The gross tissue specimens are a valuable aid to the teaching of pathology and anatomy. However, traditional methods for storage and handling of them are discouragingly difficult and, recently, minimal surgical resections as well as preoperative interventions make it more difficult to have instructive gross specimens. Plastination is a process of tissue preservation by impregnation with silicone polymers or epoxy resins. The process in our study involves dehydration by cryosubstitution in aceton, defatting, forced impregnation of silicon polymer in a vacuum, curing and finishing. We submitted 40 surgically resected specimens to plastination. The resulting specimens are odorless, relatively dry, durable, life-like, non-hazardous, maintenance-free, and do not deteriorate with time. Plastinated specimens are a useful adjunct to the teaching of pathology, particularly suited for use in small groups, and appropriate method of tissue preservation. They are much preferred to wet preparation and conventional pots by both students and teachers owing to their accessibility, superior illustrative powers, and comparative ease of interpretation.
Dehydration ; Epoxy Resins ; Humans ; Pathology* ; Polymers ; Silicones ; Tissue Preservation ; Vacuum

There have been many reports about surgical treatments of flexible flatfoot in children and acquired adult flatfoot deformity due to posterior tibial tendon dysfunction common in the 5th and 6th decades. However there has been a controversy for surgical treatment guideline for painful idiopathic flexible flatfoot deformities in young adults. Therefore, we present a 27-year-old female with severe painful idiopathic flexible flatfoot who was treated with medial sliding calcaneal osteotomy and subtalar arthroereisis using Kalix(R) (Newdeal SA, Vienne, France) endoprosthesis and had good clinical outcome with high patient satisfaction at 10 months follow-up postoperatively.
Adult* ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Flatfoot* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Osteotomy* ; Patient Satisfaction ; Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical difference between cubital tunnel syndrome with anconeus epitrochlearis (AE) and idiopathic cubital tunnel syndrome without known other causes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included the 326 patients who were subjected to surgery because of cubital tunnel syndrome from 2008 to 2014. After exclusion of patients with other known causes of cubital tunnel syndrome, a total of 107 patients were divided into two groups; patients with and without AE. The clinical differences between two groups were analyzed retrospectively; age, sex, presence of intrinsic muscle atrophy, interval from symptom development to surgery, pinch power, the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand score and the nerve conduction velocity (NCV). RESULTS: Thirty four (10.4%) patients, being subjected to surgery had the AE. Among 107 patients who had no other known causes, 26 patients had AE. 19 out of 26 patients with AE was male. Average age of patients with AE was significantly younger. The interval from symptom development to surgery in AE patients was significantly shorter. Motor NCV of ulnar nerve at above elbow joint in comparison with that at below elbow joint in AE patient was more significantly decreased (14.3 m/sec vs. 8.3 m/sec). CONCLUSION: The AE in cubital tunnel syndrome is no more rare structure. In younger male patients with rapidly progressive worsening cubital tunnel symptoms, and if there is significant decrease of ulnar motor nerve velocity at above elbow in comparison with at below elbow, the AE should be considered as cause of ulnar neuropathy.
Arm ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Cubital Tunnel Syndrome* ; Elbow ; Elbow Joint ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Muscular Atrophy ; Neural Conduction ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Neuropathies

Total of 53 patients of unresectable and recurrent rectal cancer treated with neutron beam during the period from Oct. 1987 to Apr. 1992 were analyzed. Dose fractionation for the neutron only group was 1.5 Gy per fraction, 3 fraction per week, 21 Gy/41/2 wks for 42 patients out of 53(76%). Neutron only but modified fractionation schedule (10% more or less of total dose) was applied for 9 patients, and mixed team (neutron boost) was for 4 patients. Complete tumor response was obtained in 40 patients(76% response rate). Local control rate was 28 out of 53(53%). Statistically significant better prognostic factors for local control were age below 49 years old (15/22, 68%) than above 50 years old (13/31, 42%), male (20/32, 63%) than female(8/21, 38%), tumor size less than 5 cm and non-metastatic(16/24, 67%) than size more than 5 cm or metastatic(12/29, 4l%). Major complication had developed in 7 patients (13%). Two year overall survival rate by Kaplan-Meier method was 30%, but it was rised to, 47% when the tumor was less than 5cm non-metastatic.
Appointments and Schedules ; Dose Fractionation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neutrons* ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Hypoglycemia ; Paresis*

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mouthrinse products containing deep sea water. We used original deep sea water (DSW) and processed deep sea water desalinated by reverse osmosis at one time (DDW-1), by reverse osmosis at two times (DDW-2) and concentrated by reverse osmosis (CDW). We made 2 kinds of mouthrinse products containing CDW and other agents for smell and taste and one product without deep sea water. The negative control was distilled water. In vivo study, the dental plaque index scores and the gingival index scores were reduced after 4 weeks mouthrinsing three times daily with 4 kinds of deep sea water and 3 kinds of mouthrinse products(p<0.05). The pH of dental plaque in 1 minute after mouthrinsing was not higher than 5.5 in all solutions, but the pH in 20 minutes after mouthrinsing was higher than 5.7 in DSW, CDW and 3 kinds of products which had higher mineral contents. In vitro study, the mouthrinse solutions containing the higher mineral contents were also the more effective in reduction of methyl mercaptan which is one of the causes of halitosis. The 2 kinds of products containing deep sea water killed Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) in culture plates in one minute. These results indicate the usability of deep sea water in mouthrinses for oral hygiene management.
Dental Plaque ; Dental Plaque Index ; Halitosis ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Oral Hygiene ; Osmosis ; Periodontal Index ; Seawater* ; Smell ; Streptococcus mutans ; Water

Myoepithelial carcinoma is a very rare malignant tumor accounting for less than one percent of the salivary gland neoplasms. This uncommom tumor, showing almost exclusively tumor cells with myoepithelial differentiation, is most commonly diagnosed in the parotid gland and in the minor silivary glands of the palate. We report a 77-year-old woman with myoepithelial carcinoma originating from maxillary sinus, one of the most unusual locations. The patient presented with progressive nasal obstruction and signs of a space-occupying lesion in the left maxillary sinus. A frozen biopsy identified a malignant tumor and a radical maxillectomy was performed. Histology confirmed the presence of a malignant myoepithelial carcinoma. Patient was followed up for one year without any recurrence or distant metastasis.
Accounting ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Myoepithelioma ; Nasal Obstruction ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Palate ; Parotid Gland ; Recurrence ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine daytime sleepiness-related factors, including sleeping patterns and daytime activities, in shift and non-shift workers. METHODS: One hundred and twenty two shift workers, and two hundred and fifty four non-shift workers, were selected and identified in terms of their general characteristics, such as age, tenure, educational level, marital status and religion. Screening questionnaires were composed of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for evaluation of daytime sleepiness, the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS) for fatigue, and the Korean version of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for sleeping patterns. RESULTS: The shift worker group reported significantly higher rates of sleep disturbance and higher fatigue scores compared with the non-shift workers (all p<0.01). The prevalence of daytime sleepiness was higher in the shift workers (19.7%) than the non-shift workers (10.6%) (p<0.05). The significant daytime sleepiness-related factors were found to be shift work, tenure and difficulties in falling back to sleep once woken (p<0.05). Shift work was proved to be an important factor in workers aged less than 40 years (p<0.05). However, this association was not evident in workers aged 40 years and over. CONCLUSIONS: The shift workers showed a significantly higher prevalence of daytime sleepiness compared with the non-shift workers. The present study suggests a need for the implementation of sleeping and fatigue management programs for shift workers in order to improve working efficiency and control safety accidents during shift work.
Adult* ; Fatigue* ; Humans ; Male* ; Marital Status ; Mass Screening ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Even though the effect of prehydration on the spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension has not yet been concluded, prehydration prior to spinal anesthesia is recommended in order to reduce the incidence and severity of hypotension. We investigated the effects of prehydration on hemodynamic change during spinal anesthesia with isobaric 0.5% tetracaine. METHODS: We prospectively performed this study on 96 patients who underwent elective transurethral surgery from October 2002 to January 2004. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either no prehydration or 10 ml/kg crystalloids administered over 10 15 min prior to spinal anesthesia. We compared dermatomal spreads of spinal anesthesia, hemodynamic parameters (blood pressure, heart rate), incidences of hypotension and bradycardia between two groups. RESULTS: Hemodynamic parameters, incidences of hypotension and bradycardia showed no statistically significant differences during spinal anesthesia between two groups. There were statistically significant differences in the dermatomal spread of sensory levels between two groups from 5 to 90 min after spinal anesthesia. Sensory block levels in prehydration group were statistically lower than no prehydration group. CONCLUSION: We hypothesized that prehydration can be one of factors that influence on dermatomal spread of local anesthetics in isobaric spinal anesthesia. The difference of dermatomal spread between two groups may be caused by brain blood barrier (BBB)-freely passing crystalloids, which may influence on the volume and density of cerebrospinal fluids. To verify this phenomenon found in our study, further investigation is still warranted.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Bradycardia ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Prospective Studies ; Tetracaine

Many patients with intractable chest pain visit pain clinics, two of which, with rare cases of an intraspinal tumor and malignant mesothelioma were experiences at our clinic. A 37-year old female patient presented with exacerbating chest pain, but without neurological manifestations, of 15-months duration. Her laboratory findings, such as blood tests, chest X-ray, EKG, abdominal ultrasonography and chest CT, were normal. MRI revealed an intradural extramedullary schwannoma at the T 5 and 6 levels of the thoracic spine. She completely recovered following a laminectomy, with removal of the tumor. The other case was a 65-year old male patient, who presented with chest and back pain in the thoracic area of 6 months duration. He had no cough and dyspnea, and was initially misdiagnosed with intercostal neuralgia; therefore, pain control medication was administered, but all trials were ineffective. Finally, chest CT revealed a malignant mesothelioma, with multiple spine metastases. In conclusion, patients with intractable chest pain should be re-examined both clinically and radiographically.
Adult ; Aged ; Back Pain ; Chest Pain* ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mesothelioma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuralgia ; Neurilemmoma ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Pain Clinics ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; Spine ; Thorax* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography