The study was carried out to analyze the roentgenological findings associated with clinical symptoms andphysical findings about 18 cases of congenital hydronephrosis confirmed at the Dept. of Urology, Chonnam NationalUnversity Hospital from Jan. 1977 to Dec. 1981. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The congenitalhydronephrosis developed mostly in male (89%) and the distribution of age was between 4 months and 34 years. 2.The incidence of pathological side was 10 patients in left, 3 patients in right and 5 patients in bilateral. 3.The most common etiological factor was congenital UPJ stricture (33%), others composed of aberrant renal vessel(22%), ureterocele(22%), posterior urethral valve (11%), fibrous band(6%) and renal fusion(6%). 4. The mainsymptom was flank pain(56%) and in 7 cases (395) abdominal mass was palpable. 5. On laboratory examination, serumBUN and creatinine level were normal in 14 cases (78%) and 15 cases (825) respectively. In 2 cases of posteriorurethral valves, renal function was severely damaged. 6. Intravenous pyelography was performed in all cases andshowed pelvicaliceal dilatation in 13 cases, non-visualizing kidney in 5 cases, and characteristic crescent signin one case.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Creatinine ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Incidence ; Jeollanam-do ; Kidney ; Male ; Urography ; Urology

Congenital syphilis is transmitted throuth the placenta by the infected mother after 16 weeks of gestation.Since the incidence of syphilis is again on the increase, syphilis remanis at the present time a public problem ofmajor and increasing proportions. Recently, congenital syphilis has different formas of presentation. The authorsobserved clinically and radiologically 27 cases of congenital syphilis in the neonates and infants treated at thepediatric ward of Chonnam National University Hsopital from Jan. 1977 to Mar. 1982. The results are as follows; 1.The number of observed patients was 27 cases, 22 cases in male, 5 cases in female. 2. Onset of first clinicalsymptoms and signs was within the 4th week life in 14 cases (52%), 1-2 months in 6 cases (22%), 2-3 months in 4cases (15%), 3-4 months in 3 cases (11%). All cases was within 6 months. 3. The order of the frequency of commonclinical manifestations was hepatomegaly (96%). splenomegaly (78%), skin lesions(63%), anemia(63%), nasalsnuffle(56%). 4. Of 11 cases with known birth weight, 10 cases were low birth weight. 5. The serologic test (VDRLslide test) of 27 tested cases revealed reactive response in 26 cases, nonreactive response in 1 case, and that ofsyphilitic mothers except one revealed reactive in 23 cases, non-reactive in 3 cases. 6. Roentgenographicsyphilitic bonychanges were detected in 26 cases (96%), of 27 studied cases, Osteochondritis was present in 24cases (89%), periostitis in 21 cases (78%), osteomyelitis in 11 cases(41%). 7. The most common sites affected wereas follows. Radius and ulna were the most frequently affected, the next were in order of tibia and fibula.Considering osteochondiritis only, the distal end of radius and ulna(78% respectively) and proximal end of tibia(67%) were the most frequently affected sites, the proximal en of femur (33%) was least frequently affected site.8. On chest films of 27 cases, osseous chanages(Mainly periostitis) of clavicle were noted in 14 cases and thoseof rib in 2 cases.
Birth Weight ; Clavicle ; Female ; Femur ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Jeollanam-do ; Male ; Mothers ; Osteochondritis ; Osteomyelitis ; Periostitis ; Placenta ; Radius ; Ribs ; Serologic Tests ; Skin ; Splenomegaly ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Congenital ; Thorax ; Tibia ; Ulna

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the preliminary results using the 4+5 extensor compartmental vascularized bone graft for the treatment of stage III Kienbock's disease and to report the usefulness of this procedure. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on five patients who had undergone 4+5 extensor compartmental vascularized bone graft for stage III Kienbock's disease between Jan. 2005 and Aug. 2006. All patients were composed of two patients in stage IIIA and three patients in stage IIIB according to Lichtman classification. The radiographic findings were evaluated by carpal height ratio, Stahl's index, ulnar variance and scapholunate angle. The clinical outcome was assessed using the Mayo wrist score. RESULTS: The mean age of 43.4 years(range, 21-61) and the mean follow up of 23.6 months(range, 14-31) were presented. All patients were satisfied and the mean Mayo wrist score was 78(range, 70-85). Two patients showed further lunate collapse on follow-up radiographs. Four patients had no pain in the activity of daily living, one patient had a mild occasional pain. CONCLUSION: The 4+5 extensor compartmental vascularized bone graft for the surgical treatment of stage III Kienbock's disease is the effective treatment showing satisfactory clinical results, but a lunate collapse proceeds. Before this operation, the possibility of lunate collapse should be considered.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Osteonecrosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants ; Wrist

Cavernous angiomas are commonly found within the intracranial cavity. However, these malformations are uncommon in the spinal column and rarely found within the spinal cord. There have been only a few isolated reports on surgical resection for spinal cord intramedullary cavernous malformations. However, cavernous angiomas are being increasingly well recognized throughout the central nervous system since introduction of magnetic resonance image(MRI). A series of six patients with spinal cord intramedullary cavernous angioma, which were treated by complete surgical excision, is described. Intramedullary cavernous angiomas cause sensorimotor symptoms, typically with progressive painful paraparesis. The cavernous angioma manifest as reticulated mixed signal areas on both T-1 and T-2 weighted images, surrounded by low signal intensity prominent in T-2 weighted images. Intramedullary cavernous angiomas are mostly located in dorsal aspect of spinal cord. In the five cases, a bluish area is visible on the spinal surface and myelotomy is performed at this level. Four cases improved but two cases worsened in Nurick classification. A worsened case had a ventrally located cavernous angioma. Sensory function were aggravated in four cases. It is concluded that intramedullary spinal cord cavernous angiomas are uncommon causes of progressive myelopathy that can be safely and effectively treated by surgical excision.
Central Nervous System ; Classification ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Humans ; Paraparesis ; Sensation ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine

OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to investigate how apoptosis is presented and how the genes of p53 and bcl-2 are expressed depending on graded injury in experimental spinal cord injury. METHODS: Experimental spinal cord injury was made on rats with weight drop method. Two different amounts of impact were applied on rat spinal cord. Rats were categorized into three groups (control; five rats, mild injury; five rats, severe injury; five rats). Fourty eight hours following cord injury, cord specimen was harvested from injury epicenter. TUNEL staining was done for apoptotic detection and immunohistochemical staining for p53 and bcl-2 expression. Positively stained cells were counted and mean values were compared among three groups. RESULTS: TUNEL positive cells increased depending on injury severity(p=0.027). The p53 positive cells increased in both injury groups compared to control group(p=0.001). Bcl-2 positive cells decreased as injury amount increased(p=0.002). The p53 expression increased in proportion to TUNEL staining in correlation curve in white matter(correlation coefficient, 0.387). The bcl-2 expression was inversely proportional to TUNEL staining and steeper decrease was found in gray matter than in white matter (correlation coefficient, -0.875). CONCLUSION: Apoptosis increases as the injury grading elevated within 20gm-cm of impact. The p53 seems to promote apoptosis in white matter, but do not show proportional relationship with injury amount. Bcl-2 appeared to be protective to cell death due to apoptosis.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Cell Death ; Contusions* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord*

Traumatic dissection of the aorta is a fatal injury that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. In assessing acute thoracic aortic injury, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has recently compared favorably with standard diagnostic modalities such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and aortography. These latter include time-consuming, contrast injection and the transportation of the patient to another area, requiring the interruption of resuscitative efforts. But, TEE includes less invasive nature, shorter procedure time, no contrast injection, portability at bedside, ability to be done concurrently other procedures such as resuscitation or hemodynamic monitoring and has high sensitivity and specificity for the evaluation of trauma patients with suspected injuries of the thoracic aorta. TEE may be suggested as primary diagnostic modality in suspected traumatic aortic injury in emergency department. We report two cases of traumatic aortic dissection diagnosed early by transesophageal echocardiography in the emergency department.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortography ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Resuscitation ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transportation

BACKGROUND: Because conventional echocardiographic parameters have several limitations, strain echocardiography has often been introduced in clinical practice. However, there are also obstacles in using it in clinical practice. Therefore, we wanted to find the current status of awareness on using strain echocardiography in Korea. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide survey to evaluate current use and awareness of strain echocardiography from the members of the Korean Society of Echocardiography. RESULTS: We gathered total 321 questionnaires from 25 cardiology centers in Korea. All participants were able to perform or interpret echocardiographic examinations. All participating institutions performed strain echocardiography. Most of our study participants (97%) were aware of speckle tracking echocardiography and 185 (58%) performed it for clinical and research purposes. Two-dimensional strain echocardiography was the most commonly used modality and left ventricle (LV) was the most commonly used cardiac chamber (99%) for clinical purposes. Most of the participants (89%) did not think LV strain can replace LV ejection fraction (LVEF) in their clinical practice. The common reasons for not performing routine use of strain echocardiography was diversity of strain measurements and lack of normal reference value. Many participants had a favorable view of the future of strain echocardiography. CONCLUSION: Most of our study participants were aware of strain echocardiography, and all institutions performed strain echocardiography for clinical and research purposes. However, they did not think the LV strain values could replace LVEF. The diversity of strain measurements and lack of normal reference values were common reasons for not using strain echocardiography in clinical practice.
Cardiology ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Ventricles ; Korea* ; Reference Values