STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the influence of fracture patterns and the result of bone mineral density on cement leakage after percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Leakage of bone cement after vertebroplasty has known to be related with the direction of cortical disruption of fractured vertebral body and low bone mineral density (BMD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty-two patients with osteoporotic vertebral compressions were studied from January 2009 to August 2013. The patients' fracture levels and patterns were compared. Among them, the cement leakage patterns were analyzed in 105 patients who had undergone vertebroplasty. The findings were compared with fracture patterns including cortical disruption and BMD. RESULTS: Seventy-five cases of cement leakage were observed. Among them, intradiscal leakage was the most common type of leakage. In the patient group with low BMD, there was a high incidence of lower and posterior cortical disruption in the fractures. Patients with posterior cortical disruption demonstrated a higher incidence of leakage into the spinal canal and anterior cortex. No significant correlation was observed between fracture patterns and leakage. CONCLUSIONS: A surgeon should use caution in performing vertebroplasty in patients with low BMD and posterior disruption of the vertebral cortex.
Bone Density* ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; Vertebroplasty*

As an emergency encountered in orthopedic practice requiring prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment, necrotizing fasciitis around the hip must be discriminated from Fournier gangrene. The current case report describes a patient who suffered from bilateral type I necrotizing fasciitis around the hips, which was alleviated by prompt surgical debridement and intensive postoperative care.
Debridement ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Fournier Gangrene* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; Postoperative Care

Spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma (SCSCC) is relatively uncommon, but may be encountered. It poses a challenge in the differential diagnosis in that it includes other spindle cell neoplasms. An 81-year-old female with a raised and exophytic plaque with central ulceration surrounding erythematous patches of the left lower extremities, which was gradually and very slowly increasing in size was admitted to our hospital. After resection, conventional histopathological investigation showed spindle-shaped cells showing hyperchromatic nuclei and mitosis, infiltrating the dermis in a storiform pattern. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that SCSCC was positive for cytokeratins (AE1/AE3, CAM 5.2, 34betaE12) and mesenchymal markers (vimentin, SMA), but was negative for p63, CD34, CD68, melan A and S-100.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Dermis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; MART-1 Antigen ; Mitosis ; Ulcer

STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the outcomes of recapping laminoplasty for the treatment of atraumatic spinal interdural hematoma. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: There are several causes for a spinal hematoma. The occurrence of spinal hematoma is rare; in particular, the ones arising atraumaticaly are considered extremely rare. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied a 33 year old male patient without any known risk factor. Magnetic resonance image has revealed an intraspinal epidural cyst compressing on the spinal nerve. After performing recapping laminoplasty, followed by partial excision of dura mater and resection of hematoma, we were able to observe another layer of dura mater, confirming the location of hematoma within two epidural layers, i.e., an interdural hematoma. RESULTS: Performing recapping laminoplasty is a more effective and less invasive procedure for removing cyst than conventionally used laminectomy. Patients were found to have synostosis after three months post-op, and they have exhibited neither lumbosacral pain nor lower limb motor weakness after six months follow-up. There were no recurrences or complications reported on our study. CONCLUSION: There are a few reported cases of atraumatic spinal interdural hematoma. Our study shows that performing pars osteotomy with recapping laminoplasty yield good clinical outcome for the treatment of atraumatic spinal interdural hematoma.
Dura Mater ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Osteotomy ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Nerves ; Synostosis

BACKGROUND: The major limitations of the current therapeutic treatments for onychomycosis are the recurrence of the infection and the duration of the treatment. Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is thought to be a novel alternative method for treatment of onychomycosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of PDT with methyl 5-aminolevulinic acid (MAL) for the treatment of onychomycosis. METHODS: We performed MAL-PDT in eight patients with distal subungual onychomycosis on at least one great toenail. After the total three treatments, we observed the clinical and mycological courses for twelve months. RESULTS: For the twelve months of follow-up period, three patients (37.5%) showed continuous clinical improvement, two patients (25%) aggravation after transient improvement, and the rest, three patients (37.5%) resistance to treatment. All subjects complained of quite severe burning pain during irradiation of light source. CONCLUSION: In this study, we observed the highly variable clinical and mycological results of PDT in onychomycosis. We concluded that it is too difficult to consistently achieve the best fungicidal effect by PDT without strictly selected conditions.
Burns ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Light ; Nails ; Onychomycosis ; Photochemotherapy ; Recurrence ; Triazenes

