No abstract available.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents* ; Intracranial Aneurysm*

Diffuse alopecia areata is the least common clinical type of alopecia, and this diffuse form lacks the characteristic hairless patches of alopecia and it begins as diffuse hair loss. Diffuse alopecia areata has been poorly characterized. In 2002, there was a suggestion to define this form of alopecia areata as acute, diffuse and total alopecia of the female scalp (ADTAFS). ADTAFS is characterized by a marked female predominance, tissue eosinophilia and a uniquely short clinical course. We report here on one case of ADTAFS.
Alopecia ; Alopecia Areata ; Eosinophilia ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Scalp

BACKGROUND: Cases of patients presenting side effects after illegal therapeutic attempts by non-medical personnel have been increasing and the patterns of attempts and related side effects become complicated. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the causes and characteristics of illegal therapeutic attempts and its' side effects performed by non-medical personnel. METHODS: Between April 1, 2008 and April 30, 2008, a total of 120 case reports of patients who developed side effects after illegal therapeutic attempts by non-medical personnel were collected from the members of the Korean dermatological association and analyzed. RESULTS: Clinical diagnoses, suggested to have before receiving illegal therapeutic attempts, revealed that 44 (36.6%) patients presented various pigmentary disorders, such as acquired melanocytic nevi and melasma, 22 (18.3%) wanted to have tattooing for permanent make up, skin aging in 16 (13.3%) cases, and acne in 10 (8.3%). Illegal therapeutic attempts performed included tattooing for permanent make up in 22 (18.3%) cases, peelings 19 (15.8%), laser therapies 18 (15.0%), and filler injection 12 (10.0%). The various clinical diagnoses of the patients with side effects were suggested, such as contact dermatitis in 34 (25.6%) cases, scarring in 33 (24.8%), post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation 20 (15.0%), secondary infection 19 (14.3%), and acne or acneiform eruption 9 (6.8%). CONCLUSION: In this report, we demonstrated patterns of illegal therapeutic attempts by non-medical personnel and its' side effects. We suggest that more effort should be followed by dermatologists to inform patients the risks of the illegal therapeutic attempts by non-medical personnel and to increase public health awareness.
Acne Vulgaris ; Acneiform Eruptions ; Cicatrix ; Coinfection ; Cosmetics ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Laser Therapy ; Melanosis ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Public Health ; Skin Aging ; Tattooing

The authors presented 9 cases of surgically treated CSF rhinorrhea, two of which were spontaneous and 7 were traumatic delayed. The duration of leakage was longer than 1 month in most cases and seven of the nine cases were complicated by meningitis. The leakage site was most accurately detected by metrizamide computed tomographic cisternography(MCTC) and the most frequent leakage site was the cribriform plate. Good surgical results were obtained by direct repair and/or shunt without recurrence during follow-up period from 7 months to 2 years.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea ; Ethmoid Bone ; Follow-Up Studies ; Meningitis ; Metrizamide ; Recurrence

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors of infancy. However, hemangiomas located in the respiratory tract are rare and could cause life-threatening events due to airway obstruction. To date, the best recommended treatment for infantile hemangioma is oral propranolol because it demonstrates faster effects and fewer adverse effects than systemic corticosteroid therapy. Here, we report a case of a 1-month-old girl who presented with respiratory symptoms and hemangioma on the scalp. The hemangioma extended from the right base of the skull to thoracic inlet, causing inspiratory stridor and dyspnea. Treatment with oral propranolol was initiated and her symptoms regressed. Imaging showed regression of the hemangioma. This is a rare case of skin hemangioma found on the scalp, in which the hemangioma extended from the base of the skull to the subglottis, precipitating respiratory symptoms from airway obstruction. Based on this encounter, the presentation of skin hemangioma on the head, coupled with respiratory symptoms, necessitates the use of imaging studies, such as computed tomography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging to ascertain the extent of hemangioma.

Cytomegalovirus(CMV) rarely causes cutaneous rnanifestations. But since the recent development of organ transplants and the increased prevalence of AIDS, various skin manifestations of CMV infection such as varicelliform eruptions, perineal hulcerations, papular, purpurc and vesiculobllous lesions are increasing in immunocompromised subjects, Perineal ulceration is a typical cytomegalovirus-induced skin manifestation which exhibits similar morphology to herpes simplex viral infection. We describe a case of CMV-induced ulcer on labia majora in an AIDS patient, proven by histologic findings and immunohistochemistry. The patient was treated with ganciclovir and the lesion improved two months later.
Cytomegalovirus* ; Ganciclovir ; Herpes Simplex ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Prevalence ; Skin Manifestations ; Transplants ; Ulcer*

Chondroblastoma is a benign occurrence bone tumor arising most often in the epiphyses of long bone and its occurance in skull is rare. The authors recently encountered a case of large chondroblastoma occupying middle cranial fossa. The clinical presentation, reoentgenographic appearance, gross and microscopic characteristics, surgical treatment, differential diagnosis, and the rapeutic result are presented. A 27 year old male patient was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Keimyung University Hospital because of progressive diffuse swelling in right temporal area of 4 months duration. In physical examination, nontender, firm, nonmovable diffuse mass in right temporal area and bean sized polypoid mass in the anterior and superior wall of the right external auditory canal were noted. Plain skull X-rays showed lytic defect in the right temporal squama, base of middle cranial fossa, sphenoid ridge, a part of petrous bone and anterior fossa with rather sharp, but not sclerotic margin. Brain CT scan showed a lentiform nonhomogeneous slight high density mass with scattered calcification in the entire middle cranial fossa, and the tumor enhanced slightly. Selective external carotid serial angiogram revealed complete obstruction of external carotid artery just behind the origin of lingual artery without tumor staining. Right temporal craniectomy was performed with nearly total curetting of tumor mass grossly. The histological diagnosis was chondroblastoma. The patient was discharged with good result.
Adult ; Arteries ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, External ; Chondroblastoma* ; Cranial Fossa, Middle* ; Curettage ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ear Canal ; Epiphyses ; Humans ; Male ; Neurosurgery ; Petrous Bone ; Physical Examination ; Skull ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

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