Tuberculosis affecting only the appendix is exceedingly rare, and tuberculous involvement of the appendix in the presence of tuberculosis elsewhere in the body, e.g., the lung or the gastrointestinal tract, is not common. Tuberculosis of the appendix is not associated with any specific clinical features, and diagnosis is revealed only after histopathological examination. Recently, we clinically experienced a case of tubercular appendicitis on histopathologic examination after an appendectomy for acute appendicitis. This case of tubercular appendicitis is presented with a brief review of the literature.
Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Appendix* ; Diagnosis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Lung ; Tuberculosis*

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effect of elbow flexion on the maximal strengths of supination, pronation, and grip which are important component of hand function. METHOD: The maximal isometric strength of supination and pronation using BTE work simulator and grip strength using hand-held dynamometer were measured in thirty normal adult subjects. Maximal voluntary contraction for 5 sec was performed at the 0, 45, and 90 degrees of elbow flexion randomly. RESULTS: 1) The maximal isometric strengths of supination and pronation were significantly higher at the 0 degree, and lower at 90 degrees of elbow flexion (p<0.05). 2) The maximal grip strength at the 0 degree of elbow flexion was significantly higher than that of 45 and 90 degrees of elbow flexion (pp<0.05). CONCLUSION: The strengths of supination, pronation, and grip were affected by the elbow flexion, which were higher in the extended position of elbow. Therefore the elbow angle should be considered and individualized treatment program should be designed in hand rehabilitation to improve strength and to minimize the incidence of overuse disorder.
Adult ; Elbow* ; Hand ; Hand Strength* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pronation* ; Rehabilitation ; Supination*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this descriptive study was to gain basic data to develop a self-care protocol for the lymphedema patients. METHOD: The subjects of this study consisted of 115 patients with lymphedema from 8 hospitals and two community health and welfare centers in Busan and Seoul. The data was collected with questionnaire by self reporting of patients between March 2001 and December 2001. Data was analyzed by mean and percentage. RESULT: For self-care activities in daily life, compliance of 'use skin care preparations', 'use heat and cold', 'protect from local compression on affected limbs', 'protect from insect biting', 'use aids to protect affected limbs', 'take diuretics and take protein diet' did not reach to 50%. For self-care activities related to complex physical therapy, 28.7% of subjects complied with compression garment, 14.8% with manual lymph drainage, and 13.0% with exercise. 20.0% of subjects tried to treat with acupuncture and 13.9% with heat therapy. CONCLUSION: From this study, it is suggested that patients need to get a self-care education with correct information about self care activities and health care professionals need to develop more convenience self-care techniques of massage and exercise.
Acupuncture ; Busan ; Compliance ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diuretics ; Drainage ; Education ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Insects ; Lymphedema* ; Massage ; Self Care* ; Self Report ; Seoul ; Skin Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was the development of a comprehensive nursing intervention program for the client with acute lymph stasis and stage I lymphedema. METHOD: The Quasi-experimental design using a non-equivalent control group was used. The subjects were 22 stroke patients with lymph stasis in the control group and 23 patients in the experimental group. The complex physical therapy of Casley-Smith was carried out to the control group for 10 hours, and comprehensive nursing intervention for the experimental group was carried out for 60 minutes. The data for this study was gathered from Feb. 2002 until June 2002 and pertains knowledge about lymphedema, self-care for managing lymphedema, and circumferences of affected limbs. Data was analyzed by mean, standard deviation, x2-test, and t-test. RESULT: The changes in knowledge about lymphedema, self-care practices, and circumference of affected limbs after nursing intervention did not show significant differences between control group and experiment group. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that comprehensive nursing intervention had more efficiency than complex physical therapy in the treatment of edema for stroke patients because of it's simplicity and time saving. Thereby, the comprehensive nursing intervention program developed in this study would be a useful therapy for the clients with lymph stasis and early stage lymphedema.
Edema ; Extremities ; Humans ; Lymphedema* ; Nursing* ; Self Care ; Stroke

A case of congenital Morgagni hernia was presented in a 3 years old male child with the herni-ation of the left lobe of the liver. The diagnosis was confirmed by operation and the hernia was corrected surgically. The review of the literature concerning the congenital diaphragmatic hernia were made briefly.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis ; Hernia* ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic ; Humans ; Liver ; Male

