Unfortunately, we have poor knowledge of medical technology in North Korea. This study has thus attempted to identify the level and status of medical technology development through analyzing the contents of medical textbooks currently in use. This study has assumed that three factors are influencing the level and status of medical technology in a society ; the level of socio-economic development in general, the level of scientific technology revolution and health policy. Forty textbooks are collected for this purpose. The main findings are summarized as follows: 1) North Korea has strengths in that (1) its herb drugs, which are in a broad use, are cheaper, more safe and more attainable than bio-equivalent chemical ones, and (2) the development of its medical technology was carried out with emphasis on the practical and basic health needs. 2) North Korea has weaknesses in that (1) its medical diagnostic method largely depends on manual procedures, (2) the R & D investment in the development of chemical drugs, especially antibiotics, is very small, (3) the amount of medical equipments is in a absolute shortage, and (4) the medical technology is destitute of specialty, caused mainly by the overemphasis on Juche-Uihak or herb medicine. 3) Medical technology has two faces, positive and negative so that it cannot be successfully evaluated by one. It eventually acts a positive function for public health through developments of drug, equipment and new medical treatment method. But it is also true that it has negative effects such as the dehumanization of high cost medical technology, cost hike due to over-investments in expensive equipments, and the absence of wholistic care from overspecialization. 4) We have to consider economic status and the social needs of medical care in order to evaluate the medical technology of a society. It is also the ease with North Korea. A whole picture of the North Korean medical technology could be understood only if further comprehensive studies of medical technology are to be carried out for North Korea.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Dehumanization ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea* ; Health Policy ; Herbal Medicine ; Investments ; Public Health

Megaureter literally means a large ureter and is not used to denote a specific disease process. In this report a classification was proposed according to International pediatric urologic seminar in 1976. Seven cases of primary obstructive megaureter were presented with literature. This diagnosis excluded infravesical obstruction, reflux and neurogenic disorders. The results were as follows; 1. 6 cases were left, 1 case was bilateral. 2. The symptom of pyuria was observed in 2 cases, flank pain and pyuria were observed in 2 cases hematuria was observed in 2 cases, abdominal distention was observed in 1 cases. 3. Histologic findings showed inflammation of mucosa and submucosa in 3 cases, submucosal fibrosis and muscular hypertrophy in 2 cases and submucosal fibrosis and inflammation in 2 cases. 4. 6 cases were treated by Politano-Leadbetter ureteroneocystostomy and 1 case of them was tailored 1 case was treated by nephrourethrectomy. 5. Follow up study was performed in 5 cases of Politano-Leadbetter ureteroneocystostomy. 4 cases of them showed improved pyuria and hydroureteronephrosis.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Fibrosis ; Flank Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Hypertrophy ; Inflammation ; Mucous Membrane ; Pyuria ; Ureter

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

We report the successful treatment by percutaneous aspiration and antibiotics of a penile abscess in an elderly man attributed to misapplication of sildenafil citrate. The etiology, diagnosis, and management of penile abscess are discussed.
Abscess* ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Citric Acid* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Sildenafil Citrate

Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a disorder characterized by sinus node dysfunction. Although the condition is most common in the elderly, it can occur in children including neonates and its recognition and treatment are important. The diagnosis of SSS is based on the presence of sinus bradycardia, sinus arrest or exit block, combinations of sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodal conduction disturbances, and atrial tachyarrhythmias documented in the Holter recordings. In most children with SSS, previous history of congenital heart malformation or cardiac surgery is noted. SSS is also seen in the children including neonates without heart disease or other contributing factors, however SSS is most often idiopathic. The treatment of SSS depends on the basic rhythm problem, but generally involves the placement of a cardiac pacemaker. We report a case of SSS in extremely low birth weight infant without congenital heart disease and suggest that the treatment system is necessary for preterm infants with SSS.
Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bradycardia ; Child ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Diseases ; Premature Birth ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; Tachycardia ; Thoracic Surgery

Several cases of pulmonary air embolisms during surgery have been reported. However, such incidences are very rare during endoscopic surgeries. A 5-year-old boy with third ventricular arachnoid cyst and hydrocephalus underwent endoscopic third ventriculostomy under the general anesthesia, during which continuous intraventricular irrigation was maintained with normal saline. During the procedure, arterial and transcutaneous oxygen tension and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension became suddenly decreased while arterial carbon dioxide tension increased. Within 3 minutes after the inspired gas mixture was changed to 100% oxygen, the patient's respiratory variables returned to near base line. The second attack occured about 10 minutes later and decreased arterial oxygen tension with increased arterial carbon dioxide tension continued for about 5 minutes. After waking up from anesthesia, the patient suffered a generalized seizure attacks that was managed with anticonvusant therapy. We believe that we are the first to report an attack of pulmonary air emblism during brain endoscopic procedure. It was reported with the review of literatures.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arachnoid ; Brain ; Carbon Dioxide ; Child, Preschool ; Embolism, Air* ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Incidence ; Male ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Seizures ; Ventriculostomy*

Median raphe canal is a uncommon disease and represents a defect in the embryologic development of male genitalia. It occurs most commonly near the glans penis, but may occur anywhere from the urethral meatus to the anus, and is lined by endodermal or ectodermal epithelium. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice. we report a median raphe canal on the ventral aspect of the penis and the scrotum with review of literatures.
Anal Canal ; Ectoderm ; Endoderm ; Epithelium ; Genitalia, Male ; Male ; Penis* ; Scrotum*

Lymphoceles are the most frequent surgical complications following kidney transplantation. Symptomatic lymphoceles following kidney transplantation are managed best by surgical marsupialization with intraperitoneal drainage. We performed laparoscopic intraperitoneal drainage in a patient with a large lymphocele and secondary hydronephrosis following a kidney transplant.
Drainage* ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Laparoscopy ; Lymphocele* ; Transplantation

Delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction occurs when the transfused red cells possess an antigen to which the patient has been previously sensitized. Red cells are destructed by an antibody not detected by compatibility testiing some time after the transfusion. Anti-E(rh") is the Rh antibody that found second most commonly after anti-D in Korea, but very seldom causes hemolytic disease. Recently we experienced a case of delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction due to anti-E(rh") in a 37-year-old woman. Three days after the transfusion, she showed a fall in hematocrit and elevation of indirect bilirubin and LDH accompanied by a positive indirect antiglobulin test. Anti-E(rh") was identified in the patient's serum by antibody screening and identification test.
Adult ; Bilirubin ; Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the area and the shape of the vertebral body endplate in the magnetic resonance image (MRI) findings were risk factors for the development of symptomatic herniated lumbar intervertebral disc. METHOD: Sixty patients of low back pain with the age below 60 were enrolled. They didn't have spondylolisthesis or the history of spine surgery. MRI films of these patients were reviewed. Anteroposterior and transverse diameter of endplates, height of vertebral body and intervertebral discs were measured. The relation of these data and intervertebral disc herniation, body weight, height, body mass index (BMI) were statistically studied. RESULTS: Patients' weight, BMI, the vertebral body area and the shape of the endplate were related to disc herniations. Furthermore, the larger and circular vertebral body was observed in the patients with disc herniation. In the patients with lower back pain, men were diagnosed disc herniations of the MRI finding more than women. CONCLUSION: In anatomical aspect, the area and the shape of the vertebral body at the endplate level were important factors contributing to the development of disc herniations at L4-L5 and L5-S1.
Body Height ; Body Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis