OBJECTIVE: Using the standardization of disease diagnosis of disease, and surgical procedures, the authors have made a clinical application for the analysis of inpatient data with the ability to search for information pertinent for writing of clinical articles. METHODS: A client-server system and database software was developed for networking. For clinical application, a computerized daily report has been developed. Data from Neurosurgical patients admitted at Soonchunyang University Hospital from January to December 1998 were analyzed with this system. Data for clinical articles was obtained using the search mode, information such as orbital infarction syndrome following intracranial aneurysm surgery and epidemiological analysis or geriatric neurosurgical patients. RESULTS: For the daily report it takes approximately 10 minutes to input the patients demographic information, name of disease, diagnosis and surgical procedure. The daily report also numbers and sorts the inpatients according to large categories of diagnosis, reports the ratio between inpatients and operative patients. The annual report that was obtained was very accurate and gave rapid statistics for the one year. By retrospective study for the past 18 years, we calculated the incidence of orbital infarction syndrome following intracranial aneurysm surgery as 1.4%, and also estimated the population of geriatric inpatients as 18.3% by retrospective study. CONCLUSIONS: It has been found to be most useful to make a daily and annual report for tracking and research purposes. For use in clinical articles, it can be possible to do a search of the patients using the standardized disease, diagnosis and neurosurgical procedures application and obtain pertinent information in a timely manner.
Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Inpatients ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Neurosurgical Procedures* ; Orbit ; Retrospective Studies ; Writing

OBJECTIVE: The the international classification of disease and surgical procedure has been found to be a lengthy and time-consuming text for use by neurosurgeons. A more subject matter related classification system is needed for use by this specialty. The author has developed a more comprehensive and standardized classification system specified for diagnosis of neurological disease and neurosurgical procedures. METHODS: Standardization of disease was completed by modifying the name of disease according to that which was used for daily report past 10 years, and from textbook of neurosurgery. The fields of international coding are continued in each. Neurosurgical procedures were designated and modified according to Current Procedure Terminology 96. Client-server system will be used for networking and database software applications have been developed. RESULTS: Disease was classified in 14 large categories and 379 subcategories. Diagnosis was classified in 12 large categories and 43 subcategories. Neurosurgical procedure has 20 large and 202 subcategories. The international coding system such as ICD-10 and ICD-9CM is maintained for the diagnosis and procedures to each category. CONCLUSIONS: It could be possible to make and use a standardized database model of disease, diagnosis and neurosurgical procedures to be used by physician.
Classification ; Clinical Coding ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; International Classification of Diseases ; Neurosurgery ; Neurosurgical Procedures*

Delayed or enlarged lesions in head injury are potentially preventable events which worsen overall prognosis. We investigated the incidence and risk factors of these lesions in 240 head injured patients examined by repeated computerized tomographic(CT) scans from January 1989 to December 1990. Overall, delayed or enlarged lesions were found in 95 patients(39.6%) Intracerebral hemorrhage was the most common lesion(37 cases):Subdural(17 cases), epildural hematoma(16 cases), subdural hygroma(15 cases), cerebral swelling(6 cases), hydrocephalus(4 cases), and infarction(2 cases) followed in that order. These lesions occurred 3 days of initial scan in 64 patients(67.4%). Predictors were a low Glasgow Coma Scale score, abnormal papillary response, low or high blood pressure, hypoxia and previous infusion of large amounts of mannitol. Acute subdural hematoma was the most common initial lesion, heralding delayed or enlarged lesions in 50% of cases. Intracerebral hemtomas or contusion followed by next most common lesions. Incidence of delayed or enlarged lesions also differed according to therapy:decompressive craniectomy with these lesions in 82.8%. Mortality rate in patient who had delayed or enlarged lesions(35.5%) was 5.6 times higher than patient who did not have such lesions(6.3%). Delayed or enlarged lesions are relatively common. Patients with risk factors for delayed or enlarged lesions should be adequately monitored before overt clinical deterioration.
Anoxia ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Contusions ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Head* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Acute ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Mannitol ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors*

The authors report a rare case of thalamic abscess in a 38-year old male who suffered from a ventricular septal defect. Preoperative axial magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) showed two ring enhancing masses on T1-weighted image and a hypointensity of dark rim on T2-weighted image. Purulent material was aspirated by computerized tomography(CT)-guided stereotactic procedure following antibiotic therapy for 3 days. No growth was obtained in the culture of the purulent material. The disturbance of left ocular movement before surgery was completely recovered. Even though the abscess wall is uniform in thickness, it is difficult to distinguish from tumor. A rim like hypointensity surrounding the mass on T2-weighted MRI is helpful in distinguishing both lesions.
Abscess* ; Adult ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male

The authors report a rare case of thalamic abscess in a 38-year old male who suffered from a ventricular septal defect. Preoperative axial magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) showed two ring enhancing masses on T1-weighted image and a hypointensity of dark rim on T2-weighted image. Purulent material was aspirated by computerized tomography(CT)-guided stereotactic procedure following antibiotic therapy for 3 days. No growth was obtained in the culture of the purulent material. The disturbance of left ocular movement before surgery was completely recovered. Even though the abscess wall is uniform in thickness, it is difficult to distinguish from tumor. A rim like hypointensity surrounding the mass on T2-weighted MRI is helpful in distinguishing both lesions.
Abscess* ; Adult ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male

To investigate the causes of death in patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage, 460 consecutive patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage were reviewed. Angiography was not performed in 78 patients due to poor clinical conditions or discharge against admission. Of all these patients, 54(69.2%) died, 28 from serious clinical condition, 21 from rebleeding, 3 from pulmonary complications. 1 from vasospasm, and 1 with unknown causes. Thirty-eight patients were angiographically negative, of which 6(15.8%) died, 3 due to rebleeding, 2 due to poor clinical condition, and 1 due to cerebral infarction caused by vasospasm. Of the 344 patients who had an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. 74 were discharged against admission or died before the surgery. The remaining 270 patients underwent aneurysm clipping. Early surgery(within 72 hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage) was performed in 151 patients, intermediate surgery (between Day 4 and 7 post SAH) in 74, and late surgery(Day 8 or later after SAH) in 45. Fifty-one patients (18.9%) died after aneurysm clipping. The remaining 270 patients underwent aneurysm clipping. Early surgery(within 72 hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage) was performed in 151 patients, intermediate surgery(between Day 4 and 7 post-SAH) in 74, and late surgery(Day 8 or later after SAH) in 45, Fifty-one patients(18.9%) died after aneurysm clipping. The causes were vasospasm in 17, complications related to surgery in 13, poor clinical condition in 12, preoperative rebleeding in 7, and other systemic condition in 2. A total of 59 patients suffered at least one rebleeding after the initial hemorrhage ; these patients had a mortality rate of 76.3% and the highest rate of rebleeding occurred within the first 24 hours after initial hemorrhage. Vasospasm and rebleeding were the leading causes of mortality in addition to the initial bleeding. Predictors for mortality included poor clinical grade, early surgery in patients aged 60 years or more, and association with intracerebral hematoam, intraventricular hemorrhage, or subdural hematoma.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Cause of Death ; Cerebral Infarction ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mortality* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage*

The origin and clinical importance of subdural hygroma(SDG) are still uncertain. Its pathogenetic mechanism and natural history have not yet been settled. Although the incidence of traumatic SDG has been reported to be 5-20% of posttraumatic space-occupying lesions, the true incidence has not been documented in prospective study. Therefore, authors have tried to determine the incidence of traumatic SDG prospectively during past six months. Serial computed tomography(CT) or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) studies were done in all patients who were admitted to our department after head injuries. Data on the age, sex, Glasgow coma scale(GCS) on admission, and initial CT findings were collected and analyzed to determine the true incidence, pattern and premorbid conditions for the development of traumatic SDG. Serial CT or MRI scans were performed on the date of admission, the second to sixth hospital day, and the seventh to fourteenth hospital day. Study population consisted of 115 patients, excluding 31 expired, discharged, or transferred patients within a week. Subdural hygroma was noted in 42(35.6%) patients. It shared 45.2% of posttraumatic mass lesion. More than half (54.7%) of patients aged 40 or more had subdural hygromas. They were generally delayed lesions, due to the fact that most of them(81%) were observed at four days or more after the injury. All hygromas were located at the frontal or fronto-temporo-parietal regions. Bilaterality was seen in 54.7%. SDGs occurred earlier when the age of the patients were 40 years old or more(p=0.037). It occurred earlier when the initial CT scans were normal, when there was no accompanying traumatic intracranial lesions, and high GCS on admission. However, these differences were statistically not significant(p>0.05). These results suggest that the premorbid conditions for the development of subdural hygroma were sufficient potential subdural space and separation of the dural border cell layer, although former seemed to be more important that the later. Osmotic dehydration in the aged victims should be serially reevaluated, because the subdural hygroma may develop when the intracranial pressure is excessively low.
Adult ; Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Dehydration ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Intracranial Pressure ; Lymphangioma, Cystic ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Natural History ; Prospective Studies* ; Subdural Effusion* ; Subdural Space ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Despite recent advances in the care of such patients, subarachnoid haemorrhage(SAH) due to ruptured intracerebral aneurysm continues to carry a high rate of morbidity and mortality. During the acute phase of SAH, various factors can aggravate a patients initial good neurological state, and every effort should thus be made to prevent such occurrences. Although not a major problem, seizure is a well known factor influencing the course of the disease. The authors studied 476 cases of SAH occurring during the preceding eight-year period and reported the incidence of seizure, the risk factors which evoke it, and the optimal time required to prevent it. The incidence was 11%, and 48% of seizures occurred within three days of SAH. The risk factors were Hunt-Hess grade at admission, degree of neurologic deficit, and the presence and timing of rebleeding. Regardless of initial grade, seizure led to a poorer outcome. We conclude that seizure in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs during the early stage of the disease and aggravates the prognosis. The recognition of risk factors and early prevention of seizure are thus necessary.
Aneurysm ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Mortality ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors ; Seizures* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The purpose of this study is to identify a group of mild head injury patients having lesions on computerized tomography(CT) and to investigate the risk factors affecting the abnormal findings on CT scan. The study was limited to patients 16 years of age and older with a initial Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) scores of at least 13 at the time of admission. Of a total of 243 patients studied, 156(64.2%) had abnormal CT findings. 49 patients(20.2%) required neurosurgical intervention(craniotomies for hematoma in 33, hematoma in 1 and subdural hygroma in 3). Four patients(2.4%) died of their cranial injury and three died of extracranial causes. The incidence of CT abnormalities for each GCS score was 86.7% in GCS of 13, 68.6% in GCS of 14, and 58.6% in GCS of 5. The factors affecting GCS scores at the time of admission were the presence of loss of consciousness and posttraumatic amnesia. The factors affecting abnormal CT scans were the presence of posttraumatic amnesia and skull fracture. A new lesion of extension of the initial finding on follow-up CT scans was found in 9.3% of 75 patients who underwent follow-up CT scans. Even though routine CT scans for mild head injury patients are not always necessary, these result suggest that all patients admitted to hospital after mild head injury should undergo CT scanning to enable early detection of an intracranial lesion.
Amnesia ; Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Head* ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Risk Factors ; Skull Fractures ; Subdural Effusion ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed* ; Unconsciousness

In three(0.3%) of 1045 patients suffering from hypertensive intracerebral hematomas, two such hematomas occurred simultaneously. All three patients had a history of hypertension. The locations of the hematomas were as follows: Cerebellum and splenium of the corpus callosum in case 1, cerebellum and left thalamus in case 2, right thalamus and left frontoparietal lobe in case 3. One patient died of the ensuing hemorrhage and the other two remained moderate disability. Even though hypertension is considered to be a major factor of simultaneous occurrence of multiple intracerebral hematomas, their unusual locations suggest that a subtle degenerative process may be active in the pathogenesis of this condition.
Cerebellum ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Corpus Callosum ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Thalamus