Nerve conduction studies help delineate the extent and distribution of the neural lesion. The nerve conduction was studied on upper (median, ulnar and radial nerves) and lower (personal, posterior tibial and sural nerves) extremities in 83 healthy subjects 23 to 66 years of age, and normal values were established (Table 1). The mean motor terminal latency (TL): median, 3.6 (±0.6) milliseconds; ulnar, 2.9 (±0.5) milliseconds; radial nerve, 2.3 (±0.4) milliseconds. Mean motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) along distal and proximal segments: median, 61.2 (±9.1) (W-E) and 57.8 (±13.2) (E-Ax) meters per second; ulnar, 63.7 (±9.1) (W-E) and 50.6 (±10.0) meters per second. Mean sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV): median, 34.7 (±6.7) (F-W), 63.7 (±7.1) (W-E) and 62.8 (±12.3) (E-Ax) meters per second; ulnar, 38.0 (±6.7) (F-W), 63.4 (±7.5) (W-E) and 57.0 (±10.1) (E-Ax) meters per second; radial, 45.3 (±6.8) (F-W) and 64.2 (±11.0) (W-E) meters per second; sural nerve, 43.4 (±6.1) meters per second. The amplitudes of action potential and H-reflex were also standardized. Mean H latency was 28.4 (±3.2) milliseconds. And, the fundamental principles, several factors altering the rate of nerve conduction and clinical application of nerve stimulation techniques were reviewed.
Action Potentials ; Adult* ; Extremities ; H-Reflex ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Neural Conduction* ; Radial Nerve ; Reference Values ; Sural Nerve

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Regardless of any restoration, most of case, we used in screw connection between abutment and implant. For this reason, implant screw loosening has been remained problem in restorative practices. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare surface of coated/plated screw with titanium and gold alloy screw and to evaluate physical property of coated/plated material after scratch test in FESEM investigation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: GoldTite, titanium screw provided by 3i (Implant Innovation, USA) and TorqTite, titanium screw by Steri-Oss (Nobel Biocare, USA) and gold screw, titanium screw by AVANA (Osstem Implant, korea) - were selected for this study. Each abutment screw surface was observed at 100 times, and then screw crest, root, and slope were done more detailed numerical value, at 1000 times with FESEM. A micro-diamond needle was also prepared for the scratch test. Each abutment screw was fixed, micro-diamond scratch the surface of head region was made at constant load and then was observed central region and periphery of fine trace through 1000 times with FESEM. RESULTS: The surface of GoldTite was smoother than that of other kinds of screw and had abundant ductility and malleability compared with titanium and gold screw. The scratch test also showed that teflon particles were exfoliated easily in screw coated with teflon. Titanium screw had a rough surface and low ductility. CONCLUSION: It was recommended that the clinical use of gold-plated screw would prevent a screw from loosening.
Alloys ; Head ; Needles ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Titanium

PURPOSE: To quantify the cardiac dose reduction during breathing adapted radiotherapy using Real-time Position Management (RPM) system in the treatment of left-sided breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with left-sided breast cancer underwent CT scans during breathing maneuvers including free breathing (FB), deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH), and end inspiration breath-hold (EIBH). The RPM system was used to monitor respiratory motion, and the in-house self respiration monitoring (SRM) system was used for visual feedback. For each scan, treatment plans were generated and dosimetric parameters from DIBH and EIBH plans were compared to those of FB plans. RESULTS: All patients completed CT scans with different breathing maneuvers. When compared with FB plans, DIBH plans demonstrated significant reductions in irradiated heart volume and the heart V25, with the relative reduction of 71% and 70%, respectively (p < 0.001). EIBH plans also resulted in significantly smaller irradiated heart volume and lower heart V25 than FB plans, with the relative reduction of 39% and 37%, respectively (p = 0.002). Despite of significant expansion of lung volume using inspiration breath-hold, there were no significant differences in left lung V25 among the three plans. CONCLUSION: In comparison with FB, both DIBH and EIBH plans demonstrated a significant reduction of radiation dose to the heart. In the training course, SRM system was useful and effective in terms of positional reproducibility and patient compliance.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Cardiac Volume ; Feedback, Sensory ; Heart ; Humans ; Lung ; Patient Compliance ; Radiotherapy* ; Respiration* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Facies*

PURPOSE: To determine feasibility of RapidArc in sequential or simultaneous integrated tumor boost in whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for poor prognostic patients with four or more brain metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine patients with multiple (> or =4) brain metastases were analyzed. Three patients were classified as class II in recursive partitioning analysis and 6 were class III. The class III patients presented with hemiparesis, cognitive deficit, or apraxia. The ratio of tumor to whole brain volume was 0.8-7.9%. Six patients received 2-dimensional bilateral WBRT, (30 Gy/10-12 fractions), followed by sequential RapidArc tumor boost (15-30 Gy/4-10 fractions). Three patients received RapidArc WBRT with simultaneous integrated boost to tumors (48-50 Gy) in 10-20 fractions. RESULTS: The median biologically effective dose to metastatic tumors was 68.1 Gy10 and 67.2 Gy10 and the median brain volume irradiated more than 100 Gy3 were 1.9% (24 cm3) and 0.8% (13 cm3) for each group. With less than 3 minutes of treatment time, RapidArc was easily applied to the patients with poor performance status. The follow-up period was 0.3-16.5 months. Tumor responses among the 6 patients who underwent follow-up magnetic resonance imaging were partial and stable in 3 and 3, respectively. Overall survival at 6 and 12 months were 66.7% and 41.7%, respectively. The local progression-free survival at 6 and 12 months were 100% and 62.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: RapidArc as a component in whole brain radiation therapy for poor prognostic, multiple brain metastases is an effective and safe modality with easy application.
Apraxias ; Brain ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paresis ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated

Complications of tracheal intubation are well documented. However, iatrogenic aspiration of a broken metallic stylet following tracheal intubation has been infrequently reported. A 60-year-old woman, 10 days after shoulder arthroscopic surgery under endotracheal general anesthesia, was admitted to our hospital because of right chest pain. Chest radiographs showed a 8 cm length of metallic foreign body in the lower lobe of the right lung. Attempts at retrieval, including thoracoscopy, were unsuccessful. Open thoracostomy was performed. The removed foreign body was a part of metallic stylet. We report a case of iatrogenic aspiration of a broken metallic stylet.
Anesthesia, General ; Arthroscopy ; Chest Pain ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Intubation ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Shoulder ; Thoracoscopy ; Thoracostomy

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: Since the early 20th century, IVC anomalies have been studied by autopsy, venography, CT, and MRI. Previous studies using conventional CT were usually performed with axial view images with a distance of 3~5 mm. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of IVC anomalies using MDCT (multi-detector computed tomography). METHODS: 1,560 cases of abdominal MDCT imaged in Chungbuk National University hospital from July 2006 to November 2006 were included in this study. We reviewed axial view images at a distance of 1~2 mm, and analyzed coronal view images and sagittal view images reconstructed by multiplanar reformatting with an E-film workstation. RESULTS: The incidence of IVC anomalies was 2.38% (43/1,560). Two left IVC (0.12%), 12 double IVC (0.76%), 25 circumaortic left renal veins (1.6%), and 4 retroaortic left renal veins (0.25%) were detected. The common iliac vein was completely separated in six among 12 double IVC cases. In circumaortic left renal veins, the anterior left renal veins were usually prominent, and the posterior left renal veins were always located on the distal side. The mean distance between the anterior and posterior left renal vein was 39 mm. The incidence of a prominent left gonadal vein was 5%. CONCLUSION: IVC anomalies are not uncommon, and can have clinical implications. Awareness of anomalies can allow clinicians to avoid diagnostic pitfalls and intraoperative morbidity.
Autopsy ; Gonads ; Iliac Vein ; Incidence ; Phlebography ; Renal Veins ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior

PURPOSE: We evaluated the validity of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with systemic lymphadenectomy for early gastric cancer in elderly patients compared with younger patients. METHODS: Seventeen elderly patients (aged 70 years or more) and 113 younger patients who underwent LADG for early gastric cancer between May 1998 and July 2004, at the department of Surgery, Dong-A University Medical Center, were studied. Postoperative outcomes were compared. RESULTS: In elderly patients, co-morbidity was more common than in younger ones (P=0.0220) and postoperative complication rate was more common, too (P=0.0480). Operation time (P=0.7301), time to first flatus (P=0.4766), postoperative hospital stay (P=0.4860), mortality (P=0.2453), were similar in these two groups. CONCLUSION: Because LADG with systemic lymphadenectomy in elderly patients has more co-morbidity and complications than younger ones, great cares should be given to treat co-morbidity preoperatively and prevent complications during operation and postoperative period in elderly patients.
Academic Medical Centers ; Aged* ; Flatulence ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Stomach Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Melena*