No accepted standard currently exists to classify asphyxia and define its subtypes. Sauvageau and Boghossian proposed an asphyxia classification system in 2010 that divided asphyxia into suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia, and drowning. Here, we present a modification of this classification system. We propose to classify asphyxia into four main categories: suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia, and complicated asphyxia. Suffocation includes smothering and choking as well as confined spaces, entrapment, and vitiated atmosphere. Strangulation is subdivided into hanging, ligature strangulation, manual strangulation, and other unspecified strangulation. Mechanical asphyxia includes positional and traumatic asphyxia. Finally, complicated asphyxia is defined as cases with two or more identifiable mechanisms of asphyxia. In this study, we review autopsy cases from 2012 diagnosed as asphyxia and classify them according to our proposed asphyxia classification system. In 24.7% of cases, the age range was 40-49 years, and 51.9% were men. The most common method of asphyxia was hanging (245 cases, 55.1%), followed by ligature or manual strangulation (53 cases, 11.9%). Most hangings were suicides; smothering, ligature, and manual strangulation were usually homicides. Eighteen cases were complicated asphyxia. This classification provides a simplified, unified, and useful tool to classify and understand deaths due to asphyxia.
Airway Obstruction ; Asphyxia* ; Atmosphere ; Autopsy* ; Classification* ; Confined Spaces ; Drowning ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea* ; Ligation ; Male ; Suicide

This retrospective study was performed to assess CT scan findings of pancratic cancer and its ability todetermine resectability. CT scans of 41 patients, who were diagnosed to have pancreatic cancer on histological orclinical base, were reviewed. Most common findings were; focal pancreatic enlargement, diffuse pancreaticenlargement, loss of distinct contour, peripancretic fat obliteration, bile duct or pancreatic duct dilatation,vascular invasion, lymph node involvement, direct invasion of adjacent organs and distant metastasis.Resectability was assessed according to generally accepted CT findings such as small pancreatic mass lesion havingnormal lobulated contour of pancreas, no evidence of vascular invasion, no evidence lymph node involvement andfree of distant metastasis. With the criteria, 5 cases among 41 cases deemed to be resectable. However onoperation all cases were found unresectable indicating prediction of tumor resectability is difficult even withhelp of CT. Nonetheless CT would be very helpful in management of patients having pancreatic cancer since CT wouldshorten the diagnostic procedures of pancreatic cancer.
Bile Ducts ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: There have been several studies documenting the changing level of the conus throughout infancy and childhood, but there is only a little detailed study that documents the range of conus positions in a living adult population, especially in Korean, without spinal deformity. METHODS: we made a sequential study of magnetic resonance images of the lumbar spine to determine the variation in position of the conus medullaris in 650 living korean adults population without spinal deformity who checked MRI to identify the cause of low back pain. The study population consisted of patients over the age of 16 years. A T1-weighted, midline, sagittal image was reviewed for identifying the postion of conus. This location was recorded in relation to the upper, middle, or lower third of the adjacent vertebral body or the adjacent intervertebral disc. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 305 men(47%) and 345 women(53%) with a mean age 45.9 years(range, 16-79 years). The conus existed commonly at the middle third of L1(131cases, 20.2%), at the L1-2 intervertebral space(129cases, 19.8%), and the lower third of L1(123cases, 18.9%). The mean position of conus was the lower third of L1(range, middle third of T12 to middle third of L3). Conclusions:The mean position of conus was at the lower third of L1(range, middle third of T12 to middle third of L3). This results was same as that of foreign study. Our results of living korean adult population could allow for safe clinical procedures such as lumbar puncture, spinal anesthesia, and help to explain the differences among observed neurologic injuries from fracture-dislocation at the thoracolumbar junction.
Adult* ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Conus Snail* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Puncture ; Spine

Acute renal cortical necrosis in which there is destruction of the renal cortex and sparing of the renalmedulla, is a relatively rare cause of acute renal failure. A definitive diagnosis of acute renal corticalnecrosis is based on renal biopsy, but on CT(computed tomography) the rather specific contrast-enhanced appearance of acute renal cortical necrosis has been described. As renal biopsy is not available, contrast-enhanced CT is auseful, noninvasive investigate modality for the early diagnosis of acute renal cortical necrosis. We report the characteristic CT findings of acute renal cortical necrosis in a patient with acute renal failure following anoperation for abdominal trauma.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Kidney Cortex Necrosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have shown that administration of antibiotics decreased sleep amount as well as bacterial colony numbers in rats. It is well known that antidepressants decrease rapid eye movement(REM) sleep and increase slow wave sleep(SWS) in both human and animal studies. However, little is known to date about the effects of antidepressant on antibiotic induced insomnia in rats. Therefore the authors studied the effects of amitriptyline on chloramphenicol induced insomnia in rats. METHODS: The Sprague-Dawley strain rats were divided into control(N=6) and experimental group (N=5). The sleep-wake activity was recorded continuously for consecutive three days(baseline, day 1 and day 2). On day 1 both groups were intraperitoneally injected with chloramphenicol 150mg/kg. On day 2 the control group was intraperitoneally injected with chloramphenicol 150mg/kg only, whereas experimental group was injected with amitriptyline 12mg/kg and chloramphenicol 150mg/kg. RESULTS: 1) Chloramphenicol administration decreased dark period SWS and total REM sleep. 2) Amitriptyline administration increased total SWS and dark period SWS as well as decreased total wakefulness and dark period wakefulness. There was a decrease of REM sleep in the first 3 hours of light period, whereas a tendency of increase of REM sleep around the end of dark period. CONCLUSION: From the above results, it is concluded that amitriptyline may be effective to reverse chloramphenicol induced insomnia in rats. Furthermore, chloramphenicol induced insomnia in rat could be a useful model for insomnia studies in the future.
Amitriptyline* ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antidepressive Agents ; Chloramphenicol* ; Humans ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* ; Sleep, REM ; Wakefulness