No abstract available.
Classification* ; Dermatoglyphics* ; Yersinia*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The caudal anesthsia is most commonly used for benign anorectal surgery, The combination of long-acting anesthetics and opiates has been used for longer duration and successful control of postoperative pain. But the side effects of peridural anesthesics and morphine have commonly occured in caudal anesthesia. This study was performed to assess the difference in clinical effects between peridural mepivacaine and bupivacaine with morphine. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical effects in 60 patients who had anal operation with Jack-Knife position under caudal anesthesia. We divided randomly these 60 patients into two groups, M and B groups (in each group, 30 patients included). Group M (n=30) was given 2% mepivacaine 20 ml with morphine 2 mg caudally, and Group B (n=30) was given 0.5% bupivacaine 20 ml with morphine 2 mg in the same manner. We measured the onset time, duration, postoperative analgesia, and side effects including urinary retention. RESULTS: The onset time for analgesia was significantly shorter in group M than in group B. The duration of postoperative pain complaints was significantly longer in group M than in group B. The postoperative analgesic effects and side effects were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Caudal mepivacaine and morphine mixture is effective for control of postoperative pain without significant side effects.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Caudal* ; Anesthetics ; Bupivacaine* ; Humans ; Mepivacaine* ; Morphine* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Urinary Retention

A 27-year-old woman developed Wemicke's encephalopathy in the 16th week of her first pregnaney. She had thyroid storm and abnormal liver function. Her thyrotoxic symptom and abncemal liver function was recovered after medication of antithyroid drug, steroid, hepatotonic drug and administration of thiamine(fursulthiamin), but the fetus was lost, Thereafter her thyroid function returned to normal and euthyroid state was maintained without medication of antithyroid drug, but her neurological defect was remained. We suggest that severe hyperemesis gravidarum is a possible risk factor of the thyroid storm and Wemicke's encephalopathy in patients with hyperthyroidism, and consider the check of the thyroid function. The need for parenteral thiamine supplementation and medication of antithyroid drug is warranted in patients with severe hyperemesis gravidarum which lasts longer than 3 weeks and abnormal thyroid function.
Adult ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Hyperemesis Gravidarum* ; Hyperthyroidism ; Liver* ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Thiamine ; Thyroid Crisis* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

Background: Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is one of the well-known complication of spinal anesthesia. Epidural blood patch is the treatment of choice for PDPH but is rarely used for the prevention of PDPH after spinal anesthesia. The purpose of this study is to observe the effectiveness of epidural blood patch for prevention of PDPH and to evaluate the complications after epidural blood injection. Methods: Three hundred patients (ASA I or II) receiving spinal anesthesia were studied. They were randomly devided into two groups. Patients in Group I, the control group, were maintained in a supine position for 24 hour after spinal anesthesia. Patients in Group II, the study group, received 3 ml of autologous blood in the epidural space after spinal anesthesia. PDPH was evaluated for 5 days. The incidence, location, onset, and duration of headache in the patients presenting with PDPH were measured for 5 days, and the complications following epidural blood patch in Group II were observed for 2 weeks. Results: The incidence of PDPH in group I was 11%, but 0% in group II. There were no specific complications following epidural blood patch in Group II. Conclusions: This study suggest that the 3 ml epidural autologous blood patch is an useful method for the prevention of PDPH in patients with spinal anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Blood Patch, Epidural ; Epidural Space ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Post-Dural Puncture Headache ; Punctures* ; Supine Position

Spinal cord infarction as a complication of spine surgery occurs rarely. Herein, a case of spinal cord infarction, which developed in a 69 year old woman following posterior decompression and internal fixation for a T11 bursting fracture, is descirbed. The anesthetic induction and intraoperative course were uneventful, except at the end of the procedure, where her blood pressure suddenly dropped from 130/90 to 90/60 mmHg. The patient was aggressively treated with a transfusion and vasopressor, the blood pressure then returned to its usual value within 10 minutes. However, during a physical examination in the recovery room, the patient was found to have flaccid lower limbs, with impaired sensory function below the T8 level. Her cord diameter had increased, and a high signal lesion was observed within the thoracic spinal cord, from T9 to T12 level on T2-weighted MR images, which was diagnosing as a spinal cord infarction, was and showed no improvement despite the immediate and aggressive treatment.
Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Decompression ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Lower Extremity ; Physical Examination ; Recovery Room ; Sensation ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine*

BACKGROUND: The spread of local anesthetics in the epidural space varies significantly between patients. Studies have demonstrated radom cephalad or caudad migration of the epidural catheter. However the relationship between catheter direction and epidural spread of local anesthetic has not been well documented. METHODS: A single-orifice epidural catheter with an end hole was inserted caudad at L2-3(caudad group) or cephalad at L3-4 intervertebral space(cephalad group) in 38 patients. The epidural catheter was filled with 1 ml of Omnipaque dye, and fluoroscopic determination of the exact position of the epidural catheter tip was done to locate the catheter tip within the range of the third lumbar vertebral body. After test dose of 3 ml, 2% lidocaine 22 ml with epinephrine 1:200,000 was administerd at a rate of 0.5 ml/s in supine position. RESULTS: Age varied from 20 to 36 years(mean age, 24.2 3.9 years). There was no significant difference in the rate of spread of skin analgesia, the upper analgeseic level and the degree of the motor block between the two groups. Although the time to reach maximum motor blockade(33.8 11.0 min in the cephalad group, 27.4 11.4 min in the caudad group) and skin analgesia to S 5 segment(21.3 7.6 min in the cephalad group, 17.1 5.4 min in the caudad group) was slightly shorter in the caudad group, the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that the spread of skin analgesia is not affected by the epidural catheter tip direction when lidocaine is injected into the epidural space in young adult patients.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Local ; Catheters* ; Epidural Space ; Epinephrine ; Humans ; Iohexol ; Lidocaine ; Skin ; Supine Position ; Young Adult

The purpose of this study is to observe histopathologic changes in the bilateral craniomandibular joints after allowing 6 weeks of consolidation by varying the amount of distraction in rabbit mandible. Eight rabbits weighing about 2 to 3kg were used. After corticotomy was performed on the left mandibular body between the first premolar and the second premolar region, a unilateral fixation device was placed. Then, a 7-day period was allowed without distraction of the device. The mandible was lengthened 0.5mm/day. Corticotomy and lengthening of mandible were not performed in control group. After the completion of the lengthening process, a 6-week-consolidation period was allowed. Then, the rabbits were sacrificed, and histologic examination of the craniomandibular joints was performed. Proliferative changes were observed in the craniomandibular joints in all groups. With the increasing amount of distraction, hypertrophy of the cartilage layer became more severe, bone formed was dense and enchondral ossification was clearly shown in subchondral bone. Hypertrophy of the cartilage layer was also seen in the non-distracted side as the distracted side in the experimental group. These results indicate that when physical force is applied constantly to joints, the proliferation of articular cartilage and bone formation are present. When more than 6 weeks of consolidation period is allowed at the time of performing distraction for more than 5mm, articular changes, especially, in the contralateral side should also be noted.
Bicuspid ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Hypertrophy ; Joints* ; Mandible ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Rabbits*

No abstract available.
Twins, Conjoined*

OBJECTIVE: CD24 is a small heavily glycosylated glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked cell surface protein, which is expressed in hematologic malignancies as well as in a large variety of solid tumors. It appears to function as a ligand of P-selectin, an adhesion molecule that is present in activated platelets and endothelial cells. The authors aimed to evaluate CD24 expression in adenoma and adenocarcinoma of ovary to correlate to clinicopathologic data. METHODS: Benign and malignant ovarian tumors were stained immunohistochemically. The staining was evaluated as stainability (negative, weak-, moderate-, strong-positive) and staining patterns (membranous vs. intracytoplasmic) for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A highly significant association of cytoplasmic CD24 expression with adenocarcinoma of the ovary compared to the adenoma group of this organ. The stainability and positive rate of CD24 in adenocarcinoma group was much higher than in adenoma group, but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The intracytoplasmic staining pattern of CD24 was an important molecular marker for ovarian epithelial neoplasm which could help to define malignant transformation.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Cytoplasm ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; Ovary ; P-Selectin

Thirty three patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension were administered ramipril, a new ACe inhibitor, 2.5-5mg once daily for 6 weeks to evaluate the hypotensive efficacy and safety. The results were as follows : 1) The patients consisted of 18 males, 15 females, aged 54 on average and classified as mild in 19 and moderate in 14 patients. 2) At the end of 6 weeks trial, blood pressure dropped 13/6mmHg on average, rewarding 70% effectiveness and normalized below 150/90mmHg in 39%. 3) The most frequent side reaction was dry cough in 5 patients(15%) followed by asthenia, GI trouble, dizziness, edema, eye injection and one case of GPT elevation which normalized after completion of trial. 4) The rating of safety of safety was 79% and of overall usefulness was 73%. In conclusion, ramipril 5mg once daily regimen is well tolerated and effective in the treatment of mild to moderated essential hypertension.
Asthenia ; Blood Pressure ; Cough ; Dizziness ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Ramipril* ; Reward