Pseudoaneurysm due to chronic pancreatitis is uncommon, but it can cause recurrent and massive hemorrhage. Because of high morbidity and mortality associated with the pseudoaneurysm, early detection and treatment is essential. Surgical ligation or resection of the aneurysm has a high mortality and therefore, transcatheter embolization is preferably carried out. We report a case in which gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm caused by chronic pancreatitis was successfully treated by transcatheter embolization using Gelfoam and Gianturco spring coils.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False* ; Arteries* ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Hemorrhage ; Ligation ; Mortality ; Pancreatitis, Chronic*

The primary treatment modality of malignant tumors of the nasopharynx is radiation therapy owing to its inaccessibility to surgical intervention. Over the last two decades there were many changes in techniques of delivery, which include the use of higher doses of radiotherapy, the use of wide radiation field, including the elective radiation of the whole neck, the combined use of brachy- and teletherapy, and the use of split-course therapy. In spite of these advances local and regional recurrences remain the major cause of death. As a boost therapy after external irradiation, high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation using remote control afterloading system (RALS) was used in two patients. Our results were satisfactory, however, this procedure should only be performed by those who have developed enough expertise in the use of intracavitary techniques for the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer and have a supportive team including a physicist, dosimetrist, nurse, and trained technologist.
Cause of Death ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Nasopharynx ; Neck ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: There have been several reports of optic neuropathy preceding acute retinal necrosis(ARN) in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. We report one case of bilateral ARN that followed unilateral optic neuropathy in otherwise healthy person. METHODS: We report on a previous healthy 54-year old man who developed unilateral optic neuropathy 8 weeks after varicella-zoster dermatitis. Central retinal vascular obstruction developed subsequently in his ipsilateral eye. Later on, classic presentation of ARN appeared in his contralateral eye. RESULTS: The patient was diagnosed with bilateral ARN that followed unilateral optic neuropathy. Intravenous acyclovir stopped the progression of retinitis and resulted in healing of retinal lesions. CONCLUSIONS: ARN is a visually devastating clinical syndrome of which prompt diagnosis and early treatment are important in improvement the overall prognosis. This case suggests that optic neuropathy, especially with preceding shingles, should be suspected as prodrome of ARN which necessitates prompt initiation of antiviral therapy.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Acyclovir ; Dermatitis ; Diagnosis ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Optic Nerve Diseases* ; Prognosis ; Retinal Necrosis Syndrome, Acute* ; Retinaldehyde ; Retinitis

No abstract available.
Blood Flow Velocity* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

There are several methods for diagnosis of leprosy, including AFB stain, the measurement of PGL-1 (phenolic glycolipid - 1) antigen titer, and DNA-PCR. In this study, we have used the DNA-PCR amplifying the RLEP repetitive sequence. Our result showed that the RLEP primer offered the more sensitive detection and identification of M. leprae DNA in clinical specimens, compared with the other primer, for example, 18-kDa antigen gene. To screen the resistant M. leprae strain of MDT (Multi-Drug Therapy), we have used the TD (Touch-Down) PCR. We arranged and amplified sequences of the genes, folP, rpoB, gyr, 23S rRNA, in M. leprae involved in MDT-resistance, and could obtain the PCR product each gene, simultaneously. This method, based on annealing temperature, was useful to the detection for diagnosis and the screen of MDT-resistant strain of M. leprae, rapidly. Thus, we suggest that the RLEP primer and TD-PCR method are effective in assessing the diagnosis of leprosy and the identification of drug-resistant M. leprae.
Diagnosis* ; DNA ; Leprosy* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 41 patients with compression fracture of the spine. MR images of 14 patients with acute spinal trauma (within recent 1 month), eight patients with chronic trauma (over 1 month), and 19 patients with malignant cause without history of trauma were analyzed, retrospectively. Low signal intencities on T1-weighted images and high signal intensities on T2-weighted images were noted in 86% (12/14) of patients with acute trauma, Iso-signal intensities on all pulse sequences were noted in 50%(4/8) of patients with chronic trauma. Low signal intensities on T1-weighted images and high signal intensities on T2-weighted images were noted in 100%(19/19) of patients with metastatic compression fracture. Contrast enhancement was observed in all the cases of acute trauma(4/4) and metastases(18/18), whereas only 20% (1/5) of chronic trauma showed enhancement. Fragmentation was seen in 35% (5/14) of patients with acute trauma, in 25%(2/8) with chronic trauma, and not seen in the patients with metastasis. In conclusion, acute traumatic compression fracture can not be differentiated from malignant cause by MR signal intensity or contrast enhancement, but chronic compression fracture can be distinguished from metasasis. Fragmentation may suggest traumatic compression fracture. So MRI could be a useful method in differentiating the benign compression fractures from the pathologic ones caused by malignancy.
Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Methods ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

No abstract available.
Hypereosinophilic Syndrome*

Depression is one of most frequent psychiatric disorders in the elderly. Major depression has higher prevalence in the elderly compared with younger subjects. Depression in the elderly is a major health concern that can be life threatening, if not recognized and not treated. An untreated depression may result in needless suffering, institutionalization, and suicide. Inadequated treatment may occur because the signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly are different from those in the young, and because the depressive symptoms may be viewed by the physician as a normal part of aging. The purpose of this study is to evaluate depressive factors in the Korean elderly. Four hundred and sixty eight Koreans were evaluated for depressive factors in 60 years old or more. The author performed a clinical evaluation guide, an intensive questionnaire, and Mini-Mental Status Examination-Korean version (MMSE-K). Stastically ANOVA, Scheffe, Duncan and Chi-square methods were used to find out depressive factors in the Korean elderly. Depression, dissatisfaction, suicidal idea and distress factors were evaluated in the Korean elderly depressed persons. Depressive factors were associated with physical health problems, family problems, psychiatric health problems, loneliness, economic problems, interpersonal conflicts, and occupational problems. Among these depressive factors, physical health problems were most frequently dominant in the elderly. Physical health problems are closely related to depression in the elderly. Depressive syndromes in the elderly are frequently combined with somatic complaints. And depression may be masked by multiple somatic complaints or by pain, for which no organic cause can be found. However, the etiology and mechanism of the association between physical illness and depression are unkown. Such factors as described above may be important in reducing the high prevalence of depression in elderly people.
Aged* ; Aging ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Humans ; Institutionalization ; Loneliness ; Masks ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Suicide

Depression is one of most frequent psychiatric disorders in the elderly. Major depression has higher prevalence in the elderly compared with younger subjects. Depression in the elderly is a major health concern that can be life threatening, if not recognized and not treated. An untreated depression may result in needless suffering, institutionalization, and suicide. Inadequated treatment may occur because the signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly are different from those in the young, and because the depressive symptoms may be viewed by the physician as a normal part of aging. The purpose of this study is to evaluate depressive factors in the Korean elderly. Four hundred and sixty eight Koreans were evaluated for depressive factors in 60 years old or more. The author performed a clinical evaluation guide, an intensive questionnaire, and Mini-Mental Status Examination-Korean version (MMSE-K). Stastically ANOVA, Scheffe, Duncan and Chi-square methods were used to find out depressive factors in the Korean elderly. Depression, dissatisfaction, suicidal idea and distress factors were evaluated in the Korean elderly depressed persons. Depressive factors were associated with physical health problems, family problems, psychiatric health problems, loneliness, economic problems, interpersonal conflicts, and occupational problems. Among these depressive factors, physical health problems were most frequently dominant in the elderly. Physical health problems are closely related to depression in the elderly. Depressive syndromes in the elderly are frequently combined with somatic complaints. And depression may be masked by multiple somatic complaints or by pain, for which no organic cause can be found. However, the etiology and mechanism of the association between physical illness and depression are unkown. Such factors as described above may be important in reducing the high prevalence of depression in elderly people.
Aged* ; Aging ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Humans ; Institutionalization ; Loneliness ; Masks ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Suicide

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of recognition on the restructuring of the psychosocial well-being of the workers. METHODS: 302 employees were recruited by a stratified random sampling method, from a company located in Seoul, which undergoing an administrative evaluation, in 2001. Subjects were asked to fill out questionnaire sheet on their recognition of the restructuring, and were questions on their psychosocial well-being. A one-way ANOVA and a multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: For the psychological well-being, the levels of social performance and self-confidence were significantly different relation to age, educational attainment, marital status, insecurity recogni-tion, and competency recognition. According to the result of the multiple regression analysis, the insecurity recognition was found to significantly affect the social performance and self-confidence, depression, sleep disturbance and anx-iety, general well-being and vitality, whereas the competency recognition affected the social perfor-mance and self-confidence, sleep disturbance and anxiety, and overall psychosocial well-being. CONCLUSION: The insecurity and competency recognitions against the restructuring were found to be the major factors affecting the workers psychosocial well-being. It is suggested that a decreased worker's insecurity recognition of the restructuring, and the competency recognition for the workers psychosocial health needs require promoting.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Marital Status ; Questionnaires ; Seoul