Perioperative management of patients with pheochromocytoma is challenging. Accordingly, proper preoperative preparation is important. Prazosin, a selective alpha I blocker, may offer a potential advantage. This 54-year-old woman was treated with prazosin 2 mg, b.i.d. for 15 days and also with propranolol 20 mg, b.i.d. for a few days intermittently before the proposed surgery. Both symptoms and blood pressure were well controlled effectively. Induction of anesthesia was accomplished with nitrolingual spray, fentanyl 100 ug, 1% idocaine 50 mg, 2.5% thiopental sodium 200 mg, vecuronium 6 mg and 100% O2-enflurane. During the surgical and anesthetic procedure, the patient showed a reduced incidence of excessive blood-pressure variations and no arrhythmia was present except for supraventricular ectopic beats. Conclusively, we believe that careful preoperative preparation is recommended to minimize intraoperative hemodynamic dieturbances and their sequelae.
Anesthesia ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Prazosin* ; Propranolol ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide

BACKGROUND: Epidural administration of local anesthetics and opiate or intravenous administration of opiate and ketorolac has proven to be effective in the treatment of postoperative pain. Studies that compare epidual morphine-bupivacaine vs intravenous nalbuphine-ketorolac administration showed conflicting results. We compared the ability and side effects of epidural (EPI-PCA) morphine-bupivacaine versus intravenous (IV-PCA) nalbuphine-ketorolac for postoperative pain relief after cesarean delivery. METHOD: Sixty healthy women were randomly assigned to receive an epidural bolus of morphine 3 mg mixed with 0.5% bupivacaine 10 ml, followed by a EPI-PCA with 0.0125% morphine and 0.125% bupivacaine (basal infusion 2 ml/hr, bolus 0.5 ml, lock-out interval 15 min) or intravenous bolus of nalbuphine 5 mg, followed by a IV-PCA with 0.05% nalbuphine and 0.15% ketorolac (basal infusion 2 ml/hr, bolus 0.5 ml, lock-out interval 30 min) for pain relief after cesarean delivery. The intensity of pain was assessed by the patient, who was unawared of the dose given, using a visual analog scale (VAS). To compare intensity of pain, VAS was used at 1, 6, 12, 24 and 40 hour after the end of surgery. RESULT : EPI-PCA group had significant lower visual analog scale (VAS) at immediate postoperative period, whereas no significant difference was observed when pain was assessed at other time sequence. Pruritus was more frequent with EPI-PCA group, although the incidence of other side effects were the same. CONCLUSION: We conclude that EPI-PCA or IV-PCA using morphine-bupivacaine or nalbuphine- ketorolac is relatively effective and safe method for the postoperative pain control. Although EPI-PCA with morphine-bupivacaine shows lower VAS at immediate postoperative period, IV-PCA with nalbuphine-ketorolac is a safe and effective alternative to EPI-PCA with morphine-bupivacaine for providing pain relief after cesarean delivery.
Administration, Intravenous ; Analgesia* ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Bupivacaine ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ketorolac ; Morphine ; Nalbuphine ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Period ; Pruritus ; Visual Analog Scale

BACKGROUND: Caudal injection of local anesthetics with morphine is the most common anesthetic technique for perianal operation and postoperative analgesia. This study was purposed to compare the onset time of caudal analgesia, postoperative analgesic effect and side effects. METHOD: Sixty healthy patients scheduled for perianal operation were divided into 2 groups randomly. Group I was given 2 mg of morphine in 20 ml of 2% mepivacaine via sacral hiatus. Group II was also given 2 mg of morphine in 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine caudally. We measured the onset time of caudal block, time to the first request of analgesics, the number of analgesics within 24 hours and the incidence of postoperative side effects. Analgesic effect was evaluated by visual analogue scales (VAS) at 1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively. RESULT : The onset time of caudal block for operation and the first request time of analgesic for postoperative pain was significantly shorter in group I than group II. The analgesic use in the first 24 hours was significantly more in group I than group II. The side effects were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the combined use of morphine and bupivacaine provided better postoperative analgesia than the combined use of morphine and mepivacaine.
Analgesia ; Analgesics ; Anesthetics, Local ; Bupivacaine* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mepivacaine* ; Morphine* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Weights and Measures

