In order to evaluate the value of vertebral angiography in assessment of hemifacial spasm, we reviewed retrospectively the vertebral angiography of 28 patients(30 cases) with surgically proved hemifacial spasm but normal CT scans of posterior fossa. There were 9 males and 19 females. Angiography revealed vascular focus of hemifacial spasm located at anterior inferior cerebellar artery, posterior inferior cerebellar artery, and vertebral artery in 19, 9, and 2 cases respectively. Right side was involved in 20 cases. All involved vessels were elongated, tortuous, and dilated. In conclusion, vertebral angiography was valuable in evaluating hemifacial spasm of vascular origin in the posterior fossa.
Angiography* ; Arteries ; Female ; Hemifacial Spasm* ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vertebral Artery

This study was attempted to know that the interactions of various fungi, and methionine and MgSO4 introduced as the substrate of culture media for fungi were affected to produce aflatoxins by Asp. flavus. 5 different fungi were isolated from the fermented soybean mash and were cultured in Chemically Defined medium (C.D. media) and soybean mash at 25 degrees for 10 days. (1) It was confirmed that Asp. flavus produced aflatoxins in the C.D. medium and soybean mash, but that Asp. niger, Asp. oryzae, Asp. awamori and Asp. terreus did not produced them respectively. (2) Asp. flavus cultured with Asp. niger did not produce aflatoxins in C.D. medium, but produced in soybean mash, in other hand, Asp. flavus with other fungi except Asp. niger produced aflatoxins in C.D. medium and soybean mash. (3) The growth of fungi were more prosperous in the separate culture than in the mixed culture. (4) In the C.D. medium added 20% of cultured medium of Asp. niger, Asp. flavus did not produce aflatoxins but other cultured medium did not prohibit the production of aflatoxins by Asp. flavus. (5) On the contrary, MgSO4 increasing the productivity of aflatoxins by Asp. flavus in the C.D. medium methionine known as one of precurser of aflatoxins did not affected the increasing productivity with significance.
Aflatoxins* ; Culture Media ; Efficiency* ; Fungi* ; Hand ; Methionine ; Niger ; Oryza ; Soybeans ; Viperidae*

No abstract available.
Arthroplasty* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip*

No abstract available.
Lipomatosis*

No abstract available.
Drug Resistance* ; Korea* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium*

PURPOSE: Rectoceles are often associated with anorectal symptoms. Various surgical techniques have been described to repair rectoceles, but the surgical results vary. The aim of this study was to compare transanal repair (TAR) and transanal repair with posterior colporrhaphy (TAR+PC). METHODS: The records of 58 patients operated on during a 56-month period were reviewed. Of those 26 patients had a TAR, and 32 patients had a TAR+PC. Interviews and anorectal physiologic studies were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: The recurrence rate after a TAR+PC was lower than the recurrence rate after a TAR (TAR 19.2% vs. TAR+PC 3.1%). The rectal sensation (sensory threshold: TAR 64.8+/-18.9 ml vs. TAR+PC 56.1+/-23.67 ml; earliest defecation urge: TAR 116.4+/-29.5 ml vs. TAR+PC 104.8+/-31.2 ml) was more improved after a TAR+PC. CONCLUSIONS: A TAR+PC for treatment of a rectocele is safe and effectively corrects obstructed defecation. The improvement probably relates, at least in part, to rectal sensational factors other than the dimensions of the rectocele.
Defecation ; Humans ; Rectocele* ; Recurrence ; Sensation

PURPOSE: Idiopathic pruritus ani is a common and embarrassing proctological condition which can be very difficult to treat. In this study, we documented our results with methylene blue intra-dermal injection in patients with intractable idiopathic pruritus ani. METHODS: 5-ml 1% methylene blue, 100-mg hydrocortisone, and 15-ml 1% lidocaine were injected into the perianal skin of 21 patients with idiopathic pruritus ani which had proved refractory to standard care. Clinical follow-up was undertaken. RESULTS: After one injection of the above solution, 15 (71.4%) of the patients were rendered symptom free. Repeat injection in the initial non- responders ultimately rendered another four. 19 (total: 90.5 %) of the patrents symptom free. Morbidity was 0%. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that intra-dermal methylene blue injection is a safe, simple, and efficient method of treating intractable, idiopathic pruritus ani.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone* ; Lidocaine* ; Methylene Blue* ; Pruritus Ani* ; Pruritus* ; Skin

PURPOSE: The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and the outcome when using the Starion(TM) and the Harmonic Scalpel(TM) vessel sealing systems for a sutureless hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: This study is a randomized, controlled trial. Patients with Grade 3 and 4 hemorrhoids were categorized into two groups: the Starion(TM) hemorrhoidectomy (30 patients) group and the Harmonic Scalpel(TM) hemorrhoidectomy (30 patients) group. The measures of the primary outcomes were the operating time, the postoperative pain score, and the patient satisfaction score. Secondary outcome criteria included early and delayed complications: postoperative bleeding, anal stenosis, urinary difficulty, and skin tag. RESULTS: The satisfaction scores 4 wk postoperatively were not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.186). However, the operating time was reduced (P=0.019), the pain score was lower (P=0.009), and the satisfaction score 1 wk postoperatively (P=0.001) was lower in the Starion(TM) hemorrhoidectomy group. In addition, there were no differences in early and delayed postoperative complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Both methods were found to be surprisingly equivalent in all major aspects analyzed. A Starion(TM) hemorrhoidectomy with submucosal dissection can provide a safe, fast, bloodless, reduced-pain, and low-priced surgical alternative to hemorrhoidal surgery. More studies are needed to determine whether similar favorable results can be attained in patients with more severe, strangulated hemorrhoids.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoidectomy ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Pain, Postoperative ; Patient Satisfaction ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin

We have experienced two cases of extramammary Paget's disease. The first case was a 68-year-old male who showed erythematous, crusted, oozing, eczematoid patches on the scroturn, penile root and pubic area, and verrucous plaque on the left pubic area of 5 years' duration. The second case was a 60-year-old male who showed erythematous, oozing, hyperkeratotic plaque and nodular mass on the scrotum of 4 years' duration. In electron microscopic findings of the first case, the Paget's cells was suggested to be formed by pleuripotential germinative cells; well developed microvilli, numerous electron lucent secretory granules, a few electron dense granules, apocrine type secretion and well developed desmosome.
Aged ; Desmosomes ; Humans ; Male ; Microvilli ; Middle Aged ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Scrotum ; Secretory Vesicles

PURPOSE: Generally, the constipation is a medical disease, but recently, there are many reports showing the good results after correction of rectocele in constipated patients. The authors try to show the effect of surgery in rectocele cases and also analyse the relationship between the anatomical distortion and clinical symptoms by using anorectal physiologic study before and after operation. METHODS: 31 cases of rectocele are surgically corrected from June 1998 to August 2001. 31 cases of them could be followed up and with them, pre- and post-operative anal ultrasonography, anorectal manommetry and defecography were tried. Personal interview was also done to each patient. RESULTS: After trasanal rectocele repair, the rectocele size decreased and clinical symptoms improved remarkably. In defecography, anorectal angle (pre-op; 105.9+/-6.0 degrees vs. post-op; 109.5+/-3.7 degees) and perineal descent (1.6+/-0.7 cm vs. 2.4+/-1.2 cm) increase in pushing state after operation. In anorectal manometry, mean resting anal pressure (29.2+/- 3.4 mmHg vs. 17.9+/-4.6 mmHg) and maximal squeeze pressure (84.5+/-20.8 mmHg vs. 47.6+/-12.1 mmHg) decreased and rectal sensation improved after operation. CONCLUSIONS: Current results suggest that the surgical correction aims not only the decrement of the rectocele size but changing the vector power on pushing more physiologically and also improving the rectal sensibility.
Constipation ; Defecography ; Humans ; Manometry ; Prospective Studies* ; Rectocele* ; Sensation ; Ultrasonography