BACKGROUND: Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis (IHPS) is one of the most common surgical problems of early infancy and one for which an eminently successful surgical treatment has been available since the work of Ramstedt in 1912. A clinical study was begun to access further the accuracy of ultrasonography in identifying hypertrophic pylorus. METHODS: This study is a retrospective clinical analysis of 31 cases of IHPS treated at the Department of Surgery of Pohang St. Mary's Hospital from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1997. RESULTS: (1) The most prevalent age group was between 3 weeks and 8 weeks in 24 cases (77.4%), and the ratio of males to females was 5.2:1. (2) Among the 31 cases, new born babies were 21 cases (67.7%). (3) In 30 cases (96.8%), the gestational age was between 37 weeks and 42 weeks, and the birth weight was more than 3.5 kg in 21 cases (67.7%). The body weight percentile at admission was lower than the 50 percentile in 31 cases. (4) Among the 31 cases, breast-fed infants were 15 cases (48.4%), milk-fed 13 cases (41.9%), and mixed-fed 3 cases (9.7%). B type blood group was 23 cases (74.2%), and O type was 4 cases (12.9%). (5) In 4 cases (12.9%), an inguinal hernia was noted as an associated anomaly. (6) The onset of symptoms was neonatal (1 week-12 weeks) in all 31 cases, and the duration of the symptoms was between 1 week and 2 weeks in 18 cases (58.1%). (7) Non-bile stained, projectile vomiting was noted in all 31 cases (100.0%), an olive-shaped mass in right upper quadrant of the abdomen was felt in 27 cases (87.1%), and visible peristalsis on the epigastrium was noted in 25 cases (80.6%). (8) On laboratory tests, 17 patients had leukocytosis, and anemia was observed in 2 cases. Hypokalemia was observed in 9 cases (29.0%), hypochloremia in 4 cases (12.9%), and moderate to severe alkalosis (CO2 content > 25 mEq) in 7 cases. (9) Among the 25 cases, for which an the ultrasonographic evaluation was performed, the length of the stenotic canal was from 16 mm to 20 mm in 23 cases (92.0%), and the thickness of the stenotic portion was from 5 mm to 6 mm in 21 cases (84.0%). (10) All 31 cases were surgically treated by using a Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy, and the mortality was nil. The average hospitalization was 9.4 days. (11) There was 1 case of duodenal perforation and 1 case of intermittent non-projectile vomiting after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that early accurate diagnosis, adequate preoperative preparation of the fluid & electrolyte imbalance, immediate surgical correction, and scheduled careful oral feeding are important in treatment of IHPS. Ultrasonographic determination of pyloric muscle length and thickness is the most accurate of the currently available techniques. A Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy is a safe and successful surgical procedure.
Abdomen ; Alkalosis ; Anemia ; Birth Weight ; Body Weight ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Infant ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Mortality ; Peristalsis ; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic* ; Pylorus ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Scrub Typhus* ; Seoul*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis and usefulness of vertebroplasty in osteoporotic occult vertebral fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 472 osteoporotic vertebral fractures treated from May 2003 to July 2009, 45 patients were diagnosed with occult osteoporotic vertebral fracture. Their medical charts and radiographs were reviewed. The degree of vertebral body collapse was graded by a semiquantitative method. In order to increase the reliability, interpretation was based on radiographic diagnoses from 3 orthopedic surgeons. Vertebroplasty was performed at 31 of the 45 patients, for whom conservative treatment failed. Pre-operatively and post-operatively, pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: We observed 55 occult fractures in 45 patients. Forty vertebrae (72.7%) among the 55 vertebrae were just adjacent to an old vertebral fracture with deformation of the vertebral body. The rediagnosis rate of occult fracture attempted without MRI was only 21.8%. The average pre-operative VAS score of 8.07 (6~9) was improved to 2.43 after surgery and showed no delayed vertebral body collapse. CONCLUSION: Gadolinium enhancement of MRI is critical to the diagnosis of occult vertebral fractures, which are 9% of whole osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Seventy-two point seven percent of occult vertebral fractures were just adjacent to an old vertebral fracture with collapse of the vertebral body. This means that if vertebroplasty is performed without thorough MRI examination, it may fail.
Fractures, Closed ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Orthopedics ; Osteoporosis ; Spine ; Vertebroplasty

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, which is characterized by multiple air-filled cysts in the intestinal mucosa, submucosa, and subserosa, is associated with autoimmune disorders, including systemic sclerosis, inflammatory myopathy and, rarely, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here, we report the case of a 57-year-old female with a 2-year history of SLE who developed pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. The patient's symptoms were improved with conservative management. Although pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is an uncommon manifestation of SLE, and follows a mainly benign course, it can be associated with vasculitis, which has a poor prognosis.
Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Middle Aged ; Myositis ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis ; Prednisolone ; Prognosis ; Scleroderma, Systemic ; Vasculitis

Peripheral nervous system dysfunction is a rare complication in Henoch-Schonlein purpura, but it tends to recover spontaneously without treatment. A 78-year-old man who had ankylosing spondylitis presented with Henoch-Schonlein purpura associated with progressive sensorimotor polyneuropathy. He was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, which did not improve despite intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. We describe a case of Henoch-Schonlein purpura, accompanied by chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis.
Aged ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Polyneuropathies ; Polyradiculoneuropathy ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

This study was carried out to observe and evaluate the middle ear pressure(MEP) change by nitrous oxide(N2O) and end tidal PCO2 during general anesthesia with halothane or enflurane. MEP was measured during general anesthesia by impedance audiometer(GSI 28 Auto tymp model) in 50 patients who were relatively healthy without upper respiratory tract infection and otologic problems from August 1987 at Chonbuk National University Hospital. The results were as follows: 1) During general anesthesia with 100% O2 and halothane or enflurane, MEP was decreased progressively under the preinduction level with time. 2) The decrease in MEP during general anesthesia with 100% O2 and halothane or enflurane was reversed by relative hypoventilation, but MEP showed negative values in all patients. 3) End tidal PCO2 was increased progressively by relative hypoventilation and returned gradually to pre-hypoventilation level by normoventilation. 4) MEP was increased during general anesthesia using N2O, which is propotional to the concentration of N2O by 20 minutes. Thereafter, MEP remained increased until termination of N2O administration. From the above results, it is concluded that MEP is increased during anesthesia using N2O. MEP can also be affected by end tidal PCO2 even though physiologic range. Therefore, it is prudent to avoid N2O especially when hyperventilation is not adequately permitted during general anesthesia for middle ear surgery and patient with middle ear disease.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Ear, Middle* ; Electric Impedance ; Enflurane ; Halothane ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Hypoventilation ; Jeollabuk-do ; Nitrous Oxide ; Respiratory Tract Infections

OBJECTIVES: The symptoms of fungal infections vary from minor to severe. According to recent reports, fungal infection prevalence is increasing due to increases in the aging population and in patients with compromised immune systems. However, the total prevalence of fungal infections in South Korea is unknown. We investigated the recent 5-year prevalence of each type of fungal infection in South Korea across age, sex, and regional groups. METHODS: Nationwide data from the National Health Insurance of South Korea were used. The target population included patients who had received treatment for a fungal infection that was listed as the main disease. For each patient, multiple treatments were counted as one case per year in the data analysis. RESULTS: The annual prevalence of all-type mycoses increased from 6.9% in 2009 to 7.4% in 2013. Among the specific groups, the prevalence of dermatophytosis was highest (5.2%), followed by that of opportunistic mycoses (1.7%) and superficial mycoses (0.2%). The prevalence of subcutaneous mycoses and generalized mycoses was very low (8 cases per 100,000 persons and 3 cases per 1 million persons, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Every year, approximately 7.1% of the Korean population receives treatment for fungal diseases. Cases of opportunistic mycoses are assumed to increase each year. Therefore, further research is needed to understand and monitor the prevalence of mycoses to establish management policies to reduce the burden of fungal diseases.
Aging ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Immune System ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Mycoses ; National Health Programs* ; Prevalence* ; Statistics as Topic ; Tinea

In this study, the hydroxyapatite (HAps) containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) were coated on titanium using the electrochemical deposition (ECD) method. Negative electric current pulses were applied to titanium specimens at 37 ℃ using a Ca- and P-containing electrolyte in which BSA was added E-BSA-10, E-BSA-15, and E-BSA-20 groups were prepared by changing the electric current to –10 mA, –15 mA, and –20 mA, respectively. As a comparative group, an E-15 specimen was prepared by applying a current of -15 mA to the specimen in Ca- and P-containing electrolyte without BSA. A coating film composed of nanosheet-shaped crystals was observed on the surface of each specimen, and the size of the nanocrystals on the BSA-containing groups was larger than that of the E-15 group. These crystals were smaller in size and higher in density as the applied current values were increased. All specimens had HAp crystalline structure. BSA-containing specimens showed a tendency of preferential growth of HAp crystals in c-axis orientation, and this tendency decreased as the applied current values were increased. In the FT-IR spectrum, amide peaks that corresponds to BSA were identified. As a result of soaking the BSA-containing group specimens in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) for 60 hours, it was observed that the crystal structure aligned with the c-axis was disordered, and BSA was released slowly with the decomposition of HAp. This study is expected to be applied to the development of a surface treatment method for coating titanium implants with HAp containing various biological factors in the future.

In this study, the hydroxyapatite (HAps) containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) were coated on titanium using the electrochemical deposition (ECD) method. Negative electric current pulses were applied to titanium specimens at 37 ℃ using a Ca- and P-containing electrolyte in which BSA was added E-BSA-10, E-BSA-15, and E-BSA-20 groups were prepared by changing the electric current to –10 mA, –15 mA, and –20 mA, respectively. As a comparative group, an E-15 specimen was prepared by applying a current of -15 mA to the specimen in Ca- and P-containing electrolyte without BSA. A coating film composed of nanosheet-shaped crystals was observed on the surface of each specimen, and the size of the nanocrystals on the BSA-containing groups was larger than that of the E-15 group. These crystals were smaller in size and higher in density as the applied current values were increased. All specimens had HAp crystalline structure. BSA-containing specimens showed a tendency of preferential growth of HAp crystals in c-axis orientation, and this tendency decreased as the applied current values were increased. In the FT-IR spectrum, amide peaks that corresponds to BSA were identified. As a result of soaking the BSA-containing group specimens in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) for 60 hours, it was observed that the crystal structure aligned with the c-axis was disordered, and BSA was released slowly with the decomposition of HAp. This study is expected to be applied to the development of a surface treatment method for coating titanium implants with HAp containing various biological factors in the future.

It is difficult to get sufficient roughness on titanium implant surface using traditional electrochemical treatments. In this study, we have developed a new method which provides a hybrid structured titanium surface having micro/nano roughness using electrochemical treatment in NaCl electrolyte and hydrothermal treatment. Titanium disks were anodically oxidized (ANO) in 0.15M NaCl electrolyte by applying positive electric pulses. The oxide compounds loosely attached to the surface were removed by ultrasonic cleaning (ANO group). These specimens were hydrothermally (HT) treated in an alkaline solution (ANO-HT group). ANO group showed the dimpled grain surfaces with a diameter of approximately 30 µm, and its roughness (Ra) was about 2.4 µm. The nano-sized crystallites which had an anatase TiO₂ crystalline structure were uniformly distributed on the surface of ANO-HT group. This group still retained high roughness (~2.7 µm) similar to ANO group and showed high hydrophilicity. Titanium surface with high roughness and hydrophilicity was fabricated using new electrochemical treating method and hydrothermal treatment. This surface modification method could be used for enhancing the osteoconductivity of the titanium implants.
Crystallins ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Methods ; Titanium ; Ultrasonics