BACKGROUND: Lumbar plexus block by posterior approach has been used for thigh and hip surgery and unilateral low back pain and/or low extremity pain control. We measured the needle depth from the skin to the lumbar plexus and its relation with body indices in Korean. METHODS: Forty-eight (male 35, female 13) patients with unilateral low back pain and/or low extremity pain received lumbar plexus block by the posterior approach known as "psoas compartment block". We measured the distance from the skin to the lumbar plexus with the aid of a nerve stimulator and evaluated its relation to body mass indices such as weight, height, abdominal circumference and body mass index (BMI; kg/m2). RESULTS: The distance described above was 7.42 +/- 0.82 cm (range 6.0-9.5 cm) in males and 7.18 +/- 1.24 cm (range 5.3-10.0 cm) in females. Its relation to body weight was greater than with other body indices. The Pearson's coefficient between the distance and body weight was 0.745 in males and 0.842 in females. The predicted distance (cm) was 4.23 + 0.0471 x weight (kg) in males (adjusted R2 = 0.532) and 1.25 + 0.0975 x weight in females (adjusted R2 = 0.682). CONCLUSIONS: Body weight is the most important factor for prediction of the distance from the skin to the lumbar plexus. The distance was about 6-10 cm in korean patients.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Extremities ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Lumbosacral Plexus* ; Male ; Needles* ; Sagittal Abdominal Diameter ; Skin ; Thigh

Using computerized motion analysis techniques, kinematics of foot trajectories were quantitatively analyzed in twelve rats before and after dorsal spinal cord hemisection at the T6 level. Although overground locomotion in these animals returned to normal within four weeks, some kinematic variables during treadmill locomotion did not recover to pre-lesion level. Immediately following dorsal hemisection, amplitudes of both hindfeet horizontal and vertical movements were dramatically reduces. However, in three weeks, the amplitudes of horizontal movement(stride length) became significantly larger than of pre-lesion strides. On the other hand, amplitude of hindlimb vertical movement showed very little recovery. Forelimb-hindmill coordination was also disrupted initially but returned to normal within three weeks. The duration of hindlimb swing phase became significantly longer after sectioning and gradually recovered, but never to pre-lesion levels. Interestingly, amplitudes of forelimb vertical movement. which was depressed initially, became significantly largery three weeks after lesioning. A dramatic increase in the statistical variation of limb kinematics, which persisted even after motor recovery, is an important parameter for the evaluation of neural deficits in spinal cord injuries. Kinematic analysis is a sensitive technique for the detection of minor motor deficits following nerve injuries.
Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Extremities ; Foot ; Forelimb ; Hand ; Hindlimb ; Locomotion* ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord*

The purposes of this study were to describe the magnetic resonance(MR) manifestations of wallerian degeneration occurring above and below a spinal cord injury site, to determine the post-injury time interval when the wallerian degeneration becomes evident in MR images, and to correlate the MR findings with post mortem histopathology. Twenty-three postmortem spinal cords, all from patients with cervical(14), thoracic(5), and lumbar(4) cord injuries, were studied with axial TI-and T2-weighted spin-echo MR imaging. Injury to death intervals varied from 8 days to 22 years. We examined these specimen for abnormal cord contour and alteration of signal above and below the injury site. Histological studies of these cords with axon, myelin, and connective tissue stains were performed at levels equivalent to the MR sections. Studies using plastic embedded sections and antibodies to Glial Fibrillary Acetic Protein(GFAP) were also performed on some of the above cords. Pathological-imaging correlations were made. MR images of the cord specimen showed increased signal intensity in the dorsal columns above the injury level as well as in the lateral corticospinal tracts below the injury level in all cases in which cord injury had occurred seven or more weeks premortem. In one case where cord injury had occurred eight days prior to death the MR showed no signal abnormalities, histological analysis showed evidence of early wallerian degeneration in the dorsal columns above the lesion but no change was detected in the lateral columns below the lesion. After 12 days, early stage wallerian degeneration was detected by histological examination in both the lateral columns below the lesion and in the dorsal columns above the lesion. Wallerian degeneration in spinal cords, as demonstrated by histological examination, was identified on MR as areas of increased T2 weighted signal intensity site in the dorsal column above the injury site and in the corticospinal tracts below the injury site in all specimen in which the injury-to-death interval was greater than 7 weeks. The ability to recognize wallerian degeneration on MR allows a more comprehensive analysis of the injury, explains abnormal MR signals at sites that are remote from the epicenter of injury, and may be helpful in the assessing of results of therapeutic interventions.
Antibodies ; Axons ; Coloring Agents ; Connective Tissue ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelin Sheath ; Plastics ; Pyramidal Tracts ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Wallerian Degeneration*

