OBJECTIVE: Since IVF program was first established, various types of media and culture systems have been developed either in-house or commercially. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of in-house Maria Research Center (MRC) media to that of commercially available Sydney IVF media in human day 3 embryo transfer cycles. METHODS: Three hundred sixty nine couples were included in this prospective, randomized, and comparative study. All couples undergoing IVF treatment at the Maria Fertility Hospital were randomly assigned to either Sydney IVF (n=178) or MRC (n=191) media. RESULTS: No difference was observed between the MRC media and Sydney IVF media groups with respect to fertilization rate (74.4% vs. 75.5%). The clinical pregnancy and implantation rates of MRC media (47.1% and 20.0%, respectively) were also similar to those of Sydney IVF media (44.4% and 19.4%, respectively). However, the proportion of embryos with good quality on day 3 was significantly higher in the MRC media group than the Sydney IVF media group (50.2% vs. 43.2%) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: MRC media were as effective as Sydney IVF media for sustaining embryo development and pregnancy rates. The present study implies that MRC media can be a suitable alternative to commercially available media for human IVF-ET program.
Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Fertility ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Prospective Studies

No abstract available.
Abscess* ; Drainage*

Each Disease affecting the bile ducts tends to produce characteristic pattern of billiary dilatation: recurrent pyogenic cholangitis causes dilatation and straightening of the larger(central) intrahepatic ducts ; clonorchiasis causes dilatation of the smaller (peripheral) intraahepatic ducts; and carcinoma along the extrahepatic ducts causes (proportional) dilatation and tortuosity of both larger and smaller intrahepatic ducts. To evaluate the specificity of the pattern and morphology of the dilated biliary tree on CT scancs (CT characterization) three independent radiologists who were unfamiliar with the cases were asked to classify 62 CT scans in patients with obstructive jaundice. The case population consisted of 14 cases with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis, 18 cases with clonorchiasis and 30 cases with carcinoma along the extrahepatic ducts, which were intermixed randomly. Classification was made only on the basis of CT characterization: those scans showing primary lesions i.t., stone, aggregate of flukes, or tumor mass were excluded or masked. All the scans of every case showing the extrahepatic bile duct were masked. Radiologists correctly classified 54 of the 62 cases (87%): ten of the 14 patients with recurrent pyogenic cholangitis(71%), 17 of the 18 patients with clonorchiasis(94%) and 27 of the 30 patients with carcinoma along the extrahepatic bile cucts(90%). We believe that CT characterization of bile duct dilatation is useful in the differential diagnosis of obstructive jaundice, especially when a primary pathologic lesion is not depicted in CT scans.
Bile Ducts* ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Bile* ; Biliary Tract ; Cholangitis ; Classification ; Clonorchiasis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dilatation* ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive* ; Masks ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Trematoda

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Atherosclerosis* ; Cholesterol* ; Humans ; Korea*

Canavan disease(CD) is a rare autosomal recessive leukodystrophy caused by the deficiency of aspartoacylase and the accumulation in brain of N-acetylaspartate(NAA). CD has been reported mainly Ashkenazi Jews but also occurs in other ethnic groups. Usually it presents as early as the third month of life with megalencephaly, hypotonia later progressing to hypertonia, psychomotor and mental retardation, blindness, occasionally deafness and seizure. Diagnosis is based on the clinical feature, N-acetylaspartic aciduria, radiologic and pathologic findings. Histologically, the affected white matter shows extensive vacuolation and demyelination. There is no treatment for CD and the only prevention is through genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis. We experienced a case of Canavan disease that was presented with hypotonia and developmental delay. Diagnosis was confirmed histologically. Radiologic findings are extensive high signal throughout the white matter on T2-weighted MRI and increased NAA peak and decreased choline peak of the white matter on MR spectroscopy.
Blindness ; Brain ; Canavan Disease* ; Choline ; Deafness ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Ethnic Groups ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Jews ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Seizures

No abstract available.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Wounds and Injuries*

PURPOSE: To determine the significance of anomalous position of the gallbladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with anomalous position of the gallbladder were evaluated for analysis. The diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasonography(15 patients) and oral cholecystography(1patient). Among those, six patients underwent CT scan and a patient had 99mTc-DISIDA scan. The images were analysed with respect to the location of the GB and configuration and associated abnormality of the liver and hepatobiliary systems. Medical records of each patient were also reviewed. RESULTS: Among 16 patients having an anomalous position of the gallbladder, nine had retrodisplaced gallbladder, four had left-sided gallbaldder, two had suprahepatic gallbladder, and one had floating gallbladder. Except for one patient, fifteen had abnormality in the liver such as focal atrophic or hypoplastic change and liver cirrhosis. Intrahepatic stones were demonstrated in 6 patients. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that anomalous position of the gallbladder was commonly associated with atrophy or hypoplasia of the liver rather than congenital in origin. The possiblity of an anomalous location of gallbladder should be kept in mind when GB is not in its normal location.
Atrophy ; Diagnosis ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Medical Records ; Technetium Tc 99m Disofenin ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Delivery of Health Care* ; Family Practice* ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Insurance* ; Korea*

No abstract available.
Finger Injuries* ; Fingers*

Bile duct necrosis and liver abscess are rare complications after transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization (THAE) of hepatocellular carcinoma. Authors report bile duct necrosis and liver abscess occurred in 2 cases as a complication of THAE of hepatocellular carcinoma. In these two patients, lipiodol emulsion mixed with adriamycin and mitomycin was used more than three times as chemoembolic materials.
Bile Ducts* ; Bile* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Doxorubicin ; Ethiodized Oil ; Humans ; Liver Abscess ; Mitomycin ; Necrosis