PURPOSE: In order to elucidate the actual mechanism and the optimal concentration of Lamotrigine(LTG) that suppresses epileptiform discharges, we observed epileptiform discharges from hippocampal slices of immature rat in 4-aminopyridine(4-AP) added Mg2+ - free medium of artificial cerebrospinal fluid(aCSF) with various LTG concentrations. METHODS: We divided 19-23 day-old Sprague-Dawley rats into 4 groups; control group(n=12) and 3 LTG groups depending on the concentrations of LTG such as 400 (n=9), 800(n=7), and 1,000(n=8) microM. The rats were anesthetized and their brains were taken, soaked in aCSF(NaCl 125 mM, KCl 2.5 mM, NaH2PO4 2 mM, MgSO4 1.25 mM NaHCO3 25 mM, CaCl2 2 mM, Glucose 10 mM, pH 7.3-7.4). And then the brains were cut into 400 microm hippocampal slices by a vibratome. The slices of control group were soaked in 200 microM 4-AP added Mg2+ -free medium of aCSF for 1 hour, and then extracellular recordings were performed in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal region. The slices of LTG groups were soaked in the solution containing 400, 800, and 1,000 microM LTG, then extracellular recordings were performed. RESULTS: Interictal discharges were observed in all the control and the LTG groups. The latency to the first interictal discharges after 4-AP addition was 52.7+/-26.9 sec in control group, but was 225.0+/-28.2 sec in 800 microM and 322.1+/-116.4 sec in 1,000 microM group of LTG(P<0.05). The duration of interictal discharges was 64.6+/-35.6 sec in control group, but was the shortest in 800 microM group of LTG at 39.3+/-12.6 sec. Ictal discharges were observed in all of control and 400 microM group, but the frequency was decreased as the concentration of LTG increases, 57.1% in 800 microM, 12.5% in 1,000 microM group. The latency to ictal discharge after 4-AP addition was 142.1+/-52.6 sec in control group, but increased as the concentration of LTG increases, 304.4+/-84.5 sec in 400 microM group and 689.8+/-213.1 sec in 800 microM group(P<0.05). The duration of ictal discharges was 1,534.7/-339.3 sec in control group, but decreased as the concentration of LTG increases, it was 126.5+/-76.1 sec in 800 microM group(P <0.05) and 42 sec in 1,000 microM group. CONCLUSION: The antiepileptic effects of LTG were most significant when the concentration, inhibiting epileptiform discharges induced by 4-AP and Mg2+ -free medium in hippocampal slices of immature rats, was 800 microM or higher. Although the basic pharmacologic mechanism of LTG is the inhibition of sodium channel, it may also work on potassium channel at higher concentrations.
4-Aminopyridine* ; Animals ; Brain ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Potassium Channels ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Channels

Luteal phase defect (LPD) is an ovulatory disorder of considerable clinical importance that leads to delayed endometrial maturation and inadequate endometrium for blastocyst implantation. This disorder is implicated in infertility and recurrent spontaneous abortion. We analyzed the endometrial histological maturation, and the estrogen receptor(ER) and progesterone receptor(PR) status in patients with unexplained delayed ovulation, and in patients with ovulation induction by clomiphen citrate. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the length of the follicular phase influences the endometrial histological maturation and the hormonal receptor status, and to know the effect of clomiphen citrate on the endometrium. In the delayed ovulation group, the endometrium was characterized by an irregular outpouching and dilated lumina of the glands, a decreased secretory activity and predecidualization, and a decreased number of granulocytes in the stroma. In the clomiphen citrate-ovulation induction group, glandular proliferation was markedly diminished with poorly convoluted and narrow glands, secretory activity was decreased, stroma was undecidualized, and there was an absence of granulocytes. ER expression was increased in the glandular epithelium in the delayed ovulation group, and both ER and PR expressions were markedly decreased in the glandular epithelium and stromal cells in the ovulation induction group. Endometrial maturation and differentiation may be diminished by increased estrogenic and relatively deficient progesterone effects in patients with delayed ovulation. The hormonal receptor status might also be influenced by hormonal changes. Clomiphen citrate successfully induced ovulation in patients with delayed ovulation, however, endometrial proliferation and maturation were markedly suppressed. This might be related to the lower pregnancy rate and higher abortion rate in patients with clomiphen citrate induced ovulation.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare disease, especially in Asian populations. Surgical resection is considered the primary treatment option. Recently, radiotherapy has been suggested as an EMPD treatment, either as an alternative to surgical resection or in combination with surgical resection. This report reviewed a patient with EMPD who was treated with wide excision of the EMPD site followed by radiotherapy for remaining gross lymph node metastases. The aim of this report was to determine the optimal treatment for advanced EMPD.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paget Disease, Extramammary* ; Radiotherapy* ; Rare Diseases

On the contrary to congenital anomalies of intestinal rotation in pediatric patients, those in adults are generally nonsymptomatic and of little consequence. Occasionally, however, an adult may have midgut nonrotation and complain of chronic or recurrent abdominal pain. Intestinal nonrotation can be divided into complete or partial failure of rotation and into abnormalities affecting the proximal segment, the distal segment or both. We report herein a 43-year old female patient with symptomatic partial, cecocolic nonrotation.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult* ; Female ; Humans

Reversible splenial lesion syndrome can be caused by viral infection. Rubella generally occurs in childhood, and it is rarely accompanied by neurological complications in adulthood. A 35-year-old man visited our hospital due to conjunctival injection, mild fever, and headache 3 days after experiencing skin rash. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed distinct lesions involving white matter in the splenium of the corpus callosum approximately 3 days following the onset of symptoms. Enzyme immunoassay performed on serum and CSF samples was positive for rubella virus IgM. A follow-up brain MRI was performed 24 days after the onset of symptoms, and reduced lesion size with decreased signals were observed on diffusion weighted image. This case showed that rubella infection can result in reversible splenial lesion accompanied by only mild neurological symptoms.
Rubella

Development of acetabulum and epiphysis of the femoral head following reduction in seventy-four patients with ninty-one congenitally dislocated hips were assessed radiologically. Acetabular index, CE angle of Wiberg, neck-shaft angle of the femur and overgrowth of the pelvis and femur were measured according to the various treatment. To evaluate results, the method of treatment was divided into four groups; closed reduction, open reduction, open reduction combined with pelvic osteotomy and modified Klisic operation (open reduction, pelvic osteotomy, femoral osteotomy and so on). Each treatment was compared with three subgroups according to ages; first subgroup was belong to patients under one year of age, second from one year to three years, third over three years. This paper agrees to Harris (1976) and Lindstrom (1979) about improvement of acetabular index and CE angle of Wiberg that showed a rapid rate of repair in the first 6 months and thereafter slowly progressed to normal range of degree. Overgrowth of pelvis and femur was also noticed in cases of hips treated pelvic and/or femoral osteotomy, moreover even in cases of open reduction only. The goal of this preliminary investigation may be supposed to propose the idea which method of treatment to the first visiting patient will approach the most satisfactory final result.
Acetabulum ; Dislocations ; Epiphyses ; Femur ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Methods ; Osteotomy ; Pelvis ; Reference Values

PURPOSE: To evaluate MR characteristics of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) in children, which was confirmed by clinical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were six patients, who were diagnosed by clinical findings. One subject had recurrence one year after clinical improvement leading to one additional care with the total of seven. The modes of viral infections were as follows;four cases of non-specific upper respiratory tract infection, one of E-B virus, one of Japanese-B-encephalitis vaccination, and one of upper respiratory infection in Bruton's disease. The Gd-DTPA enhanced scan was performed in all cases. MR findings were evaluated in anatomic location of the lesions, presence or absence of contrast enhancement, and the temporal changes were also evaluated on follow-up MRI. RESULT: There were multifocal high signal intensity lesions on T2WI in all cases. The location of lesions were basal ganglia in five, thalamus and brain stem in four, and cerebral gray and white matter and cerebellar white matter in three. Bilaterality was 77%. There were contrast enhancement in two of three cerebral cortical lesions and one of three white matter lesions. The size of lesions decreased on the first follow-up MRI which were done after 1 month in 4 cases, but new lesions were developed in two cases. On the second follow-up MRI which were done 2 months after, all lesions were decreased in size and there was no newly developed lesion. However, in one case who had recurrent similar symptom after 1 year, several new lesions developed on follow-up MRI, and it was comidened as a recurrence. CONCLUSION: The characteristic MR findings of ADEM were multifocal bilateral white and gray matter lesions which were high signal intensities on T2WI. The majority of lesions improved on follow-up MRI, but occasionally showed multiphasic pattern.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain Stem ; Child* ; Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Thalamus ; Vaccination

PURPOSE: All procedures for the removal of retained intrahepatic stones were performed on inpatient basis. We evaluated the advantage of the procedures performed on inpatient basis compared with outpatient basis in terms of the success rate, causes of failure and the complication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Percutaneous removal of retained intrahepatic stones was performed in 58 patients through a T-tube tract on inpatient basis from April 1990 to December 4992. Stones were exclusively intrahepatic in 28 patients, whereas 30 patients had combined stones in common bile duct. Preshaped catheters, baskets, and balloon catheters were used to remove the stones and dilate the strictures of the ducts. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and choledochoscopy with electrohydraulic lithotripsy were used to crush the impacted stones. RESULTS: The stones were completely removed in 34 (58.6%) of 58 patients and most of the stones were removed in 17 patients (29.3%). The overall success rate was 87.9%. The complications (cholangitis in 13% and pancreatitis in 0.8% per session) were found and successfully managed by appropriate care. CONCLUSION: Better success rate could be achieved by more aggressive appraoch on inpatient basis when compared with previous reports on outpatient basis. We suggest that the procedures should be performed on inpatient basis especially in a case with severe strictures or impacted stones.
Catheters ; Common Bile Duct ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Lithotripsy ; Outpatients ; Pancreatitis ; Shock

Miller-Dieter syndrome consists of severe type I lissencephaly, abnormal facial appearance, and sometimes other birth defects. Lissencephaly is a brain malformation manifested by a smooth cerebral surface, thickened cortical mantle, and microscopic evidence of incomplete neuronal migration. It comprises the agyria-pachygyria spectrum of malformation, thus excluding polymicrogyria and other cortical dysplasia. Type I lissencephaly results from abnormal migration between about 10 and 14 weeks gestaion. The brain is often small, and the ventricle is enlarged posteriorly The corpus callosum may be small or absent. The structural pattern of the cerebral hemispheres and ventricles is distintly immature, reminiscent of fetal brain. The superficial cellular layer resembles an immature cortex, with some separation into zones similar to layers III, V, and VI of normal cortex, although the cell population is decreased. In 1963 Miller described a malformation syndrome in a brother and sister with postnatal growth deficiency, craniofacial defects, and serious abnormalities of neurologic function. Autopsy at 3 and 4month of age, respectively, revealed lissencephaly. Subsequently, Dieker reported four additional patients with this disorder and referred to it as the 'lissencephaly syndrome'. We have experienced a case with this syndrome. Then we report this rare case with brief review of literature.
Autopsy ; Brain ; Cerebrum ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Corpus Callosum ; Humans ; Lissencephaly ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Neurons ; Siblings

This rare venous congenital anomaly has been diagnosed preoperatively in a 24-year-old female with complaints of the right flank and low back pain, and urinary frequency. In the I. V. P. the dilated upper right ureter forms a reversed "J" appearance. The right R.G.P. shows the "S"-shaped course of the ureter. The vena cavogram discloses crossing with the right R. G. P. at L3-4 intervertebral space level. 2.5cm. of strictured, postcaval segment of ureter is excised and end-to-end oblique anastomosis is done over splinting ureteral catheter. 4 months after the operation, the I. V. P. shows marked improvement of hydronephrosis and satisfactory drainage of urine compared with the preoperative films.
Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Low Back Pain ; Retrocaval Ureter* ; Splints ; Ureter ; Urinary Catheters ; Young Adult