The aim of this study was to compare with the effects of baclofen using an animal model of neuropathic pain. The sciatic nerve of rats was ligated unilaterally about dorsal half-portion in the tight according to the method of Seltzer and his colleague. After surgical operation, the rats showed painful symptoms of the ipsilateral hind paw, suggesting the possibility of spontaneous pain. And then, the paw withdrawal latency to the local heating on the paw through the glass plate and the frequency of paw withdrawal response to innocuous mechanical stimulation with modified von Frey filaments were determined to compare with the effects of pre-and post-medication of baclofen, respectively, at postoperative 3, 7, and 10 days. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia produced by partially tight ligation of sciatic nerve appeared continously postoperative 3 days later. 2) In the hyperesthetic rats, the thermal hyperalgesia was inhibited from the 3rd posroperative day with orally administered baclofen 0.2mg and 1.0mg. 3) In the hyperesthetic rats, the mechanical allodynia was inhibited with baclofen 0.2mg, but not with baclofen 1.0mg, These results suggest that baclofen have more specific effects on thermal hyperalgesia than mechanical allodynia.
Animals* ; Baclofen* ; Glass ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Hyperalgesia ; Ligation ; Models, Animal* ; Neuralgia* ; Rats ; Sciatic Nerve

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Anesthesia, General* ; Angiography ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Venous Thromboembolism* ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Lidocaine is often administered intravenously to suppress airway reflexes associated with tracheal intubation or tracheal suction. In addition, lidocaine is known to have airway relaxant effects through a direct relaxant mechanism on the smooth muscle. The presence of airway epithelium has been reported to reduce the sensitivity and maximum contractile response to histamine or acetylcholine(ACh). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the cumulative application of lidocaine may cause a concentration-dependent relaxation of the rat tracheal smooth muscle strips with intact or rubbed epithelium. METHODS: Using the rat tracheal smooth muscle strips, the effects of 10 6~3 10 3M of lidocaine pretreatment on isometric tension induced by 40 mM of K+ or 10 5M of ACh in presence or absence of adherent epithelium, and the influences of 10 6M of propranolol, 10 4M of L-NAME and 10 6M of atropine on relaxing response of lidocaine were studied. RESULTS: The tracheal smooth muscle concentration induced by K+ and ACh was similar magnitude both in presence or absence of adherent epithelium. The removal of epithelium did not affect the relaxant effect of lidocaine on the K+ and ACh-induced tracheal smooth muscle contraction. Lidocaine pretreatment reduced Ca2+-dependent contraction of the rat tracheal smooth muscle. Following pretreatment of the tracheal smooth muscle preparations respectively with propranolol, L-NAME and atropine the relaxing responses to lidocaine of tracheal smooth muscle were not depressed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the effect of the epithelium on lidocaine-induced relaxation of the tracheal smooth muscle is not significant and lidocaine may directly relax tracheal smooth muscle by the influences on the Ca2+ mobilization.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Atropine ; Epithelium* ; Histamine ; Intubation ; Lidocaine* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Propranolol ; Rats* ; Reflex ; Relaxation ; Suction

A mediastinal mass and 2 lung masses on the lower lobes were detected by chest CT in a 44-year old woman. The mass on the left lower lobe was diagnosed as an adeno type of cancer by preoperative lung biopsy. But the preoperative lung biopsy exam for the mass on the right lower lobe couldn't perform because of patient's noncooperation. Removal of the mediastinal mass, left lower pulmonary lobectomy and wedge resection of the right lower pulmonary lobe were done. The histopathologic diagnosis of the resected mediastinal mass was mature cystic teratoma and both lung masses were the adeno type of cancer with the same histopathologic patterns. We experienced a rare case of lung adeno cancer together with mediastinal mature cystic teratoma.
Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Teratoma ; Thorax

OBJECTIVE: Carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy in the upper extremities. For the surgical treatment of CTS, endoscopic carpal tunnel release(ECTR) has been developed as a minimally invasive method, alternative to the open procedure over the past decade. The authors present clinical experience and surgical outcome of ECTR. METHODS: One hundred cases(34 right, 30 left and 19 bilateral hands) in 81 consecutive patients(mean age: 51.8 years, range: 33-77 years) with electrodiagnostically-proven CTS underwent a single-portal ECTR from January 2001 to December 2002. Preoperative clinical findings and results of electrodiagnostic studies were compared with surgical outcome respectively after 3-month-follow-up period. RESULTS: Among 100 cases 94(94%) were satisfied with complete or significant relief of symptoms and 6(6%) were dissatisfied with partial or no relief of symptoms. Major complications in 2 cases(one with ulnar nerve injury and the other one with ulnar artery laceration), developed in early experience of ECTR and recurrence in 1 case occured. Severity of electrodiagnostic abnormalities were correlated with surgical outcome but there's no statistical significance between them. Severity of clinical findings, age at onset and symptom duration were not correlated with surgical outcome respectively. CONCLUSION: ECTR is effective in relieving symptoms of CTS with a low complication rate after the learning curve period. Thus, ECTR can be the first procedure, alternative to the open surgery as an efficient, minimally invasive surgical technique for CTS.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Learning Curve ; Recurrence ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Ulnar Artery ; Ulnar Nerve ; Upper Extremity

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery in the Trendelenburg position affects the cardiopulmonary system and may also influence intraocular pressure (IOP). The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of propofol and sevoflurane anesthesias on IOP change during laparoscopic hysterectomy. METHODS: Thirty-one women were randomly allocated to either a propofol (P-group, n = 15) intravenous anesthesia group or a sevoflurane (S-group, n = 16) inhaled anesthesia group with fentanyl-N2O/O2-vecuronium. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, plateau airway pressure, ETCO2, and IOP were measured before induction (T1), 10 min after induction (T2), 10 min after pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position (T3), and 5 min after pneumoperitoneum deflation in the horizontal position (T4). RESULTS: IOP was significantly decreased in both groups after induction. IOP was increased in both groups after pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position, but IOP in the sevoflurane group was significantly higher than that in the propofol group. CONCLUSIONS: Propofol intravenenous anesthesia may be a better choice for IOP control during laparoscopic surgery.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Arterial Pressure ; Female ; Head-Down Tilt ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Laparoscopy ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Propofol*

Although the incidence of epidural abscess is rare, once it occurs, its high morbidity rate and high mortality rate create a great deal of serious sequalae for these patient, if this condition is not diagnosed in time. We experienced a case of epidural abscess after performing percutaneous vertebroplasty in a patient who had a lumbar spinal compression fracture. This case will remind the pain clinician of the possibility of epidural abscess after such a procedure.
Epidural Abscess* ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Vertebroplasty*

No abstract available.
Hemiarthroplasty* ; Hemorrhage* ; Hip* ; Hypotension* ; Retrospective Studies*