The intramedullary nailing for the tibial fracture has been used in selected cases of fresh diaphyseal fracture and nonunion. However, with modern technical improvement such as image intensifier and interlocking, the indications have been expanded considerably. Interlocking intramedullary nailing has been popularized because it enables preservation of the range of motion of the joint, early weight bearing and early bony union. Between August, 1989 and July, 1991 interlocking nailing in the tibial fracture has been performed for 53 cases with follow up more than one year. The results were as follows; 1. All were treated with closed nailing and static locking was performed as a principle. Only three cases needed dynamization of the 47 patients treated with static locking nailing. 2. The union rate was 96.296 and mean period of fracture union was 15.2 weeks. 3. In the distal one third of fracture, rigid fixation could be achieved by adjusted length by cutting the distal end. 4. In 7 proximal tibial fractures, 4 fractures were accompanied with complications such as nonunion, angulation deformity and shortening. Therefore, interlocking nail is inadequate treatment of proximal unstable fractures. 5. In the delayed and nonunion treated by interlocking nailing, bony union was achieved in all 3 cases without bone graft and cast immobilization.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Joints ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Tibia ; Tibial Fractures ; Transplants ; Weight-Bearing

Ipsilateral fractures of the femoral neck and shaft represent many difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. The femoral neck fracture of this injury is commonly missed on initial evaluation. The overlooked femoral neck fracture may lead to higher risk of complications such as avascular necrosis of the femoral head, nonunion and coax vara. The authors reviewed nine cases of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture treated in our clinic from September 1989 to May 1995, and average follow-up period was 33 months(range, 12 to 101 months). The results obtained were as follows : 1. The most common cause of injury was traffic accident, and three femoral neck fractures were missed initially. 2. The most common site of femoral neck fractures was basicervical in 7 cases, and that of shaft fracture was middle 1/3 shaft in 5 cases. 3. The most common associated injury was ipsilateral knee injury(6 cases). 4. Five cases were treated with femoral reconstruction nail, two with multiple neck-pinning and retrograde interlocking IM nail, one with multiple screws for neck fracture and long dynamic compression plate for shaft fracture, and the other, multiple neck-pinning and antegrade interlocking IM nail. 5. The complications were a refracture of the shaft after removal of interlocking nail and a delayed union of shaft fracture which had been treated by reconstruction nailing. Coxa vara, delayed union and metal loosening were found in femoral neck fracture site, but all that were clinically acceptable. In conclusion, the fracture of femoral neck should be kept in mind not to be lost in case of high velocity-femoral shaft fracture, and if found, it should be treated with anatomical and rigid internal fixation in femoral neck fracture having first priority. Recently reconstruction nail for the treatment of these fractures was widely used, but that is technically difficult and might destroy the neck fracture during shaft fracture fixation. We recommend retrograde interlocking nail followed by multiple neckpinning might be safe and stable fixation for the ipsilateral neck and shaft fracture.
Accidents, Traffic ; Coxa Vara ; Diagnosis ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; Femur Neck ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation ; Head ; Knee ; Neck ; Necrosis

This etiology of Freiberg's disease, an idiopathic avascular necrosis of the second metatarsal head, has not been clarified. In 1979, Gauthier and Elbaz treated 53 cases of the advanced Freiberg's disease by a new technique, that is, dorsal closing wedge osteotomy, and their result was successful. Recently, in 1989, Zollinger identified that the load per surface area is concentrated at the dorsal rather than plantar surface of the second metatarsal head during walking by an experimental dynamic study, and this theory explained why the lesion of the disease is confined to the dorsal surface of the second metatarsal head, and provided a basic concept on the dorsal closing wedge osteotomy. The authors reviewed 5 cases of Freiberg's disease treated by dorsal closing wedge osteotomy from September 1989 to February 1994, and the average follow-up period was 2 years and 5 months(range, 12 to 50 months). The results were as follows; 1. All were female, and the average age at the time of operation was 29.4 years(range, 22 to 43 years). 2. All were pain-free at the last follow-up. 3. The range of motion(ROM) of the metatarsophalangeal joint was increased postoperatively; average ROM: preoperative, 33°/ postoperative 77°; mean gain of ROM, 44° So, dorsal closing wedge osteotomy is a recommendable procedure for the treatment of advanced Freiberg's disease.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Metatarsal Bones ; Metatarsophalangeal Joint ; Necrosis ; Osteotomy ; Walking

The employment of segmental pedicle screw instrumentation has greatly enhanced the correction of scoliotic deformity. However there is still much controversy on the ability of the system to correct the rotational deformity. This prospective study with 12 idiopathic throacic scoliosis patients subjected to segmental pedicle screw instrumentation was performed to determine the effect of the system on the rotational deformity of idiopathic throacic scoliosis. In addition to the standing films to measure the magnitude of scoliotic curvatures, preand postoperative CT were utilized for the measurement and comparison of angle of rotation relative to the sagittal plane(RAsag.), relative rotation with reference to the upper and lower end vertebrae(RAend), relative rotation with reference to the sacrum(RAsac.), frontal translation(TF) and sagittal translation(TS) for the apical vertebrae. Despite the high correction rate obtained in the frontal plane(average 71.1%) and normalization of sagittal contour, the rotational corrections were statistically insignificant in all parameters and showed no significant correlation to the correction of the curvatures nor horizontal plane displacement as represented by the frontal and sagittal displacement. In conclusions, the segmental pedicle screw instrumentation with rod derotation does not produce significant derotation by itself.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Employment ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Scoliosis* ; Spine

Femoral fractures in adults frequently need an extensive dissection for attainment of adequate internal fixation, frequently leading to nonunion, infection and derangement of joint motion. Retrograde IM nailing, compared to the conventional methods, has advantages of reducing periarticular soft tissue dissection and establishing a load sharing construct reducing hardware failure. The purpose of this study is to verify the advantages of retrograde IM nailing by retrospective evaluation of the results of adult femoral fractures treated by this technique. The matrials were 17 femoral fractures in 15 patients treated by retrograde IM nailing and followed up for more than 1 year. The fracture was located in the middle third of the shaft in 5 and distal third in 12. The latter consisted nf 6 cases of type Al, 4 cases of type A2 and 2 cases of type A3 by Miiller's classification. The results were as follows; 1) Fracture union was achieved at an average of 17.5 weeks. 2) Full range of knee motion was gained in 15/17 knees (88%). 3) Complication occurred in 2 knees. One nonunion and one angulatory malunion. 4) There was no infection, no femoral shortening or implant failure. In conclusion, retrograde IM nailing of adult femoral fracture is an effective method in selected cases such as far distal femoral fracture, ipsilateral femur neck and shaft fractures, floating knee, post-TKR femoral fracture and so on. The merits of this technique are rigid fixation which is difficult to obtain with others, no need of fracture table, short operative time and mimium blood loss. However, It has potential problems such as difficulty in insertion of proximal locking screw and need for an arthrotomy to remove hardware.
Adult* ; Classification ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary* ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies

We have experienced an anesthetic management of a 34 year old female patient with pheochromocytoma of left adrenal gland. The anesthetic management of patients presents many difficult problems, such as hypertension, arrhythmia and hypotension. The patient had been treated with phenoxybenzamine for 2 weeks preoperatively. Following induction of anesthesia with intravenous fentanyl, thiopental sodium and vecuronium, endotracheal intubation was performed. Anesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide, oxygen and isoflurane administration. Blood pressure and pulse were controlled well with nitroprusside and isoflurane. After removal of tumor, blood pressure was controlled by Hartman's solution, packed red cell and dopamine administration. The patient tolerated well despite the episodic hemodynamic changes. Importance of preoperative preparation, sufficient sedation, smooth induction, complete analgesia, good muscle relaxation and stable cardiovascular control has been discussed.
Adrenal Glands ; Adult ; Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Inhalation* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Dopamine ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Inhalation* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Isoflurane* ; Muscle Relaxation ; Nitroprusside ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Phenoxybenzamine ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide

Local or general anesthesia is essential for safe operation. Patients in good preoperative condition are relatively to tolerable to the operation, but the patients in poor preoperative condition have the high mortality and morbidity during and after the operation. Therefore, we should choose the anesthetic agents and methods, which cause little effect to the patient's life. Among the intraventricular blocks, bundle branch is the most common type, and left bundle branch block may progress to a more serious condition of complete heart block. Optimal anesthetic management of patients with cardiovascular disease requires a thorough knowledge of normal cardiac physiology, the circulatory effects of the various anesthetic agents, and the pathophysiology and treatment of these diseases. The authors successfully performed balanced anesthesia in operation of a 63 year old female patient who showed complete left bundle branch block pattern in a preoperative electrocardiographic tracing without any subjective symptoms.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics ; Balanced Anesthesia* ; Bundle-Branch Block* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Block ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Physiology