Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) involves predominantly posterior subcortical white matter and cortex. PRES is associated with an abrupt and severe increase in blood pressure or administration of various immuno-suppresants. We present a 18-year-old female with PRES. She was admitted to our hospital with seizures. She had been suffering from acute hypertension (170/100 mmHg) associated with acute renal failure. Brain MRI showed reversible biparietal cortical and subcortical edema. We report a case of hypertension-induced PRES associated with acute renal failure. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(5):541~543, 2001)
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome* ; Seizures

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of contrast-enhanced MRI with first-pass and delayed images in prediction of myocardial viability after acute myocardial infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients (M:F=:4, mean age =6 5 years) with acute myocardial infarction underwent first-pass image after bolus injection of gadolinium (one image/sec for 120sec)and delayed image (7 2 minutes later). According to 60 segments on midventricular level, the assessment of MRI were concerned about location of lesion, depth of lesion, enhancement on first-pass image and enhancement pattern on delayed image. MRI findings were compared with wall motion on resting echocardiography and stress or follow-up echocardiography. RESULTS: 1) MRI findings were classified into 4 types: normal enhancement on first-pass and delayed images (type 1), normal enhancement on first-pass image and nontransmural hyperenhancement on delayed image (type 2), non-transmural enhancing defect on first-pass image and transmural enhancement with endocardial non-enhancing defect on delayed image (type 3), and transmural enhancing defect on first-pass image and transmural hyperenhancement on delayed image (type 4).2) Type 2 suggested viable myocardium and type 3 had high porbability of viability. Type was compatible with non-viable myocardium. CONCLUSION: Enhancing defect on first-pass image and involving thickness on both the first-pass image and delayed image in contrast enhanced MRI may predict myocardial viability.
Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardium

We report here on a case of acute aortic dissection after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) administration in a patient with acute ischemic stroke. A 75-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus presented with left hemiplegia and a decreased mentality. The admission studies revealed severe stenosis of the right middle cerebral artery and decreased cerebral perfusion. Initial chest radiography showed hypertensive cardiovascular changes and increased interstial markings on both lung fields. Cyanosis and cardiac arrest occurred 80 minutes after intravenous t-PA administration. Emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation was done and chest CT showed a dissection involving the whole aorta and pericardial effusion due to bleeding. In spite of our earnest efforts, the patient died. It should be kept in mind that aortic dissection can occur after intravenous t-PA administration and an early clinical suspicion and diagnosis is needed to avoid this devastating complication.
Aged ; Aorta ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cyanosis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Emergencies ; Female ; Heart Arrest ; Hemiplegia ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lung ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Perfusion ; Pericardial Effusion ; Stroke ; Thorax ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator

A 68-year-old woman with progressive paraparesis and altered sensation lasting approximately five days was admitted to our clinic. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an advanced stage T7-8 epidural mass ventral to the spinal cord, which was believed to be a metastatic tumor considering the patient's age. A highly enhanced epidural mass and pedicle appeared during the MR scan. However, the pathologic findings were compatible with the diagnosis of a primary meningeal melanocytic tumor. Primary epidural melanomas are extremely rare lesions. This case was finally diagnosed as a primary thoracic spinal epidural melanoma.
Aged ; Central Nervous System ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanoma ; Paraparesis ; Sensation ; Spinal Cord

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis is commonly associated with small cell lung carcinoma. A 31-year-old female presented with amnesia and bizarre behavior for 1 month. Brain T2-weighted MRI showed high signal intensity in right medial temporal region. Abdominal CT revealed a mass in right lower abdomen, and subsequent excisional biopsy disclosed immature ovarian teratoma. Most symptoms improved after resection of the tumor. Our case demonstrates that immature ovarian teratoma also can be associated with paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis with good prognosis.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Amnesia ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Female ; Humans ; Limbic Encephalitis* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prognosis ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; Teratoma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: Supraorbital route through eyebrow incision, mini-pterional craniotomy, and midline interhemispheric route are most generally used methods for key hole surgery on anterior circulation aneurysm. Surgical route is determined according to aneurysm architecture and patient status. The approaching route can be selected according to the findings of 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT) angiography simulation. Prospective decision-making protocol, surgical technique of key hole surgery, and the results are presented in this paper. METHODS: 173 patients with anterior circulation aneurysms were treated by direct surgical neck clipping during last two years. Twenty patients of poor grade (Hunt-Hess grade IV,V) were treated by craniectomy with clipping. Decision making protocol was applied to 153 unruptured and good grade ruptured aneurysm patients. Simulation of key hole surgery was conducted by CT work station using conventional software InSpace (Siemens, Germany), and direction and shape of aneurysm was observed from the perspective of microsurgery. RESULTS: 113 ruptured and 40 unruptured aneurysms were secured through one of the three approaching routes. Supraorbital approach had been performed in 82 cases (unruptured 24, ruptured 58) while 64 cases were treated by mini-pterional craniotomy. Midline key hole surgery were carried out in seven distal anterior circulation aneurysms (DACA) using brain navigation system. After locating the aneurysm, supraorbital approach was applied to 46 cases involving anterior cerebral artery (ACA), 16 in internal carotid artery (ICA) and 20 in middle cerebral artery (MCA). Mini-pterional craniotomy was carried out in aneurysms located in ACA (9), ICA (18), and MCA (37). In most cases, the results of clipping were good. The average follow-up time was 16.7months (ranging 2 to 32months) and the results were cosmetically excellent. CONCLUSION: Simulating surgical approaches with 3-D CT angiography is a highly useful method for determining various surgical routes in anterior circulation aneurysm treatment. Therefore, minimally invasive and tailored surgical approaches are recommended since optimal route can be found through simulation. Thus, minimal invasive and tailored surgical approach is available through this method. These procedures have clear advantages; shorter surgical time and hospital stay, less operative trauma, reduced costs and less pain, and better cosmetic outcomes compared to standard craniotomy. Optimal surgical results are expected from minimally invasive and tailored surgical craniotomy.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Angiography ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cosmetics ; Craniotomy ; Decision Making ; Eyebrows ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Microsurgery ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Neck ; Operative Time

