Recently autogenous nerve graft was usually used for segmental defect of peripheal nerve injury. In case of inappropriate size or amount of donor nerve graft, there were many studies included nerve regeneration with special nerve conduit material. To compare the result of autogenous nerve graft with that of silicone tubing method in segmental defect of sciatic nerve, the experiments were carried out on adult rats with autogenous nerve graft on the left side and silicone tubing on the right side. The results were as follows; 1. Myelinated nerve fibers were larger in silicone tubing method than autogenous nerve graft at postop. 4 weeks. 2. There was no difference in nerve regeneration in both groups at postop. 12 weeks. 3. Some atrophic changes were showed in denervated muscles in both groups at postop. 4 weeks. Skeletal muscle changes between the two groups were meagre. 4. Perineural adhension was rare in silicone tubing group in contrast to autogenous nerve graft group. 5. Nerve Conduction Velocity was similar between autogenous nerve graft and silicone tubing method after 4 weeks postoperatively. In conclusion, this study suggests that silicone tubing can be useful method to repair the large nerve gaps and has a potential clinical utilization in large segmental nerve defect.
Adult ; Animals ; Autografts ; Humans ; Methods ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Nerve Regeneration ; Neural Conduction ; Rats ; Sciatic Nerve ; Silicon ; Silicones ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

A retrospective analyis was performed on 12,212 pediatric patients who had received operations from 1986 to 1988 in eight operating rooms, Seoul National University Childrens Hospital (SNUCH). The average distribution of the patient by department in descending order was pediatric surgery 24%, cardiothoracic surgery 17%, orthopedic surgery 16%, otolaryngology 13%, plastic surgery 11%, ophthalmology 10%, urology 8%, neurosurgery 3% and others 0.2%. Ophthalmology and urology share one operating room each other, why they have some limitations in performing operations. Total number of operations showed increasing tendency; 3,285 in 1986, 4,185 in 1987 and 4,742 in 1988, which were 27.4% increase in 1987 and 13.3% increase in 1988, compared with the previous year. The average age distribution in descending order was 42% in group between 2 and 5 years, 29% in group between 6 and 10 years, 13% in group between 1 month and 1 year, and over 10 years respectively and 3% in group under 1 month. The male to female ratio was 62% to 38%. Elective and emergency surgeries comprised 92.6% and 7.4%, respectively. Emergency pediatric surgery was the highest in number (16.4% of all surgeries and 48.9% of all emergency surgeries performed in the pediatric operating rooms). Pediatric operating room utility ratios for each departments increased year by year, especially utility ratios for ophthalmology and orthopedic surgery were 118% and 115%, respectively. The number of patients supported by medical insurance showed also increasing tendency; 72.5% in 1986, 74.1% in 1987 and 80.8% in 1988.
Age Distribution ; Child ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Insurance ; Male ; Neurosurgery ; Operating Rooms ; Ophthalmology ; Orthopedics ; Otolaryngology ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Surgery, Plastic ; Urology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of the implant master cast according to the type (pick-up, transfer) and the length (long, short) of the impression copings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The metal master cast was fabricated with three internal connection type implant analogs (Osstem GS III analog), embedded parallel and with 10degrees of mesial angulation to the center analog. Four types of impression coping were prepared with different combinations of types (transfer, pick-up) and lengths (long, short) of the coping. The impressions were made using vinyl polysiloxane (one step, heavy + light body) with an individual tray, and 10 impressions were made for each group. Eventually, 40 experimental casts were produced. Then, the difference in the distance between the master cast and the experimental cast were measured, and the error rate was determined. The analysis of variance was performed using the SPSS (v 12.0) program (alpha = .05), and the statistical significance was set at P < .05. RESULTS: The ANOVA showed that the pick-up type impression coping exhibited a significantly lower error rate than the transfer type. However, no significant difference was observed with respect to the length of the impression coping. Additionally, no significant difference was observed between the parallel and mesial angulated groups. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, the pick-up type impression coping exhibited a more accurate implant master cast than the transfer type in parallel group. The accuracy of the implant master cast did not differ for different lengths of impression coping of at least 11 mm. Additionally, the accuracy of the implant cast was not different for the parallel and 10degrees mesial angulated groups.
Light ; Polyvinyls ; Siloxanes

No abstract available.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of high-flexion total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using Vega Knee System (B. Braun, Aesculap) at a long-term follow-up and to analyze the implant survivorship. Methods: We enrolled 165 patients (232 knees) with a minimum 7-year follow-up after TKA (VEGA Knee System). For clinical assessment, range of motion (ROM), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were used. For radiologic assessment, hip-knee-ankle angle, component position, and the existence of radiolucent lines and loosening were used. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The mean follow-up period was 9.8 years. The mean ROM increased from 124.4° to 131.4° at the final follow-up. The WOMAC score decreased from 38.5 to 17.4 at the final follow-up (p < 0.001). All 5 subscales of the KOOS improved at the final follow-up (all subscales, p < 0.001). Revision TKA was performed in 10 cases (4.3%), which included 9 cases of aseptic loosing and 1 case of periprostatic joint infection. Of the 9 aseptic loosening cases (3.9%), 8 cases (3.4%) were loosening of the femoral component and 1 case (0.4%) was loosening of the tibial component. When revision for any reason was considered an endpoint, the 10-year survivorship was 96.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93.9%–98.5%). On the other hand, when revision for aseptic loosening was considered the endpoint, the 10-year survivorship was 96.6% (95% CI, 94.4%–98.8%). Conclusions The Vega Knee System provided good clinical results in the long-term follow-up period. Although the VEGA Knee System showed acceptable implant survivorship, loosening of the femoral component occurred in about 3.4% of the patients. For more accurate evaluation of the survivorship of high-flexion design TKA with a short posterior flange, it is necessary to conduct more long-term follow-up studies targeting diverse races, especially Asians who frequently perform high-flexion activities.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome and efficacy of transobturator adjustable (TOA) tape sling operations on women with intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD) and/or detrusor underactivity (DU) combined with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective analysis comprised 60 TOA patients. 30 patients hadDU (Qmax < 15ml/s) and/or ISD (Valsalva leak point pressure;VLPP < 60cmH20) on the preoperative UDS and the rest only had SUI. I-QoL, visual analog scale (VAS), Patient's Perception of Urgency Severity (PPUS), and Self-Assessment/Sandvik Questions were performed before and 1 year after surgery. The mesh tension was controlled at 1 day after surgery. The objective cure rate was defined as no leakage using the cough test with a full bladder. RESULTS: Patients were divided into two groups: Group A:SUI with ISD and/or DU, n=30; Group B:only SUI without ISD and DU, n=30. The two groups showed a difference in Qmax and VLPP preoperatively. Objective success rates were 18 (60.0%) completely cured, 10 (33.3%) improved in Group A, and 23 (76.7%) completely cured, 7 (23.3%) improved in Group B. Three cases needed tape-tension adjustment due to urinary leakage one-day after surgery (2 in Group A, 1 in Group B). There was no postoperative urinary retention. CONCLUSIONS: After TOA for SUI with ISD and/or DU, 3 cases were needed tension adjustment after surgery. TOA procedures seem to be effective and safe, more clinical studies with long-term follow up are required for a definite conclusion.
Cough ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Suburethral Slings ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence ; Urinary Retention ; Urodynamics

Spontaneous hemo-pneumothorax, a hemothorax that occurs without trauma, is a very rare condition; however, as a result of excessive bleeding, it can be lethal. Also, if the bleeding is scanty, the physician might recognize hemothorax in case of performing invasive procedures, such as chest tube insertion, and may misunder stand as a complication of the procedure. For this reason, acknowledgement of the spontaneous hemo-pneumothorax in the emergency department is very important. We report on a case of a spontaneous hemo-pneumothorax in a healthy 18-year-old male presenting with chest pain who developed a spontaneous pneumothorax with a profuse amount of hemothorax.
Chest Pain ; Chest Tubes ; Emergencies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Male ; Pneumothorax

PURPOSE: Recently, the incidence of malignant melanoma has been steadily increasing. Malignant melanoma is already known to have poorer prognosis than other primary skin cancers. Despite the poor prognosis, it is relatively less known to the public so that a number of patients visit hospital carrying advanced stage tumor. Yet, extensive study about malignant melanoma is currently insufficient, and specific guidelines and statistical figures in Korea are almost inexistent. Therefore, authors reviewed patients with malignant melanoma who have visited our hospital for last 14 years. METHODS: Between January 1994 and January 2008, 62 patients were diagnosed with malignant melanoma at our hospital. A retrospective study was performed with data from patients' charts and biopsy results. Annual incidence, mean age of onset, gender, tumor location, tumor thickness, pathologic ulceration, clinicopathologic subtype, and clinical AJCC stage were evaluated. Analysis of factors associated with survival were performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Kaplan-Meier method was used to generate survival curves. RESULTS: Clinicopathologic features of 62 patients (32 male, 30 female) with average age of 57 years were evaluated. Most lesions were found in lower limb, and the most common subtype was acral lentiginous melanoma. We could also find that age, tumor thickness, and clinical stage were the only significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Clinicopathologic features of malignant melanoma were analyzed in this study, but the result is not ready to be generalized because of the limited number of cases. Further study must be performed to report clinical guidelines for prognosis and treatment for malignant melanoma patients in Korea.
Age of Onset ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lifting ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Melanoma ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Neoplasms ; Survival Rate ; Ulcer

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of alendronate for prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis this study was taken. METHODS: This prospective randomized clinical trial examined the effects of oral alendronate and HRT(conjugated estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate), in combination and seperately, on BMD, biochemical markers of bone turnover in 79 women with low bone mass. Treatment included alendronate(10mg daily) plus HRT(group I, n=38), or HRT(group II, n=41) for 6 months. Bone density measurements were performed at months 0 and 6 at the lumbar spine. Biochemical markers of bone turnover were also measured every three months. RESULTS: Serum Osteocalcin decreased by 19.2% in group I and by 10.0% in group II at 3 months(p<0.05), and by 30.9% in group I and by 19.8% in group II at 6 months(p<0.05). Urinary deoxypyridinoline showed decrease of 19.75%(I) vs. 10.4%(II) at 3 months, 30.1%(I) vs. 20.7%(II) at 6 months, the difference was significant. Percent change of BMD measurements from baseline at 6 months in group I was 6.2% and in group II 0.6% on the lumbar spine(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The treatment with alendronate is useful to postmenopausal women with osteoporosis by decreasing bone turnover markers, and by increasing the BMD.
Alendronate* ; Biomarkers ; Bone Density ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Medroxyprogesterone ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoporosis* ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Prospective Studies ; Spine

PURPOSE: Idoxifene is currently entering phase II clinical trials for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. The radiolabeled idoxifene using 123I provides an opportunity for clinical pharmacology with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The purpose of this study was to prepare radiolabeled idoxifene using 123I and to determine its cell uptake of breast cancer cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With a view to evaluating new anticancer drugs, we are investigating the novel antiestrogen pyrrolidino- 4-iodotamoxifen (idoxifene). [123I]Idoxifene has been prepared in no-carrier-added form using a tributyl stannylated precursor which has been synthesized by means of (2-chloroethoxy)benzene with (+/-)-2- phenylbutanoic acid on the basis of previously reported standard methods. The biodistribution and dynamic behavior of the compound were investigated using the comparative breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 (estrogen receptor-positive) and MDA-MB-468 (non-estrogen receptor). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Acylation of (2-chloroethoxy)benzene with (+/-)-2-phenylbutanoic acid gave the versatile ketone (81%) which reacted with 1,4-diiodobenzene to give triphenylethylene as a mixture of E and Z geometric isomers, which were separated by the recrystallization in ethanol. The E-isomer was treated with pyrrolidine to give idoxifene (67%). In order to incorporate radioactive iodine into the 4-position, the 4-stannylated precursor was prepared (30%). The yield of radioiodination was 90-92% with a high radiochemical purity greater than 98%. The ratio of tumor uptake of the breast cancer cell line between MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 was about 1.7.
Acylation ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Line ; Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Ethanol ; Iodine ; Pharmacology, Clinical ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon