No abstract available.

This study was undertaken to examine the possibility of predicting the stage of brain abscess presoperatively,which may markedly influence on the decision how to manage the patients suffering from intracerebral abscesses. Atotal of 17 patients with brain abscesses, who were treated with surgery and diagnosed pathologically, wereretrospectively analyzied with particular attention to the correlation of CT and histopathologic findings. Wefound that preoperative CT findings could not provede any possibility on the decision of abscess staging.Therefore, we suggest that the sequential CT scans should be done in patients with susupectd brain abscess forevaluation of abscess staging.
Abscess ; Brain Abscess ; Brain ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to review findings of gray-scale ultrasonography and to assess the diagnostic value of the resistive index (RI) in patients with acute epididymitis by comparing with that in normal volunteers. MATERIALS & METHODS: Gray-scale ultrasonogram was reviewed in nine patients with acute epididymitis for echogenicity, size and reactive hydrocele. Normal values of resistive index (RI) were obtained in 20 epididymides from 10 volunteers (aged 20-28, mean 23.7). Nine patients of epididymitis (aged 18-67, mean 37.2) were examinated with color Doppler sonography and RI was measured at 11 sites on epididymal arteries. For the prediction of acute epididymitis, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were calculated at the cut-off value of RI in 0.65 and 0.70. RESULTS: Gray-scale ultrasonography showed echogenicity that was variable among the 9 cases (hype- rechoic 2 cases, isoechoic 2, hypoechoic 5), enlargement of epididymis in 8, and reactive hydrocele in 8 cases. Normal volunteers displayed color Doppler signals in 14 out of 20. The range of RI in normal volunteers were between 0.64 and 1.00 (mean, 0.79 +/- SD 0.10). In patients with acute epididymitis, color Doppler signals were detected in all patients. The range of RI in epididymitis were 0.40-0.68 (mean, 0.56 +/- SD 0.10). At cut-off RI value of 0.65, accuracy was 88%, sensitivity 81.8%, and specificity 92.7%. At cut-off value of 0.70, accuracy was 92%, sensitivity 100%, and specificity 85.7%. CONCLUSION: In addition to the findings of gray-scale ultrasonography, resistive index and color flow changes are valuable in diagnosing acute epididymitis.
Arteries ; Epididymis ; Epididymitis* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Male ; Reference Values ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography ; Volunteers

Herpes zoster is a disease that causes a skin rash with blisters and extreme pain along mainly the unilateral dermatome. It often occurs in the thoracic nerve area, but can also occur in the cranial, cervical, and lumbar nerve areas. It is not clear that the interventions such as nerve block or subcutaneous local anesthetics result in a lower incidence of postherpetic neuralgia than the natural course of herpes zoster. However, the severity of acute pain is known as a risk factor for postherpetic neuralgia. There have been many studies on the epidural block or paravertebral block for acute pain control of herpes zoster, but superficial cervical plexus block has not been widely applied. We performed a superficial cervical plexus block to alleviate the acute pain of herpes zoster in the neck and obtained the expected result, so we present it with a literature review.

Herpes zoster is a disease that causes a skin rash with blisters and extreme pain along mainly the unilateral dermatome. It often occurs in the thoracic nerve area, but can also occur in the cranial, cervical, and lumbar nerve areas. It is not clear that the interventions such as nerve block or subcutaneous local anesthetics result in a lower incidence of postherpetic neuralgia than the natural course of herpes zoster. However, the severity of acute pain is known as a risk factor for postherpetic neuralgia. There have been many studies on the epidural block or paravertebral block for acute pain control of herpes zoster, but superficial cervical plexus block has not been widely applied. We performed a superficial cervical plexus block to alleviate the acute pain of herpes zoster in the neck and obtained the expected result, so we present it with a literature review.

Purpose: We report a case of neuroretinitis combined with external ophthalmoplegia in a patient who developed a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after administration of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.Case summary: A 26-year-old woman who was on oral contraceptives was diagnosed with a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis 1 month after the first injection of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BNT162b2, Pfizer-BioNTech). The levels of factors 8 and 9 were elevated on the blood test. The corrected visual acuities were 0.3 in both eyes. A complete limitation of abduction and esotropia were evident in the left eye. Both eyes exhibited optic disc swelling and hemorrhage and retinal nerve fiber layer swelling. Subretinal fluid was apparent in the right eye. Three weeks later, the optic disc swellings and hemorrhages had worsened and both eyes evidenced macular stars. After 10 months, the corrected visual acuities improved to 0.9 in both eyes. Ocular motor function and the esotropia also improved. However, the overall contraction of the visual field did not. Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 vaccination can trigger cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, neuroretinitis, and external ophthalmoplegia. In patients with risk factors for such thrombosis, the possibility of ophthalmic complications should be considered after administration of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

PURPOSE: It is not common to evaluate the response of the fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) to primary hepatoma as compared with conventional radiotherapy. The purpose of the study was to take the preliminary result on the clinical trial of primary hepatoma by SRT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1999 to March 2000, thirty three patients were hospitalized in the St. Mary's Hospital, and treated with SRT for extracranial tumors. Among them, 13 patients were diagnosed to primary hepatoma and then applied by frameless SRT using 6 MV linac accelerator. There were 12 male and 1 female patients. They had the age of 44~66 year old (median : 59) and the tumor size of 10~825 cc (median : 185 cc). SRT was given to them 3~5 fractions a week (5 Gy/fraction, 90% isodose line) for 2~3 weeks. Median dose of SRT was 50 Gy and the range was 30~50 Gy. RESULTS: Follow-up period ranged from 3 months to 13 months with median of 8 months. After treating SRT to thirteen patients with primary hepatoma, the response of the tumor was examined by abdominal CT : they are classified by 1 complete regression (7.7%), 7 partial regression (53.8%), 4 minimal regression (30.8%), 1 stable disease (7.7%). The positive responses more than partial remission were 8 patients (61.5%) after the treatment. The level of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) after the treatment as compared with pretreatment had been 92.3% decreased. There was no severe complication except dyspepsia 84.6%, mild nausea 69.2%, transient decreased of hepatic function 15.4% and fever 7.7%. CONCLUSION: SRT to the patients with primary hepatoma was potentially suggested to become the safe and more effective tool than the conventional radiotherapy even though there were relatively short duration of follow-up and small numbers to be tested.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Dyspepsia ; Female ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Nausea ; Radiotherapy* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the surgical results between unilateral lateral rectus recession-medial rectus resection (R and R) and bilateral medial rectus resections in recurrent exotropia. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 22 patients with recurrent exotropia of the basic or pseudodivergence excess types were enrolled. In group A (14 patients), unilateral R and R was performed during the first operation, and R and R was performed in contralateral eyes during the second operation. In group B (8 patients), bilateral lateral rectus recessions were performed during the first operation and bilateral medial rectus resections during the second operation. RESULTS: The mean time interval between the first and second operations was 28.9 months (range, 5 to 64 months) in Group A and 59.9 months (range, 35 to 75 months) in Group B, which was a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.006). The success rates at last follow-up after the second operation were 85.7% in Group A and 87.5% in Group B, which was not statistically different between the two groups (p<1.000). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in success rate after the second operation between the two groups. Therefore, the operation method for recurrent exotropia can be chosen according to the operator's preference.
Exotropia* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of postoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer, we retrospectively analyzed the treatment results of patients treated by curative surgical resection and postoperative chemoradiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 1989 through December 1998, 119 patients were treated with curative surgery and postoperative chemoradiotherapy for rectal carcinoma in Gyeongsang National University Hospital. Patient age ranged from 32 to 73 years, with a median age of 56 years. Low anterior resection was performed in 59 patients, and abdominoperineal resection in 60. Forty-three patients were AJCC stage II and 76 were stage III. Radiation was delivered with 6 MV X rays using either AP-PA two fields, AP-PA both lateral four fields, or PA both lateral three fields. Total radiation dose ranged from 40 Gy to 56 Gy. In 73 patients, bolus infusions of 5-FU (400 mg/m2) were given during the first and fourth weeks of radiotherapy. After completion of radiotherapy, an additional four to six cycles of 5-FU were given. Oral 5-FU (Furtulone) was given for nine months in 46 patients. RESULTS: Forty (33.7%) of the 119 patients showed treatment failure. Local failure occurred in 16 (13.5%) patients, 1 (2.3%) of 43 stage II patients and 15 (19.7%) of 76 stage III patients. Distant failure occurred in 31 (26.1%) patients, among whom 5 (11.6%) were stage II and 26 (34.2%) were stage III. Five-year actuarial survival was 56.2% overall, 71.1% in stage II patients and 49.1% in stage III patients (p=0.0008). Five-year disease free survival was 53.3% overall, 68.1% in stage II and 45.8% in stage III (p=0.0006). Multivariate analysis showed that T stage and N stage were significant prognostic factors for five year survival, and that T stage, N stage, and preoperative CEA value were significant prognostic factors for five year disease free survival. Bowel complication occurred in 22 patients, and was treated surgically in 15 (12.6%), and conservatively in 7 (5.9%). CONCLUSION: Postoperative chemoradiotherapy was confirmed to be an effective modality for local control of rectal cancer, but the distant failure rate remained high. More effective modalities should be investigated to lower the distant failure rate.
Chemoradiotherapy* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Radiotherapy ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Failure

PURPOSE: To report a case of refractive change with intraocular pressure change following trauma. METHODS: Changes in intraocular pressure, refractive power, lens thickness, depth of anterior chamber, and axial length of an 8-year-old girl were measured. RESULTS: During the early period after trauma, the patient showed low intraocular pressure and shallow anterior chamber depth. The refractive power changed to transient high myopia. With temporary high intraocular pressure, the refractive power changed to hyperopia and the refractive power recovered toward emmetropia as the intraocular pressure fell to the normal level. Refractive alteration is a result of changes in intraocular pressure and depth of the anterior chamber by cyclodialysis cleft and its adhesion is induced by trauma to the eye. Herein, the authors show evidence for a relationship between refractive change and posttraumatic ocular change.
Anterior Chamber ; Child ; Emmetropia ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Myopia