Persistent trigeminal artery is an embryonic remnant of the anastomotic channel linking the internal carotid artery and the basilar artery. Cases of vertebrobasilar insufficiency caused by the persistent trigeminal artery with internal carotid artery stenosis has been described previously, but vertebrobasilar insufficiency entirely due to in situ stenosis of the persistent trigeminal artery has not been reported. A 71-year-old man presented with frequent dizzy episodes. The brain MRI showed no parenchymal lesions. MR angiography showed poor visualization of vertebrobasilar system. He was diagnosed as having vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Cerebral angiography revealed that there was complete occlusion at the vertebrobasilar junction, and the basilar artery was supplied by the persistent trigeminal artery which had severe stenosis at its origin. There was no stenosis of the internal carotid artery of both sides. We believe that this is the first report of vertebrobasilar insufficiency due to stenosed persistent trigeminal artery, without internal carotid artery stenosis.

A global increase in the incidence of tuberculosis has prompted the need for earlier diagnosis, treatment, and isolation of the disease. In tuberculosis, concomitant tuberculous meningitis and vascular complications such as intracranial aneurysms and subarachnoid hemorrhage are very rare. Because of the poor prognosis of tuberculous meningitis as well as intracranial aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage, early diagnosis and management are crucial. We present the case of a 76-year-old woman who had two intracranial aneurysms complicated by subarachnoid hemorrhage, who had concomitant tuberculous meningitis. She remained well with medical management.

PURPOSE: The epicanthal fold in Korean children is a common cause of pseudoesotropia. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical characteristics of strabismus in children diagnosed with pseudoesotropia. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of children diagnosed with strabismus from February 2004 to January 2005. Strabismic children with a history of pseudoesotropia were included in this study. We recorded the age and chief complaints at the time of pseudoesotropia diagnosis as well as the type of strabismus, the visual acuity, chief complaints, and refractive error at the time of strabismus diagnosis. RESULTS: One hundred and two of 734 children with strabismus (13.9%) had a history of pseudoesotropia. The mean age at the time of pseudoesotropia diagnosis was 2.9 years. The mean age at the time of strabismus diagnosis was 4.4 years. The type of strabismus was exotropia in 58 (56.9%) and esotropia in 39 (38.2%) cases. Refractive accommodative esotropia was seen in 89.7% of esotropia cases and the basic type was seen in 86.2% of exotropia cases. The concurrence rate between chief complaints of pseudoesotropia and the type of strabismus diagnosed was lower in exotropia than in esotropia. There was hyperopia in all the esotropia cases, and the distribution of refractive error was variable in exotropia. The frequency of amblyopia was 19.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of strabismus is high in the case of children diagnosed with pseodoesotropia. Therefore, regular examinations for strabismus, refractive error and amblyopia may be necessary.
Amblyopia ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Incidence ; Refractive Errors ; Strabismus ; Visual Acuity

In order to evaluate contamination of the topical eye drugs, 112(36 kinds) medications used over 1 month by the patients and 80(25 kinds) medications used at OPD(outpatient department) were studied by culturing the caps, the tips and the contents. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus was mainly isolated from the caps and the tips(p<0.05). But the other gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and fungi were isolated from all medication sites. The most frequent site of contamination was the tips of the medications. Frequency of contamination based on detail of medications and preservatives of medications was not statistically significant(p>0.05). The medications used by the patients for a long time in comparison with the medications used at OPD were significantly more likely to be contaminated(p<0.0001). Therefore, we think that the topical eye durgs should be used with proper instillation and storage for a short period because of increase risk of contamination.
Fungi ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Humans ; Staphylococcus

Eighty children who had horizontal strabismus were examined with Titmus and random-dot stereogram(TNO) for the stereoacuity. The patients were analyzed about visual acuity and types of strabismus. In addition, we also analyzed thirty three patients who received correction surgery for the strabismus for evaluation of the changes of postoperative visual acuity and its relationship to the stereoacuity. The results were as follows: 1. The stereoacuity tested by the TNO was proportional to the change of visual acuity, but that of the Titmus was not proportional. 2. The stereoacuity in the exodeviation was higher than the esodeviation. The stereoacuity in the intermittent exotropia was higher than the constant exotropia, and there was no difference in stereoacuity between the accommodative and nonaccommodative esotropia. 3. The visual acuity was improved postoperatively. 4. The postoperative stereoacuity was also improved. The patients with esodeviation showed more improvement in the stereoacuity compared with that of the patients with exodeviation.
Child* ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Humans ; Strabismus* ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: This study assesses the surgical results of inferior oblique myectomy on the degree of overaction in patients with overaction greater than +2 of the inferior oblique muscle. METHODS: Seventy eyes of 54 patients underwent an inferior oblique myectomy and at least 6 months of follow-up. Patients with contracture of the superior rectus muscle or dissociated vertical deviation were excluded. The chief complaints, preoperative and postoperative degrees of overaction of the inferior oblique muscle, the angle of hypertropia, and head tilt were analyzed. RESULTS: Deviation of the eyeball (38.9%) and head tilt (25.9%) were the most common complaints. Overall, the success rate was 91.4%, and the likelihood of success decreased with increasing severity of overaction of the inferior oblique muscle. The angle of hypertropia reduced from 11.9 (Prism diopters, PD) preoperatively to 2.2PD postoperatively (p=0.000). Preoperative head tilting was seen in 20 patients (37%) and all saw postoperative improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Inferior oblique myectomy is effective in treating the overaction of the inferior oblique muscle without contracture of the superior rectus muscle or dissociated vertical deviation, especially in patients with greater than +2 overaction of the inferior oblique muscle.
Contracture ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Strabismus

No abstract available.
Extremities* ; Sarcoma*

Benzene and toluene, which are widely used aromatic hydrocarbons in workplace, are recently proved to cause health hazards due to their toxic effects. This study investigated the influence of toluene on the urinary excretion of benzene metabolite by administering short term exposure limit(STEL) of these compounds(i.e., 13.8mg/kg of benzene and 108.8mg/kg of toluene) intraperitoneally into Sprague-Dawley rats. After administration, urinary phenol concentration of rat was measured by gas chromatography for every three hours. Data were analyzed by non-parametric statistical methods using Kruskal-Wallis multi-sample test and Mann-Whitney U test. The following results were obtained: 1. Administration of STFL-benzene increased urinary phenol concentration in rats. 2. Urinary phenol concentration was increased logarithmically according to the dosage of benzene. 3. Excretion of phenol in urine was decreased when benzene and toluene were administered simultaneously compared with administering benzene alone. In Summary, these results reveal that administration of STEL of toluene has antagonistic effect of urinary excretion of benzene metabolite in rats.
Animals ; Benzene* ; Chromatography, Gas ; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Metabolism* ; Phenol ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Threshold Limit Values ; Toluene

To evaluate croneal haze related to amount of correction, age and sex following excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy(PRK) in myopic eyes, 39months follow-up study on 358 eyes was performed prospectively. The preoperative spherical equivalent refraction ranged from -1.0D to 11.25D(mean -6.18D). The subjective corneal haze grading showed a maximum with mean grading of 0.92 at 2 months and a gradual decrease to 0.14 at 24 months after PRK. The degree of haze was statistically greater with higher amount of correction(p<0.05). No difference was found related to age and sex(p>0.05). Clinically significant corneal haze and scarring was frequent in higher myopia group(p<0.05). Individual variation in corneal haze after PRK was found. However, high myopia is a risk factor of the corneal haze following PRK, and further study to decrease the corneal haze after PRK is necessary.
Cicatrix ; Follow-Up Studies ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Myopia* ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

The purpose of this study is to reveal how the road traffic noise influences on the response of teachers and students, which composed of conversation, studying, relation, and physical disturbances. The research method used in this study was self- administrated questionnaire. Samples of the survey were composed of 420 persons(l14 teachers and 306 students) who are exposed to traffic noise less than 65 dB(A) from two junior high schools and 410 persons(140 teachers and 270 students) from two noisy junior high schools which the road traffic noise above 65 dB(A). In the response of both of the teachers and students in noisy(above 65 dB) schools complaints of disturbances of conversation, studying, relaxation, and physical disturbances are much higher than that of less noisy schools' teachers and students(p<0.01 ). On the occasion of time and season, the subjects answered the traffic noise cause high troublesome and stresses in the afternoon(12:00-17:00) and summer respectively. It is necessary to provide governmental comprehensive and fundamental measures to improve the noisy school environments.
Humans ; Noise* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Relaxation ; Seasons