No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Thymoma*

Basal cell carcinoma is a malignant tumor of the skin that is believed to arise from the hair follicle. In addition to the typical lesion just described, several clinical and histological varieties are recognized. Polypoid basal cell carcinoma, a new distinctive form, has been described as verrucoid, fungating or polypoid mass with stalk and histologically distinguished by restriction of the tumor aggregation to the mass from the other variants. We report a case of basal cell carcinoma of right knee that was pedunculated and had stalk with lobulated surface.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Hair Follicle ; Knee ; Skin

BACKGROUND: In recent years alternative medicine such as herbal medicines has been attractive and useful in dermatologic therapy. But there is little scientific information about its therapeutic effects and potential side effects. OBJECTIVE: We performed this study to assess the whitening effect of the root of Ma Huang. METHODS: Thirty subjects were tanned by UVB irradiation on their abdomen and 4 pigmented patches in square were obtained. In a single-blind fashion, participants applied the root extract of Ma Huang to two pigmented patches and vehicle to another patch on the abdomen twice a day, and applied nothing to the other patch for 8 weeks. Participants were followed up every week and checked on a melanin index with a mexameter. We also checked the last clinical improvement 8 weeks after the application of the root extract of Ma Huang. RESULTS: MED of the middle back was 73+/-24.66cmJ/cm2. Melanin index of the abdomen was 473.2+/-16.27. Eight weeks after application, the mean change percent of the melanin index of the right upper and lower squares applied with the root extract of Ma Huang were +0.02%(p=0.96) and -0.16%(p=0.76). The mean change percent of the left upper square applied with vehicle was -0.08%(p=0.89). The mean change percent of the left lower square untreated was +0.20(p=0.65). One-way layout ANOVA showed no difference among four squares. Clinical evaluation of improvement did not satisfy: no change 36%; slight improvement 53%; moderate improvement 9%; marked improvement 2%. CONCLUSIONS: The root of Ma Huang did not show the whitening effect on the UVB-induced pigmentation checked by the mexameter but showed slight improvement in visual assessment.
Abdomen ; Complementary Therapies ; Ephedra sinica* ; Melanins ; Pigmentation ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl

No abstract available.
Aspergillosis*

No abstract available.

Nevus lipomatosus superficialis presented as soft, yellowish papules or cerebriform plaques occurring usually on the buttock or thigh, less often on the ear or scalp. We herein report a case of nevus lipomatosus superficialis on the leg.
Buttocks ; Ear ; Leg* ; Nevus* ; Scalp ; Thigh

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Being probably of embryonal in origin, the nasolabial cyst is relatively rare and is thought to arise either from the epithelial remnants entrapped along the lines of fusion during the development of face or from the remnants of the developing nasolacrimal duct. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical and radiological features of nasolabial cyst in order to provide basis for its correct diagnosis and treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The nine cases of nasolabial cyst which were treated in Masan Samsung Hospital from January in 1991 to April in 1997 were the used as subjects. These cases were examined according to age and sex distribution and their clinical features, radiologic and histologic findings, treatment and prognosis, were studied. RESULTS: In our study of nine cases of nasolabial cyst, more females than males were observed, and with respect to age, individuals in their Fortise were more frequently noted. Also, swelling of nasolabial fold were the most frequently observed among symptom and signs. Computerized tomography shows well-circumscribed cystic mass lateral to pyriform aperture. Seven cases underwent operation. Six cases were excised by intraoral sublabial approach, one case which forms fistula to skin was removed by transcutaneous approach. CONCLUSION: Nasolabial cyst is benign harmatomatous cyst of face. This lesion is often unrecognized or confused with other intranasal mass, other fissural and odontogenic cysts, midface infection, or swelling in the nasolabial area. Therefore careful clinical and radiologic evaluation should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Male ; Nasolabial Fold ; Nasolacrimal Duct ; Odontogenic Cysts ; Prognosis ; Sex Distribution ; Skin

Purpose: To report the surgical skills needed, and the clinical results of, minimally invasive hip surgery with dynamic hip screws and the comparison with the classical technique in stable pertrochanteric fractures of the femur. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two patients with pertrochanteric fractures of the femur who were treated with dynamic compression hip screws between April 1999 and March 2004, and were evaluated retrospectively, and were followed up for more than 12 months. 16 cases were treated with a classical dynamic hip screw technique and 16 cases with a minimally invasive technique in random order. The mean age was 73.2 years, and there were 11 males and 21 females. The operative times, total hemovac bleeding loss, functional scores, and average hemoglobin decrease ratios were evaluated. The clinical assessments were performed with the Harris Hip Score (HSS) and bony union was evaluated with serial follow-up plain radiographs. Results: The average operative time was 63.9 minutes with the classical technique and 42.5 minutes with the minimally invasive technique. The total average hemovac blood loss was 640 cc with the classical technique and 143 cc with the minimally invasive technique. Clinically, the HHS was an average of 85.9 and 89.2 in groups 1 and 2, respectively, by the last follow-up and there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (P <0.05) The hemoglobin decrease ratio was the same in both groups and there was no nonunion. Conclusion: Minimally invasive dynamic hip screw insertion was useful in stable pertrochanteric fractures, because it decreased blood loss and operative times; and there were no changes in fracture healing and functional outcomes.
Female ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Healing ; Hemorrhage ; Hip* ; Humans ; Male ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive

Cancer of the vulva accounts for approximately 0.5% of all gynecologic malignancies. At diagnosis, one-third of these cases is detected in an advanced stage (FIGO stages III, IV), and local extension of primary vulvar cancer may involve adjacent midline structures such as the clitoris, urethra, vagina, and anus. Initial surgical therapy of such locally advanced primary cancers may compromise the functional integrity of midline structures, necessitating ultraradical surgery including pelvic exenteration. In view of the relatively elderly age of the patients and the morbidity of this ultraradical dissection, concomitant chemoradiation therapy - that the efficacy had been proven in head and neck cancer, anal cancer has approached for patients with locally advanced vulvar cancer. We experienced a case of stage III vulvar cancer patient, who underwent concomitant chemoradiation therapy with 5-fluorouracil(FU) and cisplatin and who showed complete response. So, we report this case with brief review of the literatures.
Aged ; Anal Canal ; Anus Neoplasms ; Cisplatin ; Clitoris ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Pelvic Exenteration ; Urethra ; Vagina ; Vulvar Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to identify the prognostic factor for survival of patients with recurrent cervical cancer. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients were diagnosed as recurrent cervical cancer at the Seoul National University Hospital from January, 1988 to December, 1998. Recurrence was defined as new evidence of tumor after 6 months of disease free survival. Retrospective analysis was done in terms of clinical features and the Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify independent variables associated with an improved survival rate. Histopathologic types were distributed as follows; squamous cell carcinoma in 70.6%, adenocarcinoma in 11.8%, adenosquamous cell carcinoma in 11.8%, and small cell carcinoma in 1.5%. Distribution of FIGO stage was as follows; stage I in 25.0%, stage II in 66.2%, and stage III in 4.4%. Sites of recurrence were as follows; central pelvic recurrence in 44.1%, pelvic side wall recurrence in 11.8%, and distant metastasis in 44.1% and the most common site of distant recurrence was extrapelvic lymph nodes (29.4%). 29.4% of recurrences were observed within the first 12 months after initial therapy, 50.0% within 2 years and 64.7% within 3 years. RESULTS: Positive rate of SCC-Ag at initial diagnosis was 45.2% with cutoff value of 2.0 ng/ml. Positive rate of SCC-Ag at the diagnosis of recurrence was 60.0%. Overall response rate to the treatment was 29.1%. Complete response rate was higher in central pelvic recurrrence than pelvic side wall recurrence and distant metastasis (P = 0.002) and also higher in normal SCC-Ag level (< or = 2.0 ng/ml) at the diagnosis of recurrence than elevated level (P = 0.032). Cumulative survival rates of 1 year after recurrence was 66.8%, 2 year 36.7%, and 5 year 18.7%. Central recurrence showed higher cumulative survival rate than pelvic side wall or distant recurrence (P = 0.029). The patients with elevated SCC-Ag level at the time of diagnosis of recurrence showed lower cumulative survival rate than those with normal SCC-Ag level (P < 0.001). Cox proportional hazard model showed that SCC-Ag elevation at the time of diagnosis of recurrence retained significant values in predicting survival(OR = 2.56; 95% CI = [1.22-5.39]; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: SCC-Ag elevation at the diagnosis of the recurrence is a strong independent prognostic indicator for survival of patients with recurrent cervical cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*