Between Feb. 1992 and Apr, 1995, the authors have performed arthroscopic abrasion arthroplasty in 78 knees of 76 patients with degenerative osteoarthritis. The followup period was between 24 and 58 months, with on an average of 41 months. All patients had Zarins grade IV articular cartilage change. The results were as follows. 1. Of the total 78 knees, results were excellent in 25(32%), good in 33(42A), fair in 12(17%), poor in 8(10%) knees respectively. 2, The best results were obtained patellofemoral abrasion arthroplasty. 3. The poor results were obtained in patients with the both femoral condyle, lesion. 4. The results were much better in young age group (below 40 years). Aroscopic abrasion arthroplasty is not a curative but palliative method. But it could be an appealing altemative to total knee arthroplasty or high tibial osteotomy or can be performed postoperated after these reconstructive proeedures.
Arthroplasty* ; Cartilage, Articular ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee* ; Osteoarthritis* ; Osteotomy

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of a unilateral x-ray of the kidney, ureter and bladder (hemi-KUB), in the place of a full-KUB, in the follow-up of patients treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), and thereby reduce the radiation exposure for patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 111 patients, who underwent ESWL, between March 2000 and July 2002, were enrolled onto the study. Patients with bilateral stones, or who had changed to another treatment model, were excluded. During the follow-up to the ESWL, we used the hemi-KUB method for the collimation of the radiation field. The numbers of hemi-KUBs during the treatment were recorded. The reductions in the exposure to the radiation dose, per patient, were calculated and analyzed according to the sizes and shapes of the stones. The typical doses were: for IVU (6 films), 2.5mSv; full-KUB film, 0.42mSv; and a hemi-KUB film, 0.21mSv. RESULTS: The total reduction in the doses of radiation exposure was 114.45mSv. The radiation doses, per patient, were reduced by a mean of 1.03+/-0.58mSv. The reduction in the dose of radiation exposure correlated well with the stone size (r=0.7082, p<0.05). The mean number of hemi-KUBs (mean reduction dose of radiation exposure), according to the stone size groups: these being 5-9, 10-19 and +/-20mm, were 3.82+/-1.76 (0.80+/-0.37), 6.52+/-2.10 (1.37+/-0.44) and 11.00+/-3.85 (2.31+/-0.81)mSv, respectively (p<0.05). Also, the mean number of hemi-KUBs (mean reduction dose of radiation exposure), according to the stone shapes, typed into I (less organized or lacy), IIa (spiculated), IIb (mulberry), III (round or ovoid) and IV (struvite or staghorn), were 2.77+/-0.85 (0.58+/-0.18), 4.48+/-1.86 (0.94+/-0.39), 4.83+/-1.43 (1.01+/-0.30), 7.54+/-1.36 (1.58+/-0.29) and 8.75+/-3.72 (1.84+/-0.78)mSv, respectively (p<0.05). Using the receiver operating characteristic curve, the cut-off value, of a stone size that could be used to determine the risk group whose radiation exposure exceeding 5mSv (personal permissible dose/year), was 23.52mm, but when using a full-KUB this was 7.97mm. CONCLUSIONS: The use of hemi-KUB is a simple and easy method to reduce the radiation exposure in the follow-up of an ESWL, especially in patients with stones larger than 7.97mm in size, with a round-ovoid or staghorn shape.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Lithotripsy* ; ROC Curve ; Shock* ; Ureter* ; Urinary Bladder*

We have recently experienced a clinically atypical case of malignant histiocytosis involving the spleen, ileum and bone marrow, in a 25-year-old Korean male. He was admitted to our hospital because of multiple purpuric lesions of skin which had been appearing since 2 years ago. Physical and laboratory examinations revealed marked splenomegaly with pancytopenia. With clinical impression of hypersplenism, splenectomy was performed. During the operation, the surgeons found a dark red mucosal lesion in the ileum incidentally, to resect the segment. Microscopic findings of the spleen and the ileal lesion showed extensive proliferation of atypical histiocytes, many of them phagocytosing numerous erythrocytes. Bone marrow biopsy was done for follow-up study, which showed increased cellularity with infiltration of atypical histiocytes.
Follow-Up Studies ; Biopsy

No abstract available.
Aorta, Thoracic*

Acanthamoeba keratitis is uncommon and rarely reported in Korea. It has been reported in world literature as a very severe, progressive necrotizing stromal keratitis due to a non-parasitic free-living amoeba. It is frequently associated with minimal corneal trauma especially from contact lens but sometimes occurs in patients without any past history. We report a case of acanthamoeba keratitis without a specific past history in a 42-year-old man. Light and electron microscopy demonstrated severe stromal keratitis with numerous thick-walled cysts, 10~15 m in diameter, scattered in the superficial and deep stroma. Because this keratitis is most often mistaken for fungal, bacterial or herpetic keratitis, early confirmatory diagnosis by direct smear, biopsy or culture is essentially required for the prevention of visual loss or devastating eyeball loss.
Acanthamoeba Keratitis* ; Acanthamoeba* ; Adult ; Amoeba ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; Korea ; Microscopy, Electron

We report 13 chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (10.8%) observed among 120 renal cell carcinomas in adults. The average age was 53 (range: 34-72) years old, and 6 were males and 7 females. The mean tumor size was 10 (range: 5-17) cm, mean nuclear grade 2.4, and mean Robson's stage was 1.9. There were two distinct histologic variants; typical variant (n=9) and eosinophilic variant (n=4). Both of them showed typical light microscopic features and positive reaction with Hale's colloidal iron and carbonic anhydrase II, a marker protein of intercalated cells of renal collecting ducts. A strong positive immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen was noted in the cytoplasm in 12 of 13 tumors. Numerous microvesicles, 180~440 nm in diameter, were identified ultrastructurally. DNA aneuploidy was found in 3 out of 10 cases. Neither local recurrence nor metastasis have been identified during the following period of 4~144 (mean 48) months.
Adult ; Aneuploidy ; Carbonic Anhydrase II ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Colloids ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; Male ; Mucin-1 ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

In human reproduction, fertilization is the first step for successful pregnancy. From the perspective of sperm physiology, the progressive motility and capacitation, including hyperactivation and acrosome reaction, are the most important factors in the fertilization of oocytes. Numerous studies have demonstrated the roles of calcium ions, cyclic nucleotides, and bicarbonate in the acquisition of progressive motility and capacitation. Among these factors, calcium ion plays the most important role. Sperm possess several calcium channels, including voltage-gated calcium channel, cyclic nucleotide-gated calcium channel, transient receptor potential channel, and channels of the CatSper family The CatSper family is a newly-identified group of four sperm-specific cation channels. CatSper1 and CatSper2 proteins localize on the sperm tail and play a critical role in sperm motility and fertilization. In contrast, CatSper3 and CatSper4 proteinsare expressed only in the acrosomal region of sperm head, which implies that they may have a role in the acrosome reaction. Taken together, the CatSper family is the most important group of calcium channels for regulating sperm physiology and appear to be an attractive target for non-hormonal male contraceptives.
Acrosome Reaction ; Calcium ; Calcium Channels ; Contraceptive Agents, Male ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Ions ; Nucleotides, Cyclic ; Oocytes ; Physiology ; Pregnancy ; Reproduction ; Sperm Head ; Sperm Motility ; Sperm Tail ; Spermatozoa

Eosinophilic cholecystitis is a rare disease characterized by transmural leukocyte infiltration composed of more than 90% eosinophils. Eosinophilic cholecystitis is clinically indistinguishable from ordinary cholecystitis, and as a rule it leads to cholecystectomy. We report a case of idiopathic eosinophilic cholecystitis treated with steroids. A 75-year-old woman presented with a classic history of acute cholecystitis and a peripheral eosinophilia of 41.8%. There was no evidence of allergy or parasitic infestation. An abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) scan showed an edematous, thickened gallbladder wall, but no gallstones. There was no evidence of eosinophilic infiltration in other organs. Cholecystectomy was not performed because the patient refused surgical management. However, fever, abdominal pain, and peripheral eosinophilia persisted despite antibiotic and conservative therapy. Therefore, we attempted treatment with prednisolone. A week later, the symptoms disappeared and the peripheral eosinophilia normalized.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Fever ; Gallbladder ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Leukocytes ; Prednisolone ; Rare Diseases ; Steroids

OBJECTIVES: There is limited data regarding the toxicity of methylcyclohexane, despite its wide use in rubber adhesives, paint diluents, and cleansing agents. This study aimed to verify the toxicity and influence on the reproductive system of methylcyclohexane after its repeated injection in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. METHODS: Methylcyclohexane was injected subcutaneously into male and female SD rats once a day, five times a week, for 13 weeks at different doses (0, 10, 100, and 1,000 mg/kg/day) for each group. The toxicity of testing material was verified by observing the change in body and organ weight, hematological change, pathological findings, and effect on the reproductive system at each different concentration. RESULTS: In the 1,000 mg/kg/day group, there were cases of animal deaths. In animals that survived, hematological changes, including a decrease in the red blood cell count, were observed. A considerable weight gain or loss and pathological abnormalities in the liver, kidney, and other organs were found. However, the 10 and 100 mg/kg/day groups did not cause deaths or other specific abnormalities. In terms of reproductive toxicity, there were changes in hormone levels, including a significant decrease in hormones such as estradiol and progesterone (p < 0.001) in male animals. Menstrual cycle change for female animals did not show concentration dependency. CONCLUSION: When injected repeatedly for 13 weeks, methylcyclohexane proved to be toxic for the liver, heart, and kidney at a high dose. The absolute toxic dose was 1,000 mg/kg/day, while the no observed adverse effect level was less than 100 mg/kg/day. The substance exerted little influence on the reproductive system.
Adhesives ; Animals ; Cyclohexanes ; Detergents ; Erythrocyte Count ; Estradiol ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Liver ; Male ; Menstrual Cycle ; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level ; Organ Size ; Paint ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Rubber ; Weight Gain