No abstract available.
Humans ; Mothers*

PURPOSE: Prolonged fetal hypoxia stimulates erythropoiesis in fetal life and induces increased nucleated erythrocytes(NRBC) counts at the early newborn period. To evaluate the relationship between prolonged fetal hypoxia and neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and the prediction of neonatal IVH by neonatal NRBC. METHODS: We compared the daily courses of the absolute NRBC count in preterm new- boms at 34 weeks' gestation or earlier with(n=17) and without(n=20) IVH for 7 days of life. RESULTS: Absolute NRBC counts at birth were higher in neonates with IVH than in control neonates(2,499/mm3+/-3,748 and 412/mm3+/-272, respectively, P=0.0022). The cut-off value of 1,000/mm3 for absolute NRBC counts at birth showed the best parameter estimate of the predictive model for IVH at early newborn period with 100% of positive predictive value and 74.1% of negative predictive value. CONCLUSION: Prolonged fetal hypoxia inducing fetal erythropoiesis near labor is closely related to IVH at early newborn period. Thabsolute NRBC counts at birth is the very important predictable marker for the condition.
Erythroblasts* ; Erythropoiesis ; Fetal Hypoxia ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Parturition ; Pregnancy

To observe the change in the status of stresses according to three different postural angulation of an intervertebral disc with or without nucleus pulposus, 6 specimens of a 3-dimensional photoelastic model of the spine were made of epoxy. The nucleus pulposus portion was replaced with silicon in three models, and the three were made without silicon. Through axial application of a vertical compressive load of 8 kg, the peculiar patterns of the isochromatic fringes were observed. Stresses on the intervertebral disc were analyzed according to three different postural angulations of the intervertebral disc with the nucleus pulposus and without the nucleus pulposus. The results of these study are as follow: 1. In an erect neutral posture with the nucleus pulposus, the stress concentration was much increased at the posterior portion rather than at the anterior portion. Also, the high stress was concentrated at the medial and central portion. In an erect neutral posture without the nucleus pulposus, the stress concentration was much increased at the anterior portion rather than at the posterior portion and the stress distribution seemed to be locally concentrated. 2. In a maximal flexed posture, the stress concentration was much increased at the posterior portion rather than at the anterior portion. Comparing the presence of the nucleus pulposus with the absence of the nucleus pulposus, the stress concentration was lower at the anterior portion in the presence of the nucleus pulposus than in the absence of the nucleus pulposus. However, the stress distribution at the posterior portion was nearly same in the two groups. According to the analysis of the stress distribution diagram, as a whole, the stress pattern around the disc was evenly distributed. 3. In a maximal extended posture, the higher concentration of the stress distribution at the anterior and medial portion rather than in the posterior and lateral portion was observed. The stress concentration was higher in the presence of the nucleus pulposus than in the absence of the nucleus pulposus. 4. Comparing the maximal flexed posture with the erect neutral posture, the stress concentration in the flexed posture was much decreased in the posterior portion rather than in the erect neutral posture, and an even distribution of the stress pattern in the flexed posture was observed. 5. In the presence of the nucleus pulposus, at the anterior and posterior portion, the stress concentration in the flexed posture was much decreased compared with the extended posture. In the absence of the nucleus pulposus, at the anterior and posterior portion, the stress concentration in the extended posture was much decreased compared with the flexed posture.
Intervertebral Disc* ; Posture ; Silicon ; Spine

No abstract available.

We treated three cases of bone tumors-giant cell tumor, chondroblastoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma-with a custom-made prosthetic replacement. The patients were followed from 10 months to 18 months, postoperatively. The results of these study are as follows: 1. Satisfactory anatomic restoration 2. Early ambulation 3. Good function 4. Biomechanically sound reconstruction
Chondroblastoma ; Early Ambulation ; Humans

This study was performed in order to evaluate the sero-epidemiological status of toxoplasmosis in pregnant Korean women. Among 5, 175 sera and 750 amniotic fluid samples obtained from pregnant women, 41 serum samples (0.79%) and 10 (1.33%) amniotic fluid samples tested positive for IgG antibodies by ELISA. Fifty one cases showing a score more than 0.25 on ELISA were tested for PCR reaction against the SAG1 gene. Only one case of the 51 ELISA positive cases exhibited a positive reaction on all tests. This case had a history of acute nephropyelitis during early pregnancy, but fortunately, had delivered a phenotypically healthy baby. In this study, the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women was found to be comparatively low, consistent with previous reports from Korea. However our trials, performed with a variety of diagnostic tools, were considered to be useful for the precise diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis.
Adult ; Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications/diet therapy/*epidemiology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/*immunology ; Toxoplasmosis/*epidemiology

BACKGROUNDS: This study was investigated for assessing of the sedative dose of midazolam and its influence on neonatal Apgar score that intravenously injected immediately before operation during epidural anesthesia for cesarean section. METHODS: Midazolam, 1 mg, was given into a freely running IV line every 30s 2 min after 2 mg of midazolam was initiately injected. Ten seconds prior to each injection patients were asked to open the eye. No response, as determined by the anesthesiologists, to three promptly repeated and increasingly louder commands was considered the end-point for the study and no further midazolam was given. RESULTS: The sedative dose of midazolam in our study was 3.3 1.1 mg and interindividual variation (range: 2~7 mg) were wide. Respiratory depression was occurred in one of pregnant women with midazolam. All of the Apgar scores of the newborn infants at 1 and 5 min in both groups were higher than seven. CONCLUSIONS: When the intravenous injection of midazolam for sedation immediately before operation is required in pregnant women during epidural anesthesia for cesarean section, we would like to suggest that one should initiately administer the small dose and then inject the incremental dose with careful observation of the respiratory status.
Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Apgar Score ; Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Injections, Intravenous ; Midazolam* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Running

The birth of conjoined twins remains an extremely rare event. Most of such twins are stillborn and one third of the live births die within first day of life. In Korea, there are only three reports on the anesthesia for separation of different kinds of conjoined twins. In view of anesthesia for separation of such twins prematurity, low birth weight, and anomalous shared organ play the major role on the perioperative morbidity and mortality. Such anesthesia therefore is one of the exceedingly complex fields among the pediatric anesthesia and require mobilization of all possible methods and monitoring devices used for pediatric anesthesia. We performed careful preoperative evaluation of extent of joining, discussion and rehearsal of separation procedure between separation team, and anesthetic care such as all possible monitoring, preservation of body temperature, appropriate fluid therapy, awake intubation, avoid neuromuscular blockers, and thorough separation of duty. The separated twins showed normal weight gain postoperatively and discharged postoperative 31th day without any complications.
Anesthesia* ; Body Temperature ; Fluid Therapy ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intubation ; Korea ; Live Birth ; Mortality ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents ; Parturition ; Twins, Conjoined ; Weight Gain

The posterior lumbar interbody fusion not only has the advantage of avoiding collapse of the motion segment, it also accomplishes wide decompression of all neural components and distraction of the interverteral disc space. The modified technique of posterior lumbar interbody fusion with preservation of facet and cortical plate alleviates postoperative slippage and settlement. And also, modern improvements in operative illumination, better control of epidural hemorrhage by proper positioning of the patient, and the use of Surgicel as a tamponade in retracting epidural veins and dura definitely improve the technical feasibility of PLIF. Recently we encountered 3 cases of PLIF and the postoperative results were excellent.
Decompression ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lighting ; Low Back Pain ; Veins

No abstract available.
Humans ; Risk Factors*