BACKGROUNG AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of changes in ventricular preload and afterload, atrial and ventricular pacing on the coronary flow reserve (CFR). METHOD: Five open chest anesthetized dogs were studied in five sequential stages:baseline, saline solution volume loading (293.8+/-29.2 ml for 10 min), atrial and ventricular pacing (120, 140, and 160 bpm), and aortic clamp. Coronary blood flow (CBF) was measured with electro-magnetic flowmeter. CFR was defined as the ratio of hyperemic CBF (hCBF) to resting CBF (rCBF). Hyperemia was induced by IV adenosine infusion (1 mg/kg/min). RESULTS: 1)After volume loading wtih saline solution, CFR significantly decreased (p<0.05) because rCBF was increased while hCBF remained unchanged. 2)Atrial pacing produced increase in rCBF but did not change hCBF. Consequently CFR singificantly reduced when heart rate (HR) increased from sinus rhythm to 120, 140, and 160 bpm (p<0.01). 3)Ventricular pacing produced decrease in hCBF but did not change rCBF. Consequently CFR significantly reduced as HR increased from sinus rhythm to 120 (p<0.05) , 140 (p<0.01), and 160 (p<0.01) bpm. 4)After aortic clamp, CFR significantly decreased (p<0.01) because rCBF increased while hCBF remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: We found that CFR is dependent on the changes in volume loading, HR, and ventricular afterload that may commonly occur in clinical situations.
Adenosine ; Animals ; Dogs* ; Flowmeters ; Heart Rate ; Hyperemia ; Sodium Chloride ; Thorax

Hemangioblastomas are sporadic tumors found in the cerebellum or spinal cord. Supratentorial hemangioblastomas are rare, and those with meningeal involvement are extremely rare and have been reported in only approximately 130 patients. Here, we report the case of a 51-year-old female patient with supratentorial meningeal hemangioblastoma detected 5 years after surgical resection of an infratentorial hemangioblastoma associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Patients with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome are at risk for developing multiple hemangioblastomas, with new tumor formation and growth and possible meningeal infiltration. Regular lifelong follow-up in at-risk patients is recommended and should include the differential diagnosis of dural-based tumors such as angioblastic meningioma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Cerebellum ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Hemangioblastoma* ; Humans ; Meningioma ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Cord ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease*

OBJETIVE: To investigate the efficacy of high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen on pregnancy in human embryo after freezing and thawing. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: 150 infertile patients underwent 162 consecutive thawing-ET cycles. In the high infusion frequency group (Group A), 47 patients (50 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. In the low infusion frequency group (Group B), 103 patients (112 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with low infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, fertilization rates, development of embryo, good quality embryo ratio, implantation rates, and pregnancy rates between these two groups. RESULTS: There was no difference between the groups with regard to clinical characteristics (mean age, infertility duration, infertility factors, hormone profile), mean number of oocyte retrieval, fertilization rates, and mean embryo number of transfers. The survival rates in group A was 64.9% (228 of 350 embryos), and among the 228 embryos 190 embryos (83.3%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 65 (34.2%), 29 (15.3%), 35 (18.4%), and 37 (19.5%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. The survival rates in group B was 63.8% (482 of 755 embryos), and among the 482 embryos 465 embryos (96.5%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 106 (22.8%), 94 (20.2%), 89 (19.1%), and 112 (24.1%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. There was no difference in embryo quality change after the freezing-thawing procedure between the groups. Implantation rates (31.1% vs. 34.3%) were not significant. However hCG positive rates in group A (40%) were higher than group B, but not statistically significant. Clinical pregnancy rate (26% vs. 25.9%), on going pregnancy rates (>20 weeks) were not significant (26% vs. 25%). CONCLUSION: We compared embryo quality change, survival rates, and pregnancy rates between high infusion frequency group and low infusion frequency group and the results were similar between the two groups. Therefore, high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen for cryopreservation is a worthy method to preserve in human embryos.
Cryopreservation ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization ; Freezing* ; Humans* ; Infertility ; Nitrogen* ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Survival Rate

Even through there are many reported complications of the iliac bone donor site during anterior cervical spine surgery, vascular injuries are very rare, especially deep circumflex iliac artery(DCIA) injury encountered after harvesting of a bone graft. A 68-year-old female was presented with neck pain and recent progressive weakness due to dislocation and instability of C5/6 with cord compression. Corpectomy and inter-body fusion from C5 to 7 was done without any definite perioperative complications including the iliac donor site. On the 2nd post-operative day, a huge hematoma and active bleeding at the retroperitoneal site was found by computed tomography and angiography revealed bleeding from DCIA. The authors report a case of massive bleeding due to DCIA injury that was difficult to control and managed by selective arterial embolization.
Aged ; Angiography ; Dislocations ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Neck Pain ; Spine ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants ; Vascular System Injuries