Lupus vulgaris is most prevalent on exposed parts, especially the face but can also develop on exetremities. Lupus vulgaris originates from tuberculosis elsewhere in the body by hematogenous, lymphatic, or contiguous spread. A 19-year-old male patient came to our department. The patient had had many recurrent oozing and verrucous plaques and crusts on the left foot for one year. A skin biopsy from the lesion on the left dorsum of the foot showed scattered well defined granulomas consisting of the epithelioid cell clusters with Langerhans and foreign body type giant cells in the mid dermis. Caseation necrosis was slight. There were no bacilli on AFB staining. The multi test CMI for tuberculin was highly positive. A chest X-ray did not show any abnormal findings. The presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was demonstrated by polymerase chain reactions (PCR) for detection of mycobacterial DNA from a routinely prepared paraffin-embedded skin specimen. Herein we report a very atypical case of lupus vulgaris confirmed by PCR.
Biopsy ; Dermis ; DNA ; Epithelioid Cells ; Foot ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Lupus Vulgaris* ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Necrosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin* ; Thorax ; Transplants* ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculosis ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To evaluate the value of dacryoscintigraphy in the assessment of patients with a clinical diagnosis of functional nasolacrimal duct obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dacryoscintigraphy was performed in symptomatic 35 lacrimal drainage systems in 18 patients (age range: 37~76, 8 males, 10 females) that were patent on syringing. RESULTS: Abnormalities were detected with dacryoscintigraphy in 75.8% of systems. The positive scintigrams were subdivided into those demonstrating prelacrimal sac delay (31.8%), delay at the lacrimal sac/junction (40.9%), or delay within the duct (27%). CONCLUSION: Dacryoscintigraphy is noninvasive useful technique in the assessment of the functional nasolacrimal duct obstruction and very sensitive at detecting abnormalities in patients with lid laxity caused by senile change and facial nerve palsy.
Diagnosis* ; Drainage ; Facial Nerve ; Humans ; Male ; Nasolacrimal Duct* ; Paralysis

No abstract available.
Stents* ; Ureter*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of tribochemical silica coating on the shear bond strength (SBS) of rebonded ceramic brackets using nano-filled flowable composite resin. METHODS: A total of 60 premolars were prepared and divided into 4 equal groups as follows: Tribochemical silica coating (TC) + Transbond XT (XT), TC + Transbond supreme LV (LV), Sandblast treatment (SA) + XT, SA + LV. Treated ceramic brackets were rebonded on the premolars using each adhesive. All samples were tested in shear mode on a universal testing machine. RESULTS: SBS of silica coated groups were high enough for clinical usage (TCLV: 10.82 +/- 1.82 MPa, TCXT: 11.50 +/- 1.72 MPa). But, SBS of the sandblast treated groups had significantly lower values than the tribochemical silica coated groups (SALV, 1.23 +/- 1.16 MPa; SAXT, 1.76 +/- 1.39 MPa; p< 0.05). There was no difference between the shear bond strength by type of adhesive. In the silica coated groups, 77% of the samples showed bonding failure in the adhesive. In the sandblast treated group, all bonding failures occurred at the bracket-adhesive interface. CONCLUSIONS: The result of this study suggest that newly introduced nano-filled flowable composite resin and tribochemical silica coating application on debonded ceramic bracket bases can produce appropriate bond strengths for orthodontic bonding.
Adhesives ; Bicuspid ; Bisphenol A-Glycidyl Methacrylate ; Ceramics ; Collodion ; Composite Resins ; Resin Cements ; Silicon Dioxide

PURPOSE: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is the most widely used tumor marker for detecting colorectal cancer. This study was designed to evaluate the level of serum CEA that is associated with recurrence after potentially curative surgery for colorectal cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the pre- and post-operative levels of serum CEA in 246 patients with colorectal cancer and they had undergone potentially curative surgery from 1996 through 2005. RESULTS: The pre-operative CEA level was significantly associated with the number of metastatic lymph nodes, the tumor size and the recurrence rate. The feature that was associated with recurrent disease on multivariate analysis was the pre-operative level of serum CEA. CONCLUSION: In order to detect the recurrence of colorectal cancer, we should closely follow up with frequent checks of the CEA level after surgery for those patients who had a high preoperative CEA level.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

Background: As the population of patients with end-stage renal disease has grown older, the proportion of patients with poorly preserved vasculature has concomitantly increased. Thus, arteriovenous grafts (AVG) have been used more frequently to access blood vessels for hemodialysis. Despite this increasing demand, studies of AVG are limited. In this study, we examined the surgical outcomes of upper-limb AVG creation. Methods: Among the arteriovenous fistula formation procedures performed between January 2014 and March 2019 at Dankook University Hospital, 42 cases involved AVG creation. We compared patients in whom the axillary vein was used (group A; brachioaxillary AVG [B-Ax AVG]; n=20) with those in whom upper limb veins were used (group B; brachiobasilic AVG or brachioantecubital AVG; n=22). Results: The 1-year primary patency rate was higher in group A than in group B (57.9% vs. 41.7%; p=0.262). The incidence of postoperative complications was not significantly different between groups. Conclusion AVG using the axillary vein showed no major differences in safety or functionality compared to AVG using other veins. Therefore, accounting for age, underlying disease, and expected patient lifespan, B-Ax AVG can be considered an acceptable surgical method.

BACKGROUND: The video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with 2 mm thoracoscopy in primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) was known to be unreliable in its accuracy and recurrence rate. We compared 10 mm VATS with 2 mm VATS in the results of operation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From Sept. 1998 to Dec. 2002, 176 cases (10 mm VATS; 73 cases, 2 mm VATS; 103 cases) of PSP were treated by VATS bleb resection at Korea University Ansan Hospital. 10 mm thoracoscope, 5 mm port, and 5 mm instruments were used in 10 mm VATS group, and 2 mm thoracoscope, 2 mm ports and 2 mm instruments used in 2 mm VATS group. In the two groups, staples were inserted through 11.5 mm port for chest tube. RESULT: The mean follow-up duration was 20.8+/-16.1 months in 10 mm VATS group, and 13.9+/-8.2 months in 2 mm VATS. The most common indication of operation was a recurrent pneumothorax (34%) in 10 mm VATS and patient's desire (40%) in 2 mm VATS, respectively. The operation time, number of staples used in operation, postoperative chest tube keeping days, postoperative total amount of drainage, and postoperative hospitalization days were statistically lower in 2 mm VATS. Other significant variables affecting the operation time in linear regression analysis were the number of staples that used in operation, the presence of pleural adhesion, and type of pleurodesis and thoracoscope used in operation. However, R2 values were lower than 0.1. The postoperative recurrence rate was 2.7% in 10 mm VATS and 2.9% in 2 mm VATS. It was not significant statistically. Recurrent cases developed within 1 year in both groups but the difference was statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: Although there were differences in follow-up duration between two groups, the operation time, number of staples that used in operation, postoperative chest tube keeping days, postoperative total amount of drainage, and postoperative hospitalization days were statistically lower in 2 mm VATS. And in 2 mm VATS, there were no technical difficulties during operation and no differences in recurrence rate from 10 mm VATS. As a result, we suggest that 2 mm VATS can be used in the treatment of PSP.
Blister ; Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitalization ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Pleurodesis ; Pneumothorax* ; Recurrence ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted* ; Thoracoscopes ; Thoracoscopy*

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate changes in cardiac performance in early neo-natal life by observing the changes of left ventricular(LV) function and volume according to the size of ductus arteriosus. METHODS: The study group consisted of 21 full-term Cesarean section neonates who were admitted to the nursery of Korea University Hospital. We serially investigated the patency and size of the ductus at 2, 24, 120 hours after birth by two-dimensional echocardiography. The standard two-dimensional tracings of LV volume were obtained under the guidance of apical two- and four-chamber views. LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were calculated using a biplanar Simpson's method. RESULTS: LV end-diastolic volume was highest(3.44>0.4mm) at 2 hours of age(P<0.01), being constant from 24 to 120 hours. LV contractility, indicated by the mean normalized systolic ejection rate, remained constant during the whole period of investigation. The size of the ductus arteriosus was maximal at 2 hours after birth, and decreased significantly at 24 hours of age (P<0.01). The size of ductus arteriosus demonstrated a close linear correlation with the left ventricular end-diastolic volume(y=0.17x+2.92, r=0.59: P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Changes in LV end-diastolic volume soon after birth depend on changes in ductus arteriosus flow, which in turn is affected by ductal diameter. Upon patency of the ductus arteriosus, the newborn left ventricle operates at maximal performance with only a limited capacity to increase contractility.
Cesarean Section ; Ductus Arteriosus ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Nurseries ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Ventricular Function, Left

PURPOSE: We created an 'AAPM TG18 Evaluation Tool' and we determined its usefulness for the quality control of a diagnostic monitor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created an evaluation tool (the AAPM TG18) for conducting quality control of a diagnostic monitor, and we evaluated the measurement items of the AAPM TG18 evaluation tool. The measurement items were geometric distortion, fixed quantity assessment and visual assessment of the veiling glare, and we carried out adjustment for the luminance meter 0% calibration, which was used to revise the diagnostic monitor DICOM LUT. RESULTS: With the AAPM TG18 Evaluation Tool, we measured the 2-dimensional length when evaluating the quantitative geometric distortions in the TG18-QC test pattern, and we measured the veiling-glare ring response function, which provided information regarding the spatial extent of the luminance spread, and this measurement of the can be performed using the TG18-GV pattern. Additionally, the AAPM TG18 Evaluation Tool can be used for sensor calibration to standardize the basic rate of 0% luminance when performing periodic calibration. CONCLUSION: The evaluation tool is a very useful for easily evaluating many of the examination items of the AAPM TG18 for performing quality control of a diagnostic monitor.
Calibration ; Computer Terminals ; Glare ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Quality Control ; Radiology Information Systems ; Total Quality Management

OBJECTIVES: These days, the main injection laryngoplasty technique is cricothyroid (CT) approach. However, patients who have previously undergone other neck treatments, such as thyroidectomy or neck dissection have distorted anatomical landmark makes this approach more difficult. The aim of this study is to determined the efficiency of transcartilaginous (TC) approah as compared with CT approach for unilateral vocal fold paralysis patients, especially for previously neck treated patients. METHODS: From March 2005 to February 2008, 137 consecutive injection laryngoplasties were performed in patients with unilateral glottic insufficiency. Percutaneous injection was performed under local anesthesia into the vocalis muscle, using disposable 25 G 4 cm long needles through the cricothyroid membrane or directly through the thyroid cartilage. Of the 137 patients, 124 completed acoustic, perceptual, stroboscopic, and subjective evaluations prior to the injection and at 3 months after the injection. RESULTS: In the 124 patients, the CT and TC approaches were used in 94 and 30 patients, respectively. Acoustic and perceptual parameters (GRBAS, MPT, jitter, shimmer), voice handicap index, and grades of mucosal waves and glottic closure were significantly improved after the injection in both the CT and TC groups (P<0.05). Only two patients (6.6%) had penetration difficulties, because of ossification of the thyroid cartilage. The overall success rates of the CT and TC approaches were 86.2%, 93.3%, respectively. However, the success rate of the TC approach in patients who had previously undergone neck treatments was significantly higher than that of the CT approach (100% vs. 65% P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the preliminary results of this trial, injection laryngoplasty using a TC approach was an effective alternative to the CT approach, especially in patients who had previously undergone neck surgeries.
Acoustics ; Anesthesia, Local ; Humans ; Laryngeal Muscles ; Laryngoplasty ; Membranes ; Neck ; Neck Dissection ; Needles ; Paralysis ; Thyroid Cartilage ; Thyroidectomy ; Vocal Cord Paralysis ; Vocal Cords ; Voice