The study was undertaken to assess the CT density of the antibiotics solution. CT scan of six antibioticssolution-streptomycin, chloramphenicol, Na-penicillin, ampicillin, kanamycin and cefamezine-in concentration ofabout 33% (approximatly single dose of intramuscular injection) was performed, using plastic syringes. Variousconcentrations of striptomycin, chloramphenicol and Na-panicillin were also examined for evaluation of relationbetween concentration and the CT density of the antibiotics. In addition, relationship between CT number andmathematically calculated effective atomic number and electron density of the antibiotics was evaluated. Theresults are as follows; 1. The CT densities of all antibiotics reveal high density (CT number 80–150) inconcentration of single intramuscular injection dose. 2. CT number of striptomycin, chloramphenicol andNa-penicillin gradually increased with increase of concentration of the antibiotics, producing linear proportionto concentration, effective atomic number and electron density of the antibiotics. 3. Therefore, density ofantibiotics should be included in differential diagnosis when high density on CT scan is observed.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Chloramphenicol ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Kanamycin ; Plastics ; Syringes ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Dipyridamole stress myocardial perfusion SPECT could predict prognosis, however, long-term follow-up showed change of hazard ratio in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. We investigated how long normal SPECT could predict the benign prognosis on the long-term follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We followed up 1169 patients and divided these patients into groups in whom coronary angiography were performed and were not. Total cardiac event rate and hard event rate were predicted using clinical, angiographic and SPECT findings. Predictive values of normal and abnormal SPECT were examined using survival analysis with Mantel-Haenszel method, multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis and newly developed statistical method to test time-invariance of hazard rate and changing point of this rate. RESULTS: Reversible perfusion decrease on myocardial perfusion SPECT predicted higher total cardiac event rate independently and further to angiographic findings. However, myocardial SPECT showed independent but not incremental prognostic values for hard event rate. Hazard ratio of normal perfusion SPECT was changed significantly (p<0.001) and the changing point of hazard rate was 4.4 years of follow up. However, the ratio of abnormal SPECT was not. CONCLUSION: Dipyridamole stress myocardial perfusion SPECT provided independent prognostic information in patients with known and suspected coronary artery disease. Normal perfusion SPECT predicted least event rate for 4.4 years.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Dipyridamole* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Perfusion ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

PURPOSE: An abridged 5-item version of the 15-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) was developed and its validity has been proven in the western medical community. This study was designed to assess the validity of the abbreviated Korean version of the IIEF as a diagnostic tool for ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who visited the Andrology Clinic of the Asan Medical Center with a chief complaint of ED fall into the patient group. Patients who visited the Family Medicine Clinic of the same hospital with chief complaints other than ED, and checked no ED in the self-assessment questionnaire, fall into the control group. Patients, both of the patient group and control group, were asked to fill out the self-administered IIEF-5 and the questionnaire asking the severity of the ED. RESULTS: Collected questionnaires from a total of 309 subjects (the patient group: 149; the control group: 160) were used for statistical analysis. Mean ages were 43 and 52 for the control group and the patient group, respectively. A Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) Curve analysis indicated that there is a close correlation between IIEF-5 total scores and the presence of ED (area under the ROC curve=0.961). The most appropriate cutoff score between ED and no ED was 17 (sensitivity=91.3%, specificity=86.3%). Substantial consistency existed between the predicted and the patient-answered ED severity levels (Weighted Kappa=0.681). CONCLUSIONS: The Korean version of IIEF-5 is highly effective in detecting the presence and assessing the severity of ED. The result of our study supports its validity as a diagnostic instrument in the clinical setting.
Andrology ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Diagnosis ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; ROC Curve ; Self-Assessment

BACKGROUND:Rocuronium is a non depolarizing muscle relaxant of rapid onset and of intermediate action duration. It is particularly suitable for short operation and rapid control airway. But, intravenous rocuronium cause pain and a withdrawal movement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of intravenous lidocaine on pain and withdrawal movement in patients receiving rocuronium. METHODS: The study was approved by our institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. One hundred and twenty patients, ASA physical status 1-2 undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgery were randomly enrolled. Allergy history to trial drug, chronic pain, pregnancy, patient on analgesics, difficult vein access and deeply sedated patients were excluded. Patients were not premedicated, and had a 20-18 G intravenous catheter inserted into a hand dorsum before operation. On arrival in the operation room, routine non-invasive monitors were placed and the free flow of intravenous fluid without edema, redness or hardness was confirmed. A subparalyzing dose of rocuronium 0.06 mg/kg (RS group) or vecuronium 0.01 mg/kg (VS group) was administered after 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl in one group, and a subparalyzing dose of rocuronium 0.06 mg/kg (RL group) or vecuronium 0.01 mg/kg (VL group) was administered after 2 ml of 2% lidocaine injection in a second group. All patients then received 5 mg/kg of 2.5% thiopental sodium and 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium (RS and RL group) or 0.1 mg/kg of vecuronium (VS and VL group). Muscle relaxant-induced pain and withdrawal movements were assessed using 4-grade scales (0-3). Vein redness was measured just after administration and vein hardness five minutes after intubation using 4-grade scales (0-3). RESULTS: Incidence of pain (8.2 times) and withdrawal movement (6.2 times) was more frequent in the rocuronium group than in the vecuronium group (P< 0.01). Lidocaine pretreatment decreased the incidence of pain significantly (5.7 times, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Rocuronium causes more pain and withdrawal movements than vecuronium. Lidocaine pretreatment significantly reduced the incidence and severity of pain, and withdrawal movements in both groups.
Analgesics ; Anesthesia, General ; Catheters ; Chronic Pain ; Edema ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Hand ; Hardness ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Informed Consent ; Intubation ; Lidocaine* ; Pregnancy ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Veins ; Weights and Measures

Mucormycosis is a rare invasive and highly aggressive fungal infection, which shows rapid progression with life threatening complications in immunocompromised patients. Therefore, it is important to quickly recognize fungal infection in immunocompromised patients and start treatment with antifungal agents or perform surgical debridement. Most nasal septal abscesses are caused by post-traumatic hematoma and subsequent bacterial infection. In immunocompromised patients, nasal septal abscess can develop without trauma and may involve atypical pathogens like fungus. Herein we report a case of mucormycosis presenting with abscesses of nasal septum and gingivobuccal mucosa in an immunocompromised patient.

Mucormycosis is a rare invasive and highly aggressive fungal infection, which shows rapid progression with life threatening complications in immunocompromised patients. Therefore, it is important to quickly recognize fungal infection in immunocompromised patients and start treatment with antifungal agents or perform surgical debridement. Most nasal septal abscesses are caused by post-traumatic hematoma and subsequent bacterial infection. In immunocompromised patients, nasal septal abscess can develop without trauma and may involve atypical pathogens like fungus. Herein we report a case of mucormycosis presenting with abscesses of nasal septum and gingivobuccal mucosa in an immunocompromised patient.
Abscess ; Antifungal Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Debridement ; Fungi ; Hematoma ; Immunocompromised Host ; Mouth ; Mucormycosis ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Septum

A case of symptomatic bilateral popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is reported. A twenty-one-year old male, a candidate of athlete, complained of coldness, weakness, pallor and cyanosis of right lower leg and intermittent claudication to both calves during walking or exercise for ten months. Studies revealed that the right popliteal artery was completely occluded, but the left popliteal artery was non-occlusive. An endarterectomy and onlay vein patch graft to the thrombosed and fibrotic right popliteal artery, and myotomies of bilateral medial heads of gastrocnemius muscle were done (May 20, 1998). Follow-up examinations for the last ten months showed a complete relief of symptoms with normal distal arterial flow. It is thought that even though the majority of patients present with unilateral calf claudication, the possiblity of bilateral problems need to be also considered.
Athletes ; Cyanosis ; Endarterectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Inlays ; Intermittent Claudication ; Leg ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Pallor ; Popliteal Artery* ; Transplants ; Veins ; Walking

PURPOSE: Recombinant ScFv lym-1 was produced, using pET vector system for large scale production. METHODS: ScFv lym-1 gene inserted pET-22b (+) vector, was expressed in E.coli BL-21 strain. ScFv lym-1 antibody extracted from periplasm, was purified with His-Taq column. To evaluated immunoreactivity with Raji cell, ScFv lym-1 was labeled with I-125 and I-125 ScFv lym-1 was purified with desalting column. Raji cell was injected into the C57BR/cdJ SCID mice. Gamma camera imaging were taken time point at 1, 8, 24, and 48 hr with 8 mm pinhole collimator. RESULTS: An active scFv lym-1 could be produced in E.coli with soluble from using pET vector system. Immunoreactivity and affinity constant of IgG lym-1 were 54% and 1.83 x 10(9) M(-1), respectively, and those of scFv lym-1 were 53.7% and 1.46 x 10(9) M(-1), respectively. Biodistribution of I-125 scFv lym-1 antibody showed faster clearance in blood, spleen, kidney and than I-125 IgG lym-1 antibody. Gamma camera image of I-125 scFv lym-1 antibody showed faster clearance and tumor targeting liver than I-125 IgG lym-1 antibody. CONCLUSIONS: In vitro properties of scFv lym-1 were similar to those of IgG lym-1. ScFv lym-1 showed faster blood clearance than IgG lym-1. These results suggest that scFv lym-1 antibody can be useful for tumor imaging agent.
Animals ; Gamma Cameras ; Immunoglobulin G ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lymphoma* ; Mice ; Mice, SCID ; Periplasm ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Spleen

Seminal vesicle cyst (SVC) with ipsilateral renal agenesis is a rare congenital anomaly. When the patient is symptomatic, surgical treatment may be necessary. The open surgical approach, traditionally considered the definite form of treatment, has been associated with a high rate of morbidity. The laparoscopic approach for the management of SVCs has recently been described. A 18-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of dysuria and perineal pain. The diagnostic evaluation revealed a 45x35x48 mm sized left seminal vesicle cyst. In addition, he had a solitary, right, functioning kidney, with left renal agenesis. Transperitoneal laparoscopic excision of the cyst was performed successfully. The patient was discharged from the hospital on the fourth postoperative day and did not present with any complaints or complications.
Adolescent ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dysuria ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Diseases ; Seminal Vesicles

BACKGROUD: Primary care physicians (PCPs) and ariental medical dactors (OMDs), as primary healthcare providers, could directly affect patients use of complementary and alternative medidne(CAM). This study was carried out to compare the practice experience with, the knowledge about, and the attitudes taward CAM between PCPs and OMDs in Korea. METHODS: A total of 502 PCPs and 500 OMDs in urban area of Karea were selected by the proportionate quota and systematic sampling methood. Face-to-face interviews were done with structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The rate af practice experience with and referral rate af CAM were reported 13.7% and 38.6% in PCPs, 76.8% and 85.4%. in OMDs respectively. OMDs evaluated the efficacy of each CAM higher than PCPs. Both doctors had wide variatians of knowledge in how to practice each CAM. However more than half OMDs knew how to practice chiropracic, taping therapy, aromatherapy, and iridology respectively, about 30% of PCPs high colic/enema and chiropractic. PCPs had mcire negative attitudes toward CAM and the advertisement of the other professional medidne (korean traditional medicine) than OMDs. OMDs more strongly supported the natural healing process, health-disease continuum, and psychological effect on health, and opposed Descares view on human body than PCPs. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed OMDs had more experience with, knowledge about, positive attitudes toward and supportive health concepts to CAM than PCPs. CAM practice would be diffused with chiropractic, taping therapy, aromatherapy, and iridolagy in OMDs; high colic/enema and chiropractic in PCPs.
Aromatherapy ; Chiropractic ; Complementary Therapies* ; Human Body ; Humans ; Korea ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Medicine, Korean Traditional* ; Physicians, Primary Care ; Primary Health Care ; Referral and Consultation ; Surveys and Questionnaires