No abstract available.
Corrosion* ; Metals*

No abstract available.
Oocytes* ; Pregnancy* ; Spermatozoa*

No abstract available.
Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro*

The provision of adequate soft tissue cover for a complex hand and forearm wound-dirty, infected and exposed bone can be a challenging problem. Conventionally, a distant flap or free flap have been used, but these have been associated with several problems such as joint stiffness, risk of microsurgical procedures, negligible donor site morbidity, prolonged operation time and economic restriction. As well, fasciocutaneous flap has been the limitation of infection control. In these situations, the ipsilateral muscle flap provides the ideal cover with its rich blood supply and single operative field. Previously described by Lendrum(1980), by Lae et al.(1981), and later by McGeorge(1991), the brachioradilis muscle is the most superficial muscle on the radial side of the forearm. Its flap is based on the radial artery and venae comitantes. From August 1996 to October 1997, we performed branchioradialis muscle flap in seven patients. Despite the sacrifice of the major hand artery, brachioradialis muscle flap has many advantages including the reliability of flap survival, easy dissection, early mobilization and absence of functional and aesthetic problems at the donor site. It is a relatively simple and rapid method for resurfacing soft tissue defect in the hand and forearm. We obtained satisfactory and reliable results.
Arteries ; Early Ambulation ; Forearm* ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Hand* ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Joints ; Radial Artery ; Tissue Donors

No abstract available.
Amnion* ; Endometriosis* ; Endometrium* ; Female

No abstract available.
Pancytopenia* ; Pneumonia*

We experienced a case of primary hepatic actinomycosis which was initially diagnosed by means of fine needle aspiration. The patient was a 31-year-old emaciated man with a 2-month history of 10 kg weight loss, right upper quadrant pain and flank pain. The liver was palpable and tender on physical examination. Computerized tomography scan of the liver showed two ill-defined hypodense masses in gallbladder fossa and inferior pole of right lobe. Hepatocellular carcinoma was clinically suspected. A CT-guided fine needle aspiration was performed. Microscopically, smears showed numerous radiating clusters of filamentous bacteria with many neutrophils and monocytes in necrotic background. The symptoms were improved by incision and drainage and massive administration of penicillin.
Actinomycosis ; Adult ; Bacteria ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diverticulum* ; Drainage ; Fibroadenoma ; Flank Pain ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Infarction ; Liver ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils ; Penicillins ; Physical Examination ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux* ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: Foreign bodies in the airway of infant and children require prompt diagnosis and removal. To evaluate the pattern of clinical characteristics and disease course, we reviewed and analyzed a 6-year experience with pediatric airway foreign bodies in children. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pediatric foreign body aspiration managed by pediatric and otorhinolaryngologic departments of Ajou University Hospital from November 1994 to October 2000. Nineteen cases of aspiration were collected and we analyzed their age, sex, symptoms, duration between onset of symptoms and diagnosis, initial simple radiographic findings, matierials of aspirations, anatomic location of foreign body, length of hospital day, and complications. RESULTS: The mean age was 2.7 years and male-to-female ratio of 1.8 : 1. In 11 cases, choking episode was identified by parents or patients. The correct diagnosis was made within first 24 hours of aspiration in 4 patients; while in 15 cases, the proper diagnosis was done after 24 hours. The most common presenting symptoms were cough (73.6%) and decreased breath sounds (57.9%) and the most common initial finding of simple radiographs was emphysema, presented in 68.4% of patients. Vegetable substances, particularly peanuts were the most common material of identified foreign body. Nine foreign bodies were in the right bronchus, 8 in the left bronchus and 2 in the subglottic area. The mean duration of admissions were 3.75 days in pateints who were diagnosed within 24 hours, however, 8.61 days in those with a delayed diagnosis (P=0.012). CONCLUSION: Taken together, the majority of accidental foreign body aspiration in airway was found under 3-year of age. Pediatricians and parents should be conscious to check for history of foreign body aspiration who have suspicious clinical features of aspiration, for early diagnosis and proper management without complications and long term morbidity.
Airway Obstruction ; Arachis ; Aspirations (Psychology) ; Bronchi ; Child* ; Cough ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Emphysema ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Infant ; Medical Records ; Parents ; Retrospective Studies ; Vegetables

BACKGROUND: Because systolic and diastolic dysfunction frequently coexist in acute myocardial infarction(AMI), we hypothesize that a combined measure of ventricular performance using Doppler echocardiography may be more sensitive and time-saving diagnostic tool for the evaluation of patients presenting with cardiogenic chest pain. METHOD AND RESULTS: Seventy-one patients with AMI (47 male, 59+/-11 years) and 45 patients with normal coronary artery (29 male, 52+/-11 years) were included in the study for measurement of cardiac performance index and established parameters of ventricular function using conventional echo-Doppler methods. a new derived index of cardiac performance: (ICT+IRT)/ET, was obtained by subtracting ejection time(ET) from the interval between cessation and onset of the mitral inflow velocity to give the sum of isovolumic contraction time(ICT) and isovolumic relaxation time(IRT). The mean value of the index was significantly different between normal and AMI(p<0.01). The degree of inter-group overlap was smaller for the index compared to other parameters. within functional groups, the value of the index did not appear to be related to heart rate, mean arterial pressure and the degree of mitral regurgitation. CONCLUSION: cardiac performance index is a conceptually new, simple and reproducible Doppler index of combined systolic and diastolic myocardial performance, and it is useful as screening test for patients with cardiac dysfunction due to AMI.
Arterial Pressure ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Vessels ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Relaxation ; Ventricular Function

We report two cases of hyperkeratosis of the nipple and areola which occurred in 22-year-old woman and 13-year-old girl. The former was suffered from mild pruritic, verrucous thickening and brownish discoloration of both nipples and areolae for 5 years. The latter had asymptomatic, verrucous thickening and dark brownish hyper- pigmentation of the right nipple and areola for 3 years. Both showed mild to marked hyperkeratosis and papillomatosis with increased pigmentation in the basal cell layer histopathologically. In both cases, the lesions were not responsive to the topical medications including steroids and keratolytic agents. Therefore we recommended surgical excision because the patients are greatly disturbed by the appearance of the lesions.
Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Keratolytic Agents ; Nipples* ; Papilloma ; Pigmentation ; Steroids ; Young Adult