PURPOSE: To evaluate the possibility that human muscle derived stem cells (hMDSCs) can be differentiated into neurons in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Muscle derived stem cells were isolated from the hamstring muscles during the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction by preplate technique. For the characterization of these cells, desmin staining, CD 34, Sca-1, CD 29 using the Flow cytometry were performed. In the experimental group, neuronal induction media was added to differentiate hMDSCs to neuronal cells. These cells were evaluated by neuronal markers such as neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neurofilament (NF), TrkA using immunocytochemistry. For the control group, no induction media was added. Statstical analyses were performed by use of Kruskal-Wallis H test and Student-Newman-Keuls test (P<0.01). RESULT: Desmin staining was positive in 92.3+/-6%. Flow cytometry was negative for CD 34 and Sca-1. However it was positive for CD 29. (69.4+/-10%). The immunocytochemical result revealed NSE, NF and TrkA positive with 63.2+/-2.3%, 59.2+/-2.5%, 55+/-2.4% respectively. However, these were negative in the control group. CONCLUSION: Our observations indicate that hMDSCs have the capacity to differentiate into neurons in a specialized culture media.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction ; Culture Media ; Desmin ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Muscles ; Neurons* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Stem Cells*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Epithelium* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Rats*

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinical and radiological results of SCHT(scapho-capito-hamato-triquetral) fusion in Lichtman stage IIIB or IV Kienbock's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The result of eight cases, operated and followed since December 2002, were analyzed retrospectively. The indication of SCHT fusion was the advanced Kienbock's disease, in Lichtman stage IIIB or IV, with severe fragmentation of lunate. The fragmented lunate was excised and the intercarpal joint between scaphoid and capitate, capitate and hamate, hamate and triquetrum were fused with joint resection, bone graft and multiple K-wires, to make an horse-shoeshaped carpal bone block. The clinical results were evaluated by wrist pain, ROM, any radiologic changes of wrist at last follow-up and Kuschner's method. RESULTS: There were 3 cases of Stage IIIB and 5 cases of stage IV. Mean follow-up period was 28.9 (range 15-53) months, and mean age at the time of operation was 49.4 (range 33~66) years. Two cases were minus ulnar variance, 4 cases were positive and 2 cases were neutral. The wrist range of motion was decreased from 121.8degreesto 90.6degrees(25%). Carpal height ratio was decreased in 1 case. The last follow-up results according to Kuschner's method revealed 4 excellent, 3 good and 1 fair. CONCLUSIONS: SCHT fustion was considered as one of the favorable salvage procedure for the advanced Kienbock's disease. However, biomechanical study using cadaver, long-term follow-up & accumulation of more cases would be needed to confirm its definitive usefulness in the future.
Cadaver ; Carpal Bones ; Carpal Joints ; Follow-Up Studies ; Joints ; Osteonecrosis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants ; Wrist

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines of advanced trauma life support recommend open thoracotomy when pericardiocentesis reveals bloody pericardial effusion in patients with blunt chest trauma. However, open thoracotomy may not be always required for treating patients alive until arriving emergency department, because rapid accumulation of the blood into pericardial space results in immediate death at scene. We report our experiences of treating traumatic pericardial effusion, and discuss the therapeutic modality in patients with traumatic pericardial effusion. METHODS: The study consisted of 37 patients(20 males and 17 females with the mean age 42) sustaining traumatic pericardial effusion. The patients were divided according to treatment modality into 3 groups(group I : patients receiving conservative management, group II : patients treated with pericardiocentesis, group III : patients required emergency thoracotomy). We compared clinical presentations, hemodynamic profiles and echocardiographic findings among three groups. RESULTS: Cardiac tamponade was present in 14 of 37 patients. Pericardiocentesis was performed in 13 patients, and open thoracotomy in 4 patients. Pericardiocentesis was curative in 9 patients. Thoracotomy was performed in only 3(24%) of 13 patients required pericardiocentesis. 3(75%) of 4 patients having moderate or severe pericardial effusion from penetrating injury were required open thoracotomy. CONCLUSION: In selected patients who have traumatic pericardial effusion by blunt chest injury, pericardiocentesis may be curative, and thoracotomy may not be inquired as long as bleeding via indwelling pericardial catheter is not sustained after pericardiocentesis.
Advanced Trauma Life Support Care ; Cardiac Tamponade ; Catheters ; Echocardiography ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Pericardiocentesis ; Thoracic Injuries ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Adolescent ; Ataxia Telangiectasia/*genetics ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Chromosome Inversion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14/genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7/genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mutation ; RNA Splicing ; Translocation, Genetic

BACKGROUND: Goal of the initial treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax is re-expansion of the lung by evacuation of air from pleural space. Authors thought small caliber catheter could reach to this goal instead of conventional large bore chest tube. This retrospective study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of 7-French (Fr) catheter for the initial treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between May 2003 and April 2005, 111 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax were managed with tube drainage; 7 Fr catheter for 86 patients and 24-French chest tube for 25 patients. We analyzed catheter indwelling time, use of analgesics, re-expansion of the lung, and catheter related problems by medical records. RESULT: Mean catheter indwelling time was 2.4+/-1.1 days in 7 Fr group and 2.3+/-1.3 days in chest tube group (p>0.05). All patients with 24 Fr catheter needed analgesics injection but never in 7Fr group. Complete re-expansion of the lung based on plane chest radiograph was obtained in 77% of 7 Fr group. The problem related with 7 Fr catheter was kinking, which showed in 5.6%. CONCLUSION: Application of the 7 Fr catheter for initial management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax was as effective as 24 Fr catheter.
Analgesics ; Catheters* ; Chest Tubes ; Drainage ; Humans ; Lung ; Medical Records ; Pneumothorax* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Retrospective Studies

Chordomas are benign tumors that are thought to originate from remnants of notochord. They develop in the sacrococcygeal region but rarely form in the sellar region. Clival chordomas are benign tumors but because of their critical location, local invasion, recurrence, and occasional metastatic spread and their prognosis is similar to that of malignant tumors. The conventional transcranial approach is a treatment with high surgical morbidity. But transsphenoidal approach is a less invasive method with reduced surgical morbidity and complications. We report two cases of chordoma arising from the clivus treated by a transsphenoidal approach.
Chordoma* ; Cranial Fossa, Posterior ; Notochord ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Sacrococcygeal Region

BACKGROUND: Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) type 8 (SCA8) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of untranslated CTA/CTG triplet repeats on 13q21. The phenomenology of SCA8 is relatively varied when compared to the other types of SCAs and its spectrum is not well established. CASE REPORT: Two newly detected cases of SCA8 with the nonataxic phenotype and unusual clinical manifestations such as dopaminergic-treatment-responsive parkinsonism and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are described herein. Family A expressed good dopaminergic treatment-responsive parkinsonism as an initial manifestation and developed mild cerebellar ataxia with additional movements, including dystonic gait and unusual oscillatory movement of the trunk, during the disease course. The proband of family B presented as probable ALS with cerebellar atrophy on brain MRI, with a positive family history (a brother with typical cerebellar ataxia) and genetic confirmation for SCA8. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support that the non-ataxic phenotypes could be caused by a mutation of the SCA8 locus which might affect neurons other than the cerebellum.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Cerebellar Ataxia ; Cerebellum ; Gait ; Humans ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons ; Parkinson Disease* ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Phenotype* ; Siblings ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Spinocerebellar Degenerations ; Trinucleotide Repeats

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The etiologies and frequencies of cerebellar ataxias vary between countries. Our primary aim was to determine the frequency of each diagnostic group of cerebellar ataxia patients in a Korean population. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients who were being followed up between November 1994 and February 2016. We divided patients with cerebellar ataxias into familial and non-familial groups and analyzed the frequency of each etiology. Finally, we categorized patients into genetic, sporadic, secondary, and suspected genetic, but undetermined ataxia. RESULTS: A total of 820 patients were included in the study, among whom 136 (16.6%) familial patients and 684 (83.4%) non-familial cases were identified. Genetic diagnoses confirmed 98/136 (72%) familial and 72/684 (11%) nonfamilial patients. The overall etiologies of progressive ataxias comprised 170 (20.7%) genetic, 516 (62.9%) sporadic, 43 (5.2%) secondary, and 91 (11.1%) undetermined ataxia. The most common cause of ataxia was multiple-system atrophy (57.3%). In the genetic group, the most common etiology was spinocerebellar ataxia (152/170, 89.4%) and the most common subtype was spinocerebellar ataxia-3.38 of 136 familial and 53 of 684 sporadic cases (91/820, 11.1%) were undetermined ataxia. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest epidemiological study to analyze the frequencies of various cerebellar ataxias in a Korean population based on the large database of a tertiary hospital movement-disorders clinic in South Korea. These data would be helpful for clinicians in constructing diagnostic strategies and counseling for patients with cerebellar ataxias.
Ataxia ; Atrophy ; Cerebellar Ataxia* ; Counseling ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Friedreich Ataxia ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Tertiary Care Centers