The multiple lentigines syndrome or LEOPARD syndrome is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder with a variety of abnormalities and a familial occurrence. This syndrome is characterized by the presence of numerous dark brown macules on the skin but not the mucous surface, and by a marked increase in the number of lentigines from birth to puberty. The eponym LEOPARD stands for lentigines, EKG abnormalities, ocular hypertelorism, pulmonary stenosis, abnormalities of the genitalia, retardation of growth and deafness. We report a case of multiple lentigines syndrome in 7-year-old boy. He had numerous pinhead to pea sized, dark brownish macules scattered on the entire body and also had pulmonary stenosis, EKG abnormality, ocular hypertelorism and right exotropia. Interestingly, he also had a labial melanotic macule on the lower lip, which is usually spared in the multiple lentigines syndrome. Histologically, the biopsy specimen taken from the macule revealed an elongation of rete ridges, an increase of melanin pigments in the basal layer and mild inflammatory infiltrates intermingled with the melanophages in the upper dermis.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Child ; Deafness ; Dermis ; Electrocardiography ; Eponyms ; Exotropia ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Hypertelorism ; Lentigo ; LEOPARD Syndrome* ; Lip ; Male ; Melanins ; Panthera ; Parturition ; Peas ; Puberty ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Skin

No abstract available.
Blood Pressure* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

Endonasal DCR has been reported for the advantages of lack of a cutaneous scar and short operating time but that the surgical success rates were lower than conventional method. We have performed endonasal DCR and had follow-up of at least 6 months in 107 patients who had been diagnosed with lacrimal pathway obstruction, and also surveyed the age, sex, sac size and nasal cavity abnormality to evaluate the factors related to success rate. Primary success rates were 82.2%(88eyes) and higher success rates were noted in younger age, man and large sac but not significant. But. the cases associated with nasal cavity abnormality as septal deviation, middle turbinate hypertrophy, ethmoiditis and polyp showed poor surgical results due to membranous ostium closure, formation of granuloma within the ostium, and formation of cicatrix with the middle turbinate.(P<0.05) Improvement of success rate may be owing to appropriate preoperative evaluation, proper management of nasal cavity abnormality preoperatively and intraoperatively, and show consider the conventional method in cases of that lower success rate are predict.
Cicatrix ; Dacryocystorhinostomy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Nasal Cavity ; Polyps ; Turbinates

No abstract available.
Anesthesiology* ; Education* ; Publications*

The purpose of this study was to develop a dental communication course in dental hygiene schools that included theory, practice, and skill for effective dental communication. Thirty-six senior dental hygiene students in a dental hygiene school took a dental communication course and responded to a questionnaire. The instrument used in the study was a modified form of Kim's communication skill self-assessment sheet. The self-assessment questionnaire about communication competencies was administered before and after the class, and the difference between scores at each time point was analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test. Among seven elements of dental communication competencies, the competency of “information gathering” was significantly improved (p=0.008). Students' scores on perception of the importance (p=0.019) and necessity (0.016) of a communication course significantly increased after the course. Competencies in communication are essential requirement for dental hygienists. This study showed the possibility of communication skill training. An objective evaluation tool regarding students' communication competencies should be developed. Further studies with larger samples size are needed to develop a standardized comprehensive communication course in dental hygiene schools.
Curriculum ; Dental Hygienists ; Health Communication ; Health Education ; Humans ; Learning* ; Oral Hygiene* ; Self-Assessment

BACKGROUND: The reduction in hematocrit (Hct) by hemodilution tends to cause an increase in cardiac output and a proportional decrease in arterial oxygen content. Additionally the reduction of systemic oxygen delivery (DO2) leads to significant differences in regional blood flow. It is therefore important to characterize the effects of hemodilution on regional oxygen metabolism in individual organs. This study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the effects of acute normovolemic anemia induced by hemodilution. METHODS: Six dogs were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Catheters were inserted in the right femoral and pulmonary arteries for blood sampling, and a gastric tonometer catheter was inserted into the gastric lumen. Baseline measurements of systemic hemodynamics, arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR), gastric intramucosal pH (pHi) and arterial lactate were recorded. Hemodilution was then begun by 6% pentastarch and was made in four levels of hematocrit values of 20%, 15%, 10% and 6%. RESULTS: Mean arterial pressures of Hct 10% and 6% was decresaed (P < 0.05) and Hct 15% and 10% increases in cardiac output and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were observed. Central venous pressure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure were incresed (P < 0.05) at Hct 15%, 10% and 6%. DO2 progressively decreased (P < 0.05). AKBR and pHi began to decreased at Hct 15%. Arterial lactate decrease at Hct 15% and was above 7.4 mmol/L at Hct 6%. CONCLUSIONS: By the measurements of AKBR and pHi, the disturbance of splanchnic oxygenation can be detected early compared to those of O2 in terms of oxygen metabolism and the critical point of DO2 during acute normovolemic anemia induced by hemodilution.
Anemia* ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Catheters ; Central Venous Pressure ; Dogs* ; Hematocrit ; Hemodilution* ; Hemodynamics ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives ; Lactic Acid* ; Metabolism ; Oxygen Consumption* ; Oxygen* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Regional Blood Flow

Periodic paralysis associated with thyrotoxicosis is characterized by intermittent flaccid paralysis of the skeletal muscle. The paralysis usually involve the skeletal muscle of the limbs, especially lower extrimities. In general, sensory function is intact. Involvement of respiratory, ocular or bulbar muscles is very rare, but bulbar and respiratoy invelvement may prove fatal. It is very rare a case that has severe clinical manifestation such as cardiac arrest. We report a case of thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis presenting as cardiac arrest.
Extremities ; Heart Arrest ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Paralysis ; Sensation ; Thyrotoxicosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the patients who had undergone vasovasostomy and to analyze the reasons for an increase in the number of these operations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1999 to April 2007, 105 patients were analyzed by examining their medical records and conducting telephone surveys. The patients were divided into two groups before and after insurance payments for a vasovasostomy. Analysis of the differences between the two groups was performed by grouping the patients who had a vasovasostomy before July 2004 and those who had a vasovasostomy after July 2004. RESULTS: Among the 105 patients, 35 patients (0.58/month) had a vasovasostomy before receiving their insurance payment. However, the number of operations increased by more than 4 times (70 patients, 2.33/month) after insurance repayment (p<0.05). After the payment, the proportion of patients willing to have a vasovasostomy due to changing their mind increased, whereas the proportion of patients willing to have a vasovasostomy for remarriage and loss of a child decreased (p<0.05). The overall patency and birth rates were 87.6% and 76.1%, respectively (43 boys and 37 girls). Among such factors as the age of the patient and his spouse, the duration of ligation and the presence of seminal fluid and sperm, the duration of ligation was the only factor that showed relevance to the anatomical patency (p<0.05). There were no variables that showed significant relevance to the pregnancy rate. CONCLUSIONS: The main reason of vasectomy reversal was to have another child. The numbers of vasovasostomies were influenced by the medical insurance payment. The duration of ligation affected the anatomical patency rate. The overall patency rate was 87.6% and the birth rate was 76.1% in this study.
Birth Rate ; Child ; Humans ; Insurance ; Ligation ; Marriage ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Pregnancy Rate ; Spermatozoa ; Spouses ; Telephone ; Vasovasostomy

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a reliable clinical option for treatment of refractory chronic pain. It is known to be effective method for treating sympathetic pain, failed back surgery syndrome, and complex regional pain syndrome etc. The devices and implantation techniques for SCS are already highly developed and continuously improving, but there are some complications that can not be corrected easily. Lead migration is the most common complication after SCS. It can cause failure of SCS that can make discomfort to patients. Here we describe our experience of lead migration in implanted SCS which was inserted to a patient with complex regional pain syndrome patient.
Chronic Pain ; Dyskinesias* ; Failed Back Surgery Syndrome ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Stimulation*

It is well known that the electroencephalographic finding in patients with moyamoya disease demonstrates the characteristic "re-build up" phenomenon a few minutes after hyperventilation. To evaluate the usefulness of an electroencephalogram (EEG) in the postoperative management of children with moyamoya disease, we studied the presence or absence of improvement in the clinical, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and EEG findings, before and after surgery. Twenty-two patients, who underwent indirect revascularization surgery for moyamoya disease, were included in our study. Clinical improvement was assessed as the disappearance or decrease of a transient ischemic attack or headache. The findings on the EEG and SPECT were considered improved when the re-build up phenomenon was absent and when there was improvement in the cerebrovascular reserve as a result of the acetazolamide challenge test. The statistical correlation analysis for both clinical and EEG improvement were consistent (kappa value=0.409, p< 0.05). However, the result from the clinical and SPECT improvement as well as that from EEG and SPECT improvement were not statistically significant. Our results suggest that EEG can be used as a noninvasive and simple follow-up test for moyamoya disease after indirect revascularization surgery if the hyperventilation procedure is effectively performed during EEG recording.
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon/methods ; Postoperative Period ; Moyamoya Disease/*diagnosis/*therapy ; Models, Statistical ; Male ; Ischemic Attack, Transient/diagnosis ; Humans ; Headache/diagnosis ; Female ; Electroencephalography/*methods ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Cerebral Revascularization ; Adolescent