A case of progressive hypertrophic interstitial neuropathy developed in the median nerve of the right hand is reported. The patient was a 27-year old housewife who had complained of numbness and shooting pain on the median nerve distribution of the right hand for last 13 years, with recent aggrevation. And clinically palpated thickened sausage like mass in right distal forearm and palm mainly at the thenar eminence. Most part of redundant tumor tissus was excised, and complete excision of the transverse carpal ligament for release of compression and adhesiolysis was performed with relief of the symptoms.
Forearm ; Hand ; Hereditary Sensory and Motor Neuropathy ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Ligaments ; Median Nerve

No abstract available.
Chromium* ; Micronucleus Tests*

A hospital-based, matched case-control study was carried out to evaluate the relation ship of various suspected risk factors including snoring and serum level of cholesterol to cerebrovascular disease in Korea. A total of 127 incident cases of cerebrovascular disease(74 cases of cerebral infarction and 53 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage) admitted to the department of neurology in a university hospital from December, 1993 to March, 1995 were compared with 127 matched controls admitted to same hospital in same period. A multivariate analysis suggested that ECG abnormality(left ventricular hypertophy and atrial fibrillation), family history of cerebrovascular disease, fundoscopic abnormality, previous history of transient ischemic attack and hypercholesterolemia were risk factors of cerebrovascular disease. ECG abnormality, fundoscopic abnormality, smoking and hypercholesterolemia were also suggested as risk factors of cerebral infarction.
Case-Control Studies* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cholesterol ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Korea ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neurology ; Risk Factors* ; Ships ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Snoring

As the use of free tissue reconstruction becomes more routine, attention is being focused not only on flap survival, but also on functional refinements in these flaps. One of the more important aspects of improving the outcome of these reconstruction may relate to the return of sensation. The anterolateral thigh free flap is based on the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. This fasciocutaneous flap is indicated whenever a relatively thin flap is required in reconstruction. A neurosensory flap can be employed based on the anterior branched of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve of the thigh. Since 1996, 15 patients with soft tissue defect on various regious were treated by using the anterolateral thigh sensate free falp. All flaps survived without total loss. Anastomosis of the sensible nerve on the recipient site with the anterior branch of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve of the thigh was performed. All patients showed recovery of sensation in the anterolateral thigh sensate free falp beginning between the 4th and 6th month postoperatively. Follow-up periods ranged from 8 to 34 months and the results of sensory recovery were satisfactory. Therefore, resensitization of an anterolateral thigh free flap should be attempted by a nerve anastomosis in this transplant. The longterm success in this study suggests the benefits of microsurgical neurotization in free tissue transplantation.
Femoral Artery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Humans ; Nerve Transfer ; Sensation ; Thigh* ; Tissue Transplantation ; Transplants

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to obtain basal information to establish a proper birth-encouraging policy in the future through the survey of the attitude towards childbirth and its related factors among female students in junior, senior high school, and university. METHODS: A survey was performed for 2 weeks in June, 2006, for a total of 688 female students which included 185 ones in a girls' junior high school and 242 ones in a girls' senior high school in Sacheon, and 261 ones in two universities in Jinju. The selfadministered questionnaires developed by the authors included the socio-demographic characteristics, the attitude towards childbirth, the preference of a son for their future child, the belief on relative importance of family or work after marriage, the seriousness perception of low birth rate in Korea, frequencies of education in school about low birth rate. The attitude was measured by an answer to the question of 'To what degree do you think you are going to have a child(or children)?' RESULTS: The proportion of positive attitude towards their future childbirth was 76.2% in junior high school, 63.9% in high school, and 82.8% in university students (p<0.01). In the logistic regression analysis, the significant factors related with positive attitude towards future childbirth were school grade, preference of a son for their future children, and belief on relative importance of family or work after marriage. CONCLUSIONS: It suggests that the related factors with positive attitude towards future childbirth need to be considered to make a proper birth policy.
Birth Rate ; Child ; Education ; Female* ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Marriage ; Parturition* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The Ewing's sarcoma comprises approximately less than 10 percent of malignant bone tumors and 5 percent of allbone tumors, occures in almost all bones of the body, and presents a widely divergent roentgenographicmanifestations. The tarsal bones are involved only 2 percent in the Ewing's sarcoma. Two cases experienced byauthors and ten cases published in literatures of Ewing's sarcoma of the tarsal bone were analizedretrospectively. The result were as follows; 1. Of tarsal bones, the calcaneus was 7 cases, the talus 4 cases,cuneiform 1 case. 2. Female was affected more commonly than male, the ratio being 4 to 1 in the tarsal bones. 3.About sixty percent of total case in the tarsal bones had evidence of diffuse sclerotic pattern. All the cases ofthe talus had evidence of diffuse sclerotic pattern. 4. The diseases to be considered in differential diagnosisare as follows: avascular necrosis, tuberculous osteomyelitis, osteosarcoma, and pyogenic osteomyelitis. 5. Thediffuse sclerosis radiographically showed a close relation with dead bone resulting from avascular necrosis due totumor infiltration histologically. Periosteal reactive new bone and osteoid deposition on the dead bone were alsocorrelated with diffuse sclerosis. 6. Because it is difficult to differentiate sclerotic lesions in the tarsalbones by radiographic methods alone, all such lesions should be subject to biopsy as early as possible.
Biopsy ; Calcaneus ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Osteomyelitis ; Osteosarcoma ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; Sclerosis ; Talus ; Tarsal Bones

