Chordoma arising from the notochordal remnants is a rare primary bone tumor in the cervicosacral region and is even more unusual in the thoracic region. The authors experienced a case of thoracic chordoma and report its CT and MR findings.
Chordoma* ; Notochord

Chordoma arising from the notochordal remnants is a rare primary bone tumor in the cervicosacral region and is even more unusual in the thoracic region. The authors experienced a case of thoracic chordoma and report its CT and MR findings.
Chordoma* ; Notochord

No abstract available.
Animals ; Locomotion* ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord*

Anticoagulant(heparin, warfarin) or thrombolytic agent(urokinase, tissue plasminogen activator) can be one of the causes of spontaneous ICH. Even though ICH related with anticoagulants and thrombolytic agents represent low incidence and slow progression, the final outcome usually very poor. Recently the use of anticoagulants and thrombolytic agents have been increased for recanalization of cerebral and myocardial infarction. Therefore, the importance of possible ICHs related to these agents need to be reemphesized. The authors analysed 18 patients of ICH related with anticoagulants and thrombolytic agents to evaluate the underlying mechanism, their characters, the factors which influence the formation of ICH and the prognosis. Eighteen cases of ICH related with anticoagulants and thrombolytic agents were analysed through the medical record, operation record and brain CT. In this study, patients in sixth decade showed the highest incidence. The most common primary disease was middle cerebral infarction(67%). Urokinase was most commonly infused for recanalization of cerebral and myocardial infarction. The mean duration between drug administration and hemorrhagic attack was 59 hours(with range from 1 hour to 96 hours). After onset of the hemorrhage, fourteen of eighteen cases revealed prolonged prothrombin time more than 1 1/2 to 2 times of control and nine of fourteen cases revealed prolonged thrombin time more than 1 1/2 to 2 times of cotrol. The mean volume of ICH was 31cc and locations of hemorrhage were lobar(45%), ganglionic(22%), thalamic(22%) and cerebellar(11%) in decreasing orders. Brain CT scans revealed that 12 cases were single hematoma and 6 cases were multiple hematoma. Twelve cases were treated conservatively and six cases were operated with stereotactic surgery(3 cases) and open craniotomy (3 cases). One case with stereotactic surgery and the other case with craniotomy were reoperated because of rebleeding and retained hematoma, respectively. The neurological condition before administration of anticoagulants and thromb-olytic agents was relatively good, but suddenly deteriorated after hemorrhage attack. Almost all cases(94%) prese-nted poor porgnosis as wholly dependent, vegetative and dead at discharge except one case of small cerebellar ICH. In this study, previously existed infarction and anticoagulants itself contributed to the occurrence of intracerebral hemorrhage. The prolonged prothrombin time may be useful predictable value in the formation of ICH. Although we could not find definitive factors to influence the prognosis, the mortality rate of multiple hematoma was much higher than single hematoma. The final outcome of these patients were very poor. Therefore, the choice of agents, dosage and duration of administration should be considered more judicious.
Anticoagulants* ; Brain ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Craniotomy ; Fibrinolytic Agents* ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Plasminogen ; Prognosis ; Prothrombin Time ; Thrombin Time ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

The antihypertensive effect and side reactions of perdipine were evaluated in 30 patients with essential hypertension. The results were as follows; 1) Before medication and after 2, 4, 5 and 8 weeks of medication, the over all average systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 170+/-13/104+/-7, 152+/-13/93+/-6, 146+/-11/91+/-6, 143+/-9/90+/-7, and 141+/-10/89+/-7mmHg, respectively. In 89% of all cases, marked or moderate degree of antihypertensive effect was observed. 2) There were no significant changes in heart rates before and after treatment. 3) In 83% of all cases, improvement of symptoms were observed. 4) The side reactions of oral perdipine were mild constipation, anorexia, facial flushing, dizziness, and headache, respectively one case. but there were no side reactions which required discontinuing the treatment, except 1 case which discontinued the medication because of severe bradycardia and dizziness.
Anorexia ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Constipation ; Dizziness ; Flushing ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Nicardipine*

Isolated fourth ventricle(IFV) is a rare entity producing symptoms of a progressive posterior fossa mass lesion. It is mainly reported in a patient who undergo shunt placement as its late complication. However, its surgical management has been difficult and its optional treatment remains controversial. We had an occasion to admit 19-year-old female to our hospital due to hydrocephalus: she had a history of meningitis when she was 2 years old. Ten years later, she was diagnosed as hydrocephalus and managed by lateral ventriculo-peritoneal shunting procedure. Seven years after the procedure, the patient presented with headache, nausea, truncal ataxia and nystagmus. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance image scan demonstrated markedly enlarged fourth ventricle: and thus, neuroendoscopic aqueductoplasty and aqueductal stent insertion was performed. The authors present a case of an IFV after lateral ventriculo-peritoneal shunting for hydrocephalus, which was treated successfully with a neuroendoscopic surgery. The technique of this procedure is described below.
Ataxia ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fourth Ventricle* ; Headache ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Meningitis ; Nausea ; Stents* ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To document the neurological recovery of the preganglionic lesion of brachial plexus, both clinically and electrodiagnostically. METHOD: Sixteen male and three female patients were evaluated. Ages of the patients ranged from 1 to 45 years with the mean age of 25.2+/-14.3 years. We studied retrospectively the improvements of 43 injured nerves and its innervated muscles of 19 patients retrospectively according to the complete or incomplete nature of the injuries by the electromyographic findings. We compred the results of initial and final examinations by the electromyographic and clinical findings including a muscle strength test. RESULTS: In the complete injuries, 84.0% of the cases showed a minimal or no improvement in muscle strength whereas in the incomplete injuries, 88.2% of the cases showed a greater than moderate improvement in muscle strength. The cases in which no compound muscle action potential could be evoked on the initial study, showed the improvements of greater than 3/5 muscle strength only in 20.0%. However 71.5% of cases with the initial amplitude between 0.1 & 0.5 mV and 100.0% of cases with the initial amplitude greater than 0.5 mV showed the muscle strength greater than 3/5. CONCLUSION: The prognosis for the neurological recovery was significantly poor in the complete preganglionic lesions of brachial plexus injuries but in the incomplete lesions, the prognosis was extremely good. It would be crucial for the initial CMAP being greater than 0.5 mV to expect the recovery of muscle strength to the functional level. Rehabilitative or operative management should be instituted based on the electrodiagnostic findings.
Action Potentials ; Brachial Plexus Neuropathies ; Brachial Plexus* ; Electrodiagnosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Strength ; Muscles ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies

Propofol is widely used for supportive sedation in local and regional anaesthesia in plastic surgical procedure. We studied comparative effect of propofol comparing fontanel and midazolam that was previously used. From April 2003 to July 2005, 118 patients were reviewed whom propofol was used intravenous sedation in various plastic surgical procedures. In some cases, midazolam were used initially then converted to propofol. Patients were questioned for their satisfaction in group of propofol alone and midazoline and propofol combination. Vital sign(Blood pressure, Respiration rate) and O2 saturaion, sedation time, side effect and subjective satisfaction were evaluated. The result reveals that propofol is effective medicine for supplement intravenous sedative medicine for plastic surgeries especially when it was used with combination of midazolam.
Humans ; Midazolam ; Propofol* ; Respiration ; Surgery, Plastic*

Cervicomedullary junction arteriovenous malformation(AVM) is extremely rare. The authors present a case of a cervicomedullary junction AVM in a 31-year-old woman presenting with recurrent intraventricular hemorrhage(IVH). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the AVM(of a size of approximately 2X2.5X4cm) extending from a lower medulla to C2-3 level. Vertebral angiography demonstrated a tightly coiled vascular mass with multiple feeders (radiculomedullary arteries) and irregular-shaped aneurysm at distal part of feeder originating at right C-1 level. The patient underwent superselective embolization of upper nidus and the aneurysm. The pertinent literature is reviewed, and diagnostic and therapeutic implications are discussed.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Female ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Cholesterol granuloma of frontal bone is a rare disease which usually occurs at the lateral part of the supraorbital ridge. This expanding lesion grows slowly and extends into the orbit and anterior cranial fossa. The most common symptom is proptosis. This granuloma is composed of a granulomatous reaction surrounding cholesterol crystals. Surgical treatment involves aspiration of contents and stripping or curettage of the lining which is highly successful. We experienced a case of cholesterol granuloma of frontal bone with huge intracranial extension, which was cured by surgical removal. The clinical features, radiologic, and pathologic finding were discussed and the pertinent literatures were reviewed.
Cholesterol* ; Cranial Fossa, Anterior ; Curettage ; Exophthalmos ; Frontal Bone* ; Granuloma* ; Orbit ; Rare Diseases