We have experienced a rare case of leukemic lesion(chloroma) in the lower spinal canal which was confirmed by the surgery and histologic examination of the tumor. A farmer, aged 39, was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, St. Paul Hospital in December 1974 with chief complaints of low back pain with radiating pain in the right lower extremity and voiding difficulty for one month. On admission, neurologically, the patient exhibited weakness of the right anterior tibialis, extensor hallucis longus and peroneus longus and brevis muscles and sensory involvement of the right third, fourth and fifth sacral dermatomes. He was disclosed the positive signs of the Naffziger's and Lasegue's and severe tenderness on the spinous process of the fifth lumbar and first sacral vertebrae. Lumbar myelogram demonstrated a total block at lower level of the fifth lumbar vertebra and a filling defect of the right fifth lumbar root area. Through the laminectomy of fourth lumbar to first sacral lamina, an extradural greenish soft mass located at the ventral aspect of the right fifth lumbar to upper sacral roots, and the mass was removed. The biopsy specimen disclosed chloroma with leukemic infiltration of the meninges.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Leukemic Infiltration ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Meninges ; Muscles ; Neurosurgery ; Sarcoma, Myeloid ; Spinal Canal* ; Spine

It is established that intracranial hemorrhage is relatively common benign intracranial diseases in adult. This is very rare in children reports are limited to a few cases or to those cited in reviews of series of intracranial hemorrhage in adult group. We wish to report three cases of large intracranial hematoma in three infants. The diagnosis was greatly facilitated by the CT scan and the treatment did by the microsurgical methods.
Adult ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Infant ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We have experienced a case of suprasellar germinoma metastasized to the lumbar spinal canal. A 22-year-old man was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital May, 1975 with complaints of low back pain, progressive weakness of both lower extremities and voiding difficulty for about one month. About 7 months ago he received craniotomy and irradiation therapy for suprasellar germinoma. Neurological examination revealed foot drop on the left side with sensory change and atonic neurogenic bladder. Pantopaque myelogram showed a total block at the level of the 3 rd lumbar vertebra suggestive an epidural mass compressing dural sac posteriolaterally. Total laminectomy of lumbar first to fifth vertebrae disclosed a firm, rubbery hard and vascular mass in the epidural space, which was not adherent to the dura. Histological examination of the tumor revealed typical germinoma. Pathogenesis of geminoma and possible mode of epidural metastasis are discussed.
Craniotomy ; Epidural Space* ; Foot ; Germinoma* ; Humans ; Iophendylate ; Laminectomy ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neurologic Examination ; Spinal Canal* ; Spine ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at evaluating the significance of blood pressure (BP) load in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in obese children and adolescents. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: ABPM was conducted for 60 selected patients who had visited Sunlin Hospital between January 2008 and August 2008. Patients were classified into 3 groups; an obese group whose body mass index (BMI) was > the 95th percentile, an overweight group whose BMI was > the 85th percentile but less than the 95th percentile, and a normal group whose BMI was below the 85th percentile. Overall mean BP, day and night BP and BP load were measured by ABPM. RESULTS: Of the 60 patients, twenty-seven children belonged to the obese group, 9 and 24 to the overweight and the normal group, respectively. Among the three groups, the overall average systolic and diastolic BP, daytime diastolic BP, and systolic BP loads in daytime and nighttime were statistically different. Comparing the obese group with the normal group, systolic BP loads in daytime and nighttime in the obese group were significantly higher than those in the normal group. Also, the obese group had more patients whose BP loads were over 25% greater than the normal group while the difference in the number of patients with overall hypertension was not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Assessment of children's BP through assessment of BP load is a more detailed and precise tool than assessment through mean BP using ABPM and BP can be better controlled using measurement of BP load.
Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Obesity ; Overweight

The introduction of the operating microscope improved not only the immediate operative management of cerebral aneurysms, but also the knowledge of their topography. The origin and projection of an aneurysm and its relation to the arteries concerned, identification and sparing of small functionally important arteries in the vicinity of the aneurysm, and the recognition of less known anomalies of the vascular system became as important as the dissection and clipping of the neck itself. We have presented 2 patients with aneurysms arising from the carotid artery in the origin of the ophthalmic artery. The origins and projections of aneurysms were analyzed with the aid of angiography, magnification technique, operative drawing and photographs. To facilitate the surgical procedures and results in lowered morbidity we have discussed the technical considerations for medialward directing aneurysm under the optic nerve in the view point of the surgical anatomy. We emphasized preoperatively defined plans concerning the origin, direction and size of the aneurysms, as well as, constant awareness of topographic relations.
Aneurysm* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Carotid Arteries ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Neck ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Optic Nerve*

