Endoscopic microwave coagulation therapy was applied to two cases of postoperative anastomotic stenosis. Clinical symptoms and endoscopic findings were improved by endoscopic microwave coagulation tberapy in both cases. It is concluded that this method will be a safe and sure method for the treatment of anastomotic stenosis after gastrointestinal operation
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Microwaves*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Male ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord*

PURPOSE: To present prospective clinical results of laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using a solid-state laser system for the correction of mild to moderate myopia with or without astigmatism. METHODS: Thirty-eight eyes underwent LASIK using a 213 nm solid-state laser (Pulzar Z1trade mark, CustomVistrade mark, Australia). Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refractive errors, higher order aberrations (HOA) and contrast sensitivity were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: The preoperative and postoperative mean spherical and cylindrical refractive errors were -3.27+/-0.85D, +1.04+/-0.69D, -0.36+/-0.7D and +0.14+/-0.2D, respectively. UCVA over 20/25 was obtained in 27 eyes (93%). A result within 1.00D of the desired correction was achieved in 90% of the eyes. There were no decreases in BCVA within the study group. The preoperative and postoperative root-mean-square of HOA at 3 months were 0.196+/-0.092 microm and 0.326+/-0.107 microm respectively. The preoperative and postoperative contrast sensitivity values were similar. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcomes of LASIK using a solid-state laser system were comparable to the conventional refractive surgery in mild to moderate myopia. The 213 nm solid state laser may be an alternative option for refractive surgery.
Aniline Compounds ; Astigmatism ; Contrast Sensitivity ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Myopia ; Prospective Studies ; Refractive Errors ; Refractive Surgical Procedures ; Visual Acuity

A 52-year-old women, suffering from generalized pruritus due to intrahepatic and common hepatic duct stones, was treated with astemizole, 30mg daily. Sixty one days later, convulsions and syncope developed suddenly during hospitalization. She had no history of arrhythmia, heart disease, electrolytes imbalance, or CNS disorders. As another case, a 44-year-old man suffering from pruritus due to liver cirrhosis, was treated with astemizole, 30mg daily. Thirty two days later, palpitations and syncope also developed suddenly during hospitalization. He was diagnosed liver cirrhosis, 3 years ago and there was no history of arrhythmia, heart disease, electrolytes imbalance, or CNS disorders. Administration of astemizole was stopped immediately. The laboratory investigations revealed the normal range of serum potassium, calcium and magnesium in both cases. The ECG finding showed the prolongation of QTc interval, frequent VPCs and intermittent polymorphic drugs. On 1st and 3rd day, after discontinue of astemisole, the ECG abnormalities disappeard. It is suggested that astemizole overdose can induce prolongation of QTc interval and torsade de pointes, especially in the patient with liver disease.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Astemizole* ; Calcium ; Electrocardiography ; Electrolytes ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Hepatic Duct, Common ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Magnesium ; Middle Aged ; Potassium ; Pruritus ; Reference Values ; Seizures ; Syncope ; Torsades de Pointes*

In 1938, Jarcho and Levin initially described shortening of the trunk, prominent occiput, broad forehead, multiple vertebral defects and ribs anomaly, short neck, increased anteroposterior chest diameter, lordosis, kyphoscoliosis. After that, Jarcho-Levin syndrome is an eponym that has been used to describe a variety of clinical phenotypes. We examined a girl who was suspected as suffering from Jarcho-Levin syndrome because she had shortening of the trunk, multiple vertebral defects and ribs anomaly, short neck, increased anteroposterior chest diameter, lordosis, kyphoscoliosis. We report a case of Jarcho-Levin syndrome with intrathoracic kidney, and review related literature.
Animals ; Eponyms ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Lordosis ; Neck ; Phenotype ; Ribs ; Thorax

Solitary fibrous tumor(SFT) is a spindle cell neoplasm that usually arises in the pleura. Its involvement of the meninges is rare but increasingly being reported. Our case was a 33-year-old man who presented with clonic seizure around the right mouth angle and sensory disturbance at the right hand. Radiological studies showed a large extra-axial, dural-based mass in the left fronto-parietal region, typically isointense with gray matter and heterogeneous strong enhancement on T1-weighted images. Histologically, the tumor was composed of spindle-shaped cells growing in fascicles within the collagenous matrix. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated diffuse CD34 positivity. Awareness of this neoplasm is necessary to accurate diagnosis.
Adult ; Collagen ; Diagnosis ; Hand ; Humans ; Meninges* ; Mouth ; Pleura ; Seizures ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors*

The prevalence of parasitic infections was investigated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients (n = 105) who visited Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea, during the period from 1995 to 2003. Fecal samples were collected from 67 patients for intestinal parasite examinations, and sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage samples from 60 patients for examination of Pneumocystis carinii. Both samples were obtained from 22 patients. Thirty-three (31.4%) of the 105 were found to have parasitic infections; Cryptosporidium parvum (10.5%; 7/67), Isospora belli (7.5%; 5/67), Clonorchis sinensis (3.0%; 2/67), Giardia lamblia (1.5%; 1/67), Gymnophalloides seoi (1.5%; 1/67), and Pneumocystis carinii (28.3%; 17/60). The hospital records of the 11 intestinal parasite-infected patients showed that all suffered from diarrhea. This study shows that parasitic infections are important clinical complications in HIV-infected patients in the Republic of Korea.
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/*parasitology ; Adult ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; HIV Infections/*complications ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parasitic Diseases/*epidemiology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS) and prevalence of fetal infection in the pregnant women with suspicious fetal rubella infection. METHODS: Between June 1996 and May 2002 in Chonnam National University Hospital, the rubella specific IgG, IgM antibody and RT-PCR were checked in fetal blood obtained from 31 pregnant women with high risk of rubella infection. Eighteen women (58.1%) had rubella specific IgM, 11 women (35.5%) high titer of rubella specific IgG, and 2 women had a history of recent rubella vaccination within 3 months. RESULTS: PUBS was performed in all cases, successful in 27 cases (87.1%) and failed in 4 cases (12.9%). Cardiocentesis was performed in failed cases. Performing the PUBS, fetal bradycardia was observed in 7 cases (25.9%), fetal tachycardia in 1 case (14.8%), and preterm labor in 2 cases (7.4%). Performing cardiocentesis, fetal bradycardia was observed in 1 case (25.0%), fetal tachycardia in 2 cases (50.0%), and preterm labor in 1 case (25.0%). There was no fetal death. All samples of fetal blood were positive for rubella specific IgG but rubella specific IgM was detected in only 1 case. RT-PCR was negative in all cases. CONCLUSION: Fetal blood sampling is relatively safe and a great precaution is necessary before termination of pregnancy with suspicious fetal rubella infection and without typical maternal rash to reduce unnecessary termination of pregnancy. Several tests such as rubella specific IgM and PCR from placental villi, amniotic fluid, and fetal blood should be considered before termination of pregnancy.
Amniotic Fluid ; Bradycardia ; Chorionic Villi ; Cordocentesis* ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Fetal Death ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Jeollanam-do ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Prevalence ; Rubella* ; Tachycardia ; Vaccination

BACKGROUND: In the acute phase of myocardial infarction, the hemostatic mechanism is known to be activated. However, it remains unclear whether increased activity of the hemostatic mechanism is only a marker of the acute thrombotic episode or precedes its appearance. It is also inapparent whether a hypercoagulable state persist for a prolonged period after the apparent resolution of these disorders. METHODS: In a group of 23 patients with acute myocardial infarction who received fibrinolytic therapy with urokinase(group A) or tPA(group B), the plasma level of fibrinogen, antithrombin compared to those of the 10 normal controls. RESULTS: The plasme level of fibrinogen was significantly decreased in both group A and B before and 4 to 24 hours after thrombolytic therapy compared to that of normal controls. But it was increased 7 to 14 days after thrombolytic therapy. In a few of the patients, the plasma level of FDP and D-dimer were positive before thrombolytic therapy and in the most patients they were positive 4 hours after thrombolytic therapy. The plasma level of AT-III was significantly increased in both group A and B before thrombolytic therapy compared with that of normal controls, but, after thrombolytic therapy, there was no significant change in its level. CONCLUSIONS: In the patients with acute myocardial infarction, the thrombolysis occurred before thrombolytic therapy and it lasted for 24 hours after thrombolytic therapy.
Antithrombin III* ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Plasma ; Thrombolytic Therapy*

This study was performed to determine the incidence and seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections in young soldiers in the Republic of Korea Army. From January 2000 through December 2004, a total of 147 hepatitis A cases were reported to the Armed Forces Medical Command. The annual incidence rates were 7.4 per 100,000 persons in 2000, 1.6 in 2001, 4.4 in 2002, 9.8 in 2003, and 6.2 in 2004, based on the reported cases among approximately 500,000 soldiers. All patients were males with a median age of 21 yr (range, 19-27). The most common symptom was nausea (86.5%), and all patients had recovered without complications. In addition, in order to evaluate the seroprevalence of HAV infection in young adults, serum samples were obtained from randomly selected young subjects among those who had been admitted to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital from September 2005 to February 2006. A total of 200 subjects were enrolled in the study to analyze the anti-HAV immune status. The overall anti-HAV IgG seropositive rate was 2% (4/200, 95% CI, 0.60-5.21%). Given the changing epidemiology of the disease and the associated increase in morbidity, it was suggested that the routine HAV vaccination for Korean military personnel might be necessary.
Adult ; Hepatitis A/*blood/*epidemiology/immunology ; Hepatitis A Antibodies/immunology ; Hepatitis A virus/*metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Seroepidemiologic Studies