The patients with accommodative esotropia due to high AC/A(accommodative convergence/accommodation) ratio show prominent esodeviation and can not fuse without bifocals at near. The purpose of this study is to eliminate prominent near esotropia in those patients and let them fuse at near without bifocals. We performed unilateral or bilateral medial recti recti recessions according to the angle of near esotropia in 14 patients. Twelve patients showed orthophcria or small esophoria less than 12 delta. Eleven of these patients obtained solid fusion after surgery except 3-year-old patient who could not understand the stereopsis test. One patient had esophoria of 20 delta after surgery and showed gross stereopsis. The other patient recurred 27 delta of intermittent esotropia. Twelve of 13 patients(92.3%) could fuse without bifocals at near. The recession of medial rectus or recti was effective on the removal of prominent near esotropia and obtaining fusion without bifocals. Furthermore it did not disturb angle of deviation and fusion at distant. We recommend this procedure as a secure and effective treatment for near esotropia caused by high AC/A ratio.
Child, Preschool ; Depth Perception ; Esotropia* ; Humans ; Linear Energy Transfer

PURPOSE: Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) is gaining wider acceptance for the treatment of early gastric cancer. However, firm evidence supporting the long-term outcome after LADG for gastric cancer is unknown. This study compared long-term quality of life after LADG versus an open distal gastrectomy (ODG) for early gastric cancer. METHODS: This study included 29 patients who underwent LADG and 57 patients who underwent ODG for the treatment of stage I gastric cancer. Quality of life was evaluated based on the Korean version of EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3.0) and EORTC QLQ-STO22 one year after surgery. All patients underwent a Billroth II gastrectomy for stage I gastric cancer between January 2003 and December 2004. RESULTS: A total of 86 (58%) out of 154 patients responded to the questionnaire. Demographic features showed no difference between the two groups of patients for age, sex, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis except for tumor size and the number of retrieved lymph nodes. The mean score for global health status was not statistically different (LADG, 60.3+/-20.4 vs ODG, 57+/-20.6; P=0.413). The total score of 21 items related to stomach cancer (EORTC QLQ-STO22) also was not statistically different (LADG, 68.9+/-64.9 vs ODG, 94.5+/-97.3; P=0.340). CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the Korean version of EORTC QLQ-C 30 (version 3.0) and EORTC QLQ-STO22, LADG does not seem to have any long-term benefit over ODG on 'quality of life'.
Gastrectomy* ; Gastroenterostomy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: The knowledge about the nucleotides sequence of 9th chromosome that regulates the phenotype of ABO blood group has made the ABO genotyping possible. Since the genotyping can be done with only a small amount of DNA sample, it was primarily applied to the field of forensic medicine. When applied to the blood bank, it is useful in the resolution for ABO discrepancies between the cell and serum typing and determination of A and B subgroups. Rapid ABO genotyping using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method and its value in determination of ABO subgroups is presented. METHODS: ABO genotyping was performed in seven patients and three families, seven were the cases of ABO discrepancies in routine ABO grouping and three families were for the confirmation of the ABO group. To identify the 261th nucleotide, a 252 bp PCR amplifed fragment was amplified by PCR and digested with Kpn I. For 703th nucleotide, a 128 bp PCR amplified fragment was designed and digested with Alu I. To determine the ABO genotype, the patterns of digestion in DNA fragment were examined. RESULTS: Among the seven cases of ABO discrepancies, B3 and Ael were two cases each. Weakened B due to leukemia was the one, and the other two cases were cis-AB and Am. The three families for confirmation of the ABO group were acquired B due to infection one family, cis-AB two families. CONCLUSIONS: ABO genotyping is a rapid and reliable method that can be used in the case of ABO discrepancies and determination of ABO subgroups.
Blood Banks ; Digestion ; DNA ; Forensic Medicine ; Genotype ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Nucleotides ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

We report a case of accidental epidural ephedrine injection. A 29-year-old male with left femoral artery occlusion was scheduled for thromboembolectomy. The operation was performed under epidural anesthesia. During the operation, ephedrine (30 mg/6 ml) was accidentally injected through epidural catheter instead of ropivacaine (45 mg/6 ml). Following the incident, we injected normal saline (10 ml) in the epidural space to dilute the solution. The patient had no complaint but blood pressure rose to 165/115 mmHg transiently. We observed the patient closely in recovery room and no further complication was found. In previous reports, various attempts have been tried to manage such incidents, but no definitive treatment for accidental injection is known. We present this case to remind the importance of confirming the drug everytime before injection.
Adult ; Amides ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Blood Pressure ; Catheters ; Ephedrine ; Epidural Space ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Male ; Recovery Room

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Humans* ; Interleukins*

The authors introduced a new approach for clipping of the incidental aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and reported the clinical results. We retrospectively reviewed 26 patients with 27 incidental MCA aneurysms who were treated from January 2010 to December 2012. All clippings were performed through a small temporal craniotomy and linear skin incision. Follow-up imaging showed complete occlusion of 26 aneurysms (96.3%), residual neck in one (3.7%). In one case, residual neck of the aneurysm did not grow on serial follow up. In one of 26 cases (3.8%), approach-related complication was retraction injury of the temporal cortex. Two patients developed postoperative infarction on the MCA territories due to vasospasm and on the cerebellum due to unknown causes. These were not approach-related complications. Operation time was 95 min-250 min (mean 143 min). There were no complications of temporal muscle atrophy, scar deformity, paresthesia, or pain around the scalp incision and frontalis palsy. This approach offers good surgical possibilities and little approach related morbidity in the clipping of incidental MCA aneurysms.
Aneurysm* ; Atrophy ; Cerebellum ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Craniotomy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infarction ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Neck ; Paralysis ; Paresthesia ; Retrospective Studies ; Scalp ; Skin* ; Temporal Muscle

BACKGROUND: Activation of ATP-sensitive K+ channels (KATP channels) in the cardiac muscle produces cardioprotective effects during myocardial ischemia. Previous experimental evidence indicates that volatile anesthetics exert beneficial actions in ischemic myocardium and enhance functional recovery of stunned myocardium. More recently, volatile anesthetics have been demonstrated to produce cardioprotective effects in stunned myocardium in vivo, and these effects are blocked by a KATP channel antagonist. This finding suggests that KATP channel activation by isoflurane may mediate antiischemic effects. However, it was demonstrated that isoflurane inhibited KATP channel activity in rabbit ventricular myocytes. To explain the discrepancy, the present investigation tested the hypothesis that isoflurane and its metabolite, trifluoroacetic acid, contributes to the activation of KATP channels in rabbit ventricular myocytes. METHODS: Single ventricular myocytes were isolated from rabbit hearts by an enzymatic dissociation procedure. Single-channel currents were measured in inside-out patch configurations of the patch-clamp technique. The perfusing liquid was equilibrated with isoflurane by passing 100% O2 through a vaporizer. RESULTS: Isoflurane inhibited KATP channel activity without a change in the single-channel conductivity. Isoflurane decreased the burst duration and increased the interburst duration. In addition, isoflurane diminished the ATP sensitivity of KATP channels. Trifluoroacetic acid, a metabolite of isoflurane, enhanced the channel activity in a dose-dependent fashion. Trifluoroacetic acid increased the burst duration and decreased the interburst duration without a change in the single-channel conductivity. Isoflurane and trifluoroacetic acid diminished the ATP sensitivity of KATP channels. CONCLUSIONS: These results imply that isoflurane and its metabolite could mediate cardioprotective effects via KATP channel activation during myocardial ischemia.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Anesthetics ; Heart ; Isoflurane* ; KATP Channels ; Muscle Cells* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocardial Stunning ; Myocardium ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels* ; Potassium* ; Trifluoroacetic Acid*

The pathogenesis of juxtafacet cysts is closely related to degenerative instability of the lumbar spine and degenerative changes in the ligamentum flavum and the facet joint. A 56-year-old man presented with severe right thigh pain and numbness for 1 month after a laminar fracture of the L4 spine. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a heterogenous cystic mass surrounding the facet joint between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae on the right side. Conservative therapy was unsuccessful and the lesion was removed by surgical decompression alone without fusion. The histological examination showed a fragmented, cystic wall-like structure composed of myxoid degenerative tissue without lining epithelium. Here we present this case of a ganglion cyst that appeared to be associated with facet joint instability.
Decompression, Surgical ; Epithelium ; Ganglion Cysts ; Hypesthesia ; Ligamentum Flavum ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Spine ; Synovial Cyst ; Thigh ; Zygapophyseal Joint

This article aimed to investigate the incidence rate and possible risk factors for catheter-induced hemorrhage (CIH) after brain parenchymal catheterization. Between January 2011 and March 2013, 381 patients (572 punctures) who underwent brain parenchymal catheterization were retrospectively evaluated. All patients were checked by computerized tomography scan for the detection of hemorrhage within 48 hours after catheter insertion. CIH was defined as any evidence of new hemorrhage on the post-procedural computerized tomography scan. The incidence rate and the possible risk factors were analyzed by surgeon (4 different surgeons performed the procedures), characteristics of the catheter device, and patient background. Of 381 patients, 572 punctures were performed and CIH developed in 122 puncture cases (122/572, 21.3%). The risk factors related to CIH were Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score < or =8 (p<0.01) and prothrombin time international normalized ratio (PT INR) > or =1.3 (p=0.038). The amount of hemorrhage was minimal without additional operations. A low GCS score and high PT INR are implicated as potential risk factors for CIH after brain parenchymal catheterization. Careful and delicate operative technique can help to reduce postoperative complications in these patients.
Brain ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Drainage ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; International Normalized Ratio ; Postoperative Complications ; Prothrombin Time ; Punctures ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Background: and Purpose Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are the most common form of hereditary ataxias. Extracerebellar signs have been well described and are helpful in differentiating the SCA subtypes. However, there are few reports on the early-stage extracerebellar signs in various SCA subtypes. This study explored the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of early-stage SCAs in the Korean population. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of genetically confirmed SCA patients with a disease duration of <5 years. Data on baseline characteristics, extracerebellar signs, and initial MRI findings were organized based on SCA subtypes. Results: This study included 117 SCA patients with a median age at onset of 40.6 years. The family history was positive in 71.8% of the patients, and the median disease duration and the score on the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia at the initial visit were 2.6 years and 5.0, respectively. SCA3 was the most prevalent subtype, and oculomotor abnormalities were the most frequent extracerebellar signs in early-stage SCAs. Saccadic slowing was characteristic of SCA2 and SCA7, and gaze-evoked nystagmus was prominent in SCA6. Parkinsonism was relatively frequent in SCA8 and SCA3. Decreased visual acuity was specific for SCA7. Dementia was not an early manifestation of SCAs. Brain MRI revealed a pattern of pontocerebellar atrophy in SCA2 and SCA7, while SCA6 demonstrated only cerebellar cortical atrophy. Conclusions SCA patients exhibited diverse extracerebellar signs even in the early stage.Specific extracerebellar signs were characteristic of specific subtypes, which could facilitate differential diagnoses of early-stage SCAs.