For many years, healing membranous bone fractures have been known to show a persistent lucency at the fracture interface. Radiographic follow-up has proven to be of little value as a guideline for healing of mandibular fractures. Recently, a fracture has been treated by rigid internal fixation by metallic plate and screws rather than closed reduction and wire fixation, we expected that some difference in the radiographic features of fracture healing. To investigate these questions we undertook a retrospective radiographic and clinical analysis of 33 followed patients with fractures of the body and angle of the mandible from 1993 to 1997. There were 26 male and 7 female patients ranging in age between 5 and 74 years, with an average of 29.7 years. All patients were managed by open reduction with metallic plates and screws. The length of follow-up ranged from 9 to 187 weeks. Total 81 radiographic follow-up films were obtained and divided into 3 grades according to the degree of radiolucency of fracture lines; grade 0 radiolucent fracture line and no evidence of fracture interface calcification, grade 1 decreased radiolucent area and evidence of fracture interface calcification, and grade 2 disappearance of fracture line.Until follow-up of 8 weeks, all of the radiographs showed grade 0. From 8 weeks to 16 weeks, 62.5 percent showed grade 0 and 37.5 percent showed grade 1. From 16 weeks to 48 weeks, 38.5 percent showed grade 1 and 61.5 percent showed grade 2. After follow-up of 48 weeks, all showed grade 2.In this study we have shown that the radiographic disappearance of mandibular fracture lines was usually accomplished by 48 weeks. We feel that radiographic union of the mandible is lagging well behind clinical union, but disapperance of the fracture line in rigidly fixated mandibular fracture was occurred earlier than healed by fibrous union. We propose that radiographic union of the mandible by approximately 1 year can be a guideline for the normal mandibular bone healing.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Bone ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; Mandibular Fractures* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
T-Lymphocytes*

OBJECTIVE: We report here on two cases of pseudoaneurysms that were diagnosed using computed tomographic angiography (CTA), with one arising in the superficial temporal artery and the other arising in the occipital artery. METHODS: Case 1: A 29-year-old man presented with a slow growing, pulsatile mass on the left side of his forehead following a blow from a fist 10 days earlier. CTA revealed an 11 x 8 x 11-mm oval pseudoaneurysm arising from the frontal branch of the left superficial temporal artery. Case 2 : A 36-year-old man presented with a pulsatile mass in the right suboccipital region that had been present for the past year. He had no history of direct trauma. CTA revealed a 15 x 8 x 13-mm oval dye-filled sac arising from the right occipital artery. RESULTS: Based on the CTA images, the parent arteries were exposed and ligated proximally and distally to the pseudoaneurysms and then they were completely excised. CONCLUSION: CTA is a minimally invasive technique for making the diagnosis of scalp pseudoaneurysms and CTA is also useful for the preoperative planning.
Adult ; Aneurysm, False ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Forehead ; Humans ; Parents ; Scalp ; Temporal Arteries

Multiple neurilerv,omas occurred i.n a 14-year-old boy with neurofibromatosis and right eye blindness. His father succumbed to neurofibromatosis at the age of 42. Histologically-proved neurilemornas and neurofibromas were noted on the face, neck, trunk and extremities, but no cafe au-Iait spots ohserved. There were nevus anemicus, hairy nevus and pigmented moles. The associated features in this patient includc muscular atrophies, weakness of the left hand, parest,hesia of the medial side of left forcarm and Dupuytrens contracture of left fourth finger.
Adolescent ; Blindness ; Dupuytren Contracture ; Extremities ; Fathers ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Muscular Atrophy ; Neck ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Nevus ; Nevus, Pigmented

A case of pachyonychia congcnita occurring in a 8 year-old boy is described. A few weeks after delivery, his mother noticed thickening of all the finger and toe nails of her baby. Family history was denied. In addition to characteristic features of pachyonychia congenita of all the nails, follicular keratotic papules were noted on the knees, elbows, buttocks and legs, and also tender thick calluses, on the soles with palnioplantar hyperhidrosis. There were three cornu cutaneurn on the popliteal and left antecubital fossae. Other associated fea.tures include a painful tense bulla at the left fourth finger, irnpetiginous patches on the anterior thighs, hoarseness and leukokeratosis linguae, sparseness of the scalp hairs, and granulosis rubra nasi accompanied by facial hyperhidrosis.
Bony Callus ; Buttocks ; Child ; Elbow ; Fingers ; Hair ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis ; Knee ; Leg ; Leukoplakia ; Male ; Mothers ; Nails, Malformed* ; Pachyonychia Congenita* ; Scalp ; Thigh ; Toes ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Calcaneal fractures involving subtalar joint can be associated with prolonged and severe disability. Many different methods have been tried for the treatment in order to search for better results. From March 1983 to December 1985, 8 cases of calcaneal fractures involving subtalar joint were treated by open rcduction and internal fixation. and the results were as follows: 1. Satisfactory results were obtained from 7 cases out of 8. 2. Anatomic reduction was obtained by open reduction and internal fixation. 3. When medial approach failed, combined lateral and medial approaches gave better visualization of articular fecets and ensured anatomic reduction.
Subtalar Joint

No abstract available.
Electrocardiography* ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Hemodynamics*

No abstract available.
Pancreatic Diseases*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II plays a potential role in renal injury not only by its vasoconstrictive effects but also its biochemical effects. alpha-Actinin, an actin-linked glycoprotein, is expressed in podocytes and known to be rearranged and changed in various glomerular diseases. We investigated the effect of angiotensin II on the alpha-actinin in the glomerular epithelial cells to find out the fact that it could be prevented by losartan, a type 1 angiotensin receptor antagonist. METHODS: Glomerular epithelial cells were treated with various concentrations of angiotensin II in culture media, and then we compared the localization and amount of alpha-actinin by confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis, respectively. We also compared the differences in the localization and protein amount of alpha-actinin by various concentrations of losartan in the presence of angiotensin II. In addition, we tried to observe the mRNA expression of alpha-actinin via RT-PCR. RESULTS: The fluorescent and band intensities of alpha-actinin were decreased by angiotensin II in a dose-dependent manner by confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis, respectively. These changes of alpha-actinin by angiotensin II were reversed by losartan in dose dependent manner. Angiotensin II also changed the distribution of alpha-actinin from peripheral to inner cytoplasm in dose-dependent manner, which was also reversed by losartan. The different expression of alpha-actinin m-RNA by RT-PCR were unremarkable. CONCLUSIONS: Angiotensin II decreases the amount of alpha-actinin protein and and makes cytoskeletal changes in glomerular epithelial cells, which could be reversed by losartan. It suggests that it could be prevented by angiotensin II AT1 receptor blockers.