To evaluate the neurologic and functional improvement of anterior decompression and fusion in patients with cervical spin injury, the clinical records and x-rays of 17 patients who were treated at Gyeong-Sang National University Hospital between January 1989 and December 1993 were analyzed. The results were as follows 1. There were complete injuries of the cord in six cases, incomplete injuries in nine and nerve root injuries in two. All the patients were treated using anterior decompression and autogenous iliac bone graft with cervical plate fixation within 7 days after trauma. 2. The average time lapse from the operation to radiological union was 9.2 weeks(range;7–14 weeks). 3. The prognosis for neurologic recovery mainly depends on the severity of the initial neurologic status. The recoveries of neurologic deficit were complete in four cases, partial in ten and none in three. The motor index improved from 45.6 to 64.6 and the modified Barthel index was 71.2 points at the last follow-up. 4. The clinical results were excellent in nine cases, good in three, fair in two and poor in three. In conclusion, anterior decompression and fusion with bone graft and cervical plate provided early mobilization and rehabilitation, and improved neurological function in a considerable portion of the patient who had neurologic deficits after cervical spine injuries.
Decompression ; Early Ambulation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Prognosis ; Rehabilitation ; Spine ; Transplants

No Abstract available.
Infection Control*

Alveolar macrophages participate in the host defense against P. carinii, but the mechanisms in degradation and clearance of the organism from lung has not been well established. We observed the transmission and scanning electron microscopic features and evaluated the expression of TNF-alpha and Surfactant-D in the interaction of P. carinii with alveolar macrophages. Expression of TNF-alpha and Surfactant-D in the experimentally induced P. carinii pneumonia in rat was examined by immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy. Electron microscopically, the alveolar macrophages phagocytized trophozoites and cysts of P. carinii micro-organisms. Immunohistochemically TNF-alpha was strongly expressed in the cytoplasms of alveolar macrophages. Postembedding immunogold labeling for Surfactant-D protein was expressed on the pellicles of trophozoites and cysts, P. carinii micro-organisms in the cytoplasms of macrophages, free floating surfactant materials and multilamellar bodies of type II epithelial cells. We conclude that alveolar macrophages interacted with P. carinii micro-organisms respond with increased expression of TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha may bind to P. carinii and exert a direct toxic effect upon the micro-organisms. Surfactant-D protein may augment binding of P. carinii to the alveolar macrophages and enhance the clearance of the micro-organisms.
Animals ; Cytoplasm ; Epithelial Cells ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Alveolar* ; Microscopy, Immunoelectron ; Pneumocystis carinii* ; Pneumocystis* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis* ; Rats ; Trophozoites ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

No abstract available.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Ilizarov Technique*

Although joint infection with severe destruction remains a serious problem and severe bone loss is relative contraindication of arthrodesis, knee arthrodesis is most commonly a salvage procedure. Its goals are to relieve pain and restore the patient to functional level of activity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results and complications of Ilizarov method for knee arthrodesis in the presence of infection. We retrospectively reviewed the records of twelve patients who had managed with knee arthrodesis with Ilizarov method. Indications for the operation included a infected skeletal defect secondary severe open trauma in four patients, an infection at the site of an arthroplasty in three (with failure of previous arthrodesis with monofixator in one), an infected charcot joint in four and one pyogenic arthritis spreading from osteomyelitis of proximal tibia. The average age of the patients at the time of operation was fifty-three years (range twenty-two to eighty years). Follow-up averaged 17 months. The minimum follow up periods was 9 months. Average duration of Ilizarov fixator application was 7.2 months. In 3 cases we performed corticotomy and internal bone transport to treat large bone defect (17cm, 8cm, 6.5cm). Autoiliac bone graft was done in fusion site in two cases, and in three cases we performed bone graft at the docking site. Solid osseous union occured in each patient. There was no reinfection and nonunion. Average shortening was 3.4 cm. Complications were related to pin tract. When last seen, all patients were free of pain and could walk without cruthes or cane. Despite its pin tract problems, bulky cumbersome and expensive apparatus, the Ilizarov method is one of effective method for knee arthrodesis in the presence of infection and large bone loss especially.
Arthritis ; Arthrodesis* ; Arthropathy, Neurogenic ; Arthroplasty ; Canes ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique* ; Joints ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Osteomyelitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Cerebral Palsy* ; Child* ; Humans

PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency of breakfast skipping and affecting factors in children in poverty. METHODS: The subjects were 644 children who were receiving the services of community child center or delivery meal-box. They were asked about their socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviors and breakfast-skipping status in the survey. RESULTS: Breakfast-skippers were 17.4% of the subjects. The count of negative health behaviors in breakfast skippers was higher than that in eaters, and the behaviors of exercise, screen time, alcohol experience, and smoking experience were worse in skippers than in eaters. The odds ratio of breakfast skipping was higher in female children (OR=2.53, p<.001), those with single father (OR=3.76, p<.001) or single mother (OR=1.83 p=.030), those with alcohol experience (OR=1.82, p=.022) and smoking experience (OR=2.80, p=.003), and under-weight ones (OR=2.54, p=.048). CONCLUSION: Breakfast skipping is associated with gender, family structure, alcohol experience, smoking experience and BMI. Children in poverty need comprehensive health promotion programs including interventions for breakfast skipping and health behaviors.
Breakfast* ; Child Health ; Child* ; Fathers ; Female ; Food Habits ; Health Behavior ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Mothers ; Odds Ratio ; Poverty* ; Smoke ; Smoking

Acardiac twinning affects 1 in 100 monozygotic twin pregnancies and 1 in 35,000 pregnancies overall. This condition is characterized by the absence or rudimentary development of fetal heart, and associated with various anomaly. The presence of an acardiac twin requires the normal (or "pump") twin to provide circulation for itself, as well as the acardiac sibling. The acardiac malformations are uniformly fatal in the affected twin, and mortality in the co-twin is as high as 55%. The principal perinatal problems associated with acardiac twinning are pump-twin congestive heart failure, maternal hydramnios, and preterm delivery. We recently experienced a case of acardius anceps associated with a normal male infant, so present with a brief review of the literature.
Fetal Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mortality ; Polyhydramnios ; Pregnancy ; Siblings ; Twins, Monozygotic

No abstract available.
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Discoid meniscus in the knee joint is common. From July 1990 through June 1994, the authors performed arthroscopy on 968 symptomatic knee joints. One hundred and six knees of 102 patients had discoid meniscus. Of the 106 knees, 14(13.2%) cases were associated with other intraarticular anatomic variants. There were 7(6.6%) cases with anomalous insertion of the anterior horn of the medial meniscus into the anterior cruciate ligament, and 7(6.6%) cases with anterior transposition of the insertion of the anterior cruciate ligament below the anterior tibial margin like the insertion of the posterior cruciate ligament. Of the 14 patients, the discoid meniscus were reshaped in 11 knees, partially resected in 2 knees, and one patient was treated with repair of a peripheral tear and reshaping. But had no treatment in associated intraarticular anatomic variants. The follow up was done from 24 to 54 months(average 37 months) after surgery. The results were excellent in 8 knees ; good in 4 knees and fair in 2 knees(Ikeuchi scale, 1982) The patients with excellent or good results were satisfied as were the authors, and these anatomical variants other than the discoid meniscus were not related to the patient's symptoms.
Animals ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Arthroscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Horns ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Menisci, Tibial ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Tears