No abstract available.
Animals ; Cricetinae* ; Serotonin* ; Spinal Cord*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Brain Stem* ; Cricetinae* ; Raphe Nuclei* ; Serotonergic Neurons*

A Clinical observation was made on five patients with ruptured right aortic sinus of valsalva who admitted Soonchunhyang College Hospital during the period of may, 1983-Jan., 1985. 1) Age distribution was from 18 to 46 years and four patients were male and the rest one was female. 2) Chief complaints were dyspnea, chest pain and palpitation. Continuous murmur was heard at third and fourth intercostal space along left sternal border with palpable thrill in all cases. 3) The ECG showed left ventricular hypertrophy in 4 cases and the M mode echocardiogram revealed the increased internal dimesion and the augmented motion of the left ventricle in all cases. The 2 dimensional echocardiogram revealed the aneurysmal sac in the right ventricle in 4 cases. 4) The aortogram by DSA method showed regurgitant flow from aorta to right ventricle in 4 cases. The cardiac catheterization showed a significant oxygen step up in the right ventricle in all cases. 5) Operation was done successfully in all cases, of which ventricular septal defect were in 3 cases and aortic regurgitation was in one case.
Age Distribution ; Aneurysm ; Aorta ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Oxygen ; Sinus of Valsalva*

During the past 50 years, the maternal mortality ratio has decreased dramatically. The leading causes of maternal deaths were pulmonary embolism, the complications of the pregnancy-induced hypertension, hemorrhage, the complications of the ectopic pregnancy and infection. Pulmonary embolism is one of the most fatal maternal complications that abruptly happen and rapidly progress, and has been a major cause of maternal death recently. Early detection of pulmonary embolism is difficult, because there is not any specific clinical symptoms and signs. We have experienced a case of a fatal pulmonary embolism which was diagnosed by lung perfusion scan on postoperative 1 day after cesarean delivery and managed with heparin therapy. We report this case with a brief review of literatures.
Female ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Lung ; Maternal Death ; Maternal Mortality ; Perfusion ; Phlebography ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pulmonary Embolism*

BACKGROUND: In the midthoracic region, a fluroscope guided epidural block has been proposed by using a pedicle as a landmark to show the height of the interlaminar space (Nagaro's method). However, clinical implication of this method was not fully evaluated. We studied the clinical usefulness of a fluoroscope guided thoracic epidural block in the midthoracic region. METHODS: Twenty four patients were scheduled to receive an epidural block at the T6-7 intervertebral space. The patients were placed in the prone position. The needle entry point was located at the junction between midline of the pedicle paralleled to the midline of the T7 vertebral body (VB) and the lower border of T7 VB on anteroposterior view of the fluoroscope. The needle touched and walked up the lamina, and the interlaminar space (ILS) was sought near the midline of the VB at the height of the pedicle. RESULTS: The authors could not insert an epidural needle at T6-7 ILS in two patients and it was instead inserted at T5-6 ILS. However, other patients showed easy insertion at T6-7 ILS. The mean inward and upward angulations were 25degrees and 55degrees respectively. The mean actual depth and calculated depth from skin to thoracic epidural space were 5.1 cm and 6.1 cm respectively. Significant correlation between actual needle depth and body weight, podendal index (kg/m) or calculated needle depth was noted. CONCLUSIONS: The fluorposcope guided epidural block by Nagaro's method was useful in the midthoracic region. However, further study for the caudal shift of needle entry point may be needed.
Analgesia ; Body Weight ; Epidural Space ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Needles ; Prone Position ; Skin ; Thoracic Vertebrae

BACKGROUND: We studied the clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) recovered from respiratory specimens for six months in a tertiary referral center. METHODS: We identified all NTM isolates from sputum or bronchial washing from October, 2001 to March, 2002, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis method amplifying the rpoB gene. Patients were classified as having definite, probable, or unlikely NTM disease as defined by the American Thoracic Society and the British Thoracic Society guidelines. RESULTS: 261 isolates of NTM recovered from 162 patients. In 162 patients, M. avium complex (MAC) was the most common species comprising 29.6% (n=48), which was followed by M. fortuitum complex (n=46, 28.4%), M. abscessus (n=26, 16.0%). 29 (17.9%) patients had definite NTM disease, and 13 (8.0%) had probable NTM disease. The common organisms involved in NTM diseases were MAC (n=23, 54.8%), M. abscessus (n=12, 28.6%). In a univariate analysis, predictive factors that were related to NTM disease were BMI <18.5 kg/m2, presence of symptoms, previous history of antituberculous treatment, positive sputum smear, presence of infiltrative, nodular or cavitary lesions at chest radiography, and isolation of MAC or M. abscessus. In a multivariate analysis, isolation of MAC or M. abscessus (OR 16.3, 95% CI 4.2~62.7, p<0.001), cavity at chest radiography (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.4~16.6, p=0.012), and positive sputum smear (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4~13.3, p=0.012) were found to be variables independently associated with pulmonary disease. CONCLSUION: Epidemiology of NTM pulmonary disease in Korea is different from that in other countries. A high index of clinical suspicion as well as an accurate identification of the isolates would be required for the diagnosis of NTM pulmonary disease.
Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung Diseases ; Multivariate Analysis ; Mycobacterium avium Complex ; Mycobacterium chelonae ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria* ; Radiography ; Sputum ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thorax

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the most difficult pain syndromes to treat. Invasive treatments may be considered when patients fail to obtain adequate pain relief from noninvasive treatment approaches. Here, we present three cases of PHN in the mandibular branch treated with ultrasound-assisted mental nerve block and pulsed radiofrequency treatment. None of the patients had adequate pain relief from the medical therapy, so we performed the mental nerve block on the affected side under ultrasound assistance. Two patients showed satisfactory pain relief continuously over 12 months without any further interventions, whereas one patient only had short-term pain relief. For the patient had short-term pain relief we performed pulsed radiofrequency treatment (PRFT) on the left mental nerve under ultrasound assistance. After PRFT, the patient had adequate pain relief for 6 months and there was no need for further management.
Humans ; Nerve Block* ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic* ; Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment* ; Ultrasonography