Patients with pixie ear have an attached, tapering, and low-set earlobe. Traditional methods usually describe excision of the caudal portion of the lobule and reattachment in a more superior position. The present report suggests a simplified skin redraping method for correction of pixie ear. The procedure provides easy method to design and perform, which only requires elevation and trimming of the skin. Other ancillary procedures, such as flap design, anchoring, plication, and subdermal fixation, are not required. This method produces satisfactory results. Postoperative scar is invisible because the incision is on the retroauricular region, and the corrected earlobe has a more natural appearance than the repositioned earlobe. Moreover, skin redraping avoids tension, which contributes to minimization of the postoperative scar.

The combination of an intradermal nevus with epidermal cyst or other adnexal tumors has often been described since 1952. Most of these reports have involved the coexistence of common epidermal cysts and melanocytic nevi. Herein, we report a 21-year-old Korean male, who initially presented to our department with a rapidly enlarging preexisting nevus on his back. The mass was surgically excised and histopathologically showed intradermal nevus combined with epidermal cyst.
Epidermal Cyst ; Humans ; Male ; Nevus ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Young Adult

Pseudo-inflammatory tumors are also known as plasma cell granuloma, inflammatory pseudo-tumor and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, and these tumors are a group of highly variable proliferations of myofibroblastic cells that are associated with a prominent inflammatory infiltrate. This tumor is known to most commonly occur in the lungs, bladder and gastrointestinal system with only a few cases having been reported in the skin. A previously healthy 26-year-old man presented with a 6-year history of an intermittently pruritic lesion on his back. On the histologic examination, there were spindle cells in fascicles and a mixed inflammatory cellular infiltrate of plasma cells and lymphocytes. A diagnosis of inflammatory fibroblastic tumor was made and the nodule was surgically removed. We report here on an additional case of this rare cutaneous entity, and it is probably the first such report from Korea.
Adult ; Fibroblasts ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Myofibroblasts ; Plasma Cells ; Skin ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: To report the effects and complications of conjunctival fixation to the sclera in conjunctivochalasis patients with inferior punctal occlusion. METHODS: The authors of the present study evaluated the degree of conjunctivochalasis and performed Fluorescein Dye Disappearance Test (FDT) in 15 eyes of 8 patients diagnosed with conjunctivochalasis with inferior punctal occlusion. Under topical anesthesia, the inferior bulbar conjunctiva was attached to the sclera with 3 8-0 vicryl stitches 8 mm posterior from the limbus. After surgery, the relief of symptoms, postoperative complications and improvement of conjunctivochalasis were observed. RESULTS: One week after the surgery, all 15 eyes achieved a subjective improvement of symptoms and the degree of conjunctivochalasis and FDT showed statistical difference after surgery (p = 0.000, 0.000, respectively). A complication occurred in 1 eye which was a retinal hemorrhage due to scleral puncture. CONCLUSIONS: Conjunctival fixation to the sclera could improve epiphora in conjunctivochalasis patients with inferior punctal occlusion. However, this procedure should be performed with caution.
Anesthesia ; Conjunctiva ; Eye ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Polyglactin 910 ; Postoperative Complications ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; Sclera

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can be detected by using several molecular methods, including Hybrid-Capture II (HC2) assay and variable HPV DNA chip tests, although each method has different sensitivities and specificities. METHODS: We performed HPV 9G DNA Chip (9G) and PANArray HPV Genotyping Chip (PANArray) tests on 118 cervicovaginal swabs and compared the results with HC2, cytology, histology, and direct sequencing results. RESULTS: The overall and high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) positivity rates were 62.7% and 44.9% using 9G, and 61.0% and 30.5% using PANArray, respectively. The positivity rates for HR-HPV with these two chips were significantly lower than 55.1% when HC2 was used. The sensitivity of overall HPV positivity in detecting histologically confirmed low-grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions or higher was 88.7% for all three tests. The specificity was 58.5% for 9G and 61.5% for PANArray, which was significantly lower than the 72.3% for HC2. With the HR-HPV+ genotype threshold, the sensitivity decreased to 75.5% for 9G and 52.8% for PANArray, which was significantly lower than the 88.7% for HC2. Comparison of the two chips showed concordant results in 55.1% of the samples, compatible results in 16.9%, and discordant results in 28.0%, exhibiting poor agreement in detecting  certain HPV genotypes. Compared with direct sequencing, 9G yielded no discordant results, whereas PANArray yielded 31 discordant results (26.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with HC2, the HPV genotyping tests showed lower sensitivity in histologic correlation. When the two chips were compared, the 9G was more sensitive and accurate for detecting HR-HPV than the PANArray.
Cervix Uteri ; DNA* ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to suggest factors related with the job satisfaction of interviewers who participated in Community Health Survey (CHS) in Jeonbuk province. METHODS: An interview survey was carried out, targeting all 70 interviewers who were working at Jeonbuk CHS from Oct. 20 to Oct. 31. 2011. RESULTS: As a result of carrying out a univariate analysis of job satisfaction factors by general characteristics, this study found out that interviewers at the age below 40 showed a higher emotional factor-related score than interviewers at the age over 40, and interviewers having participated a statistic survey more than 6 times showed a higher emotional factor-related score than interviewers having participated a statistic survey less than 5 times. As a result of carrying out a multiple regression analysis of factors by general characteristics, this study found out that as interviewers were older, they showed a lower emotional factor-related satisfaction score and job performance factor-related satisfaction score, and their job satisfaction score was higher when a single interviewer conducts a survey than when more than 2 interviewers conduct a survey. CONCLUSIONS: The interviewer's job satisfaction score was relatively low. This results strongly suggest that it is necessary to understand their job performance environment and work environment most of all. It is expected that the results of this study will be used as basic data needed to increase the job satisfaction of interviewers from CHS and improve the quality of survey data.
Health Surveys* ; Interviews as Topic ; Jeollabuk-do ; Job Satisfaction*

Spontaneous inflation of saline breast implants is a rare phenomenon. In this case report, we share our experience treating a patient who complained of asymmetric breasts from what appeared to be a straightforward case of capsular contracture. Spontaneous autoinflation of the right breast implant was subsequently found to be the cause of breast asymmetry and hardness. The presentation, diagnostic challenge, management, and mechanism of this rare phenomenon are presented here.

PURPOSE: Bone plays a role in glucose metabolism through the release of uncarboxylated osteocalcin into the systemic circulation. The identified novel roles for osteocalcin include increasing insulin secretion and sensitivity, energy expenditure, reduction of fat mass, and mitochondrial proliferation and functional enhancement. This study aimed to determine serum osteocalcin levels in overweight children and to investigate the relationships of osteocalcin with glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. METHODS: After overnight fasting, serum osteocalcin levels were measured in overweight (n=50) children between 6.0 and 12.9 years of age and nonoverweight controls (n=60). Height, weight, fasting serum glucose, insulin, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, and 25 hydroxy vitamin D₃ (25(OH)VitD₃) were also measured in all subjects. RESULTS: There were significant differences in serum osteocalcin levels between the overweight and control groups (64.00±20.44 vs. 89.56±28.63, P<0.001). Serum osteocalcin levels were inversely correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r=-0.283, P=0.003), weight standard deviation score (SDS) (r=-0.222, P=0.020), BMI SDS (r=-0.297, P=0.002), insulin (r=-0.313, P=0.001), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index (r=-0.268, P=0.005). In the subsequent multiple regression analyses, BMI, HOMA-IR, and age were determined to be independent predicting factors for serum osteocalcin. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed associations of serum osteocalcin with glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in overweight children, but we could not establish a causal relationship.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Energy Metabolism ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Metabolism ; Osteocalcin ; Overweight ; Vitamins

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the discrepancy of alignment categorization in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between the anatomical femorotibial angle (aFTA) measured on short knee radiographs and the mechanical hip– knee–ankle axis angle (mHKA) measured on full-length radiographs in knees with and without bowing. Methods: From January 2014 to June 2017, 107 of 526 osteoarthritic knees at our hospital were found to have femoral or tibial bowing. Bowing was defined as a femoral bowing angle (FBA) > 3° or < − 3° or a tibial bowing angle (TBA) > 2° or < − 2° in full-length preoperative radiographs. Among 419 knees without bowing, we selected 107 knees as a control group using propensity-score matching. Postoperative alignments were categorized by aFTA in short knee radiographs and mHKA in full-length radiographs into neutral (2° ≤ aFTA≤7° , − 3° ≤ mHKA≤3° ), varus (aFTA< 2° , mHKA< − 3° ), and valgus (aFTA> 7° , mHKA> 3°) alignments. We compared the categorization of alignments between knees with and without bowing using the McNemar test and used logistic regression to find factors for the alignment discordance. Results: Coronal alignment was discordant in 26.2% of the knees with bowing and 13.1% of the knees without bowing (p < 0.001). FBAs were a significant factor affecting the discordance of alignment categorization (OR = 1.152, 95%CI 1.038– 1.279, p = 0.008). Conclusion Short knee radiographs are insufficient for estimating coronal alignment after TKA, particularly in knees with femoral bowing.Level of evidence: III: Retrospective comparative study.

BACKGROUND: A nationwide prospective multicenter study was performed in Korea to determine the incidence and risk factors for surgical site infections (SSI) after craniotomies (CRAN), ventricular shunt operations (VS), gastric operations (GAST), colon operations (COLO), rectal operations (RECT), hip joint replacements (HJR), and knee joint replacements (KJR). METHODS: We collected data regarding demographics, clinical and operative risk factors for SSI, and antibiotics administered to the patients who underwent CRAN in 18 hospitals, VS in 19 hospitals, GAST in 19 hospitals, COLO in 19 hospitals, RECT in 19 hospitals, HJR in 24 hospitals, and KJR in 23 hospitals between January and December 2009. All the data were collected using a real-time web-based reporting system. RESULTS: The SSI rate of CRAN, VS, GAST, COLO, RECT, HJR, and KJR was 3.68 (22/1,169), 5.96 (14/235), 4.25 (75/1,763), 3.37 (22/653), 5.83 (27/463), 1.93 (23/1,190), and 2.63 (30/1,139), respectively, per 100 operations. The only significant risk factor for SSI after CRAN was postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage. The independent risk factors for SSI after GAST were multiple procedure, reoperation, infection of other sites, and transfusion. In HJR, the duration of preoperative hospital stay and operation time were longer, and the need for general anesthesia, transfusion, and steroid use and the incidence of contaminated/dirty wound, obesity, and infection of other sites were significantly increased in the infected group. In KJR, the duration of preoperative hospital stay was longer and the need for reoperation was significantly higher in the infected group, and in addition, the incidence of SSI was higher among males. CONCLUSION: The maintenance of surveillance on SSI is very important because surveillance provides valuable information to the surgeon and infection control personnel, which in turn helps decrease the incidence of SSI.
Anesthesia, General ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colon ; Craniotomy ; Demography ; Hip Joint ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infection Control ; Knee Joint ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Obesity ; Reoperation ; Risk Factors