We reviewed surgical specimens from 11 patients with diffuse neurofibroma to define the specific clinicopathologic characteristics. Ten cases were cutaneous neurofibromas and one case was an uncommon gastrointestinal neurofibroma involving the rectum. The most frequent sites of involvement were the head and neck, especially the eyelids and the periorbital areas. They usually presented as a plaque-like elevation of the skin. They primarily occured in children and young adults and positive family histories of von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis were obtained in 45.4%. Pathologically, the involved skin & rectum were diffusely thickened by an infiltrative growing mass, showing proliferation of short fusiform cells in the uniform matrix of fine fibrillary collagen. The characteristic prominence of Wagner-Meissner bodies (45.4%) suggests they could be associated with pathogenesis of diffuse neurofibroma. On the basis of these findings, we could confirm diffuse neurofibroma to be a distinct form of neurofibroma.
Child ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans

The double eyelid operation is one of the most common cosmetic surgery performed in orientals, and there are numerous studies about surgical procedures of that. In the case of appropriate candidates, the non-incision technique makes excellent cosmetic results, with the advantages of shorter operating time, less morbidity, less pain, no scarring and easy revision of shape. But, usually the non-incision technique is recommended in the cases with thin upper eyelid, small amount of orbital fat, less redundant skin of upper eyelid and in whom a wide fold is not desired so on. Therefore, the disadvantages of this method are that it cannot be applied to all patients. The postoperative complications are disappearance or faded fold, formation of cyst or lumps, asymmetry etc. and the incidence of these complications is slightly higher than those of the incisional method. In this study, the double eyelid operation using the continuous buried suture method was performed in 210 patients for formation of double eyelid from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1995. In conclusion very good results can be obtained by the continuous buried suture method even in the cases of puffy upper eyelid. This method can make a double eyelid shape in the fashion the patient wants and can be a new indication for correction of unilateral double eyelid. This method is safe, satisfactory and take shorter postoperative recovery time and it can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications.
Cicatrix ; Eyelids* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Orbit ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin ; Surgery, Plastic ; Sutures*

No Abstract Available.
Chondrocytes* ; Phenotype*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the meaning of experiences in home visiting nursing service among the elderly in community provided by nursing students. METHOD: This is a phenomenological study to investigate the experience of community-based patients. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from the 4th of March to the 15th of December 2003. Individual interviews were conducted with 8 patients on subjective experiences. Data were analyzed through Colaizzi's method, in which meaningful statements were extracted. RESULT: Four categories were identified from nine theme clusters. The four categories were 'thankfulness', 'dependence', 'sorrowfulness' and 'the sense of being'. CONCLUSION: These results show the importance of visiting nursing service for the elderly in community.
Aged* ; House Calls* ; Humans ; Life Change Events ; Nursing Services* ; Qualitative Research ; Students, Nursing

An eccrine nevus is a rare hamartoma characterized by an increase in the number or size of eccrine glands. Eccrine nevi usually present as localized hyperhidrosis and are not associated with overlying skin abnormalities. However, among the cases that have been reported in the literature, some unique presentations of eccrine nevi have been demonstrated, including a pigmented patch, a depressed nodule, linear papules, and a sacral skin tag. Herein, we report two unusual cases of coccygeal polypoid eccrine nevi and review the literature.
Coccyx ; Eccrine Glands ; Hamartoma ; Hyperhidrosis ; Nevus ; Skin ; Skin Abnormalities

BACKGROUND: Social support is defined as interpersonal transaction ; the giving of symbolic or material aid to another. It has been shown to have both buffering effects and direct beneficial effects on diverse health related outcomes. But there has been the dearth of well-validated measurement instruments. This article describes the development of Korean version of the Duke-UNC functional social support questionnaire(DUFSS), focusing on the aspect of social support. METHODS: The 13-item, self-administered questionnaire was translated to Korean language. It was evaluated on 177 patients attending the family medicine clinic of Seoul National University Hospital during one month(November, 1996.) Comparisons to the family APGAR, COOP/ WONCA functional status chart are made to assess validity. Factor analyses are performed. Correlation of the questionnire score with the sum of family APGAR and each items of COOP/ WONCA functional chart are measured Internal consistency are evaluated. RESULTS: The questionnaire score are correlated with significantly correlated with social activity item. The total Cronbachs alpha is calculated as 0.89. The four content areas developed by factor analyses are donfidant support(items 8, 9, 10), af fective support(items 4, 5, 6, 7), instrumental support(items 3, 12) and quantity of support(item 1). These shows similarity to American study results. CONCLUSIONS: The Korean version of the Duke-UNC functional social support questionnaire has been documented as having high reliability and moderate validity. It covers two dimensions well(confidant support, affective support) with a small enough number of questions. Instrumental support may need further study.
Humans ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Gastroschisis* ; Hernia, Umbilical*

The omentum is unique in that it is the body tissue specially developed for the resolution of local inflammatory processes because of combination of its blood supply and abundant lymphatic drainage. So, the use of omental pedicle graft is well established for the more complex repairs and reconstruction of the urinary tract. From March, 1982 to February, 1988, we have experienced twelve cases of the urinary tract repairs or reconstruction using omental pedicle graft, which include six cases of multiple renal laceration, two cases of renal staghorn calculi and four cases of complicated vesicovaginal fistula and the result were excellent.
Calculi ; Drainage ; Lacerations ; Omentum ; Transplants* ; Urinary Tract* ; Vesicovaginal Fistula

The omentum is unique in that it is the body tissue specially developed for the resolution of local inflammatory processes because of combination of its blood supply and abundant lymphatic drainage. So, the use of omental pedicle graft is well established for the more complex repairs and reconstruction of the urinary tract. From March, 1982 to February, 1988, we have experienced twelve cases of the urinary tract repairs or reconstruction using omental pedicle graft, which include six cases of multiple renal laceration, two cases of renal staghorn calculi and four cases of complicated vesicovaginal fistula and the result were excellent.
Calculi ; Drainage ; Lacerations ; Omentum ; Transplants* ; Urinary Tract* ; Vesicovaginal Fistula

No abstract available.
Endometriosis* ; Female