BACKGROUND: the prediction on changes in the lung function after lung surgery would be an important indicator in terms of the operability and postoperative complications. In order to predict the postoperative FEV1 - the commonly used method for measuring changes in lung function- a comparison between the quantitative CT and the perfusion lung scan was made and proved its usefulness. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The subjects included 22 patients who received perfusion lung scan and quantitative CT preoperatively and with whom the follow-up of PFT were possibles out of the pool of patients who underwent right lobectomy or right pneumonectomy between June of 1997 and December of 1999. The FEV1 and FVC were calibrated by performing the PFT on each patient and then the predicted FEV1 and FVC were calculated after performing perfusion lung scan and quantitative CT postoperatively. The FEV1 and FVC were calibrated by performing the PFT after 1 week and after 3 momths following the surgery. RESULTS: There was a significant mutual scan and the actual postoperative FEV1 and FVC at 1 week and 3 months. The predicted FEV1 and FVC(pneumonectomy group : r=0.962 and r=0.938 lobectomy group ; r=0.921 and r=913) using quantitative CT at 1 week postoperatively showed a higher mutual relationship than that predicted by perfusion lung scan(pneumonectomy group : r=0.927 and r=0.890 lobectomy group : r=0.910 and r=0.905) The result was likewise at 3 months postoperatively(CT -pneumonectomy group : r=0.799 and r=0.882 lobectomy group : r=0.934 and r=0.932) CONCLUSION: In comparison to perfusion lung scan quantitative CT is more accurate in predicting lung function postoperatively and is cost-effective as well. Therefore it can be concluded that the quantitative CT is an effective method of replacing the perfusion lung scan in predicting lung function post-operatively. However it is noted that further comparative analysis using more data and follow-up studies of the patients is required.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung* ; Perfusion* ; Pneumonectomy ; Postoperative Complications

Total knee arthroplaty has been used to treat the elderly patient who has severe arthritis but the early designs were associated with many problems, which frequently led to early failure. In 1974, the total knee arthroplasty was introduced and the reported results of this operation have improved consistantly with time. Recently the good results has been shown to treat rheumatoid patients and osteoarthritis patients less than 45 years old patients. At the department of orthopaedic surgery of Kosin Medical College, between 1984 and 1988, total knee arthroplasty was performed in 17 patients (22 kness) who had rhematioid arthritis (7 patients) and osteoarthritis (11 patients), and had followed for an average of 1 year and 8 months. The results were as follows 1. The knee that had rheumatoid arthritis had better knee scores than that of osteoarthritis. 2. The knee that remained the post cruciate lig. had better range of motion than that sacrificed. 3. The knees that had not used cement had better knee scores than that had used the cement. 4. The knees that had patella resulrfacing had better scores for pain than that had not.
Aged ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Humans ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Patella ; Range of Motion, Articular

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) is the most common condition requiring abdominal surgery in early infancy, and is caused by hypertrophied pyloric muscle. The development of successful surgical treatment in the early 1900s by Fredet and Ramstedt made it possible for infants worldwide to survive. Modern pediatric anesthetic techniques have virtually eliminated mortality from surgical management. Atropine sulfate is a cholinergic blocking agent with potent antimuscarinic activity that decreases peristaltic contractions by relaxing smooth muscles. We treated two cases of IHPS with incomplete pyloromyotomy in 3-month-old and 5-month-old male infants by administering atropine sulfate intravenously. They were free from vomiting after 5 days of intravenous atropine sulfate treatment. In these rare cases of persistent vomiting or refractory emesis following incomplete pyloromyotomy, there may be a role for atropine sulfate.
Atropine* ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mortality ; Muscle, Smooth ; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic ; Vomiting*

OBJECTIVE: Angiogenesis is a critical factor in the progression of solid tumors. The mechanisms responsible for angiogenesis in cervical neoplasia, however, are not well defined. Our study was aimed to determine the expression of VEGF(Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor), its receptor(KDR), and TGF-beta1(Transforming Growth Factor-beta1) in cervical neoplasia, to determine the role of these angiogenic factors in preinvasive(dysplastic) process and the progression of cervical cancer and to investigate the progression of angiogenesis in the transition from normal cervix to invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. METHODS: The cervical lesions of 76 patients were punch biopsied and paraffin embedded. Among these, 5 were normal cervix, 36 were cervical intraepithelial lesion I-III, and the other 35 were invasive squamous cell carcinomas. The tissues were immunostained with antiVEGF, antiKDR, and antiTGF-beta1 polyclonal antibody. RESULTS: The expression of VEGF, KDR, and TGF-beta1 in CIN III was stronger than those of CIN I(p<0.01). Their expression were not significantly different among the each staged cervical cancers(p>0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that VEGF, KDR, and TGF-beta1 are important angiogenic factors in cervical neoplasia, especially in an early event to neoplastic transformation of cervical tissues, but these angiogenic factors are not associated with the progression of cervical cancer.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Paraffin ; Phosphotransferases* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

To evaluate the effects of Dexamethasone(Dex), Platelet derived growth factor-BB(PDGF) and combination of Dex and PDGF(DP) on the growth and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, Dex(10(-7) M) and PDGF(10 ng/ml) in experimental group were added to the cells at the days 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and examined for cell proliferation activities, DNA synthesis activities, ALP activities and bone nodule formation. The results were as follows : 1.In Dex group, cell proliferation, DNA synthesis and ALP activities were lower until 15 days when compared to the control group. Bone nodules formation were shown at 10 days. 2.In PDGF group, cell proliferation and DNA synthesis activities were higher until 15 days and ALP activities were lower when compared to the control and Dex groups. Bone nodules formation were shown at 20 days. 3.In DP group, cell proliferation and DNA synthesis activities of PDGF were suppressed by Dex and synergistic effects of combination of Dex and PDGF on ALP activities were shown at days 5 when compared to control and Dex groups. Bone nodules formation activities of Dex were suppressed by PDGF.
Blood Platelets ; Cell Proliferation ; Dexamethasone* ; DNA

BACKGROUND: Surgical correction of the full spectrum of esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula has improved over the years, but the mortality and morbidity assoiated with repair of these anomalies still remains high. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzes 27 surgically treated patients with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula at Dong-A University Hospital between January 1992 and March 1997. RESULT: There were 21 male and 6 female patients. Mean birth weight was 2.62+/-.385 kg(2.0~3.4 kg). Twenty- four(88.9%) had esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula, and 3(11.1%) had pure esophageal atresia. Four(14.8%) infants were allocated to Waterston risk group A, 18(66.7%) to group B, and 5(18.5%) to group C. In eighteen(66.7%) infants with associated anomalies, cardiovascular anomalies were the most common. Three had a gap length of 3.5 cm or greater(ultra-long gap) between esophageal segments, 7 had 2.0 to 3.5 cm(long gap), 8 had 1.0 to 2.0 cm(medium gap), and 9 had 1 cm or less(short gap) gap length. Among 27 neonates, 3 cases underwent staged operation, late colon interposition was done in 2, and all other 24 cases underwent primary esophageal anastomosis. Oerative mortality was 2/27(7.4%). Causes of death included acute renal failure(n=1), empyema from anastomotic leak(n=1), necrotizing enterocolitis(n=1), sepsis(n=1), insulin-dependent diabetus mellitus(n=1 . There were 4 anastomosis- related complications including stricture in 3, leakage in 1. Mortality was related to the gap length(p<.05). CONCLUSION: Although the complication rate associated with surgical repair of these anomalies is high, this does not always implicate the operative mortality. The overall survival can be improved by effective treatment for combined anomalies and intensive postoperatve care.
Birth Weight ; Cause of Death ; Colon ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Empyema ; Esophageal Atresia* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula

No abstract available.
Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Venous Thrombosis*

No abstract available.
Bronchi* ; Bronchogenic Cyst* ; Trachea*

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Osteoporosis* ; Uterine Prolapse*

No abstract available.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Female ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Pregnancy