No abstract available.
Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro*

No abstract available.
Oocytes* ; Pregnancy* ; Spermatozoa*

Dislocation of peroneal tendons are caused by forceful domifiexion of the foot accompanied by a powerful contraction of the peroneal muscles. This mechanism of injury tears the superior pemneal retinaculum and allows the tendons to snap anteriorly. It is an important, although infrequent, cause of disability of the ankle. The acute injury can be treated by immobilization in a plaster cast, but when there is chronic recurring dislocation, surgical reconstruction is necessary. Authors experienced two cases of dislocation of pemneal tendons which were treated by use of Sarmiento's and Platzgummer's(modified) operative procedures with good results.
Ankle ; Casts, Surgical ; Dislocations ; Foot ; Immobilization ; Muscles ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tears ; Tendons

No abstract available.
Diverticulum*

In the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity, it is necessary to coagulate retina including inner retinal layer to achieve regression. However, diode laser has long wavelength, thus damage to bruch`s membrane or choroid can occur when one attempts to coagulate whole retinal layers. We evaluated whether or not we could coagulate whole retinal layer without damage to Bruch`s membrane or choroid in rabbit eyes with indirect diode laser ophthalmoscopy. We palaced laser spots on retina of pigmented rabbits with various laser powers(150, 300, 500mW) and durations(0.3, 0.5, 1.0 second). Fundus photographs were taken immediately after photocoagulation. then we took fundus photographs and enucleated the eyes at one day, one week, 3 weeks, and 5 weeks after photocoagulation to perform pathologic examination. With laser setting of 150mW and 0.3 second, the coagulated retina revealed damaged outer layer but inner retinal layer was spared. We could coagulate whole retinal layer without any damage to Bruch`s membrane or choroid with laser power of 300mW and 0.3 second duration. In 300mW, 0.5 second laser burns and 500mW, 0.3 second burns, internal limiting membrane remained intact while Bruch`s membrane and whole retinal layers were damaged We found whole layer rabbit retina could be coagulated without damage to Bruch`s membrane and choriocapillaries with indirect diode laser opthalmoscopy. and we think it would be necessary to adjust laser power and duration in clinical situation to minimize possible deep tissue injury by diode laser.
Burns ; Choroid ; Lasers, Semiconductor* ; Light Coagulation* ; Membranes ; Ophthalmoscopy* ; Rabbits ; Retina* ; Retinaldehyde ; Retinopathy of Prematurity

BACKGROUND: Hypothyroidism may be involved in a significant portion of the causes of hypercholesterolemia in Korea. In this study, we determined the frequency of suspected hypothyroidism in hypercholesterolemic patients and compared the frequency of elevated thyrotropin levels among the groups with various total cholesterol levels. METHODS: The study subjects were healthy, asymptomatic people who visited Health Promotion Center of Seoul National University Hospital. We excluded subjects with history of hypertension, DM and hypothyroidism. The study subjects underwent physical examination and filled out a questionnaire on health risk factors. Also blood chemistry and thyroid function test were done. RESULTS: Among 6479 subjects, 194(2.99%) had elevated(>4.1 microIU/ml) thyrotropin levels. Among the hypercholesterolemic(> or=240mg/dl) patients(n=868), 40(4.60%) had elevated thyrotropin levels. And there was statistically significant difference between normal cholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic subjects(P<0.05). Among the patients with total cholesterol above 280mg/dl (n=180), 15(8.33%) had elevated thyrotropin levels. As amount of the total cholesterol increased, the frequency of elevated thyrotropin levels Increased(P=0.001). And this result was consistent following adjustment for age, sex, BMI, smoking and drinking status(P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Practicing physicians should be aware of the possibility of secondary hypercholesterolemia due to hypothyroidism and keep in mind the importance of evaluating TSH level.
Chemistry ; Cholesterol* ; Drinking ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Hypothyroidism ; Korea ; Physical Examination ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyrotropin* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of present study was to explore the differences of ego defense mechanisms between South Koreans, North Korean defectors in South Korea and Korean-Chinese in South Korea, and the correlations between ego defense mechanisms and perceptions of socio-cultural characteristics of these three groups. METHODS: The Defense Style Questionnaire and the Socio-Cultural Characteristic Questionnaire were administered to 100 South Koreans, 93 North Korean defectors and 86 Korean-Chinese. 21 North Korean defectors and 10 Korean-Chinese in South Korea were interviewed regarding the questionnaire results of the study. RESULTS: North Korean defectors used more active defense styles and emotion repressive defense styles than South Koreans. Korean-Chinese used more passive defense styles than North Korean defectors and South Koreans. North Korean defectors scored significantly higher than South Koreans on 'denial', 'splitting', 'withdrawal', 'suppression', 'altruism', 'task orientation' and 'anticipation' in the Defense Style Questionnaire. The defense styles were significantly related to the socio-cultural characteristics of the three countries. CONCLUSION: From our results it was inferred that there are differences in the defense styles among three groups, and the socio-cultural characteristics have effects on defense mechanisms. On the gasis of the results of this study, the direction of future study was discussed.
Defense Mechanisms ; Ego* ; Korea* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The goal of fracture treatment is to restore the patient to pre-injury function level. But the outcome assessment after orthopedic interventions has usually focused on physician-defined parameters of technical success, such as fracture union, alignment and range of motion rather than patient function and quality of life. However, the correlation among improvements in these parameters and functional status, psychosocial well being is inconsistent and weak in the elderly. Therefore authors assessed the functional status after surgical intervention of hip fractures in the elderly with functional recovery score(FRS). Independence in basic activities of daily living, in instrumental activities of daily living, in mobility, freedom from pain and intact memory were assessed in 133 hip fractures in the elderly. The hip fractures in the elderly resulted in 24.8% loss of function after the first year. The older the age, the more the loss of function after surgery of hip fractures. The more functional loss was observed in female patients and in patients with poor postoperative radiological results, but statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The more functional loss was observed in patients with underlying medical disease preoperatively and it was statistically significant (P<0.05). We recommend the evaluation of functional status in the elderly after hip fractures.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Female ; Freedom ; Hip Fractures* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Memory ; Orthopedics ; Quality of Life ; Range of Motion, Articular

Ossification of the ligamentum flavum(OLF) is a well recognized cause of acquired spinal canal stenosis resulting in myelopathy, radiculopathy, or a combination of both. OLF is extremely rare in caucasian patients, but is one of the most common causes of compression of the posterior thoracic spinal cord in Japan. In most cases, it has been found in the thoracolumbar regions, and rarely in the cervical region. It is frequently but not alwalys found in association with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL) and may cause cumulative damage, if comhined with OPLL. We experienced a case of ossification of the ligamentum flavum and posterior longitudinal ligament with sacral radiculopathy, which was treated hy posterior decompressive laminectomy and removal of the ossified ligamentum flavum and posterior longitudinal ligament. The day after operation, the radiating pain and paresthesia dramatically improved.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Japan ; Laminectomy ; Ligamentum Flavum* ; Longitudinal Ligaments* ; Paresthesia ; Radiculopathy* ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases

Successful repair of lacerated tendons must restore continuity of the tendon and should yield a strong tenorrhaphy. Mechanical strength of repair should be adequate to early postoperative motion and mobility, The optimal repair technique must be able to withstand the rigors of early motion and also must not interfere with tendon healing. The relative strength of three suture methods of lacerated tendon were measured by mechanical disruption in effort to determine the strength of suture technique. Fifty-four Calcaneal tendons of 27 the New Zealand white rabbit were transected at mid portion and repaired with the three suture technique: group 1, Kessler suture, group 2, Pennington’s modified-Kessler suture and group 3, augmented- Becker suture technique. Each group was composed of 18 calcaneal tendons. Nine rabbits were sacrified immediately after suture, nine in postoperative 2 weeks and nine in postoperative 4 weeks Six calcaneal tendons in each three experimental group were obtained immediately after suture, at postoperative 2 and 4 weeks respectively. Tensile strength, maximum strength and modulus of elasticity of all experimental specimens were measured with Instron-UTM-4-100(Toyo-Baldiwin, Japan). The results were evaluated statistically to compare the strength of the three suture technique at three different periods. The tensile strength was predominantly strongest in augmented-Becker method among three suture technique at immediate suture, postoperative 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. The augmented Becker repair was strongest in maximum stress among Kessler and modified Kessler repair at immediate operation, postoperative 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. The augmented Becker repair was highest in modulus of elasticity than Kessler method and modified-Kessler method at immediate operation, postoperative 2 weeks and postoperative 4 weeks respectively. Tensile strength, maximum stress and modulus of elasticity were gradually increased from immediate operation to postoperative 4 weeks, but there were not statistically significance between experimental three suture methods at postoperative 4 weeks.
Elastic Modulus ; Methods ; New Zealand ; Rabbits ; Suture Techniques ; Sutures ; Tendons ; Tensile Strength