No abstract available.
Cauda Equina* ; Ependymoma*

No abstract available.
Hand* ; Humans

We report a rare case of brain abscess associated with intracerebral hematoma in a child at the age of 3. A 3 years old female child has been suffered from the cellulites with pustule on her right leg since 3 weeks before, which has aggravated gradually, and developed acute bacterial meningitis for 2 weeks before transfer to Department of Neurosurgery. The acute bacterial meningitis has been treated for 2 weeks in Pediatric Department. The brain CT revealed a small brain abscesses in the occipital region bilaterally. With methicillin, the clinical progress including C.S.F. findings has got improvement, which has been almost complete. We found the staphylococcus from the pustule on her right leg by smear and culture. At that time, 3 weeks since the onset, suddenly vomiting, consciousness change(drowsy to semicomatose), left hemiparesis developed. Immediate brain CT revealed multiple abscess in both occipital poles with bulky intracerrebral hematoma in right perietooccipital region. Immediate craniectomy was performed for removal of intracranial hematoma, which was ca 50cc in amount, at first, and bilateral trephination with aspiration and drainage for the multiple brain abscess at second. The postoperative course was satisfactory with mannitolization and antibiotic treatment. The recovery was dramatic one.
Abscess ; Brain Abscess* ; Brain* ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Consciousness ; Drainage ; Female ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Leg ; Mannitol ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Methicillin ; Neurosurgery ; Paresis ; Staphylococcus ; Trephining ; Vomiting

Investigations of the anti-tumor activity of recombinant mouse TNF and etoposide(VP-16) in a nude mouse subcutaneous implantation xenograft model utilizing the CURC-1 human renal cell carcinoma cell line were performed. Recombinant mouse tumor necrosis factor-alpha(rTNF-alpha) and VP-16. both well known cytotoxic and cytostatic anticancer agents were evaluated singly and in combination against subcutaneously growing CURC-1. The results were as follows : 1. In the absence of treatment(Group I). subcutaneously growing CURC-1 tumor nodules demonstrated continued rapid growth. 2. Administration of rTNF(Group II) induced significant tumor regression in the subcutaneous nodules. 3. Administration of rTNF and Etoposide(Group III) demonstrated significant tumor growth inhibition. On histopathological findings, Group I (control) shows rare leukocyte infiltration and no tumor necrosis. In contrast, Group II shows tumor necrosis and more leukocyte infiltration than Group I . Group III demonstrates tumor necrosis. tumor cell degeneration and more leukocyte infiltration than Group II. These results suggest that TNF have antineoplastic effect against subcutaneous human renal cell carcinoma nodule but the synergistic effect of TNF with VP-l6 is uncertain.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cell Line ; Etoposide* ; Heterografts* ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Mice ; Mice, Nude* ; Necrosis ; Robenidine ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors(PNETs) may be a term established recently for a tumor group(?) which is composed of prominent undifferentiated cells with variable foci of differentiation along glial and neuronal lines. The authors experienced a case of 'primitive glioma' regarded as a subclass of PNETs, in a 14 year old boy who had suffered from headache and vomiting for about 40 days prior to admission. Brain CT and angiographic studies reveal a huge hypovascular mass lesion with multiple cysts in the left frontal lobe. The patient was satisfactorily treated by total tumor excision and following irradiation, and is now in follow up. We present the case with review of the literatures.
Adolescent ; Brain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Frontal Lobe ; Headache ; Humans ; Male ; Neural Plate ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive* ; Neurons ; Vomiting

Intracranial calcification is relatively common, but calcification of chronic subdural hematoma is rare condition. Nevertheless, already in 1884 Von Rokitansky had described a calcified chronic subdural hematoma found at autopsy. Subsequently Lewis(1889), Elsner(1896), and O'sullivan(1925) mentioned calcification of intracranial hematoma. In 1930, Goldham reported the first case treated by operation. A 15-year-old Korean male was admitted to this hospital because of a episode of generalized epileptic seizure, one day before admission. Past history was unknown about head injury and his past birth condition. Patient has complained weakness of right upper and lower extremely since his infant. Neurological examination revealed the left hemiparesis, but others were normal. Skull X-ray films showed dense conglomerated calcific density with surrounding rim like lucency in left fronto-parietal region. Left carotid angiogram revealed no abnormalities except hypoplasia of left hemisphere. Brain computed tomogram demonstrated hyperdense subdural mass surrounding decreased parenchymal density in left fronto-parietal region. A craniectomy was performed for removal of the calcified mass. A oval concaved bony hard mass was found in subdural space. The calcified bony hard mass was adherent with the surface of cortex by loose sonnective tissue. We removed the bony hard mass completely. The postoperative course was very satisfactory and seizure has not been appeared after discharge. Microscopic findings demonstrated ossification and fibrosis, consisting with old hematoma which showed up a calcification of chronic subdural hematoma.
Adolescent ; Autopsy ; Brain ; Child* ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Epilepsy ; Fibrosis ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Neurologic Examination ; Paresis ; Parturition ; Seizures ; Skull ; Subdural Space ; X-Ray Film

