PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging findings of cerebral venous angiomas, and to compare those findings with those of cerebral angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the findings of gadolinium-enhanced MR images of 11 cases with angiographically proved cerebral venous angiomas. We obtained Tl-and T2-weighted images with gadoliniumenhanced Tl-weighted images at a 0.5 T MR imager with a spin-echo technique. We analyzed the location and signal intensity of the lesion, pattern of contrast enhancement, the distribution of draining veins and medullary veins before and after contrast enhancement, and then compared with the findings of cerebral angiography. RESULTS: The characteristic central tubular signal void structure showed low signal intensity on Tl-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images in all cases. After gadolinium enhancement, we could find a characteristic enhancement of all medullary and central veins in 7 cases. CONCLUSION: Gadolinium-enhanced MR image was useful in the diagnosis of venous angiomas especially in the detection of medullary veins. The invasive cerebral angiography could be replaced by this technique in this disease.
Central Nervous System Venous Angioma* ; Cerebral Angiography* ; Diagnosis ; Gadolinium ; Gadolinium DTPA* ; Hemangioma ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Veins

No abstract available.
Tetanus*

BACKGROUND: Relative changes of astroglial volume constitute the major part of brain edema, which is related to delayed neuronal damage. Several factors including glutamate may contribute to astroglial swelling. Intravenous anesthetic, ketamine was known to restore neuronal damage by inhibiting NMDA receptor activity. Therefore, we decided to investigate the effect of ketamine on the astrocyte swelling by glutamate in the present study. METHODS: To analyze cell swelling in vitro, glial cell line, U1242MG was used. The effects of glutamate (1, 2, 3 mM), and glutamate with ketamine (1 mM) on the regulation of astrocyte volume were achieved by flow cytometry system. To eliminate the dead cells from experimental cell suspension and to assess cell viability, fluorescent dye propidium iodide was used. RESULTS: Glutamate addition (1, 2, 3mM) caused astroglial swelling both in calcium present and calcium absent buffer. The difference of cellular swelling dependent on glutamate concentration was only seen in calcium free buffer (p<0.05). Ketamine per se did not affect astroglial volume. However, when it was added to glutamate perfusion, 1 mM ketamine diminished cellular swelling by glutamate during first 10 minutes (p<0.05), and cellular shrinkage by glutamate after 1 hour incubation (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine (1 mM) is effective in the regulation of astroglial volume alterations induced by glutamate in both short time and long time perfusion.
Astrocytes ; Brain Edema ; Calcium ; Cell Survival ; Flow Cytometry ; Glutamic Acid* ; Ketamine* ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neuroglia ; Neurons ; Perfusion ; Propidium

No abstract available.
Coxa Vara* ; Follow-Up Studies*

Authors presented the experience of Ender nail treatment for the humeral shaft fractures in 24 patients. The results of treatment in all were satisfactory, though there were four cases of delayed union. Bridging callus was formed at 8.2 weeks on an average. The average clinical union time was 14 weeks. No complications developed during nailing procedure. A case of radial nerve palsy after fracture recovered spontaneously. Longer nails which hit the end of medullary canal of distal fragment distracted the fracture gap, and resulted in delayed union in 4 cases. Therefore, it is recommended to use the proper size of nail to avoid the distraction effect of the inserted nail, and to use two nails at minimum for better fixation. However, when intramedullary Ender nailing is properly done, single nailing also can give consistently good anatomic and functional results.
Bony Callus ; Humans ; Humerus ; Paralysis ; Radial Nerve

BACKGROUND: As of alpha2-agonist, clonidine reduces generalized sympathetic outflow in nervous system and also reduces acetylcholine release at cholinergic terminals presynaptically. So clonidine premedication is possibly able to decrease muscle contraction and prolong the duration of neuromuscular blockers. Therefore, the aim of our current study is to investigate the effect of oral clonidine on the duration of vecuronium. METHODS: Forty patients (ASA I or II) sheduled for elective low abdominal or extrimities operation were randomly divided into 2 groups. Clonidine group (n=20) received 5 microgram/kg oral clonidine at 90 min before operation. Control group (n=20) received nothing. Neuromuscular transmission was measured with relaxograph. After injection of vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg, we measured onset time (the time from injection of vecuronium to decrease to the 25% of baseline value, duration 1 (the time interval between injection and recovery of the first twitch to 25% of the baseline value), and duration 2 (the time interval between second injection of 0.02 mg/kg vecuronium and recovery of the first twitch to 25% of the baseline value). RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between control and clonidine group in onset time (2.6 +/- 0.6 min vs 2.7 +/- 0.5 min), duration 1 (37.5 +/- 8.9 min vs 40.3 +/- 8.6 min) and duration 2 (22.0 +/- 6.8 min vs 24.4 +/- 6.1 min). CONCLUSIONS: Five microgram/kg of oral clonidine premedication did not prolong the duration of vecuronium.
Acetylcholine ; Clonidine* ; Humans ; Muscle Contraction ; Nervous System ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents ; Premedication ; Vecuronium Bromide*

