Occult lymph node metastasis and risk of regional recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer after bilateral prophylactic central neck dissection: A multi-institutional study.

Background: The impact of occult lymph node metastasis on regional recurrence after prophylactic central neck dissection for preoperative, nodal-negative papillary thyroid cancer is controversial. We investigated risk factors for regional lymph node recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral prophylactic central neck dissection. Analysis was according to clinicopathologic characteristics and occult lymph node metastasis patterns.

Clinicopathologic characteristics and pattern of central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer located in the isthmus.

Objectives/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics and pattern of lymph node (LN) metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) located in the isthmus.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: One hundred ninety consecutive patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral central neck dissection were analyzed.

Optimal timing of saliva collection to detect pepsin in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine salivary pepsin levels as a function of collection time.

Study Design: A prospective, case-control study.

Methods: We selected 57 patients with clinical symptoms and signs of laryngopharyngeal reflux who underwent 24-hour multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (24h MII-pH) monitoring tests, and 12 control subjects without clinical symptoms and signs of laryngopharyngeal reflux.

Audiologic evaluation of vestibular schwannoma and other cerebellopontine angle tumors.

Conclusion: Otologic accompanying symptoms, audiogram patterns, and hearing levels according to tumor size differed in patients with CPA tumors classified as VS and non-VS types.

Objectives: The diagnosis of CPA tumors is often delayed. Late-diagnosed tumors can grow until they compress and damage vital structures.

Otologic manifestations of acoustic neuroma.

Conclusion: Many patients with acoustic neuroma (AN) experience hearing loss and tinnitus. Time from first symptoms to diagnosis can be considerable. AN should be suspected, and MRI scans performed, in patients with hearing loss accompanied by asymmetry, tinnitus, low speech discrimination score (SDS), and abnormal auditory brainstem response (ABR).

Comparison of sudden deafness in adults and children.

Objectives: Although many studies have assessed sudden deafness in adults, sudden deafness has not been evaluated in children. We therefore evaluated the differences in sudden deafness between children and adults.

Methods: We compared clinical manifestations, including gender, audiogram pattern of initial hearing loss, and recovery rate after treatment in 87 children and 707 adults diagnosed with sudden deafness from September 2003 and August 2012.

Changing patterns of bacterial strains in adults and children with otitis media in korean tertiary care centers.

Objectives: Otitis media (OM) is an infectious disease that affects all age brackets. Aural discharge is a typical symptom, occurring in all subtypes of OM. We have compared the identity and antibiotic sensitivity of bacteria isolated from aural discharges of adults and children with various types of OM, including acute OM (AOM), OM with effusion (OME), chronic OM (COM), and cholesteatomatous OM (CSOM).

Agreement between the Facial Nerve Grading System 2.0 and the House-Brackmann Grading System in Patients with Bell Palsy.

Objectives: We have analyzed the correlation between the House-Brackmann (HB) scale and Facial Nerve Grading System 2.0 (FNGS 2.0) in patients with Bell palsy, and evaluated the usefulness of the new grading system.

Iron plays a certain role in patterned hair loss.

Role of iron in hair loss is not clear yet. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between iron and hair loss. Retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with female pattern hair loss (FPHL) and male pattern hair loss (MPHL).

Intense Pulsed Light and Low-Fluence Q-Switched Nd:YAG Laser Treatment in Melasma Patients.

Background: Recently, low fluence collimated Q-switched (QS) Nd:YAG laser has drawn attention for the treatment of melasma. However, it needs a lot of treatment sessions for the substantial results and repetitive laser exposures may end up with unwanted depigmentation.

Objective: We evaluated the clinical effects and safety of the combinational treatment, using intense pulsed light (IPL) and low fluence QS Nd:YAG laser.

Pigmentation above the constitutive level: an indicator of excimer laser radiation-induced erythema in Koreans.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation induces skin erythema, but it is not clear which factors have the greatest effects on UV sensitivity. Six healthy Korean adult men were enrolled and their melanin index (MI) and increment of erythema index (ΔEI) were measured. In each individual, 12 different sites were selected and 36 spots were irradiated with a single shot of monochromatic excimer laser with a dose of 350 mJ/cm(2) .

Effects of murine dermal cells on the regulation of hair growth is dependent on the cell number and post-natal age of newborn mice.

Dermal cells from neonatal mice can initiate the formation of hair follicles (HFs) when combined with adult mouse epidermal cells and transplanted subcutaneously into athymic mice. In the present study, the effects of dermal cells on HF formation were tested in terms of total cell number and the time course of cell harvest. Results demonstrated that the number of dermal cells is critical to the formation of HF.

Unilateral psoriasis in a woman with ipsilateral post-mastectomy lymphedema.

Psoriasis is a multi-factorial disease with various clinical manifestations. We present a case of unilateral psoriasis associated with ipsilateral lymphedema that developed after mastectomy for breast cancer. A 42-year-old Korean woman was referred to our clinic with a 1-month history of multiple erythematous scaly patches on the right arm, back, and breast and was diagnosed with psoriasis by a skin biopsy.

Better clinical results with long term benefits in melasma patients.

Background: Low fluence Q-switched Nd:YAG laser has become popular in the treatment of melasma in Asian patients. However, it needs a lot of treatment sessions for substantial results and repetitive laser exposures may end up with unwanted depigmentation.

Objective: We evaluated clinical effects and safety of combinational treatment using intense pulsed light and low fluence Q-switched Nd:YAG laser over laser treatment alone.

Low level light could work on skin inflammatory disease: a case report on refractory acrodermatitis continua.

Low level laser or light treatment on the various clinical condition is getting considerable attention now. However, there has been no report about the clinical effect of low level polarized polychromatic noncoherent light (LPPL) on the inflammatory skin disease. We experienced a case of acrodermatitis continua in a pregnant woman refractory to any conventional treatment including the most potent topical steroid.

Penicillamine-induced Elastosis Perforans Serpiginosa and Cutis Laxa in a Patient with Wilson's Disease.

Elastosis perforans serpiginosa (EPS) is a rare reactive perforating dermatosis that is characterized by the transepidermal elimination of abnormal elastic fibers. Penicillamine, which is one of the clear triggers for EPS, is a heavy metal chelator that is primarily used for disorders such as cystinuria and Wilson's disease. It may cause alterations in the dermal elastic tissue such as pseudo-pseudoxanthoma elasticum, acquired cutis laxa, EPS and anetoderma.

Two cases of palmoplantar lichen planus with various clinical features.

Two cases of palmoplantar lichen planus with various clinical features. Palmoplantar lichen planus is a rare, localized variant of lichen planus. Although several clinical features of palmoplantar lichen planus may be seen, the erythematous scaly form is most common.