BACKGROUND: Tourniquet pain is probably mediated by C-fiber. The ability of fentanyl to interrupt this nociceptive conduction was studied by administering either fentanyl or saline intrathecally along with hyperbaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia. METHOD: The incidence of tourniquet pain was evaluated in 60 patients having orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities during spinal anesthesia by administering either 30 mcg fentanyl (group 2) or saline (group 1) along with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 10 mg. We measured the maximal sensory spread of analgesia to pinprick, the incidence of tourniquet pain, and the sensory anesthesia to pinprick at the onset of tourniquet pain. RESULTS: The average maximal sensory spread of analgesia was the same in both groups (T9). The incidence of tourniquet pain was significantly greater in group 1 (33%) than in group 2 (10%). The sensory levels of anesthesia at the onset of tourniquet pain were not different in two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intrathecal fentanyl was effective against tourniquet pain for 2 hours of the orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Bupivacaine* ; Fentanyl* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Orthopedics ; Tourniquets*

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis* ; Spinal Cord*

Twenty four patients with gap nonunions of the tibia were treated with the Ilizarov intercalary bone transport method. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the results and complications in gap nonunions of the tibia treated using the Ilizarov method. There were 22 males and two females with an average age of the 35.8 years(range, 23-63 years). The mean follow up period was 30.2 months(range, 17-70 months). Ten of the 24 patients had no external shortening with bone gap, 13 external shortening with gap and one hemicircumferential defect. On average, the size of bone loss measured 8.2 cm(range, 3-18 cm). Twenty-one of 24 patients were treated by whole segment internal transport(fifteen were proximal fragment transport, five were distal fragment transport, one was proximal and distal fragment transport), one patient by anterior hemicircumferential corticotomy and partial bone fragment internal transport and tow patients by fibula transfer. All patients healed with solid bony union, although twelve patients required bone grafts, eleven at the docking site and one at the distraction site. On average, the healing index was 49 days/cm(range, 18-82 days/cm). There was on relationship between the percentage transport(size of the distraction gap/the transporting fragment length x 100) and healing index. Numerous complications were encountered, most commonly delayed union and pin site infection, Conclusively, the application of Ilizarov techniques to gap nonunions of the tibia was very effective, but required correct technique and careful follow-up examination.
Female ; Fibula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique ; Male ; Methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia ; Transplants

Intramural duodenal hematoma (IDH) is a quite rare disese entity which results from the collection of blood and body fluid between mucosa and serosa. Various degrees of duodenal obstruction may be caused by IDH as it gradually enlarges and compresses the mucosa against the opposite side of duodenum. The most common cause of IDH is blunt abdominal trauma and the spontaneous IDHs are generally casused by coagulation disorder such as blood dyscrasia, anticoagulation treatment or pancreaticoduodenal aneurysm. The diagnosis is usually made by the typical imaging on abdominal computed tomographic scan with a previous history of blunt abdominal trauma. For spontaneous IDH without coagulation disorder, an abdominal angiogram may be considered to exclude vascular anomalies. Medical treatment is recommended unless the associated visceral injuries require immediate laparotomy. Here, we report a case of acute duodenal obstruction due to IDH which had resolved completely without an operative management.
Aneurysm ; Body Fluids ; Diagnosis ; Duodenal Obstruction* ; Duodenum ; Hematoma* ; Laparotomy ; Mucous Membrane ; Serous Membrane

Bile* ; Child, Preschool* ; Female* ; Humans

In 40 patients with aortic regurgitation(AR), the incidence of reverse doming of anterior mitral leaflet was studied by 2-D echocardiography. Reverse doming could be indentified in 17 of 18 patients(94.4%)with severe AR, in 6 of 15 patients(14.3%)with mild AR. And in relation to the direction of regurgitant jet, reverse doming was noticed in 9 of 11 patients(82%) toward the center of left ventricular cavity. In conclusion, the appearance of reverse doming of anterior mitral leaflet is thought to be related to the degree of AR and the direction of regurgitant jet. And reverse doming by 2-D echocardiography is a helpful parameter for the diagnosis of moderate to severe AR.
Aortic Valve Insufficiency* ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effect of nerve decompression for restoration of plantar sweating and sensation in diabetic neuropathic feet, and we selected diabetic neuropathic patients with the possibility of overlying entrapmental neuropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 2002 to May 2003, we have investigated and follow-up examed 10 patients with diabetic neuropathic feet, with decreased sensation in their lower limb, who underwent peripheral nerve decompression. The surgical procedure was multiple neurolysis of the common peroneal nerve, posterior tibial nerve and its three branches of one limb. We compared the operated limb with the opposite, unoperated limb. We performed history taking, physical examination, sweat secretion test, touch sensory test using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments and electrodiagnostic study, pre-operatively and post-operatively. RESULTS: On 6 months after the operation, the post-operative tests showed that there were noticeable improvements to sensation, statistically (P<0.05), but there was no change in the sweat secretion test. According to the Cseuz criteria, 7 patients out of the 10 patients who received the multiple neurolysis showed excellent or good results. CONCLUSION: We observed that the peripheral nerve neurolysis could be benefit for improving sensation and alleviating pain of the diabetic neuropathic feet with nerve entrapmental symptoms, but there was no change in the sweat secretion on short-term follow-up. To identify whether the effect will be continued or not, additional follow-up will be required.
Decompression ; Diabetic Foot* ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Nerve Compression Syndromes ; Peripheral Nerves ; Peroneal Nerve ; Physical Examination ; Sensation ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Tibial Nerve

No abstract available.
Prolactin* ; Prolactinoma* ; Radiosurgery*

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. PURPOSE: To comparatively investigated the rate of the adjacent segment degeneration and the clinical outcomes in patients with spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis or degenerative spondylolisthesis. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: There have been few studies reported on the adjacent segment degeneration following posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF). Many risk factors for the adjacent segment degeneration following PLIF have been proposed. The range of decompression has been presented as one of the risk factors, yet controversial. METHODS: This study enrolled sixty-three patients who had been treated with single-level PLIF and who were followed up for more than two years. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on the preoperative diagnosis. We analyzed the difference between the preoperative and postoperative intervertebral disc heights of the superior adjacent segments. The incidence rates of instability and the clinical outcomes were comparatively analyzed between each group. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 55.8 years in the spondylolytic spondylolisthesis group, 65.9 years in the degenerative spondylolisthesis group and 60.4 years in the spinal stenosis group. The average follow-up period was 44 months, 43 months and 42 months, respectively. At the last follow-up, compared to the preoperative period, the intervertebral disc height decreased in all three groups. A statistically significant decrease (p < 0.01) was observed only in the spondylolytic spondylolisthesis group and no significant difference was observed between each group (p = 0.41). The incidence rate of instability and the clinical outcome were not significantly different between each group. CONCLUSIONS: Spondylolytic spondylolisthesis with total laminectomy and single-level PLIF showed no significant difference in the superior adjacent segment degeneration and instability, and the clinical outcome as compared to that of partial laminectomy with single-level PLIF for treating degenerative spondylolisthesis or spinal stenosis.
Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc ; Laminectomy ; Preoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spondylolisthesis