OBJECTIVE: Although a high incidence of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) following traumatic subdural hygroma (SDG) has been reported, no study has evaluated risk factors for the development of CSDH. Therefore, we analyzed the risk factors contributing to formation of CSDH in patients with traumatic SDG. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients admitted to Hallym University Hospital with traumatic head injury from January 2004 through December 2013. A total of 45 patients with these injuries in which traumatic SDG developed during the follow-up period were analyzed. All patients were divided into two groups based on the development of CSDH, and the associations between the development of CSDH and independent variables were investigated. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients suffered from bilateral SDG, whereas 14 had unilateral SDG. Follow-up computed tomography scans revealed regression of SDG in 25 of 45 patients (55.6%), but the remaining 20 patients (44.4%) suffered from transition to CSDH. Eight patients developed bilateral CSDH, and 12 patients developed unilateral CSDH. Hemorrhage-free survival rates were significantly lower in the male and bilateral SDG group (log-rank test; p=0.043 and p=0.013, respectively). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed male (OR, 7.68; 95% CI 1.18–49.78; p=0.033) and bilateral SDG (OR, 8.04; 95% CI 1.41–45.7; p=0.019) were significant risk factors for development of CSDH. CONCLUSION: The potential to evolve into CSDH should be considered in patients with traumatic SDG, particularly male patients with bilateral SDG.
Craniocerebral Trauma ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Subdural Effusion* ; Survival Rate

Contrast-induced encephalopathy after cerebral angiography is a rare complication and until now, only few cases have been reported. This paper reports on contras-induced encephalopathy mimicking meningoencephalitis after cerebral angiography by using iodixanol, an iso-osmolar non-ionic contrast agent. A 58-year-old woman underwent cerebral angiography for the evaluation of multiple intracranial aneurysms. A few hours later, she had persistent headache, vomiting, fever, and seizures. Brain computed tomography (CT) showed sulcal obliteration of right cerebral hemisphere and cerebrospinal fluid profile was unremarkable. The next day, she developed left side hemiparesis, sensory loss, and left-sided neglect with drowsy mentality. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cerebral swelling with leptomeningeal enhancement in the right parieto-occipital lobe without sign of ischemia or hemorrhage. The patient was managed with intravenous dexamethasone, mannitol and anticonvulsant. There was a progressive neurological improvement with complete resolution of the symptoms at day 6. This observation highlights that contrast-induced encephalopathy can be caused by an iso-osmolar non-ionic contrast agent. This rare entity should be suspected if neurologic deterioration after cerebral angiography is not explained by other frequent causes such as acute infarction or hemorrhage.
Angiography ; Brain ; Brain Diseases* ; Cerebral Angiography* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cerebrum ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Ischemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mannitol ; Meningoencephalitis ; Middle Aged ; Paresis ; Seizures ; Vomiting

Objective: : The adaptive immune response following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is not well understood. We evaluated and compared the T cell receptor (TCR) immune repertoire of good-grade and poor-grade SAH patients to elucidate the T cell immunology after ictus. Methods: : Peripheral blood from six SAH patients was collected at two different times, admission and at the 7-day follow-up. Composition and variation of the TCR β-chain (TCRB) complimentary determining regions (CDR) 3 repertoire was examined using high-throughput sequencing; the analysis was based on sampling time and disease severity (good vs. poor-grade SAH). Results: : Clonality at admission and follow-up were 0.059 (0.037–0.038) and 0.027 (0.014–0.082) (median, 25th–75th percentile). Poor-grade SAH (0.025 [0.011–0.038]) was associated with significantly lower clonality than good-grade SAH (0.095 [0.079–0.101]). Poor-grade SAH patients had higher diversity scores than good-grade SAH patients. CDR length was shorter in good-grade SAH vs. poor-grade SAH. Differences in clonotype distribution were more prominent in TCRBV gene segments than TCRBJ segments. TCRBV19-01/TCRBJ02-04 and TCRBV28-01/TCRBJ02-04 were the most increased and the most decreased V-J pairs in the 7-day follow-up compared to admission in good-grade SAH. The most increased and decreased V-J pairs in poor-grade SAH patients were TCRBV28-01/TCRBJ02-06 and TCRBV30-01/TCRBJ02-04, respectively. Conclusion : The TCRB repertoire is dynamic in nature following SAH. TCRB repertoire may facilitate our understanding of adaptive immune response according to SAH severity.

