Historically, peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) have not been as widely used as spinal and epidural anesthesia in the lower extremities due to difficulties inherent to the technique, resulting in an incomplete block and other complications. Recently, ultrasound machines have been used to facilitate locating peripheral nerves, resulting in a gradual increase in the utilization of PNBs. Currently, PNBs are used in sole regional anesthesia as well as for management of acute and chronic pain. PNBs have several advantages over other anesthetic techniques, such as central neuraxial blocks and general anesthesia. First of all, PNBs provide an improved peri-operative analgesia. Therefore, excessive opioid consumption is no longer necessary to control pain, and this results in fewer adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, pruritus, and respiratory depression. Furthermore, PNBs can be used as an alternative technique for high risk patients to whom a sympathetic blockade may lead to problems due to its little effect on hemodynamics. However, the use of PNBs also has pitfalls, such as a late onset, long preparation time, and risk of failure. There are advantages and disadvantages to using PNBs. If used on select cases with proper consideration for patient safety and satisfaction, PNBs can become commonly used, like other anesthetic techniques.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Conduction* ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General ; Chronic Pain ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lower Extremity* ; Nausea ; Nerve Block ; Patient Safety ; Peripheral Nerves* ; Pruritus ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Ultrasonography ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Hospitals, Community* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Kidney Transplantation* ; Wegener Granulomatosis*

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by multiple venous malformations in the skin, soft tissues and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Patients with this syndrome may develop iron deficiency anemia from chronic GI hemorrhage and require lifelong treatment with iron and blood transfusions. In addition, GI lesions can be treated using endoscopic techniques such as sclerotherapy, band ligation, coagulation, and polypectomy. We describe here the anesthetic management of a 12-year-old male patient with BRBNS for endoscopic polypectomy under general anesthesia.
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Anesthesia ; Blister ; Blood Transfusion ; Child ; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Iron ; Ligation ; Male ; Nevus ; Nevus, Blue ; Rubber ; Sclerotherapy ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Hemiarthroplasty* ; Hemorrhage* ; Hip* ; Hypotension* ; Retrospective Studies*

Cysts ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestinal Diseases ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Meckel Diverticulum ; diagnosis

No abstract available.
Analgesia* ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Mastectomy, Simple*

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at comparing the Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) gene polymorphic variants of schizophrenics with those of normal controls, and to investigate its contribution to the development of schizophrenia. METHODS: One hundred and thirty five schizophrenics in accordance with DSM-IV criteria and one hundred and fourteen healthy individuals participated in this study. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using proteinase K, and the MCP-1 gene promoter region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gene typing was analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) using restriction enzyme PvuII. RESULTS: Distribution of the genotypes and alleles of MCP-1 gene in the patient group was not significantly different from that of the control group (p=0.145 and p=0.122, respectively). There was difference in the frequencies of genotypes between positive and negative subgroup (p=0.035), but no difference in frequencies of alleles between the two subgroups (p=0.078). There was no difference in scores of PANSS general, positive and negative subscale, the age of onset, the presence or absence of family history between patients with or without -2518G allele (p=0.979, p=0.378, p=0.056, p=0.256 and p=0.301, respectively). CONCLUSION: We suggest that the polymorphism in the MCP-1 promotor gene may be the possible marker for subgouping of negative type schizophrenia.
Age of Onset ; Alleles ; Chemokine CCL2 ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; DNA ; Endopeptidase K ; Genotype ; Humans ; Monocytes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Schizophrenia*

Pulmonary siderosis is one kind of pneumoconiosis, occurs from chronic inhalation of iron or iron oxide. Inhaled iron dust is deposited in the intra-alveolar spaces, which leads to radiological changes and respiratory symptoms. It is diagnosed by iron exposure history, radiological changes, and the evidence of intra-alveolar iron deposit. We have experienced a case of pulmonary siderosis which was confirmed by bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial lung biopsy, so report it with a review of literature.
Biopsy* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage* ; Dust ; Inhalation ; Iron ; Lung* ; Pneumoconiosis ; Siderosis*

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is belived to be a disorder of keratinocyte hyperproliferation mediated by T helper cells. Cyclosproine is one of the immunosuppressants and there have been several studies showing the benefcial effects of cyclosporine on psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy, tolerability, and adverse effects of cyclosporine, a randomized open uncontrolled multicenter study was conducted in 15 university hospitals in Korea. METHOD: There were 68 total trial cases and among them 16 patients dropped out from the study. The reported reasons for stopping the use of the medication under study prematurely were lack of cooperation(seven cases), adverse effects(six cases), the ineffectiveness of the medication(two cases), and another(one case). The drug was administered for 18 weeks to 52 patients. The initial dosage of the drug was 2.5mg/kg/day which was maintained or increased to 4mg/kg/day or 5mg/kg/day according to the PASI score reduction rate at the 6th and 12th week. The PASI score was measured and Iaboratory tests and observation of adverse events were done. RESULTS: At the end of therapy PASI score reduction rate of more than 66% occured in 40 patients (76.9%). The PASI score was significantly reduced from 20.0 to 5.4 after treatment for 18 weeks. The social disability score was significantly decreased. Pruritus and nail involvement were also significantly decreased. The change of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were statistically not significant. The 30% increase of serum creatinine level compared to the baseline was observed in six patients(11.5%) at the 6th week, three patients(5.8%) at the 12th week, five patients(9.6%) at the 18th week, but no patients showed an increase above the normal range.The increase of serum total bilirubin and SGOT was observed in six patients(11.5%) and one patient(1.9%0, respectively. The clinical adverse events reported during the study were gastrointestinal trouble(seven cases, 13.5%), hypertrichosis(two cases, 3.8%), generalized weakness(two cases, 3.8%0, paresthesia(one case, 1.9%), hypertension(one case, 1.9%), disturbance of erection(one case, 1.9%). The overall assessment of efficacy and tolerability by investigator and patients were mostly good or very good. CONCLUSION: Generally cyclosporine was well accepted and tolerated and low dose cyclosporine therapy-2.5mg/kg/day to 5mg/kg/day-is an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of psoriasis.
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Bilirubin ; Blood Pressure ; Creatinine ; Cyclosporine* ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Keratinocytes ; Korea ; Pruritus ; Psoriasis* ; Research Personnel ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer