No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of CarnitilR (acetylcarnitine, Hanmi, Korea) therapy in idiopathic oligoasthenospermic men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-four subfertile men with abnormal semen parameters were treated between March, 2003 and March, 2004 with 3 g of CarnitilR daily for 3 months. Changes in semen parameters were evaluated 3 months after this therapy. RESULTS: The mean age was 34.2 years and the mean follow-up duration was 3.7 months. In asthenospemic patients (n=28), semen analysis before and after CarnitilR treatment showed an increase in volume (2.64+/-1.65 ml vs. 3.10+/-1.60 ml), motility (35.1+/-17.7% vs. 45.9+/-20.4%) and viability (51.4+/-20.3% vs. 59.3+/-13.6%) respectively. In oligoasthenospermic patients (n=16), semen analysis before and after CarnitilR treatment showed an increase in sperm count (10.7+/-54.4 million/ml vs. 38.4+/-32.5 million/ml) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that in idiopathic oligoasthenospermic men the empirical medical therapy with acetylcarnitine may be considered as primary treatment.
Acetylcarnitine* ; Carnitine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count

No abstract available.
Uterus*

The management of skin and soft tissue defects on the buttock, perineum and lower abdomen has been improved through the development of myocutaneous flap. However, sacrifice of the deep muscles causes some problems such as intraoperative bleeding and functional disabilities of donor sites. And we can not also control the volume of the flap for the skin reliability of myocutaneous flaps. To overcome these disadvantages, we tried perforator-based myocutaneous island flaps for the reconstruction of the sacral, ischial sores or deep wounds of the perineum and lower abdomen. During the dissection of the flap, we could control the volume and shape of the flap exactly depending on the perforators. Clinically, total of 14 cases were treated with 10 parasacral perforator-based myocutaneous island flaps and 4 perforator-based extended myocutaneous island flaps. Parasacral flap is based on the parasacral perforators along the lateral sacral border and, the degree of containing muscles can be easily decided according to the depth of wound. In the cases of the extended myocutaneous flaps, we could design the perforator-based skin flap on the tip of myocutaneous island flap and appropriate volume of skin falp was obtained with the wide arc of rotation. Finally, the donor defect could be closed primarily and there was no significant sequela. There perforator-based myocutaneous island flaps require no significant sacrifice of the muscles and can be easily dissected and applied with the appropriate volumes for the reconstruction of the defect on the buttocks, perineum and lower abdomen.
Abdomen ; Buttocks ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Muscles ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Perineum ; Skin ; Surgical Flaps ; Tissue Donors ; Wounds and Injuries*

The reconstruction of pressure sore is often complicated problem due to underlying disease and general condition of the patients. Sometimes, it is too radical to use the muscle or musculocutaneous flap for the patients who has severe systemic disease and can not withstand the lengthy operation or the patients who already recovered from paraplegic condition and has no risk recurrence. To get over these problems, we recently have used the parasacral perforator-based island skin flaps for the sacral pressure sores. This flap is based on the axial pattern perforators originating from the internal pudendal artery and lateral sacarl artery. We performed this operation for 11 sacral sores with reasonable results. There was no significant complication, and duration of operation was relatively short and blood loss was a little. We concluded that this flap was useful for the patient with sacral pressure sore who could be categorized nontraumatic nonparaplegic group(NTNP group) or nontraumatic paraplegic group(NTP group). But this island flap has drawback, which is elimination of sensory nerve within the flap.
Arteries ; Humans ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Pressure Ulcer* ; Recurrence ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Pressure Ulcer*

The goal of cleft lip surgery is to reconstruct normal shape of the lip. To acomplish this goal, various operative method were contrived and concept of the method decided the shape of reconstructed lips. According to the operative result, some operative methods were disappeared or have been developed with a little modifiation. Traditional Millard's rotation-advancement method for unilateral cleft lip patients is largely accepted and developed as proper method for acquiring these functional and anatomic purposes. As a trial for this development, Mulliken add some modifications. He uses exaggerated high rotation incision and it lengthens into midcolumella without backcut. Also he dosen't steal from alar base or lateral lip for vertical height. C-flap is used to lengthen the affected columella and upper lip. The isolated orbicularis oris muscle is coaptated each other for more functional result. With supraperichondral dissection of alar cartilage and transpositioning of caudal septum, he performs synchronous repair of cleft lips, nose and sometimes alveolus. It is still debated when is most suitable age for surgical correction of nasal deformity of cleft lip patients. Done at the time of primary lip repair, there are both some apprehension and inducement. The former are based on technical difficulties due to shortage and fragility of neonatal tissue and possibility of progressive deformities with growing because of iatrogenic injuries to the alar cartilages. But te latter is rationalized because early reposition of deformed nasal cartilage in proper position would induce more natural growth of nasal structures. Some long-term follow up reports reveal the early operation innocent of any growth deterioration. Mulliken treats his cleft lip patient for separated lip and nasal deformities with single operation, and does gingiovoperiosteal alveoloplasty at the same time if necessary. He uses Latham appliance from 4 to 6 week after birth in case of severly collapsed lateral alveolar segment or wide alvolar gap, and perform the definitive opertation at the age of 4 to 6 months. I use lip adhension method to correct more than 10 mm alveolar gap without severe collapse of lateral alveolar segment, but if lateral segment was severely collapsed and away from alvolar arch, I apply the Latham appliance somewhat modificate from original type, which has a metal ring fastened at the front limb of appliance for rubber banding to coaptate easily. I have experienced repair of cleft lip by Mulliken's concept with some modification of my own to 44 cases of unilateral cleft lip patients and conclude that it was very flexible method. Doing with synchonous repair of cleft lip nose, we could get harmonious lip and nose with symmetric nostril sill, cupid's bow and red line. Columella was lengthened primarily. Normal growth of nose was anticipated by anatomic repositioning of alar septal cartilage.
Alveoloplasty ; Cartilage ; Cleft Lip* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lip ; Nasal Cartilages ; Nose ; Parturition ; Rubber

To assess the effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with endorectal surface coil in the ataging of carcinoma of the uterine cervix with emphasis on parametrial involvement. Thirty women with clinically and radiographically proven carcinoma of the uterine cervix were initially included for this study, but thirteen patients were excluded since the stages of tumors wore beyond stage IIa. CT and MR findings of the remaining seventeen patients were performed at Cheil General Hospital and compared a1ong with clinical findings with the special emphasis on the parametrial involvement by the tumor. Staging was assessed by CT and MRI, and the results were compared with the pathologic staging. Radiea1 abdominal hysterectomy with the pelvic and paraaortic lymphnode dissection was done to all sewenteen patients. The staging made primarily by CT and MRI was either stsge 1 or Ila, but MR images with endorectal surface coil was superior to CT in the visualization of depth of tumor infiltration, especially parametrial involvement. The determination of the depth of the tumor made by MR images showed statistically significant correlation with histologic evaluation(R =0.768, p<0.01). The accuracy rate for the evaluation of the parametrial invo1vement was 82.3% far CT and 94.1% for MRI with endorectal surface coil. The overall accuracy rate for tumor staging was 70.5% for clinical, 58.8% for CT and 82.3% for MR evaluation. The accurecy rate in evaluation of the pelvic and paraaortic lymphnode was 88.2% for CT, but the evaluation done by MRl was not adequate due to small FOV(field of view). In assessment of The steging of careinoma of the uterine cervlx, MR images with endorectal surface coil was superior to CT, especially in the evaluation of the parametrial involvement.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Staging

BACKGROUND: Norwegian scabies is a highly infectious disease characterized by crust formation, different from ordinary scabies, and is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei. After the patient in our case was diagnosed with Norwegian scabies, active measures were taken to prevent its transmission within the hospital. Methods: A 66-year-old female patient was admitted to the general ward of a university hospital on January 23rd, 2008 and 6 days later, she was found to have been infected with Norwegian scabies all over the body. For epidemiological investigation, those who had been in contact with the patient were identified and interviewed. The patient was advised to follow the contact precaution, and linen the patient used was cleaned thoroughly. The surrounding environment was decontaminated by applying surface disinfectant. Preventive cream against the Norwegian scabies was distributed to staff members and patients who had been exposed to the patient, and appointed a dermatologist to educate them on how to use of medicine, what the mechanism of the disease is, what cautions must be taken, and how to write an ex post facto report. RESULTS: After the confirmation of the 1st case, no additional cases have been reported in the hospital during the ensuing 2 months. Therefore, prompt prevention and infection control activities against Norwegian scabies can be thought to have been successful. CONCLUSION: Whena patient with an uncertain skin disease is admitted, pertinent measures must be taken from the moment the patient is admitted and contact precaution should be applied both to the patients and the staff members. When a scabies patient is detected in an institution, the medical staff must enforce as much active preventive measures as possible, and by doing so, there will be a better chance to prevent the outbreak of scabies in the hospital.
Aged ; Bedding and Linens ; Communicable Diseases ; Cross Infection ; Female ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Medical Staff ; Patients' Rooms ; Sarcoptes scabiei ; Scabies ; Skin Diseases

Fetal bilateral renal agenesis is a lethal congenital anomaly. An early and reliable prenatal diagnosis is extremely important as it may offer options for pregnancy termination as early as possible. The criteria for the ultrasonographic diagnosis of bilateral renal agenesis are severe oligohydramnios, nonvisualization of the bladder, and the empty renal fossa. However, severe oligohydramnios makes it difficult to diagnose the disease because of poor sonographic resolution. We present two cases of bilateral renal agenesis, one is diagnosed by ultrasonography after amnioinfusion at 24 weeks gestation, the other is diagnosed postnatally after term delivery.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Oligohydramnios ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder