BACKGROUND: Preservation of antigen determinants while retaining morphological detail is prerequisite for high quality immunohistochemistry. Conventional formalin fixation and paraffin embedding procedures are useful in preserving tissue architecture and cytologic detail. However, they destroy the antigenicity of many proteins is tissue samples. On the other hand, fresh frozen section preserve the antigenicity of most proteins, but vield poor morphological preservation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the AMeX method as to the ability to preserve both antigenicity and morphologic details of the skin basement membrane zone so that precise localization of antigens can be attained in immunohistochemistry. METHODS: Tissues were fixed in acetone at -20degrees C over night, then cleared in methyl benzoate and xylene, consecutively, and embedded in ordinary paraffin at 58-60degrees C. Sections made from this paraffinembedded tissue were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for a morphologic study and immunolabelled with antibodies against major basement membrane antigens to evaluate antigenic preservation. The staining intensity and preservation of the morphology by the AMeX method were compared with conventional formalin processed tissues and frozen tissues. RESULTS: Morphological preservation of the AMeX method-processed sections was good throughout the epidermis, basement membrane, and dermis, and as good as that of routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Frozen sections usually revealed revealed various degrees of damage by ice crystal formation throughout the epidermis to the dermis. The AMeX method-processed sections showed better or same antigenic preservation comparing the frozen sections when the sections were immunolabelled with specific monoclonal antibodies. But, when the sections were immunolabelled with patient's sera, the AMex method showed less antigenic preservation than the frozed sections. The anti-type IV collagen monoclonal antibody exhibited immunoreactivity only conventional formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections, but the intensity of the staining was weaker than the AMeX processed sections and the frozen sections. CONCLUSION: The AMeX method can be utilized for the demonstration of skin basement membrane antigens and is superior to the fresh-frozen method in that the histologic figures are more distinct and antigencity can be preserved for a long time.
Acetone* ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Basement Membrane* ; Benzoates* ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Epidermis ; Formaldehyde ; Frozen Sections ; Hand ; Hematoxylin ; Ice ; Immunohistochemistry ; Paraffin ; Paraffin Embedding ; Skin* ; Xylenes*

The gout is a hereditary condition of disturbed uric acid metabolism. There are medical and surgical management in tophaceous gout for prevention of recurrence of acute attack and creation of a negative uric acid balance. The surgical management is removal of tophaceous material in the soft tissue and osseous structure. Aditionally, the resection of bone and joint, arthrodesis and bone graft improve the functional capacity of the gouty patients. A 53 years old man was managed by removal of tophaceous materials in both prepatellar area, left olecranon area and both feet and arthrodesis of left first metatarsophalangeal joint with autogenous iliac bone graft and supportive medication with probenecid and indomethacine, and was followed up from March, 1986 to April, 1987. There was no significant difference in duration between the union of nonpathologic fracture and the union of arthrodesis area in this gouty patient. We found the progressive recovery of normal trabeculation in previous destructive bone lesions with drug therapy, but there was no specific change in the soft tissue lesions.
Arthrodesis ; Drug Therapy ; Foot ; Gout ; Humans ; Indomethacin ; Joints ; Metabolism ; Metatarsophalangeal Joint ; Olecranon Process ; Probenecid ; Recurrence ; Transplants ; Uric Acid

Fracuture-dislocation of the cuboid is an extremely rere injury compared with fracture-dislocation of other tarsal bones. We report a case of the fracture-dislocation of the cuboid treated by open reduction and internal fixation.
Tarsal Bones

Kimura's disease is an uncommon, chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. It is an important category of reactive lymphadenopathy in the oriental population. The most common sites are the subcutis of the head and neck, and parotid gland. It's clinical course is benign nature. The treatment modalities for this disease are steroid therapy, radiation therapy and surgical excision. We experienced a case of soft tissue mass in the left arm. It was slightly tender and relatively movable. We excised the mass, which was turned out to be Kimura's disease on microscopic examination.
Arm ; Head ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neck ; Parotid Gland

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequecy(RF) catheter ablation is the choice of treatment of refractory supraventricular tachycardia. Althogh catheter ablation is invasive, it is well-known that this procedure is safe. However RF catheter ablation may provoke some adverse conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess functional and morphologic changes shortly after radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with supraventricular tachycardia by means of two-dimensional echocardiography. METHOD: Echocardiogram underwent 1 day before and within 3 days after RF catheter ablation. Cardiac chamber size, wall thickness, and valve motion in the M-mode were Measured. Left ventricular volume, area, dimension, pericardial effusion and segmental wall motion were measured by means of two-dimensional echocardiography and valve incompetence were also measured with color Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: New echocardiographic abnormalities were observed in 4(5.4%) among 73 patients. One mild aortic regurgitation,one increase in severity of tricuspid imcompetence, one increase in severity of mitral regurgitation and one mild pericardial effusion were found. CONCLUSION: We concluded that echocardiographic changes after radiofrequency ablation are rate and of minor significance.
Catheter Ablation ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Humans ; Methods ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Pericardial Effusion ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

No abstract available.
Humans ; Interferon-alpha* ; Prednisolone*

This retrospective analysis describes the clinical characteristics, treatment, and long-term outcome of 30 patients with axis fracture admitted to our institution between January 1991 and December 1995. The incidence of axis fracture was 27.2% in the 110 cervical spine fractures. Among these, odontoid process fracture was the most common type, 19 cases(63%) followed by 8 hangmans fractures(27%), 3 miscellaneous fractures(10%). Hangman's fractures, odontoid type III fractures and miscellaneous fractures were treated with external immobilization devices. Remaining 11 odontoid type II fractures, and six patients with dens dislocation of 6 mm or greater were initially treated by early surgical stabilization. Individuals with dens dislocated less than 6 mm were treated by external immobilization only. Among the nonoperative group of acute axis fractures, there was no fusion failure. In the early operated group, all patients were stable clinically or radiologically. But three patients with posterior wiring and bone graft complained of their neck motion limitation.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Dislocations ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Incidence ; Neck ; Odontoid Process ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia type II(ADCA type II) can be differentiated from other types of ADCA by visual disturbances due to pigmentary macular degeneration. Recent genetic studies repeatedly mapped the gene responsible for ADCA type II to chromosome 3p12-13(SCA7) in caucasian patients. However, in Asian patients CAG expansion at the SCA7 locus has not yet been reported. METHODS: We analyzed clinical data obtained from three Korean families in which 14 members presented clinical features compatible with ADCA type II. We also performed a genetic study for 17 members (7 affected and 10 asymptomatic) from two of the three families. RESULTS All seven affected patients had abnormally increased CAG repeat numbers (range : 38-59) in SCA7. One asymptomatic 23-year-old woman had 45 CAG repeats in the SCA7. Other 9 asymptomatic family members had 10 CAG repeats in the SCA7. CONCLUSION: We showed that as caucasian patients, Asian patients with ADCA type II also have abnormally increased CAG repeats at SCA7.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cerebellar Ataxia ; Female ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Hypothyroidism* ; Myasthenia Gravis*

Breast ultrasound and mammography are established procedures for the diagnosis of breast masses while new technology is opening the door for early cancer diagnosis. The limitation of ultrasound and mammography is that they are only based on physical properties. Recently, using a color doppler system, detection of color flow signal and a resistance index that depend on the blood flow and the blood velocity was applied for diagnosis of breast malignancy. Sixty-five patients admitted for breast surgery were studied. The final diagnosis was made by pathology for thirty malignancies and thirty-five benign lesions. The color doppler measurements on the breast lesions were made preoperatively. The following parameter were assessed :flow velocity, color signal grade and resistance index. The results are as follows: 1) Color signals were detected in twenty-four of the thirty malignancies and in seven of thirty-five benign lesions. 2) Malignant lesions showed a significantly higher maximum velocity (mean=12.52 cm/sec vs 6.34 cm/sec). 3) The resistance index values in the malignancies was higher compared to that in the benign lesions (P < 0.01), a cutoff point 0.6 was used. 4) The color signal grade was grade 0 and I in thirty-four cases of the benign breast lesions (97%) and grade II and III in fifteen of the malignant breast lesions (50%). 5) In breast cancer, the color signal was detected more often in large masses above 2 cm is size,but the result was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Color doppler flow examination is a useful method for evaluation of benign and malignant breast lesions.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Mammography ; Pathology ; Ultrasonography