Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a common posttraumatic pain syndrome for which no relia- bly effective method of therapy has been found. Oral therapy has been attempted with steroid, tricyclic antidepressant, beta-blocker, and antiseizure medications, none of which are predictably helpful. Multiple invasive treatment, including sympathetic blockade and intravenous regional local anesthetic, reserpine, or guanethidine blocks, have been employed, but again with inconsistent success. Transcutaneous nerve stimulation is effective in some patients but aggravates symptoms in others. Following a report of the use of subarachnoid block in the treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a symptom that is characterized by vasospasm and cold intolerance, we experienced the ability of subarachnoid block to relieve the symptoms of reflex sympthetic dystrophy.
Guanethidine ; Humans ; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy* ; Reflex* ; Reserpine ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Plasma CO2 gas tension, tidal volume and peak inspiratory airway pressure were investigated before CO2gas insufflation, 30 minutes and 60 minutes after gas insufflation in 32 laparoscopic surgery patients to study the effects of intraabdominal CO2 gas insufflation during laparoscopic surgery under general endotracheal anesthesia with controlled ventilation. Our results were as follows 1) Arterial CO2 gas tension values were significantly higher 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation compared to before gas insufflation(36.8+/-4.2 mmHg vs. 28.3+/-6.8 mmHg). 2) Tidal volume was increased 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation compared to before gas insufflation(505.1+/-78.2 ml vs. 462.0+/-83.2 ml). 3) Peak inspiratory airway pressure was significantly increased 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation compared to before gas insufflation(16.4+/-1.7 cmH2O vs. 9.8+/-1.0 cmH2O). And these increasing states were maintained during laparoscopic surgery. As the above results show, during laparoscopic surgery using CO2 gas insufflation under general anesthesia with controlled ventilation, arterial CO2 gas tension, tidal volume and peak inspiratory airway pressure were significantly increased 30 minutes after CO2 gas insufflation. Cautions may be advised if laparoscopic surgery, by whatever operation, is indicated in subjects who are affected by increasing PaCO2 and peak inspiratory airway pressure.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Humans ; Insufflation* ; Laparoscopy* ; Plasma ; Tidal Volume* ; Ventilation

BACKGROUND: Simple ventricular septal defect(VSD) is the most common congenital heart disease. Although closure of VSD is currently associated with a relatively low risk, experience with younger and smaller infants has been variably less satisfactory. We assessed the results of surgical closure of VSD in infant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1996 and 2000, 45 non-restrictive VSD patients underwent patch repair and retrospective analysis was done. Patients were divided into two groups based on weight: group I infants weighed 5kg or less(n=16), and group II infants weighed more than 5kg(n=29). Both groups had similar variation in sex, VSD location, aortic cross clamp time and total bypass time. But combined diseases (ASD, PDA, MR) were more in group I. We closed VSD with patch and used simple continuous suture method in all patients. RESULTS: There were no operative mortality, no reoperation for hemodynamically significant residual shunt and no surgically induced complete heart block. As a complication, pneumonia(group I: 2 cases, group II: 2 cases), transient seizure(group II: 2), wound infection(group I: 1, group II: 1), urinary tract infection(group I: 1) and chylopericardium(group I: 1) developed, and there was no significant difference between two groups(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Early primary closure with simple continuous suture method was applicable in all patients with non-restrictive VSD without any serious complications.
Heart Block ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Mortality ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Sutures ; Urinary Tract ; Wounds and Injuries

Because operationg room time is one of the most expensive hospital resources, cancellation of a planned surgery is a wasteful expenditure of specialized human manpower and other medical resources. To decrease the rate of cancellation, we performed this prospective study about patients who planned elective surgery under general or regional anesthesia frome September 1, 1990 to December 31, 1990 in the operating room of Yeungnam University Hospital. Daily, the total number of planned surgeries and cancelled patients were recorded, and the most important reasons for cancelling by an individual patient were also recorded. The results were as follows: 1)The total number of planned elective surgeries was 3,102 patients and total number of cancelled patients was 502 patients. Thus the mean rate of cancellation was 16.2%. 2)The highest rate of cancellation was in October(21.2%), and the departmental variation was hte highest rate in dental(37.5%) and the lowest rate in the ophthalmic department(8.6%). 4) The reason of cancellation were as follows: combined systemic diseases or abnormal laboratory findings(42.4%) were most common, and the next was no admission(14.5%), heavy schedule or deficinecy of operating room(10.3%), refusal of operation(8.6%), insufficinet patient preparation(7.8%), and affairs of operator or department(7.4%), and others. As a result of this study, there are several ways to decrease the cancellation rate in operating room of yeungnam University Hospital. The first is a careful preoperative evaluation of patient's physical status and results of labaratory examination before hospitalization, and then the common practice of outpatient surgery, appropriate plan of overall elective operation, reasonable management of an operating room, and good relationships between the individual department, especially surgeons and concultant. If we follow the above mentioned ways, disruptions of the surgical schedules may be avoided and a more economical management of the operationg room is possible.
Ambulatory Surgical Procedures ; Anesthesia, Conduction ; Appointments and Schedules ; Disulfiram ; Health Expenditures ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Operating Rooms ; Prospective Studies

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of intercostal nerve block added in intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA; PCA) on pain, pulmonary function and the movement of the ipsilateral arm after a thoracotomy. METHODS: Forty five patients undergoing elective thoracotomy were randomly allocated into one of three groups. The groups were divided as follows: PCA, ICB-PCA (PCA and intercostal nerve blocks by direct injection of 5 ml of 0.2% bupivacaine into the intercostal spaces of two upper and two lower segments around the surgical incision) and IM groups. For the PCA, the patients that received PCA, were administered IV bolus of 0.1 mg/kg of nalbuphine followed by PCA with 0.1% nalbuphine (basal rate 0.5 ml/hr, bolus dose 1 mg and lockout interval 8 minutes). In each group, VAS score, the inspiratory capacity and the movement of the ipsilateral arm were checked postoperatively at 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours. RESULTS: Inspiratory capacity was decreased less in ICB-PCA group (P<0.05) at 6 hour, but after 24 hour, there were no differences between the groups. The analgesic effect was significantly better in ICB-PCA group as compared to the PCA or IM groups (P<0.05). Furthermore, arm motion limitation after operation was the least in ICB-PCA group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative intercostal nerve blocks added in PCA has a transient improvement of pulmonary function, and also provide better analgesia and improved ipsilateral arm motion after a thoracotomy than in PCA or IM analgesia. The authors recommend adding intercostal nerve block for patients undergoing thoracotomy who receive IV-PCA.
Analgesia ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Arm ; Bupivacaine ; Humans ; Inspiratory Capacity* ; Intercostal Nerves* ; Nalbuphine ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Thoracotomy*

The incidence of traumatic rupture of the tracheobronchial tree has been increased considerably with advent of widespread mechanization and high speed era. Rupture of the bronchus is an unusual result of nonpenetrating trauma to chest. Early diagnosis and primary repair not only restore normal lung function but also avoid difficulties and complications associated with delayed diagnosis and repair. These complications are pneumonia, atelectasis and lung abscess secondary to the bronchial obtruction. We experienced a case of partial rupture on left main bronchus caused by nonpenetrating blunt chest trauma with rib fractures 1 year ago. He was suffered from progressively developing dyspnea on exercise and treated as bronchial asthma at other hospital. Bronchoscopic finding was the narrowed lumen of left main bronchus at 1cm from carina by web-like membrane. We confirmed by bronchogram and repaired by end to end anastomosis, which is rare delayed finding in bronchial rupture without pulmonary complications. We report a case of nonpenetrating traumatic bronchial rupture, manifested by bronchial web in bronchoscopy.
Asthma ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy* ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Incidence ; Lung ; Lung Abscess ; Membranes ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Rib Fractures ; Rupture* ; Thorax* ; Trees

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a rare disease with a symptom of a postural headache, which is aggravated by the erect position and relieved by the supine position. This persistent headache is dramatically improved with an epidural blood patch. C6-7 is the most common site of leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the subarachnoid space in SIH. The diagnosis of SIH is based on a typical history. It is supported by low CSF pressure in a lumbar puncture and diffuse dural enhancement on a brain MRI, and confirmed by a CSF leakage site on a radioisotope cisternography or on a myelography. However, we had two patients of SIH whose CSF leakage site was not found on cisternography. We tried an epidurogram just before an injection of autologous blood for an epidural blood patch, and found specific finding on the epidurogam suggesting the CSF leakage site, such as a filling defect on C6-7 during dye injection, and delayed washout of dye around the filling defect on the epidurogram performed at C7-T1/C6-7. Therefore, we suggest that an epidurogram is occasionally a useful diagnostic tool when looking for the site of CSF leakage in SIH.
Blood Patch, Epidural ; Brain ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Diagnosis ; Headache ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypotension* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelography ; Rare Diseases ; Spinal Puncture ; Subarachnoid Space ; Supine Position

OBJECTIVE: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a disease with specific psychologic and physical symptoms on luteal phase. Its incidence is variable in 20~80%, but its cause is not definitely proved. Because progesterone and estrogen affect the balance of the body mineral, the alteration of progestorone and estrogen in the patients with PMS may effect the imbalance of tissue mineral, that can induce the specific symptoms of PMS. This study examines the relationship between symptoms of PMS and mineral count by tissue mineral test. METHODS: Women who volunteered for the tissue mineral test completed MMDQ questionnaire and checked blood test for Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Zn. The tissue mineral test used the hair not treated within 3 weeks and not washed within 3 hours. The hair was send to TEI for the analysis. We used SPSS (14.0) for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The MMDQ score of the normal Mg group is significantly higher than the high Mg group (22.5+/-17.8 vs. 13.9+/-11.1), and the behavioral disorder score of the normal Na group is significantly lower than the low Na group (2.2+/-1.7 vs. 3.4+/-2.2). The MMDQ score of the normal Cu group is significantly lower than abnormal group (15.7+/-11.9 vs. 24.9+/-16.9). CONCLUSIONS: Total score of MMDQ showed difference according to magnesium and copper concentrations in tissue, and scores of behavioral disorder was affected by sodium concentration of tissue. Additional study about cause and effect relationship is required.
Copper ; Estrogens ; Female ; Hair ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Incidence ; Luteal Phase ; Magnesium ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Progesterone ; Surveys and Questionnaire ; Sodium

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to identify graft, obstetric and maternal outcomes of pregnancies in renal transplant recipients at our center. METHODS: A 14-year retrospective study between January 1990 and December 2003, 224 women 15 to 45 years of age had transplantation and were analyzed the outcomes of pregnancies, obstetric complications and graft function. RESULTS: Thirty-four pregnancies occurred in 21 of 224 patients. The mean age at the time of conception was 29.5 years (21 to 36 years) with a mean interval of 61.9 months (one to 162 months). In the pregnancy outcome, there were the 23 live births (67.6%) included 13 preterm and 10 term deliveries, 3 spontaneous abortions (8.8%), 7 artificial abortions (20.5%) and one case of ectopic pregnancy (2.9%). Obstetric complications were; preeclampsia (39.1%), preterm labor (43.4%), urinary tract infections (38.2%) and gestational diabetes (8.6%). Nine pregnancies within 2 years of transplantation had the permissible obstetric outcomes comparing with the others after 2 years (spontaneous abortion: p=0.77, artificial abortion: p=0.88, live birth: p=0.36). In twelve pregnancies appearing renal dysfunction associated with pregnancy, the abortion rate was increased comparing the others with stable renal function (p=0.006). Pre-pregnancy serum creatinine > or =1.4 mg/dl was associated with increased preterm delivery, but not significant (50.0% vs 28.5%, p=0.30). In graft function, serum creatinine 3~6 postpartum was significantly increased comparing pre-pregnancy levels (p=0.04). Five cases of 7 patients with acute rejection episode associated with pregnancy conceived after 4 years of transplantation. Two-year graft survival after delivery was 95.2% (20/21) and chronic rejection and graft failure was diagnosed in one case at postpartum 14 months. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that, if the graft function is stable, pregnancy within 2 years after renal transplantation might be safe. Pregnancy does not appear to have adverse effects on long term graft survival.
Abortion, Induced ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Creatinine ; Diabetes, Gestational ; Female ; Fertilization ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Live Birth ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Postpartum Period ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Retrospective Studies* ; Transplantation* ; Transplants ; Urinary Tract Infections

BACKGROUND: During adult general anesthesia, we used 3~5 L/min of fresh gas flow(FGF) but low FGF are employed, the amount of anesthetic consumption and air contamination can be reduced. The aim of this study was to determine the minimal appropriate inflow rate of oxygen and nitrous oxide during semiclosed circle technique. METHODS: We selected 40 patients, ASA group 1 or 2, scheduled for elective, nonabdominal surgery under general anesthesia with semiclosed circle system. Anesthesia was maintained with 50% oxygen, nitrous oxide and enflurane, controlled ventilation was used; rate of 10/min, tidal volume of 10 ml/kg. After induction and vital signs stabilized, FGF was changed to 4 L, 3 L, 2 L and 1L/min at interval of 30 minutes. We observed mean airway pressure and arterial blood gas tensions. RESULTS: The changes of mean airway pressure did not correlated with fresh gas inflow rate. In arterial blood gas analysis, PaO2 showed a decreasing tendency significantly according to decreasing fresh gas inflow rate(p<0.01) but there were no clinical hypoxemia in all patients. There were no significant changes in pH, PaCO2 and base excess. CONCLUSIONS: We consider that FGF of 1~2 L/min is appropriate during adult general anesthesia because of economic and ecological advantages. Also, we consider low flow technique with below 1L/min can be used safely and effectively under proper gas monitoring such as oxygen analyzer, capnometer.
Adult* ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Anesthetics ; Anoxia ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Enflurane ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Nitrous Oxide* ; Oxygen* ; Tidal Volume ; Ventilation ; Vital Signs