BACKGROUND: Tetracaine has been the most commonly used long-acting spinal anesthetic agent. Recently, hyperbaric bupivacaine was introduced to be useful agent, and has been reported to produce the better quality of anesthesia. The aim of the present investigation was to compare the anesthetic effects of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine and 0.5% hyperbaric tetracaine spinal anesthesia. METHODS: 40 ASA Class I patients undergoing lower extremity operation were randomly distributed to two groups. Group A (n=20) received 15mg, 0.5% bupivacaine in 8% glucose, while Group B (n=20) received 15mg, 0.5% tetracaine in 10% glucose in the lateral decubitus position (L3,4 interspace). We evaluated the sensory and motor blockade, cardiovascular effects and the incidence of tourniquet pain. RESULTS: The mean maximum cephalad spread of analgesia was higher in bupivacaine group (T5) than in tetracaine group (T6) and the spread time was more rapid in bupivacaine group (13.1 +/- 3.3min.) than in tetracaine group (15.8 +/- 4.3min.), but there were no statistical significances. Tetracaine group was earlier onset of motor block and the duration of complete motor block in tetracaine group was significantly longer than in bupivacaine group. The mean decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 10% to 25% in both groups and more marked in tetracaine group. The incidence of tourniquet pain was greater in tetracaine group than in bupivacaine group. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of anesthesia obtained with bupivacaine may be superior to that produced by tetracaine. We concluded that 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine was suitable for short orthopedic or lower abdominal surgery because of less incidence of hypotension, shorter duration of motor block and lower incidence of tourniquet pain.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Anesthetics ; Blood Pressure ; Bupivacaine ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Orthopedics ; Tetracaine* ; Tourniquets

It is reported that amniotic membrane easily obtained from human body was effective to treat ocular surface disease. Authors treated pterygium, which is known to high recurrect rate, with amniotic membrane transplantation, and evaluated its effect. From June 1997 to March 1998, 28eyes(18 eyes of primary pterygium, 10 eyes of recurrent pterygium)were treated with amniotic membrane transplantation. As the results shows higher recurrent rate(4 eyes of 18 eyes(22%) in primary pteygium, 3 eyes of 10 eyes(30%)in recurrent pterygium), so amniotic membrane transplantation was less effective method to treat primary and recurrent pterygium than other method like conjunctival autograft.
Amnion* ; Autografts ; Human Body ; Pterygium*

Cysts of accessory lacrimal gland are rare. They are generally retension cysts that result from obstruction of the excretory duct and are found between the palpebral conjunctiva and the levator aponeurosis. We experienced three cases of subconjunctival cyst in the upper fornix. Histopathological examination showed the cysts lined by two layers and occasionally one layer of epithelium. These cysts seem to be originated from Krause's gland, considering their anatomical location and histopathological findings.
Conjunctiva* ; Epithelium ; Lacrimal Apparatus

The combination of dacryocystography and computed tomography have been called as computed tomographic dacryocystography. The authors carried out computed tomographic dacryocystography using water soluble contrast media, Rayvist(R), in two patients with a mass around the lacrimal fossa. This radiologic technique demonstrated that the lacrimal system was not invaded by the tumor and was helpful in planning the surgical approach. The results of excisional biopsy of the mass revealed an epidermoid cyst in both cases.
Biopsy ; Contrast Media ; Epidermal Cyst ; Humans

The patient was a 51 year-old woman suffering fraen dysphagia due to upper esoyhageal lye stricutue whieh had developed as a result of a suicide attempt 21 years ago. Shortly after that, she underwent feeding gastrostomy and has lived in the gastrostomy state for 2l years. After admission, she underwent a barium esophagoram which revealed a near total obstruction at the cricoid cartilage level. Bougie dilatation with American Dilation System was tried on day 3. But the spring tip marked guide wire which was to be used with the American Dilation System could not be passed through the stricuture. Therefore, we performed a bougie dilatation using angiographic guide wire M(H-AG-35in-150 cm) with success. On day 14, she underwent a barium esophagogram which revealed her improved condition, and she was discharged on day 16.
Barium ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Cricoid Cartilage ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dilatation* ; Female ; Gastrostomy* ; Humans ; Lye* ; Middle Aged ; Suicide

BACKGROUND: Many shoulder diseases are related to glenohumeral joint synovitis and effusion. The purpose of the present study is to detect effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath as the sign of glenohumeral joint synovitis using ultrasonography, and to evaluate the clinical meaning of effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath. METHODS: A consecutive series of 569 patients who underwent ultrasonography for shoulder pain were reviewed retrospectively and ultimately, 303 patients were included. The authors evaluated the incidence and amount of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath on the ultrasonographic short axis view. Furthermore, the authors evaluated the correlation between the amount of effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath and the range of motion and the functional score. RESULTS: The effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath was detected in 58.42% of the patients studied: 69.23% in adhesive capsulitis, 56.69% in rotator cuff tear, 41.03% in calcific tendinitis, and 33.33% in biceps tendinitis. The average amount of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath was 1.7 +/- 1.6 mm, and it was measured to be the largest in adhesive capsulitis. The amount of effusion within biceps long head tendon sheath showed a moderate to high degree of correlation with the range of motion, and a low degree of correlation with the functional score and visual analogue scale for pain in each type of shoulder disease. CONCLUSIONS: The effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath is closely related to the range of motion and clinical scores in patients with painful shoulders. Ultrasonographic detection of the effusion within the biceps long head tendon sheath might be a simple and easy method to evaluate shoulder function.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder Joint/physiopathology/*ultrasonography ; Synovitis/*ultrasonography ; Tendons/*ultrasonography