We have reviewed 12 cases of congenital T-E fistula during the period of 20 years from Jan. 1957 to Dec. 1976, who were hospitalized at Severance hospital and WonJu Christian Hospital. The diagnosis was confirmed by esophagography and surgery. And we obtained following results. 1. Ten cases out of 12 were type A according to Holinger's classification and 7 were male. 2. The most common complication in those pregnancy was hydramnios which was observed in 5 cases, 6 cases of 12 have combined anomalies; congenital heart disease (2 cases), imperforated anus (2 cases) 3. The common clinical menifestation were regurgitation after feeding, profuse oral secretion, respiratory difficulty. 4. Four out of 5 cases who had corrective surgery within 72 hours after birth were survived and 5 cases had surgical treatment after 72 hours were died. 5. The complication after surgery were esophageal stricture, aspiration peneumonia and pneumothorax.
Anal Canal ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Esophageal Stenosis ; Fistula ; Gangwon-do ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Male ; Parturition ; Pneumothorax ; Polyhydramnios ; Pregnancy ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula*

Two cases of congenital osteogenesis imperfecta were presented with review of literatures. Summary of the two cases were as follows; Case I:A 22day old female newborn has had problems of curved both thigh, short extreremities and irritability following manipulations since birth. Roentgenographical study showed multiple deformities at skull, spine, ribs and abnormal healing process/ Case II: A 5 month old male infant has had problems of growth retardation and limitation of movemenrs of the lower estremities since birth. He had blue sclera and both inguinal hernia. His bone X-ray findings were similar, but severe than cause I. Laboratory data of both cases were within normal limits.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta* ; Osteogenesis* ; Parturition ; Ribs ; Sclera ; Skull ; Spine ; Thigh

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the affected hemisphere on the motor recovery and spasticity in chronic post-stroke hemiplegic patients. METHOD: Thirteen chronic stroke hemiplegic patients were randomized to receive real and sham rTMS. rTMS was carried out 10 times at a frequency of 10 Hz with 10 s stimulation followed by 50 s rest, totalling 1,000 stimulations to the affected primary motor cortex using an intensity of 100% of resting motor threshold of unaffected hemisphere. Median nerve H-reflex, modified Ashworth scale (MAS) at elbow and wrist, and manual function test (MFT) were measured at baseline and after 2 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: High frequency rTMS resulted in increased H-reflex latency and decreased H-reflex amplitude and H/M ratio. Also MAS decreased and MFT score increased after 2 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: High frequency rTMS in the affected motor cortex might facilitate motor recovery and reduce spasticity in chronic stroke patients.
Elbow ; H-Reflex ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Motor Cortex ; Muscle Spasticity ; Salicylamides ; Stroke ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ; Wrist

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of action related visual and auditory stimuli on the motor evoked potential (MEP) of hand. METHOD: Right handed fifteen healthy adults without neurological deficit were included. Visual lingual stimulation was given on the computer monitor with the sentence and auditory lingual stimulation was given 10 repetitions of the above sentence using computer speaker with eyes closed. MEPs from transcranial and transcervical magnetic stimulation were recorded on the abductor pollicis brevis of the right hand. RESULTS: The latency of MEPs was shortened and the amplitude of MEPs with transcranial magnetic stimulation after lingual stimulation (p<0.05). However, the latency and amplitude of with transcervical stimulation did not show significant changes. CONCLUSION: Cortical excitability was enhanced by action related visual or auditory stimuli. Exercise accompanied by visual or auditory lingual stimulation rather than simple exercise might be useful for facilitating cortical excitability.
Adult ; Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Eye ; Hand ; Humans ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) is a common enzyme for the evaluation of the hepatic, muscular and cardiac diseases and is produced also at kidney, brain, pancreas, lung, leukocytes, erythrocytes, etc. The elevation of its activity is usually caused by the necrosis of hepatocytes when there are not muscular injuries or myopathies. Recently, it is found that AST can exist as a macroenzyme by forming a complex with an immunoglobulin and this complex is erroneously considered to indicate the presence of liver disease as a result of elevation of AST activity on routine blood chemistry analysis. We experienced the patient with isolated AST elevation due to the formation of AST-mmunoglobulin complex confirmed by AST isoenzyme electrophoresis (EP).
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Brain ; Chemistry ; Electrophoresis ; Erythrocytes ; Heart Diseases ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Kidney ; Leukocytes ; Liver Diseases ; Lung ; Muscular Diseases ; Necrosis ; Pancreas