In order to determine the prevalence of Necator americanus, 182 fecal samples were collected from school children in the Taegu vicinity. These sample were subsequently cultured by the Harada-Mori technique. Necator americanus was differentiated from Ancylostoma duodenale using the bases of morphological characteristics of filariform larvae. Necator americanus was not found in the vicinity of Taegu.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda- Necator americanus ; epidemiology

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: As immune mediators, cytokines are thought to regulate many biological functions. Changes in cytokine response were found in stressful conditions including surgery. Our aim was to study the effects of oral clonidine premedication on the proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing spinal fusion. METHODS: Thirty patients (ASA I and II) were selected and randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Group 1, 2, and 3 received no premedication, clonidine 0.15 mg and 0.3 mg orally, respectively. Blood concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, and antiinflammatory cytokines IL-10, IL-13 were determined as following intervals: before induction, immediate, 1 h, 3 h and 5 h after incision. For cytokines assay, commercially available ELISA kits were used. RESULTS: Compared to baseline values, TNF-alpha , IL-6 and IL-10 concnetrations at 3 h and 5 h after incision increased significantly in all the individual groups. IL-1beta increased significantly at 3 h and 5 h after incision in group 1 and 3, and at immediate, 1 h and 3 h after incision in group 2. At the same times sampled, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-13 concentrations were not statistically different among three groups. However, IL-10 concentration increased significantly at 5 h after incision in group 2 and 3 compared to group 1. In addition, IL-10 level at 5 h after incision in group 2 was significantly different from group 3. CONCLUSIONS: Oral clonidine premedication increased release of antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10 significantly during spinal fusion surgery.
Clonidine* ; Cytokines* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-13 ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Premedication* ; Spinal Fusion ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: Perioperative procedures like surgery, anesthesia, pain control etc. induce immunosuppression and this immunosuppression can be the cause of postoperative infection or micrometastasis. PGE2 is the major cytokine related to immunosuppression especially in tissue trauma. NSAIDs blocked the cyclo-oxygenase pathway and then reduced PGE2 production. Therefore, we studied immunologic changes during a gastrectomy, and the effects of ketorolac administration. We used T cell subsets as immunologic indicator. METHODS: Forty patients scheduled for a gastrectomy due to stomach cancer were randomly allocated to the control group or the ketorolac group. The ketorolac group received 60 mg ketorolac before anesthesia and then 30 mg 6 hours later. Blood sampling was done before anesthesia, 2 hours and 24 hours after anesthesia. T cell subsets were studied by a monoclonal antibody technique. We also observed postoperative demerol consumption, side effects, infection, and discharge date. A Student's t-test, Mann- Whitney Rank Sum Test, and Chi-square were used for between groups comparisons, and a repeated measured ANOVA and then multiple comparison by the Tukey or Dunnett test for within-group comparison. RESULTS: T4 was decreased to 89.3%, 81% at 2 hours, and 24 hours in the control group but increased to 128.4%, 104.6% in the ketorolac group. T8 was not different between or within-groups. The T4/T8 ratio was decreased to 83.5%, 84.9% at 2 hours, and 24 hours in the control group but increased to 117.7%, 107.2% in the ketorolac group. 24 hour demerol consumption was higher in the control group than in the ketorolac group. Duration of infection and hospitalization were prolonged in the control group by 1 and 2 days each. CONCLUSIONS: Ketorolac increased the T4/T8 ratio and reduced demerol consumption, infection, and hosipitalization. Therefore ketorolac could help reverse immunosuppression during the perioperative period especially in immunocompromised patients.
Anesthesia ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Dinoprostone ; Gastrectomy* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunosuppression ; Ketorolac* ; Meperidine ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; Perioperative Period ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Stomach Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets*