OBJECTIVES: Chronic pain is one of the most common experiences of humans and a typical psychophysiological disorder. The aim of this study was to measure the psychophysiological responses in chronic pain patients using a biofeedback system, and to compare them with the results from normal healthy subjects. METHODS: Forty two patients with chronic pain (17 males and 25 females, average age 44.67+/-11.10 years) and 42 normal healthy controls (17 males and 25 females, average age 45.17+/-10.46 years) participated in this study. Electromyography (EMG), skin conductance (SC), and skin temperature (ST) were recorded using biofeedback system during the 3 phases (baseline, stress, and recovery) of stress reactivity test, and average values of them were calculated. Difference of values between two groups in each corresponding phase was analyzed with independent t-test, and change of values across phases of stress reactivity test was analyzed with paired t-test (all two-tailed, p<0.05). RESULTS: Compared to normal controls, chronic pain patients had higher value of EMG (baseline : 8.10+/-5.97 micronV vs 4.72+/-1.52 micronV, t=-3.56, p<0.01 ; stress : 11.25+/-6.89 micronV vs 8.49+/-4.78 micronV, t=-2.13, p<0.05 ; recovery : 7.12+/-3.77 micronV vs 4.78+/-1.59 micronV, t= -3.70, p<0.01) and SC (baseline : 1.06+/-1.0 micronS vs 0.42+/-0.29 micronS, t=-4.0. p<0.01 ; stress : 1.87+/-2.05 micronS vs 1.03+/-0.86 micronS, t=-2.47, p<0.05 ; recovery : 1.74+/-1.77 micronS vs 0.64+/-0.59 micronS, t=-3.8, p<0.01) in all the 3 phases. But, skin temperature comparison did not reveal significant differences in all the 3 phases between two groups. CONCLUSION: Psychophysiological responses of chronic pain patients in stress reactivity test were different from those of normal healthy controls. These results suggest that sympathetic nervous system is more activated in chronic pain patients.
Biofeedback, Psychology ; Chronic Pain ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Psychophysiologic Disorders ; Psychophysiology ; Skin ; Skin Temperature ; Sympathetic Nervous System

It had been reported by many authors that the incidence of delayed or nonunion in fracture of clavicle was higher in open reduction and internal fixation than conservative treatment. The purpose of this study is to verify the gratification of the reconstruction plate in fracture of clavicle which needed internal fixation. From March 1993 to September 1995, 32 clavicular fractures were underwent open reduction and internal fixation with reconstruction plate for the wide gap, soft tissue interposition and comminuted fracture etc. The results were as follows 1. The range of motion of the shoulder was returned to normal range within 1.5 weeks except one case who had brachial plexus injury. 2. All cases had bony union. Average time to clinical union was 2.9 weeks and the bony union 7.8 weeks. 3. By functional evaluation of shoulder by Weitzman, final results were excellent in 27, good in 4 and fair in l. 4.Fixation and maintenance of clavicular fragment by reconstruction plate was recommendable for wide separated, soft tissue interposed, comminuted fracture of the clavicle. We concluded that reconstruction plate in fracture of clavicle could be recommended as one of the device for internal fixation.
Brachial Plexus ; Clavicle ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Incidence ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Reference Values ; Shoulder

STUDY DESIGN: The lumbar segmental motions were analysed in asymptomatic volunteers. OBJECTIVES: To obtain normative data on flexibility and Graf's instability degree in sagittal plan of the normal lumbar spine. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Although several clinical and radiological measurement tech niques are available, little is known about the normal range of lumbar spine motion. As a consequence, the diagnostic evaluation of radiographs are frequently based on subject opinions rather than object reality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors have checked lumbar flexion-extension Yiews of 95asymptomatic volunteers who were divided into 5 groups by the age, and then their flexibility and Graf's instability degree were calculated by Graf's method with using Graf/Bar Mark II(digitalizing table) and personal computer program(RachisR). Evaluation of the sexual difference and comparison of the difference of each age group in spine level were done RESULTS: 1. There were significant differences in flexibility among age groups(p<0.05) and highest flexibility was observed in group 1 (age: 15-19yrs) and 15-19 segment 2. Flexibility was not different between male and female(p>0.05). 3. Graf's instability degree was not different among 5 age groups(p>0.05), and between male and female(p>0.05). 4. The mean Craf's instability degree was below 8o in L2-3, L3-4, and L4-5 segment, but above 8 in L5-S1 segment(male: 11.62+/-9.27 , female. 11.11+/-8.70). CONCLUSIONS: Although we observed small subjects, these results are the basic steps toward more objective and careful interpretation of flexibilty and Graf's instability degree.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microcomputers ; Pliability* ; Reference Values ; Spine ; Volunteers

Meralgia paresthetica is a syndrome of pain or dysesthesia, or both, of the anterolateral thigh caused by entrapment or metabolic neuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Many cases of meralgia paresthetica have been presented for a century. We have experienced a case of meralgia paresthetica which was misdiagnosed as lumbar radicu- lopathy at other hospital, of a 53-year-old man who had developed painful paresthesia and dysesthe- sia of the anterolateral thigh caused by soft tissue tuberculosis of oblique abdominal muscles just proximal to the lateral inguinal ligament where the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve passes. We report a case of unilateral meralgia paresthetica secondary to soft tissue tuberculosis with review of literatures because it has not previously been reported.
Abdominal Muscles ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Middle Aged ; Paresthesia ; Thigh ; Tuberculosis*

We have treated the open tibia shaft fractures, especially Gustilo type II, with unreamed interlocking intramedullary nail. In cases combined with soft tissue damage around fracture site, maintaining rigid internal fixation and preserving endoosteal blood supply is important in union of fracture and soft tissue healing. We have analyzed 18 cases of Gustilo type II open tibial shaft fractures managed with intramedullary nailing without reaming since 1991, the follow-up period was average 22 months. Most of the fractures were the result of moderate to high-energy trauma. In all 18 cases, nails were inserted via closed method. Static interlocking nailing was used in all cases. In 16 cases, union of the fracture was achieved from 16 to 25 weeks(average 23 weeks). In the other 2 cases, union was achieved in 7 months. There was no serious postoperative complication except one skin infection with skin defect managed by skin flap and one failure of the interlocking screw. These results are comparable with those obtained from other forms of fixation, including immobilization with a cast, reamed intramedullary nailing, and external fixation.
Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Immobilization ; Methods ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Neurofibromatoses* ; Pseudarthrosis* ; Radius*

No abstract available.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Humerus* ; Osteotomy*

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially fatal adverse reaction to neuroleptics, is known to occur more often in the initial stage of antipsychotic treatment. We describe a patient with chronic schizophrenia who, in a few days after the addition of antituberculotic drugs to his antipsychotic regimen, developed probable NMS without pyrexia. We reasoned that rifampin, a strong hepatic enzyme inducer, decreased the plasma chlorpromazine concentration of the patient, with the result of cholinergic hyperactivity and finally, the symptoms of NMS. Therefore, physicians should be aware of drug interactions and the likelihood of NMS, and consider antipsychotic dose adjustment when prescribing drugs that may influence pharmacokinetic properties of antipsychotics in a patient with schizophrenia receiving long-term antipsychotic treatment.
Adult ; Antitubercular Agents/*adverse effects ; Chlorpromazine/*adverse effects ; Creatine Kinase/blood ; Drug Interactions ; Enzyme Induction/drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome/*etiology ; Rifampin/*adverse effects ; Schizophrenia/*drug therapy

The evolution of brain imaging techniques over the last decade has been remarkable. Along with such technical developments, research into chronic pain has made many advances. Given that brain imaging is a non-invasive technique with great spatial resolution, it has played an important role in finding the areas of the brain related to pain perception as well as those related to many chronic pain disorders. Therefore, in the near future, brain imaging techniques are expected to be the key to the discovery of many unknown etiologies of chronic pain disorders and to the subjective diagnoses of such disorders.
Brain ; Chronic Pain ; Neuroimaging ; Pain Perception

BACKGROUNDS: Gamma band oscillatory activity is considered to be related to congnitive functions and illustrates that the concept of event-related oscillations bridges the gap between single neurons and neural assemblies. An event-related gamma oscillation is the time - locked responses of specific frequency, and can be identified by computing the amplitude frequency characteristics of the averaged event-related potentials(ERPs) after stimulation. OBJECTIVES: We purposed to present experimental paradigm to investigate @-band oscillation activities from the recording of ERPs by using auditory oddball paradigm and investigate the difference of @-band activity between schizophrenia and normal controls. METHODS: The ERPs resulting from auditory stimuli with oddball paradigm in a group of schizophrenics(n=11) and also a group of age-, sex- and handedness matched normal controls, were recorded by 128 channel EEG. The @-band oscillatory activities were calculated by using time-frequency wavelet decomposition of the signal between 20 and 80Hz. The @-band oscillatory activities of both groups were compared by t-test. RESULTS: The @-band oscillatory of the leads Fz,Gz and Pz of both groups were represented well in the time - frequency maps. Significant increases of the @-band activity in normal controls compared with schizophrenics were observed around 160 msec. 350msec. and 800 msec after stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the increment in @-band oscillatory activity during cognitive operations and decreased @-band activity in schizophrenics may be associated with the cognitive dysfunctions and the pathophyiology of the schizophrenia.
Electroencephalography ; Evoked Potentials* ; Functional Laterality ; Neurons ; Schizophrenia