No Abstract Available.
Electrophysiology* ; Neuroendocrine Cells*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accompanying abnormal findings of Schmorl's nodes(SN), a normal variants of thelumbar spine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five patients with one or more SN, as seen on lumbar spine MRI werestudied. Using a 1.5T MR unit, the number and location of SN, their site of the end plate, adjacent disc changesand lesion associated and not associated with SN, and accompanying associated bony spinal stenosis wereretrospectively investigated. RESULTS: Among the 75 patients, 230 SN were noted in 375 vertebral bodies; theywere relatively frequently located on the second(65, 28.2%) and third(65, 28.2%) lumbar vertebrae. The most commonend-plate site of SN was the posterior one-third portion(160;69.6%). In 450 discs of these 75 patients, 172lesions were noted;those associated with SN(76/167, 45.5%) was more common than those not thus associated (96/283,33.9%)(p <0.05), and those associated with SN were relative frequently located on intervertebral disc L2-3 orL3-4(p <0.05). Thirty-seven SN (16.1%) were associated with bony spinal stenosis. CONCLUSION: Because it isfrequently associated with disc lesions and bony spinal stenosis, SN of the lumbar spine may be a pathologiccondition rather than a normal variant.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine*

The reliability of emergency ultrasonographic(US) detection of hemoperitoneum and solid organ injury in blunt abdominal trauma was evaluated retrospectively. From October 1,1995 to August 31,1996,90 patients were included in the study. Ultra- sonographic findings showed a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 97.6%, 97.9%, and 98.1%, respectively, in detecting intraabdominal fluid collection. We believe that US in an emergency center is a quick, safe screening method in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma. In our department, US has replaced diagnostic peritonaeal lavage(DPL) and computed tomography(CT) as the screening study of first choice.
Emergencies* ; Hemoperitoneum* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mobility and ratio of the bone-implant contact (BIC) of a sandblasted, large grit and acid-etched (SLA) orthodontic micro-implant. METHODS: Ninety-six micro-implants (48 SLA and 48 machined) were implanted in the upper and lower buccal alveolar bone, and palatal bone of four beagle dogs. Two weeks after surgery, orthodontic force (150 - 200 g) was applied. Two beagles were sacrificed at 4-weeks and the other two at 12-weeks. Histomorphometric comparisons were made between the SLA experimental group and the machined micro-implant as a control group to determine the ratio of contact between the bone and implant. Micro-implant mobility was also evaluated using Periotest(R). RESULTS: Periotest values showed no statistically significant difference in the upper alveolar and palatal bone between groups except for the lower buccal area. BIC in the upper buccal area showed no significant difference between groups both at 4-weeks and 12-weeks. However, both the groups showed a significant difference in BIC ratio in the rest of the experimental areas between 4 weeks and 12 weeks. The experimental group showed active bone remodeling around the bone-implant interface compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: There were significant differences in the BIC and the Periotest values between the surface-treated and machined micro-implants according to bone quality in the early stage.
Animals ; Bone Remodeling ; Dogs ; Nitrogen Mustard Compounds ; Osseointegration

Wear of polyethylene liner and osteolysis appear to be topical problems after long-term follow-up in total hip arthroplasty(THA). Age and activity of patients, manufacturing procedure of polyethylene liner, thickness of the liner, position of acetabular cup, and material of artificial femoral head have of effects on the degree of wear. In addition, conformity, congruency and micromotion between liner and metal cup are likely to be related to the wear. The purpose of this study is 1) to determine the stress caused by contact between metal and polyethylene components, 2) to evaluate the effects of conformity, congruency, and fixation between metal and polyethylene components, on contact stress in acetabular cups and 3) to identify the design parameters of the commercial acetabular cup within the constraints imposed by the overall functional requirements of total joint replacement. The specimens applied to six different commercial cups made in five companies. The methods was performed on dynamic test and static test to rely on load conditions, estimated the gap between the components through LM. The results showed H-G II cup had the most excellent congruency because of the narrowest interval between two components.
Acetabulum ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteolysis ; Polyethylene*

Central venous catheters provide long-term available vascular access. They are useful for central venous pressure monitoring, rapid fluid management, massive transfusion and direct cardiovascular medication, especially in operation. Central venous catheterization is usually performed by the landmark bedside technique without imaging guidance. The complications of central venous catheterization are frequent, which include malposition, pneumothorax, hemothorax, chylothorax, arterial puncture, hematoma, air embolism and infection. Malposition of a central venous catheter is not rare and may cause several complications such as malfunction of the catheter, default measurement of central venous pressure, catheter erosion, thrombophlebitis and cardiac tamponade. In this case, we report a malposition of central venous catheter with 9-Fr introducer sheath which is located in the right subclavian vein via ipsilateral internal jugular vein and the correction of this misplacement assisted by mobile type diagnostic X-ray apparatus (C-arm fluoroscope).
Cardiac Tamponade ; Catheterization ; Catheterization, Central Venous ; Catheters ; Central Venous Catheters* ; Central Venous Pressure ; Chylothorax ; Embolism, Air ; Hematoma ; Hemothorax ; Jugular Veins ; Pneumothorax ; Punctures ; Radiography* ; Subclavian Vein ; Thrombophlebitis

Prostates of the same volumes were found to have very variable shapes, that is, combinations of variably elongated width, height, and lengths. These were believed to be possible causes of the differences in the severity of both the obstructions and symptoms in the prostates even when their volumes were similar. We measured the transverse (width), anterior-posterior (height) and longitudinal (length) diameters of the prostates and the transition zone, and their calculated volumes using transrectal ultrasonography. To establish the relationship between the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and each of the dimensional parameters of the transition zone and the total prostate, 105 consecutive patients (mean age 66.43 +/- 9.24 years with a range o6f 46 to 90) who had voiding dysfunctions that were presumably related to BPH were analyzed using the t-test. Patients with conditions other than BPH were excluded. The results were as follows: 1. There was no significant correlation between the IPSS and any prostate volume parameter in the constant prostate volume conditions, because of the small numbers in each group. However, in the analysis of the total number of cases in all the volume categories, a significant correlation was found between the IPSS and some prostate dimensions; i.e., the longitudinal parameters in the total prostates (p < 0.01), and the transverse (p < 0.05) and longitudinal parameters (p < 0.05) in the transition zones. 2. Further investigations of the statistics of these significant parameters showed that prostates that were longer than 4 cm had significantly more severe symptoms than prostates shorter than 4 cm (p < 0.05), and that prostates with a ratio of length in the transition zone to the length in the total prostate ratio that was greater than 0.8 had significantly higher symptom scores than those with lower ratios (p < 0.05). When evaluating patients who have BPH, it is important to consider the shape of prostate. More aggressive treatment may be indicated in cases where the transition zone lengths exceeds 4 cm and the transition zone to total prostate length ratio exceeds 0.8.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Prostate/*physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/*physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Questionnaires ; Severity of Illness Index

PURPOSE: We investigated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic thyroidectomy using bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) by analyzing short term surgical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 355 patients who underwent BABA endoscopic thyroidectomy between August 2006 and December 2011 at Chonnam National University Hospital and Hwasun Chonnam National University Hospital. The age, sex, clinical and pathologic characteristics of tumors, extent of operation, conversion rate to open thyroidectomy, operation time, hospital stay, thyroglobulin levels after thyroidectomy, recurrence, and complications were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 35 years. The 355 patients comprised 345 females (97.2%) and 10 males (2.8%). The benign tumor was 37 cases (10.4%) and the malignant tumor was 318 cases (89.6%). 28 patients (75.7%) of the benign tumor underwent lobectomy. In malignant tumor, 159 patients (50.0%) underwent lobectomy and 152 patients (47.8%) underwent total thyroidectomy. Mean operation time was 121.1+/-49.9 minutes, and mean hospital days were 3.4+/-1.1 days. 21 (6.0%) transient hypocalcemia and 7 (2.0%) permanent hypocalcemia were occurred. The transient voice change occurred in 5 patients (1.4%), but nobody suffered from the permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. 4 patients of recurrent (1.3%) papillary thyroid carcinoma were treated by surgery. CONCLUSION: Compare to open thyroidectomy with long term follow up studies, BABA endoscopic thyroidectomy is a useful treatment option for both benign and malignant thyroid tumor.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia ; Jeollanam-do ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Recurrence ; Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy* ; Voice

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal injection on the corneal endothelium according to the injected drug. METHODS: The present study included 118 eyes of 113 patients who received intravitreal injection. Before each injection and 1 month after the injection, specular microscopy was performed to evaluate the corneal endothelial changes and central corneal thickness. We classified the patients according to the injected drug (bevacizumab 21 eyes, ranibizumab 20 eyes, aflibercept 47 eyes, dexamathasone implant 30 eyes), phakic or pseudophakic eyes, single or multiple injections and analyzed them retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean corneal endothelial cell density was 2,693.2 ± 298.2 cells/mm² before injection and 2,686.8 ± 288.7 cells/mm² 1 month after injection, and there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.731). According to the kind of drug, the mean corneal endothelial cell density and central corneal thickness were not significantly different before and 1 month after injection in any of the 4 groups. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant changes in corneal endothelium before and 1 month after intravitreal injection of the various drugs.
Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium, Corneal* ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections* ; Microscopy ; Ranibizumab ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: We evaluated the capability of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a diagnostic tool to discriminate between poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) from well differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC). METHODS: The NLR of 3,870 patients with benign and malignant thyroid tumors were analyzed. There were 436 benign, 3,364 papillary, 15 medullary, 34 follicular or hurthle type, 14 PDTC, and 7 ATC type neoplasms. Patients were divided into two groups: a high NLR group and a low NLR group. RESULTS: The NLR of all 3,870 patients was a normal distribution, and the median value was 1.57. Advanced stage cancer, such as T3 or T4 was high (30.4% vs. 26.5%, P = 0.027), and cancer-specific deaths were also high (1.2% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.018) in the high NLR group. The proportion of PDTC (0.6% vs. 0.1%) and ATC (0.3% vs. 0.1%) was higher in the high NLR group. The NLR can discriminate between PTC, PDTC, and ATC (P = 0.035, P = 0.002, and P = 0.025, respectively), and the cutoff value was 3.8 between PDTC versus ATC. None of the NLR of PDTC exceeded the cutoff value of 3.8. CONCLUSION: NLR can play a relevant role as a discriminating tool and may be considered as a new diagnostic criterion in discriminating as well as in selecting therapeutic approaches to these aggressive forms of thyroid cancer.
Humans ; Inflammation ; Lymphocytes* ; Neutrophils* ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms*