Central retinal artery occlusion occurs rarely as a complication of spine surgery under general anesthesia in prone position, but is quite tragic. The suggested causes are hypotension during anesthesia and increased external ocular pressure by headrest, sand bag or others. We experienced a case of left central retinal artery occlusion following cervical spine surgery under general anesthesia using a horseshoe headrest. The patient was 53 years old male whose medical history was non remarkable except dislocation of cervical spine. He was positioned prone after induction. The vital signs were stable during opreration. At the recovery room, he presented left visual field disturbance and investigations revealed that left central retinal artery occlusion occured. This case demonstrates that proper positioning of the head on an adequate head rest and contineous cautious inspection during surgical procedure are important to prevent retinal damage.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Dislocations ; Head ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prone Position* ; Recovery Room ; Retinal Artery Occlusion* ; Retinal Artery* ; Retinaldehyde ; Silicon Dioxide ; Spine* ; Visual Fields ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Vaporizers convert liquid anesthetics into measured amount of vapor that are added to the fresh gas mixture to produce known concentrations of anesthetics. As with anesthesia machines, mordern precision vaporizers require regular checks with respect to technical safety by experts. Some private hospitals in Korea do not have had a anesthesiologist belong exclusively to hospital. Therefore it is difficult to perform a regular checks of anesthesia machine especially vaporizers. We had a question about the accuracy of vaporizer output which used in the private hospitals. METHODS: We investigated outputs of 47 vaporizers which used in 23 private hospitals and 5 general hospitals around Kangdong Gu and Kangnam Gu in Seoul, Korea. Anesthetic agent monitor(Biochem anesthetic agent monitor 8100, Waukesha, Wisc, USA) was used and its analysis value was 0.1 vo1%. 50 vo1% O2 and 50 vol% N2O were used as a carrier gas. The flow rates of the carrier gas were 4 1/min. Dial settings were 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 vo1%. RESULTS: The result was that vaporizers which had the inaccuracy ranges of concentration less than +/-0.5 vo1% was 76.6% of 47 vaporizers, +/-1 vo1% was 93.6%. And above +/-1 vol% was 6.4% of all. CONCLUSIONS: This research concludes that great care needed when the anesthesiologist strange to the vaporizers in the private hospitals operates the vaporizers.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, Private* ; Korea ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers* ; Seoul

OBJECTICE: To compare the use of conventional, real-time compound, and pulse-inversion harmonic imaging in the evaluation of breast nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two breast nodules were included in this study, conducted between May and December 2000, in which conventional, real-time compound, and pulse-inversion harmonic images were obtained in the same plane. Three radiologists, each blinded to the interpretations of the other two, evaluated the findings, characterizing the lesions and ranking the three techniques from grade 1, the worst, to grade 3, the best. Lesion conspicuity was assessed, and lesions were also characterized in terms of their margin, clarity of internal echotexture, and clarity of posterior echo pattern. The three techniques were compared using Friedman's test, and interobserver agreement in image interpretation was assessed by means of the intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: With regard to lesion conspicuity, margin, and internal echotexture of the nodules, real-time compound imaging was the best technique (p < 0.05); in terms of posterior echo pattern, the best was pulse-inversion harmonic imaging (p < 0.05). Real-time compound and pulse inversion harmonic imaging were better than conventional sonography in all evaluative aspects. Interobserver agreement was greater than moderate. CONCLUSION: Real-time compound and pulse-inversion harmonic imaging procedures are superior to conventional sonography in terms of both lesion conspicuity and the further characterization of breast nodules. Real-time compound imaging is the best technique for evaluation of the margin and internal echotexture of nodules, while pulse-inversion harmonic imaging is very effective for the evaluation of the posterior echo patterns.
Breast Neoplasms/*ultrasonography ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Fibrocystic Disease of Breast/*ultrasonography ; Human ; Middle Age ; Ultrasonography, Mammary/*methods

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been known as an important predictor of prognosis of cardiovascular disease. Carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PIP) is related with myocardial fibrosis. We sought to analyze the differences in the characteristics of LVH, myocardial fibrosis, and LV functions among hypertension (HBP), diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic renal failure (CRF). METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients with LVH. Patients were grouped as HBP (n=50), DM (n=41), CRF (n=31). Age and sex-matched normal control was also enrolled (n=32). Echocardiography and blood sampling for serum PIP level measuring was performedin all participants. RESULTS: There were no differences in baseline characteristics except systolic blood pressure among four groups. In three patients groups, their LV mass indices were significantly increased than control. Serum PIP level in CRF was much higher than others (CRF 1505.5 vs. HBP 868.7 vs. DM 687.5 vs. control 826.4, p<0.0001). LV diastolic and systolic function evaluated by E', E/E, S' and midwall fractional shortening was significantly decreased in three patients groups. However, LAVi was significantly elevated and LV ejection fraction was significantly decreased in CRF compared to others. In correlation analysis, indices of diastolic function were weakly, but statistically correlated with PIP (E': r=0.234, p=0.006; LAVi: r=0.231, p=0.006). CONCLUSION: In CRF, LV function was more deteriorated and serum PIP was more elevated when compared to HBP or DM. Therefore, myocardial fibrosis may play an important role to LV dysfunction as well as LV hypertrophy in CRF in some degree.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Collagen Type I ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Echocardiography ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Prognosis