No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) on refractory or recurrent macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) after intravitreal steroid or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with macular edema due to BRVO who underwent PPV after intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide or bevacizumab injections and followed-up for at least 12 months. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and subfoveal macular thickness were measured at 1, 3, 6, 12 months postoperatively and were compared with the preoperative values. The patients received additional intravitreal injections if they had recurrence of macular edema after surgery. The frequency of intravitreal injections (per year) were compared pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 41 eyes of 41 patients were included and the mean duration of follow up was 58.7 ± 30.0 (15 - 124) months. The BCVA (logMAR) at 1, 3, 6, 12 months postoperatively, and last follow up was 0.52 ± 0.42, 0.46 ± 0.38, 0.41 ± 0.26, 0.50 ± 0.34, and 0.49 ± 0.37, respectively, which was significantly different from the preoperative values (0.90 ± 0.47, p < 0.001). The subfoveal macular thickness at 1, 3, 6, 12 months postoperatively, and last follow up was 342.72 ± 84.10 µm, 365.02 ± 110.73 µm, 359.45 ± 119.28 µm, 360.96 ± 124.33 µm, and 329.34 ± 119.69 µm, respectively, which was also significantly different (p < 0.001) from the preoperative values (484.9 ± 112.8 µm, p < 0.001). The frequency of intravitreal injections was significantly decreased after surgery (3.58 ± 2.05 times/year vs. 0.60 ± 0.83 times/year, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Pars plana vitrectomy could improve BCVA, decrease subfoveal macular thickness, and decrease recurrence in BRVO patients with refractory or recurrent macular edema after intravitreal injection. PPV could be an effective treatment option for these patients.
Bevacizumab ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections* ; Macular Edema* ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Retinal Vein Occlusion* ; Retinal Vein* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Retrospective Studies ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy*

Acute and long-term effects of the noncontact transscleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation were studied in 6 pigmented rabbits used laser power level was 0.15J, 0.25J, 0.5J and 0.75J. Each eyeballs was enuleated 1.7 and 21 days after cyclophotocoagulation for histopathologic examination. The findings with diode laser were coagulation necrosis of pigmented epitihelium, nonpigmented epitihelium and stroma, congestion of vessel, pigment dispersion and detachment of pigment epithelium. Twenty one days after laser treatment, the light microscopic examination revealed atrophy of nonpigmented epithelium and pigmented epithelium, fibrosls, pigment laden macrophages. These changes were obvious in rabbits treated with a power more than 0.5J. It is suggested that noncontact trasnscleral cyclophotocoagulation with diode laser is useful in lowering intraocular pressure.
Atrophy ; Epithelium ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lasers, Semiconductor* ; Macrophages ; Necrosis ; Rabbits*

In order to prepare the fundamental data for the health promotion by assessing the exposure level of styrene, the author determined the concentration of mandelic acid and phenylglyoxylic acid in urine of 42 workers who were exposed to styrene by high performance liquid chromatography and surveyed 16 symptoms, by questionnaire and also tested neurobehavioral test(digit symbol, benton visual retention) in 2 FRP plants of Kyung Nam area from July to September, 1995. Control was sampled by age sex matching method. The concentration of styrene in air was determined by gas chromatography. The results were as follows; 1. Geometric mean concentration of styrene in air was 17.4ppm, geometric mean concentration of mandelic acid(MA) in urine were 404.3mg/g creatinine for exposure group, 46.4mg/g creatinine for control group, geometric mean concentration of phenylglyoxylic acid(PGA) in urine were 57.5mg/g creatinine for exposure group, 9.5mg/g creatinine for control group. Mean concentration of MA and PGA showed statistically significant difference between exposure group and control group(p<0.01). 2. Number of symptom were 2.9 for exposure group, 3.3 for control group, number of digit symbol were 24.1 for exposure group, 32.5 for control group, number of Benton visual retention test were 6.1 for exposure group, 6.0 for control group, respectively. As result of adjusting the education year, number of Benton visual retention test showed statistically significant difference between exposure group and control group(p<0.05). 3. Excellent correlation were observed between environmental styrene exposure and urinary MA(r=0.80), PGA(r=0.73), and MA+PGA(r=0.81).
Chromatography, Gas ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Creatinine ; Education ; Health Promotion ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Styrene*

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine whether 12 core-extended biopsies of the prostate could predict insignificant prostate cancer (IPCa) in Koreans reliably enough to recommend active surveillance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-seven patients who underwent radical prostatectomy after 12 core-extended prostate biopsies were retrospectively reviewed. 38 cases (12.8%) were shown to be IPCa. RESULTS: The average age was 65.2 years, serum PSA was 5.49 ng/dL, and the PSA density was 0.11. The Gleason scores (GS) were 6 (3+3) in 31, 5 (3+2) in 4, and 4 (2+2) in 3. After radical prostatectomy, higher GS was given in 16 (42.1%), whereas lower GS was given in 1 case (2.6%), as compared with the GS obtained from biopsy. 11 (28.9%) had GS of 7 (3+4) and 5 (13.2%) had GS of 7 (4+3). 6 in GS 7 (4+3) and 1 in GS 7 (3+4) showed prostate capsule invasion and 1 in GS 7 (4+3) had seminal vesicle invasion. Prostate capsule invasion was observed in 1 with GS 6 (3+3). The rate of inaccuracy of the contemporary Epstein criteria was 42.1%. Only PSA density was a reliable indicator of clinically IPCa (odds ratio=1.384, 95% CI, 1.103 to 2.091). CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of IPCa from a prostate biopsy underestimated the true nature of prostate cancer in as many as 42.1% of Koreans.
Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms/blood/*diagnosis/surgery ; Retrospective Studies

Between March 1994 and March 1995, 10 patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures underwent a one-stage operation consisting of anterior decompression, reduction, bony fusion with iliac bone and stabilization with Kaneda device. The mean follow-up was 6.4 Months. Most patients with incomplete neurologic lesions showed postoperative improvement and were upgraded one or two steps in the Frankel scale. No patient showed neurological deterioration after surgery. Loss of reduction was 5.5 degree during follow-up period. Anterior decompression and strut fusion was used to effectively recover the neurological deficit and reduce the pain in a thoraco-lumbar burst fracture.
Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans

BACKGROUND: A number of observational studies have found that ginseng intake may reduce the risk of developing gastric cancer. However, studies have yielded inconsistent results as to whether consuming ginseng can lower the risk of gastric cancer. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies that assessed the association between ginseng intake and the risk of gastric cancer. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, KMbase, KoreaMed, RiCH, National Assembly Library, Riss4u, and DBPIA for studies released through August 2007. We manually searched the references. Two authors independently extracted the data. To assess the quality of the studies Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Methodology Checklist for case-control studies and cohort studies were used. Review Manager 5.0 (RevMan) was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: We identified one case-control study and three cohort studies. The risk ratio (RR) for ginseng intake of all studies was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46 to 1.51) and I2 = 91% for heterogeneity. We did subgroup analysis according to different types of study design, nation, and author. The results were consistent only when we did subgroup analysis according to authors. The RR of subgroup by different authors was 1.43 (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.80) and I2 = 0% without showing heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: In this meta-analysis, the results suggested that there was insufficient evidence to confirm the association between ginseng intake and the risk of gastric cancer. Subsequent more powerful, well-designed, and larger observational epidemiological studies are needed to clarify the association.
Case-Control Studies ; Checklist ; Cohort Studies ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Odds Ratio ; Panax ; Population Characteristics ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical study for patients with cervical cancer who had undergone radical hysterectomy. METHOD: The subjects of this study were one hundred and sixty two patients with cervical cancer who had undergone radical hysterectomy at Eulji Medical College Hospital, Taejon, Korea, from January 1983 to December 1992. We reviewed the medical record retrospectively and analyzed the data. RESULT: The distribution of patients by age was found in the order of 50 decade and 60 decade, 40 decade. Those by the clinical stages were as follows: Stage Ia, 12 cases(7.4%); Stage Ib, 84 cases(51.9%); Stage IIa, 39 cases(24.1%); Stage IIb 27 cases(16.7%). The results of histopathologic type were distributed as follows: squamous cell carcinoma was 91.9%, adenocarcinoma was 4.9% and adenosquamous cell carcinoma was 3.1%. The histologic subtypes of squamous cell carcinoma(149 cases) were as follows: Large cell non-keratinizing type was 75.9%, large cell keratinizing type was 14.8% and small cell type was 1.2%. The frequancy of lymph node metastasis was 22.9% in stage I and 31.8% in stage II. The overall incidence of lymph node metastasis was 26.4%. The frequency of external radiation therapy done after radical hysterectomy was 63.5% in stage I and 75.8% in stage II. The 5-year survival rate was as follows: The Ia was 100%; Stage Ib, 95.2%(4cases); Stage IIa, 87.2%(5cases); Stage IIb, 77.8%(6cases). The incidence of recurrence was 7.4% and recurrent sites were vaginal stump , rectum and pelvic wall. CONCLUSION: The highest incidence of cervix cancer in age distribution was 50 decade(30.9%) and 60 decade(30.9%). The most common clinical stage was Ib(51.9%) and most frequent pathologic type was squamous cell carcinoma(91.9%). The overall incidence of lymph node metastasis was 26.4% and The most common site of recurrence was vaginal stump. The 5-year survival rate was 100% in the stage Ia, 95.2% in the stage Ib, 87.2% in the stage IIa, 77.8% in the stage IIb.
Adenocarcinoma ; Age Distribution ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Daejeon ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

On the review of literature, various cases of osteomas orginated from paranasal sinuses can be found. But osteomas which are large enough to produce ocular symptoms are not very common. Even more, various ocular and intracranial sequelae may be complicated from surgical removal of huge frontal osteoma. We present a case of huge frontal osteoma which is originated from frontal sinus and removed successfully without any complications.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Exophthalmos ; Frontal Sinus* ; Osteoma* ; Paranasal Sinuses

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is an uncommon disease of unknown etiology that is characterized by massive tissue infiltration of eosinophils in the tissue layers of various areas of the gastrointestinal tract. An accurate diagnosis is difficult as clinical presentations, symptoms, endoscopic and radiologic findings are nonspecific. A 51-year-old man visited our hospital presenting with abdominal pain. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed diffuse hyperemic mucosal lesions at the stomach, duodenum. Symptoms and endoscopic findings deteriorated rapidly after three days. Small amounts of eosinophilic infiltration without malignant cells was confirmed from biopsy. However, we could not exclude malignancy and performed a subtotal gastrectomy. Stomach specimen showed eosinophilic infiltrations, and the patient was finally diagnosed as eosinophilic gastroenteritis. We report a case of atypical eosinophilic gastritis with rapid deterioration mimicking Borrmann type 4 advanced gastric cancer.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Eosinophils* ; Gastrectomy ; Gastritis ; Gastroenteritis* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms*