We report a first case of meningitis due to listeria monocytogenes after cardiac transplantation in Korea. This patient is a 40-year-old man with Dilated cardiomyopathy, he presented with intermittent dyspnea and abdominal distension for about 1 year. After cardiac transplantation, he was treated with azathioprine, cyclosporine and prednisolone for graft rejection. He was presented with intermittent fever, headache and lethargy for about 10days after cardiac transplantation. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from blood culture and CSF culture. He was treated with intravenous penicillin G for 10days successfully and changed with ampicillin for 10days, took oral ampicillin for 10days without any complication after discharge.
Adult ; Ampicillin ; Azathioprine ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Cyclosporine ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Graft Rejection ; Headache ; Heart Transplantation* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Korea ; Lethargy ; Listeria monocytogenes* ; Listeria* ; Meningitis* ; Penicillin G ; Prednisolone

There are so many differences between the elderly patients and the younger patients in the aspects of a causes and the clinical course of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrage (ICH). As the mean life-time of a general population goes longer, the incidence of spontaneous ICH increases but the aggressive support in ICH is withdrawn more commonly and a prognosis of ICH becomes poor. Therefore, a prevention of ICH and a strict control of hypertension is very very important.
Aged ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Prognosis

The precise role of radiotherapy for low grade gliomas including the optimal radiation dose and timing of treatment remains unclear. The information given by a retrosepctive analysis may be useful in the design of prospective randomized studies looking at radiation dose and time of surgical and radiotherapeutic treatment. The records of 56 patients (M:F=29:27) with histologically verified cerebral low grade gliomas(47 cases of grade 1 or 2 astrocytomas and 9 oligodendrogliomas) diagnosed between 1979 and 1989 were retrospectively reviewed. The extent of surgical tumor removal was gross total or radical subtotal in 38 patients(68%) and partial or biopsy only in the remaining 18 patients(32%). Postooperative radiation therapy was given to 36 patients(64%) of the total 56 patients with minimum dose of 5000 cGy (range=1250 to 7220 cGy). The 5-and 10-year survival rates for the total 56 patients were 44% and 32% respectively with a median survival of 4.1 years. According to the histologic grade the 5- and 10-year survivals were 52% and 35% for the 24 patients respectively with grade I astrocytomas compared to 20% and 10% for the 23 patients with grade II astrocytomas. Survival of oligodendroglioma patients was greater than those with astrocytoma (65% vs 36% at 5 years), and the difference was also remarkable in the long term period of follow up (54% vs 23% at 10 years). Those who received high-dose radiation therapy (> or =5400 cGy) had significant better survival than those who received low-dose radiation(< 5400 cGy) or surgery alone (p<0.05). The 5-and 10-year survival rates were, respectively 59% and 46% for the 23 patients receiving high-dose radiation, 36% and 24% for the 13 patients receiving low-dose radiation, and 35% and 26% for the 20 patients with surgery alone. Survival rates by the extent of surgical resection were similar at 5 years (46% vs 41%), but long term survival was quite different (p<0.01) between total/subtotal resection and partial esection/biopsy (41% and 12%, resepctively). Previously published studies have identified important prognostic factors in these tumor : age, extent of surgery, grade, performance status, and duration of symptoms. But in our cases statistical analysis revealed that grade I histology (p<0.025) and young age (p<0.001) were the most significant good prognostic variables.
Astrocytoma ; Biopsy ; Brain Neoplasms ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glioma ; Humans ; Oligodendroglioma ; Radiotherapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

High doses of corticosteroids have been found to have beneficial effects in various shock states. It has been well recognized that ischemia is one of the important factors in shock states. This prompted us to investigate the effect of high dose methylprednisolone on tourniquet induced ischemia. The results were as follows: 1) The heart rate did not change significantly after tourniquet release in both group. 2) The mean arterial pressure decreased ignificantly at 1 minute after tourniquet release in both group. 3) The PaO2,PaCO2 and HCO-(3) did not change significantly after tourniquet release in both group. 4) The pH decreased significantly at l minute and 5 minutes after tourniquet release in control group and did not change in methylprednisolone group. 5) Base excess increased significantly at 1 minute and 5 munutes after tourniquet release in control group and did not change significantly in methylprednisolone group. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that methylprednisolone provides a beneficial effect during tourniquet ischemia.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Arterial Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Ischemia* ; Methylprednisolone* ; Shock ; Tourniquets*

BACKGROUND:Rocuronium is a non depolarizing muscle relaxant of rapid onset and of intermediate action duration. It is particularly suitable for short operation and rapid control airway. But, intravenous rocuronium cause pain and a withdrawal movement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of intravenous lidocaine on pain and withdrawal movement in patients receiving rocuronium. METHODS: The study was approved by our institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. One hundred and twenty patients, ASA physical status 1-2 undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgery were randomly enrolled. Allergy history to trial drug, chronic pain, pregnancy, patient on analgesics, difficult vein access and deeply sedated patients were excluded. Patients were not premedicated, and had a 20-18 G intravenous catheter inserted into a hand dorsum before operation. On arrival in the operation room, routine non-invasive monitors were placed and the free flow of intravenous fluid without edema, redness or hardness was confirmed. A subparalyzing dose of rocuronium 0.06 mg/kg (RS group) or vecuronium 0.01 mg/kg (VS group) was administered after 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl in one group, and a subparalyzing dose of rocuronium 0.06 mg/kg (RL group) or vecuronium 0.01 mg/kg (VL group) was administered after 2 ml of 2% lidocaine injection in a second group. All patients then received 5 mg/kg of 2.5% thiopental sodium and 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium (RS and RL group) or 0.1 mg/kg of vecuronium (VS and VL group). Muscle relaxant-induced pain and withdrawal movements were assessed using 4-grade scales (0-3). Vein redness was measured just after administration and vein hardness five minutes after intubation using 4-grade scales (0-3). RESULTS: Incidence of pain (8.2 times) and withdrawal movement (6.2 times) was more frequent in the rocuronium group than in the vecuronium group (P< 0.01). Lidocaine pretreatment decreased the incidence of pain significantly (5.7 times, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Rocuronium causes more pain and withdrawal movements than vecuronium. Lidocaine pretreatment significantly reduced the incidence and severity of pain, and withdrawal movements in both groups.
Analgesics ; Anesthesia, General ; Catheters ; Chronic Pain ; Edema ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Hand ; Hardness ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Informed Consent ; Intubation ; Lidocaine* ; Pregnancy ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Veins ; Weights and Measures

The B-type gamma knife unit was installed at Kyung-Hee University Hospital in March 1992. The selective beam plugging method can be used to reduce the low percentage isodose profiles of normal sensitive organ and to codify the isodose cuties of treatment volume for better shaping of the target volume. For representing the changes of the law percentage isodose profiles, the variations of dose distribution for several cases were discussed in this paper. The film dosimetry was performed for the evaluation of calculated isodose profiles predicted by KULA dose planning system. The results were verified by RFA-3 automatic densitometry. The clinical application of selective beam shielding method was performed in 17 patients in 100 patients who have undergone gamma knife radiosurgery for a year. The calculated and the measured isodose profiles for the high percentage regions were well consistent with each other. When the target of pituitary tumor is macro-size, the selective beam shielding method is the most applicable method. When the target size, however, is small, the correct selection of the proper helmet size is very important. All patients were exposed almost about 3~12 Gy for brain stem, and 3~11.2 Gy for optic apparatus. It is recommended that the same or other plugging patterns with multiple isocenters should be used for protection of the radiosensitive normal structures with precise treatment of CNS lesions.
Brain Stem ; Densitometry ; Film Dosimetry ; Head Protective Devices ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Radiosurgery

OBJECTIVE: Excitatory amino acids play important roles in the development of secondary pathology following spinal cord injury (SCI). This study was designed to evaluate morphological changes in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and assess profiles of pain behaviors following intraspinal injection of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or quisqualate (QUIS) in rats. METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups : a sham, and two experimental groups receiving injections of 125 mM NMDA or QUIS into their spinal dorsal horn. Following injection, hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli, and excessive grooming behaviors were assessed serially for four weeks. At the end of survival periods, morphological changes in the spinal cord were evaluated. RESULTS: Cold allodynia was developed in both the NMDA and QUIS groups, which was significantly higher in the QUIS group than in the NMDA group. The mechanical threshold for the ipsilateral hind paw in both QUIS and NMDA groups was significantly lower than that in the control group. The number of groomers was significantly higher in the NMDA group than in the QUIS group. The size of the neck region of the spinal dorsal horn, but not the superficial layer, was significantly smaller in the NMDA and QUIS groups than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Intraspinal injection of NMDA or QUIS can be used as an excitotoxic model of SCI for further research on spinal neuropathic pain.
Animals ; Cold Temperature ; Excitatory Amino Acids ; Grooming ; Horns ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Hypersensitivity ; Injections, Spinal ; Male ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neck ; Neuralgia ; Quisqualic Acid ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salicylamides ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries

Subependymoma is a rare, slow-growing, benign noninvasive tumor of the central nervous system that may be located in the fourth ventricle, the septum pellucidum, the third and the lateral ventricles, the aqueduct, and the proximal spinal cord. Symptoms, if any, usually result either from direct compression of the brain stem or from acute hydrocephalus due to occlusion of the foramen of Monro or aqueduct of Sylvius. In this report, we describe a case of subependymoma of the lateral ventricle with headache in a young female patient. This is the first reported case subependymoma in Korea that was documented along with Magnetic resonance image.
Adult ; Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Female ; Glioma/*drug therapy/pathology ; Headache/complications ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Seventy-five patients with moyamoya disease were admitted at Kyung Hee University Hospital from 1978 to 1993. Of these, we followed up fourty-five cases who had been treated conservatively for the study of the natural history of moyamoya disease. Seven operated cases and six dead patients during admission were excluded in this study and sixteen cases were lost to follow-up. There were 16 males and 29 females. The hemorrhagic group was twenty-three cases and the non-hemorrhagic group was twenty-two cases. On angiographic findings, the typical type was twenty-eight cases and the atypical type was seventeen cases. Twenty-one cases(91%) of the hemorrhagic group were over twenty years old and sixteen cases(73%) of the non-hemorrhagic group were under twenty years old. The mean follow-up period was 66 months(range 6 months to 15 year 4 months). Nineteen cases had reattack, but most of them had good result except only two cases who died due to huge intracerebral hematoma. Of the sixteen cases, who were under twenty years old and manifested as transient ischemic attack, fifteen cases were improved only with conservative management. The good result of fourty-one cases out of fourty-five with conservative management. suggests that spontaneous collateral circulation had developed well to restore the function of ischemic brain in the natural course of moyamoya disease. Moyamoya disease seems to be not so worse in natural course than expected and further study about natural history will be necessary.
Brain ; Collateral Circulation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Male ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Natural History*

BACKGROUND: The effect of spinal nitric oxide (NO) on mechanical allodynia brought about by Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA)-induced inflammation is not known. From our previous experiment nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor nitroG-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) given intraplantarly during the induction period decreased a mechanical hyperalgesia occurring because of FCA-induced inflammation. Therefore, we investigated the spinal effect of NO on mechanical allodynia after the development of allodynia produced by FCA-induced inflammation in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were prepared with lumbar intrathecal catheter implantation. Inflammation was induced in the rats by injecting 0.1 ml of FCA under halothane anesthesia. Behavioral tests were done 1, 3, 6, 24, and 48 hours after injection of FCA. In the other group, intrathecal L-NAME (10 microgram) was given prior to FCA injection to examine the effect of pretreatment. On postinjection day 2, either L-NAME (10 microgram) or methylene blue (10 and 30 microgram) was administered intrathecally after the baseline measurement. The withdrawal response on mechanical allodynia was assessed by applying von Frey filaments to the right lesioned hindpaw and contralateral paw (as control) at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Sodium nitroprusside was administered intrathecally to determine the reversal effect of increased threshold in the L-NAME group. RESULTS: Injection of FCA produced a significant mechanical allodynia over time. Pretreatment with L-NAME did not prevent such a mechanical allodynia. Intrathecal L-NAME, but not methylene blue, reduced the mechanical allodynia, which was reversed by sodium nitroprusside. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal NO is likely invloved in the mechanism of the development and maintenance of mechanical allodynia in a state of FCA-induced inflammation.
Anesthesia ; Animals ; Catheters ; Halothane ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia* ; Inflammation* ; Male ; Methylene Blue ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitroprusside ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley