We describe a 8-year-old girl with erythrokeratodermia varibilis (EKV). This diagnosis was supported by erythematous, configurate patches over the entire body. Their size, shape and location varyed with enviromental factors and emotional state. In addition, well defined brownish, hyperkeratotic plaques were scattered over the trunk and extremities. Also, this patient had alopecia universalis, which is not typical of EKV. Etretinate therapy resulted in an almost complete clinical clearing of the plaques; however, her alopecia universalis and erythematous lesions were not affected.
Acitretin ; Alopecia* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Erythrokeratodermia Variabilis* ; Etretinate ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans

Since adult human skin can be grown in chernically defined medium without serum, the skin organ culture has gained a great interest as a method for studies concerning skin biology, pharmacology and toxicology. however, serum supplementation has extensively been used to improve the viahility of tissue culture. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of serum on the histologic changes ohserved during the organ culture of the normal human skin. The general architecture of the skin was well maintained for 6 days with or without seru. After then, fetal calf serum or autologous human serum was found to enhance the viability of the epidermis. A confluent layer of necrotic spinous ceils was ovserved earlier and more widespread without serum. The addition of serum had an impressive effect on epibolization. In the absenee of serum, the formation of the epibolus was not only minimal, but also, susceptible to degeneration, and no epibolus remained at 10 days rif incubation. No difference can be found between fetal calf serm and autologous human serum in the formation of the epibolus. There was no favorable effect of serum on the formation of new stratum corneum. The thickness of new straturn corneum increased in parallel with the number of parakeratatic cells, increasing most rapidly between 6 and 8 days of incubation. Parakeratosis was more prominent in the presence of serurn.
Adult ; Biology ; Epidermis ; Humans* ; Organ Culture Techniques* ; Parakeratosis ; Pharmacology ; Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators ; Skin* ; Toxicology

We present three cases of eosinophilic pustular folliculitis without eosinophilia in a 19-year-old female, a 27-year-old male, and a 51-year-old male. Multiple erythematous plaques with papules and pustules were observed on the face in two patients and on the face, trunk, and extremities in the third patient. Histopathologic findings showed hair follicles and the sebaceous glands infiltrated with mixed inflammatory cells composed of eosinophils and neutrophils, characteristic of eosinophilic pustular follicultitis. However, peripheral blood eosinophilia was not present in any of our three cases.
Adult ; Eosinophilia* ; Eosinophils* ; Extremities ; Female ; Folliculitis* ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neutrophils ; Sebaceous Glands ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Acrospiroma*

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate MR signal intensity(SI) of calcification and to assess the capability of MRI in detection of various intracranial calcifications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MR findings and ROI value of experimental model of calcium carbonate suspension according to each concentration (20, 35, 50%) and diameter (1-10 mm) and hydroxyapatite suspension according to each concentration (10, 20, 30, 40, 50%) were analyzed. A specimen of calcification in cranio-pharyngioma was analyzed for its composition by XRD(X-ray diffractometer) and ICP(inductively coupled plasma) methods. MRI of 34 patients with intracranial calcifications were retrospectively analyzed for signal intensity of the calcification and its capability to detect calcifications according to size, location, and contrast with adjacent lesion. RESULTS: The calcium carbonate phantom with larger diameter and low concentration showed lower signal intensity on T2 than TlWl. Hydroxyapatite phantom showed high signal intensity in 10-30% concentration and low signal intensity in 40-50% concentration on T1 weighted image. The 5 cases of 34 intracranial calcifications showed high signal intensity on T1 weighted image. The capability of MRI in the detection of intracranial calcifications decreased in the circumstances such as small size(<2.5mm) and intraventricular location. Although the size of calcification was small, the detection was easy in the good contrast with adjacent lesion. However, the detection of the small sized calcification was easy if the contrast with adjacent lesion was good. CONCLUSION: lntracranial calcification shows generally low signal intensity on T1 and T2 weighted image with the exception of occasional high SI on TlWl. Detection of intracranial calcification in MRI is affected by its composition, size, location, and contrast with adjcent lesion.
Calcium Carbonate ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Models, Theoretical ; Retrospective Studies

Eosinophilic cystitis is a rare inflammatory condition whose etiology remains poorly understood. Eosinophilic cystitis is characterized histologically by infiltration of eosinophils into all layers of the bladder.We herein report two cases of eosinophilic cystitis with brief review of the literiture.
Cystitis* ; Eosinophils*

OBJECTIVE: Brachial plexus injury can produce a intractable chronic neuropathic pain. This study was undertaken to assess the long term outcome of microsurgical dorsal root entry zonotomy(MDT). METHODS: Between October 1997 and December 2002, 21 patients received MDT because of a intractable pain resulting from brachial plexus injury. Of these, 19 patients were followed for more than 2 years. Fourteen of 19 patients were male and patient ages ranged from 22 to 69 years. Mean pain duration was 36.8 months and all patients had severe pain of 9~10 visual analogue scale. To achieve complete destruction of abnormal dorsal horns, thermocoagulation of the posterolateral sulcus were performed and careful gluing was done to prevent postoperative adhesion and pain recurrence. RESULTS: Of the 19 patients, 15 patients had excellent (>75% reduction in pain) and good (51~75% pain relief) results in a average postoperative period of 4.1 years. One patient had a poor (less than 25% pain relief) result. Three patients were considered to have a fair result (26~50% pain relief). Postoperative complications were 2 transient ipsilateral ataxia and 1 CSF fistula that resolved without surgical revision. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that MDT provides excellent long-term pain relief in medically intractable chronic neuropathic pain following brachial plexus injury without significant complications.
Animals ; Ataxia ; Brachial Plexus* ; Electrocoagulation ; Fistula ; Horns ; Humans ; Male ; Neuralgia ; Pain, Intractable* ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Spinal Nerve Roots*

PURPOSE: To determine the value of high resolution ultrasonography (US) for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in the HBx transgenic mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two HBx transgenic mice aged 8-20 (mean, 14) months underwent high-resolution ultrasound using a 10 -12 MHz linear transducer. US findings indicating the presence or absence, number, size and echogenicity of each hepatic tumor were analyzed, and inaddition, color or power Doppler US was used to analyse tumoral vascularity. In each animal, sacrificed less than five hours after US examination, sonographic and pathologic findings were correlated. RESULT: On gross pathologic examination, 20 hepatocellular carcinomas measuring 1.5 -15 (mean, 4.7) mm in diameter were found in 16 mice; US revealed that 17 of the tumors were homogeneous hypoechoic nodules. With regard to tumor detection, sensitivity was 85%, specificity 96%, positive predictive value 0.944, negative predictive value 0.897, and overall accuracy 90%. Doppler US revealed that in three nodules, intratumoral vessels were present. Inthe other 26 mice, gross examination showed that no mass was present; microscopically, however, four nodules measuring 0.3 -1.2 mm were found in four of these animals. Tumoral vascularity detected by color Doppler US corresponded to the intratumoral vessel within the nodules. One peritoneal nodule, confirmed as a metastatic tumor, was found at the greater omentum. CONCLUSION: In HBx transgenic mice, high-resolution US is valuable for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Liver Neoplasms ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic* ; Omentum ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transducers ; Ultrasonography

We investigated the efficacy of high dose corticosteroid therapy in the treatment of traumatic optic-neuropathy. We experimentally damaged the optic nerves of six white rabbits with a Hartman mosquito. Three of the rabbits were intravenously injected with 0.25mg/kg dexamethasone every six hours for a 48 hour period. The others were used as controls. In both groups, the optic nerves were removed after one month and stained with Hematoxyline-eosin, then examined microscopically. No histological differences were found in either the control or the experimental group.
Culicidae ; Dexamethasone ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Nerve Injuries* ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVE: Cerebral palsy may induce harmful spastic hip adduction. We report the result of microsurgical selective obturator neurotomy, performed on 12 spastic hip adductions of 6 patients, followed clinically for at least 26 months postoperatively. METHODS: Microsurgical selective obturator neurotomies, involving microsurgical resection of the anterior obturator nerve branches were performed on 6 patients from January 2000 through June 2003. All patients presented with the inability to sit and 2 patients complained of persistent, intractable pain. We used intraoperative bipolar stimulation to identify selected motor branches. RESULTS: The procedure was performed bilaterally in all patients. In the 3 patients in whom contractures were present, microsurgical selective obturator neurotomies were accompanied by an additional tenotomy of the adductor muscles. Selective tibial neurotomy was performed on three of six patients who originally presented with a spastic ankle. Postoperatively, all spastic hip adductions were corrected more than 60 degrees in passive abduction-adduction amplitude. However, one patient who did not receive active postoperative physiotherapy demonstrated a decreased passive abduction-adduction amplitude upon follow-up. There were no surgical complications. CONCLUSION: We think microsurgical selective obturator neurotomy may be an effective procedure in the treatment of localized, harmful spastic hip adduction after failure of well conducted conservative treatment. As muscular contractions are often associated with spasticity of the hip adductors, an adjunctive tenotomy may be an option. Comprehensive postoperative physiotherapy is essential to improve long-term results.
Ankle ; Cerebral Palsy ; Contracture ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip* ; Humans ; Muscle Contraction ; Muscle Spasticity* ; Muscles ; Obturator Nerve ; Pain, Intractable ; Paralysis ; Tenotomy