Aneurysm, False ; pathology ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Sphenoid Sinus ; pathology ; Young Adult

Acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock and left main coronary artery disease is called left main shock syndrome. It is reported that the morbility and mortality of the syndrome is approximately 0.46%and 55%-80%, respectively. However, the best treat-ment strategy in these cases is unknown. In this article, we present a patient with LMSS who successively underwent emergency percutane-ous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting with hemodynamic support within 5 days. The patient is now on his three month uneventful out-patient follow-up.

Spontaneous chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) is a rare condition that could develop in association with hematologic disease. A 66-year-old male developed a chronic SDH as an initial manifestation of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). He experienced recurrent chronic subdural hemorrhage and newly developed intracerebral hemorrhage. Considering the scheduled long-term chemotherapy, bilateral middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization was performed to prevent recurrence of subdural hemorrhage. Although pancytopenia occurred during the 7 months' follow-up period, residual chronic subdural hemorrhage was absorbed without recurrence. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of CMML with spontaneous chronic SDH. MMA embolization is potentially a useful and safe treatment option in the challenging clinical situations with underlying pathologies.
Aged ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematologic Diseases ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic ; Male ; Meningeal Arteries ; Pancytopenia ; Pathology ; Recurrence

We report 3 cases of arachnoid cysts (ACs) that completely disappeared after burr hole drainage, without cyst fenestration into the subarachnoid space or cystoperitoneal shunt. The first patient was a 21-year-old female with an AC of the right cerebral convexity, found incidentally. After endoscopic AC fenestration was performed, the patient complained of persistent headache. Two-month postoperative brain imaging revealed reaccumulated AC and associated multi-stage subdural hematoma. Burr hole drainage was performed to resolve the chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). Three months later, brain computed tomography showed that the CSDH and the AC had disappeared. The second patient was an 11-year-old male who had a history of trauma 1 month prior to presentation at the clinic. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed an AC in the left sylvian fissure with CSDH. We performed burr hole drainage to treat the CSDH first. Subsequently, the AC as well as the CSDH disappeared. The third case was an AC of the right parietal convexity, found incidentally. Only burr hole drainage was performed, following which, the AC disappeared. This case series shows that an AC can disappear naturally after rupture into the subdural space by trauma or the burr hole procedure.
Arachnoid Cysts ; Arachnoid ; Brain ; Child ; Drainage ; Female ; Headache ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neuroimaging ; Rabeprazole ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Space ; Subdural Space ; Trephining ; Young Adult

Background: Two primary treatment methods are used for ruptured cerebral aneurysms, surgical clipping and endovascular coiling. In recent decades, endovascular coiling has shown remarkable progress compared to surgical clipping, along with technological developments. The aim of this study was to investigate the recent trends in treatments for ruptured cerebral aneurysms in Korea. Methods: The data were obtained from the National Health Insurance database. We evaluated the trends in endovascular coiling and surgical clipping for ruptured aneurysms for the period 2000–2017. We obtained the number of prescriptions with International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, clinical modification codes related to nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage and prescription codes S4641/4642 for surgical clipping and M1661/1662 for endovascular coiling. The medical expenses for each prescription were also obtained. The primary outcomes included the cumulative number of patients, patient rates per 100,000 people, and the correlation between patient rates and the percentage of the population in each age group. Results: In the case of surgical clipping, there were no increasing or decreasing trends in the cumulative number of patients when the population/age group was ignored. When examining the trends in patient rates per 100,000 population at each year in male, there was no increasing or decreasing trend in the number of surgical clippings between the age groups, in spite of a decreasing tendency in the number of surgical clipping in male in their 40s and older than 60. In females, the surgical clipping rates tended to decrease only in patients older than 60 years, but there was no tendency to increase or decrease in the other ages. In contrast, the cumulative number of patients who underwent endovascular coiling for ruptured cerebral aneurysms increased year by year regardless of the population/age group. In both male and female, there was no increasing or decreasing trend only in the group aged 40 or younger and there was an increasing tendency in the rest of the age groups. In the trend of medical expenses, both the cost of surgical clipping and endovascular coiling showed increases. Specifically, the medical expense trend in endovascular coiling increased more rapidly than that for surgical clipping. Conclusion There was a significant increase in the proportion of patients with ruptured aneurysms undergoing endovascular coiling between 2010 and 2017, whereas the use of surgical clipping decreased. The endovascular coiling was significantly increased in all age groups and surgical clipping was decreased in all age groups, especially in patients under 50 years of age.

Objective: : Spinal degeneration is a progressive disease, worsening over time. Lumbar degenerative disease (LDD) is a major spinal disease in elderly patients. Surgical treatment is considered for medically intractable patients with LDD and reoperation after primary surgery is not uncommon. The surgical outcome is occasionally unpredictable because of comorbidities. In the present study, the relationship between comorbidities and the incidence of reoperation for LDD over time was determined. Methods: : The claims data of the health insurance national database were used to identify a cohort of patients who underwent spinal surgery for LDD in 2009. The patients were followed up until 2016. Medical comorbidity was assessed according to the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). Cox proportional hazard regression modeling was used to identify significant differences in sex, surgery, age, causative disease, and comorbidity. Results: : The study cohort included 78241 patients; 10328 patients (13.2%) underwent reoperation during the observation period. The reoperation rate was statistically higher (p<0.01) in males, patients 55–74 years and 65–74 years of age, and patients with decompression or discectomy. Significant association was found between increasing reoperation rate and CCI score (p<0.01). Based on multivariate analysis of comorbidities, the significantly higher reoperation rates were observed in patients with peripheral vascular disease, pulmonary lung disease, peptic ulcer, diabetes, and diabetes complications (p<0.01). Conclusion : The study results indicate the reoperation rate for LDD is associated with patient comorbidities. The comorbidities identified in this study could be helpful in future LDD studies.

OBJECTIVE: In respect of the health and safety of the public, universal access to health care is an issue of the greatest importance. The geographic distribution of doctors is one of the important factors contributing to access to health care. The aim of this study is to assess the imbalances in the geographic distribution of neurosurgeons across Korea.METHODS: Population data was obtained from the National Statistical Office. We classified geographic groups into 7 metropolitan cities, 78 non-metropolitan cities, and 77 rural areas. The number of doctors and neurosurgeons per 100000 populations in each county unit was calculated using the total number of doctors and neurosurgeons at the country level from 2009 to 2015. The density levels of neurosurgeon and doctor were calculated and depicted in maps.RESULTS: Between 2009 and 2015, the number of neurosurgeons increased from 2002 to 2557, and the ratio of neurosurgeons per 100000 populations increased from 4.02 to 4.96. The number of neurosurgeons per 100000 populations was highest in metropolitan cities and lowest in rural areas from 2009 to 2015. A comparison of the geographic distribution of neurosurgeons in 2009 and 2015 showed an increase in the regional gap. The neurosurgeon density was affected by country unit characteristics (p=0.000).CONCLUSION: Distribution of neurosurgeons throughout Korea is uneven. Neurosurgeons are being increasingly concentrated in a limited number of metropolitan cities. This phenomenon will need to be accounted when planning for a supply of neurosurgeons, allocation of resources and manpower, and the provision of regional neurosurgical services.
Geographic Mapping ; Health Manpower ; Health Services Accessibility ; Hospital Distribution Systems ; Korea ; Neurosurgeons ; Neurosurgery ; Resource Allocation

Objective: : People are living longer and the elderly population continues to increase. The incidence of degenerative spinal diseases (DSDs) in the elderly population is quite high. Therefore, we are facing more cases of DSD and offering more surgical solutions in geriatric patients. Understanding the significance and association of frailty and central sarcopenia as risk factors for spinal surgery in elderly patients will be helpful in improving surgical outcomes. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of prospectively collected data to assess the impact of preoperative central sarcopenia, frailty, and comorbidity on surgical outcome in elderly patients with DSD. Methods: : We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent elective spinal surgery performed from January 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020 at our hospital. We included patients aged 65 and over who underwent surgery on the thoracic or lumbar spine and were diagnosed as DSD. Central sarcopenia was measured by the 50th percentile of psoas : L4 vertebral index (PLVI) using the cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle. We used the Korean version of the fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illnesses, and loss of weight (K-FRAIL) scale to measure frailty. Comorbidity was confirmed and scored using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). As a tool for measuring surgical outcome, we used the Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification for postoperative complications and the length of stay (LOS). Results: : This study included 85 patients (35 males and 50 females). The mean age was 74.05±6.47 years. Using the K-FRAIL scale, four patients were scored as robust, 44 patients were pre-frail and 37 patients were frail. The mean PLVI was 0.61±0.19. According to the CD classification, 50 patients were classified as grade 1, 19 as grade 2, and four as grade 4. The mean LOS was 12.35±8.17 days. Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that postoperative complication was significantly associated with surgical invasiveness and K-FRAIL scale. LOS was significantly associated with surgical invasiveness and CCI. K-FRAIL scale showed a significant correlation with CCI and PLVI. Conclusion : The present study demonstrates that frailty, comorbidity, and surgical invasiveness are important risk factors for postoperative complications and LOS in elderly patients with DSD. Preoperative recognition of these factors may be useful for perioperative optimization, risk stratification, and patient counseling.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the distribution of allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Quanzhou, for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment. METHOD: Twenty standardized allergen underwent skin prick testing (skin prick test, SPT) were used for 1236 patients with suspected AR patients in Quanzhou, and the different age, gender and severity in patients with allergen distribution differences of positive rate were analyzed. RESULT: The top 5 allergens with positive skin tests were D. pteronyssinus (66.7%), D. farinae (65.5%), Blattodea (32.8%), Sea crab (18.2%), and Sea lobster (16.8%). The positive rate of SPT in the minor groups and adult groups had significant difference (P < 0.05). Gender difference between the positive rate of SPT had no significant difference (P > 0.05). There was significant difference between the positive rate in patients with a family history and history of asthma and patients without above two history (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Dust Mite, Blattodea, Sea crab. Sea lobster are the most important allergens in quanzhou. Different ages of the patients with SPT positive rates vary, a family history, history of asthma patients with positive rate is higher than patients without a family history of asthma history, high positive rate.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Allergens ; analysis ; immunology ; Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Skin Tests ; Young Adult