We performed full field pattern reversal VEP using UTAS-E 2000, in 87 eyes of the 70 patients with amblyopia(14 eyes) and optic nerve diseases; optic neuritis(21 eyes), optic nerve atrophy(23 eyes), toxic optic neuropathy(15 eyes) and optic nerve injury(14 eyes) from December 1993 to July 1994. This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship of the visual acuity with P1 amplitude, P1 latency, and to compare the latency of P1, and P1-N2 amplitude to each disease group and the normal groups. There was no correlation between the visual acuity and P1 latency, but significant correlation between the visual acuity and P1 amplitude(p<0.01). In the P1 implicit time, optic neuritis, optic nerve atrophy and toxic optic neuropathy patients presented marked delay and amblyopia patients presented moderate delay, but there was no other significant difference in each disease group. Over 50% of each disease group except amblyopia presented P1 destruction. Therefore, the authers concluded that P1 amplitude might not be good parameter in diagnosis of the optic nerve disease because of its variability to the visual acuity, but P1 latency and P1 destruction could be good parameter.
Amblyopia* ; Atrophy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Optic Nerve Diseases* ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; Optic Nerve* ; Optic Neuritis ; Visual Acuity

We evaluated pseudophakia in high myopic patients whose an axial lenght were 26mm and over. Cataract surgery was performed with ECCE and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantations from May 1986 to May 1991 on 69 patients (80 eyes). The results were as follows; 1. Most myopic patients were good candidates for posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation regardless of axial length. 2. Posterior chamber intraocular lens implantations in high myopia were a good refractive surgery. 3. The theoretical formula had better predictabilized than the empirical formula in apredictive accuracy.
Cataract ; Humans ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular* ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Myopia* ; Pseudophakia ; Refractive Surgical Procedures

Using 49 capacitive-coupled electrodes, mattress-type harness was developed to obtain posterior body surface potential map (P-BSPM) in dressed individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate how valuable information P-BSPM could provide, especially in discrimination of old myocardial infarction (OMI). P-BSPM of 59 individuals were analyzed; 23 normal control, 11 right bundle branch block (RBBB), 3 left bundle branch block (LBBB) and 19 OMI patients. Principal component analysis and linear hyper-plane approach were used to evaluate diagnostic performance. The axes of P-BSPM vector potential corresponded well with 12-lead electrocardiogram. During QRS, the end point of P-BSPM vector potential demonstrated characteristic clockwise rotation in RBBB, and counterclockwise rotation in LBBB patients. In OMI, initial negativity on P-BSPM during QRS was more frequently located at lower half, and also stronger in patients with inferior myocardial infarction (MI). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of P-BSPM during QRS in diagnosing overall OMI, anterior MI, and inferior MI was 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.97), 0.71 (0.47-0.94), and 0.98 (0.94-1.0), respectively (P = 0.022 for anterior vs inferior MI groups). In conclusion, the novel P-BSPM provides detailed information for cardiac electrical dynamics and is applicable to diagnosing OMI, especially inferior myocardial infarction.
Adult ; Aged ; Area Under Curve ; Body Surface Potential Mapping/instrumentation/*methods ; Bundle-Branch Block/diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/diagnosis ; Principal Component Analysis ; ROC Curve

Water intoxication from intravascular absorption of non-electrolyte irrigating fluid is a well-known and often serious complication of TURP(transurethral resection of the prostate). The amount of fluid absorbed is related to the time elapsed, number of venous sinuses opening during resection and the height of the irrigation container. A 78-year-old male patient was performed TURP under spinal anesthesia. During the operation, chest discomfort, peripheral cyanosis, sinus bradycardia, drowsy mental state, hypoxemia, metabolic acidosis, severe hyponatremia, and pulmonary edema appeared. We had made a decision to stop operation immediately and transported to ICU. Endotracheal intubation and controlled mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure were performed and NaCI 240mEq, NaHCO3 240mEq, furosemide 20mg and 20% mannitol 200ml were injected for four hours. Three hours and forties minutes. after operation, reoperation was done for bleeding control. In consequence of reoperation, the patient began to improve in condition and came to settle in vital signs. We could extubate at dawn on the following day without any problem. We report this case and its management with the review of the relevant literatures.
Absorption ; Acidosis ; Aged ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Anoxia ; Bradycardia ; Cyanosis ; Furosemide ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Ions ; Male ; Mannitol ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Pulmonary Edema ; Reoperation ; Respiration, Artificial ; Sodium ; Thorax ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate* ; Vital Signs ; Water ; Water Intoxication