STUDY DESIGN: Case report OBJECTIVES: To report a case of Brown-Séquard syndrome after blunt cervical trauma. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Brown-Séquard syndrome is a rare disease characterized by hemisection of the spinal cord, and it shows the best prognosis of the various types of incomplete spinal cord injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A patient with Brown-Séquard syndrome that occurred after a traffic accident was followed up for 2 years and 6 months. RESULTS: We observed normal recovery of motor strength, but sensory impairment and deep tendon hyperreflexia remained. CONCLUSIONS: Brown-Séquard syndrome is known to have a good prognosis, but in this case, the neurological abnormality did not fully recover; therefore, we report this rare case and present a review of the literature.
Accidents, Traffic* ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Female ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases ; Reflex, Abnormal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Tendons

BACKGROUND: The peak flowmeter is very useful in monitoring of out-patients as well as those in emergency departments because of its convenience and simplicity with low cost. There have been many studies aimed at determining the accuracy and reproducibility of the peak flow meter in normal population. However, there is a paucity of reports regarding its accuracy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) or asthma. The accuracy of the peak expiratory flow(PEF) measured with a mini-Wright peak flowmeter was assessed by a comparison with the results of a mass flow sensor. METHODS: The PEF measurements were performed in 108 patients aged 19-82 years presenting with either a chronic obstructive lung disease or asthma before and after inhaling salbutamol. The PEF measurements from the mini-Wright flowmeter were compared with those obtained by the calibrated mass flow sensor. RESULTS: The average of the readings taken by the mini-Wright meter were 37-39 l/min higher than those taken by the mass flow sensor. The average percentage error of the mini-Wright meter were higher, ranging less than 300 l/min. The mean of the differences between the values obtained using both instruments (the bias)±limits of agreement(±2 SD) were 37.1±90 l/min for the PEF(p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The mini-Wright peak flowmeter overestimated the flows in patients with COPD or asthma. It was also found that the accuracy of the mini-Wright peak flowmeter decreased in its mid to low range. The limits of agreement are wide and the difference between the two instruments is signigicant. Therefore, the measurements made between the two types of machines in patients with asthma or COPD cannot be used in terchangeably.
Albuterol ; Asthma* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Flowmeters* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Outpatients ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Reading

PURPOSE: Because cryptorchid testes are known to undergo histopathologic changes affecting development, maturation, and tertility, early surgical correction is usually recommended. However there are differing opinions concerning whether retractile testes are affected by similar changes and also whether there is a need for surgical treatment. We aimed to assess the histopathologic changes in retractile testis by studying the changes in testes artificially placed back in the abdomen after they have descended to scrotum in experimental rat models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups; a control group(controls), prepubertal ascent group (P) in which testis were placed back intraabdominally by bilateral inguinal canal obstruction at 6 weeks, a neonatal group(N) in which intraabdminal testis was induced by bilateral inguinal canal obstruction at birth. The relative weight of the testis, morphology of the seminiferous tubules including Leydig cells, tubular degeneration phase(TDP), spermatogonia per tubules(S/T), and Sertoli cell index (SCI) of these three groups were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The relative weight of testis was significantly decreased in the group of N(0.0016+/-0.001) and P(0.0015+/-0.0002) compared to controls(0.0037+/-0.0002) (p<0.05). The S/T value was also decreased in P(2.05+/-18.2) and N(73.2+/-32.4) when compared to controls (360.2+/-21.3). Similar changes were observed in SCI of both P(64.5+/-6.4) and N (91.2+/-14.2) when compared to controls (227.9+/-31.1). Only minority of N and P showed higher TDP values. However, although statistically insignificant, TDP was increased in both P and N when compared to controls. The Leydig cells in N and P showed cellular distortion and hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrate that prepubertal ascent, similar to that of innate cryptorchid testis, also can induce histopathologic changes such as changes in testicular seminiferous tubule, decrease in the S/T value and decrease in SCI value. Our findings supports that hypothesis that retractile testis may cause histological damage thus surgical correction may also be warranted similar to in case of genuine cryptorchism.
Abdomen* ; Animals ; Cryptorchidism ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Inguinal Canal ; Leydig Cells ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Models, Theoretical ; Parturition ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Scrotum ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Spermatogonia ; Testis*

