No abstract available.
Drainage* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies*

The endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL) has been adopted as a new treatment for acute hemorrhage from esophageal varices that ranks the highest mortality rate in upper gastrointestinal tract bleedings. This treatment method has good effects for the urgent treatment and eradication of varices from acute variceal bleeding in repeated sessions. We enrolled 34 patients with an acute or chronic variceal bleeding episode at the time of admission in this study from Apr. 8, 1992 to June. 2, 1994. Among 34 patients, there were 31 males and 3 females, at ages between 45-66(mean: 52 years). The incidence of symptoms on admission was 10 in tarry stool, 9 in hematemesis 8 in ascites, 4 in hepatic encephalopathy and 3 in nonspecific symptoms. Varices were eradicated or reduced to grade I in 30(88.2%) of the 34 patients by 4-25 bands (mean: 10.8 bands) in 1-7 EVL sessions(mean: 3.1 sessions). After EVL, there are complicated by active bleeding in 3 patients, dysphagia in 3 patienta and transient chest discomfort in 5 patients but subsided during 24 hours. These results indicated that EVL is a safe method for treatment of bleeding from esophageal varices.
Ascites ; Deglutition Disorders ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Female ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage* ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ligation* ; Male ; Mortality ; Thorax ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Varicose Veins

No abstract available.
Head*

BACKGROUND: Epidermal grafting using cryotherapy for recipient sites is in widespread use. However the peripheral hypopigmented haloes that occur around the recipient sites require prolon gation of the treatment period. OBJECTIVE: We used a CO2 laser to remove the epidermis of the recipient sites for betteri results. METHODS: We treated lie localized vitiligo patients with CO2 laser to remove t.he epidermis and grafted suction blister rooves. We observed repigmentation and complications 1 month later. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS : The superiority of this method is demonstrated by the fact 1) all prodedures can be completed on the day of operation 2) the incidence of hypertrophic scar and peripheral hypopigmented halos can be observed.The problems of this method are 1) uneven repigmentation of recipient. sites 2) hyperpigrnentation of recipient sites
Blister ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Cryotherapy ; Epidermis* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lasers, Gas* ; Suction ; Transplants* ; Vitiligo*

The commonly used tests for stereopsis are Titmus-fly, Randot, and TNO tests. In this study, 50 normal subjects were tested with these tests in order to set a criterion for normal stereopsis. The value of mean, mode and 75% point of these three tests were derived and compared.These three tests were also performed in 23 intermittent exotropes and 32 accommodative esotropes who showed gross stereopsis in the range of 60 to 400 seconds of arc by Titmus-fly testing. The aim was to obtain standards for clinical applicability and accuracy of these tests.This study cincludes that the appropriate criteria for normal stereopsis are less than 60 seconds of arc for Titmus-fly or Randot test, and 120 seconds of arc fot TNO test. Accurate testing for stereopsis in patients with gross stereopsis requires both Titmus-fly and Randot tests together. TNO test was inferior to the other two tests in terms of the accuracy and clinical applicability.
Depth Perception ; Humans

No abstract available.
Charcoal* ; Drug Therapy* ; Mitomycin* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Epidemiology* ; Hip Fractures* ; Hip*

The patella is an important component of the extensor mechanism of the knee. It serves to increase the mechanical advantage of the quadriceps muscle by increasing its lever arm. Therefore, if possible, when the patella is fractured, it should be repaired rather than excised. Present surgical techniques for the patellar fractures utilizes principles of anatomic reduction with repair of any associated retinacular tears, rigid internal fixation, and early institution of joint motion exercises. To compare the efficacies of the commonly used wiring techniques, we performed tension tests with transversely bisected patellar models fixed with circumferential wiring, Magnuson wiring, modified tension band wiring and modified tension band wiring combined with circumferential wiring. Also, we reviewed 66 surgically treated patellar fractures from Jan. 1984 to Dec. 1988, when we had given every effort to preserve the patella using modified tension band wiring or modified tension band wiring combined with circumferential wiring. l. According to the results of the tension tests, modified tension band wiring and Magnuson wiring were more rigid than circumferential wiring and the rigidity of modified tension band wiring was much increased when combined with circumferential wiring. 2. Of the 66 cases, 46 cases were treated with modified tension band wiring combined with circumferential wiring, and the remainder were treated with modified tension band wiring. 3. On the whole, good and excellent results were achieved in 87.9% (58 cases). Unsatisfactory results were obtained in 15.0% of cases treated with modified tension band wiring and in 10.9% of cases treated with modified tension band wiring combined with circumferential wiring. 4. Most of the unsatisfactory cases were so severely comminuted that could not be achieved anatomic reduction, rigid internal fixation and early joint motion exercises.
Arm ; Exercise ; Joints ; Knee ; Methods ; Patella ; Quadriceps Muscle ; Tears

In the assessment of thoracolumbar fractures, computed tomography (CT) is superior to other imaging modalities especially when a more definitive assessment of the posterior elements of the spine or the neural canal is desired. We evaluated 55 patients with acute thoracolumbar burst fractures, and correlated the amount of neural canal impingement (NCI), demonstrated on computed tomographic scans, with each patients neurologic status, level of injury and extent of recovery when neural deficit was present. The results were as follows ; l. Average NCI was significantly higher in cases with neurologic deficits (57.3%) than in cases with no deficit (29.8%). But the range of NCI was much overlapped between the two groups (32-100% with deficits vs. 8-69% with no deficit). 2. In cases with neurologic deficits, average NCI was significantly higher in lumbar spine (75.0%, range; 61-100%) than in thoracolumbar spine (49.2%, range; 32-87%). 3. There was no neurologic deficit in cases with NCI less than 30% in thoracolumbar spine and less than 60% in lumbar spine. 4. In thoracolumbar spine, there was more significant relationship between NCI and patient's neurologic status in T12 than in Ll. 5. The NCI did not directly correlate with the extent of recovery of neurologic deficits when present.
Humans ; Neural Tube ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spine

BACKGROUND: One of the most, probable pathogenesis of vitiliga is autoimmune. Systemic cor tico st,eroids suppress immunity and may arrest the progression of vitiligo and lead to repigmentation. OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the clinical effect of a oral small oral dose of corticosteroid to minimize side effects in vitiligo patients. METHODS: Thirty four patients(9;male, 25;female) with vitiligo were evaluated in this study. The patients took 7.5mg-20mg prednisolone initially for 2 months and then the dosage was tapered to half of the initial dosiat the 3rd month and half of dose of 3rd month for the last 4th month. We compared the effcct of treatment of vitiligo before and aft.er the study by photographs. and side efferts were issessed at. 1, 2, 3 and 4 month. RESULTS: The arrest of the progression of vitiligo was noticed in 79% of patients and repigmentation was noticed in 59% of patients which is statistically significant. The effect, of treatment according to extent, duiation, type, and site of vitiligo were not statistically significant. The side effects of treatment were minimal and did not affect the course of treatment. CONCLUSION: Small doses of iral corticosteroids are effective without any significant side effects in preventing progression and loiiduce repigmentation of active spreading vitiligo and generalized type of vitiligo that is difficult to treat with topical corticosteroids.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Humans ; Prednisolone ; Vitiligo*