Endotracheal intubation has many advantage such as airway protection, maintenance of patent airway, pulmonary toilet, application of positive pressure ventilation, and maintenance of adequate oxygenation. But risks that develop complications related to endotracheal tube always present, when we insert a tube into the trachea. We have experienced an armored tube obstruction with bulged inner wall after EO gas sterilization. So, it is important that we have to pretest a tube and check pateney of the inside of a tube, before endotracheal intubation.
Airway Obstruction* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Oxygen ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Sterilization ; Trachea

The presence of a lupus anticoagulant was evaluated in patients with Bechet's disease by the kaolin clotting time method. Four percents (three patients) of 69 patients analyzed were found positive for the lupus anticoagulant. However, no statistically significant association existed between the presence of this antibody and the presence of thrombosis, clinical activity, clinical type, antinuclear antibodies and the positive VDRL test.
Behcet Syndrome/*immunology ; Cardiolipins/immunology ; Female ; Human ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor/*analysis ; Male

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new type of epidemic infectious disease that threatens the world after it first broke out in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. By early March, Korea had the second largest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world after China, among which about 90% of patients reported in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do province. As a neurologist, the author experienced various neurological diseases while working at hub-hospitals for COVID-19 in Daegu. I would like to describe the role of a neurologist in the emerging outbreak of infectious diseases, along with my experience working at the hub-hospital for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015.

BACKGROUND: Caudal epidural injections have been commonly performed in patients with low back pain and radiculopathy. Although caudal injection has generally been accepted as a safe procedure, serious complications such as inadvertent intravascular injection and dural puncture can occur. The present prospective study was designed to investigate the influence of the depth of the inserted needle on the success rate of caudal epidural blocks. METHODS: A total of 49 adults scheduled to receive caudal epidural injections were randomly divided into 2 groups: Group 1 to receive the caudal injection through a conventional method, i.e., caudal injection after advancement of the needle 1 cm into the sacral canal (n = 25), and Group 2 to receive the injection through a new method, i.e., injection right after penetrating the sacrococcygeal ligament (n = 24). Ultrasound was used to identify the sacral hiatus and to achieve accurate needle placement according to the allocated groups. Contrast dyed fluoroscopy was obtained to evaluate the epidural spread of injected materials and to monitor the possible complications. RESULTS: The success rates of the caudal injections were 68.0% in Group 1 and 95.8% in Group 2 (P = 0.023). The incidences of intravascular injections were 24.0% in Group 1 and 0% in Group 2 (P = 0.022). No intrathecal injection was found in either of the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The new caudal epidural injection technique tested in this study is a reliable alternative, with a higher success rate and lower risk of accidental intravascular injection than the conventional technique.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Caudal ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Epidural ; Injections, Spinal ; Ligaments ; Low Back Pain ; Needles* ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Radiculopathy ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The pericytes in the blood vessel wall have recently been identified to be important in regulating vascular formation, stabilization, remodeling, and function. We isolated and identified pericyte-like platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta-positive (PDGFRβ+) cells from the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue from critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients and investigated their potential as a reliable source of stem cells for cell-based therapy. METHODS: De-identified subcutaneous fat tissues were harvested after amputation in CLI patients. Freshly isolated SVF cells and culture-expanded adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were quantified using flow cytometry. A matrigel tube formation assay and multi-lineage differentiation were performed to assess pericytic and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like characteristics of PDGFRβ+ ADSCs. RESULTS: PDGFRβ+ cells were located in the pericytic area of various sizes of blood vessels and coexpressed mesenchymal stem cell markers. PDGFRβ+ cells in freshly isolated SVF cells expressed a higher level of stem cell markers (CD34 and CXCR4) and mesenchymal markers (CD13, CD44, CD54, and CD90) than PDGFRβ– cells. In vitro expansion of PDGFRβ+ cells resulted in enrichment of the perivascular mesenchymal stem-like (PDGFRβ+/CD90+/CD45–/CD31–) cell fractions. The Matrigel tube formation assay revealed that PDGFRβ+ cells were located in the peritubular area. CONCLUSIONS: PDGFRβ+ ADSCs cells demonstrated a good multilineage differentiation potential. Pericyte-like PDGFRβ+ cells from the SVF of adipose tissue from CLI patients had MSC-like characteristics and could be amplified by in vitro culture with preservation of their cell characteristics. We believe PDGFRβ+ cells in the SVF of adipose tissue can be used as a reliable source of stem cells even in CLI patients.
Adipose Tissue ; Adipose Tissue, White* ; Adult Stem Cells ; Amputation ; Blood Vessels ; Extremities* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ischemia* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Pericytes ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor* ; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Stem Cells ; Subcutaneous Fat

There are many problems in the anesthetic management of patients with scar contracture. In this case, a 41-year-old male with severe scar contracture on his face, neck, anterior chest, and both shoulders underwent surgery for resurfacing with flaps. We tried to awake fiberoptic orotracheal intubation with GlideScope(R) Video laryngoscope guide after surgical release of contracture under local anesthesia. We report a successful management of a patient with severe burn contracture achieved by combined effort of surgeons and anesthesiologists.
Anesthesia, Local ; Burns ; Cicatrix ; Contracture ; Humans ; Intubation ; Laryngoscopes ; Male ; Neck ; Shoulder ; Thorax

OBJECTIVE: It is usually difficult to perform the neuroendoscopic procedure in patients without hydrocephalus due to difficulties with ventricular cannulation. The purpose of this study was to find out the value of navigation guided neuroendoscopic biopsy in patients with peri- or intraventricular tumors without hydrocephalus. METHODS: Six patients with brain tumors without hydrocephalus underwent navigation-guided neuroendoscopic biopsy. The procedure was indicated for verification of the histological diagnosis of the neoplasm, which was planned to be treated by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy as the first line treatment, or establishment of the pathological diagnosis for further choice of the most appropriate treatment strategy. RESULTS: Under the guidance of navigation, targeted lesion was successfully approached in all patients. Navigational tracking was especially helpful in entering small ventricles and in approaching the third ventricle through narrow foramen Monro. The histopathologic diagnosis was established in all of 6 patients : 2 germinomas, 2 astrocytomas, 1 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor and 1 pineocytoma. The tumor biopsy sites were pineal gland (n = 2), suprasellar area (n = 2), subcallosal area (n = 1) and thalamus (n = 1). There were no operative complications related to the endoscopic procedure. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic biopsy or resection of peri- or intraventricular tumors in patients without hydrocephalus is feasible. Image-guided neuroendoscopic procedure improved the accuracy of the endoscopic approach and minimized brain trauma. The absence of ventriculomegaly in patients with brain tumor may not be served as a contraindication to endoscopic tumor biopsy.
Astrocytoma ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Brain Neoplasms ; Catheterization ; Germinoma ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial ; Neuroendoscopy ; Pineal Gland ; Pinealoma ; Thalamus ; Third Ventricle ; Track and Field

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care testing (POCT) glucometers are widely used for the management of diabetic patients. We evaluated the analytical performance of the recently developed glucometer CareSens PRO (i-SENS Inc., Korea). METHODS: Linearity, precision, and correlation were evaluated according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Five levels of glucose obtained from patient samples were used to determine the linearity of the device response. Control materials with low, medium, and high levels of glucose were evaluated with two different CareSens PRO glucometers to determine their precision. Correlations were evaluated between venous plasma analyzed with Synchron CX3 Delta (Beckman Coulter Inc., USA) and capillary whole blood analyzed with CareSens PRO, and between venous whole blood analyzed with ADAMS GA-1171 (Arkray, Inc., Japan) and venous whole blood analyzed with CareSens PRO, respectively. The effect of hematocrit was assessed. RESULTS: The linearity in the glucose range of 25.5 to 535.0 mg/dL was R2=0.9988. The coefficients of variations (CVs) of within-run precision were 2.06 to 3.47% and the CVs of total precision were 2.99 to 5.38%. The correlations were as follows: r=0.9660 in the range of 68.0 to 404.0 mg/dL with Synchron CX3 Delta and r=0.9886 in the range of 20.5 to 511.0 mg/dL with ADAMS GA-1171. In the specimens containing glucose above 75 mg/dL, 91.2% and 98.9% of CareSens PRO results were within +/- 20% of the results by Synchron CX3 Delta and ADAMS GA-1171, respectively. Hematocrit influenced the glucose concentration. CONCLUSIONS: CareSens PRO displayed acceptable linearity and precision. For clinical application, it is necessary for the improvement of comparable analytical performance and careful interpretation according to hematocrit concentration.
Capillaries ; Glucose ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Plasma

Schwannomas are benign tumors that arise from the neural sheath of Schwann cells. Renal schwannomas are extremely rare and are commonly misdiagnosed as renal cell carcinoma, which typically results in a radical nephrectomy. We present a case of a renal schwannoma that mimics a renal pelvis tumor.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Kidney ; Kidney Pelvis ; Nephrectomy ; Neurilemmoma ; Schwann Cells

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the incidence of and factors associated with major complications, delayed discharge, and emergency room (ER) visits or readmission after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) <3 cm in a recent cohort at a tertiary cancer center. Methods: A total of 188 patients with treatment-naïve single HCCs <3 cm who underwent RFA between January 2018 and April 2021 were included in the analysis. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with major complications, delayed discharge, and ER visits or readmission. Local tumor progression (LTP) and overall survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis. Results: Major complications occurred in 3.2% (6/188) of the patients. The longest diameter of the ablation zone was significantly larger in patients with major complications (P=0.023). Delayed discharge occurred in 5.8% (9/188) of the patients, for which albumin-bilirubin grade 3 was identified as an important determinant. No variables other than major complications were significantly associated with ER visits or readmission, which occurred in 7.0% (13/188) of the patients. Major complications, delayed discharge, and ER visits or readmission were not substantially related to the post-treatment outcomes of LTP and overall survival. Conclusion This study confirmed RFA as a highly safe procedure for single HCCs <3 cm, despite the rapidly changing RFA techniques in the most recent cohort. A large ablation zone and poor liver function were predictors of major complications and delayed discharge, respectively.