BACKGROUND: Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is known to increase blood flow to the innervations area of the stellate ganglion. Near infrared spectroscopy reflects an increased blood volume and allows continuous, non-invasive, and bedside monitoring of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2). We investigated the influence of SGB on bilateral cerebral oxygenation using a near infrared spectroscopy. METHODS: SGB was performed on 30 patients with 1% lidocaine 10 ml using a paratracheal technique at the C6 level and confirmed by the presence of Horner's syndrome. The blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and rSO2 were measured before SGB and 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after SGB. Tympanic temperature of each ear was measured prior to SGB and 20 minutes after SGB. RESULTS: The increments of the rSO2 on the block side from the baseline were statistically significant at 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes. The rSO2 on the non-block side compared with the baseline, however, decreased at 15 and 20 minutes. The difference between the block and the non-block sides was significant at 15 and 20 minutes. The BP at 10, 15 and 20 minutes was increased and the HR was increased at 10 and 15 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: We observed an increment of the rSO2 on the block side from the baseline; however, the rSO2 on the non-block side decreased.
Blood Pressure ; Blood Volume ; Ear ; Heart Rate ; Horner Syndrome ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Oxygen ; Spectrum Analysis ; Stellate Ganglion

No abstract available.
Vascular Access Devices*

When pulmonary nodules are detected in children receiving chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, it is often assumed that they have metastatic disease. However, these pulmonary nodules do not always represent metastatic disease. There are considerable similarities in the computed tomography (CT) images of benign pulmonary nodules and those of malignant nodules. Therefore, we have to be careful when diagnosing pulmonary metastases based on chest CT scan alone. We report a case of benign multiple pulmonary nodules in a patient with osteosarcoma.
Child ; Humans ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Thorax

Although osteochondral lesions are well-described in previous literature, lesions located at the proximal phalangeal base of the hallux are extremely rare. Here, the authors report the case of a 21-year-old male who presented with chronic right great toe pain, which was eventually diagnosed as an osteochondral lesion at the proximal phalangeal base of the hallux. The diagnosis presented herein should be kept in mind and included in the differential diagnosis when patients complain of chronic pain in the great toe.

Ankle joint is a stable mortise structure, therefore pure ankle dislocation without ankle fracture is rare. Several adjacent anatomical structures have been reported as a cause of irreducible ankle dislocation. Author report a case of successful treatment of irreducible anterior subluxation of the ankle joint due to os trigonum and transverse ligament by closed reduction under anesthesia, and a review of the literature as well.

Ankle joint is a stable mortise structure, therefore pure ankle dislocation without ankle fracture is rare. Several adjacent anatomical structures have been reported as a cause of irreducible ankle dislocation. Author report a case of successful treatment of irreducible anterior subluxation of the ankle joint due to os trigonum and transverse ligament by closed reduction under anesthesia, and a review of the literature as well.

This report presents a unique case of checkrein deformities in both halluces following isolated intramuscular sarcoidosis, a rare occurrence given the infrequent musculoskeletal involvement in sarcoidosis. Typically resulting from flexor hallucis longus tendon entrapment by scar tissue post-trauma, the checkrein deformity reported in this paper presented with unusual metatarsophalangeal joint flexion and interphalangeal joint extension during ankle dorsiflexion. A 49-year-old woman with a history of intramuscular sarcoidosis presented with a great toe deformity and discomfort while wearing shoes, leading to a diagnosis of dynamic deformity, possibly attributed to tendon tethering by sarcoidosis. Surgical treatments, including abductor hallucis muscle intratendinous tenotomy, flexor hallucis longus Zplasty lengthening, Weil osteotomy, and Kirschner wire fixation, significantly improved the functional scores and patient discomfort.This report underscores the importance of recognizing dynamic deformities and the potential for rare diseases, such as sarcoidosis, to cause such conditions, highlighting the need for careful diagnosis and tailored surgical intervention for atypical checkrein deformities.

BACKGROUND: Since the advent of AIDS, tuberculosis has become a major public health problem in the western society. Therefore, it is essential that pulmonary tuberculosis be rapidly diagnosed. Light microscopic detection of acid-fast organisms in sputum has traditionally been used for rapidly diagnosing tuberculosis. However positive smears are only observed in about one-half to three-quarters of cases. Studies using PCR for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis disclosed several shortcomings suggesting an inability to distinguish between active and treated or in active tuberculosis. In this study, the clinkcal significance of a PCR-bases rapid technique for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in peripheral blood investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1, 1998 through to August 30, 1999, 59 patients with presumed tuberculosis, who had no previous history of anti-tuberculosis medication use whithin one year prior to this study were recruite and followed up for more than 3 months. AFB stain and culture in the sputum and/or pleural fluids and biopsies when needed were performed. Blood samples from each of the 59 patients were obtained in order to identify Mycobacterium Tuberculosis DNA by a PCR test. RESULTS: 1) Forty five out of 59 patients had a final diagnosis of tugerculosis; Twenty eight were confirmed as having active pulmonary tuberculosis by culture or biopsy. Four were clinkcally diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. The othe 13 patients were diagnosed as having tuberculous pleurisy (9) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (4). 2) Fourteen patients showed a positive blood PCR test. The PCR assay correctly identified active tuberculosis in 13 out of 14 patients. The overall sensitivity and specificity of this blood PCR assay for diagnosing tuberculosis were 29% and 93%, respectively. The positive predictive value was 93%, the negative predictive value was 29% and diagnostic accuracy was 44%. 3) Six out of 14(43%) patients with blood PCR positive tuberculosis were immunologically compromised hosts. 4) A simple chest radiograph in blood PCR positive tuberculosis patients showed variable and inconsistent findings. CONCLUSION: A peripheral blood PCR assay for Mycobacterium tuberculosis is not recommended as screening method for diagnosing active tuberculosis. However, it was suggested that the blood PCR assay could contribute to an early diagnostic rate due to its high positive predictive value.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; DNA* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Public Health ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pleural ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

More than half of patients presenting with hoarseness show benign vocal cord changes. However, in rare cases with benign mucosal lesions, it can be diagnosed as a malignant disease after histopathological examination. A 53-year-old man with a 30-pack-year smoking history was admitted for the evaluation of hoarseness, and using a laryngoscope, an enclosed, sac-like cystic lesion was detected on the midpoint of the right true vocal cord. The cystic lesion was deemed to be an intracordal cyst and treated with laryngeal microsurgery. However, pathological findings showed squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx arising in the intracordal cyst, which is exceptionally rare. Therefore, even if a benign lesion is initially suspected, a biopsy must be performed on a patient with smoking history to confirm the diagnosis. In conclusion, we report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx arising in the intracordal cyst.

More than half of patients presenting with hoarseness show benign vocal cord changes. However, in rare cases with benign mucosal lesions, it can be diagnosed as a malignant disease after histopathological examination. A 53-year-old man with a 30-pack-year smoking history was admitted for the evaluation of hoarseness, and using a laryngoscope, an enclosed, sac-like cystic lesion was detected on the midpoint of the right true vocal cord. The cystic lesion was deemed to be an intracordal cyst and treated with laryngeal microsurgery. However, pathological findings showed squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx arising in the intracordal cyst, which is exceptionally rare. Therefore, even if a benign lesion is initially suspected, a biopsy must be performed on a patient with smoking history to confirm the diagnosis. In conclusion, we report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx arising in the intracordal cyst.