No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Kidney Transplantation*

The Ventriculo-peritoneal(VP) shunt is effective and easy method for the treatment of hydrocephalus. But it has a high complication rate including malfunction and infection. This study seeks to find out how to reduce reoperation and complication rates of previously VP shunt-treated patients by analyzing risk factors, complication, and the relstionship with the time course. The authors reviewed 714 cases with VP shunt performed from 1986 to 1994. The risk factors of VP shunt related complications were insufficient surgical skill, younger age group, and some causes of hydrocephalus which were meningitis, neurocysticercosis, and congenital orgin. The complications including shunt malfunction were most frequent within 1 month after the initial VP shunt and were most common at the proximal site of the shunt system.
Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Meningitis ; Neurocysticercosis ; Reoperation ; Risk Factors ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt*

No abstract available.
Adrenocortical Adenoma* ; Lipomatosis* ; Paraplegia*

The authors performed three consecutive cases of stereotaxic radiofrequency hypophy-sectomies for patients with disseminated cancer from breast or prostate at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University. The procedures were essentially the same, in large part, as the technique first introduced by Zervas. The authors modified the-original technique to reduce the known risks of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea and meningitis. Surgical details and clinical cases are presented.
Breast Neoplasms/surgery* ; Female ; Human ; Hypophysectomy/methods* ; Male ; Middle Age ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Radio Waves/therapeutic use* ; Stereotaxic Techniques*

BACKGROUND: For the treatment of Parkinson's disease, dopamine-producing cells or genes involved in producing dopamine or supporting neurons have been tested to replace conventional chemical therapies. Of these, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was the most widely used gene for the therapy. Trials using TH via various vectors yielded behavioral improvements in animal models but the effectiveness did not last long enough. As one of the approaches for solving this problem, the regulation of expression of the protein and mRNA of TH was studied. METHODS: Two approaches for a higher and/or more stable expression of TH were pursued. First, the effect of cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) on the expression level of TH and second, the effect of deletion which enables TH protein to escape from protease attack, were examined. RESULTS: Cells producing BH4 showed an approximately 10-fold higher TH expression than cells expressing TH alone. When the in vitro modified TH was expressed in NIH-3T3, mutant THs showed elevated protein (17.5 ~68.6 fold) and mRNA (1.8 ~4.6 fold) expression levels at a steady state. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that an addition of BH4 has a more positive effect on mRNA expression levels than protein. However, the deletions seem to have a tremen-dous effect on the translation and/or protein stability, but a small effect on the mRNA level. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(5):514~519, 2001)
Dopamine ; Models, Animal ; Neurons ; Parkinson Disease ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Stability ; RNA, Messenger ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase* ; Tyrosine* ; United Nations

No abstract available.
Animals ; Hydrocephalus* ; Rats*

A case of epidermoid cyst in the cerebello-pontine angle, resulting in trigeminal neuralgia, is presented. There were no abnormal findings in the clinical and radiologic examination except the typical neuralgic pain. The tumor was found incidentally during posterior fossa exploration for neurovascular decom pression of the trigeminal nerve under diagnosis of primary trigeminal neuralgia. The patient was treated with only removal of the tumor.
Diagnosis ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Humans ; Trigeminal Nerve ; Trigeminal Neuralgia*

The present study involves 30 craniopharyngioma patients who were admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei Medical college from April, 1965 to December, 1978. All 30 patients received surgery, the results of which were analyzed and evaluated as follows. 1. They consisted of 22 male and 8 female patients. Sixty percent of all patients were under 20 years of age. 2. Chief complaints were as follows:headache(80.0%), decreased visual acuity(80.0%), visual field cut(46.3%), nausea and vomiting(40.3%), papilledema(40.0%), optic atrophy(33.3%), diabetes insipidus(27.0%), and mental disturbance(27.0%). 3. They were diagnosed mainly by cerebral angiography until 1977, at times combined with pneumoencephalography, isotope brain scan, and Conray ventriculography. Since 1978 using the CT brain scan we have been able to reduce risk during and after neuroradiological study, and accurately determine location, size, shape and invasiveness of the tumor. 4. Surgical procedures were performed in 32 cases of craniopharyngioma using several approaches;transfrotal approaches;transfrontal approach:29 cases, transsphenoidal approach:2 cases, and sterotaxic cyst puncture:1 cases. In 8 cases(27.0%) total resection of the tumor was performed, subtotal resection in 23 cases(71.9%), and aspiration of the cyst in one case(3.1%). 5. In the above 32 surgeries, 24 cases(75.0%) of craniopharyngioma were performed by microsurgery, 8 cases involved total resection and 16 cases subtotal removal. As a result of microsurgery, it was possible to remove the tumor from the surrounding structures with less damage. 6. To manage hydrocephalus during the operation, extraventricular drainage was applied in 8 cases(27%) and in 7 cases(23.3%) ventriculoatrial or ventriculoperitoneal shunts were employed pre-or postoperatively. 7. Postsurgical radiation therapy was given to 8 patients in the dosage of 5000-7000 rad during 6 to 8 week period following surgery.
Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Craniopharyngioma* ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Nausea ; Neurosurgery ; Pneumoencephalography ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt ; Visual Fields

The authors analyzed 115 cases of head injury surgically treated in the Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University Medical College, in 1978. Among them, 18 patients had another significant combined injury in the body. Mortality of them was twice more than of the group without combined injury. Protection of brain from circulatory disturbance, hypoxia, fat embolism, etc. is chief point of early treatment of multiply injured patients. The most common cause of multiple injuries involving head injuries was traffic accident. Mortality of the group diagnosed with CT scan was lowest. Intervals between the injury and operation were within 24 hours in almost them.
Accidents, Traffic ; Anoxia ; Brain ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Embolism, Fat ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic* ; Mortality ; Multiple Trauma ; Neurosurgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed