Since the introduction of epidural corticoateroid injections for the management of sciaticall, luintosacral radiculopathy has become one of the most common pain problems enco-untered by anesthesiologists. In order to function effectively, anesthesiologiats should be able to: 1) recognize those syndromes which may respond to nerve block: 2) understand the pathophysiology of the conditions being treated and 3) be familiar with alternate ther-apeutic pathways for patientg not responding to merre b1ock. There are many etiologic factors of low back pain and lumbosacral radiculopathy. Particularly, Nerve root compression caused by a protruding disc, a osteophyte or tumors are usually responsible for pain. Neural inflammation, therefore, is considered to play a major role in pain production.The use of local anesthetics in mixture with steroids is believed to break down neural inflammation. Steroids and local anesthetics were injected lumbar or caudal epidmal to 106 patients for the purpose of relieving low back pain and lumbosacral radiculopathy. The resu1ts are as follows : Excellent Pain relieved group : 27 Patients (25.5%) Good Pain relieved group: 49 Patients(46.1%) Fair pain relieved group : IS patients(14.2%) Not effective group : 15 Patients (14.2%).
Anesthetics, Local ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Low Back Pain ; Nerve Block ; Osteophyte ; Pain Management* ; Radiculopathy ; Steroids

Intrathecal administration of morphine for pain relief became popular since Pert, et al (1973) reported the opioid receptors in spinal cord. It is obvious now morphine bas prolonged and profound analgesic effect with few compl-ications but the leant dose which produces sufficient analgsia with insignificant complication is still controversial. The dosage of intrathecal morphine used for postoperative analgesia has varied from 0.1 mg to 2 mg, but significantly low dosage was required br direct intrathecal route than by epidural one to reach the appropriate analgesic CSF concentration. We selected 60 Patients (50 for cesarean section, 10 for total hysterectomy) and divided into 3groups to compare the effects respectively. Group l : 20 patients receiving 0.05mg of intrathecal morphine, Group ll : 20 patients receiving 0.1 mg of intrathecal morphine, Group lll : 20 Patients receiving 0.2 mg of intrathecal morphine The results are as follows ; 1) The analgesic effects of group l and ll were good and similiar, but 2 of group l and 1 of group ll required a single supplementary intramuscular demerol 6 hours after intrathecal morphine injection. The quality of analgesia was judged to be better in group lll than in group I and ll. 2) The duration of analgesia of group lll was a little longer than group I and ll, which showed similar duration. 3) The side effects of group l, ll and lll were similar, but pruritus was noted twice as much in group in lll than in group l and ll.
Analgesia ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Meperidine ; Morphine* ; Pregnancy ; Pruritus ; Receptors, Opioid ; Spinal Cord

No abstract available.
Oncogene Proteins* ; Oncogenes* ; Teratocarcinoma*

Laparoscopic lysis for intraperitoneal adhesion should be performed only in selective patients with small bowel obstruction by experienced surgeons. Current evidence is insufficient to postulate that laparoscopic surgery is safe and effective alternative treatment option for small bowel obstruction.

No abstract available.
Intussusception*

There are many epidemiologic studies to find the tracking phenomenon. In repeated measurement data, a population is said to have tracking phenomenon with respect to particular chracteristic if, for each individual, the relative rank of observed value maintained over time. Understanding tracking phenomena in epidemiologic study is quite important. If the risk factors of chronic disease have tracking phenomenon, early detection of these risk factors can lead to the possibility of early treatment. In this study, we defined tracking as relative maintenance and proposed new measure of tracking by using random coefficient model. We compared our measure with McMahan's using simulation study. And we applied ours to real data. We may conclude that our new measure of tracking is adequate in explaining and dectecting the tracking phenomenon.
Chronic Disease ; Risk Factors

Purpose: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the time interval from symptom onset to surgery and on the operative outcomes of laparoscopic appendectomy for patients with acute appendicitis. Methods: Between October 2018 and July 2021, laparoscopic appendectomy was performed in 502 patients with acute appendicitis admitted to Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital in Chuncheon, Korea. We compared demographic data, serum levels of inflammatory markers, time to event of appendicitis, and operative outcomes between the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 pandemic groups. Results: Laparoscopic appendectomy was performed in 271 patients in the pre-COVID-19 group and in 231 patients in the post-COVID-19 group. There were no differences in baseline characteristics, serum inflammatory marker levels, or the proportions of complicated appendicitis between the groups (25.1%, pre-COVID-19 vs. 31.6%, post-COVID-19; P = 0.106).The time intervals between symptom onset and hospital arrival (24.42 hours vs. 23.59 hours, P = 0.743) and between hospital arrival and the start of surgery (10.12 hours vs. 9.04 hours, P = 0.246) did not increase post-COVID-19. The overall 30-day postoperative complication rate did not differ significantly between the groups (9.6% vs. 10.8%, P = 0.650), and the severity of 30-day postoperative complications was also similar in both groups (P = 0.447). Conclusion This study demonstrates that hospitalization and surgeries were not delayed in patients with acute appendicitis and that the operative outcomes of laparoscopic appendectomy did not worsen despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

An increasing interest in intravenous anesthetic techniques has resulted from the availability of more efficacious intravenous agents, possible discomfor of the patient on endotracheal intubation and the concern over anesthetic pollution in the operating room. This study was done to investigate the effect of intravenous anesthesia with ketamine on the respiratory system by comparing arterial blood gas analysis before and after the procedure. Analysis of arterial blood for PCO2, PO2, pH, and excess were carried out. Heart rate and blood pressure were monitored on 15 patients in ASA class l for diagnostic or short procedures. Each patient was premedicated with atropine 0.01mg/kg and valium 0.2mg/kg intramuscularly 30 minutes before the procedure. ketamine was administered intravenously 1.0~1.5 mg/kg or intramuscularly 3~5mg/kg for induction of anesthesia. The anesthesia was maintained with ketamine 0.5~1.0mg/kg and valium 0.1mg/kg ever 5 to 10 minutes. The results of this study showed that ketmine anesthesia seemed not to cause any untoward effect on respiratory function. In other words, ketamine seems to be a safe and good intravenous anesthetic agent for diagnostic or short surgical procedures.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Intravenous* ; Atropine ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Blood Pressure ; Diazepam ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Ketamine* ; Operating Rooms ; Respiratory System

PURPOSE: Anastomotic leakage following surgery is one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, prevention of anastomotic leakage is crucial for safe rectal surgery. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Mallecot(R) insertion on the prevention of anastomotic leakage after low rectal anastomosis. METHODS: From January 2002 to December 2006, 264 rectal cancer surgeries were performed in one center and by one surgeon. Among them, 110 cases whose anastomosis was located below 6 cm from the anal verge were collected and reviewed retrospectively. We made a diverting stoma on 6 out of 20 patients with high risk of anastomotic leakage, and inserted Mallecot(R) on the remaining 14 patients transanally. Removal of Mallecot(R) was done at the 7th postoperative day after a digital rectal examination to identify the completeness of anastomosis had been performed. RESULTS: Totally, anastomotic leakage occurred in 8 of 110 patients (73%). Among the 90 patients without any preventive measures, 7 incidents of anastomotic leakage were observed; on the other hand, 1 of 14 patients with Mallecot(R) insertion suffered anastomotic leakage. In two of the patients with leakage, including 1 in the Mallecot(R) group, the leakage was resolved via percutaneous drainage; in the other 6 patients were reoperated. CONCLUSIONS: The importance of preventing an anastomotic leakage after low rectal surgery cannot be overemphasized to reduce morbidity and to improve the prognosis. In addition, Mallecot(R) insertion may be an alternative method for diverting stoma formation.
Anastomotic Leak ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Drainage ; Hand ; Humans ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies

A pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is an uncommon malformation. In pregnancy altered hemodynamics and hormones cause changes in a PAVM(pulmonary arteriovenous malformation) that predispose them to deterioration. Therefore, a PAVM can cause serious and life-threatening complications in pregnancy. Death ofter results from a cerebral abscess and a rupture of the malformation with a massive hemorrhage. Recently, we experienced a case of a multiple PAVM in pregnang 38 year old woman, which could not be obseved in the old chest PA, 1 year age. The PAVM was confirmed by CT and was angiography and treated by percutaneous embolization. The patient is suspected to have HHT (Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia)
Adult ; Angiography ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Brain Abscess ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Pregnancy* ; Rupture ; Thorax