BACKGROUND: Ketamine use in emergency room has been increased. It has rapid onset of action and appropriate duration of action. It does not need endotracheal intubation and produces potent analgesia, sedation, and amnesia. The object of this study is to determine the safety and the degree of physician's satisfaction in relation to ketamine use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study using protocol. Pediatric trauma patients who need sedation were given IM ketamine(4mg/kg) and atropine(0.01mg/kg) in a same syringe. Monitoring of patients was done by EM residents and complications of ketamine use were recorded. Physician's satisfaction was also recorded after the procedure. RESULTS: Intramuscular ketamine was administered 54 times, mainly for laceration repair. Physicians completed protocol for 51 of treated children. The median time for onset of sedation was 6.5+/-2.4 min, and duration of action was 32.4+/-10.8 min. Hypersalivation occurred in 9.8%(n=5); random movement 3.9%(n=2), emesis during procedure(n=1), emesis at home(n=1), and transient oxygen desaturation(n=1). All were quickly identified and treated without specific airway management and sequelae. Of 84% of physicians was satisfied with ketamine use for pediatric sedation. CONCLUSION: Intramuscular ketamine can be administered safely and satisfactorily in emergency room to facilitate pediatric procedures in conjunction with a defined protocol and appropriate monitoring.
Airway Management ; Amnesia ; Analgesia ; Child ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Ketamine* ; Lacerations ; Oxygen ; Prospective Studies ; Sialorrhea ; Syringes ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify differences between people with narcolepsy and the normal control of delta and theta activity using electroencephalogram (EEG) spectrum analysis of nocturnal polysomnography (PSG). METHODS: Seven narcolepsy patients and seven age-sex matched normal controls underwent PSG and multiple sleep latency tests. Participants' non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep EEGs in PSG was analyzed using a Fast Fourier Transform technique. RESULTS: While NREM delta activity of people with narcolepsy declined during the first three periods of NREM, there was no change during the 4th period of NREM. The increase in NREM theta activity also lasted until the 3rd period of NREM but did not occur during the 4th period of NREM. In comparing sleep parameters, REM sleep latency in the narcolepsy group was significantly shorter than in controls. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that people with narcolepsy are likely to have a delta and theta activity-related sleep disturbance mechanism in NREM sleep.
Electroencephalography ; Eye Movements ; Fourier Analysis ; Humans ; Narcolepsy* ; Polysomnography* ; Sleep, REM ; Spectrum Analysis

No abstract available.
Azithromycin* ; Pregnancy* ; Scrub Typhus*

Many agents for the treatment of osteoporosis are broadly classified as inhibitors of bone resorption and stimulators of bone formation. Many pharmacological derivatives of bisphosphonates are used in the treatment of osteoporosis by inhibiting osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Although the pamidronate, derivative of bisphosphonates, has a potent antiresorptive activity, there are only a low reports about prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis using it. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes of bone metabolism and bone mass after pamidronate administration during the early period of estrogen deficiency. Ninty-five Sprague-Dawley rats (weight 233-243 g) were divided into 3 groups. Group 1(n=28) was performed sham operation. Group 2 (n=25) was both ovariectomized and intravenously injected with 0.5 cc normal saline. Group 3 (n=42) was both ovariectomized and intravenously injected with 0.1 mg/kg pamidronate. During the first 8 weeks normal saline or pamidronate was intravenously injected twice a week(q 3 day or q 4 days). After 4 weeks of observation without injection the experiental animals were sacrificed at postoperative 12 weeks. There were statistically significant decrease in the body weight and the weight of uterus in group 1 compared with group 2, 3. There was statistically significant decrease in the bone mass of the spine, proximal femur, proximal tibia in the group 2 compared with group 1, 3. The difference of bone mass between group 1 and 3 was statistically insignificant. Serum osteocalcin and PICP concentration were significantly increased in group 2 and 3 compared with group 1. But there was no statistical significance between group 2 and 3 in serum osteocalcin and PICP concentration. Serum ICTP concentration was significantly decreased in group 1 and 3 compared with group 2, but the difference between group 1 and 3 was insignificant. These results suggests that the administration of the pamidronate during the early period of estrogen deficiency can inhibit bone resorption and prevent trabecular bone loss of the spine, proximal femur and proximal tibia metabolically.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Bone Resorption ; Diphosphonates ; Estrogens ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis* ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ovariectomy ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spine ; Tibia ; Uterus

No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Pregnancy

The transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been used for the assessment of right and left ventricular function, valvular structure and function, regional wall motion abnormalities and localization of intravascular catheters, cannular and prosthesis. We inserted the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) under the guidance of intraoperative TEE because of the difficulty of placing PAC with the pressure tracing method in two patients. The PAC was inserted from right atrium to right ventricle with the basal four chamber view and advanced to pulmonary artery through pulmonary valve with the longitudinal view of TEE. We observed typical pulmonary arterial wave form to confirm the correct position. We suggest that the TEE can be used for successful placement of a PAC to facilitate manipulation of the catheter as an alternative method in the patients whose PAC can not be positioned with the pressure tracing method.
Catheters* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal* ; Heart Atria ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Prostheses and Implants ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Pulmonary Valve ; Ventricular Function, Left

Spinal intradural cysticercosis is a rare manifestation of neurocysticercosis. We report a unique patient who showed visual symptoms and normal imaging of the brain caused by isolated spinal neurocysticercosis. A 59-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency unit with a history of severe headache and progressive blurred vision. Brain computed tomographic scanning and magnetic resonance imaging showed normal cerebral anatomy without hydrocephalus. The fundoscopic evaluation by an ophthalmologist showed bilateral papilledema. Perimetry studies revealed visual field defects in both eyes. With the diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri, a lumbar tap was attempted; however, we could not drain the cerebrospinal fluid in spite of appropriate attempts. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging revealed multilevel intraspinal lesions that were confirmed histologically to be neurocysticercosis. An intraoperative lumbar puncture revealed an increased opening pressure and cytochemical analysis showed elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein level. The headache resolved immediately after surgery. However, the visual symptoms remained and recovered only marginally despite antihelminthic medications after six months of operation.
Brain ; Cysticercosis ; Emergencies ; Eye ; Headache ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurocysticercosis ; Papilledema ; Pseudotumor Cerebri ; Spinal Puncture ; Vision, Ocular ; Visual Field Tests ; Visual Fields

Migration of an implantable port catheter tip is one of the well-known complications of this procedure, but the etiology of this problem is not clear. We describe here a case of migration of the tip of a port catheter from the right atrium to the right axillary vein in a patient with severe cough. Coughing was suggested for this case as the cause of the catheter tip migration. We corrected the position of the catheter tip via transfemoral snaring.
Axillary Vein ; Catheters, Indwelling/*adverse effects ; Cough/*complications ; Device Removal/*methods ; Foreign-Body Migration/*etiology/radiography ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

The ileal atresia has been commonly accepted to be caused by a vascular accident during early intrauterine period. Thanks to the development of anesthesia, surgical techniques, postoperative supportive treatment and the hyperalimentation technique, the motality rate of this disease has been decreased. In spite of these developments, premature and very low birth weight babies should be given more attention because they still have a high motality rate. The authors report a successful treatment of ileal atresia in a 1,200g premature female infant. The proximal distended and hypertrophied intestine was resected. The distal small bowel was transected using a oblique line to create a fish-mouth. An end to end anastomosis was performed. We gave postoperative care, such as incubator care, fluid therapy, gastric decomprssion and total parenteral nutrition(TPN). TPN was initiated on postoperative one day. Calories were increased from 60cal/kg to 90cal/kg. TPN was stopped on the postoperative 24 day when the patient tolerated full strength milk feeding. Eighteen months postoperatively, she is healthy and her weight is 9.0kg(9 percentile).
Anesthesia ; Female ; Fluid Therapy ; Humans ; Incubators ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intestines ; Milk ; Postoperative Care

To assess the regional difference and influence of the biological variables on atherosclerosis in female, we analyzed 7 segments of aorta (2 ascending, 3 thoracic, and 2 abdominal) from 90 superficially healthy Korean women (39+/-14 yr of age) who died from external causes. Tissue specimens were macroscopically examined and histopathologically divided into 7 grades for scoring (ATHERO, from 0=intact, to 6=thrombi formation). Lumen diameter (LD), wall thickness (WT), intima thickness (INT), and media thickness (MED) were obtained by computed morphometry. Atherosclerosis was common in the distal infrarenal (C2), proximal thoracic (B1), and proximal ascending (A1) segments. Total 95.6% of all subjects had atherosclerosis of variable degree in one or more segments, but an aneurysmal change was not found. The number of atherosclerotic segments and atherosclerosis score in the 7 segments increased with aging. However, the body size did not affect the aortic size and ATHERO. With aging, LD and INT of the A1, B1 and C2 increased (p<.00001); WT of the B1 and C2 increased (p<.01); and MED of C2 decreased (p<.01). LD and WT of the B1 and C2 (p<.05), INT of the A1, B1 and C2 (p<.00001) increased, and MED of C2 decreased (p<.01) with ATHERO. These data suggest that age is simple but a reliable parameter for estimating the progression of atherosclerosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aorta/*anatomy & histology/pathology ; Aortic Diseases/*diagnosis/*pathology ; Atherosclerosis/*diagnosis/*pathology ; Autopsy ; Cadaver ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged