No abstract available.
Accidents, Traffic* ; Aggression*

BACKGROUND: We performed electrical cardioversion for the patients with chormic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation under the transesophageal echocardiographic guidance after anticoagulation to evaluate the safety of this procedure and the effects of electrical cardioversion on the atrial function. METHODS: After anticoagulation therapy with coumadine for three weeks, we tried chemical cardioversion with amiodarone first. Failed cases were included in this study. Pre-cardioversion transesophageal echocardiographic parameters were measured after exclusion of thrombi. After sedation with intravenous midazolam, direct-current cardioversion was done with the transesophageal echocardiographic probe in situ. Immediately after sinus conversion, we measured echocardiographic parameters again. Spontaneous echo contrast(SEC), left atrial appendage flow velocity, pulmonary vein flow velocity and time-velocity-integral(TVI), transmitral flow velocity, TVI and deceleration time were measured. All patients were anticoagulated for at least 4 weeks after cardiovesion. RESULTS: The total number of patients was forty one(24 males, 17 females) with the mean age of 58 years(range : 39-70). Mean duration of atrial fibrillation was 65 months(range : 1-360). Hypertension(12), dilated cardiomyopathy(10), cerebrovascular accidents(6), ischemic heart disease(2) and chronic lung disease(1) were associated. There were no complications. SEC increased or newly appeared in 18(43.9%) patients after sinus conversion. The left atrial appendage emptying velocity decreased(32.8+/-17.4 vs. 22.1+/-11.4cm/sec, p=0.020) and systolic TVI of both upper pulmonic vein increased significantly after sinus conversion. In two cases, early systolic forward flow(S1) of pulmonic vein appeared after sinus conversion. Transmitral E velocity decreased(86.9+/-28.8 vs. 76.3+/-30.6cm/sec, p=0.006) and the deceleration time increased(164+/-49 vs. 206+/-53msec, p=0.000) after sinus conversion. Transmitral A velocity was still low(34.9+/-19.5cm/sec) and E/A ratio was high(2.6+/-1.4) immediately after sinus conversion. CONCLUSION: After appropriate anticoagulation therapy and exclusion of left atrium and left atrial appindage thrombi with TEE we could perform electrical cardioversion safety without complications. The changes in transesophageal echocardiographic parameters after sinus conversion revealed the appearance of atrial mechanical activity in concordance with electrical activity. But these findings suggested atrial stunning or electromechanical dissociation which necessitates extended anticoagulation therapy until the full recovery of atrial mechanical function.
Amiodarone ; Atrial Appendage ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Atrial Function ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Electric Countershock* ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Midazolam ; Pulmonary Veins ; Veins ; Warfarin

In order to elucidate the biological effects of pulsating magnetic field in in vitro culture system we designed a pulsating magnetic apparatus using 120 Hertz, 24 Volt direct current. It can generate 63~225 Gauss in the experimental area of 90 mm petri dish, and has little thermal effect on the culture media in 37.5oC, 5% CO2. Human osteogenic sarcoma (HOS) cells were cultured in the pulsating magnetic field and the nuclear changes of cultured cells were observed routinely by hematoxylin staining, and apoptotic change was detected by ApopTag staining using both peroxidase and fluorescein labelings. Compared to the control group which formed well organized whorling pattern of HOS cell line in 3 days culture, the HOS cells cultured in the pulsating magnetic field for 12 hours or 24 hours grew irregularly and showed increased number of apoptotic cells. When the flow of pulsating magnetic field was interrupted by insertion of strong permanent magnetic bar (1000 Gauss, 5530 mm) beneath the petri dish during in vitro culture, the area of sparse pulsating magnetic field showed active proliferation and aggregation of HOS cells even in 24 hour exposure group. These data suggest that the pulsating magnetic field may play a role in inducing growth retardation and apoptosis of HOS cells. Furthermore, the hazardous effects of pulsating magnetic field can be lessened or nullified by the interruption of pulsating magnetic field with a strong permanent magnetic bar.
Apoptosis ; Cell Line* ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; Fluorescein ; Hematoxylin ; Humans* ; Magnetic Fields* ; Osteosarcoma* ; Peroxidase

No abstract available.
Hysteroscopy*

No abstract available.
Hysteroscopy*

We present a patient who developed a pseudolymphoma after ear piercing. A patch test showed gold sensitivity. Therefore, long standing dermal exposure to gold from a pierced-type earring might have produced the patient's disease. This patient did not respond to an intralesional steroid injection and was finally treated with a complete resection of the lesion. It is proposed that every patient with a hyperplastic lesion in the ear lobe should be taken a biopsy in order to rule out the possibility of a pseudolymphoma. When a pseudolymphoma develops in the ear lobe, a complete surgical excision could be the treatment of choice, especially for the prevention of recurrence.
Biopsy ; Body Piercing* ; Ear* ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Pseudolymphoma* ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVE: Flow cytometric deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content analysis has been shown to be of prognostic importance in some cancers. In this study, DNA patterns obtained by flow cytometry in patients with cervical cancer have been shown to be related to a prognostic importance in cervical carcinoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively reviewed 59 cervical cancer patients who admitted to the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Samsung Medical Center firom January 1995 to May 1997. RESULTS: A total of 59 archival paraffin-embedded blocks were proc 42.4 percent were found to be DNA content aneuploid (DNA-A) and 57.6 percent DNA content diploid (DNA-D). The S-phase fraction was significantly increased with stage. The incidences of aneuploid and relative DNA index were not significantly increased with the stage(P=0.280) and age of patients(P=0.088). The results had no significant differences between the squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, and no relationship between the groups with keratinizing cell type and nonkeratinizing type(P=0.409). The DNA ploidy patterns were not significantly correlated with metastasis to lymph node(P=0.179), tumor size(P=0.109), invasion depth(P=0.361) and recurrent group(P=0.285). High S-phase fraction had a tendency to correlate with the invasion depth(P=0,011), size(P=0.027), lymph node metastasis(P=0.039) and recurence(P=0.099) of cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometric DNA content analysis is being used more frequently in the management of different malignant tumors. Our study shows that DNA content analysis may not serve as an important biological indicator in determining the prognosis in cervical carcinoma, but High S-phase fraction has been connected with more aggressive tumors.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aneuploidy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diploidy ; DNA* ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Obstetrics ; Ploidies ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

As increasing concern for the fetal aspects of pregnancy, the availability of normal standard of placenta becomes more and more important. because it is very difficult to test the functional capacity of placenta. And for this reason anatnmic studies to determine the normal relationship between the placenta and newborn infant have come to be a considerable importance. A study of morphometric features of 4,000 consecutive placentas delivered at the Seoul National University Hospital during a period of 3 years, from April 1979 to May 1982, in relation to gastational age and weight of newborn was carried out. The findings could be summarized as follows: 1) Among 4,000 consecutive deliveries there were 3,771 liveborns 76 deadborns, and 153 cases of abortion, respectively. 2) The average weight and dimensions of term placenta were 511 gm and 19.94 x17.09 x1.89 cm, respectively. The weight , size and volume of placenta were progressively increased from 20 weeks of gestation till 41 weeks. 3) Morphometric features of placenta such as placenta weight, dimension, fetoplacental ratio and placental co-efficient showed a more significant correlation with birht weight than with gestation age. 4) The average length of umbilical cord was 39.80 cm, with the range of 6 cm to 124 cm. 5) The congenital anomalies of newborn was encountered in 74 cases (1.85%) among 4,000 consecutive deliveries. Anomalies involving musculoskeletal system was the most common oen. 6) The abnormal gross findings among 4,000 consecutive placentas included 6 cases of single umbilical arteries, 4 cases of chorangioma, 545 cases of infarction and 748 cases of calcification.
Pregnancy ; Infant ; Male ; Female ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans

No abstract available.
Leiomyoma* ; Vagina*

No abstract available.