PURPOSE: The artificial erection is critical to chordee repair. We report the use of a natural erection induced by prostaglandin E(1)(PGE1) in the diagnosis and treatment of penile curvatu re as an alternative to artificial erection in children and adult patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pharmacological erection was induced 14 children with a mean age of 5 years (range 1-10) and 8 adults with a mean age of 33 years (range 18-58) to diagnose and repair anomalies, such as simple penile curvature, chordee with or without hypospadias, webbed penis and Peyronie's disease. Alprostadil (1-16ng) as a agent for induce erection was used exclusively, but no agents were routinely given to reverse the erection was used exclusively, but no agents were routinely given to reverse the erections. The dose injected intracavernosally was dependent on the patient's age, penile size and response, and ranged from 0.5 to 10 micrograms. Time to and adequacy of erection, detumescence, changes in blood pressure and pulse rate were monitored. RESULTS: A dilatation of erectile tissue was achieved within 8 minutes and was judged adequate in 2 and excellent in 20. The mean duration of erection was 107 minutes, while a prolonged erection, for up to 2.5 hours, occured on 2 patients who were treated conservatively. Detumescence were occurred when the corpora were opened, but re-erected penis after closure of corpora in 7 cases who treated with Nesbit's corporeal plication or fibrous plaque excision and dermal graft. Although there were the impression of increased bleeding, there were no specific changes in blood pressure or pulse rate. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological erection in penile curvature is effective and reliable with no significant complications. Although PGE1 is expensive and induced slightly increased bleeding, pharmacological erection has the advantage of tumescence of the entire penis and consequently a constant and natural representation of chordee without corporeal or urethral injury. Therefore, the erection achieved by injecting PGE1 into the corpora cavemosa is a useful alternative to artificial erection in the diagnosis and treatment of penile anomalies.
Adult ; Alprostadil ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; Male ; Penile Induration ; Penis ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus(CCLE) is a well-known disease entity. But there has been no data about its clinical behavior and histopathologic features in Korea. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to elucidate the clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic features of CCLE, and the relationship between CCLE and SLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated 48 cases of CCLE that visited the department of dermatology at the Seoul National University Hospital from January 1990 to June 1997. Medical records and biopsy slides were reviewed.
Biopsy ; Dermatology ; Korea ; Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous* ; Medical Records ; Seoul

The early ultrastructural changes of basement membrane thickening and degeneration of the pericyte were noted in retinal capillaries in diabetic patients. However no early ultrastructural changes were reported in diabetic iris capillary. The authors studied the ultrastructural features of basement membrane of iris capillaries which were obtained during cataract surgery in five diabetic patients and compared with those obtained in five nondiabetic patients. The endothelium basal lamina, pericyte basal lamina and membrane-like pericyte matrix in didabetic iris capillaries were thicker than those in nondiabetic Iris capillaries. The thickening of pericyte basal lamina is more prominant than the endothelium basal lamina in diabetes. The duration of diabetes had no relationship to endothelium basal lamina but, showed statistically significant relationship to thickness of pericyte bascal lamina and pericyte matrix.
Basement Membrane* ; Capillaries* ; Cataract ; Endothelium ; Humans ; Iris* ; Pericytes ; Retinaldehyde

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of confluent and reticulated papillomatosis(CRP) is still unknown, although many theories have been suggested. It is stressed that abnormal host response to colonization of pityrosporum orbiculare might play a role in the pathogenesis of CRP, but is not completely understood. Frequently, we have observed bacterial colonies in the stratum corneum and, especially, within the hair follicles from biopsy specimens of patients with CRP. In addition, successful treatment for CRP with minocycline, a derivative of tetracyclines, has been reported continuously. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to document the possible association of bacterial factors in the pathogenesis of CRP and to elucidate the effectiveness of minocycline. METHODS: We performed Brown and Brenn gram staining in 12 biopsy specimens, bacterial cultures, identification of microorganisms and antibiotics sensitivity testing including minocycline. We administered oral minocycline with an initial dose of 100mg per day for 1 to 3 months and a maintenance dose 50mg per day for I to 2 months, then evaluated the response of treatment. RESULTS: 1. On Brown and Brenn staining, the gram positive bacterial colonies that stained dark bluish or nearly black were observed within the infundibulum of hair follicles in 10 out of 12 biopsy specimens(83.3%) and on the keratotic invagination of stratum corneum in 11 out of 12 biopsy specimens(91.7%). 2. Histological features of regions where bacterial colonies were observed showed, hyperkeratosis and keratotic invagination on the stratum corneum in all cases. Hyperkeratosis(66.7%), parakeratosis(16.7%), inflammatory cell infiltration(25.0%), perifollicular fibrosis(33.3%), and abnormal keratin in sebaceous ducts(50.0%) were shown in hair follicles. 3. In anaerobic cultures, no bacteria was grown. In aerobic cultures, staphylococcus species were identified in 6 cases, streptococcus viridans in one case, sternotrophomonas maltophilia in one case. In the susceptibiliity test, minocycline was sensitive in 7 from 8 cases. 4. The therapeutic response to minocycline was observed within one month in all cases, and the time to clear the lesions was 1/2 month in 2 cases, 1 month in 4 cases, 2 months in 5 cases, 3 months in one case, respectively. CONCLUSION: Form these results, we suggest that bacterial factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of CRP and that the action mechanism of minocycline in the treatment of CRP may be due to antibacterial effects.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria* ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Minocycline ; Papilloma* ; Staphylococcus ; Tetracyclines ; Viridans Streptococci

No abstract available.
Cardiomyopathies* ; Peripartum Period*

This study was aimed at investigation of the stimulatory innervations on the rat urinary bladder. Detrusor muscle strips of 15 mm long were suspended in isolated muscle chambers containing 1 ml of PSS maintained at 37℃ and aerated with 95% O²/5% Co². Isometric myography was performed, and the results were as followings: Muscle strips showed “on-contraction” by electric field stimulation (EFS) frequency-dependently. The EFS-induced contraction was not affected by hexamethonium, a ganglion blocker, but abolished by tetrodotoxin, a nerve conduction blocker. Physostigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor enhanced the EFS-induced contraction which was inhibited by hemicholinium, an inhibitor of choline uptake at the cholinergic nerve ending. Such an EFS-induced contraction was antagonized by atropine only partially, and the atropine-resistant portion was completely abolished by the desensitization of purinergic receptors by prolonged incubating of the strips in the presence of high concentration of ATP. Bethanechol, a cholinergic agonist, elicited concentration-dependent contraction. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a purinergic agonist, induced a weak but concentration-dependent contraction of short duration. Bethanechol-induced contraction was not affected by ATP-desensitization, and ATP-induced contraction was not affected by tetrodotoxin. These results suggest that there are at least two main stimulatory components of innervations in the detrusor muscle, cholinergic muscarinic and purinergic; and those receptors are independent each other.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Atropine ; Bethanechol ; Choline ; Cholinergic Agonists ; Cholinesterases ; Ganglion Cysts ; Hemicholinium 3 ; Hexamethonium ; Myography ; Nerve Endings ; Neural Conduction ; Physostigmine ; Rats* ; Receptors, Purinergic ; Tetrodotoxin ; Urinary Bladder*

A 26-year-old Korean man had an erythematous scaly plaque on his right thigh for fifteen years. He was diagnosed with chronic eczema and treated with topical steroid, but no clinical improvement was obtained for 15 years. Laboratory studies including complete blood cell count, urinalysis, liver and renal function test, and peripheral blood smear were normal. A biopsy specimen showed hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, and mononuclear cellular infiltration in the epidermis. These cells had a perinuclear halo and showed a Pautrier's microabscess like configuration. In the dermis, there was a band like infiltration of inflammatory cells. Infiltrates of the epidermis were negative for leukocyte common antigen(CD45) and positive for Pan T cell(CD45RO). He was treated with topical PUVA twice a week for twelve weeks. Clinical and pathological improvements were obtained. We propose PUVA may be a useful therapeutic modality to treat Woringer Kolopp disease.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Blood Cell Count ; Dermis ; Eczema ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Liver ; Pagetoid Reticulosis* ; Thigh ; Urinalysis

We report the clinical evolution of two male patients with generalized granulama annulare(GGA) who were controlled with hydroxychloroquine. In the first case, a 3-year-old boy was treated with systemic steroid, and in the second case, a 68-year-old man was treated with prednisolone, niacin, and retinoic acid. But, remission and recurrence of the skin lesions were repeated. A good clinieal response was achieved in both cases after administration of hydroxychloroquine without side effects or any signs of recurrence. Hydroxychloroquine may be helpful to treat the GGA that have side effects to the systemic corticosteroid or resistence to other therapeutic modalities.
Aged ; Child, Preschool ; Granuloma Annulare* ; Granuloma* ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine* ; Male ; Niacin ; Prednisolone ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Tretinoin

Progressive zosteriform macular pigmented lesion(PZMPL) is a chronic pigmentary dermatosis similar to progressive cribriform and zosteriform hyperpigmentation(PCZH). This dermatosis described by Simoes in 1980 is characterized by a uniformly tanned macular pigmented lesion in a zosteriform distribution preceded by multiple pruritic macular pigmentation in a part of the dermatome for a period. PZMPL is not a fully understood disease entity but it is thought to be a variant of PCZH. It is differentiated from PCZH by accompanying pruritus as a prodromal symptom, a characteristic clinical course, and histological findings such as pigmentary incontinence. We report herein a case of PZMPL in a 17 year-old girl with the pigmentary skin lesion extending from the left forearm to the left chest along the Blaschkos line. The histological findings revealed increased melanin pigments in the basal layer and focal pigmentary incontinence in the upper dermis. To our knowledge, this case is the first report of PZMPL in korea thought to be the same case reported by Simoes.
Adolescent ; Dermis ; Female ; Forearm ; Humans ; Korea ; Melanins ; Pigmentation ; Prodromal Symptoms ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Thorax ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl

PURPOSE: To clarify the chracteristic sonographic features of benign soft tissue tumors and to evaluate the usefulness of sonographic imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed ultrasonographic images of 70 cases in 68 patients with histologically proved benign soft tissue tumors. RESULTS: The tumors included 33 lipomas, 11 hemangiomas. 11 lymphangiomas, 7 neurilemmomas, 4 epidermold cysts, 2 fibromas, 1 mesenchymoma, and 1 myxoma. The SOhographic appearances of the lesions were mainly solid in 53 cases(33 lipomas, 8 hemangiomas, 2 lymphangiomas, 7 neurilemmomas, 2 fibromas and 1 mesenchymoma), mainly cystic in 14 cases(1 hemangioma, 8 lymphangiomas, 4 epidermoid cysts, and 1 myxoma), and mixed in 3 cases(2 hemangiomas and 1 lymphangioma). Although an accurate histologic prediction could not be made in most cases, certain patterns appeared to be characteristic of specific tumor types. 26 cases(78%) of lipoma were seen as lentiform, iso- or hyperechoic, solid mass. Hemangioma had variable appearance and chacteristic calcifications were seen in 3 cases. Unicameral or multiseptated cystic mass with variable thickness of echogenic septa and solid portion was the characteristic finding of lymphangioma. Neurilemmoma showed Iobulated, oval to round, relatively hypoechoic mass with or without internal cystic portion. CONCLUSION: Sonographic evaluation of benign soft tissue tumros is useful in demonstrating the location, size, extent, and internal characteristics of the mass. A relatively confident diagnosis can be made when the characteristic features of the benign soft tissue tumor are present on sonographic imaging.
Diagnosis ; Epidermal Cyst ; Fibroma ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Lipoma ; Lymphangioma ; Mesenchymoma ; Myxoma ; Neurilemmoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography