No abstract available.
Free Tissue Flaps* ; Lower Extremity* ; Soft Tissue Injuries*

BACKGROUND: Ketamine and dexmedetomidine are commonly used for sedation and analgesia in patients. We tried to compare the effects of intravenous ketamine and dexmedetomidine infusion on spinal block with bupivacaine. METHODS: Ninety American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class I or II patients, who were scheduled to spinal anesthesia were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n = 30). Normal saline 10 ml, 5 ml/hr (loading dose for 10 minutes, infusion) (Group NS), dexmedetomidine 1 microg/kg, 0.5 microg/kg/hr (Group DEX), or ketamine 0.2 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg/hr (Group KET) was infused intravenously before spinal anesthesia. We recorded the time to highest sensory block level, sensory and motor regression, and hemodynamic changes. RESULTS: Patients in Groups KET had a significantly faster onset time of sensory block than patients in Group NS. The highest sensory block levels were not significantly different between groups. Average time of sensory regression and knee flexion, was significantly longer in the Group KET and Group DEX than the Group NS. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous dexmedetomidine and ketamine were found to have a similar synergistic effect with intrathecal bupivacaine. Hemodynamic stability showed better results in Group KET.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Bupivacaine* ; Dexmedetomidine* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Ketamine* ; Knee

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of dynamic MR imaging in the differential diagnosis of intracranial tumorand abscess. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dynamic MR images of 36 patients with surgically or clinically provenintracranial enhancing lesions were retrospectively reviewed. These lesions comprised 15 metastases, 14 gliomas,and seven abscesses. Images were sequentially obtained every 30 seconds for 3-5 minutes using the spin-echotechnique(TR/TE : 200 msec/15 msec) after bolus injection of gadolinium dimeglumine(2-3cc/sec). The dynamics ofcontrast enhancement of the lesions was analyzed visually and by calculating the sequential contrast-enhancementratio(CER). RESULTS: CER during the 30-second early dynamic phase was 93.16 in metastases, 67.78 in gliomas, and48.3 in abscesses(ANOVA, p<0.005). The contrast enhancement pattern of metastases showed rapidly increased signalintensity(SI) up to 30 seconds, followed by a relatively rapid decrease; less time was then required to reach theCER peak. In gliomas, SI increased gradually up to 180 seconds and then took a longer time to reach the CER peak.The SI of abscesses was similar to that of gliomas, with a more gradual increase for 30-60 seconds and a longertime for the CER peak to be reached. CONCLUSION: The contrast enhancement pattern and CER parameters seen ondynamic MRI can help differentiate intracranial tumor and abscess.
Abscess ; Brain Abscess* ; Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gadolinium ; Glioma ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Selective transforaminal epidural block has come to the for as a targetspecific modality in the treatment and diagnosis of spinal pain. Thoracic transforaminal epidural block (TTFEB) has the associated risk of pneumothorax. This article describes a retrospective study conducted using computed tomography (CT) imaging to investigate the TTFEB angle and depth appropriate to minimize the risk of pneumothorax in Koreans. METHODS: The subjects of the present study were 100 randomly selected patients between 50 and 70 years of age found be free of thoracic disease according to chest CT performed in the present hospital. On the chest CT, the superior, middle, and inferior thoracic vertebrae were observed at the T2, T7, and T11 levels, respectively. RESULTS: The average distance and the needle insertion angle from the skin point at which the needle may be inserted without piercing the lung to the intervertebral foramen were 117.8 ± 12.1 mm and 58.1 ± 6.1° at the T2 level, 85.6 ± 10.0 mm and 61.7 ± 4.3° at the T7 level, and 94.3 ± 8.7 mm and 64.4 ± 7.0° at the T11 level, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The needle insertion at the point further than 40 mm, on the upper, middle thorax, if the needle pass from the inner vertebral body to lamina, it could be safer. However, on the lower thorax, needle could pierce the lung though the needle start from the inner vertebral body. Thus, it can be safer if the needle pass toward the exterior margin of lamina.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Needles ; Pneumothorax ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Thoracic Diseases ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Clinical syndrome of leptospirosis in Korea which accompanied by hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage, respiratory failure was quite different from that of typical Weil's disease. The death rate in the early stage of disease has relationship with chest X-ray findings and acid-base disturbances resulted from hypoxia and asphyxia. We've come to consider chest X-ray findings and arterial blood gas findings as factors influencing the prognosis of the disease. METHODS: Forty one cases of leptospirosis diagnosed by acute febrille illness symptoms and serologic tests were graded for chest X-ray findings and grouped according to acid-base abnormalities. Retrospectively, we attempted to correlate the acid-base disturbances and chest X-ray findings with morbidity and mortality of the disease. RESULTS: The result were as follows. 1) Abnormal chest X-ray findings were observed in 30 cases(73%). Mortalities according to the chest X-ray findings were 0(0%), 2(17%), 3(0%), 4(0%), 5(33%), 6(50%) and chest X-ray findings influenced the mortality with statistical significance(p<0.05). 2) Acid-base abnormalities were observed in 39 cases(95%) and the types were divided to six groups . Respiratory alkalosis was the most common acid-base disturbance(44%). Five cases were died. Two of five were respiratory alkalosis, two cases were mixed respiratory metabolic acidosis and another case was mixed respiratory-metabolic alkalosis. As shown, acid-base abnormality influenced the mortality and mixed acid-base disturbances were showed high mortality with statistical significance (p<0.05). 3) Total mortality was 12%(five of forty-one). The chest X-ray score, morbidity, pH, pCO2, pO2, and HCO3 were 5.0 +/- 0.8, 3.4 +/- 1,3, 7.16 +/- 0.17, 32.5 +/- 1.1, 43.3 +/- 13.4 and 17.6 +/- 3.1 in died group, 2.4 +/- 0.4, 12.7 +/- 1.0, 7.46 +/- 0.01, 48.8 +/- 13.4, 65.4 +/- 3.7 and 23.4 +/- 0.9 in recovery group, respectively. There was difference between two groups with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: In this study, we concluded that chest X-ray findings and acid-base abnormalities influenced the mortality of leptospirosis. The factors above mentioned make us consider chest X-ray and blood gas analysis are essential to the patient hospitalized for the suspicion of leptospirosis. Especially, these factors pointed out the patient having chest X-ray abnormalities and mixed acid-base disturbances needed intensive care in the early stage of leptospirosis.
Acidosis ; Alkalosis ; Alkalosis, Respiratory ; Anoxia ; Asphyxia ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Critical Care ; Korea ; Leptospirosis* ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Serologic Tests ; Thorax* ; Weil Disease

Ischemic colitis generally develops in the elderly patients with concomitant cardiovascular condition, diabetes mellitus, and renal insufficiency. This disease predominently occurs in the left colon, particularly splenic flexure and sigmoid colon. The most frequent symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, alteration in bowel functions and hematochezia. Blood loss is usually minimal in most patients. Herein, we report a case of ischemic colitis which developed on ascending colon with massive bleeding. A 48-year-old man was admitted because of massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding for 7 days. He has underwent hemodialysis for thirteen years. Colonoscopy showed a circular ulcer on the ascending colon with partial stenosis and mass-like oozing lesion distal to the stenotic area. We performed right hemi-colectomy. Grossly, colon showed shallow ulceration and congested ileocecal valve coated with hemorrhage. Microscopically, ulcer bed showed thickened and fibrotic submucosa which had nearly obliterated atherosclerotic vessels.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Colitis, Ischemic* ; Colon ; Colon, Ascending ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diarrhea ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Ileocecal Valve ; Middle Aged ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Congestive heart failure is one of the most frequent problems in cardiovascular patients. However, very little data concerning this syndrome in Korea was available. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalized Korean patients with congestive heart failure. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Six university hospitals that fulfilled the protocol for clinical information of the patients with heart failure, were prospectively engaged in this study. Six hundred and ninety patients, admitted between Jan. 1. 1998 and Dec. 31. 1999, were enrolled. RESULTS: Ischemic heart disease was the most frequent underlying disease (33.2%), with the other causes of heart failure being cardiomyopathy (23%), hypertensive heart disease (22%) and valvular heart disease (12.7%). Compared with ischemic cardiomyopathy, the patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were younger (61.1+/-16.6 vs. 66.9+/-10.3, p<0.05), had less incidence of diabetes (16.8% vs. 32.2%) and smoked less (13.5+/-21.5 vs. 20.4+/-26.0 pack-year). The common aggravating factors were arrhythmia (22%), myocardial ischemia (21.7%) and infection (18.7%). Thirty nine (5.7%) patients died during the one year follow up period. Ischemic heart disease was the main underlying disease in the fatal cases (46.2%). CONCLUSION: Ischemic heart disease was the major cause of heart failure, and the leading cause of death in Korean patients with congestive heart failure.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Cause of Death ; Coronary Disease ; Epidemiology ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Prospective Studies ; Smoke

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is treatment method for management of benign gallbladder diseases. Further attempts are made to operate single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the procedure remains technically difficult, especially in obese patient. Recently, a robotic surgical system for minimal invasive surgery was introduced to overcome the limitations of conventional laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: From April 2009 to August 2017, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with single-site, minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) cholecystectomy with high BMI (>25 kg/m2). We analyzed general characteristics and perioperative outcomes between the single-fulcrum laparoscopic cholecystectomy group and the robotic single-site cholecystectomy (RSSC) group. RESULTS: Operation time (57.56±11.10 vs 98.5±12.28 p<0.001) was significantly longer and postoperative pain score (3.61 vs 5.15 p=0.000) was significantly higher in the robotic single-site cholecystectomy (RSSC) group, but the actual dissection time (25.85±11.09 vs 25.79±13.35 p=0.978) was not significantly different between the two approaches. Iatrogenic gallbladder perforation, (13 vs 6 p=0.005), patients undergoing RSSC showed a significantly smaller amount than did those undergoing single-fulcrum laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SFLC). CONCLUSION: It is difficult to say for certain that RSSC is clearly better than SFLC in obese patients. However, because of the technical convenience and efficiency of surgery with RSSC, RSSC can be practically worthwhile. Further study is mandatory.
Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Diseases ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Obesity ; Pain, Postoperative ; Retrospective Studies ; Robotic Surgical Procedures

Humans ; Incisor ; Lip ; Osteotomy ; Tooth

Vascular intervention via the femoral artery can cause vascular access complications and complications from closure of the arteriotomic incision site such as bleeding, thrombotic complications and vascular trauma. These types of complications occur in about 2% to 10% of the cases. After removal of the catheter, hemostasis is traditionally achieved by manual compression as a standard method. Many vascular closure devices have been developed in an attempt to improve the patient's comfort and to decrease the time to ambulation. Yet the safety and effectiveness of these vascular closure devices as compared to that of manual compression remains unclear. Herein we report on a case of femoral arterial occlusion due to vascular closure devices and the operative management.
Catheters ; Femoral Artery ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Walking