BACKGREOUND: The sympathetic investigations during thoracic sympathectomy are essential to an adequate sympathectomy that will lead to sufficient and lasting relief of palmar hyperhidrosis. The measurement of palmar skin temperature has been used as an indicator of success of transcutaneous chemical thoracic sympathectomy. We measured intraoperative palmar skin temperature to know whether it can be used as a same purpose in the endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy under general anesthsia. METHODS: Fifteen patients (18 to 25 years old) with palmar hyperhidrosis underwent endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy under general anesthesia. The palmar skin temperature was measured with a skin probe of a thermometer applied on the both index finger tips. The palmar skin temperature was monitored continuously from the beginning of anesthesia to the complete arousal. RESULTS: The palmar skin temperature increased significantly by about 3 degrees C just after induction. There was no significant difference in the palmar skin temperature between just before sympathectomy and soon after sympathectomy during the endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative measurement of palmar skin temperature can not indicate a definite sympathectic denervation during the endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy under general anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arousal ; Denervation ; Fingers ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Skin Temperature* ; Skin* ; Sympathectomy* ; Thermometers

BACKGOUND: During apnea, as in any other acid-base disturbance, ion exchanges between intra- and extracellular compartments are expected, but few studies have reported such findings. The purpose of this study was to observe serum sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate concentrations during apnea until death. METHODS: Seventeen New Zealand White Rabbits (weight 2.0~3.0 kg) were subjected to apneic oxygenation. Then we measured heart rate, blood pressure, intracranial pressure, arterial blood gas analyses and serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate) concentrations during apnea until death. RESULTS: Heart rate decreased because of sinus bradyarrythmia at 10 minutes after apnea and thereafter continued to increase. Blood pressure increased up to 30 minutes after apnea and thereafter continued to decrease. Intracranial pressure consistently increased during apnea. Serum bicarbonate and chloride ion concentrations showed reciprocal changes, but there was no significant correlation. Serum sodium and potassium concentrations increased up to 40 minutes and 30 minutes respectively, and thereafter decreased until death. All serum ion concentrations were within normal limits. CONCLUSION: The serum sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate concentrations were maintained within normal limits during apneic oxygenation until death.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Acidosis, Respiratory ; Apnea ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Blood Pressure ; Electrolytes ; Heart Rate ; Intracranial Pressure ; Ions ; Oxygen ; Potassium* ; Rabbits* ; Sodium*

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of hypertension, rates of awareness, treatment modalities, and control of hypertension, and also to identify factors in rural Korea that are related to these aspects of hypertension. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey, including blood pressure(BP) measurements and interviews, investigating the variables in the health belief model was performed from August to November, 1999 on 1,426 (79.4%) study subjects out of 1,797 registered residents over 30 years old in Ibansong-Myun, Chinju City. A second survey was performed from January to March, 2000 on 376 (80.0%) subjects out of 470 hypertensive (or suspected hypertensive) subjects found in the first survey. Two BP readings were taken in each survey using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Hypertension was defined as either a BP reading < 140/90 mmHg in both surveys, or as subjects on oral hypertensive medication. RESULTS: Estimated hypertension prevalence was 24.9% for men, and 30.4% for women. Rates of hypertension awareness, treatment (the regular use of oral hypertensives), and control (reduction of BP to <140/90 mmHg) were 52.5%, 34.4%, and 12.9%, respectively. The factors related to lower hypertension awareness in the logistic regression analysis were male gender, farming occupation, and higher perceived barrier to medical treatment (those for whom visiting health professionals is a burden). CONCLUSIONS: To improve the low awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, a more active and out-reaching hypertension control program, including routine BP measurements for every visitor to primary care facilities, is needed in rural Korea.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Occupations ; Prevalence* ; Primary Health Care ; Reading ; Sphygmomanometers

PURPOSE: This study examined the rate in which a diagnostic workup and treatment for osteoporosis are performed on patients with a hip fracture in Jeju Island, South Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study reviewed the medical records and radiographs of 174 patients (141 women and 33 men) older than 50 years and diagnosed with femoral neck or intertrochanteric fractures at 8 hospitals in Jeju Island during 2005. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 78.3 years (range, 50-104 years). The number of patients examined with bone densitometry and treated for osteoporosis after the hip fracture was calculated. RESULTS: DXA was performed on 35 patients (20.1%) diagnosed with osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5). Of these 35 patients, 27 patients were treated for osteoporosis after a hip fracture. Among the 174 patients, only 27 patients (15.5%) had received medication for osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: The detection and treatment of osteoporosis are essential for reducing the incidence of another fracture after a hip fracture. However, a diagnostic study and the treatment for osteoporosis were performed only in a small portion of hip fracture patients.
Densitometry ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Hip Fractures* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Osteoporosis*