No abstract available.
Oculomotor Nerve Diseases ; Oculomotor Nerve

Clay-shoveler’s fractures are rare stress-type avulsion fractures of the spinous processes especially in sports. There have been two case reports that discussed clay-shoveler’s fractures in golf. A 36-year-old beginner golfer presented with a pain in the back after practicing golf swing. No fractures were detected using cervical radiography; however, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed T2∼T3 spinous process fractures. The patient was treated conservatively and his pain subsided. The mechanism of injury is speculated to that of clay-shoveler’s fractures. Therefore, if a golfer suffers persistent pain in the cervicothoracic region, clay-shoveler’s fracture is one possibility to consider.

Clay-shoveler’s fractures are rare stress-type avulsion fractures of the spinous processes especially in sports. There have been two case reports that discussed clay-shoveler’s fractures in golf. A 36-year-old beginner golfer presented with a pain in the back after practicing golf swing. No fractures were detected using cervical radiography; however, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed T2∼T3 spinous process fractures. The patient was treated conservatively and his pain subsided. The mechanism of injury is speculated to that of clay-shoveler’s fractures. Therefore, if a golfer suffers persistent pain in the cervicothoracic region, clay-shoveler’s fracture is one possibility to consider.

The transdermal administration of narcotics is one of the alternative ways of providing adequate pain relief for the patients with chronic cancer pain. A Phase 4 trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Fentanyl-TTS in adult patients with cancer-related pain in Korea. METHODS: Patients with histologically confirmed malignancy, who have pain related to the cancer and/or therapy, pain necessitating the use of opoid analgesics, age of 18 yr or older, ability to communicate effectively with study personnel, and signed on informed consent were included. The patients were titrated with a short-acting narcotic to control their cancer pain before they are converted to a fentanyl-transdermal therapeutic system(TTS). Short acting parenteral morphine and MS contin were used as rescue medications. All patients were evaluated initially and were followed up with a pain visual analogue scale(VAS), quality of life(QOL)-VAS. Patients were asked to keep the daily record for 21 days about pain VAS, QOL-VAS, amount of rescue morphine used, and side effects. RESULTS: Twenth two patients were enrolled from January 1996 to October 1997. The dose of fentanyl-TTS required, ranged between 25 and 75 ug/hr (25 microgram/hr in 13, 50 microgram/hr in 4, and 75 microgram/hr in 2). The mean dose of morphine required before the use of the fentanyl-TTS was 135.3 mg (20-285 mg/day), but it was decreased after the use of the fentanyl-TTS. Pain VAS and QOL-VAS were in adquate level during the fentanyl- TTS treatment. Patients favored continuous use of fentanyl after the study was finished. Side effect of fentanyl-TTS was minimal. CONCLUSION: Transdermal fentanyl seems to be a convenient and effective analgesic for the control of cancer related pain in Korean. A controlled trial comparing fentanyl-TTS to morphine needs to be followed.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Adult* ; Analgesics ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Korea ; Morphine ; Narcotics

No abstract available.
Animals ; Female ; Mice* ; Ovary*

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficiency or potency of functional MRI (fMRI) for the determination of language dominance by comparing the results of fMRI with those of the Wada test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 34 patients with intractable seizure who underwent both fMRI and the Wada test, we analyzed the results of 30 (men:women=19:11; mean age=29.7 years). Using echoplanar imaging and the blood oxygen level dependent technique, fMRI was performed using a 1.5 T MR imager with a standard head coil. The language task consisted of two parts: reading words and generating words. For fMRI, a multi-event multi-task paradigm consisting of two sets of activation, rest, and alternative periods was used. Image processing involved the use of the Z test (Z threshold = 1.0 -1.2). To determine the lateralization index, we calculated the activation pixels within the whole frontal cortex., and to ascertain the discrepancy between the two tasks, the clustering grade of activation pixels was measured. After the injection of thiopental, language dominance was determined by means of a modified Wada test. The results of this and the findings of fMRI were compared with the results of Fisher 's exact test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The correlation indices between the findings of fMRI and the results of the Wada test were 77% for word generation and 50% for reading. The diference was only marginally significant (p = 0.06). For the two tasks, the opposite results were 33% for reading and 3.3% for word generation, and these were significantly different (p < 0.05). The clustering grade for more than one unit was 40% for word generation, and 23% for readings, a difference which was not statistically significant(p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: For the determinaton of language dominance, fMRI showed good correlation with the Wada test. The word generation task was more efficient than the reading task. fMRI which is non-invasive and repeatable, is therefore more efficient and useful than the invasive Wada test.
Brain ; Echo-Planar Imaging ; Head ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Oxygen ; Reading ; Seizures* ; Thiopental

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of the oligohydramnios on perinatal outcome and latency period in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 98 singleton pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes, with delivery between 26 and 35 weeks' gestation. Amniotic fluid index was determined using transabdominal ultrasound at admission. All medical records of mothers and neonates were reviewed. Oligohydramnios was defined as amniotic fluid index less or equal to 5.0 cm and latency period was defined as time interval from membrane rupture to delivery. Chi-spuare test, Fisher's exact test, Student-t test, Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 1) Of the 98 patients, 59 patients(60%) were oligohydramnios group(AFI< or =5.0) and 39 patients(40%) were non-oligohydramnios group(AFI>5.0). Both groups were similar with respect to selected dermographics, gestational age at rupture of the membranes, chorioamnionitis, 1 min Apgar score and 5 min Apgar score. Patients with oligohydramnios demonstrated a lower gestatoinal age at birth and lower birth weight. There were no statistically significant correlations in neonatal morbidity and perinatal mortality between both groups. 2) For comparing latency period, we excluded deliveries of Cesarean section or induction. Comparing the remained group(25 patients), median of latency period in oligohydramnios group were 41.5 hours and median of latency period in non-oligohydramnios group were 44 hours. There were no statistically significant correlations in oligohydramnios and latency period. CONCLUSION: There were no significant effects of the oligohydramnios on poor perinatal outcome and latency period in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes
Amniotic Fluid ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Cesarean Section ; Chorioamnionitis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Latency Period (Psychology)* ; Medical Records ; Membranes* ; Mothers ; Oligohydramnios* ; Parturition ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture* ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for maternal morbidity in eclamptic woman. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the record of eclamptic woman during from August 1989 to February 2002. Univariate analysis was used to determine which of the independent variables were significantly different between two groups (antepartum vs postpartum). RESULTS: The incidence of eclampsia was 1 in 1,795 deliveries and the maternal mortality rate was 4.3%. Maternal complications associated with eclampsia were abruptio placentae (13.0%), pulmonary edema (26.1%), acute renal failure (39.1%), HELLP syndrome (30.4%), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (8.7%), neurologic sequelae (8.7%), maternal death (4.3%). One patient died from disseminated intra- vascular coagulopathy, sepsis, and multiorgan failure after postpartum eclampsia. Women with antepartum eclampsia had higher incidence of acute renal failure (44.4% vs 20%) and HELLP syndrome (33.3% vs 20%) than did in women with postpartum eclampsia. Conversely, women with postpartum eclampsia had higher incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (6.7% vs 20%) and neurologic sequelae (6.7% vs 20%). CONCLUSION: Early detection and management of preeclampsia can prevent the eclampsia and maternal mortality and morbidity.
Abruptio Placentae ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Eclampsia ; Female ; HELLP Syndrome ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Death ; Maternal Mortality ; Postpartum Period ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pulmonary Edema ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sepsis