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the relation of the lumbar plexus with the psoas compartment, to measure the distance from skin to psoas compartment, and to determine the efficacy of psoas compartment block for the unilateral leg pain and/or low back pain. METHOD: Six cadavers were dissected and the computed tomography of the lumbar region were performed in 22 subjects. The psoas compartment block of 10 ml of 0.5 percent lidocaine were performed in 31 patients with unilateral leg pain and/or low back pain. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and sensory, motor functions were assessed before the block and 5, 30 minutes, and 1, 2, 3 hours and 1 week after the block. The distance from skin to psoas compartment were measured during the procedure. The questionnaires on the procedure were completed after 1 week. RESULTS: Cadaver dissections demonstrated that the 3 main nerves of lumbar plexus were within the psoas compartment between the level of L4 and L5. Computed tomography provided that the average distances of anterior and posterior borders of psoas major from the low back skin were 10.8 & 6.3 cm and that of medial & lateral borders from the median sagital plane were 2.9 & 7.1 cm respectively. There were statistically significant correlations between distance from skin to psoas compartment and body weight, abdominal circumference as well as body mass index (p<0.0001). The VAS was 7.7 before the block and 5.4 1 week after the block (p<0.05) and satisfactory outcomes were shown in 71 percent of the subjects. CONCLUSION: Psoas compartment block was effective for the patients with unilateral leg pain and/or low back pain without major side effects and complications.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cadaver ; Humans ; Leg ; Lidocaine ; Low Back Pain ; Lumbosacral Plexus ; Lumbosacral Region ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Skin ; Visual Analog Scale

Background: Pheochromocytoma and paragangliomas (PPGL) are hereditary in approximately 30% to 40% cases. With the advancement of genetic analysis techniques, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), there were attempts to classify PPGL into molecular clusters. With NGS being applied to clinical settings recently, we aimed to review the results of genetic analysis, including NGS, and investigate the association with clinical characteristics in Korean PPGL patients. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of PPGL patients who visited Severance hospital from 2006 to 2019. We documented the clinical phenotype of those who underwent targeted NGS or had known germline mutations of related genes. Results: Among 57 PPGL patients, we found 28 pathogenic germline mutations of susceptibility genes. Before the targeted NGS was implemented, only obvious syndromic feature lead to the Sanger sequencing for the specific genes. Therefore, for the exact prevalence, only patients after the year 2017, when targeted NGS was added, were included (n=43). The positive germline mutations were found in 14 patients; thus, the incidence rate is 32.6%. Patients with germline mutations had a higher likelihood of family history. There were significant differences in the type of PPGLs, percentage of family history, metastasis rate, presence of other tumors, and biochemical profile among three molecular clusters: pseudohypoxic tricarboxylic acid cycle-related, pseudohypoxic von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)/endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1-related, and kinase-signaling group. Germline mutations were identified in seven PPGL-related genes (SDHB, RET, VHL, NF1, MAX, SDHA, and SDHD). Conclusion We report the expected prevalence of germline mutations in Korean PPGL patients. NGS is a useful and accessible tool for genetic analysis in patients with PPGLs, and further research on molecular classification is needed for precise management.

