A 19 yar-old male patient was admitted to the department of neurology in Severance hospital beause of slowly progressive spastic paraparesis. On examination, dark brown skin color, sparse hair, spastic weakness and hypesthesia of lower extremities were noted. The laboratory studies showed high serum ACTH level with lowest normal limit of serum cortisol level. Brain MRI scan revealed high signal intensities in bilateral corticospinal tracts on T, Weighted images with gadolinium enhancement and T2eighted images. The results of three modal evoked potential studies(SEP. BAEP. VEP) were abnormal bilaterally. Nerve conduction studies and sural nerve biopsy suggested the presence of peripheral neuropathy.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Adrenoleukodystrophy* ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Evoked Potentials ; Gadolinium ; Hair ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypesthesia ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Muscle Spasticity ; Neural Conduction ; Neurology ; Paraparesis, Spastic ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Pyramidal Tracts ; Skin ; Sural Nerve

No abstract available.
Humans ; Hypertension* ; Perindopril*

There have been controversies on the effect of albumin in treating edema in nephrotic syndrome patients. We evaluated the additive diuretic effect of coadministration of furosernide with albumin in the six patients with nephrotic syndrome. We administered 160mg of furosemide intravenously for 1 hour with 100rnl of 20% albumin or 5% dextrose by random cross-over design. The urine and plasma furosemide concentrations were measured by HPLC. After the administration of furosemide alone, urine volume, urinary excretions of sodium and chloride were increased significantly compared to those of basal state (P<0.05). But, coadministration of furose-mide with albumin did not increase significantly the urine voume (2285+/-445ml vs. 3023+/-715ml), urinary excretions of sodium (194+/-58rnmol/day vs. 282+/-85 mmol/day) and chloride (213+/- 54mmoVday vs. 286+/- 74mmoVday) comparing to those of furosemide only cases. Addition of albumin to furosemide did not significantly changed pharmacokinetic parameters such as AUC (28.3+/-5.5ug/ml hr vs 36.0+/-6.7ug/ml hr), total plasma clearance (115+/-30mVmin vs 108+/-41ml/min), volume of distribution (0.13+/-0.02L/kg vs 0.10+/- 0.01L/kg), elirnination half life (1.4+/-0.3hr vs 1.5+/-0.3hr), and urine furosemide excretion (44+/-8% vs 43+ 10%). We concluded that albumin infusion did not enhance the diuretic action of furosemide pharmacodynamically and pharmacokinetically in patients with nephrotic syndrome.
Area Under Curve ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cross-Over Studies ; Diuretics ; Edema ; Furosemide* ; Glucose ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Pharmacokinetics ; Plasma ; Sodium

Apeculiar case of choriocarcinoma of the left parietal lobe of the brain with intracerebral hemorrhge is presented. Pelvic findings by physical and radiological examination were negative postoperatively, a thorough radiological study that included chest PA, chest CT, abdominal CT, pelvic CT and pelvic ultrasonography were performed for the detection of its primary focus. The level of urine and serum beta-HCG was above 100.000mlU and of CSF was 1,600mlU. This case is thus metastatic in nature, yet the primay focus of the tumor could not be demonstrated.
Brain ; Choriocarcinoma* ; Female ; Gynecological Examination* ; Parietal Lobe ; Pregnancy ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukins*

Genitourinary gangrene is an uncommon, potentially lethal disorder characterized by the abrupt onset of a rapidly progressive necrotizing soft tissue infection caused by the synergistic action of various organisms that spread along fascial planes, causing subfascial soft tissue necrosis and destruction. Many factors, debilitating condition such as carcinoma, diabetes and alcoholism, contribute to the development and perpetuate the course of Fournier's gangrene. In our two cases , predisposing causes were as follow ; chronic liver disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, perianal abscess. The patients were hemodynamically unstable and extensive necrosis was noted. After aggressive debridement of the wound and triple antibiotic therapy, general condition became improved and then we performed split thickness skin grafts and the results of reconstructive surgery were satisfactory.
Abscess ; Alcoholism ; Debridement ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fournier Gangrene* ; Gangrene ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Necrosis ; Skin ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

Reflex movements have been reported to occur in up to 75% of brain-dead patients, but this issue has not been addressed in Korea. The patients admitted to our hospital who met the criteria for brain death were enrolled between March 2003 and February 2005. The frequency and type of reflex movements in these patients were evaluated prospectively using a standardized protocol. Brain death was determined according to the guideline of Korean Medical Association. Of 26 patients who were included, five (19.2%) exhibited reflex movements such as the pronation-extension reflex, abdominal reflex, flexion reflex, the Lazarus sign, and periodic leg movements. This finding suggests that the frequency of spinal reflex movements is not rare and the awareness of these movements may prevent delays in brain-dead diagnosis and misinterpretations.
Spinal Cord/physiopathology ; *Reflex ; Prospective Studies ; Physical Stimulation ; Organ Transplantation ; Movement ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Extremities/physiopathology ; Brain Death/*pathology ; Adult

Kluver-Bucy Syndrome (KBS) is consisting of hyperorality, emotional blunting, hypersexuality, altered dietary habits, visual and auditory agnosia. It has been reported in variable neurological diseases. However, only a few cases reported in epilepsy. We report a patient with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy who presents transient hyperorality during seizure. A 46-year-old man has complex partial seizures which were abdominal aura followed by hyperorality and hand automatisms. Hyperorality was characterized by putting patient's hand or seizure button into his mouth. Brain MRI demonstrated right hippocampal sclerosis. The interictal and ictal SPECT suggested right temporal lobe dysfunction, and PET showed bitemporal hypometabolism. Rhythmic ictal activities were arising from right temporal region when patient presented hyperorality. We speculate that transient hyperorality in this patient could be a symptom of KBS. This case suggests that transient KBS can be occurred in a unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy when ictal discharges cause bitemporal dysfunction during temporal lobe seizure.
Agnosia ; Brain ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Food Habits ; Hand ; Humans ; Kluver-Bucy Syndrome ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Sclerosis ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PPSF) offers some of the advantages of minimally invasive surgery. However, an additional skin incision is necessary in order to gain these advantages. The author recently performed a modified PPSF through a single skin incision and it yielded good results. Here, we report the single incision percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (SIPPSF). METHODS: The medical records of 51 patients who underwent single segment transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) with pedicle screw fixation (PSF) between December 2009 and December 2011 were reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the PSF technique used; conventional group (Group C), SIPPSF (Group S) and PPSF through multiple skin incisions (Group M). Operation time, estimated blood loss (EBL) and pain intensity before and after the operation using a numeric rating scale (NRS) were evaluated. RESULTS: The number of patients in Group S, Group C and Group M was 25, 17 and 9, respectively. The NRS demonstrated a reduction in pain intensity in all the patients, and there were no differences in NRS scoring between the three groups. Group S showed a reduction in the EBL compared to Group C (p=0.001) and a reduction in the operation time compared to Group M(p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The author supposes that the type of skin incision does not correlate significantly with the clinical results of TLIF with PPSF. However, it can be considered that SIPPSF offers the advantage of avoiding an additional paramedian skin incision.
Humans ; Imidazoles ; Medical Records ; Nitro Compounds ; Skin

OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PPSF) offers some of the advantages of minimally invasive surgery. However, an additional skin incision is necessary in order to gain these advantages. The author recently performed a modified PPSF through a single skin incision and it yielded good results. Here, we report the single incision percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (SIPPSF). METHODS: The medical records of 51 patients who underwent single segment transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) with pedicle screw fixation (PSF) between December 2009 and December 2011 were reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the PSF technique used; conventional group (Group C), SIPPSF (Group S) and PPSF through multiple skin incisions (Group M). Operation time, estimated blood loss (EBL) and pain intensity before and after the operation using a numeric rating scale (NRS) were evaluated. RESULTS: The number of patients in Group S, Group C and Group M was 25, 17 and 9, respectively. The NRS demonstrated a reduction in pain intensity in all the patients, and there were no differences in NRS scoring between the three groups. Group S showed a reduction in the EBL compared to Group C (p=0.001) and a reduction in the operation time compared to Group M(p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The author supposes that the type of skin incision does not correlate significantly with the clinical results of TLIF with PPSF. However, it can be considered that SIPPSF offers the advantage of avoiding an additional paramedian skin incision.
Humans ; Imidazoles ; Medical Records ; Nitro Compounds ; Skin