PURPOSE: To determine renal toxicity through changes in renal function after the injection of CT and MRI contrast media into rats in which acute renal failure (ARF) was induced. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To cause acute renal failure, the abdominal cavity of 110 male rats each weighing 250-300 gm was opened via a midline incision under anesthesia. Microvascular clamps were placed on both renal arteries and veins to completely block renal blood flow for 45 minutes, and were then removed, allowing blood flow to return to the kidneys. ARF, defined as a two-fold difference in the creatinine level before ARF and 48 hours after, was successfully induced in 60 of the rats. These were divided into two groups: one was injected with CT contrast medium and the other with MRI contrast medium. Each CT and MRI group was divided into a low dose (0.5 cc/kg, 0.2 ml/kg), standard dose (2 cc/kg, 0.8 ml/kg), and high dose (8 cc/kg, 3.2 ml/kg) sub-group; thus, there was a total of six groups with ten rats in each. Blood samples were obtained before ARF, 48 hours after, and 48 hours after contrast injection, and CT scanning and MRI were performed after blood sampling at 48 hours. In each group, creatinine levels 48 hours after contrast injection were compared by means of the ANOVA test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in creatinine levels between the CT and MRI contrast medium groups (p=0.116), nor between the animals to which different doses of CT and MRI contrast medium, were administered. After both standard and high doses, CT and MRI provided good images. CONCLUSION: In rats in which acute renal failure was induced, renal function did not change according to whether CT or MRI contrast medium was injected. Thus, the two media induce similar levels of toxicity.
Abdominal Cavity ; Acute Kidney Injury* ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Contrast Media ; Creatinine ; Humans ; Kidney ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Rats* ; Renal Artery ; Renal Circulation ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Veins

Five medical students in the fourth-year took anatomy as their elective courses for 1 month. They dissected one cadaver, and investigated Digital Report, under the course subjects as follows; (1) the shape of thyroid gland and the location of its isthmus, (2) the branches of left and right coronary arteries, (3) the number of blood vessels and bronchi on the hilum of lung, (4) topographical relationship of the renal vessels and ureter, and the shape of the renal pelvis, (5) the location and attachment of the appendix, (6) the penetration of median nerve through the pronator teres, (7) the sensory nerves and the extensor tendons on the dorsum of hand, (8) the branches of deep femoral artery. The pancreatic and live samples were processed and stained with H&E, for LM observation, since the individual had suffered from pancreatic cancer and got a Pylorus preserving pancreatico-duodenectomy (PPPD). At the last step of the elective course, students wrote small articles following the conventional method for writing manuscript. From the viewpoint of professor, the anatomy course for the fourth-year students were definitely different from that for first-year students, and had many positive effects in terms of anatomy education.
Appendix ; Blood Vessels ; Bronchi ; Cadaver ; Coronary Vessels ; Education ; Femoral Artery ; Hand ; Humans ; Kidney Pelvis ; Lung ; Median Nerve ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Pylorus ; Students, Medical* ; Tendons ; Thyroid Gland ; Ureter ; Writing

BACKGROUND: Clinically rocuronium, a muscle relaxant, has no significant inhibitory effect on the autonomic nervous system in the healthy population. However, there has been no study done on rocuronium in diabetic patients. Therefore, we used heart rate variability (HRV) as a biomarker to investigate cardiac autonomic function after rocuronium administration to diabetic patients. METHODS: In 21 diabetic adult patients, heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (BP), low frequency (LF, 0.04-0.15 Hz) power, high frequency (HF, 0.15-0.4 Hz) power, LF/HF ratio, SD1 and SD2 in the Poincare plot before induction of anesthesia, and immediately before and after rocuronium administration were calculated and compared. RESULTS: HR, mean BP, LF, LF/HF ratio and SD2 after rocuronium administration did not differ significantly from the measurements taken before rocuronium administration. HF and SD1 decreased significantly after rocuronium administration (P = 0.022, P = 0.019 respectively). Covariates such as age, gender, weight, duration of diabetes mellitus and hypertension did not alter the effect of rocuronium on the autonomic nervous system. CONCLUSIONS: Rocuronium produced a significant decrease in parasympathetic activity. Therefore, further study will be needed to determine whether vagal reduction caused by rocuronium could have potential to deteriorate hemodynamics in diabetic patients.
Adult ; Androstanols ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Muscles ; Syndactyly

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical features of Duane's retraction syndrome (DRS) in Korean patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the 78 DRS cases that presented to our department between 1995 and 2004. The clinical features investigated included sex distribution, laterality, type of presentation, deviation in primary position, anomalous vertical movements, face turn, amblyopia and anisometropia. RESULTS: There were 38 (48.7%) affected males and 40 (51.3%) females. Left eye predominance (83.3%) was observed, as was type I presentation (85.9%). Orthotropia was found to be the most common primary position in 46 cases (59.0%). Face turn in unilateral DRS was noted in 13 patients (17.1%). There were 6 cases (7.7%) with anisometropia and 4 (5.1%) with amblyopia. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations of DRS in our study were different from those of equivalent Caucasian studies yet similar to those previously reported for Asian groups. Racial and regional differences were noted, for which further research is needed to elaborate the reasons and mechanisms.
Adolescent ; Adult ; *Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Duane Retraction Syndrome/*complications/ethnology/*physiopathology ; Esotropia/*complications ; Exotropia/*complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

This prospective study was performed to measure the macular and the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with anisometropic amblyopia. Thirty-one patients with hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia were included. The macular retinal thickness and the peripapillary RNFL thickness were measured using OCT. The mean refractive error was +3.71 diopters (D) and +1.00 D, the mean macular retinal thickness was 252.5 micrometer and 249.7 micrometer, and the mean RNFL thickness was 115.2 micrometer and 109.6 micrometer, in the amblyopic eye and the normal eye, respectively. OCT assessment of RNFL thickness revealed a significantly thicker RNFL in hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia (P=0.019), but no statistically significant difference was found in macular retinal thickness (P> 0.05). In conclusion, the amblyopic process may involve the peripapillary RNFL, but not the macula. However, further evaluation is needed.
Amblyopia/complications/*pathology ; Anisometropia/complications/*pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Macula Lutea/*pathology ; Male ; Nerve Fibers/*pathology ; Optic Disk/*pathology ; Prospective Studies ; Retinal Ganglion Cells/*pathology ; Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the oncologic outcomes of parosteal osteosarcoma (POS) and to ascertain the fates of patients after local recurrence (LR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed 22 POS patients with an average follow-up of 114 months (range: 36-235 months). Seven of the 22 patients were referred after LR. There were 17 Stage IB and 5 Stage IIB (G2, 2; dedifferentiation, 3). Tumors were located in the femur (11) and in other locations (11). Initial surgical margins were wide in 10, marginal in 5, and intralesional in 7. Correlations between clinico-pathologic variables and LR and clinical courses after LR were evaluated. RESULTS: The 10-year overall survival rate was 85.7%. Three (14%) patients developed distant metastasis and all of them succumbed to the disease. Nine (41%) patients developed LR. Tumor location, resection type, and surgical margin were found to be correlated with LR. At final follow-up, 7 of the 9 patients that experienced local failure achieved no evidence of disease. CONCLUSION: A substantial risk of misdiagnosis exists, especially for POS in other than a femoral location. Recurrent tumor re-excision is possible in most cases; however, patients with an aggressive recurrence pattern deserve special attention.
Diagnostic Errors ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Although the presence of foreign bodies in the common bile duct and T-tube tract is uncommon, it is because of recent developments in endoscopic biliary intervention and percutaneous choledochoscopic procedures that they are found with increasing frequency in the biliary tree. We report two cases in which foreign bodies in the biliary tree were successfully removed using the percutaneous gooseneck snare technique. In one patient a plastic biliary stent was malfunctioning and could not be removed under endoscopic guidance, while in the other, a plastic guidewire had been inserted into the T-tube tract during percutaneous choledochoscopy for the treatment of a common bile duct stone.
Biliary Tract ; Common Bile Duct* ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Plastics ; SNARE Proteins* ; Stents

PURPOSE: We analyzed the oncologic outcome of the malignant transformed benign giant cell tumor of bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2000 and February 2012, 5 cases were referred with suspicious malignant transformation of benign giant cell tumor. No patients underwent radiation therapy. RESULTS: After referral, all patients received the wide excision of the tumor and its' pathologic diagnosis were osteosarcoma. As classified by the location of tumor lesion, 3 cases were located in the distal femur, 1 case was in the distal radius and 1 case was in the proximal femur. The average latent period between diagnosis of benign giant cell tumor and diagnosis of secondary malignant giant cell tumor was 49.2 months. (range, 24-126 months) The mean follow-up period was 21.6 months. There were subsequent local recurrence in 2 cases and 3 patients developed distant metastasis. All patients with lung metastasis were dead. CONCLUSION: Malignant transformation of benign giant cell tumor of bone can be occurred within 5 years. Therefore, when benign giant cell tumor suspicious malignant transformation, it is necessary to do more aggressive treatment.
Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Giant Cell Tumor of Bone ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Radius ; Recurrence ; Referral and Consultation

PURPOSE: To evaluate the result of tibial shaft fractures in children treated with pin and plaster method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 1998 to February 2003, Tibial shaft fractures in thirty six pediatric patients which were treated with pin and plaster method were clinically and radiologicaly evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Mean bony union duration was 9.8 weeks. All fractures healed within acceptable angulations. There was neither delayed union nor nonunion. There were complications related to the pins, including superficial and deep infection, skin sloughing. There were 7 cases of tibial overgrowth but they had no functional disability. CONCLUSION: Pin and plaster method can substitute other operative methods in tibial fractures in children which is difficult to reduce or maintain reduction by conservative treatment.
Child* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Tibial Fractures*

PURPOSE: To evaluate risk factors of falls and related injuries for home-staying elderly people in a rural community, and to provide basic data to minimize injuries after falls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed for 479 subjects aged 65 or more in the region of two cites of Kyungbuk, and analyzed risk factors of falls, which more divided into intrinsic and extrinsic variables. RESULTS: Of the participants, 219 (45.7%) fell during past year. Most falls occurred during walking (50.2%), on the road (28.8%), at sunset (36.1%), and in winter (44.7%). Of 219 people, 72.6% were injured in falls, 31.5% sustained serious injuries including fractures (14.6%). The lower extremities (35.2%) were most frequently injuried. 14.6% were admitted to hospital. 76.6% who experienced falls were afraid of recurrence, and 39.7% reduced physical activity after falls. CONCLUSION: Up to these days, we have only treated patients who visited hospital, but from now on we must make effort for preventive activity. We suggest that more systemic prevention and study for intrinsic and extrinsic factors of falls are needed to minimize a degree of injury after falls in elderly people.
Aged ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Motor Activity ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population ; Walking