholesterolemia, and 77.8% were hyperamylasemia. Osteopenia at any one site was identified in 26.7% of patients and the lowest-ever body mass index was the main determinant of bone mineral density in patients with bulimia nervosa. CONCLUSION: In this study, many features of medical findings reported in anorexia nervosa were found in bulimia nervosa, however, the findings in bulimia nervosa were milder form than in anorexia nervosa. Management of any physical abnormalities in bulimia nervosa should focus on correction of the eating disorder.
Alanine Transaminase ; Anorexia Nervosa ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Bulimia Nervosa* ; Bulimia* ; Feeding and Eating Disorders ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperamylasemia ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Humans*

An interdigital pilonidal sinus is considered a rare occupational disease related to individuals with short hair. We describe a case of a 44-year-old man who presented with a tender nodule with a purulent discharge in the fourth interdigital web space of the left foot. The biopsy specimen showed a sinus tract surrounded by keratin and squamous epithelium, and the track contained acute and chronic inflammatory cells. The skin lesion was improved with occlusion of the fistula by using 100% bichloracetic acid. We herein report on a rare case of a interdigital pilonidal sinus in the foot, and this occurred with no relation to the patietn's occupation.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Epithelium ; Fistula ; Foot ; Hair ; Humans ; Keratins ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupations ; Pilonidal Sinus ; Skin ; Track and Field

Bee sting therapy is sometimes used for the treatment of chronic recalcitrant neuralgia and arthralgia and chronic eczema in traditional Korean herbal medicine. The stings of many insects are withdrawn after stinging. However, in certain cases, retained sting materials at the treatment site may induce granulomatous inflammation. A 76-year-old man presented with an erythematous plaque containing a central ulcer and granulation tissue after he had undergone bee sting therapy for a palpable subcutaneous nodule in the right axilla area and eczema on the back. The biopsy specimen showed a granulomatous response marked by histiocytes and giant cells surrounding foreign material. Histologic examination of the subcutaneous nodule in the right axilla showed mature fat cells consistent with a lipoma. Thus, we report a rare case of a foreign body granuloma with skin necrosis occurring after bee sting therapy.
Adipocytes ; Aged ; Arthralgia ; Axilla ; Bees ; Biopsy ; Bites and Stings ; Eczema ; Foreign Bodies ; Giant Cells ; Granulation Tissue ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body ; Herbal Medicine ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Insects ; Lipoma ; Necrosis ; Neuralgia ; Skin ; Ulcer