Tracheal stenosis can be caused by various etiologies, such as infectious disease, trauma from previous prolonged incubation, airway surgery, or external blunt trauma, and neoplasm. Recently, the development of emergency and intensive care units leads to the primary cause of airway stenosis using airway devices. The stenotic lesions can be produced at any level between the vocal cord and the site of the tip of the tube. Laryngotracheal stenosis may be due to prolonged endotrachel intubation, especially with large tube, large tracheostomy stoma, too highly placed oacheostomy, erosion by local infection, the prying action of heavyweight equipment that connects the tracheostomy to the ventilator, excessive cuff pressure, or erosion by the tip of the tube. Prevention of tracheal stenosis is of key importance by understanding and attending to these causes. We experienced three cases of tracheal stenosis occurred after use of airway devices. In first and second cases, We performed end-to-end anastomosis artier resection of stenotic segment of the trachea in a 22-year-ol4 female and a 25-year-old male. They ha6 been treated with prolonged endotracheal incubation and emergency tracheostomy, respectively, for a ventilatory support for the respiratory failure after falling down from a height. The stenotic lesions occurred at the cuff site in the first case and at the stomal level in the second case. In third case, We performed one-stage laryngotracheoplastic procedure for subglottic stenosis in a 23-year-old male. He had been treated with emergence tracheostomy which had been placed too high for a ventilators support for the respiratory failure after traffic accident. The stenotic lesion occurred at the stomal level. The postoperative courses were uneventful.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adult ; Communicable Diseases ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Male ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Trachea ; Tracheal Stenosis* ; Tracheostomy ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Vocal Cords ; Young Adult

Endometriosis in the episiotomy scar following vaginal delivery is one of the very rare condition among the extrapelvic endometriosis. We have experienced two cases of endometriosis in the episiotomy scar following vaginal delivery. We report two cases with a brief review of the concerned literatures.
Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Episiotomy* ; Female

Ocular metastasis of metastatic carcinoma is the most common intraocular malignancy. The most common pr1mary Site of the lntraocular metastatic tumor is the breast ln women and the lung 1n men respectlvely and the choroid Is by far the most common site for intraocular metastasis. RadlOtherapy has been reported hlghly effect1ve in pal1iative treatment for metastatic tumor. We experienced a case choroidal metastasis in a known metastatic breast carcinoma patient and gained clinical lmprovement by rad1otherapy in this case.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Choroid* ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

This study was undertaken to document the effect of transforming growth factor-beta2 (TGF-beta2(TGF-beta2) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the proliferation of pig retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE). Whereas bFGF increased the proliferation, TGF-beta2 showed the inhibitory effect on the proliferation The inhibitory effect of TGF-beta2 disappeared in RPE subcultured with 10ng/ml of bFGF. Both TGF-beta2- and bFGF-specific antisense oligonucleotides blocked the autocrine effect of the growth factors. PLC-71 -specific antisense oligonucleotide inhibited the effect of TGF-beta2 and bFGF. Genistein inhibited the effect of TGF-beta2 and bFGF in dose-dependent man, ner. The data suggest the involvement. of in PLC-/1 and tyrosine kinase in signalling.
Epithelial Cells* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Genistein ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Retinaldehyde* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta2*

No abstract available.

To evaluate antioxidative effect of vitamin E, selenium and zinc sulfate on release of oxygen free radicals from polymorphonuclear leukocytes[PMNs], I measured the amount of superoxide release from human PMNs stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate[PMA]with addition of some antioxidant and antioxidative micronutrients using superoxide-dependent cytochrome c reduction.And to determine a protective effect of them on cultured bovine retinal pigment epithelial cells [RPE]from oxygen radicals, I measured a viability of bovine RPE using MTT assay after incubation with human PMNs and PMA. Vitamin E, selenuim and zinc sulfate are utilized at different concentrations of 1, 10 and 20 microM. Vitamin E and zinc sulfate inhibited superoxide production from PMNs stimulated by PMA from 10 microM concentration gnificantly. But in case of selenium, significant antioxidative effect was not found at each concentration.The antioxidative effect on cultured bovine RPE was evaluated using MTT assay.Among antioxidant and antioxidative micronutrients tested, vitamin E and zinc sulfate inhibited free radical damage to bovine RPE, they increased cell survival rate on culture at concentration of 1, 10 and 20 microM. In contrast, selenium did not increase cell survival rate significantly. With these results, it was found that vitamin E and zinc sulfate had antioxidative effect against superoxide release from PMNs and also protective effect of bovine RPE from free radical damages.Recent studies supported that peroxide may play an important role in causing tissue damage in human and experimental models of ocular inflammation and possibly in Behcet`s disease.It was suggested that antioxidant vitamins and minerals like vitamin E or zinc sulfate might be useful for management and/or prevention of these conditions.
Cell Survival ; Cytochromes c ; Epithelial Cells* ; Free Radicals ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; Micronutrients ; Minerals ; Models, Theoretical ; Myristic Acid ; Oxygen ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Retinaldehyde* ; Selenium* ; Superoxides* ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins* ; Zinc Sulfate* ; Zinc*

