A cases is reported of congenital atlanto-occipital fusion in a 12-years-old girl. The lesion was treated by occipito-cervical arthrodesis by iliac bone grafting with wiring. The congenital atlanto-occipital fusion has not progressed in this 2 years of observation. This is presented with a review of literature.
Arthrodesis ; Bone Transplantation ; Female ; Humans

Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome(EMS) is a systemic illness that occurred as an epidemic by ingestion of over-the counter L-tryptophan preparation in the United States in October 1989. We report a Korean case of EMS not associated with the ingestion of either L-tryptophan or other nutritional supplements such as lysine and niacin.
Eating* ; Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome* ; Lysine ; Niacin ; Tryptophan ; United States

Idiopathic atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini(IAPP) is an uncommon condition of unknown etiology and typically affects persons in the second and third decades of life. IAPP consists of asymptomatic grey to brown depressed lesions with "cliff drop" borders, which are usually bilateral and located on the trunk. A 40-year-old woman visited our department because of unilateral atrophic lesions on the abdomen, right arm, and posterior aspect of right thigh for 20 years. Laboratory evaluations were normal and histologic examination revealed significantly decreased thickness in dermis. We report an unusual case of idiopathic atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini presenting unilateral distribution.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Arm ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Thigh

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to compare the shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) with the rigid ureteroscopic stone removal (URS) in order to establish the efficacy in treating upper ureteral stones according to the stone size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 328 patients who have been treated for upper ureteral stones between January 1999 and December 2002. 227 patients were treated with SWL, and 101 patients were treated with URS. We analyzed the success rates of the stone removal, reasons for failure, and complication rates of each procedure. RESULTS: The overall success rate of the URS was 93.1%. In terms of stone size, the success rates were 94.5% (<10mm) and 91.3% (>10mm), respectively. With the SWL treatments, the overall success rates after the first, second, and third sessions were 59%, 78%, and 92.5%, respectively. According to the stone size, the success rates were 96.5% (<10mm) and 85.7% (>10mm) after third sessions, respectively. The success rate was significantly affected by the size of the stone in the SWL group, but this was not the case with the URS group. The associated complication rates of URS and SWL were 11% and 7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, URS was relatively more efficacious than SWL when the stone was larger than 10 mm. The proper selection of patients for in situ SWL or URS would improve the results of the initial treatment.
Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Shock* ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Calculi ; Ureteroscopy

PURPOSE: Bilateral high signal intensity in basal ganglia on Tl-weighted images is unusual. the purpose of this study is to describe the pattern of high signal intensity and underlying disease. METHODS AND MATERIALS: During the last three years, 8 patients showed bilateral high signal intensity in basal ganglia on Tl-weighted image, as compared with cerebral white matter. Authors analized the images and underlying causes retrospectively. Of 8 patients, 5 were male and 3 were female. The age ranged from 15 days to 79 years. All patient were examined by a 0.5T superconductive MRI. Images were obtained by spin echo multislice technique. RESULTS: Underlying causes were 4 cases of hepatopathy, 2 cases of calcium metabolism disorder, and one case each of neurofibromatosis and hypoxic brain injury. These process were bilateral in all cases and usually symmetric. In all cases the hyperintense areas were generally homogenous without mass effect or edema, although somewhat nodular appearence was seen in neurofibromatosis. Lesions were located in the globus pallidus and internal capsule in hepatopathy and neurofibromatosis, head of the caudate nucleus in disorder of calcum metabolism, and the globus pallidus in hypoxic brain injury. CONCLUSION: Although this study is limited by its patient population, bilateral hyperintense basal ganglia is associated with various disease entities. On analysis of hyperintense basal ganglia lesion, the knowledge of clinical information improved diagnostic accuracy.
Basal Ganglia* ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Calcium Metabolism Disorders ; Caudate Nucleus ; Edema ; Female ; Ganglia ; Globus Pallidus ; Head ; Humans ; Internal Capsule ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Metabolism ; Neurofibromatoses ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Purpose of this study was to examine the impact of group dynamic imagery therapy on job stress and psychosocial stress of female nurses. METHODS: The research questions were tested through a quasi-experimental research with a non-equivalent pretest-posttest design. Seventy-seven female nurses from G University Hospital in J City participated in this study; 38 of them were assigned to the experimental group, and the rest were assigned to the control group. Once a week for 8 continuous weeks, participants in the experimental group had 90-minute group dynamic imagery therapies. RESULTS: 1) The level of job stress was significantly lower in the experimental group than the control group, and 2) The level of Psychosocial stress was also significantly lower in the experimental group than the control group. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that group dynamic imagery therapy can be an effective intervention against job stress and psychosocial stress of female nurses.
Female ; Humans

Although acne is extremely prevalent, few studies have focused on the quality of life of the patient with acne vulgaris. Skin disease as acne are sometimes thought of as unimportant, even trivial, but acne vulgaris significantly affects patients' quality of life. This review describes the many ways in which skin disease can adversely affect the quality of life of patients with acne vulgaris.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Skin Diseases

Although acne is extremely prevalent, few studies have focused on the quality of life of the patient with acne vulgaris. Skin disease as acne are sometimes thought of as unimportant, even trivial, but acne vulgaris significantly affects patients' quality of life. This review describes the many ways in which skin disease can adversely affect the quality of life of patients with acne vulgaris.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Skin Diseases

An unusual case of intraspinal peripheral neuroepithelioma arising from the cauda equina is reported. The patient, a 21-year old female, suffered from low back pain with radiation to the posterior aspect of both legs. Myelographic, computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging studies of lumbosacral spine showed the intradural extramedullary mass lesion on the L3-S1 level which was excised surgically, but recurred rapidly. It could be diagnosed by the histopathologic findings. The postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy were administered. We report this rare case with review of the literatures.
Cauda Equina* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral* ; Radiotherapy ; Spine ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To investigate the results of Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA) coupled with "smoothing" to smooth the ablation surface after covering masking fluid. METHODS: ASA was performed in 61 eyes with ablation depth of more than 75 microm. The mean refractive error was -5.88 +/- 1.27 D and mean ablation depth was 102.93 +/- 12.06 microm. Smoothing was performed in all patients (mean depth 16.79 +/- 2.43 microm, mean diameter 8.77 +/- 0.16 mm). Customized Aspheric Transition zone (CATz) was used in the laser algorithm. RESULTS: The mean refractive error was -0.29 +/- 0.41 D at postoperative 6 months and 97% of patients had an UCVA of 1.0 or better at postoperative 6 months. There was no statistically significant difference in magnitude of high-order aberrations at postoperative 6 months. The magnitude of total spherical aberrations increase was 0.084 microm at postoperative 6 months (p<0.05, paired t-test). The cornea was maintained clear in the majority of eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Excellent results were obtained by ASA coupled with "smoothing" in high myopia patients with an ablation depth greater than 75 microm.
Cornea ; Eye ; Humans ; Masks ; Myopia ; Refractive Errors