Only a few cases of cyst related to cruciate ligament were reported in the literatrure. It is not only because of rarity but also difficulty of diagnosis by conventional method. Recentely, the precise intraarticular structure of the knee joint became to be seen by introduction of MRI and arthroscope and cycts would bave been found incidentally during the workup of the internal derangement of knee. We have experienced three cases of ganglion around the cruciate ligament in the patients whose symptom was mimic of intemal derangement of knee. We excised the ganglion with good clinical results.
Arthroscopes ; Diagnosis ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Methods

For prevention of limitation of range of motion due to arthrofibrosis of the knee joint after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, it is accepted in general that the operation should be delayed for about three weeks after injury. We studied the duration form operation to time of full range of motion, and analized the results in forty-eight patients who had undergone arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament recostruction using the autologous bone-patella tendon-bone graft and early CPM, range of motion exercise during Feb. 1991 and June 1994. The results were as follows: 1. The average interval from injury to operation were 1.3 weeks in acute injury group, 6 weeks in subacute injury group and 20.7 months in chronic group. The average interval from operation to full range of motion were 7.1 weeks in acute injury group, 5.7 weeks in subacute injury group and 3.0 weeks in chronic group. 2. In acute injury group, 14(93.3%) of 15 cases showed full extesion and only 1 case(6.7%) showed the limitation of extension less than 5 degrees. In subacute injury group, 6(85.7%) of 7 cases showed full extension but1 case(14.3%) showed the limitation of extension less than 5 degrees. On the other hand in the chronic injury group, all the 26 cases(100%) of the patients showed full extension. 3. In acute injury group, 14(93.3%) of 15 cases showed full flexion and only 1 cases(6.7%) showed the limitatin of flexion less than 5 degrees. In subacute injury group, 6(85.7%) of 7 cases showed full flexion but 1 case(14.3%) showed the limitation of flexion less than 5 degrees. On the other hand in the chronic injury group, 23(88.5%) of 26 cases could flex to full range of flexion, and 3 cases(11.5%) revealed limitation of flexion less than 5 degrees. 4. The limitation of ROM mainly due to arthrofibrosis can be prevented by early range of motion execise and active rehabilitation in the acute or chronic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the autograft bone-patella-bone graft. Although in acute patients the interval from operation to full ROM can be prolonged, the full ROM can be achieved after all.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Autografts ; Hand ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Patella ; Patellar Ligament ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rehabilitation ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that the regulation of hair growth might involve complex interaction between dermal papilla cells and hair matrix cells. Dermal papilla cells secrete diffusible factors that would act an hair matrix cells. During anagen the papilla appears to have prominent capillary loop, whereas in telogen it is nonvascularized. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) was recently reported to be produced by dermal papilla cells in rats. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study in order to evaluate the effect of VEGF on human hair growth in vitro and on the proliferation of dermal papilla cells and to define the splice forms of VEGF. METHODS: To detect the isoforms of VEGF, RT-PCR was performed on RNA isolated from dermal papilla cells and RT-PCR products were hybridized with VEGF-specific oligonucleotide probe located in exon 4. Isolated human hair follicles were cultured with various concentrations of VEGF165 and VEGF121. Hair follicle growth was measured by an Olympus inverted microscope with an eyepiece measuring graticule. RESULTS: The following results were obtained from this study. 1. Southern hybridization and size calculation of RT-PCR products revealed that mRNA species corresponding to 121, 165, 189, and 206 amino-acid forms of VEGF were praduced by cultured human dermal papilla cells. 2. 10 ng/ml of rhVEGF165, 0.1 ng/ml of rhVEGF165 and 10 ng/ml of rhVEGF121 stimulated follicle elongation in vitro(p < 0.05). 3. rhVEGF165 and rhVEGF121 had no effect on the numbers and thymidine incorporation of dermal papilla cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that VEGF is produced by dermal papilla cells and is able to promote hair growth in vitro. Increased hair growth by VEGF might occur other than by proliferation of dermal papilia cells.
Animals ; Capillaries ; Endothelial Growth Factors* ; Exons ; Hair Follicle ; Hair* ; Humans ; Protein Isoforms ; Rats ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Thymidine ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

No abstract available.
Radiculopathy*

No abstract available.
Knee Injuries* ; Knee*

No abstract available.
Knee* ; Ligaments*

Between August 1994 and June 1995, seventeen patients diagnosed as having partial or complete ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament on MRI were managed by non-operative methods. Among them four patients were excluded due to operation during follow-up and the results were evaluated at a one year follow-up. We selected the patients prospectively for non-operative care using the selection criteria of age, degree of instability, activity level and patient compliance. The average age of them was 37.7 years. Initially knee stress test and MRI were checked, and Cybex study and Lysholm knee scoring were done at post-trauma one year follow-up. They were managed conservatively by ROM and muscle strengthening exercises and a brace fitting schedule for three months. Among them, six cases had partial tears and seven had a complete tear initially. At the one year follow-up, five of six cases who had shown partial ruptures, and two of seven cases with complete tears, recovered continuity of the ruptured ACL on MRI. Their Lysholm knee score was 84.4, and the Cybex test showed no difference in muscle power between the injured and uninjuried side. Those patients who had loss of continuity on follow-up MRI showed Lysholm score of 57.4 and decreased muscle power on Cybex study. Although there are still controversies about the adequate management of ACL injuries, our study suggests that conservative management is a viable alternative to surgery as long as the patients are selected prudently. For more concrete results, however, careful analysis based on a longer follow up period is necessary.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Appointments and Schedules ; Braces ; Exercise ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Patient Compliance ; Patient Selection ; Prospective Studies ; Rupture*

Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) is accepted as a useful tool for the diagnosis of injury of the knee recently. The anterior cruciate ligament tear is accompanied by the damage of the osseous and soft tissue of the knee. The occult osseous lesion is found on magnetic resonance imaging as bone density change that is not found on the simple radiograph. From Jan. 1992 to Apr. 1994, magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 44 patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. MRI was done within 6 weeks of the index anterior cruciate ligament injury. The criteria of decreased signal intensity on the Tl weighted image and increased signal intensity on the T2 weighted image was applied for the incidence assessment of the occult osseous lesion. After arthroscopy with or without ACL reconstruction, follow-up simple radiograph was checked every 3 months. Occult osseous lesions were documented in 32(73%) of the 44 patients. Of the 32 patients with bony lesion, 81% had lesions of the lateral compartment. Lateral femoral condyle was involved in 15 cases(46.9%), and lateral tibial plateau in 22 cases (68.8%). Follow-up X-ray revealed no joint deperession in all of the 32 patients with the occult osseous lesion. This result suggests that there is a high correlation between the occult osseous lesion of lateral compartment of the knee on magnetic resonance imaging and anterior cruciate ligament tear. The presence of the occult osseous lesion in the patient with acute anterior cruciate ligament tear did not affect rehabilitation and weight bearing.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Bone Density ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Rehabilitation ; Tears ; Weight-Bearing

Cybex evaluation of muscle strength was performed on 15 patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament tears following arthroscopic reconstruction using central one-third patella tendon autograft. Cybex testing was done preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postoperatively. Peak torque and total work of the quadriceps and hamstrings at the angular velocity of 60 degree/sec and 180 degree/sec were measured and analyzed. The results were as follows: l. At the angular velocity of 60 degree/sec, the muscle strength of the quadriceps showed 45.4% deficit in peak torque and 50.9% deficit in total work compared to the contralateral normal knee preoperatively, 48.2% and 49.0% deficit respectively at 3 months after operation, 40.3% and 37.7% deficit at 6 months, 30.6% and 32.5% deficit at 9 months and 23.4% and 24.7% deficit at 1 year after operation. 2. At the angular velocity of 60 degree/sec, the muscle strenggth of the hamstrings showed 32.3% deficit in peak torque and 42.9% deficit in total work compared to the contralateral normal knee preoperatively, 39.3% and 42.4% deficit respectively at 3 months after operation, 27.3% and 32.3% deficit at 6 months, 21.2% and 22.3% deficit at 9 months and 17.9% and 18.4% deficit at 1 year after operation. 3. At the angular velocity of 180 degree/sec, the muscle strength of the quadriceps showed 38.4% deficit in peak torque and 42.0% deficit in total work compared to the contralateral normal knee preoperatively, 41.1% and 47.54% deficit respectively at 3 months after operation, 34.4% and 33.7% deficit at 6 months, 28.5% and 28.6% deficit at 9 months and 21.0% and 22.1% at 1 year after operation. 4. At the angular velocity of 180 degree/sec, the muscle strength of the hamstrings showed 26.9% deficit in peak torque and 31.8% deficit in total work compared to the contralateral normal knee preoperatively, 41.2% and 45.2% deficit respectively at 3 months after operation, 32.3% and 36.0% deficit at 6 months, 21.4% and 25.1% deficit at 9 months and 16.1% and 15.7% at 1 year after operation.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Autografts ; Humans ; Knee ; Muscle Strength ; Patellar Ligament ; Tears ; Torque

Recently there has been decreasing trend of high tibial osteotomy in management of the gonarthrotic patients partly due to recurrence of the symptom and, more importantly, due to the relative success of the total knee joint replacement procedure. But there is still room for the high tibial osteotomy, although it may be 'outdated' procedure, in that younger active patients do well postopera- tively for an enough period of time and that even the older have some gain of pain-relief in early postoperative period. The purpose of this study is to detect the affecting factors of the result of the operation. We reviewed 25 valgus high tibial osteotomies in 23 patients who had medial gonarthrosis and could be followed-up more than 1 year among 32 cases between August 1989 and January 1994. The mean length of follow-up was 30 months(ranged twelve to fifty four months). The results were compared according to modified grading of the HSS score. All cases showed the increase of the score from preop. average 65.2 points to postop. 87.8 points, mainly by the decrease of pain and the increase of functional activity. The severity of degenerative change on the radiographs and the degree of varus seemed to be related with the early clinical results of the operation, but the age was not a major affecting factor. These results could be debatable due to some differences from the others', and long term follow-up would be needed.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence