OBJECTIVE: To compare the degree of change of current perception threshold (CPT) results with the degree of nerve conduction study (NCS) change and evaluate the effectiveness of the CPT in following up patients who went through operation for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHOD: Twenty hands with CTS were examined with CPT and NCS, before, 2 weeks after and 2 months after operation. In the CPT, the threshold of the median nerve was measured, in the NCS, amplitude and latency of the median nerve was measured. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the severity by NCS results and into 2 groups according to the subjective perception of improvement. RESULTS: The subjects mean age was 51.4. Changes of NCS results in amplitude and latency showed no statistical relevance. CPT study result changes demonstrated to be statistically significant. Improvement of CPT results seen in the period of 2 weeks and 2 months and the initial first 2 weeks showed no difference. Change of CPT results showed correlation not in accordance with the severity of the NCS study, but with the symptomatic improvement of the patients. CONCLUSION: CPT can be an effective tool in evaluating the improvement of symptoms and may be used as a follow up tool in patients with CTS.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hand ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Neural Conduction

OBJECTIVE: We tried to make real time observation of the ulnar nerve with elbows in an extended and flexed state at 100 degrees. METHOD: We examined 58 elbows of 29 healthy volunteers. The participants were symptomless and showed normal conduction across the elbow. The transducer was applied between the line connecting medial epicondyle and olecranon. We measured the distances between the center of nerve, medial epicondyle, olecranon, skin, and investigated the flattening ratio with elbows extended. Afterwards, we repeated the measurement with the elbows flexed at 100 degrees. We classified the position of the nerves into three groups according to the flexed position. We used the Okamoto classification. RESULTS: The distance between nerve and skin, between nerve and medial epicondyle was 0.57+/-0.11 cm, 0.83+/-0.15 cm, with the elbow extended. But with the elbow flexed, the distance decreased to a value of 0.45+/-0.11 cm, 0.64+/-0.25 cm, respectively. The flattening ratio was 0.52+/-0.13 at extension, and 0.31+/-0.11 at flexion. Subluxation and dislocation of the ulnar nerve were seen in 20.7% and 5.2% respectively. With the elbow flexed, the ulnar nerve moved anteromedially and superficially in the dislocated group. CONCLUSION: With the elbow flexed, the ulnar nerve moves superficially and medially, and the flattening ratio is greater when the elbow is extended.
Classification ; Dislocations ; Elbow Joint* ; Elbow* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Olecranon Process ; Skin ; Transducers ; Ulnar Nerve* ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the degree of injury and patterns of recovery according to the severity and degree of ischemia-reperfusion. METHOD: Fifty-three rats were divided into 2 groups by degree of ischemia using ultrasonography. Each group was subdivided into 1 and 3-hours ischemia groups. Baseline recordings were performed, and ligation of the femoral vessels were done. Reperfusion process was done. Nerve conduction study (NCS), Sciatic Function Index (SFI) and histologic study were used. RESULTS: NCS parameters of the less than 3 hours incomplete insult group showed normal value. More than 1 hour of complete insult induced peripheral nerve injury. On first day and week, amplitude of NCS was small in 3-hour group. Muscle fiber diameter was less in 3-hour group. Although NCS parameters did not reach normal values on 4th week, 3-hour group showed smaller amplitudes. SFI returned to normal level at 4th week. Reperfusion injury was observed by electromyography. CONCLUSION: Less than 3 hours of partial ischemia/ reperfusion did not result in any form of injury whereas more than 1 hour of complete insult resulted in peripheral nerve injury with greater injury seen in 3 hour insult group. Neurological recovery was not achieved at 4 th week, and the more severe the ischemia, the poorer was the recovery.
Animals ; Electromyography ; Ischemia ; Ligation ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Rats* ; Reference Values ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Study was designed preliminarily to observe the accordance of caregivers strain and depression with other factors such as sex of the patient, caregiver, lesion side, Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score and Beck's Depression Index (BDI). METHOD: We composed a questionnaire with BDI, and the Sense of Competence Questionnaire (SCQ) in order to evaluate the amount of stress and depression of caregivers. Evaluation of the patient was done by interviewing them along with reviewing their medical records and obtaining scores such as the MMSE, Functional Inependence Index (FIM) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). RESULTS: BDI of the caregivers showed a negative correlation with the patients' age. Lesion side nor age, nor the prevalence of hemiplegia of patients did not show statistical relevance with the strain that the caregiver felt. The first subscale of SCQ showed a positive correlation with the caregiving time that the caregiver gave. In accordance to the sex of the caregiver, females showed to spend more time with the patient, showed to be more unsatisfied with the patient but showed a tendency of lesser SCQ score. CONCLUSION: Depression, strain and burden that the caregivers went through showed to have slight correlation with the patient and caregiver factors.
Caregivers* ; Depression* ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mental Competency ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Although secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) is a very important substance in the defence mechanism of respiratory and nasal mucosa, research on its expression in the olfactory mucosa and differences according to development is limited. Therefore, we planned to uncover the sites of sIgA expression in the olfactory mucosa as well as changes in its expression depending on the developmental progress of mice. Our results showed the expression of sIgA in the mucus layer, the Bowman's gland, some of the blood cells and secretory ducts of the olfactory mucosa, and these findings were relatively consistent from gestational day 15 through to the adult stage. The different findings between the gestational day 15 specimens and others include a positive reaction in the Bowman's gland for gestational day 15 specimens. Therefore, we would like to predict with caution that the Immunologic regulation of mice should be completed at least after the 15th gestational day.
Adult ; Animals ; Blood Cells ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory* ; Mice* ; Mucus ; Nasal Mucosa ; Olfactory Mucosa*

Sialic acid residues are constant constituents of the glycoproteins of the airways in all species. Sialoglycoproteins are the main acidic glycoprotein and their functions are to mediate cell adherence, to control the viscoelasticity of mucus and to serve as receptor sites for the binding of exogenous macromolecules. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the distribution of sialoglycoproteins as a terminal sugar and in the composition of the penultimate sugar according to aging in the murine nasal respiratory and olfactory mucosa. Nasal cavities of mice (BALB/c) were fixed by intracardiac perfusion with 2.0% glutaraldehyde and embedded in Epon 812. First, the serial sections were stained with Maackia amurensis agglutinin (MAA) and Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA). Then, the adjacent sections were stained with DBA and PNA before and after neuraminidase digestion in all experimental groups. Apical cell surfaces of olfactory mucosa and cilia on a few ciliated cells in the mucosa of the septum and nasal floor were labelled with MAA, but cell surfaces of respiratory mucosa, Bowman's glands and goblet cells were not labelled with MAA, irrespective of aging. Apical cell surfaces of both olfactory and respiratory mucosa and Bowman's glands were stained with SNA, however, goblet cells were not labelled with SNA. After neuraminidase digestion to remove terminal sialic acid residues of sialoglycoproteins, only cell surfaces of respiratory mucosa were labelled with PNA, but goblet cells, cell surfaces of olfactory mucosa and Bowman's glands were not labelled with PNA. Cell surfaces and Bowman's glands of olfactory mucosa were labelled with DBA after neuraminidase digestion, but cell surfaces of respiratory mucosa and goblet cells were not labelled with DBA. Our results indicate that there were different carbohydrate structures of sialoglycoconjugates in olfactory and respiratory mucosa, and it was not influenced by aging.
Aging/metabolism* ; Animal ; Carbohydrates/analysis* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nasal Mucosa/chemistry* ; Olfactory Mucosa/chemistry* ; Sialoglycoproteins/analysis*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Nasal Mucosa*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the median nerve compression with ultrasonography before and after the carpal tunnel release and to assess the correlation between electrophysiologic findings and ultrasonographic findings of the median nerve. METHOD: We studied 50 hands of 29 patients diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome electrophysiologically and 20 hands of 19 asymptomatic controls. We evaluated the flattening ratio and compression ratio through the short axis and long axis of the median nerve by ultrasonography before carpal tunnel release, 2 weeks and 3 months after release. The correlation of the improvement between the eletrophysiologic findings and compression ratio was analyzed. RESULTS: The compression ratio of the median nerve was decreased significantly after carpal tunnel release, compared with that before release. The decrease of the compression ratio correlated with the improvement of the electrophysiologic findings significantly. CONCLUSION: The ultrasonography is useful to follow up the median nerve after carpal tunnel release
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Electrodiagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Humans ; Median Nerve* ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to assess the ulnar nerve using ultrasonographic measures at the elbow in patients with cubital tunnel syndrome. METHOD: We examined 20 healthy men as control and 10 patients with cubital tunnel syndrome. We measured the short, long axis and area of ulnar nerve with the shoulder abducted at 60o and elbow fully extended posture in prone position. The mean age of control and patients were 46.4 (30-60) years old and 48.8 (30-61) years old, respectively. RESULTS: In normal group, the size of ulnar nerve at medial epicondyle, 5 cm proximal to medial epicondyle and 5 cm distal to medial epicondyle was 4.0x2.0 mm, 6.2 mm2, 3.7x 2.1 mm, 5.8 mm2 and 3.7x2.0 mm, 6.0 mm2 respectively, where as in the patients group, it was 5.7x2.9 mm, 13.1 mm2, 5.2x3.1 mm, 12.7 mm2 and 4.7x2.8 mm, 10.2 mm2 respectively. In cubital tunnel syndrome, the size of ulnar nerve was smaller in the distal portion of the medial epicondyle compared to the size measured at proximal or medial epicondyle. There was significant differences between the size of the ulnar nerve in controls and patients with cubital tunnel syndrome (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The ultrasonography can accurately detect the morphologic changes in the ulnar nerve, so it will be useful in diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cubital Tunnel Syndrome* ; Diagnosis ; Elbow ; Humans ; Male ; Posture ; Prone Position ; Shoulder ; Ulnar Nerve* ; Ultrasonography