No abstract available.
Head* ; Neck*

Objective: : Recent studies have reported that arachnoid plasty (ARP) using gelatin sponges with fibrin glue reduced the occurrence of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) following clipping surgery for unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA). This metaanalysis was conducted to collate further evidence for the efficacy of ARP in preventing postoperative CSDH. Methods: : Data of patients who underwent clipping surgery were extracted from PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials by two independent reviewers. A random effects model was used to investigate the efficacy of ARP by using odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A meta-regression analysis for male sex was additionally preformed. Results: : Data from six studies with 1715 patients were consecutively included. Meta-analysis revealed that ARP was significantly associated with lower rates of CSDH development after surgical clipping for UIA (ARP group vs. control group : 3.2% vs. 7.2%; OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.18–0.93; I2 =44.3%; p=0.110). Meta-regression analysis did not highlight any modifying effect of the male sex on postoperative CSDH development (p=0.951). Conclusion : This meta-analysis indicated that ARP reduced the incidence rates of CSDH following clipping surgery for UIA. If feasible, ARP would be implemented as an additional surgical technique to prevent postoperative CSDH development during surgical clipping of UIA.

BACKGROUND: The authors have modified the method of Ravitch technique. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This technique was applied to 6 patients out of 18 patients who underwent corrective surgery from May 1987 to July 1999. The technique is quite different from that of Ravitch. We did not divide the intercostal muscle bundles from the laterals of sternum and the Akin's struts were placed retrosternally crossing the chest horizontally to prevent flail motion during immediate post-operative period and retraction of the sternum afterwards. Anterior sternal osteotomy instead of the posterior one was performed for the latest 3 cases which made operative procedure more simple and easy. The struts were removed one year later. RESULT: Compared to the hospital stay of the patients who received standard Ravitch method that of the six cases who received our modification was definitely shortened from 13.1 days to 8.3 days(p<0.0000). Flail motion was not noted in any patient and chest wall stability was obtained more easily with this technique. CONCLUSION: Our modification is recommendable for correction of funnel chest in regards to shorter operation time better chest wall stability shorter hospital stay and less complication.
Funnel Chest* ; Humans ; Intercostal Muscles ; Length of Stay ; Osteotomy ; Sternum ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: In management of osteoporosis, several concerns here have been raised. The current issue included the utilization of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and fracture-risk assessment (FRAX), screening of vitamin D deficiency and secondary osteoporosis, and long-term use of bisphosphonate and calcium supplements. There was no study on physicians' attitude on these current issues in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the physicians' attitude on these issues by survey. METHODS: We administered a 30-item questionnaire to all members of Korean Society for Bone and Mineral Research by email survey form. One hundred participants answered the questionnaire. The questionnaire included the questions about the physicians' attitude to current issues and the barriers to osteoporosis treatment in Korea. RESULTS: Most physicians used bone densitometry devices (99%) and, central DXA was the most accessible device (95%). Eighty-eight percent were aware of FRAX(R), but among them, only 19.3% used it. The main reason for not using FRAX(R) was the lack of time in their proactive (76%). Screening for vitamin D status and secondary osteoporosis was performed by 59% and 52% of the respondents, respectively. The lack of awareness among patients and high costs of medication were perceived as the most important barriers to osteoporosis management in Korea. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides physicians' perspective to the current issue for diagnostic and treatment of osteoporosis in Korea. To further improve osteoporosis management, educational programs for patients and doctors, and the improvement of reimbursement system should be considered in Korea.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Calcium ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Densitometry ; Electronic Mail ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Osteoporosis* ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency

OBJECTIVE: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH), a disease commonly encountered by neurosurgeons, is treated by burr hole drainage (BHD). However, the optimal surgical technique among the three types of BHD has not been determined. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on BHD performed on 93 patients who were diagnosed with CSDH. The subjects were divided into three groups based on the surgical technique performed: single BHD without irrigation (Group A, n=31), double BHD without irrigation (Group B, n=32), and double BHD with irrigation (Group C, n=30). The clinical factors, radiological factors and recurrences were compared between the three groups. Moreover, independent factors affecting the recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: The change in hematoma thickness was 29.77+/-7.94%, 49.73+/-12.87%, and 75.29+/-4.32% for Group A, B, and C, respectively, while the change in midline shift was 40.81+/-15.47%, 51.78+/-10.94%, and 56.16+/-16.16%, respectively. Thus, Group C showed the most effective for resolution of hematoma and midline shift (p<0.05). Group A, B, and C had 12 cases (38.7%), 8 cases (25.0%), and 3 cases (10.0%) of recurrences, respectively. Group C had a statistically significantly fewer recurrence rate than Group A (p<0.05). Double burr hole, irrigation, and coagulopathy were each identified as independent factors that reduce recurrence (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Among the three techniques, the double BHD with saline irrigation resulted in the fewest recurrences. It is probably the most effective technique for preventing the recurrence of CSDH.
Drainage* ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Recurrence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Trephining

PURPOSE: FK506 (tacrolimus) is a widely used immunosuppressive agent in the treatment of various medical conditions, including autoimmune disease, bone marrow and organ transplantations. Previously FK506 was known to cause apoptotic death of human Jurkat T cells. METHODS: The current study was designed to analyze the gene expression pattern of Jurkat T cells after FK506 application by using cDNA microarray. Treatment of Jurkat T cells with FK506 resulted in a decrease of cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Next, total RNA of Jurkat T cells was extracted by using TRIzol reagent and used to carry out a confirmation test for the purity and integrity of total RNA. RESULTS: Gene expression levels related to apoptosis and cell cycle process were mainly focused to analyze in FK506-treated Jurkat T cells. According to the inhibition of calcineurin activity, MARCKS in PKC substrates and Sp3 transcription factor was markedly increased in FK506-treated cells. Also, cell cycle control gene Id1 and Id3 were induced in expression from FK506-treated Jurkat T cells. However, FK506 decreased the expression of Src homology 2, G protein, and MEK 2 genes in bioactive peptide induced signaling pathway. It also reduced the expression level of the insulin receptor, DRPLA and Bai1-associated protein 2 genes, which are involved in the regulation of cell motility and morphology control. CONCLUSION: The author will continue to pursue the exact functional roles of genes that are markedly changed in expression by FK506 in human Jurkat T cells in vitro and in vivo experimental models.
Apoptosis ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Bone Marrow ; Calcineurin ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Profiling ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Guanidines ; Humans ; Jurkat Cells ; Models, Theoretical ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Organ Transplantation ; Phenols ; Receptor, Insulin ; RNA ; Sp3 Transcription Factor ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tacrolimus ; Transplants

Objective: : This study aimed to assess the relationship between increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and mastoid effusions (ME). Methods: : Between January 2015 and October 2018, patients who underwent intracranial surgery and had ICP monitoring catheters placed were enrolled. ICP was recorded hourly for at least 3 days. ME was determined by the emergence of opacification in mastoid air cells on follow-up brain imaging. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, presence of endotracheal tube (ETT) and nasogastric tube (NGT), duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, duration of mechanical ventilator application, diagnosis, surgical modalities, and presence of sinusitis were recorded. Each factor’s effect on the occurrence of ME was analyzed by binary logistic regression analyses. To analyze the independent effects of ICP as a predictor of ME a multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: : Total of 61 (53%) out of 115 patients had ME. Among the patients who had unilateral brain lesions, 94% of subject (43/50) revealed the ipsilateral development of ME. ME developed at a mean of 11.1±6.2 days. The variables including mean ICP, peak ICP, age, trauma, CRP, ICU stays, application of mechanical ventilators and presence of ETT and NGT showed statistically significant difference between ME groups and non-ME groups in univariate analysis. Sex and the occurrence of sinusitis did not differ between two groups. Adding the ICP variables significantly improved the prediction of ME in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Conclusion : While multiple factors affect ME, this study demonstrates that ICP and ME are probably related. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanistic relationship between ICP and middle ear pressure.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone acts as a non-hemodynamic factors on the hypertensive heart regarding sodium retension or myocardial fibrosis. To elucidate whether aldosterone is associated with the specific left ventricular geometry or not, we investigated the relationship between the upright serum aldosterone levels and the echocardiographicleft ventricular structure in the essential hypertension patients never treated. METHODS: Echocardiographic indices included M-mode measured left ventricular mass index (LVMI), relative wall thickness (RWT). Aldosterone is measured by Radioimmunoassay for the serum withdrawn from the subjects at least 3 hours upright position. 63 patients and 20 normal control subjects were evaluated. RESULTS: 1) 84.1% (63/53) of cases showed left ventricular hypertrophy. 7 patients showed normal LVMI, 3 patients showed concentric remodeling geometry. 19 patients had concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). 34 patients had eccentric LVH. 2) The serum aldosterone level has negative correlation with the RWT (r=-0.27, p=0.03) but not with LVMI (r=0.08, p=NS). There was difference among groups (ANOVA, F=0.009). Serum aldosterone is higher in eccentric LVH group than in concentric LVH group (10.5+/-1.2 ng/dL vs 5.2+/-0.6 ng/dL, p=0.0001) and than in control group (10.5+/-1.2 ng/dL vs 6.6+/-0.8 ng/dL, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: In this study, we observed that the serum aldosterone level was not correlated with the LVMI but with RWT negatively so that eccentric LVH group showed higher serum aldosterone levels than control group and concentric LVH group.
Aldosterone* ; Echocardiography ; Fibrosis ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Radioimmunoassay ; Sodium

Isolated mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis is clinically rare. Its clinical presentation may mimic an esophageal submucosal tumor by extrinsic compression. A 26-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for an esophageal subepithelial tumor. A 15×10 mm sized subepithelial lesion was found 30 cm from the upper incisors on esophagogastroduodenoscopy. We diagnosed the lesion as a submucosal tumor, and performed endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration for a pathologic diagnosis. The histologic examination revealed granulomatous inflammation consistent with tuberculosis. We suggest that the use of endoscopic ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration may be helpful in making an early diagnosis and planning for an optimal treatment.
Adult ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Endosonography ; Esophagus ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Inflammation ; Mediastinum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node*

A 45 year-old-women with tracheal stenosis due to an endotracheal tumor was scheduled for tracheal reconstruction surgery. The stenotic lesion was located 1 cm above the carina, and was length of 4 cm and had a narrowest internal diameter of 0.4 cm. The length of such a stenotic segment and its narrowest internal diameter may pose lung ventilation problems before or during tumor resection, which may preclude a successful outcome. Thus, during tracheal reconstruction surgery a femoro-femoral partial cardiopulmonary bypass, self respiration, and pulmonary artery ligation were used. These measures improved oxygenation and cardiovascular stability, and tracheal reconstruction was successfully performed without complication.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Ligation ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Artery ; Respiration ; Tracheal Stenosis ; Ventilation