Dermoid cysts of the posterior fossa are benign, mostly midline, congenital brain neopasm, usually located above or behind the vermis or adjacent meninges2)18)20), Dermoid lesions are slow growing and may become quite large before producing signs and symptoms12). We have recently experienced a case of dermoid which arised in cerebellar hemisphere. A 32-year old woman who had a history of chronic headache at morining was visited in our department and she was also complained of a egg-sized plapable mass which was growing nature, non-tender, soft, and movable on the right occipital area. On admission, there were no specific localizing and lateralizing neurological abnormalities. Unenhanced CT scan shows hypodense mass in the left cerebellar hemisphere and cystic mass at the right occipital scalp(Fig. 1. A). T1-weighted MR image shows hypointense mass in the left cerebellar hemisphere(Fig. 2. A). The Carotid angiography shows non-specific findings. Paramedian suboccipital approach was performed and mass was removed from the lleft cerebellar hemisphere. The cystic scalp mass was removed totally from the left cerebellar hemisphere. The cystic scalp mass was removed totally from the right occipital area. Diagnosis of dermoid cyst was confirmed pathologically by the specimens obtained from two different sites, left cerebellar hemisphere and right occipital ccalp.
Adult ; Angiography ; Brain ; Dermoid Cyst* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Headache Disorders ; Humans ; Scalp ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Purpose: A retrograde intramedullary nail is commonly used to treat femoral shaft and distal femur fractures. The authors analyzed the treatment results and the factors affecting the period of bone union for thirty-five patients treated with a retrograde intramedullary nail. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five patients who could be followed up for more than twelve months after the treatment with retrograde intramedullary nailing were analyzed retrospectively. The treatment results and the relationship between the period of bone union and the patient’s age, sex, comminution of fracture, presence of open fracture, location of the fracture, and accompanying fractures were evaluated. Results: The average bone union time was 4.50 months. The period of bone union was unaffected by the age, sex, location, and presence of open fractures but was affected by the presence of comminution and accompanying fractures. Conclusion Retrograde intramedullary nailing is effective for distal and shaft of fractures of the femur. The period of bone union is affected by the presence of comminution and accompanying fractures.

PURPOSE: In this retrospective study, we attempted to evaluate the treatment outcome and the prognostic factors of thymoma treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1979 and 1998, 55 patients with thymoma were treated at the Seoul National University Hospital. Of these, 11 patients underwent surgery only, 33 patients received postoperative radiotherapy and 11 patients received radiotherapy only. Twenty-three patients had gross total resection and 21 patients subtotal resection. For postoperative radiotherapy, the radiation dose consisted of 41.4-55.8 Gy. The average follow-up was 64 months, and ranged from 2 to 160 months. The sex ratio was 1:1 and the median age was 48 years (15-74 years). Overall survival and disease-free survival were determined via the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank was employed to evaluate for differences in prognostic factor. RESULTS: The five- and 10-year survival rates were 87% and 65% respectively, and the median survival was 103 months. By univariate analysis, only stage ( p=0.0017) turned out to be significant prognostic factors of overall survival. Also, stage ( p=0.0007) was significantly predictive for overall survival in mutivariated analysis. CONCLUSION: This study showed the stage was found to be important prognostic factors, which influenced survival. Especially, as incomplete resection is related with poor results, complete resection is important to cure the invasive thymoma.
Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Sex Ratio ; Survival Rate ; Thymoma* ; Treatment Outcome*

PURPOSE: This study was performed for the evaluation of the feasibility and toxicity of hypofractionated radiation therapy for early glottic cancer METHODS AND MATERIALS: From February 1999 to February 2000, 20 patients with histologically confirmed Stage I, II glottic cancer were enrolled into this study. There were 18 males and 2 females, the median age of the patients was 59 years. The distribution of stage distribution was as follows; T1aN0-16 patients, T1bN0-1 patient, T2N0-3 patients. Eighteen patients underwent laryngomicroscopic biopsy only, and two patients underwent laser cordectomy. All patients received radical radiation therapy (2.5 Gy per fraction, 24 fractions, total 60 Gy). Median duration of treatment was 36 days (range 31-45 days). RESULTS: Radiation therapy were well tolerated. Most common acute reactions were odynophagia and hoarseness, and these reactions resolved after radiation therapy. There were one case of RTOG grade 3 odynophagia (5%), six cases of grade 3 hoarseness (30%). Response of radiation therapy was evaluated one month after completion of treatment. All patients revealed complete response. During follow up, total three cases of treatment failure were detected. two cases were local recurrence in 10 and 13 months of radiation therapy and one case was local recurrence and distant metastasis in 2 months of radiation therapy CONCLUSION: This hypofractionated radiation therapy schedule was feasible and effective for control of early glottic cancer. But longer follow up time would be required to assess the long-term disease control and the late complication by shortening radiation therapy duration.
Appointments and Schedules ; Biopsy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Treatment Failure

No abstract available.
Bowen's Disease ; Vulva

In air leak syndrome, a significant portion of the volume delivered during a positive pressure breath can be lost through the leak. HFOV can achieve adequate ventilation at lower peak and/or mean intrapulmonary pressure than conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) and has been an effective treatment of already established air leak syndrome. We report a 1-day-old male infant with severe respiratory failure from pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum, who was refractory to CMV with chest tube drainage. HFOV was applied to this patient for 114 hours, and improvement of oxygenation and ventilation as well as significant reduction of pneumothorax followed.
Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Oxygen ; Pneumothorax ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Ventilation*

This review-article is aimed at shedding a light upon the nature of age-associated changes in the human skeletal system. When the anatomical, physiological and biochemical consequences of bone aging are considered together with the hardening, drying and the diminished repair capabilities of the elderly, it can be seen that fractures assume greater importance as a clinical problem in the geriatric population. Older people start out with a deficit of cortical bone, making them more fracture prone and once fractures occur, the necessary treatments (immobilization, use of casts, etc.) accelerate the rate of bone loss. In addition, aged individuals stand a higher risk for complications of the hospital and enforced bed rest that may ensue. The problems resulting from bone loss in the elderly may be partially alleviated by providing adequate health service support which should include consideration of the following points : 1. Age, sex and general health status ; 2. Habits and inclinations towards physical activities ; 3. Nutritional and endocrine background ; 4. Presence of any specific bone diseases, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia and ankylosis ; 5. Psychosocial adaptability and other behavioral elements.
Aged ; Aging ; Ankylosis ; Bed Rest ; Biology* ; Bone Diseases ; Health Services ; Humans* ; Motor Activity ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomalacia ; Osteoporosis

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and safety of the anterosuperior deltoid splitting approach for fixation of displaced proximal humeral fractures by analyzing the surgical outcomes. METHODS: Twenty-three patients who could be followed-up for at least 8 months after the treatment of displaced proximal humeral fractures through the anterosuperior deltoid splitting approach were enrolled. We evaluated the reduction of the fractures and surgery-related complications at the last follow-up using X-ray results and clinical outcomes comprising the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) scoring system and the Korean Shoulder Society (KSS) score. RESULTS: At the last follow-up of patients treated using the anterosuperior deltoid splitting approach for internal fixation of proximal humeral fractures, we found 22 cases (95.6%) of bone union, a mean UCLA score of 28.3 (range, 15 to 34) and a mean KSS score of 82.1 (range, 67 to 95). Various surgery-related complications were noted; a case of varus malunion after fracture displacement, a case of nonunion, a case of delayed union, two cases of impingement, and a case of partial axillary nerve injury, which recovered completely through the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Plate fixation using the anterosuperior deltoid splitting approach could be another reliable option for treating displaced proximal humeral fractures.
California ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humerus ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Fractures*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell

With expanded and extended coverage of the national medical insurance and fast growing health care expenditures, appropriateness of health service utilization and quality of care are concerns of both health care providers and insurers as well as patients. An accurate patient classification system is a basic tool for effective health care policies and efficient health services management. A classification system applicable to Korean medical information-Korean Diagnosis Related Groups (K-DRGs)-was developed based on the U. S. Refined DRGs, and the performance of the developed system was assessed in this study. In the process of the development, first the Korean coding systems for diagnoses and procedures were converted to the systems used in the definition of the U. S. Refined DRGs using the mapping tables formulated by physician panels. Then physician panels reviewed the group definition, and identified medical practice patterns different in two countries. The definition was modified for the difference in K-DRGs. The process resulted in 1,199 groups in the system. Several groups in Refined DRGs could not be differentiated in K-DRGs due to insufficient medical information, and several groups could not be defined due to procedures which were not practiced in Korea. However, the classification structure of Refined DRGs was retained in K-DRGs. The developed system was evaluated for its performance in explaining variations in resource use as measured by charges and length of stay(LOS), for both all and non-extreme discharges. The data base used in this evaluation included 373,322 discharges which was a random sample of discharges reviewed ad payed by the medical insurance during the five-month period from September 1990. The proportion of variance in resource use which was reduced by classifying patients into K-DRGs-r-square-was comparable to the performance of the U. S. Refined DRGs: .39 for charges and .25 for LOS for all discharges, and .53 for charges and .31 for LOS for non-extreme discharges. Another measure analyzed to assess the performance was the coefficient of variation of charges within individual K-DRGs. A total of 966 K-DRGs (87.7%) showed a coefficient below 100%, and the highest coefficient among K-DRGs with more than 30 discharges was 159%.
Classification ; Clinical Coding ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis-Related Groups* ; Health Expenditures ; Health Personnel ; Health Services ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Insurance ; Insurance Carriers ; Korea