Chondroblastoma is a rare primary bone tumor which originates from cartilage, and represents approximate 1% af all bone tumor. The chondroblastoma arises most frequently from the epiphysis of the long bones with the humerus being the commonest site. It afflicts usually the young under 25 years with greater incidence in male. As there is no cartilage cell on craniofacial bone which is mainly fromed by intramembranous ossification, the chondroblastoma on the craniofacial bone is extremely rare. But the chondroblastoma recurred frequently in craniofacial bone when the mass is excised incompletely or curretted and, as the tumor has the outstanding ability of local invasiveness, it destructs the adjacent bone. In addition, it is difficult to diagnose differentially from sarcoma or giant cell tumor histopathologically. Due to the entities described above, it is necessary to remove the entire tumor mass as complete as possible, to treat with radiation pre or postoperatively for preventing from recurrence, and to observe for a long time. The chondroblastoma on temporal bone is rare and is difficult to diagnose and treat successfully. So we'd like to present a case of chondroblastoma which was originated from temporal side of TMJ with literatural review.
Cartilage ; Chondroblastoma ; Epiphyses ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Humans ; Humerus ; Incidence ; Male ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma ; Temporal Bone ; Temporomandibular Joint*

Primary Cutaneous Neuroendocrine Carcinoma(CNEC : or Merkel Cell Tumor) usually occurs as a solitary tumor in middle aged to elderly individuals. This tumor may occur on any layer of the skin but the most frequent location is in the dermis. Electron microscopic studies reveal that the tumor cell contains round, dense core granules similar to epidermal Merkel cell and other cells of the neural crest derived APUD system. We describe the clinical, histological, electron microscopic, immunohistochemical observation of a case of primary CNEC in a 66-year-old female and discuss the theories regarding the histogenesis of this unusual tumor.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine* ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neural Crest ; Skin

No abstract available.
Neurilemmoma*

No abstract available.
Chordoma*

Maffucci's syndrome is a congenital, non-hereditary mesodermal d splasia manifested by multiple enchondromas and hemangiomas. Several case reports and reviews indicate that there is a tendency toward malignant transformation of the enchondroma. The incidence of malignancy may be as high as 30%. We report a case of 10-year-old female with multiple hemangiomas on the face, palms, and soles and skeletal chondromatoses of the multiple bones.
Child ; Chondroma ; Chondromatosis ; Enchondromatosis ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mesoderm

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Nephroma, Mesoblastic* ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the following:the safety of fine needle aspiration biopsy in immunocompromized children with radiographic features of Pneumocystis car/nil pneumonia, its diagnostic rate in those groups and the appropriate radiographic stage for fine needle aspiration biopsy to prove the etiologic agent. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively reviewed the patient records of 16 children with immune compromizing diseases who had undergone fine needle aspiration biopsy of the lung. They showed the infectious sign of the lung along with the radiographic pattern of diffuse pulmonary disease, suggesting Pneumocystis carlnil pneumonia. All patients had underlying lymphoreticular malignancies including 14 acute lymphocytic leukemia and 2 non Hodgkin's lymphoma. According to the radiographic pattern of biopsy site, parenchymal disease was categorized as fine reticulonodular density(n=4), ground-glass opacity(n=9) and compact consolidation(n=3). We assessed the diagnostic rate of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and complications in each of the three groups. RESULTS: A diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was established by fine needle aspiration biopsy in 9 patients(56%) including 2 of 4 patients with fine reticulonodular density, 4 of 9 patients with ground-glass opacity, and all 3 patients with compact consolidation. Four patients(25%) developed pneumothorax, and three of them required tube insertion. There was no patient who developed hemoptysis. CONCLUSION: Fine needle aspiration biopsy is a safe and easy method that can yield Pneumocystis carinii organism at a relatively high rate in immunocompromized children with diffuse pulmonary lesions suopicions of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. We recommend performing fine needle aspiration biopsy regardlesss of radiographic patterns when Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is suggested.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Pneumocystis ; Pneumocystis carinii ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; Pneumothorax ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Retrospective Studies