Spondylolisthesis and spondylolysis is one of the major causes of the low back pain and orthopaedic surgeons frequently encounter this problems with increasing tendency. In 19th century, spondylolisthesis had been studied by the European obstetrician as the main cause of dystocia. Advancement of the radiological techniques enabled us to know more precise degree of slipping. Therefore, many surgical techniques have been used. Spondylolysis has been also studied as the precursor of the spondylolisthesis. This report is based upon the analysis of the records of 26 patients who had operated at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of National Medical Center from 1972 to 1981. The results were as follows. 1. Most common age group was 30–50 age group and theres no sexual difference. 2. Most common symptoms were lumbago and radiating pain and the most common sign was Lasegue sign. 3. Most common type was isthmic type and location was 5th lumbar vertebra, and degree of slipping was grade I by Meyerding's method. 4. The fusion of the grafted bone were observed in 24 cases among 26 cases: of which the duration were 3 months in 16 cases and remaining 8 cases had duration between 3 and 6 months. 5. Postoperative analysis under the basis of the functional recovery was satisfactory in 93% of cases by Gill's criteria.
Dystocia ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Methods ; Pregnancy ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis ; Spondylolysis ; Surgeons ; Transplants

No abstract available in English.
Gangrene

PURPOSE: Anthracyclines have been utilized in the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Recent studies have shown that anthracyclines may induce toxicity in the vascular endothelium. This study was performed using brachial artery reactivity (BAR) to evaluate vascular endothelial function in ALL patients who were treated with anthracycline chemotherapy. METHODS: We included 21 children with ALL who received anthracycline chemotherapy and 20 healthy children. The cumulative dose of anthracyclines in the ALL patients was 142.5+/-18.2/m2. The last anthracycline dose was administered to the patients 2 to 85 months prior to their examination using BAR. The diameter of the brachial artery was measured in both groups using echocardiography, and BAR was calculated as the percentage change in the arterial diameter after release of the cuff relative to the baseline vessel diameter. RESULTS: In the anthracycline-treated group, BAR was observed to be 3.4%+/-3.9%, which was significantly lower than that observed in the control group (12.1%+/-8.0%, P<0.05). The time elapsed after the last anthracycline treatment and the age at the time of treatment did not affect the change in BAR (P=0.06 and P=0.13, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results provided evidence that treatment of ALL patients with anthracycline results in endothelial dysfunction. A larger cohort study and a longer follow-up period will be required to clarify the relationship between endothelial dysfunction resulting from anthracycline treatment for childhood ALL and occurrence of cardiovascular diseases later in life.
Anthracyclines ; Brachial Artery ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Child ; Cohort Studies ; Echocardiography ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to study the way of thinking and satisfaction level of North Korean defectors in South Korea on various topics and their relationship with each other. METHODS: Direct interview was performed for 553 North Korean defectors in South Korea. 44 items of life satisfaction were rated. Satisfaction level was rated on a 5 point scale (1-unsatisfactory and 5-fully satisfied). Factor analysis and correlation of the factors were performed. RESULTS: The average level of satisfaction was 3.39. Relatively high satisfaction items were adjustment of their children, family life, and residence area. But relatively low satisfaction items were psychological and mental area, leisure, and income. In governmental support systems, medical support was the most satisfactorily rated item, but financial support for settlement and support for employment or job training were the most dissatisfied. In the factor analysis, 44 items of satisfaction were grouped into 13 factors. The correlation of these factors showed that general satisfaction is significantly correlated with satisfaction with housing, economic status, governmental support and lower degree of confusion on the sense of value. Confusion on the sense of value was high when defectors do not have close friends, have difficulties in understanding South Korean people, and are not satisfied with their economic status. Religion did not have significant correlation with the their sense of value. And self and social consciousness of the defectors were strongly correlated with the their employment status. CONCLUSION: This result showed that the satisfaction of North Korean defectors is correlated not only with material aspects, but also psychological and mental aspects. The results of study should be considered in helping defector to adjust to living in South Korea.
Child ; Consciousness ; Employment ; Financial Support ; Friends ; Housing ; Humans ; Korea* ; Leisure Activities ; Thinking*

No abstract available.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta* ; Osteogenesis* ; Pseudarthrosis* ; Tibia*

BACKGROUND: Ischemic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy may be clinically indistinguishable and cardiac catheterization is often required to differentiate between them. And many nonivasive methods including myocardial Thallium scan have showed nonspecific results in differentiating between them. METHODS: We studied the change of echocardiographic ejection fraction after exercise in 8 patients with ischemic heart failure and 9 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and have assessed the usefulness of this noninvasive technique in distinguishing between the two groups. RESULTS: All patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy displayed the significant decrease of ejection fraction at 5 minutes after exercise(p<0.01) and recovery of ejection fraction at 15 minutes after exercise(35.25+/-6.56%-->28.75+/-7.89%-->34.38+/-8.50%). Respectively, all patients with dilated cardiomyopathy showed the significant increment of ejection fraction at 5 minutes(p<0.005) and 15 minutes(p<0.05) after exercise compared with the pre-exercise value(29.44+/-6.17%-->46.33+/-11.93%-->35.00+/-5.68%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that echocardiographic ejection fraction at post-exercise 5 minutes, will be the adjunctive method to differentiate between ischemic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy.
Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Failure* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Thallium

OBJECTIVE: This open prospective study was performed to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of risperidone in the treatment-resistant patient with chronic schizophrenia who had completed a 8-week short-term trial. METHOD: Fourteen patients with treatment-resistant chronic schizophrenia(DSM-IV), who had been previously treated with at least two different kinds of typical antipsychotic drugs but with insufficient clinical effects or who experienced distressing extrapyramidal side effects, were evaluated over a 48-week risperidone treatment period. Efficacy was assessed by the PANSS and the CGI, and its safety by the ESRS and the UKU side effect rating scale. Both were assessed at 8-week intervals. RESULT: Nine(four males and five females) of the fourteen patients completed the study. Overall, PANSS score for the entire period showed an improvement when compared with the baseline state. The pronounced improvement in CGI severity was seen between the 8th and 16th week, continued until endpoint. Of fourteen patients, eleven(78.6%) patients showed at least a 20% decrease in total PANSS scores on endpoint analysis. Transiently-observed extrapyramidal side effects following medication were akathisia(n=3), bradykinesia(n=3), and sialorrhea(n=2). Early UKU side effects included; increased dream activity, sedation, amenorrhea, and concentration difficulty. These were common but transient with the exception of amenorrhea. Three of the four patients with amenorrhea did not resume menses throughout the study. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that risperidone is a safe antipsychotic drug with long-term efficacy against both the positive and negative symptoms in the treatment of treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
Amenorrhea ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Dreams ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Risperidone* ; Schizophrenia*

No abstract available in English.
Tuberculosis, Spinal

No abstract available in English.
Clinical Study ; Spine ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Spinal

Background: Chronic kidney disease is associated with chronic inflammation and progressive loss of peripheral muscle strength and the ability to exercise, and these changes are highly pronounced in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD). We evaluated hand grip strength (HGS) and leg muscle strength (LMS) in patients receiving HD and attempted to identify factors associated with muscle strength. Methods: We screened HGS (opposite the fistula side) and LMS (both sides) in HD patients at a single center (n = 112) by using digital hand and leg dynamometers (T.K.K. 5401 and 5710e/5715, Takei Scientific Instruments Co. Ltd., Niigata, Japan). Results: The mean age of patients was 62.6 years, and 73.2% of the patients were male.Diabetes was the cause of kidney failure in 50% of the patients, and the median HD vintage was 34 months. A total of 77.7% of patients reported that they participated in regular home-based exercise, and 29.5% of patients regularly participated in hospital-based resistance exercise.HGS and LMS showed good correlation (r = 0.715, P < 0.001). HGS (25.1 vs. 17.0 kg) and LMS (30.1 vs. 20.4 kg) were greater in males (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively) than in females.Older patients (≥ 60 years) showed less LMS than younger patients in both males and females (P = 0.012 and P = 0.037, respectively), but HGS did not differ according to age. Patients performing regular home- or hospital-based exercise showed higher HGS than those who did not exercise (24.2 vs. 18.6 kg, P = 0.011), but LMS was not significantly different (29.3 vs. 23.6 kg, P = 0.185). Multiple linear regression analysis proved that male sex, younger age, and any type of exercise were factors associated with improved HGS and LMS. Groups of older age (≥ 60 years), male sex, and shorter duration of HD (< median) benefitted more from exercise. Conclusion Sex, age, and exercise were the most important determinants of muscle strength in HD patients. We need to encourage patients to engage in regular home or group exercise from the beginning of dialysis and introduce new feasible forms of exercise for HD patients.