STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: In spite of the progress in techniques and materials in complete denture prosthodontics, patients still complain of discomfort after the insertion of complete dentures. For the last several decades many prosthodontists tried to find factors influencing patient complete denture satisfaction, however the reported results became a controversy. PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to verify the factors influencing patient satisfaction with complete dentures using multiple regression analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 33 patients who visited the department of prosthodontics, dental hospital of Yonsei University, 4 to 6 weeks after the complete denture delivery, were asked to complete the questionnaires on complete denture satisfaction, social variables and psychological variables. The Prosthodontists who treated the patients with complete dentures were also asked to complete the questionnaires on evaluation of patients' oral condition and technical quality of dentures. The factors influencing patients' satisfaction with their complete dentures were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the patients' sociodemographic variables, the variables of relationship with children, economic status, housing condition, other people's opinions of dentures and gender were the influential factors on patients' satisfaction with complete dentures. Patients showing the symptoms of depression, one of the psychological variables, were dissatisfied with their complete dentures. In spite of the good oral condition, patients were dissatisfied with complete dentures, whereas the technical quality of dentures did not influence patients' complete denture satisfaction. CONCLUSION: According to the results above, patients' sociodemographic and psychological variables rather than clinical variables including oral condition and technical quality of dentures were the influential factors on complete denture satisfaction. The results of this study may not only enable prosthodontists to predict the success and failure of complete denture treatment, but also help both prosthodontists and patients be informed of the essentials of increasing satisfaction with complete dentures.
Child ; Denture, Complete* ; Dentures ; Depression ; Housing ; Humans ; Patient Satisfaction* ; Prosthodontics ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a rare endocrine disorder, most prevalent among Asians, which presents as proximal muscle weakness, hypokalemia, and with signs of hyperthyroidism from various etiologies. It is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by acute and recurrent episodes of muscle weakness concomitant with a decrease in blood potassium levels below the reference range, lasting from hours to days, and is often triggered by physical activity or ingestion of carbohydrates. Although hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a common complication of hyperthyroidism among Asian populations, it has never been documented since in Korea. We report a case of male patient with Graves' disease accompanied by hypokalemic periodic paralysis that was treated by total thyroidectomy, and present a literature review.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carbohydrates ; Eating ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypokalemia ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis* ; Korea ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Weakness ; Paralysis ; Potassium ; Reference Values ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyrotoxicosis

PURPOSE: There have been controversies on the scope of central lymph node dissection (CND) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). We performed this study to determine the role of CND for patients having PTC measuring 2 cm or less. METHODS: 530 cases of PTC less than 2 cm had undergone lobectomy plus isthmectomy (LI) with CND or without CND. Clinicopathologic records and clinical outcome were evaluated, retrospectively. RESULTS: Comparing recurrence rates in LI with CND group (4/174, 2.30%) and LI without CND group (16/356, 4.49%), there was no significant statistical difference in recurrence (P=0.331). We compared 20 patients with recurrences and 510 patients of no recurrence. The size of tumor seemed to influence recurrence (P<0.001) and the size of tumor developing recurrence was larger than the other (1.11 cm vs. 0.75 cm). When considering division into PTC and papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), PTMC showed less recurrence significantly (P=0.006). No other variables such as age, sex, tumor location, extrathyroidal extension seemed to be related to the recurrence. CONCLUSION: We could not find any relevant role of CND to prevent recurrence either locally or regionally in cases of no lymph node metastasis after CND for patients having PTC measuring 2 cm or less. Moreover, prophylactic CND is not mandatory for all cases of PTC less than 2 cm.
Carcinoma, Papillary ; Factor IX ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To report a case of solitary Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of eyelid in an HIV-negative patient, which has not yet been reported in domestics. CASE SUMMARY: A 76-year-old woman was seen at our clinic with a purplish nodular mass on her left lower lid that had grown up for 4 months prior. There were no abnormal findings in the body except eyelid. In the routine laboratory examinations, the result of HIV test was negative. The lesion was completely excised and the eyelid was reconstructed by semicircular rotational flap procedure. The histopathologic examination showed spindle cells of mild atypism, intermixed with slit-like vascular spaces and red blood cell extravastaion. These findings coincided with KS and polymerase chain reaction was positive for human herpes virus-8. During 10 months follow up, there was no evidence of tumor recurrence and systemic abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: We experienced that Kaposi's sarcoma can occur solitarily in the eyelid of HIV-negative patient and favorable prognosis can be obtained by only surgical resection.
Aged ; Erythrocytes ; Eyelids ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; HIV ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma, Kaposi

PURPOSE: We compared the apparent accommodative power of acrylic intraocular lens(IOL) with silicone IOL after implantation of IOL into the bag. METHODS: In 36 senile catatact patients(40 eyes)visited St. Mary's hospital from July 1999 to June 2000, the IOL was inserted into the capsular bag after continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis. All of them were over 60 years old. We checked corrected visual acuity, pupil diameter and apparent accommodative power by accommodometer(AA2000, Nidek, Japan) preoperatively and 1 day, 1 month, 2 months after surgery. The used IOLs were two groups, ones are Acrysof (Alcon, U.S.A.) in 20 eyes and the others are Soflex (Chiron vision, U.S.A.) in 20 eyes. RESULTS: The investgation revealed that the apparent accommodative power reached its peak at 1 month after surgery. There was no stastically significant difference(p>0.05) between acrylic IOL and silicone IOL in apparent accommodative power at 2 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis revealed that the pupil size had significant negative correlations with apparent accommodative power at each other group, whereas corrected visual acuity and refraction error showed no relationship with apparent accommodative power.
Capsulorhexis ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Middle Aged ; Pupil ; Silicones* ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find out the causative allergens using the prick test and to evaluate the associations between the results of the prick tests and the numerical values of eosinophils and IgE in the patients with allergic conjunctivitis. METHODS: The participants were 42 patients with diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis on the basis of clinical history and findings of those who reacted positive to the prick test. We measured the numerical values of eosinophils and IgE as the indices of immediate hypersensitivity reaction. RESULTS: 38 out of the 50 allergens used in the prick test were reactive. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus showed the highest reactivity of 57.1%. The numerical values of eosinophils and IgE were increased above the normal values only in 21.4% and 23.8% of the participants. CONCLUSIONS: It is considered that there is no distinct association between the reactivity of the prick test and the results of the serological test in the patients with diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis on the basis of clinical history and findings.
Allergens ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic* ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Reference Values ; Serologic Tests

Various complications following laparoscopic cholecystectomy have been reported. We describe a case of intraabdominal abscess formation which was developed two months after the inadvertently spilling of gallstones laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient with acute cholelithiasis. The condition was initially found on computed tomography and the diagnosis was confirmed with ultrasound. Although this is a rare complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the spilling of gallstones should be recognized as a potential source of intra-abdominal abscess formation even in a patient presenting months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We suggest that routine use of the specimen retrieval bag is highly recommended especially for beginners of laparoscopic cholecystectomy during their initial learning period.
Abdominal Abscess ; Abscess* ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Cholelithiasis ; Diagnosis ; Gallstones* ; Humans ; Learning ; Postoperative Complications ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy and outcome of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL) compared with ureteroscopy (URS) in the treatment of lower ureteric calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of patients treated primarily by SWL and URS were analysed retrospectively. Treatment with SWL included 198 patients (103 men and 95 women). All patients received 2500-3000 shocks waves at a mean energy setting of 16-20kV. URS was used in 194 patients (91 men and 103 women), with 7Fr, 8Fr, 9.5Fr rigid Storz ureteroscope. All ureteroscopies were performed with the patient under general or spinal anesthesia. The outcome was assessed by stone-free rates, retreatment rates, auxiliary treatment, Efficiency quotient (EQ), complications. RESULTS: SWL and URS for lower ureteric calculi resulted in a success rate 75.3% and 95.8%, respectively. Including the number of auxiliary procedures, we calculated the Efficiency Quotient (EQ) as 66.6 for SWL and 72.3 for URS. The mean treatment time for SWL was 30 minutes and for URS 38.1 minutes. General anesthesia was more frequently needed in URS patients. Complications occurred more often in the URS group. These were mostly mild, and all could be treated with a double-J stent, antibiotics, or analgesics. A lower stone-free rate was achieved in patients with larger(> OR = 10mm) stones (56.9% vs 82.9%) for smaller stones (<10mm) in the SWL group and 90.0% vs 97.9% for smaller stones in the URS group. Compared with SWL, URS was more time consuming; entailed placement of a ureteral stent and more often led to hospitalization. On the other hand, stone clearance was rapid after URS. CONCLUSIONS: The stone-free rate after URS is much higher than after SWL. Our study demonstrates that URS is highly effective treatment option for lower ureteral stones.
Analgesics ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Calculi ; Hand ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Male ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Stents ; Ureter* ; Ureteroscopes ; Ureteroscopy*

Iatrogenic injury of the facial nerve branch is the main complication during a parotidectomy, leading to functional damage in the patient. An exact and thorough understanding of the anatomy of the branching pattern of the facial nerve in the parotid gland is prerequisite for surgeons performing a parotidectomy. The aim of this study was to elucidate the branching pattern of the facial nerve inside the parotid gland. The relationships between the branches of the facial nerve were investigated in 23 adult faces during parotidectomies for various etiologies. The branches of the facial nerve were divided into six types according to their branching patterns and their communication. Straight branching with two subtrunks was seen in 12 (52%) out of the 23 cases (Type I), two buccal branches from the lower and upper subtrunks was seen in 4 (17%) cases (Type II), and anastomosis between the buccal and zygomatic branches in 4 (17%) cases (Type III). There were multiple anastomoses among the temporal, zygomatic and buccal branches in 2 (9%) cases (Type IV). Only one (4%) case had buccal branch stemming from the marginal mandibular branch (Type VI). In most cases, the buccal branch was the thinnest. We think that many of the patients having a parotid tumor would possibly show a Type I branching pattern during a parotidectomy. Although the marginal mandibular branch was known to have a long course, almost no anastomosis with other branches, and the most devastating functional damage after iatrogenic injury. Surgeons should be especially careful during the dissection along the course of buccal branch, which may be the thinnest, and prone to damage, transiently or permanently, following the procedure.
Adult ; Facial Nerve* ; Humans ; Parotid Gland*