Trichophyton(T.) verrucosum had not been reported until now in Korea. We report herein a case of kerion celsi caused by T. verrucosum considered the first case in Korea and its epidemiologic enviroment. She was a 10 years old girl living in cattle country. Three weeks ago, three small erythematous nodules were developed and rapidly progressed to be large boggy mass like tumefactions. Histopathologically, fungal hyphae and spores were found in hair follicles in H & E and PAS stain. In fungal study, characteristic features of T. verrucosum were found as chains of chlamidospores et als. With above results, we could diagnose these lesions as kerion celsi caused by T. verrucosum which were transmitted from a cattle. After 4 weeks-administration of ketoconazole, lesions were healed completely.
Animals ; Cattle ; Child ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Female ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Ketoconazole ; Korea ; Spores ; Tinea Capitis* ; Trichophyton*

Purpose: To report the surgical skills needed, and the clinical results of, minimally invasive hip surgery with dynamic hip screws and the comparison with the classical technique in stable pertrochanteric fractures of the femur. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two patients with pertrochanteric fractures of the femur who were treated with dynamic compression hip screws between April 1999 and March 2004, and were evaluated retrospectively, and were followed up for more than 12 months. 16 cases were treated with a classical dynamic hip screw technique and 16 cases with a minimally invasive technique in random order. The mean age was 73.2 years, and there were 11 males and 21 females. The operative times, total hemovac bleeding loss, functional scores, and average hemoglobin decrease ratios were evaluated. The clinical assessments were performed with the Harris Hip Score (HSS) and bony union was evaluated with serial follow-up plain radiographs. Results: The average operative time was 63.9 minutes with the classical technique and 42.5 minutes with the minimally invasive technique. The total average hemovac blood loss was 640 cc with the classical technique and 143 cc with the minimally invasive technique. Clinically, the HHS was an average of 85.9 and 89.2 in groups 1 and 2, respectively, by the last follow-up and there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (P <0.05) The hemoglobin decrease ratio was the same in both groups and there was no nonunion. Conclusion: Minimally invasive dynamic hip screw insertion was useful in stable pertrochanteric fractures, because it decreased blood loss and operative times; and there were no changes in fracture healing and functional outcomes.
Female ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Healing ; Hemorrhage ; Hip* ; Humans ; Male ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive

No abstract available.
Gemfibrozil* ; Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory*

BACKGROUND: We performed electrical cardioversion for the patients with chormic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation under the transesophageal echocardiographic guidance after anticoagulation to evaluate the safety of this procedure and the effects of electrical cardioversion on the atrial function. METHODS: After anticoagulation therapy with coumadine for three weeks, we tried chemical cardioversion with amiodarone first. Failed cases were included in this study. Pre-cardioversion transesophageal echocardiographic parameters were measured after exclusion of thrombi. After sedation with intravenous midazolam, direct-current cardioversion was done with the transesophageal echocardiographic probe in situ. Immediately after sinus conversion, we measured echocardiographic parameters again. Spontaneous echo contrast(SEC), left atrial appendage flow velocity, pulmonary vein flow velocity and time-velocity-integral(TVI), transmitral flow velocity, TVI and deceleration time were measured. All patients were anticoagulated for at least 4 weeks after cardiovesion. RESULTS: The total number of patients was forty one(24 males, 17 females) with the mean age of 58 years(range : 39-70). Mean duration of atrial fibrillation was 65 months(range : 1-360). Hypertension(12), dilated cardiomyopathy(10), cerebrovascular accidents(6), ischemic heart disease(2) and chronic lung disease(1) were associated. There were no complications. SEC increased or newly appeared in 18(43.9%) patients after sinus conversion. The left atrial appendage emptying velocity decreased(32.8+/-17.4 vs. 22.1+/-11.4cm/sec, p=0.020) and systolic TVI of both upper pulmonic vein increased significantly after sinus conversion. In two cases, early systolic forward flow(S1) of pulmonic vein appeared after sinus conversion. Transmitral E velocity decreased(86.9+/-28.8 vs. 76.3+/-30.6cm/sec, p=0.006) and the deceleration time increased(164+/-49 vs. 206+/-53msec, p=0.000) after sinus conversion. Transmitral A velocity was still low(34.9+/-19.5cm/sec) and E/A ratio was high(2.6+/-1.4) immediately after sinus conversion. CONCLUSION: After appropriate anticoagulation therapy and exclusion of left atrium and left atrial appindage thrombi with TEE we could perform electrical cardioversion safety without complications. The changes in transesophageal echocardiographic parameters after sinus conversion revealed the appearance of atrial mechanical activity in concordance with electrical activity. But these findings suggested atrial stunning or electromechanical dissociation which necessitates extended anticoagulation therapy until the full recovery of atrial mechanical function.
Amiodarone ; Atrial Appendage ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Atrial Function ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Electric Countershock* ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Midazolam ; Pulmonary Veins ; Veins ; Warfarin

The antihypertensive effect of Doxazocin were evaluated in 20 patients with essential hypertension. Two to eight mg of Doxazocin per day were administered continuously for two or eight weeks. The results were as follows : 1) Doxazocin were effective in 18 out of 20 patients(90%) at the end of 8 weeks treatment. 2) The systolic blood pressure was signigicantly decreased(173+/-20mmHg VS 144+/-33mmHg, P+/-0.001), and the diastolic blood pressure was also decreased(110+/-10mmHg VS 93+/-19mmHg, P<0.01) after treatment. 3) Triglyceride showed a decreasing tendency but statistically significance was not observed. Total cholesteral, HDL-cholesterol, BUN, creatinine, and uric acid did not change significantly before and after treatment with Doxazocin. 4) The side effects were headache in one case and dizziness in to cases. These results suggest that Doxazocin is an effective antihypertensive agent and concerning lipid profile, further long term observation is needed.
Blood Pressure ; Creatinine ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Triglycerides ; Uric Acid

No abstract available.
Free Tissue Flaps* ; Lower Extremity* ; Soft Tissue Injuries*

OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to define the usefulness of the computerized neuropsychological test (CNT) for evaluation of cognitive deficit in the patients with brain injury. METHOD: Twenty five subjects with brain injury (16 males, 9 females) were enrolled. Their mean age was 39.2 years. All patient were assessed their cognitive function using CNT. The CNT consisted of digit span, verbal learning test, visual span test, visual learning test, auditory continuous performance test, auditory controlled continuous performance test, visual continuous performance test, visual controlled continuous performance test, word-color test, hypothesis formation test and trail making test. Scores of each subtest on CNT analysed according to the brain lesion and involved hemisphere of the patients. RESULTS: In patients with left hemisphere lesion, scores in digit span and verbal-learning test were lower than that of right side lesion (p<0.05). In contrast, patients with right hemisphere lesion showed significantly lower scores in visual span and visual-learning test (p<0.05). The patients with frontal lobe lesion marked lower scores in verbal-learning and word-color test than the patients without frontal lesion (p<0.01). Whereas the patients with parietal lobe lesion showed significantly lower scores in visual learning test (p<0.05) than the patients without parietal lesion. CONCLUSION: The cognitive deficit following the brain lesion could be characterized using CNT. CNT is considered to be used as a useful tool in the patients with brain injury for the assessment of their cognitive function.
Brain Injuries* ; Brain* ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Learning ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests* ; Parietal Lobe ; Rabeprazole ; Trail Making Test ; Verbal Learning

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at evaluating the relationship between somatic symptoms, depression, anxiety and cognitive function in the patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury(MTBI). METHODS: Thirty seven patients with MTBI were selected from those patients who had visited the Department of Neuropsychiatry of Wonkwang University Hospital from 2003 to 2007. To assess and quantify the somatic symptoms, depression and anxiety, Personality Assessment Inventory(PAI) was used. Assessment of cognitive function was carried out by using Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale(K-WAIS), Rey-Kim Memory Test, and Kims Executive Function Test. The effects of somatic symptoms, depression, and anxiety on the cognitive function were evaluated by Pearson correlation test. RESULTS: Somatic symptoms, depression, and anxiety, all showed inverse correlation to cognitive function. Specifically, 1) an increase in somatic symptoms was associated with a decrease in attention, verbal short term memory, verbal recall and recognition, and visual memory. 2) An increase in anxiety was associated with a decrease in verbal recall and recognition. 3) An increase in depression was associated with a decrease in cognitive function that requires high attention and verbal memory. CONCLUSION: The patients with MTBI displayed diverse symptoms ranging from cognitive impairment to somatic symptoms, depression, and anxiety. Somatic and emotional symptoms were correlated with cognitive function(especially executive function). Importantly, this study raises the possibility of treating the cognitive impairment associated with MTBI by treating somatic symptoms, depression, and anxiety.
Adult ; Anxiety ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Depression ; Executive Function ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Memory ; Neuropsychiatry ; Personality Assessment

The authors report two cases of aneurysms of basilar bifurcation approached by modified frontolateral transsylvian route: each aneurysm was clipped successfully through the space between internal carotid artery and posterior communicating artery in case 1 and the space between internal carotid artery, posterior communicating artery and oculomotor nerve in case 2. Historical background and surgical approaches are discussed.
Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Oculomotor Nerve

BACKGROUND: The main disadvantage of rocuronium is the pain associated with vascular injection. We evaluated the efficacy of palonosetron for reducing pain after rocuronium injection. METHODS: Eighty patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomly divided into two groups: Group C (normal saline 1.5 ml, n = 40) and Group P (palonosetron 0.075 mg, n = 40). Anesthesia was induced with thiopental 5 mg/kg and the test drug was injected over 10 seconds. Thirty seconds after the injection of the test drug, rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg was injected over 30 seconds and the response was recorded. Injection pain was graded using a 4-point scale. The grade was 0 points for no movement, 1 point for wrist movement, 2 points for elbow or shoulder movement, and 3 points for whole body movement. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded on arrival in the operating room and before and 30 seconds after rocuronim injection. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the grade 1 response between the two groups; however, the grade 2 and 3 responses in Group P were 5 (12.5%) and 4 (10%), respectively, which were significantly lower than in Group C, with 13 (32.5%) responses for each grade. There were no significant differences in hemodynamic changes within each group. However, the difference in mean arterial pressure before and after the injection of rocuronium was significantly larger in Group C compared to Group P. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment with palonosetron 0.075 mg reduced the incidence and severity of withdrawal movement after rocuronium administration.
Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Elbow ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Operating Rooms ; Shoulder ; Thiopental ; Wrist