BACKGROUND: Calcium status is more accurately determined by measuring free calcium, the tightly regulated biologically active form. The concentration of ionized calcium is strongly dependent on different preanalytic factors. In this study the influence of several methodological factors on the concentration of ionized calcium in blood is investigated. METHODS: Authors selected 127 persons of health care management center & comparatively healthy-look, out-patients of our hospital. When serum was needed, blood was anaerobically withdrawn in vacutainers, the serum was separated after standing at room temperature. For the plasma sample blood was anaerobically drawn into the tube with dry sodium heparin 143 IU/10ml blood in the same patient. And then, to avoid CO2 loss, the samples were left unopened and centrifuged anaerobically at 900g for 15 min; the serum and plasma were then pipetted as quickly as possible into 2ml plastic eppendorf-tube, which were completely filled and sealed off immediately and keeping it in refrigeration before testing. For the studies of calcium binding effect by different volume of sodium heparin. blood was collected into two type of tube, each containing 30IU heparin/whole blood ml or 125 IU/ml. Ioniged calcium were measured by ion-selective electrodes. RESULTS: 1. The reference value of ionized calcium in serum and plasma was 4.9+/- 0.19, 4.9+/-0.17 mg/ml(serum versus plasma, p>0.05) respectively. 2. The concentration change of ionized calcium according to heparin volume shows no significant difference until heparin 14.3 IU/blood 1 ml compared with serum. 3. The concentration of ionized calcium of serum and plasma was stable until 4 hours and 4 days after serum and plasma separation. CONCLUSIONS: Above shows that the concentration of ionized calcium have the same reference range on both serum and plasma. But each laboratory should have their own reference range according to heparin volume, ionized calcium in serum and plasma samples kept at -4degrees C remains stable within few days, provided the proposed conditions for storage.
Calcium* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Heparin ; Humans ; Ion-Selective Electrodes ; Outpatients ; Plasma ; Plastics ; Reference Values ; Refrigeration

No abstract available.
Humans ; Incontinentia Pigmenti* ; Male*

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain can be a manifestation of lumbar degenerative disease, herniation of intervertebral discs, arthritis, or lumbar stenosis. When nerve roots are compromised, low back pain, with or without lower extremity involvement, may occur. Local inflammatory processes play an important role in patients with acute lumbosciatic pain. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) measurements in patients with chronic low back pain or radiculopathy. METHODS: ESR and hsCRP were measured in 273 blood samples from male and female subjects with low back pain and/or radiculopathy due to herniated lumbar disc, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome, and other diseases. The hsCRP and ESR were measured prior to lumbar epidural steroid injection. RESULTS: The mean ESR was 18.8 mm/h and mean hsCRP was 1.1 mg/L. ESR had a correlation with age. CONCLUSIONS: A significant systemic inflammatory reaction did not appear to arise in patients with chronic low back pain.
Arthritis ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Stenosis

Isolated bronchogenic cysts of the diaphragm are rare abnormalities. They are usually asymptomatic unless secondarily infected or large enough to cause compression of vital structures. The patient was a 31-year-old man and had no symptoms except mild postprandial epigastric discomfort. The chest X-ray and chest C-T examination revealed a mediastinal mass at the left cardio-vertebro-phrenic angle. We performed the operation under the impression of solid mass at mediastinum. We revealed that the mass was bronchogenic cyst in diaphragm. Therefore we report this case with review of literatures.
Adult ; Bronchogenic Cyst* ; Diaphragm* ; Humans ; Mediastinum ; Thorax

A 67 year-old male patient had butterfly-shaped ulcer with oozing on the face since 25 years ago. Histopathologically the lesion showed basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. He received skin graft after surgical excision and showed no evidence of recurrence or metastasis for over six months.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Transplants ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the treatment results of geriatric intertrochanteric fractures by using Asian-Pacific Gamma nails. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 1994 to June 1997, 58 cases of the intertrochanteric fractures were treated with Asian-Pacific Gamma nail, particularly compression hip screw fixation complications such as communited fracture involving lesser trochanter, transverse or reverse oblique intertrochanteric fracture. We evaluated the bone union time, neck-shaft angle, lag screw sliding by follow up radiographs, and studied complications and intraoperative cautions. RESULTS: The average age was 74.4 years old, the mean duration of follow-up was 17 months, the mean duration of bone union was 14.2 weeks, the average neck-shaft angle was postop. 133+/-2.78 degree and last follow-up was 129.5+/-3.37 degree, and the average lag screw sliding was 4.7+/-3.16 mm. Intraoperative complications were difficulty in distal drilling (posterior drilling) in 4 cases, fracture displacement by nail insertion in 3 cases, and postoperative complications were coxa vara in 13 cases, superior cutting out of lag screw with nonunion in 1 case and superficial infection in 1 case. The entry portal must be formed by awling. The fracture displacement when inserting nail could be prevented by proper reaming after inserting the C-shaped guide pin, and posterior drilling could be avoided by confirming the locking between target device and nail. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the Asian-Pacific Gamma nail could appropriately treat the osteoporotic, communited intertrochanteric fracture in elderly patients and we obtained satisfactory results.
Aged ; Coxa Vara ; Femur* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; Hip Fractures ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Postoperative Complications

In order to observe the differences in fixability and stability of the acetabular cup through the differences in cup size in relation to the size of acetabular reaming, we analyzed 75 cases of porous coated acetabular cup of Harris-Galante type which be followed up more that two years. All cases were divided into two group ; the first group (On line fit :45 cases) used with acetabular cup equal in size to the last reaming size and the second group (Press fit : 30 cases) used with acetabular cup 2mm larger than the last reaming size. For initial stability, all cases were fixed with acetabular screws. Both groups were analyzed for presence of gap, change of acetabular inclination, presence of radiolucent line, degree of displacement of vertical distance, stability and clinical results. The results were as follows; 1. The average Harris hip score was improved from 55.8 points preoperatively to 90.2 points postoperatively in the first group, from 56.9 points to 91.2 points in the second group, Clinical results are excellent in 39 cases, good in 4 cases, fair in 2 cases in the first group, and excellent in 29 cases and good in 1 case in the second group. 2. The gap between the acetabular cup and acetabulum was found initially at 17 zones in the first group but no gap at final follow up. In the second group, the gap was found at 23 zones and finally remained less that 1 mm gap was found at 3 cases in zone B1. 3. No radiologic instability of acetabular cup by Martell evaluation was noted in both 1st and 2nd group. Our data suggests that initial gap between acetabular cup and acetabulum in microporous coated acetabular cup were replaced with new bone and also, radiologic stability and good clinical results could be obtained in the second group used with acetabular cup 2 mm larger than the last reaming size.
Acetabulum ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Clinical Study ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip

No abstract available.
Hyperthyroidism*

Interest in the prevalence of patent foramen ovale(PFO) and its relation to embolic stroke has increased with the sophistication of methods for noninvasive cardiac assessment. The effect of foramen ovale closure on the risk for subsequent strokes is promised. A 22-year old woman was presented with sudden onset of cerebral infarct. She had a patent formen ovale, and right to left shunt during the Valsalva maneuver, which was diagnosed by transesophageal contrast echocardiography. Transcatheter closure of PFO was performed with Rashkind PDA umbrella under the guidance of transesophageal echocardiography. Transcatheter closure of PFO can be accomplised with little morbidity and may reduce the risk of embolic episode.
Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Female ; Foramen Ovale ; Foramen Ovale, Patent* ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Stroke* ; Valsalva Maneuver ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Ureter*