Retrospective analysis of 46 patients with intracerebral hematoma showed that the attack was most frequent in sixth decade and more prevalent in female. The most common cause of the attack was hypertension(80%) and the site of hemorrhage was putamen 32%, thalamic area 15%, subcortical area 7%, cerebellum 17%, ventricle 3%, and brain stem 4%. Mortality of total cases was 36% and there was no difference of mortality in both conservatively or operatively treated group(38% in conservative group, and 35% in operative group). The prognosis of the patient was unfavorable in the group of poor pretreatment Glasgow coma scale(GCS) and those of cases demonstrated more than 30cc of hematoma on computerized tomography(CT) of the brain. The improvement of GCS after management was better in operative group than in the conservative group.
Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Coma ; Female ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Putamen ; Retrospective Studies

The development of postischemic irreversible brain damage depends upon the length of ischemia and its severity during arterial occlusion, although release of the occlusion always leads to restoration of normal or above noraml cerebral blood flow. The experiment was planned to determine the effects of mannitol on cerebral ischemia on subsequential regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF) and somatosensory evoked potential(SEP) following reperfusion after ischemia and also define the proper time of vascular occlusion without irreversible brain damage. Cerebral ischemia was induced in cat by transorbital occlusion of the left MCA with a Sugita clip for period of 30 minutes and the ischemic brain was reperfused for 180 minutes by removing the clip. Forty adult cats, weighing 2.5 to 4.0 Kg were divided into 5 group ; control(Group I, n=8), permanent MCA occlusion(Group II, n=8), permanent MCA occlusion with mannitol infusion(Group III, n=8), permanent MCA occlusion with mannitol infusion(Group III, n=8), 30 minutes MCA clipping followed by reperfusion(Group IV, n=8) and 30 minutes MCA clipping with mannitol infusion followed by reperfusion groups(Group V, n=8) respectively. The rCBF and SEP measurents were carried out in each animal immediately, after MCA occlusion, at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes and 180 minutes followed by perfusion. The rCBF was measured by the hydrogen clearance technique. Mannitol was given in bolus of lg/kg body weight as a 25% solution delivered via the femoral vein. The results were as follows : 1) Gradual elevation of intracranial pressure(ICP) and systolic blood pressure were observed after MCA occlusion. Treatment with mannitol in MCA occlusion animals(Group III & V) decreased ICP immediately after infusion of mannitol. 2) Normal control rCBF(ml/100 g/min) were 51.94+/-5.05 in the left temporal(LT) and 50.80+/-4.87 in the left perietal lobes(LP). 3) The MCA occlusion resulted in a reduction of the blood flows to 72% of the normal control ones(LT : 14.29+/-4.81 ml/100 g/min) at the left temporal area immediately after occlusion and also a reduction of flows to 80.4% of the normal control ones(LT : 10.24+/-3.69 ml/100 g/min) at 180 minutes after occlusion in Group II. 4) In the mannitol-treated group(group IV), reperfused animals, with removal of the clip on MCA had an improved postischemic recovery of blood flow and ipsilateral cerebral blood flows were restored to 42.5% of the normal control ones(LP : 21.2+/-4.13 ml/100 g/min) at 180 minutes after occlusion in Lt. parietal CBF. 5) In the reperfusion group(group IV), reperfused animals, with removal of the clip on MCA had an increase in rCBF to the level of 83.3% of the control value(LT : 45.78+/-6.80 ml/100 g/min) at 180 minutes after reperfusion and also reperfused animals, with treated mannitol had further increase the blood flow up to the level of 92.5% of the control value(LT : 49.04+/-43.6 ml/100 g/min) at 180 minutes after reperfusion. 6) After the MCA occlusion, the SEP was present but markedly altered in shape and particularly the early components of the SEP were suppressed in the ipsilateral occlusion hemisphere. 7) In the mannitol-treated reperfusion group(Group V) the amplitude of the SEP was restored to 80% of control value. The SEP was significantly suppressed if the rCBF fell below 10-14 ml/100 g/min. These result suggest that provided CBF can be restored to above the 40% threshold well within 30 minutes, prevention of ischemic brain damage can be expected and also the mannitol may of benefit in prolongation of the time threshold for the formation of the cerebral ischmia after vessel occlusion.
Adult ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia* ; Cats ; Evoked Potentials ; Femoral Vein ; Humans ; Hydrogen ; Ischemia ; Mannitol* ; Perfusion ; Rabeprazole ; Reperfusion

