Many factors including social rejection, family problems, loss of educational opportunity, fear, prejudice and ignorance of leprosy compound the inherent psychologicaI stress of leprosy. In light of these problems we have undertaken a study to evaluate the psychological status of several selected groups of leprasy patients. We first studied 340 leprosy patients living in resettlement villages and 304 healthy people living in similar isolated areas. We used a self report symptom inventory, SCL-90 (symptom check list-90), and compared the two-groups. (countinued..)
Humans ; Leprosy* ; Prejudice ; Self Report ; Social Distance

We reviewed 217 patients (270 cases) of thoracic and lumbar fractures and fracture-dislocations, who were treated at Hanyang University Hospital from January, 1977 to December, 1985. We classified spinal injuries according to three column theory and then analyzed the cause of injury, sex-age distribution, treatment and neurological injuries. The results were as follows: 1. The cases were classified into 4 different categories according to the three column theory; compression fractures (191 cases, 70.7%), burst fractures (54 cases, 20.0%), fracture-dislocations(22 cases, 8.2%), and seat belt type injuries (3 cases, 1.1%). And each of these 4 different categories was then subdivided into subtypes. 2. The most common cause of injury was fall from a height (45.2 %). 3. The neurological injuries were occurred in 21 patients (9.7%). The 16 patients with neural deficit in fracture-dislocation, 15 patients were flexion rotation type. The 5 patients with neural deficit in burst fracture, all were incomplete neural deficits. 4. The greatest advantage of Luque instrumentation was an early rehabilitation without external surport.
Classification ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Rehabilitation ; Seat Belts ; Spinal Injuries ; Spine

Growth Patterns of cranium measured directly as head circumference have been well documented. With the recent progress in CT, it is easy to measure the size and cross sectional area of the structure. The author chose themidvnetricular level of brain CT scan and measured the product of maximum anteroposterior and lateral dimension and cross sectional area. The age of infants ans children was 0 to 2 years old. The author obtained the following results through statistical analysis; 1. The maximum anteroposterior dimension and the cross sectional area were obtained through the computerized program of CT scanner. Using these measurements, monthly growth curve was obtained and which shows accelarated growth in the initial 12 months especially during the first four months, and followd by reduced rate of growth in the next 12 months. 2. Comparing the size of the calvarium between sexed,females' were somewhat larger than males', but there was no statistical significance. 3. Comparing the crosssectional area with the head circumference, high correlation was seen(correlation coefficient=0.96). Similarelationship was also seen between the product of cranial linear dimensions and the head circumference(correlationcoefficient=0.93). Also statistically significant relationship was noted between the cross sectional area and theproduct of the cranial linear dimensions(correlation coefficient=0.97). 4. Using the cross sectional area and theproduct of cranial linear dimenstions, monthly average value and the 95% significant range were obtained which canbe used as indices for the growth and development of cranium. Of these, the product of cranial linear dimensionscan eadily be measured by brain CT images, which may be useful on practical basis.
Brain ; Child ; Growth and Development ; Head ; Humans ; Infant ; Skull ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Knowledge of a patient's cerebral vascular status is essential for accurately classifying stroke. However, vascular evaluations have been incomplete in previous studies, and a stroke registry based on the results of such vascular investigations has not been reported. The purpose of the present study was to classify ischemic strokes based on vascular imaging data. METHODS: Between May 2001 and August 2003, 1,264 patients with acute (< 7 days) ischemic stroke were admitted to Asan Medical Center. Among them, 1,167 patients (750 men and 417 women; mean age 63.3 years) underwent an angiogram (mostly a magnetic resonance angiogram) and were included in this study. Electrocardiography and computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging were performed in all patients, while 31.2% underwent echocardiography. The subtypes were categorized with the aid of a modification of the Trial of ORG 10172 in the Acute Stroke Treatment classification. RESULTS: Large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) was the most frequent subtype (42%), followed by small-vessel occlusion (SVO, 27%), cardiogenic embolism (CE, 15%), undetermined etiology (15%), and other determined etiology (1.5%). Risk factors included hypertension (71%), cigarette smoking (35%), diabetes mellitus (30%), history of previous stroke (22.7%), emboligenic cardiac diseases (20%), and hypercholesterolemia (11%). Hypertension was more common in patients with SVO than in those with other subtypes (p<0.05), and the case-fatality rate was higher in patients with CE than in those with other subtypes (p<0.01). The functional outcome was worse in patients with LAA than in those with other stroke subtypes (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: According to the stroke registry based on vascular imaging results, LAA was the most common stroke subtype followed by SVD. The high incidence of LAA is probably related to the increased identification of the presence of intracranial atherosclerosis by MR angiogram.
Atherosclerosis ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Classification ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Embolism ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Stroke*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to prepare medical staff in order to prevent medical malpractice litigation through analysis of litigation cases related to the department of surgery in Korea. METHODS: A total of 94 litigation cases related to the department of surgery, where a certain amount of payment was ordered to the defendant between 2005 through 2010, were analyzed. We examined time of occurrence, amount claimed and awarded in damages, plaintiff claims, and court opinion. RESULTS: An average of 3.2 years was spent from the date of the incident occurring to the end of the litigation procedures. The average amount awarded in judgments for damages was 59,708,983 ± 67,307,264 (range, 1,700,000–365,201,482) Korean won. Cases were found involving the following opinion of the court: violation of duty of care (49 cases), violation of informed consent (7 cases), violation of duty of care and informed consent (5 cases), and settlement, reconciliation, and others (32 cases). By analyzing defendants' negligence in court opinions, diagnosis (30.8%) was the most common, followed by post-operation management (27.7%). CONCLUSION: Physicians have to conduct treatment and surgery based on exact diagnosis and be careful to observe patients' conditions and symptoms after surgery. It is essential to identify the current status and characteristics of medical litigation for reducing further litigation and improving patient safety. In order to create a safe medical environment, national efforts should be made not only by individuals but also at the national level.
Awards and Prizes ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Judgment ; Jurisprudence ; Korea* ; Malpractice ; Medical Staff ; Patient Safety

Compliance of epileptic patients is one of the most important factors for adequate therapy. Recently, it had been shown that the variability of three serial measurement of the serum levels of antiepileptic drug(AED) may be used as an indication of the degree of compliance. Coefficient variation(CV) of serum drug levels calculated by only one AED had been used to determine the compliance in epileptic patients who took multiple AEDs. We attempted to evaluate the CV of AEDs and then find the objective clue of compliance and the compatible therapeutic planing according to CV. Ninety seven epileptic patients of outpatients department of the Gyengsang National University Hospital were entered to this study. All patients were taking medication at least for 6 months without any changes of drug regimen. Patient's information was acquired by reviewing the chart and interview with questionnaire. With these informations, we determined the compliance of the patients. Antiepileptic serum levels were measured three times at intervals of at least two to four weeks apart, and their CV was calculated. We compared the CV between the compliant and non-compliant group in each AED(phenytoin, carbamazepine , valproic acid) and three drugs in the compliant group. The mean CVs of phenytoin, carbamazepine and valproic acid in the compliant group were 18.3+/-13.0, 15.2+/-10.2 and 23.8+/-8.9, respectively(mean+/-SD). The mean of CV in the compliant and the non-compliant group were 17.9+/-10.9 and 38.8+/-27.2, respectively. The CVs of the compliant group were significantly lower than those of the non-compliant group(p<0.05). However, CVs had no significant difference between three antiepileptic drugs. This study showed that CVs of AEDs were not different between each AEDs, even though they possess different pharmacokinetic properties. Therefore, the CV of one AED can be used in determining the compliance of the epileptics who are taking multiple AEDs.
Anticonvulsants ; Carbamazepine* ; Compliance ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Phenytoin* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Valproic Acid*

Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is a life-threatening disorder caused by rapidly increasing intraabdominal pressure. ACS can result in multiorgan failure and carries a mortality of 60~70%. The treatment of choice in ACS is surgical decompression. There are very few reports of ACS and experience in Korea. We report 12-year-old male patient who developed an abdominal compartment syndrome due to traffic-accident-induced retroperitoneal hematomas, Which was successfully treated by performing a bedside emergency surgical decompression with open linea alba fasciotomy with intact peritoneum. When patients do not respond to medical therapy, a decompressive laparotomy is the last surgical resort. In patients with severe abdominal compartment syndrome, the use of a linea alba fasciotomy is an effective intervention to lower intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) without the morbidity of a laparotomy. Use of a linea alba fasciotomy as a first-line intervention before committing to full abdominal decompression in patients with abdominal compartment syndrome improves physiological variables without mortality. Consideration for a linea alba fasciotomy as a bridge before full abdominal decompression needs further evaluation in patients with polytrauma abdominal compartment syndrome.
Child ; Decompression, Surgical ; Emergencies ; Health Resorts ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Hypertension ; Korea ; Laparotomy ; Lower Body Negative Pressure ; Male ; Peritoneum

BACKGROUND: Achieving symmetry is a key goal in breast reconstruction. Anatomically shaped tabbed expanders are a new tool in the armamentarium of the breast reconstruction surgeon. Suture tabs allow for full control over the expander position and thus inframammary fold position, and, in theory, tabbed expanders mitigate many factors responsible for poor symmetry. The impact of a tabbed expander on breast symmetry, however, has not been formally reported. This study aims to evaluate breast symmetry following expander-implant reconstruction using tabbed and non-tabbed tissue expanders. METHODS: A chart review was performed of 188 consecutive expander-implant reconstructions that met the inclusion criteria of adequate follow-up data and postoperative photographs. Demographic, oncologic, postoperative complication, and photographic data was obtained for each patient. The photographic data was scored using a 4-point scale assessing breast symmetry by three blinded, independent reviewers. RESULTS: Of the 188 patients, 74 underwent reconstruction with tabbed expanders and 114 with non-tabbed expanders. The tabbed cohort had significantly higher symmetry scores than the non-tabbed cohort (2.82/4+/-0.86 vs. 2.55/4+/-0.92, P=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: The use of tabbed tissue expanders improves breast symmetry in tissue expander-implant-based breast reconstruction. Fixation of the expander to the chest wall allows for more precise control over its location and counteracts the day-to-day translational forces that may influence the shape and location of the expander pocket, mitigating many factors responsible for breast asymmetry.
Breast* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammaplasty* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Postoperative Complications ; Sutures ; Thoracic Wall ; Tissue Expansion Devices*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how changes in lung volume affect volumetric measurements of lung nodules using a multi-detector row CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten subjects with asthma or chronic bronchitis who had one or more lung nodules were included. For each subject, two sets of CT images were obtained at inspiration and at expiration. A total of 33 nodules (23 nodules > or = 3 mm) were identified and their volume measured using a semiautomatic volume measurement program. Differences between nodule volume on inspiration and expiration were compared using the paired t-test. Percent differences, between on inspiration and expiration, in nodule attenuation, total lung volume, whole lung attenuation, and regional lung attenuation, were computed and compared with percent difference in nodule volume determined by linear correlation analysis. RESULTS: The difference in nodule volume observed between inspiration and expiration was significant (p < 0.01); the mean percent difference in lung nodule volume was 23.1% for all nodules and for nodules > or = 3 mm. The volume of nodules was measured to be larger on expiration CT than on inspiration CT (28 out of 33 nodules; 19 out of 23 nodules > or = 3 mm). A statistically significant correlation was found between the percent difference of lung nodule volume and lung volume or regional lung attenuation (p < 0.05) for nodules > or = 3 mm. CONCLUSION: Volumetric measurements of pulmonary nodules were significantly affected by changes in lung volume. The variability in this respiration-related measurement should be considered to determine whether growth has occurred in a lung nodule.
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Coin Lesion, Pulmonary/pathology/*radiography ; Bronchitis/radiography ; Asthma/radiography ; Adult

Coccidiosis in chickens is an intestinal parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites named Eimeria spp. In some Eimeria infections, intestinal lymphocytes are known to highly express chicken NK-lysin (cNK-lysin), an antimicrobial peptide with anticoccidial activity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the expression of cNK-lysin in E. necatrix-infected chickens and its role in E. necatrix infection. The expression of cNK-lysin transcript was significantly increased in E. necatrix sporozoites-treated lymphocytes. In E. necatrix infection, cNK-lysin transcript was induced in intestinal lymphocytes but not in the spleen. The recombinant cNK-lysin exhibited anticoccidial activity against E. necatrix sporozoites as well as immunomodulatory activity on macrophages by inducing proinflammatory cytokines. These results indicated that E. necatrix infection induces high local expression of cNK-lysin and the secreted cNK-lysin helps protect coccidiosis.