Objective: : The adaptive immune response following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is not well understood. We evaluated and compared the T cell receptor (TCR) immune repertoire of good-grade and poor-grade SAH patients to elucidate the T cell immunology after ictus. Methods: : Peripheral blood from six SAH patients was collected at two different times, admission and at the 7-day follow-up. Composition and variation of the TCR β-chain (TCRB) complimentary determining regions (CDR) 3 repertoire was examined using high-throughput sequencing; the analysis was based on sampling time and disease severity (good vs. poor-grade SAH). Results: : Clonality at admission and follow-up were 0.059 (0.037–0.038) and 0.027 (0.014–0.082) (median, 25th–75th percentile). Poor-grade SAH (0.025 [0.011–0.038]) was associated with significantly lower clonality than good-grade SAH (0.095 [0.079–0.101]). Poor-grade SAH patients had higher diversity scores than good-grade SAH patients. CDR length was shorter in good-grade SAH vs. poor-grade SAH. Differences in clonotype distribution were more prominent in TCRBV gene segments than TCRBJ segments. TCRBV19-01/TCRBJ02-04 and TCRBV28-01/TCRBJ02-04 were the most increased and the most decreased V-J pairs in the 7-day follow-up compared to admission in good-grade SAH. The most increased and decreased V-J pairs in poor-grade SAH patients were TCRBV28-01/TCRBJ02-06 and TCRBV30-01/TCRBJ02-04, respectively. Conclusion : The TCRB repertoire is dynamic in nature following SAH. TCRB repertoire may facilitate our understanding of adaptive immune response according to SAH severity.

Isolated symptomatic occlusion of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) is a rare condition and until date, only few cases regarding the revascularization of the ACA have been reported. This paper reports on successful attempt to revascularize the ACA using superficial temporal artery (STA) in patient with isolated symptomatic occlusion of the ACA. A 69-year-old man presented with several episodes of transient weakness involving left lower extremity. Cerebral angiography showed occlusion of the right ACA at the A2 segment. After medical treatment failure, the patient underwent STA-ACA bypass surgery. Subsequent to surgery, there was immediate disappearance of transient ischemic attack and follow-up angiography showed favorable revascularization of the ACA territory. Bypass surgery can be considered in the patients with symptomatic occlusion of the ACA, who have experienced failure in medical treatment.
Aged ; Angiography ; Anterior Cerebral Artery* ; Cerebral Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Lower Extremity ; Temporal Arteries* ; Treatment Failure

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of the effectiveness of traction thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO) in idiopathic scoliosis. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of traction TLSO and conventional TLSO. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW : No report has been published about longitudinal traction and lateral force before cast molding in the nonoperative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one cases of traction TLSO (group I) and 17 cases of conventional TLSO (group II) were studied. Traction TLSO was made as follows: 1. Cervical traction was applied to the patient standing under the frame with application of lateral force with compression pad. 2. Cast molding. 3. Fabrication of plastic jacket and application of pads. The mean age of group I was 12 years and of group II, 13 years. We evaluated the effectiveness of traction TLSO with Cobb`s angle reduction, trunk pain and dyspnea. Statistical analysis was made with SPSS. RESULTS: In group I, mean pre-brace Cobb`s angle was 31.1 degrees and in group II, 29.6 degrees. Flexibility of the curves was 78% and 75%, respectively. Mean reduction rate of Cobb`s angle after 3 days of brace application was 59.5% and 15.4%, respectively. One year later, reduction of Cobb`s angle was 15.4 degrees in group I and 2.7 degrees in group II. Reduction rate of Cobb`s angle after 1 year of brace application was 54.2% and 7.9%, respectively. Post-brace pain and dyspnea were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Traction TLSO was superior to conventional TLSO in terms of angle reduction, but was similar in subjective symptoms.
Braces ; Dyspnea ; Fungi ; Humans ; Orthotic Devices* ; Plastics ; Pliability ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis* ; Traction*

OBJECTIVE: Mechanical thrombectomies with balloon-guide catheters (BGC) are thought to improve successful recanalization rates and to decrease the incidence of distal emboli compared to thrombectomies without BGC. We aimed to assess the effects of BGC on the outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic strokes.METHODS: Studies from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library database from January 2010 to February 2018 were reviewed. Random effect model for meta-analysis was used. Analyses such as meta-regression and the “trim-and-fill” method were additionally carried out.RESULTS: A total of seven articles involving 2223 patients were analyzed. Mechanical thrombectomy with BGC was associated with higher rates of successful recanalization (odds ratio [OR], 1.632; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.293–2.059). BGC did not significantly decrease distal emboli, both before (OR, 0.404; 95% CI, 0.108–1.505) and after correcting for bias (adjusted OR, 1.165; 95% CI, 0.310–4.382). Good outcomes were observed more frequently in the BGC group (OR, 1.886; 95% CI, 1.564–2.273). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and mortality did not differ significantly with BGC use.CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that BGC enhance recanalization rates. However, BGC use did not decrease distal emboli after mechanical thrombectomies. This should be interpreted with caution due to possible publication bias and heterogeneity. Additional meta-analyses based on individual patient data are needed to clarify the role of BGC in mechanical thrombectomies.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Catheters ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Methods ; Mortality ; Population Characteristics ; Publication Bias ; Stroke ; Thrombectomy

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a procedure that has a risk of perioperative blood loss and allogeneic blood transfusion. The purpose of the present study was to compare the perioperative blood loss and transfusion rate between the 3-hour interval clamping and 12-hour interval clamping of closed suction drainage after simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (SBTKA). Methods: A total of 122 SBTKAs were enrolled in this retrospective study. A 3-hour clamping protocol was applied in 53 SBTKAs and a 12-hour clamping protocol was applied in 69 SBTKAs. The amount of perioperative blood loss, transfusion requirements, postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, the lowest hemoglobin and hematocrit levels during hospitalization, readmission within 90 days, and clinical outcomes were compared between the 3-hour clamping group and the 12-hour clamping group. Results: The 12-hour clamping group had fewer patients requiring transfusion (26.1%, 18/69) than did the 3-hour clamping protocol group (49.1%, 26/53) (p = 0.008). The 12-hour clamping group had a lower amount of estimated blood loss (1,426.9 ± 421.5 mL) than did the 3-hour clamping protocol group (1,882.1 ± 445.6 mL) (p < 0.001). The 12-hour clamping group showed higher hemoglobin and hematocrit levels (both p < 0.001) on postoperative day 5 than did the 3-hour clamping group. The lowest hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were higher in the 12-hour clamping group than in the 3-hour clamping group (p = 0.039 and p = 0.016, respectively). Within 1 postoperative month, there were 2 cases of wound dehiscence in each group (p = 0.585). But, at 1 year after the operation, no serious complications occurred in the two groups. Conclusions Compared to the 3-hour clamping protocol, the 12-hour clamping protocol significantly reduced transfusion requirements, estimated blood loss volume, and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels after SBTKA. We suggest that 12-hour temporary clamping should be considered for reducing transfusion rates.

Traumatic arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) involving the external carotid artery are exceedingly rare in young adults. Since an AVF is the most common life-threatening cause for pulsatile tinnitus (PT), meticulous evaluation and treatment of patients with PT is crucial. Here, we present two traumatic AVF cases treated with coil embolization leading to no residual fistulous connections followed by an immediate and complete resolution of PT. A 20-year-old man developed left ear tinnitus three months after a traumatic brain injury involving the right temporal bone fracture. Cerebral angiography demonstrated an enlarged left middle meningeal artery (MMA) and a fistular point at the posterior branch of the MMA draining to the middle meningeal vein (MMV) and the left pterygoid plexus, suggesting an AVF. Another 18-year-old girl developed left tinnitus, left exophthalmos, and conjunctival injection 6 months after a traffic accident involving no demonstrable abnormal findings in the radiologic exam. Magnetic resonance angiography demonstrated a markedly dilated left MMA draining to the MMV, left cavernous sinus, and left superior ophthalmic vein. In both cases, coil embolization was performed with total obliteration of the fistular point.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different pillow heights on the slope of the cervicothoracic spine segments. METHODS: A prospective analysis of data from 16 asymptomatic adults (aged 20 to 30 years) was carried out. Exclusion criteria were history of injury or accident to the cervicothoracic spine, cervicothoracic spine surgery, or treatment for neck symptoms. We used three different pillow heights: flat (0 cm), 10-cm, and 20-cm pillows. Cervical sagittal parameters, measured with radiography, included; C2-7 Cobb's angle, T1 slope (T1S), thoracic inlet angle (TIA), and neck tilt (NT). Statistical analyses were performed using Spearman correlation coefficients. RESULTS: As the height of the pillow increased, the T1S & C2-7 Cobb's angle increased while the NT values tended to decrease. The TIA values, however, remained constant. Additionally, there was a statistically significant sex difference in T1S with the 0-cm pillow (p=0.01), and in NT with the 20-cm pillow (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: From the data obtained in this study, we recommend that the most suitable pillow height is 10 cm, considering the normal cervical lordosis.
Adult ; Animals ; Bays ; Humans ; Lordosis ; Neck ; Prospective Studies ; Radiography ; Sex Characteristics ; Spine*