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of chronic total occlusion has been limited by a relatively low success rate and a high restenosis rate. This study investigated procedural outcome, factors predictive of procedural success and safety of coronary angioplasty for chronic total coronary occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population was composed of 45 lesions attempting PTCA with or without stent implantation for recanalization of chronic total coronary occlusion between January 1997 and July 1999. The clinical and angiographic data of the 45 lesions were reviewed. The results of successful PTCA in 28 lesions were compared with those in 17 lesions whose PTCA was failed. RESULTS: The overall success of balloon angioplasty and stenting was achieved in 28 lesions (62.2%) and did not differ significantly by clinical variables. The most common cause of failure of balloon angioplasty was inability to pass the guide wire across the occlusion( 14 of 23 lesions, 61%). Procedural success was more common in patients with occlusions with a tapered entry configuration(77.2% vs. 47.8%, p=.042), with lesions without side branches(82.3% vs. 50%, p=.03). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified the absence of side branch(p<0.01) and the presence of a tapered entry configuration(p<0.05) as independent predictors of procedural success. One case(2.2%) needed emergency coronary bypass surgery after failure to recanalize the occluded vessel. There was no Q wave acute myocardial infarction, death. CONCLUSIONS: The favorable cases(>60%) of chronic total coronary occlusions can be successfully dilated by balloon angioplasty with or without stent implantation, with a major complication rate of 2.2%. Therefore, with careful patient selection, we need to try the aggressive recanalization for chronic total coronary occlusion.
Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Coronary Occlusion ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Myocardial Infarction ; Patient Selection ; Stents

The surgical results of 1500 patients with intracranial aneurysms operated in the neurosurgical department of our university hospital during the 17 year period from 1978 to 1994 were analysed with regard to the preoperative neurological status, preoperative CT findings and timing of surgical intervention. On the follow up examinations taken between 6 months to 9 years after operations, 1115 patients(74.3%) were classified as those having a good recovery, but 206 patients(13.7%) and 88 patients(5.9%) suffered some morbidity(fair and poor outcome respectively), and 91 patients(6.1%) died. Surgical results for the patients with good neurological status at admission were generally good: good outcome for the patients with Hunt and Hess grade 1 was 87.8% and that for those with grade 2 was 80.9%, while it was 29.6% and 6.7% for patients with grade 4 and 5, respectively. There was no difference of the rate of good outcome between early(0 to 3 days after bleeding) and late surgery(14 days or more after subarachnoid hemorrhage) groups, if poor graded cases were excluded from the early surgery group. Outcome was worse if the surgery was performed during the period between 4th and 10th days after initial bleeding. The major causes of unfavorable outcome(poor and dead) were initial hemorrhagic insults and delayed ischemic deficits. For further improvement of the overall surgical outcome, several factors must be concerned. First, early surgical intervention is recommended in good grade patients on admission but it should probably be delayed in patients with poor grades. Second, active management of poor grade patients should be scrutinized. Third, incidence of delayed ischemia may be lowered with positive consideration and preventive treatment towards vasospasm.
Aneurysm, Ruptured* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Ischemia

As a potential adjuvant therapy of malignant brain tumors, immunotherapy has aroused the interest of neurooncologists. This review attempt to provide an introduction to the general concepts of tumor immunology and immunological characteristics of brain tumors, especially of gliomas, to promote an understanding of brain tumor immunotherapy(Part II) finally.
Allergy and Immunology* ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Glioma ; Immunotherapy