The meningioma constitutes 12 to 16 percent of all intracranial tumors. Generally, meningiomas arise from intracranial arachnoid villi and located intracranially. Extension of an intracranial meningioma onto the frontal and ethmoidal sinus occurs occassionally, but primary meningiomas of the frontal and ethmoidal sinus are extremely rare. The authors experienced a case of cystic, meningotheliomatous meningioma containing lamellated calcification involving of the lest frontal and ethmoidal sinus, which presented with protrusion of frontal bone and exophthalmos. In addition to our case, other types of extracranial meningioma are discussed with review of literature.
Arachnoid ; Exophthalmos ; Frontal Bone ; Meningioma*

We report a rare case of cervical intradural extramedullary neurilemmoma associated with extradural cavernous angioma in adolescent male patient. This 19-year-old man complained of increasing weakness of left extremities with pain and numbness, starting upwards from the region of left leg since 2 months before, which has aggravated gradually and developed to right side. Neither the patient nor any family member displayed the stigmata of spinal tumor. Neurological examination showed spastic qudriparesis, more severe on left side, disclosed absent vibratory sense and diminution of pain and touch below level of cervico-thoracic junction. Myelogram demonstrated a large filling defect at the C4-6 vertebral level, which was interpreted as an intradural extramedullary or extradural mass. Laminectomy was performed 4 days after admission. At surgery, reddish, diffuse and well demarcated friable mass was found extradural space at the level of C4-6. But post-operative course was not improved for 2 weeks, so we are performed second operation after identified another intradural extramedullary mass by spinal CT. A total removal of tumor mass was accomplished at second procedure. Hostological examination confirmed the diagnosis of cavernous angioma at the extradural mass, neurilemmoma at the intradural extramedullary mass. The post-operative course was satisfactory.
Adolescent ; Christianity ; Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Laminectomy ; Leg ; Male ; Muscle Spasticity ; Myelography ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurologic Examination ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate whether the preoperative nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was a risk factor for surgical site infections and nosocomial infections in open heart surgery patients. METHODS: From June 10, 2002 to October 30, 2002, data were collected by prospective surveillance carried out by infection control nurses. Nasal swabs were taken from patients (N= 106) on the day before surgery. The swabs were incubated in staphylococcal broth for 24 hours, and then it was incubated on mannitol salt agar for 24 hours. Muller-Hinton agar supplemented with oxacillin (6 microgram/mL) was used to identify MRSA. RESULTS: Among the study patients (N=106), four(4/106, 3.8%) were identified as MRSA carriers and nine (9/103 , 8.7%) developed nosocomial infections, including three patients (3/103 , 2.9%) who had postoperative mediastinitis Preoperative nasal carriage of MRSA was not associated with nosocomial infections nor surgical site infections (P>0.05). However, the length of hospital stay prior to nasal swab or surgery was found to be associated with MRSA carriage (OR=1.108, 95%CI: 1.026-1.197) or nosocomial infections (OR=1.087, 95%CI: 1.017-1.161). Additionally, the patients with nosocomial infections were more likely than those without to stay in the hospital for a longer period after surgery (P<0.00l). CONCLUSION: Preoperative nasal carriage of MRSA by the patient was not identified as a risk factor for surgical site infection and nosocomial infections in open heart surgery.
Agar ; Cross Infection* ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Length of Stay ; Mannitol ; Mediastinitis ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Oxacillin ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thoracic Surgery*

We experienced a case of an extradural cyst of lumbar spine associated with a freshly ruptured intervertebral disc on L3-4 intervertebral space. A 22-years old Korean female was admitted to hospital because of low back pain radiating to the both legs for about 7 weeks, after mild trauma in the running bus. The low back pain and bilateral sciatic pain had aggravated by coughing and sneezing, similar to the protruded intervertebral disc. Neurological examination revealed the signs similar to those of the protruded intervertebral disc. Simple X-ray films of lumbar spine revealed scoliosis, stretching of lumbar lordotic curve. Myelography showed a complete block from lower one third of L3 vertebral body to upper one fourth of L4 vertebral body by spinal puncture of L2-3 and L5-S1 interspace, respectively. We performed a total laminectomy of L3-4 for the above lesion. The operative finding showed an extradural cyst adhesive with L3 nerve root sheath and freshly ruptured intervertebral disc on L3-4 interspace. The extradural cyst was 2.0x1.5x0.5cm in size and its surface was not smooth but coarse. The contents of cyst was yellowish brown fluid(xanthochromic). We removed the extradural cyst completely and the ruptured(tiny tagged) contents of nucleus pulposus. The post-operative course was satisfactory, dramatically. The microscopic findings of the extradural cyst showed a simple cyst including a profuse pigments of hemosiderin, highly suggested one formed from and epidural hematoma by trauma.
Adhesives ; Cough ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Laminectomy ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Myelography ; Neurologic Examination ; Running ; Scoliosis ; Sneezing ; Spinal Puncture ; Spine ; X-Ray Film ; Young Adult