The Effects of High Intensity Laser Therapy on Pain and Function of Patients with Frozen Shoulder

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy on pain and function of a frozen shoulder. METHODS: Thirty patients were assigned to two groups: the experimental group (n=15) and the control group (n=15). Both groups received traditional therapy for 4 weeks, 3 days a week. The experimental group, however, received an additional high intensity laser therapy. Pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS). The functional ability was measured using the patient specific functional scale (PSFS). A paired t-test was used to determine any differences before and after the treatment, and an independent t-test was used to determine any differences between treatment groups. RESULTS: Both groups showed a statistically significant difference for VAS and PSFS score (p<0.05). In comparison between two groups, more experimental group than control group statistically significant difference (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: There seems to be a positive effect on pain and function of frozen shoulder from using high intensity laser therapy.

Effects of Manual Therapy on Pain and Function of Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine how a manual therapy (joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique) would affect pain and function with the chronic low back pain. METHODS: Thirty patients were assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Patients in the experimental group performed joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique. Patients in the control group performed spinal decompression therapy. Both exercises were performed for three days per week, for a period of six weeks. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional disability was measured using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). A paired t-test was used for identify differences before and after treatment, and an independent t-test was used to identify differences between treatment groups. RESULTS: In the within group comparison, the experimental group and control group differed significantly for all variables (p0.05). CONCLUSION: The above results confirmed that it is necessary to confirm the various benefits of therapy with the joint mobilization and the flexion-distraction technique. The findings of the concerned study will be useful to doctors applying therapy to treat patients with the chronic low back pain.

The Effects of Spinal Decompression Therapy on Pain and Disability in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of spinal decompression therapy on pain and disability in patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: Twenty patients with chronic low back pain were divided into an experimental group (spinal decompression therapy, n=10) and a control group (conservative physical therapy, n=10). Both groups were treated three times a week over a four-week period. RESULTS: The comparison of between-group changes post-treatment revealed statistically significant lower levels of pain and disability in the experimental group than the control group. The comparison of within each group changes before and after the treatment showed statistically significant declines in pain and disability indexes of both groups. CONCLUSION: Spinal decompression therapy may be an effective intervention for improving pain and disability in patients with chronic low back pain.

A Clinical and Histopathological Study of 13 Cases of Facial Dermatofibroma / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Dermatofibroma (DF) is one of the most common benign soft tissue tumors, and its diagnosis is not difficult if clinicopathologic features are typical. However, DF occurring on the face is very rare; therefore, it is usually missed clinically. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to obtain better understanding of the clinicopathologic features of dermatofibroma of the face. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of fibrous histiocytoma of the face at our center over a 23-year period (1989~2011). Clinicopathologic features of 13 patients were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 13 patients, ten were female and three were male. The neoplasms presented with various and atypical features, such as nodule, ulceration and papules. Low-power examination revealed that most of the cases were extended beyond the subcutaneous fat layer, showing ill-defined diffuse infiltrative pattern. The most common histologic type was typical fibrocollagenous type, but some cases presented features of cellular or angiomatous type. Mitotic activity was not definite in majority of cases, and usually ranged 0~1 mitoses per 10 HPF and a few atypical cells were shown in 2 cases, but not accompanied by recurrence. Tumor cells in all cases tested were negative for desmin and CD34, but positive for Factor XIIIa and CD68 in majority of the cases. CONCLUSION: Because of its rare development on face and diverse clinical presentation, correct diagnosis with differential diagnosis is thought to be important. DF of the face usually presents with infiltration of deeper structures and still shows a benign behavior.

Lichen Scrofulosorum Occurring in Association with Tuberculous Salpingitis / 대한피부과학회지

Lichen scrofulosorum is a rare disease of children and young adults. The cutaneous lesions of LS are typically symptomless, tiny, flat-topped papular eruptions, which are skin-colored and follicular in distribution. Histopathologically, LS shows perifollicular noncaseating granulomas. LS is usually associated with extrapulmonary tuberculosis, especially of the lymph nodes and bones, and has also been reported in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. However, the underlying focus is not always obvious, at the time of rash development, and could be diagnosed after the development of LS. Here, we describe a 43-year-old Korean woman with LS who developed tuberculous salpingitis 8 months later.

Erdheim-Chester Disease

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare, non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis of unknown etiology, characterized by multi-organ involvement. ECD is usually diagnosed on the basis of characteristic radiologic and histopathological findings. Lesions may be skeletal and/or extraskeletal in location, and may include the skin, lung, heart, and central nervous system. We describe here a 68-year-old man with multiple yellowish plaques and a pinkish nodule on his face and scalp. He had been previously diagnosed with diabetes insipidus, and recently complained of coughing and dyspnea. Imaging studies showed multiple osteosclerotic lesions of the bones, a moderate amount of pericardial effusion, and multifocal infiltrative lesions in the perirenal space. Histopathological examination of the skin lesions revealed dermal infiltration of foamy histiocytes with multinuclear giant cells. Moreover, laparoscopic biopsy of the perirenal tissue revealed fibrosis with infiltrating foamy histiocytes being CD68-positive and S100-negative. Based on these findings, he was diagnosed with ECD with extraskeletal manifestations, and treated with interferon-alpha.

Normal Size of Fetal Kidneys: Sonographic Measurements / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To establish size ranges of normal fetal kidneys by ultrasonogram during pregnancy. METHODS: The A-P diameter and length of each of 450 kidneys in 225 consecutive fetuses between 19 and 41 weeks of gestation were measured on sonogram from March to August 2001 in Samsung Medical Center. Gestational ages were determined by last menstrual period and Crown-Rump Lengths of early stage of pregnancy. Abnormal fetuses, twins, offspring of diabetic mothers, and fetuses with renal pelvic dilatation of 5 mm or greater were excluded to avoid any questionable measurements. RESULTS: The results showed normal distribution and results were similar to previous reports. There was a strong correlation between fetal renal size and gestational age, but no significant difference between right and left renal sizes in fetuses. Average A-P diameter and renal lengths were significantly different when compared across the range of gestational ages (p<.001). CONCLUSION: As long as we know, this was the first report of size of the normal fetal kidney sonographically during pregnancy in Korea. We think that these results can be used to detect abnormality of fetal kidney and to estimate uncertain gestational age.

Painful and Silent Myocardial Ischemia during Daily Activity in Stable Angina Pectoris

To investigate frequency of painful and/or silent myocardial ischemia(SMI) determined by ECG ST-segment depression(more than 1.0mm depression for 0.08 second after J point over 60 seconds) during unrestricted daily activities, 24-hour dynamic ECG was performed in 19 patients(11 males, 8 females) with chronic stable angina pectoris, aged 57.4 years(44 to 73 years). During 456 hours of recording, there were 154 episodes of SMI. Of these, 139 episodes(90.3%) were silent and 15 episodes(9.7%) accompaned chest pain. The higher incidence of SMI than previously published data is probably influenced by 1 patient who disclosed 56 episodes (excluding this, SMI 84.7%). Sixty one percent of episodes of SMI occurred during light activities such as slow walk, hand labor, eating or at rest(sitting at ease), smoking and sleep, and 39% during more strenuous activites such as walk, climbing stairs and physical exercise. In contrast, most of the painful myocardial ischemia(PMI) developed during climbing stairs, walk and physical exercise. Heart rate during episodes of SMI varied ranging from 85.2+/-13.7/min at rest to 115.5+/-19.2/ min druing climbing stairs. Mean ST-segment depressions during episodes of SMI and PMI were 2.0(1.0-4.0)mm and 2.6(1.2-7.0)mm, respectively, in 6 patients who disclosed both SMI and PMI on 24-hour ECG recordings. However, frequency of ischemic episodes was higher(9.0 vs 2.5/day) and duration was longer(13.8min vs 3.0min) in SMI. These findings indicate that transient SMI in patients with chronic stable angina pectoris occurs more frequently than painful myocardial ischemia. In addition, SMI develops during activities that increase heart rate(increased O2 demand) as well as during activites that do not increase heart rate(decreased O2 supply). Therefore, both O2 demand and supply mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of transient SMI in Patients with chronic stable angina pectoris.