BACKGROUND: The laparoscopy requires carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation and Trendelenburg position for operational convenience. However, the above circumstances affect the cardiopulmonary systems significantly and intraocular pressure (IOP) may be also influenced. METHODS: In 27 non-glaucoma patients right and left intraocular pressure (RIOP, LIOP) were measured 5 minutes after induction of general anesthesia (control value), 15 and 30 minutes after CO2 insufflation and endelenburg-lithotomy position. RESULTS: The control values of RIOP and LIOP were 11.3 4.7 mmHg and 11.5 4.7 mmHg respectively. At 15 minutes after CO2 insufflation and Trendelenburg-lithotomy position, they increased to 16.6 5.3 mmHg and 17.0 5.9 mmHg (p<0.05). At 30 minutes, 18.4 3.5 mmHg and 18.2 4.1 mmHg (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: CO2 insufflation and Trendelenburg-lithotomy position increase IOP significantly in non-glaucoma patients during laparoscopy.
Anesthesia, General ; Carbon Dioxide ; Head-Down Tilt ; Humans ; Insufflation* ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Laparoscopy*

BACKGROUND: Postintubational sore throat and hoarseness are usually mild symptoms but they are very common complaints among the patients after endotracheal general anesthesia. In addition, some might have severe discomfort and need invasive procedure to relieve these problems. We tried new method of endotracheal tube cuff filling with local anesthetics to reduce postoperative sore throat and hoarseness and evaluated the results. METHODS: Endotracheal cuff filling was done with air 5 ml in healthy 20 patients (ASA I-II, control group). And in another healthy (ASA I-II) 35 patients, the cuffs were filled with 4% lidocaine 3.5 ml and 8.4% sodium bicarbonate 1.5 ml mixture. After 24 hours following general anesthesia, patients were visited and asked whether there were sore throat or hoarseness, if any, how the degree was. RESULTS: In lidocaine-treated group, the incidence of postintubational sore throat was less compared to control group significantly. There was no difference in incidence of hoarseness between two groups. CONCLUSION: Endotracheal cuff filled with lidocaine and sodium bicarbonate mixture is suggested as an effective protective method that reduces the frequency of postintubational sore throat.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics, Local ; Hoarseness* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lidocaine* ; Pharyngitis* ; Sodium Bicarbonate* ; Sodium*

BACKGROUND: Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) is one of the anesthetic techniques that needs no inhalational agent but only an intravenous agent for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Among drugs used in TIVA, propofol is the most popular agent. Rapid emergence and antiemetic characteristics of propofol are well known advantages but a dose dependent cardiovascular depressant effect is one of the disadvantages of this drug. Otherwise, ketamine, a dissociative agent, has been restricted in its use because of bad dreams, delirium and delayed emergence even though it has profound analgesic characteristics. However, ketamine has a stimulatory effect on the cardiovascular system, so it can raise blood pressure and pulse rate and in the case of TIVA, these properties can be advantageous when used with propofol. This study was aimed to decide whether TIVA using propofol and ketamine would have more stable vital signs during anesthesia and more rapid and smoother emergence in comparison with inhalational anesthesia using isoflurane. METHODS: Thirty two patients scheduled for elective general anesthesia were randomly allocated into two groups; I (inhalational anesthesia using isoflurane) group and PK (TIVA using propofol and ketamine) group. I group was controlled with isoflurane 1 - 1.5 vol% and the PK group was controlled with propofol 3 - 12 mg/kg/hr and ketamine 0.5 - 1.0 mg/kg/hr. Arriving at the recovery room, a single observer recorded the time to spontaneous movement, responses to painful pinch and verbal command, and orientation to age, name, place, date and time. At 5, 10, and 30 minutes after anesthesia, a PARS (postanesthesia recovery score), count-down test, and VAS (visual analogue scale) were checked. Postoperative events were checked in the recovery room and 24 hours lator. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in demographic data or characteristics of operation. Compared with the I group, the PK group had significantly rapid orientation responses on place, date and time. Restoration in the count-down test was more rapid in the PK group after 10 minutes in the recovery room. The VAS was lower in the PK group after 30 minutes in the recovery room. CONCLUSIONS: TIVA using propofol and ketamine has a more rapid emergence than inhalational anesthesia using isoflurane and better postoperative analgesic effect without respiratory depression.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Intravenous* ; Anesthetics, Intravenous ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular System ; Delirium ; Dreams ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Isoflurane* ; Ketamine* ; Propofol* ; Recovery Room ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Vital Signs

Chios Gum Mastic (CGM) is a natural resin extracted from the leaves of Pistacia lentiscus, a plant endemic to the Greek island of Chios. It has been used by traditional healers, and it has antibacterial, antifungal properties, and therapeutic benefits for the skin. The CGM reduces the formation of dental plaque and bacterial growth in oral saliva, and recent studies have demonstrated the role of antioxidant activity of CGM. Although CGM has been widely investigated, its protective effect against oxidative-damage to keratinocytes, as well as the relationship between CGM and autophagy, has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the protective effect of CGM against H2O2-induced oxidative stress and to evaluate the autophagic features induced by CGM in human keratinocytes. The pretreatment with CGM significantly reduced apoptosis in H2O2-exposed HaCaT cells. It promoted the degradation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9; and it induced the formation of the processed PARP. The treatment with CGM caused an increase in vesicle formation compared to control group. The level of p62 was reduced and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II was increased in CGM treated HaCaT cells. Also, the treatment with CGM increased cleavage of ATG5-ATG12 complex. In summary, CGM helps the cells to survive under stressful conditions by preventing apoptosis and enhancing autophagy. Besides, the present investigation provides evidence to support the antioxidant potential of CGM in vitro and opens up a new horizon for future experiments.
Apoptosis ; Autophagy* ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 8 ; Caspase 9 ; Dental Plaque ; Gingiva* ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Oxidative Stress* ; Pistacia ; Plants ; Saliva ; Skin

We reviewed 49 cases of moderate or severe pericardial effusion on which we performed pericardiocentesis and percutaneous pericardial biopsy from Jan. 1987 to Sep. 1989. Of these, 11 cases were performed percutaneous pericardial biopsy in order to diagnose confirmative. We studied clinical manifestation including physical examination, ECG, and radiology, etiology and complication of pericardiocentesis and percutaneous pericardial biopsy. The results are as belows : 1) The physical examination of pericardial effusion were neck vein engorgement(73.5%), priction rub(25.5%), and pulsus paradoxus(4%). The ECG findings were low voltage(77.6%) and electrical alternans(16.5%), and most common x-ray finding was cardiomegaly (81.6%). 2) Underlying diseases were as follows : neoplastic disease(40.8%), tuberculosis(18.4%) systemic lupus erythematosus(10.2%), hemopericardium(8.2%), chronic renal failure(6.1%), congestive heart failure(4.1%), idiopathic pericarditis(4.1%), GVHD(2.0%), pyopericardium(2.0%), rheumatic carditis(2.0%), and postpericardiotomy syndrome(2.0%), in order. 3) Special etiologic diagnosis of neoplasm were lung cancer(50%), adenocarcinoma of unknown origin(20%), Malignant lymphoma(15%), stomach cancer(5%), hepatoma(5%), and malignant thymoma(5%), in order. From the percutaneous pericardial biopsy, the authors confirmed 36% by finding two cases of malignancy and two cases of tuberculosis. On the other hand, only one case was confirmed in cytology. These result in a rather low rate of diagnostic confirm. There were 8 cases of complication : hypotension(8.2%), premature ventricular contraction(6.1%) and ventricular tachycardia (2.0%) without death cases. In percutaneous pericardial biopsy, only two cases of hypotension were found with no death case. The result obtained from the above 11 cases of percutanous pericardial biopsy is not enough to make conclusive statement concerning rate of diagnostic confirmation and complication. We expect better results by examining more cases in the future.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy* ; Cardiomegaly ; Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Hand ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Lung ; Neck ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardiocentesis* ; Physical Examination ; Stomach ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Tuberculosis ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a standard treatment for cholelithiasis and indication is continuously widened to acute and complicated cholecystitis. It has been proved to give advantages such as less postoperative pain, postoperative complications and early recovery. However, postoperative hepatic dysfunction after laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been repeatedly reported and when we evaluate postoperative hepatic dysfunction, laparoscopic surgery has been thought as one of the contributors. So authors planned this study to satisfy the growing need of reevaluation of postoperative hepatic dysfunction because we have had many achivements and improvements in knowledge and operative techniques since a while. METHODS: From January to December in 2000, 182 patients were randomly selected among who had undergone cholecystectomy in one university hospital. The numbers of each group (group OC; open, group LC; laparoscopy) were equal. Demographic data, duration of operation and level of liver enzymes (alanine transferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin) on operation day and one postoperative day were estimated by medical records. RESULTS: Mean operation time was longer in group OC than in group LC. Levels of alanine transferase, total bilirubin and direct bilirubin of postoperative one day were increased significantly in both groups. The degrees of increase of alanine transferase and bilirubin were higher in group OC than group LC in statistically significant manner. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has more advantages than open cholecystectomy in many aspects.
Alanine ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bilirubin ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Cholecystitis ; Cholelithiasis ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Liver* ; Medical Records ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Complications ; Transferases

BACKGROUND: The medical service delivery system in Korea works inefficiently and patients tend to visit tertiary hospitals by means of the emergency department (ED). Overcrowding of the ED threatens the health and life of emergency patients as a result of the inability to effectively distribute emergency medical resources in the community. To solve this problem, improvement in the medical delivery system and dispersion of patients by strengthening primary care may be helpful. In order to make policy decisions for this, it is necessary to estimate the scale of patients who can be distributed to primary care.METHODS: From January 1 to December 31, 2016, we analyzed the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) data of patients who visited a tertiary ED to examine the proportion of patients eligible for primary medical care. The inclusion and exclusion criteria for primary care were made through the consensus of three physicians.RESULTS: A total of 65,061 NEDIS records were analyzed. Among them, by inclusion criteria, 29,818 cases were Korean Triage and Acuity Scale level 4 and 5, and 11,791 patients visited the ED during the day. After considering the exclusion criteria, there were 6,468 cases who may be suitable for primary medical care.CONCLUSION: Of the patients who visited the ED of tertiary hospitals, approximately 10% of them may be suitable for primary care. There should be a discussion and social consensus to reduce overcrowding in EDs and deliver better medical services.
Consensus ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Korea ; Primary Health Care ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Triage

PURPOSE: To compare birth weight between infants with a single umbilical artery (SUA) and normal infants, investigate the associated anomalies of infants with SUA and isolated SUA (no abnormality of external appearance on birth, except SUA), and determine the prognosis of infants with isolated SUA. METHODS: Live-born infants with SUA (n=59) detected by physical examination from among 15,193 live births in seven university hospitals in Korea between January 1, 2004, to August 1, 2007, were reviewed retrospectively, with 236 normal infants serving as the control group. RESULTS: A statistical difference was observed between the groups in birth weight and in vitro fertilization. The incidence of infants with SUA was 0.37%. Congenital malformations were observed in 21 infants with cardiovascular (n=15, 25.4%), gastrointestinal (n=2, 3.4%), genitourinary (n=9, 15.3%), neuromusculoskeletal (n=6, 10.2%), central nervous system (n=1, 1.7%), chromosomal (n=1, 1.7%), and other (n=3, 5.1%) abnormalities. There were 49 (83.1%) infants with isolated SUA in this study population; among them, the associated congenital malformations were cardiovascular (n=6, 12.2%) and genitourinary (n=6, 12.2%) abnormalities. Two infants with cyanotic heart disease were operated and four infants with acyanotic heart disease showed improvements without any treatment. Six infants with genitourinary abnormalities on renal ultrasound had mild hydronephrosis without further consequences. CONCLUSION: The incidence of structural abnormalities in the cardiovascular and genitourinary systems is high and the genitourinary anomalies associated with isolated SUA have relatively good prognosis.
Birth Weight ; Central Nervous System ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Heart Diseases ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Incidence ; Infant ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Single Umbilical Artery ; Umbilical Arteries ; Urogenital Abnormalities ; Urogenital System

The aim of this study was to determine the beneficial effect of propofol on human keratinocytes that have undergone hypoxia reoxygenation (H/R) injury and to investigate whether autophagy is associated with the protective mechanism. Thus, we evaluated how propofol influences the intracellular autophagy and apoptosis during the H/R process in the HaCaT cells. The cultured human keratinocyte cells were exposed to 24 h of hypoxia (5% CO2, 1% O2, 94% N2) followed by 12 h of reoxygenation (5% CO2, 21% O2, 74% N2). The experiment was divided into 4 groups: (1) Control=Normoxia ; (2) H/R=Hypoxia Reoxygenation ; (3) PPC+H/R=Propofol Preconditioning+Hypoxia Reoxygenation; (4) 3-MA+PPC+H/R=3-MA-Methyladenine+Propofol Preconditioning+Hypoxia Reoxygenation. In addition, Western blot analysis was performed to identify the expression of apoptotic pathway parameters, including Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase 3 involved in mitochondrial-dependent pathway. Autophagy was determined by fluorescence microscopy, MDC staining, AO staining, and western blot. The H/R produced dramatic injuries in keratinocyte cells. In our study, the viability of Propofol in H/R induced HaCaT cells was first studied by MTT assay. The treatment with 25, 50, and 100 microM Propofol in H/R induced HaCaT cells enhanced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and 100 microM was the most effective dose. The Atg5, Becline-1, LC3-II, and p62 were elevated in PPC group cells, but H/R-induced group showed significant reduction in HaCaT cells. The Atg5 were increased when autophagy was induced by Propofol, and they were decreased when autophagy was suppressed by 3-MA. These data provided evidence that propofol preconditioning induced autophagy and reduced apoptotic cell death in an H/R model of HaCaT cells, which was in agreement with autophagy playing a very important role in cell protection.
Anoxia ; Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; Cytoprotection ; Humans ; Keratinocytes* ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Propofol*

BACKGROUND: The margin of safety is the length of the mainstem bronchi, over which double-lumen endotracheal tubes (DLTs) can be moved and still be correctly positioned. A negative value of margin of safety means that DLTs may not be safe. We measured the length of the left and right mainstem bronchi and margin of safety in Korean adults. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six ASA I or II adult patients undergoing an elective surgery were examined. After nduction of general anesthesia, we measured the lengths from the upper incisor to the tracheal carina, to the proximal margin of the left and right upper lobe bronchial opening using a fiberoptic bronchoscope. We calculated the lengths of the left and right mainstem bronchi and margin of safety using the measured lengths. RESULTS: In Korean adults, the average margin of safety of left-sided DLTs of males and females was 2.4 +/- 1.0 cm and 1.9 0.7 cm and right-sided DLTs of males and females was 1.0 +/- 0.9 cm and 0.8 +/- 0.3 cm, respectively. The percentage of a negative value of the margin of safety in positioning right-sided DLTs was 10.4% in males and 8.6% in females. However, all values of the margin of safety in left-sided DLTs were positive. CONCLUSIONS: Using left-sided DLTs, regardless of the operative side, is better than right-sided DLTs because left-sided DLTs have a greater margin of safety in positioning. If we use right-sided DLTs, we should confirm the proper position of tubes using a fiberoptic bronchoscope.
Adult* ; Anesthesia, General ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopes* ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Male ; One-Lung Ventilation