Authors report the clinical study on the usefulness of thyrotropin-releasing hormone tartrate(TRH-T) in the treatment of mild disturbance of consciousness. 20 patients suffering head trauma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hemorrhage were given TRH-T intravenously for ten days. TRH-T was effective for the patients in whom the consciousness disturbance was mild, the duration in fixed consciousness level was short, and the brain was not distorted on CT scan. These features were most prominent in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Three was no significant side effect, and TRH-T turned out to be safe.
Brain ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Consciousness* ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Humans ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Common complications in a patient with IgG subclass deficiency include recurrent respiratory infections and concomitant inflammatory lung disease. The most effective therapy in these patients is the administration of intravenous immunoglobulin. The authors report a case of severe aspirin-sensitive asthma and recurrent pneumonia with combined IgG1, and IgG3 subclass deficiency in a 19-year-old man. The patient was treated with 0.4g/kg at monthly intervals for 6 months, and is still receiving 0.2g/kg every 2 weeks at our clinic. After the replacement of intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient has clinically improved.
Aspirin* ; Asthma* ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive* ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Lung Diseases ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Young Adult

The authors analyzed 240 patients with obstructive cerebrovascular disease including 11 patients with moyamoya disease, who had been admitted to Seoul National University Hospital during the recent two years. The results were as following ; 1) The male to female ratio was 1.4:1 and majority of patients was in fifth decade or over. 2) The most common neurological finding was hemiparesis and 58.8% of the patients were alert. 3) 32.8% of the ischemic stroke patients excluding moyamoya disease had past history of previous ischemic attack. 4) The commonly associated diseases were hypertension and cardiac disease. 5) Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly increased and HDL-cholesterol level was decreased. 6) Excluding moyamoya disease, middle cerebral artery territory and basal ganglia including internal capsule are prevalent site of lesion by computed tomographic scan. 7) Computed tomographic finding of moyamoya disease was mostly ischemic one, 63.6% were atrophic and 27.3% were infarcted.
Basal Ganglia ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Internal Capsule ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Moyamoya Disease ; Paresis ; Seoul ; Stroke ; Triglycerides

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe quality of life (QOL) in Korean school-age children by identifying dimensions and attributes of QOL from the child's point of view. METHOD: In-depth interviews with focus questions were used for the study. Twelve children, aged 10 to 13 years, were recruited from Seoul and rural areas. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed before content analysis. The data were analyzed for themes and attributes. The researchers read the data together and discussed their conclusions until a consensus was reached. RESULTS: Eight dimensions, 57 subdimensions and 101atttributes were identified for QOL in school-age children. The eight dimensions of QOL were physical, social, emotional, learning, leisure, family, self-value, and material aspects. CONCLUSION: The study results can be utilized in developing reliable instruments to measure quality of life specific to school-age children. It is proposed that a consistent and unified policy should be established by school, family, and community for the purpose of improving the QOL of school-age children.
Child* ; Consensus ; Humans ; Learning ; Leisure Activities ; Quality of Life* ; Seoul ; Child Health

Myositis ossificans is a rare benign ossifying lesion in skeletal muscles which is commonly seen after trauma. However, it has been reported that myositis ossificans can be developed without any history of trauma and surgery. A 37-year-old female presented with a painful progressive swelling in her right femoral area, with no history of trauma or other diseases, which had been developed for 2 weeks. Initial X-rays were normal. An incision biospy specimen showed a lesion of fibroblastic tissue in which areas of osteoid and trabecular bone tissue, which was compatible with the early stage of myositis ossificans. The mass was excised totally and no signs of recurrence have been noted until now.
Adult ; Bone and Bones ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Myositis Ossificans* ; Myositis* ; Quadriceps Muscle* ; Recurrence

This report presents an analysis of 49 patients with metastatic spinal cord tumors who were admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital from November 1957 to August 1978. During this period, there were 220 cases of spinal cord tumors of which 22.3% was metastatic in origin. The results are as following: 1) The ratio of male to female was 31:18 and 36 cases(74%) were above the age of 40 year. 2) The most frequent site of primary malignancy was lung and the nexts were G-I tract, uterus, brain, kidney, thyroid and liver in order. 3) The most frequent site of spinal cord involvement was thoracic and the nexts were lumber and cervical in order. 4) Pain was the most frequent symptom and the nexts were moter dysfunction, sensory change, sphincter disturbance in order. 5) The duration from the onset of spinal cord compression symptoms to the date of admission was within two months in 21 cases and generally short. 6) The location of metastatic spinal cord tumors was nearly extradural. 7) Total protein level in CSF of the metastatic spinal cord tumors were raised beyond the normal level(Mean value:271 mg per 100 ml). 8) The result of treatment was better in the cases with laminectomy and radiation therapy than the case with laminectomy only or radiation therapy only.
Brain ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; Laminectomy ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Neurosurgery ; Seoul ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms* ; Spinal Cord* ; Thyroid Gland ; Uterus

We experienced a case of thanatophoric dwarfism with a relatively large head and shortened limbs. The diagnosis was confirmed by clinical features, radiologic examinations and autopsy. A review of literature was made briefly.
Autopsy ; Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Head ; Thanatophoric Dysplasia

No abstract available.
Risk Factors* ; Ventriculostomy*

It has been widely accepted that the detachable balloon catheter technique is the treatement of choice in thecarotid-cavernous fistula and in the unclippable giant aneurysm at the cavernous or petrous portion of theinternal carotid artery. The authors successfully treated one case of the carotid-carvernous fistula and one caseof giant aneurys, located in petrous portion of the internal carotid artery using Debrun's latex datachableballoon catheter technique. In thecase with carotid-cavernous fistula, the only fistula was occluded with adetachable balloon, presserving the intrenal carotid artery. In the aneurysm case, both internal carotid arteryand aneurysm itself were completely occluded with 3 latex detachable balloons. Both patients have nocomplications. The authors will describe and discuss the Debrun's latex detachable balloon catheter technique.
Aneurysm ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Catheters ; Fistula ; Humans ; Latex

A 20-year-old, male patient was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, complaining of painful swelling of the left orbit. Two days before admission, patient sustained piercing of an aluminium chopstick at his left upper eyelid by his friend accidentally. Fluttered friend tried to pull out the chopstick manually but only broke its proximal portion. On neurologic and ophthalmologic exam, he was fully conscious and free from neurologic deficits at all. His visual acuity was as usual and examination of fundi, extraocular muscle functions, visual field and pupillary light reflex were all within normal limit. Subconjuctival hemorrhage and chemosis were positive findings. Skull X-rays including optic foramen view revealed broken distal part of the chopstick, about 7cm in length, which passed through the left lateral orbit and left optic foramen to reach sellar region across the midline. Emergency Kronlein-Berke's lateral orbitotomy was performed and the chopstick was removed without difficulty. Postoperatively patient showed good recovery and presented quite normal and usual eye function.
Emergencies ; Eyelids ; Friends ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Neurosurgery ; Optic Nerve* ; Orbit ; Patient Admission ; Reflex ; Seoul ; Skull ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields ; Young Adult