BACKGROUND: The Q-switched ruby laser has recently shown that it can remove tattoos with-out scarring. Therefore the Q-switched ruby laser is expected to be effective in the treatment of nevus of Ota, which contains pigmented cells in the dermis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Q-switched ruby laser in the treatment of nevus of Ota. METHODS: Twenty-five patients (6 men, 19 women) with nevus of Ota on the face were treat-ed. The age of the patients ranged from 3 to 62 years. The energy fluence used varied from 6 to 8.5 J/cm². Treatment intervals ranged from 1 to 3 months, and the number of treatments ranged from 2 to 9. Photographs were taken of all patients before and on every return visit. The photographs were then compared with each other. After completion of treatment, we evaluated some parameters including the extent of pigment-free area within the skin lesions (score 0-4), degree of lightening in the remaining skin lesions (score 0-3), and patient's own or their parents' opinions on the result of treatment (score 0-3). The scores of the above three parameters were added and the resulting scores were designated as excellent (score 9-10), good (score 7-8), moderate (score 5-6) and poor (score 0-4). RESULTS: Excellent treatment response (score 9-10) was obtained in 6 of the 25 patients. In all patients disappearance of pigmentation on a 40 percent or larger area was seen. One month after completion of treatment, the remaining lesion size was less than 40 percent of the original lesion in 21 (84.0%) patients. The degree of lightening in the remaining lesion was marked (score 3) in 22 (88%) patients. No scarring was noted following treatment. Transient hyperpigmentation was noted in 7 patients, and transient hypopigmented areas were noted in one patient. CONCLUSION: Q-switched ruby laser appears to be an effective and safe modality for the treatment of nevus of Ota.
Cicatrix ; Dermis ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Male ; Nevus of Ota* ; Nevus* ; Pigmentation ; Skin

No abstract available.
Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fertilization*

Developmental venous anomalies are congenital anomalies of the intracranial venous drainage and clinically asymptomatic. Cavernous hemangiomas are vascular malformations composed of dilated vascular channels lined with a single layer of endothelial cells without any intervening normal neural tissue. Although, cavernous hemangioma may be clinically silent, but frequently cause variable neurologic manifestations; intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, and focal neurologic deficits. Frequent association of these two diseases has already been reported and it has been suggested that cavernous hemangiomas not the developmental venous anomalies that cause the acute clinical symptoms. A 4 year old girl with sudden onset of headache, vomiting, gait disturbance and signs of unilateral cerebellar dysfunction 2 days before admission showed a 2.5x2.5cm sized hematoma with heterogenous signal intensity both in CT and MRI in the left cerebellar hemisphere. Four-vessel cerebral angiography revealed characteristic findings of developmental venous anomalies. Pathologic findings of the surgically removed hematoma disclosed typical feature of cavernous hemangioma. Based on the findings in this case and review of the literatures, we concluded that the possibility of other diseases such as cavernous hemangiomas must be considered in patients who has intracranial hemorrhage due to the developmental venous anomalies.
Cerebellar Diseases ; Cerebral Angiography ; Child, Preschool ; Drainage ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Gait ; Headache ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Seizures ; Vascular Malformations ; Vomiting

We experienced a case of mitral incompetence due to rupture of anterolateral papillary muscle in a 56-year-old male who complained of abdominal pain and mild dyspnea after being struck by car. Clinical manifestation immediately following injury was minimal, but heart failure progressed rapidly 3 days after injury. Echocardiopraphic evaluation revealed ruptured anterolateral papillary muscle and severe mitral regurgitation on color flow imaging. There was no evidence of coronary artery disease on coronary angiography. Operation revealed that the haed of anterolateral papillary muscle was torn out of its insertion. Mitral valve replacement with mechanical prosthesis was performed on the 50th day after injury.
Abdominal Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Dyspnea ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Papillary Muscles* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Rupture* ; Thorax*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans

A case of Wegener's granulomatosis is described, with special attention focused on the typical histologic findings and involvement of both middle ear and lung. The patient is a 37-year-old man presented with four-month history of cough and sputum. He had a past history of surgery of both ears because of otitis media followed by left facial palsy. Chest radiographs showed variable sized ill defined nodules in both lower lobes with internal airspace consolidation. Histologic preparations of the open lung biopsy specimens demonstrated a diffusely scattered palisading micro and macrogranulomas with central focus of neutrophils and necrotic collagen surrounded by histiocytes, histiocytic giant cells. Fibrinoid necrosis involved blood vessels and lung parenchyma. Chronic inflammation, diffuse granulation tissue formation and irregular fibrosis are also found in the lung parenchyma. The histologic findings of middle ear which was previously biopsied showed scattered palisading ill defined microgranulomas mixed with fibrotic tissue.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Collagen ; Cough ; Ear ; Ear, Middle* ; Facial Paralysis ; Fibrosis ; Giant Cells ; Granulation Tissue ; Granuloma ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung* ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils ; Otitis Media ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Sputum ; Vasculitis ; Wegener Granulomatosis*

MR images of seven patients with histologically documented synovial sarcoma were reviewed to find the suggestive or pathognomonic findings of the disease. MR appearance of the tumor was inhomogeneous, multiseptated mass with various degree of internal septation and infiltrative tumor margin. The signal intensity of the mass was slightly hyperintense relative to muscle on T1-weighted image and hyperintense relative to subcutaneous fatty tissue on T2-weighted image.
Adipose Tissue ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Sarcoma, Synovial*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Cattle ; DNA* ; Enzootic Bovine Leukosis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of chromosomal or genetic causes of primary amenorrhea, and was made to assess the etiology of disorders in those patients whose chromosome appeared normal. Sixty eight patients with primary amenorrhea were evaluated clinically and cytogenetically, which were refered to our Cytogenetic Laboratory in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University Hospital, from Aug. 1988 to Dec. 1996. The results were as follows. l. Out of 68 cases with primary amenorrhea, 40 cases (58.9%) had the normal chromosome constitutions and 28 cases (41.1%) had the abnormal chromosome constitutions including 46, XY. 2. Turner's syndrome was found in 25 cases (36.7%), consisting of 11 cases (16.1%) of 45, X, 3 cases (4.3%) of 46, X, i (Xq), 1 case (1.5%) of 46, X, inv (X), 1 case (1.5%) of 46, X, del (Xq), 1 case (1.5%) of 46, X, del (Xp), 1 case (1.5%) of 46, X, tel (Xq), 1 case (1.5%) of 45, X/46, XX, 1 case (1.5%) of 45, X/46, XY, 1 case (1.5%) of 45, X/47, XXX, 2 cases (2.9%) of 45, X/46, X, del (Xq), I case (1.5%) of 45, X/46, X, del (Xq), 1 case (1.5%) of 45, X/46, X, r (X). 3. 3 cases (4.3%) had the 46, XY chromosome constitution consisting of 2 cases (2.9%) of testicular feminization syndrome and 1 case (1.5%) of pure gonadal dysgenesis. 4. Among 40 patients whose chromosome are normal, the etiologies of amenorrhea were assumed to be caused by 11 cases (27.5%) of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (idiopathic), 10 cases (25.0%) of congenital absence of vagina, 5 cases (12.5%) of pure gonadal dysgenesis in order of frequency.
Amenorrhea* ; Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome ; Busan ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Cytogenetics* ; Female ; Gonadal Dysgenesis ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Male ; Obstetrics ; Turner Syndrome ; Vagina

We report computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) findings of a patient with polyostotic Paget disease and multicentric giant cell tumor (GCT). Brain CT scan showed widening of diploic space, cortical thickening and enhancing soft tissue mass in occiput with underlying calvarial destruction. Ill-defined soft tissue masses were also detected in maxillary sinus and buttock with underlying bony destruction on CT. MR image showed multifocal nodules in wide diploic space with low signal intensity on T1 -weighted image and bright signal intensity on T2-weighted image. Mass in occiput showed homogeneous hypointensity to bone marrow on T1-weighted image and homogeneous iso- intensity on T2-weighted image. Multiple nodules in diploic space and occipital mass showed contrast enhancement following administration of Gd-DTPA. Biopsy was performed at scal p, maxillary sinus and buttock, and histologic analysis revealed GCT.
Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Brain ; Buttocks ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Giant Cell Tumors* ; Giant Cells* ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed