Seven cases of A2 anomaly including azygous A2 and accessory A2 were observed during aneurysm surgery. We present case histories, angiograms and operative descriptions, and discuss with the clinical significance of the anomaly. The recognition of the anatomic variations prior to clip placement for anterior cerebral artery aneurysm is emphasized.
Aneurysm ; Anterior Cerebral Artery* ; Intracranial Aneurysm*

The authors present a rare case of tuberculous spondylitis and a large abscess in the left psoas muscle that occurred after spinal surgery for an acute traumatic burst fracture of the L2 vertebral body. We retrospectively reviewed the patient's first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) we found that some unusual findings, indicative of psoas abscess had been overlooked. As a result, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculous psoas abscess and spondylitis were considerably delayed. Despite the critical condition of patients in a similar emergency, surgeons should always pay close attention to the radiological findings and clinical symptoms of the patient before considering a surgical intervention or biopsy.
Abscess ; Biopsy ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Psoas Abscess ; Psoas Muscles ; Retrospective Studies ; Spondylitis ; Tuberculosis

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Esophageal Atresia* ; Fistula* ; Humans

The entrapment of intracranial air from the check valve system results in a tension pneumocephalus. It should be distinguished from simple pneumocephalus because they are intracranial space-occupying masses that can threaten life. Communicating hydrocephalus is a serious and frequent complication of post-traumatic head injury. Head injury is one of the most common causes in etiopathogenesis of communicating hydrocephalus. Here, we describe a case of a 65-year-old man who developed communicating hydrocephalus after a post-traumatic tension pneumocephalus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of communicating hydrocephalus developed after a post-traumatic tension pneumocephalus. Although the exact pathogenic mechanisms underlying the cascade following trauma remain unclear, communicating hydrocephalus after a tension pneumocephalus could be considered a possible complication.
Aged ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus* ; Pneumocephalus*

A giant intracranial venous aneurysm(varix) is rare and has been associated mostly with vein of Galen fistulae. A 32-year-old man presents with intracranial hemorrhage which was caused by the rupture of supratentorial arteriovenous malformation with giant venous aneurysm. Surgical resection was performed without the occurrence of additional neurological deficits. We review the literatures on this clinical entity.
Adult ; Aneurysm* ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Cerebral Veins ; Fistula ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Rupture

PURPOSE: Recent developments in minimally invasive techniques have the potential to reduce surgical morbidity, promote patient recovery, accelerate surgical procedures, and thus improve cost-effectiveness in case management. In this study, we compared the treatment efficacy and results of supraorbital keyhole approach (SOKA) with those of conventional unilateral frontal craniotomy (CUFC) for traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (TICH) in the frontal lobe. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 38 patients who underwent CUFC (n=30) and SOKA (n=8) and retrospectively reviewed their medical records and radiological findings. Furthermore, we tried to identify the best surgical method for such lesions by including patients who underwent burr hole aspiration and drainage (BHAD) (n=9) under local anesthesia due to various circumstances. RESULTS: The difference in the initial Glasgow coma scale score, operative time, and length of hospitalization between the CUFC and SOKA were statistically significant. All radiological features between the two groups including associated skull fracture, amount of pre- and postoperative hematoma, percentage of complete hematoma removal, pre- and postoperative midline shifting of the hematoma, and development of postoperative delayed hematoma were not statistically significant. Our experience of 46 patients with TICH in the frontal lobe with any of the three different surgical methods including BHAD enabled us to obtain valuable findings. CONCLUSIONS Although it is difficult to insist that one particular approach is more useful than the other, we are confident that SOKA will have more advantages over CUFC in carefully selected patients with frontal TICH depending on the surgical experience of a neurosurgeon.

OBJECTIVE: Unruptured intracranial aneurysms are now being detected with increasing frequency in clinical practice. Results of the largest studies, including those of the International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms, indicate that surgical and endovascular treatments are rarely justified in small aneurysms. However, we have encountered several cases of rupture of small and very small aneurysms in our clinical practice. This retrospective study analyzed the incidence and clinical characteristics of very small ruptured aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage between January 2012 and December 2014 were reviewed. Various factors were analyzed, including the aneurysm location and size as well as the associated risk factors. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 56.31 +/- 13.78 (range, 25-89) years, and the male to female ratio was 1:2.1. There were 94 (47%) small-sized (< 5 mm), 91 (45.5%) medium-sized (5-9.9 mm), and 15 large-sized (> 10 mm) aneurysms. Of these, 30 (15%) aneurysms were very small-sized (< 3 mm). The most frequent site of aneurysms was the anterior communicating artery (ACoA). However, the proportion of aneurysms at the ACoA was significantly high in very small aneurysms (53.3%, p = 0.013). Hypertension was a significant risk factor for rupture of very small aneurysms (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: About half of our cases of ruptured aneurysms involved the rupture of small and very small aneurysms. The most common site of rupture of very small aneurysm was the ACoA. Rupture of small and very small aneurysms is unpredictable, and treatment may be considered in selected high-risk patients according to factors such as young age, ACoA location, and hypertension.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Arteries ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence* ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Rupture* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The epidural blood patch is a relatively new technique for treatment of post spinal headache. Injection of autologous blood into the epidural space afforded prompt and permanent relief. "Pathcing" the dura hole with autologous blood is the most direct therapy available. It has always been used within a few days of development of headache. This procedure may be considered for patients who continue to experience in capacitating symptoms following a trial of supportive therapy. In our patient the epidural blood patch was used successfully on four cases after the development of headache.
Blood Patch, Epidural ; Epidural Space ; Headache* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Double autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) seems to be superior to a single ASCT, at least in the patients who did not achieve a 90% response after the first transplant. An allogeneic SCT with a dose-reduced conditioning regimen after ASCT and as part of the initial therapy, might be a feasible and highly effective approach. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic factors that are associated with the outcome of multiple myeloma (MM) patients who had received a second transplant. METHODS: From April 1996 to December 2004, 38 MM patients, who had previously received high-dose melphalan (200 mg/m2) with autologous stem cell support, underwent a second transplant. Following the 1(st) ASCT, 24 patients received a second ASCT and 14 received a tandem reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RIST) from their HLA-matched siblings. RESULTS: The 3-year estimated PFS and overall survival (OS) from the time of the first ASCT were 25.2% and 77.6%, respectively. The median PFS and OS were 26 months (95% CI, 23~29) and 60 months (95% CI, 44~76), respectively. The disease status (a CR vs. PR or less) at the second transplant was be the most powerful factor for improving the PFS (P=0.001, hazard ratio 5.8, 95% CI 2.1~16.1). CONCLUSION: Patients whose disease is sensitive to chemotherapy and who obtain a CR after a single transplantation might benefit the most from a second transplant.
Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Melphalan ; Multiple Myeloma ; Siblings ; Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Stem Cells*

Betula platyphylla var. japonica (Betulaceae), also known as Asian white birch, is an endemic medicinal tree, the bark of which has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. In our continuing search for bioactive compounds from Korean natural resources, a phytochemical investigation of the bark of B. platyphylla var. japonica led to the isolation of 7-oxo-β-sitosterol (1) and soyacerebroside I (2) from its ethanol extract as main components by liquid chromatography (LC)/mass spectrometry (MS)-based analysis. The structures of isolates were identified by comparison of ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic data and physical data with the previously reported values and LC/MS analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that the isolated compounds, 7-oxo-β-sitosterol and soyacerebroside I, were isolated in B. platyphylla var. japonica. We examined the effects of the isolates on the regulation of adipocytes and osteoblast differentiation. These isolates (1 and 2) produced fewer lipid droplets compared to the untreated negative control in Oil Red O staining of the mouse mesenchymal stem cell line without altering the amount of alkaline phosphatase staining. The results demonstrated that both compounds showed marginal inhibitory effects on adipocyte differentiation but did not affect osteoblast differentiation.
Adipocytes ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Betula ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Lipid Droplets ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mice ; Natural Resources ; Osteoblasts ; Spectrum Analysis ; Trees