No abstract available.
Acoustics* ; Ear, Inner ; Hearing* ; Neuroma, Acoustic* ; Semicircular Canals*

No abstract available.
Immunocompromised Host* ; Kluyvera* ; Sepsis*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes after fixation using a 3.5-mm locking compression plate (LCP) hook plate for isolated greater tuberosity (GT) fractures of the proximal humerus. METHODS: We evaluated the postoperative radiological and clinical outcomes in nine patients who were followed up at least 1 year with isolated GT fractures. Using the deltopectoral approach, we fixed the displaced GT fragments with a 3.5-mm LCP hook plate (Synthes, West Chester, PA, USA). Depending on the fracture patterns, the hook plate was fixed with or without augmentation using either tension suture or suture anchor fixation. RESULTS: All the patient showed successful bone union. The mean time-to-union was 11 weeks. The radiological and clinical outcomes at the final follow-up were generally satisfactory. The mean visual analogue scale for pain, the University of California at Los Angeles score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, and the subjective shoulder value were 1.4, 30.3, 84.3, and 82.2%, respectively. The mean active forward flexion, abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation of the shoulder were 156.7°, 152.2°, 61.1°, and the 10th thoracic vertebral level, respectively. Only one patient presented with a postoperative complication of shoulder stiffness. The patient was treated through arthroscopic capsular release on the 5th postoperative month. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that fixation using 3.5-mm LCP hook plates for isolated GT fractures of the proximal humerus is a useful treatment method that provides satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes.
California ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humerus* ; Joint Capsule Release ; Methods ; Postoperative Complications ; Shoulder ; Surgeons ; Suture Anchors ; Sutures

We have experienced 20 cases of the cerebral rete mirabile from 1969 to 1975. All were proved by bilateral carotid angiography, and clinical assessment and angiographical analysis were attempted. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Age distribution was ranged from 5 to 55. The majority of 20 cases were age over 20 as 15 cases who were distributed evenly in each decade and 5 cases were age below 20. 12 cases were male and 8 female. 2. Authors classified the cases as the group of subarachnoid hemorrhage and non-subarachnoid hemorrhage conveniently. All cases of age below 20 comprised in the group of non-subarachnoid hemorrhage while majority of subarachnoid hemorrhage group were age over 20. 3. There were no contributory factors to cerebral rete mirabile with regard to past history and family background. 4. There were considerable differences in the symptoms and signs between the groups of subarachnoid hemorrhage and non-subarachnoid hemorrhage. Clinical manifestations were mainly headache and impairment of consciousness with meningeal sign in the group of subarachnoid hemorrhage. On the other hand, motor disturbance such as hemiparesis or monoparesis was occurred in the majority of non-subarachnoid hemorrhage and the minority showed speech impairment, seizure and choreiform movement. 5. All cases showed the characteristic angiographic findings of cerebral rete mirabile, which are occlusion or stenosis at the supraclinoid portion of internal carotid artery with abnormal fine vascular network around the base of brain and poor or non-visualizing anterior cerebral and middle cerebral arteries. The interesting picture was rete formation of ophthalmic artery in the orbit of 2 cases. There were no abnormal angiographic findings on the vertebral angiogram except retrograde filling to anterior cerebral and middle cerebral arteries through collateral channel from the posterior cerebral artery. 6. The prognosis of the cerebral rete mirabile seem to be favorable with regard to mortality. There were no death in our 20 cases during the period of observation.
Age Distribution ; Angiography ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Chorea ; Consciousness ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Hand ; Headache ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mortality ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Orbit ; Paresis ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Prognosis ; Seizures ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The safety and efficacy of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator(tPA) on the condition of ruling out the significant risk were studied at 6 and 12 hours after cerebral artery embolization in rabbit model. The time selection was chosen to stimulate the analogous clinical situation. The safety and effectiveness of tPA in experimental and clinical treatment of acute coronary thrombosis have been established. Tissue plasminogen activator is an endogenous fibrin-specific serine protease with the potent thrombolytic activity that has been produced recently by recombinant DNA technology. The acute cerebral thromboembolic model was induced by injecting three 0.5X1.0mm fragments of autologous arterial thromi into internal carotid artery through the intra-arterial catheter. The autologous arterial thrombi was obtained from the traumatized arterial endothelium by scratching the lumen of auricular artery using modified spinal needle. The experimental group was divided into four groups : (1) group Ia : saline-treated(1 ml/kg) control group at 6 hours after embolization(n=10), (2) group Ib : tPA-treated(1 mg/kg) at 6 hours after embolization(n=10), (3) group IIa : saline-treated control group 12 hours after embolization(n=10), (4) group Iib : tPA-treated group 12 hours after embolization(n=13). The experimental rabbits were sacrificed at 24 hours after injection of tPA(1 mg/kg) or saline(1 ml/kg) in each group. Brain was cut into 0.5 cm thick coronal sections, which were stained with triphenyltetrazolium chloride to define the areas of infarction. The transparent plastic sheets were placed on the each section, and the total area of the brain slice and the area of infarction were measured by the plannimeter(as outlined by TTC staining). The percentage area of whole brain infarction was calculated as(the sum of infarcted area/the sum of brain slice areas)x100% for each rabbit. We also observed the pathologic findings with hematoxylin-eosin staining. The results were as follows : 1) Only 1 rabbit treated with tPA at 12 hours after occlusion exhibited the gross hemorrhage. 2) The infarcted area was limited to the basal ganglia and cortex in all group. 3) The mean percentage area of whole brain infarction averaged 18.6+/-1.94% in group Ia, 6.32+/-1.02% in group Ib, and 20.8+/-3.34% in group IIa, 6.78+/-1.40% in group IIb. One-way ANOVA test of infarction size showed the significant differences(p<0.05) between the tPA-treated group and the saline-treated control group, but no difference between the groups treated with same agent. 4) Under the study of microscope, infarcted area of saline-treated control group was more extended than that of tPA-treated group. Congulation necrosis and degeneration of neuronal cells could be seen. But the infarcted area of tPA-treated group was smaller than that of saline-treated control group. Only collection of foamy macrophages adjacent the necrotic area could be seen in tPA-treated group. These results suggest that tPA therapy may be safe and efficacious during the interval of 6 to 12 hours after embolization.
Arteries ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Brain Infarction ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Catheters ; Cerebral Arteries ; Coronary Thrombosis ; DNA, Recombinant ; Endothelium ; Hemorrhage ; Infarction ; Macrophages ; Necrosis ; Needles ; Neurons ; Plasminogen ; Plastics ; Rabbits ; Serine Proteases ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator*

Simultaneous early repair of the myelomeningocele and ventriculoperitoneal shunt in patients with myelomenimgocele and hydrocephalus not only decreases further brain damage, but also eliminates dangers of wound break down, CSF leak, and secondary CSF infection. During the years 1975-1990, we have experienced 45 patients with neural tube dysraphism which consist of 32 lipomyelomenigocele, 8 myelomeningocele, 3 meningocele and 2 encephalocele. Among those, 7 patients underwent simultaneous repair of myelomeningocele and insertion of ventriculoperitoneal shunt. 2 Patients developed wound infection, but none of the patients developed myelomeningocele repair break down or shunt infection in the follow up period of 1 to 4 years. All patients underwent neuropsychological testing during their follow up period and 5 patients were found to have their normal growth and developments. 1 patient developed low intelligence and moderate degree gait disturbance and the other 1 patient developed voiding difficulty. The authors suggest that this technique may be safe and helpful in some infants born with a myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus overt at birth.
Brain ; Encephalocele ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gait ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus* ; Infant* ; Intelligence ; Meningocele ; Meningomyelocele* ; Neural Tube ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Parturition ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt* ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

This study examined the responses of cultured adult rat trigeminal ganglion neurons to protons and to capsazepine and piperine, two substances known to produce pain and hyperalgesia in humans. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were performed on cultured adult rat trigeminal ganglion(TG) neurons voltage-clamped near their resting membrane potential(-60mV). Piperine(10nM) caused a sustained inward current associated with either an increase or decrease in membrane conductance. When protons and piperine were coapplied, the membrane currents evoked in piperine-sensitive TG neurons far exceeded the algebraic sum of the responses to the two stimuli applied in isolation. Capsazepine blocked the response of TG neurons to piperine at both physiological and acidic pH. In the presence of capsazepine, responses to the mixture of piperine and protons resembled the response to a low pH stimulus applied alone. Capsazepine had no effect on sustained proton-induced current. These findings suggest that protons enhance piperine current by altering the vanilloid receptor/channel complex or by increasing the length constant of the space clamp. This study reveals that cultured trigeminal ganglion neurons show features of chemonociceptors and may provide a useful model for studying the mechanism of chemical pain production.
Adult ; Animals ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperalgesia ; Membranes ; Neurons* ; Protons ; Rats* ; Trigeminal Ganglion*

The cause of so-called lumbar disc syndrome are multiple and each cause must be throughly and carefully investigated. The proper treatment may not be successful if one of these factors is ignored. Forty patients with lumbar disc syndrome were examined with a third generation CT scanner(Somatom II) and SEP for 12 months. The findings of CT scan were characterized according to the criteria suggested by Carrera and Hermanus and all results were analized thoroughly. The aim of this article is to underline the importance of the correlative studies between spinal CT and SEP in relation to lumbar disc syndrome.
Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have demonstrated that axon regeneration or remyelination after spinal cord injury occurs when provided with a suitable substratum such as fetal spinal cord (FSC). We carry out this study to determine whether FSC transplants can reduce the glial scar at the interface between host and graft. METHODS: Hemisectioned spinal cord injury was made by aspiration at T3 or T4 spinal cord level in rat. Cell suspension of E-14 FSC was introduced into the injured cavity contaning glial scar tissue. To indentify the transplanted cells from host tissue, FSC cells were labeled with DiI. Rats were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, and 8 weeks after transplanation and spinal cord was undergone serial sections for immunocytochemistry and histological observation. The observation by electron microscope was carried out too. RESULTS: We could observe that the FSC transplants survived in host spinal cord and generally occupied most of the neuron-depleted area. Examination of serial sections through the graft-host interface which had been immunoreacted for glial fibrillary acidic protein demonstrated that the glial scar was no longer a continuous wall separating the graft and host tissues at eight weeks after injury. We could observe oligodendrocyte and the reformed myelin at the interface by electron microscope. CONCLUSION: The fetal spinal cord transplant can reduce an established glial scar or restrict the reformation of a scar following surgical manipulation, and that the FSC transplant can promote remyelination.
Animals ; Axons ; Cicatrix ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Immunohistochemistry ; Myelin Sheath ; Oligodendroglia ; Rats* ; Regeneration ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord* ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Diarrhea* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Milk Hypersensitivity* ; Milk*