Postherpetic neuralgia is the most frequent complication of herpes zoster. Treatment of this neuropathic pain syndrome is difficult and often disappointing. Although postherpetic neuralgia is generally a self-limited condition, it can last indefinitely. Continuous epidural blockade for patients with acute zoster can shorten the duration of treatment. However, continuous epidural block has some complications such as infection, dural puncture, and total spinal and nerve damages. We report a case of myoclonus during continuous epidural block with ropivacaine, morphine, and ketamine in an acute zoster patient.
Amides ; Analgesia ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Ketamine ; Morphine ; Myoclonus ; Neuralgia ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Punctures

The methods of treatment of spondylolisthesis range from posterior fusion to instrumentation, and circumferential fusion. Combined anterior and posterior fusion with instrumentation had been carried out in one or two stages and satisfactory results were obtained in nighteen cases with follow-up period of one year to four years at department of orthopedic surgery of Ewha Womans University Hospital from 1987 to 1991. The results were as follows: 1. Of 19 patients, 7 patients were male and 12 patients were famale. 2. The isthmic type was 12 cases (63.1%) and the 5th lumbar vertebral involvement is common (12 cases, 63.1%). 3. The operative treatment was as follows: Posterior fusion with instrumentation was 8 cases, and anterior fusion with instrumentation was 11 cases. 4. The combined anterior and posterior fusion with instrumentation had been carried out in one stage operation at 8 cases, and two stage operation was done at 11 cases. 5. The average operation time was 3.0 hrs in one stage operation, 3.1 hrs in two stage operation, and the average amount of blood loss was 22cc/Kg in one stage, 17cc/Kg in two stage. 6. The satisfactory results were obtained in 19 cases, but there was no specific difference between one stage and two stage operation.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Spondylolisthesis

BACKGROUND: Hydromorphone has an intermediate lipid solubility range that falls between morphine and fentanyl. Lipophilic activity during opioid epidural administration is important in relation to both the side effects and analgesic efficacy. The purpose of this study was to compare epidural hydromorphone and fentanyl when concomitantly infused with bupivacaine in patients undergoing a thoracotomy. METHODS: Seventy-seven thoracotomy patients, with patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), were blindly allocated into two groups [group F (n = 34); 0.1% bupivacaine and fentanyl 5microgram/ml, group H (n = 34); 0.1% bupivacaine and hydromorphone 16microgram/ml)]. The basal PCEA rate and demand dose were 4 ml/hr and 3 ml, respectively. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, and pruritus, sedation and nausea were measured at 6, 12 and 24 hours after the operation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the VAS pain scores and the incidences of pruritus, nausea and sedation between the two groups. The total infused volume after 24 hours was lower in H compared to that of F group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that epidural hydromorphone or fentanyl administration has a similar analgesic efficacy and shows similar incidences of side effects, when concomitantly infused with bupivacaine, in the management of acute pain following a thoracotomy.
Acute Pain ; Analgesia, Epidural* ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Bupivacaine ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Hydromorphone ; Incidence ; Morphine ; Nausea ; Pruritus ; Solubility ; Thoracotomy*

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents are associated with a high incidence of gastrointestinal side effects due to nonspecific inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase (COX) enzymes, COX-1 and 2. Selective inhibition of COX-2 would minimize the potential for gastrointestinal toxicity without compromising efficacy. This study was conducted to investigate 1) the clinical efficacy and 2) the safety of meloxicam, a preferential inhibitor of COX-2, compared with piroxicam in chronic osteoarthritis patients. METHODS: This was designed as a randomized, open labeled, multi-clinic prospective trial. Patients received either meloxicam 7.5 mg or piroxicam 10 mg twice daily for two weeks. Parameters measured were demographic data, disease characteristics, static and dynamic visual analog scale scores (VAS score: 0 = no pain, 10 = extremely severe pain), side effects and their incidences, weekly drop out rates, global efficacy assessed by patients and physicians (1 = extremely satisfactory, 2 = satisfactory, 3 = unsatisfactory, 4 = extremely unsatisfactory), and the changes of disease status assessed by the patients (1 = remarkably improved, 2 = improved, 3 = no change, 4 = worse). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in respect to demographic data and disease status. VAS scores at one week showed significant decrease from the baseline, but had no further improvement when compared with those at two weeks. These trends were similar in both groups. At the first week, the meloxicam group had lower incidences of side effects, but at the end of the study, these numbers were compatible between the two groups. Global efficacy evaluated by patients and physicians were highly satisfactory. The changes of disease status assessed by patients also revealed good improvements in both groups. Conclusion: Meloxicam had an analgesic effect for chronic osteoarthritis comparable to piroxicam. It appeared to have a better safety profile for short term therapy, but not in long term.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Humans ; Incidence ; Osteoarthritis* ; Piroxicam ; Prospective Studies ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases* ; Visual Analog Scale

Pedicle screw systems are stronger than previously used Harrington instruments. The systems have been thought to provide sufficient stability to the thoracolumbar burst fractures by merely short segment fusion. Currently some authors reported the metal failure and the loss of correction after the short segment instrumentations. Thirty-nine patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures underwent the long segment pedicle screw instrumentation and anterior interbody fusion at Ewha University Hospital from January 1991 to October 1993. Of these patients, thirty-two were reviewed in an attempt to analyze the result of the operation technique. The mean follow-up was 26 months. L1 was the most common level and twenty patients had neurologic deficits. The anterior decompression and interbody fusion were performed 2 weeks after the posterior instrumentation. We encouraged early ambulation with TLSO brace as soon as possible. Bony union was obtained in all cases and completed at an average 4.4 months after the operation. The average preoperative kyphosis, 17.4 became 3 after the operation and it was measured 4.2 at the final follow-up. The average correction loss was 1.2. Of the twenty patients with neurologic deficit, ten improved by one Frankel grade and four improved by two grades. Postoperative complications were three cases of the donor site pain. There was no metal failure. These data suggest that the long segment pedicle screw instrumentation and anterior interbody fusion are able to provide sufficient stability and the recommendable procedure for the thoracolumbar burst fractures than short segment instrumentation.
Braces ; Decompression ; Early Ambulation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Pedicle Screws ; Postoperative Complications ; Spine ; Tissue Donors

Zoster sine herpete (ZSH) is a varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation without a zoster that is difficult to diagnose early after onset. This study examined 12 patients who presented with intercostal neuralgia, had no history of trauma, cutaneous eruption and no scar of a herpes zoster on the lesion. Two patients had a vertebral compression fracture. Two patients had a history of a zoster in the other site. No other suspicious findings were observed. Ten of the twelve patients were checked for the IgG and IgM varicellar zoster virus antibody. All the patients tested positive to the Ig G antibody test and only one patient tested positive to the IgM antibody test. One patient was confirmed to have ZSH and the other patients were suspected of having ZSH. All the patients were treated for postherpetic neuralgia, resulting in a significant decrease in the intercostal neuralgia.
Cicatrix ; Fractures, Compression ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Neuralgia* ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Zoster Sine Herpete

Monoclonal gammopathy occurs in one-third of the patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT lymphoma). However, monoclonal gammopathy has been rarely reported in Korea. Paraprotenemia accompanying MALT lymphoma is strongly correlated with involvement of the bone marrow, and this involvement leads to the progression of the disease. Here, we present a case of a 66-yr-old man diagnosed with IgM monoclonal gammopathy and stage IV extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of the small intestine, with the involvement of the bone marrow.
Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Bone Marrow/pathology ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M/analysis ; Intestinal Neoplasms/complications/drug therapy/*pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/complications/drug therapy/*pathology ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paraproteinemias/blood/complications/*pathology ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was performed to investigate the clinical and serological characteristics of toxocariasis in the Pohang region. METHODS: A total of 145 patients with peripheral eosinophilia (> 450 cells/microL) were enrolled and divided into two groups based on Toxocara excretory-secretory IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) positivity, and the clinical features and serologic markers were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The seropositive rate of Toxocara was 62.1%. The serum total eosinophils (p = 0.038), total IgE level (p < 0.01), Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) seropositivity rate (p < 0.01), frequency of eosinophilic tissue infiltration in the lung or liver (p < 0.01), and ingestion of raw cow meat or liver (p < 0.01) were higher in seropositive patients than in seronegative patients. However, the presence of asthma and rhinitis (p < 0.01) were more frequent in seronegative patients. Among seropositive patients, positive correlations were observed between serum total IgE, total eosinophils, and the optical density value of the Toxocara IgG ELISA (p < 0.01; p = 0.015, respectively). The specific IgE to Df was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp), suggesting a cross reaction between the Df antigen and the Toxocara antigen. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have elevated serum total IgE and have eosinophilia without allergic disease might have toxocariasis. The lower frequency of asthma or rhinitis and a tendency for higher specific IgE to Df than that to Dp could be useful findings for the diagnosis of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia.
Asthma ; Cross Reactions ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Eating ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Liver ; Lung ; Meat ; Pyroglyphidae ; Rhinitis ; Toxocara ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocariasis

Primary erythromelalgia is a rare condition that's characterized by erythema, an increased skin temperature and burning pain in the extremities. The pain is often very severe, and treating erythromelalgia is frustrating and difficult. We report here on the case of a 12-year old girl with primary erythromelalgia in both lower extremities. The pain was refractory to medical treatment, but a bilateral sympathetic block with lidocaine and triamcinolone resulted in relief from the pain. Our experience with this disease demonstrates that sympathetic blocks are effective in improving the symptoms and they may be attempted on erythromelalgia patients who do not respond to other treatments, including medication and epidural blocks.
Burns ; Erythema ; Erythromelalgia ; Extremities ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Lower Extremity ; Skin Temperature ; Triamcinolone

Steroid sulfatase (STS) is an enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of aryl and alkyl sulfates. STS plays a pivotal role in the regulation of estrogens and androgens that promote the growth of hormone-dependent tumors, such as those of breast or prostate cancer. However, the molecular function of STS in tumor growth is still not clear. To elucidate the role of STS in cancer cell proliferation, we investigated whether STS is able to regulate the integrin signaling pathway. We found that overexpression of STS in HeLa cells increases the protein and mRNA levels of integrin β1 and fibronectin, a ligand of integrin α5β1. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), one of the main metabolites of STS, also increases mRNA and protein expression of integrin β1 and fibronectin. Further, STS expression and DHEA treatment enhanced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) at the Tyr 925 residue. Moreover, increased phosphorylation of ERK at Thr 202 and Tyr 204 residues by STS indicates that STS activates the MAPK/ERK pathway. In conclusion, these results suggest that STS expression and DHEA treatment may enhance MAPK/ERK signaling through up-regulation of integrin β1 and activation of FAK.
Androgens ; Breast ; Cell Proliferation ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Estrogens ; Fibronectins ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; HeLa Cells ; Humans* ; Hydrolysis ; Phosphorylation ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; RNA, Messenger ; Steryl-Sulfatase* ; Sulfates ; Up-Regulation ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*