Fibroepithelioma of Pinkus is generally accepted as a low-risk variant of basal cell carcinoma. A 66-year-old man was presented with a solitary dark red nodule with superficial erosion on his right groin. It tended to bleed, but was otherwise asymptomatic. Histopathologically, the tumor was composed of long, thin, branching and anastomosing strands of basaloid cells, which extends from the epidermis into the fibromucinous stroma. Basaloid tumor cells were palisaded at the periphery of the strands, and small buds were seen projecting from the epithelial strands. Significant amounts of melanin pigment were deposited in the papillary and reticular dermis, and the stroma between the tumor cords and also inside the tumor cells. The lesion was completely excised with clear margin. We report a case of pigmented fibroepithelioma of Pinkus with review of the literature in this communication.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Groin ; Humans ; Melanins

Herpes zoster duplex, particularly herpes zoster duplex symmetricus, is a very rare manifestation of herpes zoster that occurs in immunocompetent patients. A 23-year-old Korean man presented with grouped erythematous, ruptured, crusted vesicles on plaques and papules on his forehead and both temporal areas. He had unexplained pain around the cutaneous lesions for the past 2 weeks, and the vesicles developed 1 week ago. A Tzanck smear test of the skin lesion showed multinucleated giant cells. A punch biopsy taken from the vesicle on the forehead revealed an intraepidermal vesicle with acantholysis and balloon cells at the floor of the vesicle. He was diagnosed with herpes zoster involving bilateral dermatomes.
Acantholysis ; Biopsy ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Forehead ; Giant Cells ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Skin ; Young Adult

Confluent and reticulated papillomatosis (CRP) was first described as a relatively rare dermatosis. CRP is characterized by slightly hyperkeratotic pigmented papules that are confluent in the center and reticulated at the periphery, located on the neck, abdomen, intermammary, and interscapular regions. Histopathologically, lesions typically reveal orthohyperkeratosis, papillomatosis, and focal acanthosis. A 20-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of slightly pruritic lesions on the chest, abdomen, back, and upper extremities. The lesions were brownish papules and plaques in a reticulated and coalescing pattern. Histologically, a basket-weave pattern of orthohyperkeratosis and mild acanthosis were seen. However, there was no significant papillomatosis, even in multiple sections. Periodic acid Schiff stain was negative for fungi. The patient was treated with doxycycline, 200 mg daily, for 4 weeks. The lesions completely resolved and did not recur during 12 months of follow-up. We report a rare case of CRP without papillomatosis.
Abdomen ; Doxycycline ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fungi ; Humans ; Neck ; Papilloma ; Periodic Acid ; Skin Diseases ; Thorax ; Upper Extremity ; Young Adult

Malignant syphilis (also known as lues maligna) is a rare dermatologic manifestation of syphilis and this is more commonly seen in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A 40-year-old man presented with general malaise and widespread cutaneous noduloulcerative lesions covered with lamellar crusts for 15 days. He had been diagnosed with HIV infection 6 years earlier, but had not regularly taken antiretroviral drugs. The syphilis serology showed a VDRL (venereal disease research laboratory) titer of 1 : 256 and a positive TPPA (treponema pallidum particle agglutination test) at presentation. Histologic exam showed the dense perivascular inflammatory infiltrates composed of lymphocytes, histiocysts and neurophils with some plasma cells in the underlying upper and reticular dermis. Obliterated blood vessels with eosinophilic materials were observed as an unusual histologic feature of syphilis. Based on the clinical, histological and serological findings, a diagnosis of malignant syphilis accompanied by acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was made. The patient was treated with intramuscular benzathine penicillin G at 2.4 million units per week for 3 weeks, and the skin lesions completely healed with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It is necessary to take into account this entity among the possible diagnoses in HIV-infected patients with cutaneous noduloulcerative lesions.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Adult ; Agglutination ; Blood Vessels ; Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Ethylenediamines ; HIV ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Lymphocytes ; Penicillin G Benzathine ; Plasma Cells ; Skin ; Syphilis

Trichilemmoma is a benign, solitary, small tumor that might often be misdiagnosed as a basal cell carcinoma or verruca. It is usually seen on the face, and especially on the nose and cheeks. A 79-year-old Korean man presented with a 2.0x2.0 cm-sized nodular mass on his right shoulder and the lesion was histopathologically diagnosed as a trichilemmoma. The atypical clinical appearance and localization of his neoplasm did not help us diagnose the lesion, and the histological findings were the only clues for making the diagnosis of trichilemmoma.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Cheek ; Humans ; Nose ; Shoulder ; Warts