We have experienced 43 cases of the hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage who were admitted to the Catholic medical Center, Seoul from November 1969 to February 1973. All these cases were diagnosed by clinical findings and cerebral angiography and assessed the prognostic factors on the result of treatment. The results of the analysis were summarized as follows: 1. Age distribution was ranged from 26 to 67, and 79 per cent of them were in fourth and fifth decade. The ratio of male to female was about 3 to 1. 2. The most frequent site of the hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage was in the basal ganglia in 76.7 per cent, 27.2 percent of them in the thalamic hemorrhage and 39.5 per cent in the external capsular hemorrhage. The remainder were 9.3 per cent in the subcortical hemorrhage, 11.6 per cent in the pontine hemorrhage and 2.4 per cent in the cerebellar hemorrhage. 3. In the past history, hypertension was noted in 88.3 per cent of them. Simple chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly in 58.1 per cent and left ventricular hypertrophy was found in 41.1 per cent on E.C.G. findings. 4. All of 43 cases had unconscious state with various level at the onset of illness. For 43 cases, 46.5 per cent was in transient impairment of consciousness or drowsy state and 53.6 per cent in stuporous or comatous state. Headache was experienced in 81.3 per cent and 58.1 per cent of them was associated with vomiting. 5. During hospital course improvement of conscious level to alert state was found in 25.6 per cent and drowsy state in 18.6 per cent of all cases. On the aspect of the site of hemorrhage, 81.3 % of the thalamic hemorrhage and all pontine hemmorhage cases had shown stuporous or comatous conscious level. On the other hand, 70.6 per cent of the external capsular hemorrhage and all of the subcortical hemorrhage was found in alert or drowsy state. 6. On the neurological findings, anisocoria was noted in 18.8 per cent, miotic pupil in 20.7 per cent of all cases and pin-point pupils in pontine hemorrhage exclusively. Normal extraocular movement was noted in 60.4 per cent, conjugate deviation in 9.7 per cent of all cases. Inward and downward deviation of the eye-ball was found in 50 per cent of the thalamic hemorrhage. Dissociated eye-ball movement and occular bobbing were noted in the pontine hemorrhage. Motor impairment developed in all cases except one of the subcortical hemorrhage. Hemiplegia or hemiparesis was noted in 86.1 per cent of all cases and quadriplegia in 60 per cent of the pontine hemorrhage. Speech disturbance was noted in 27.9 per cent of all cases. 7. In the hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage 24 cases were treated surgically and 19 cases were managed conservatively. Mortality and disability rate increased steadily with deepening of level of consciousness. The result of surgical treatment was better in alert and drowsy patients. 8. In addition to conscious level, the site of intracerebral hemorrhage did strongly influence to surgical outcome. Surgical treatment of 9 cases of thalamic hemorrhage resulted 8 death and one with severe disability. On the other hand, of 17 patients of the external capsular hemorrhage 12 were treated surgically and 8 cases showed improvement. 5 patients of pontine hemorrhage was managed conservatively but resulted fatal outcome in 2 cases. 9. There is a conflict of opinion as to the optimal time to operate the hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage. Early surgery after ictus probably increase the mortality rate. Of 10 cases who were treated with surgical intervention within 48 hours following ictus, seven cases were succumbed. On the contrary, 0f 12 cases who had received operative treatment after 72 hours following ictus, 9 showed improvement and 3 death. 10. The amount of the hematoma seem to somewhat influence to surgical result.
Age Distribution ; Anisocoria ; Basal Ganglia ; Cardiomegaly ; Cerebral Angiography ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Consciousness ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Hand ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Hemiplegia ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Hypertensive* ; Male ; Mortality ; Paresis ; Pupil ; Quadriplegia ; Seoul ; Stupor ; Thorax ; Unconsciousness ; Vomiting

The intracranial arachnoid cyst is distinctly uncommon and they have unusual clinical course. The plain skull series were usually shown bulging of the overlying skull due to progressive collection of cerebrospinal fluid in cystic cavity. Pre-operative diagnosis is unlikely to be made. The predilection sites of this lesion are usually convexity of hemisphere, cisterna chiasmaticus, especiaily forebrain along the axis of main cerebral artery. The authors report a case of intracranial arachnoid cyst arisen along the Sylvian fissure combined chronic subdural hematoma follwoing sustained mild head injury. The pathologic diagnosis was arachnoid cyst, since the removed cyst wall was normal arachnoid tissue.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoid Cysts* ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cerebral Arteries ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Diagnosis ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Prosencephalon ; Skull

Spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage is classically considered a rare and fatal disease because the early diagnosis is very rarely made during the life, and there is scant mention of the problems of spontaneous hemorrhage into the cerebellar hemisphere. However our opinions indicate that its frequency is greater than is generally thought although it is considered a rare lesion. The purpose of this paper is to record our present opinions concerning the possible early diagnosis and surgical management of the spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage. We believe that it is possible by clinical examination alone to make or strongly suspect the diagnosis in life during the early stage before irreversible damage occurs and that emergency surgical intervention is strongly indicated. The patients is a 38 year old man admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Catholic Medical Center on Nov 3, 1976 with severe headache, vomiting, dysarthria and mental confusion. On examination, he was disclosed mental confusion, repeated vomiting, constricred pupil, horizontal nystagmus, inability to stand, dysarthria and neck stiffness. We confirmed the diagnosis under the cerebellar hemorrhage involving the cerebellar vermis and both cerebellar hemispheres by means of vertebral and carotid angiography, conray ventriculography, and cerebrospinal fluid examination. We underwent suboccipital craniectomy with the evacuation of hematoma at the vermis and both cerebellar hemispheres after 48 hours of onset of illness and his postoperative course was good except for mild cerebellar dysfunction signs and he was discharged on 45th hospital days.
Adult ; Angiography ; Cerebellar Diseases ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Diagnosis ; Dysarthria ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Neck ; Neurosurgery ; Nystagmus, Pathologic ; Pupil ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured* ; Cerebral Veins* ; Veins*

We performed experiments to study the effects of acutely increased inracranial pressure on cereral gas metabolism. The results and findings were reported to The Journal of Catholic Medical College,(Vol. 24) 1973. We thereafter evaluated cerebral gas metabolism of fifty patients with acute cerebral lesions. Cerebral gas metabolism was measured by determining the pO2, pCO2, and pH values of arterial and venous blood and of the cerebrospinal fluid. Samplings of venous blood were obtained from the internal jugular vein. In the determination of the pH, pO2 and pCO2 of arterial and venous blood and cerebro-spinal fluid, the "Radiometer BMS 3 with Digital Acid-Base Analyser PHM 72" was used. These 50 patients had their gas metabolism measured at interval of 2 or 3 days, from the time of their admission to the time of either their recovery or death. The following observations were made 1. The 50 patients studied and observed included. a) Brain contusion 13 cases. b) Epidural or subdural hematoma 11 cases. c) Skull fracture 10 cases. d) Intracerebral hemorrhage 5 cases. e) Scalp laceration 1 cases. f) Arteriovenous malformation or cerebral rete 5 cases. g) Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage 1 cases. h) Intracranial aneurysm 4 cases. 2. There 50 patients have been subdivided according to level of consciousness as follows: a) Group A-Those who were alert with no neurological deficit. b) Group B-Those who were drowsy with mild neurological deficit. c) Group C-Those who were stuporous with severe neurological deficit. d) Group D-Those who were in coma. 3. It was observed that the pH, pO2, and pCO2 content of the arterial and venous blood and cerebrospinal fluid of those in Group A were within normal ranges. 4. Many cases classified under Group B had respiratory alkalosis of the arterial blood. However those who recovered or became worse revealed no noticeable changes in the cerebral gas metabolism studies. 5. Many cases classified under Group C had respiratory alkalosis in their arterial blood but only a few showed metabolic acidosis in the cerebrospinal fluid. However the patients who became worse manifested a marked metabolic acidosis in the cerebrospinal fluid. 6. Several patients in Group D had severe respiratory alkalosis as well as metabolic alkalosis in their arterial blood and marked metabolic acidosis in the their cerebrospinal fluid. 7. "Luxury perfusion syndrome" was not seen in any of the fifty cases studied. 8. Only a few cases manifested arterial hypoxemia in the all group. We believe this was due to the fact that tracheostomy and hyperventilation were done in the early stages with the aim of reducing the raised intracranial pressure.
Acidosis ; Alkalosis ; Alkalosis, Respiratory ; Anoxia ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Brain Injuries ; Brain* ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Coma ; Consciousness ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperventilation ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Intracranial Pressure ; Jugular Veins ; Lacerations ; Metabolism ; Perfusion ; Reference Values ; Scalp ; Skull Fractures ; Stupor ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Traumatic ; Tracheostomy