Taking medication early on for aborting migraines has proved to be more effective, but trials using triptans during the aura phase have not shown significant effectiveness. Isometheptene compounds are popularly used as an anti-migraine OTC drug. We report a 27-year-old male patient with migraine with aura whose headache attacks were consistently inhibited by an isometheptene compound administered at the early aura phase, while he received no benefits from adequate treatment during the headache phase.
Adult ; Epilepsy* ; Headache ; Humans ; Male ; Migraine Disorders* ; Migraine with Aura ; Tryptamines

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder. The pathophysiology of IBS is not completely understood. Genetic, immune, environmental, inflammatory, neurological and psychological factors contribute to the risk of this condition. Traditional research explored gastrointestinal motor abnormalities, central neural dysregulation, abnormal psychological features, and visceral hypersensitivity. More recent investigations consider bacterial overgrowth, abnormal serotonin pathways, altered gut flora, immune activation and mucosal inflammation. The purpose of this article is to review recent translational research concerning the pathophysiology, biomarker and genetic factors of IBS and to encourage IBS research in Korea.
Biomarkers ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome* ; Korea ; Psychology ; Serotonin ; Translational Medical Research*

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Treatment Outcome*

The major purpose for the use of autotransfusion is to prevent the transmission of blood borne infectious agents, such as human immunodeficiency virus and non-A & non-B hepatitis virus. To evaluate the efficacy and quality of autolgous shed blood for autotransfusion, eighty patients who had total knee arthroplasty from Dec. 1992 to Mar. 1994, were included in one of two groups: Group I, who received the autotransfusion, or Group II, who did not. Each group included 20 patients of unilateral TKR and 20 patients of bilateral TKR. The Orth-evac system(Deknatel, USA) was used to salvage drained blood in the first six hours after the operation. All of the patients were evaluated for the postoperative blood loss, transfusion requirements, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, blood pressure and body temperatures. l. In bilateral TKR, the reinfusion of shed blood reduced the requirements for homologous blood by 41.4%(1.2 pints in group I versus 2.9 pints in group II). In unilateral TKR, it was decreased to 36.4%(0.4 pint in group I vs 1.1 pint in group II). 2. In bilateral TKR, the requirements for homologous transfusion was decreased from 95% of patients in control group to 55% in group I .In unilateral TKR, it was decreased from 60% to 20%. 3. There were four patients who had high fever above 39℃ after autotransfusion. 4. At the immediate postoperative period there were two patients who had hypovolemic shock in group I patients who had bilateral TKR. 5. There was no clotting abnormality, no transfusion reaction and no thromboembolic disease in group I patients. In conclusion, the reinfusion of autologous shed blood after TKR is an acceptable alternative to the homologous transfusion without untoward effect.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Blood Transfusion, Autologous ; Body Temperature ; Fever ; Hematocrit ; Hepatitis Viruses ; HIV ; Humans ; Knee ; Platelet Count ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Postoperative Period ; Shock ; Transfusion Reaction

This study presents data on the externally received doses for radiation workers who used the Korea Radioisotope Association's personal monitoring and dose record keeping service from 1984. Distributions of annual dose by age of worker and occupational category were given. The number of radiation workers registered was 23,257 in 1997. The trend of the number of radiation workers and their annual doses increased since 1984. The measured radiation dose were generally low. The collective annual dose and the mean annual dose were 33.45 Sv and 1.44 mSv, respectively. Very few workers(0.5%) exceeded 20 mSv(2 rem) and only 1 exceeded 50 mSv, the legal limit for dose.
Humans ; Korea*

Cases of foreign body ingestion are frequently seen in gastroenterology. However, it is not common for the foreign body to be located in the submucosa, which obscures it from view, even during endoscopy. A 74-year-old woman visited the emergency room 10 days after swallowing an implant screw during an implant procedure at a dental clinic. Abdominal CT revealed a 14-mm-long radio-opaque screw in the posterior wall of the proximal body of the stomach. On endoscopy, the screw was not observed in the stomach; however, fluoroscopic examination revealed that it was located under the mucosa of the posterior wall of the proximal body of the stomach. The screw was grasped using alligator forceps and retrieved. There was no evidence of perforation on chest radiography. Herein, we present a case wherein a foreign body embedded under the mucosa was removed.