No abstract available.
Nocardia Infections*

The aim of this study was to evaluate the histopathologic changes of the pigmented rabbit ratina after endocryopexy. We investigated the differences or similarity among endocryopexy, transscleral cryopexy and laser phocoagulation. Their ultrastructural changes were observed with light and electron microscope. The results were as follows; 1. The first day after endocryopexy, we observed rupture of the internal limiting membrane, breakdown the inner and outer retina, separation of intercellular gap junction of pigment epithelial cells, and accumulation of exudation within subretinal space. 2. In the 8th days, there are mull iplication of retinal pigment epithelial cell layer and development of basal infolding. 3. The present study suggested that effects of endocryopexy on the retina to cause chorioretinal adhesion was similar to transscleral cryopexy or laser photocoagulation However it should be operated on the premise that in requires technical skill for the purpose of clinical application.
Epithelial Cells ; Gap Junctions ; Light Coagulation ; Membranes ; Retina* ; Retinaldehyde ; Rupture

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changing pattern of serum leptin level and the correlation between estradiol level during the clomiphene citrate challenge test(CCCT) or controlled ovarian hyperstimulation(COH) cycle. METHODS: Twenty-seven women who underwent CCCT and fourteen women who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation were recruited to measure the serum leptin level. After correction of serum concentration with body mass index(BMI), changes of leptin level and correlation with serum estradiol level during CCCT and COH cycle were analyzed. RESULTS: Circulating leptin levels were significantly correlated with BMI at each time point in CCCT cycle(P<0.01). In CCCT cycle, leptin/BMI level was significantly increased at midluteal phase compared to that of menstrual cycle day 3 and 10(p<0.05). In women with regular menstruation, leptin/BMI level at midluteal phase was significantly higher than that of menstrual day 3 and 10, but this difference was not seen in women with irregular menstruation. The leptin/BMI level in COH cycle showed increasing tendency throughout ovarian stimulation. But there was no significant correlation between leptin/BMI and estradiol level in CCCT and COH cycle. CONCLUSION: There is a significant correlation between BMI and circulating leptin level. Midluteal leptin level is significantly higher than that of follicular phase in CCCT cycle, and there is an increasing tendency in leptin level after ovarian stimulation in CCCT and COH cycle without statistical significance. These findings suggest that circulating estradiol concentration has no major influence on circulating leptin level.
Clomiphene* ; Estradiol ; Female ; Follicular Phase ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation ; Ovulation Induction

Complications after a median sternotomy incision, which is used currently in most open heart surgery, are serious, although it is infrequent. Reconstruction of the sternal defect resulting from dehiscence of median sternotomy is still big challenge to the most plastic surgeons. Since vascularized greater omentum was transposed to eliminate mediastinal wound problems, many vascularized regional muscle flaps became mainstay in reconstruction of median sternotomy wound. We treated 13 patients with median sternotomy dehiscence between October of 1993 and March of 1998. In two patients, the wound problems were so confined to superficial tissue that debrided and closed primarily. Eleven patients with deep wound infection were managed with vigorous debridement of all necrotic tissues and resultant defects were covered with regional muscle flaps: rectus myocutaneous flap(3) and bilateral pectoralis advancement flap(8). We used the pectoralis major advancement flaps without counter incision at humeral insertion site and the dissections were limited only medial to the anterior axillary line to preserve the axillary fold. In five patients with larger defects, we elevated muscle and cutaneous flaps separately to make these flaps more mobile. Large portion of two rectus abdominis flaps could not survive, whereas pectoralis advancement flaps had mo special wound problems. Only one patient developed fistula due to remained wire, regardless to flap surgery.
Debridement ; Fistula ; Humans ; Omentum ; Rectus Abdominis ; Sternotomy* ; Thoracic Surgery ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries