The amniotic membrane has some characteristics. First, it does not express the human leukocyte antigens, and therefore immunologic rejection is not a concern. Second, it can be obtained easily and sufficiently. Third, because it has antimicrobial properties, transplantation of the amniotic membrane has fewer risks of post-operative infection. So it is under research for the amniotic membrane transplantation in cases of sterile corneal ulcer, pterygium excision,severe chemical and thermal corneal burns, ocular surface defects, conjunctival surface reconstruction after removal of large conjunctival lesions. We have experienced a good result of amniotic membrane transplantation for the conjunctival defect resulting from conjunctival necrosis, in enucleated eye having undergone scleral graft for scleral necrosis. Therefore, we report this case with a review of the literature.
Amnion* ; Burns ; Corneal Ulcer ; HLA Antigens ; Necrosis* ; Pterygium ; Transplants

Desmoplastic trichiepithelioma is a solitary tumor of the hair follicle with female preponderance, most commonly located on the face. Clinically the lesions appear annular and firm with a raised border and a depressed nonulcerated center, but the appearance is not so distinctive to hair follicle tumors that definite dignosis is established by the histopathologic findings. We report herein a case a case of desmoplastic trichoepithelioma in a 21-yeaar-old woman who had an asymptomatic hard, annular lesion, 0.4cm sized in diameter with a raised border and a depressed center on the right cheek. Histopathologic findings showed narrow strands of basaloid cells, horny cysts and desmoplastic stnoma, the features corresponding to the desmoplastic trichoepithelioma.
Cheek ; Female ; Hair Follicle ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant and analgesic agent that interacts selectively with the voltage-sensitive-Ca(2+)-channel alpha-2-delta subunit. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the analgesic action of intrathecal (IT) pregabalin is associated with KATP channels in the rat formalin test. METHODS: IT PE-10 catheters were implanted in male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g) under inhalation anesthesia using enflurane. Nociceptive behavior was defined as the number of hind paw flinches during 60 min after formalin injection. Ten min before formalin injection, IT drug treatments were divided into 3 groups: normal saline (NS) 20 microl (CON group); pregabalin 0.3, 1, 3 and 10 microg in NS 10 microl (PGB group); glibenclamide 100 microg in DMSO 5 microl with pregabalin 0.3, 1, 3 and 10 microg in NS 5 microl (GBC group). All the drugs were flushed with NS 10 microl. Immunohistochemistry for the KATP channel was done with a different set of rats divided into naive, NS and PGB groups. RESULTS: IT pregabalin dose-dependently decreased the flinching number only in phase 2 of formalin test. The log dose response curve of the GBC group shifted to the right with respect to that of the PGB group. Immunohistochemistry for the KATP channel expression on the spinal cord dorsal horn showed no difference among the groups 1 hr after the formalin test. CONCLUSIONS: The antinociceptive effect of pregabalin in the rat formalin test was associated with the activation of the KATP channel. However, pregabalin did not induce KATP channel expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn.
Anesthesia, Inhalation ; Animals ; Catheters ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Enflurane ; Formaldehyde ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Glyburide ; Horns ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; KATP Channels ; Male ; Pain Measurement ; Prostaglandins B ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; Thienamycins ; Pregabalin

Although the practice of sedation has markedly increased and expanded beyond the operating room with the development of new diagnostic and minimally invasive surgical procedures, there is no guideline for hospitals to set up a sedation policy in Korea. The Joint Commission International (JCI), which is a division of Joint Commission of United States, has urged Korean hospitals to develop guidelines for sedation. Because JCI defines the sedation standards as a minimum, there is much for Korean medical association and physicians in charge of sedation to do in order to improve the safety of sedated patients and set up an economical and efficient sedation system. There are three main requirements to meet JCI standards. Aqualified individual responsible for sedation should complete a formal training program supervised by an anesthesiologist or experienced practitioner, and adequate facilities and monitoring systems must be available to safely care for patients throughout sedation. Secondly, a documentation process around sedation, including informed consent, pre-operative assessment, the parameters observed during sedation, and discharge criteria, should be organized according to the sedation policy, which in turn should be determined by an institutional sedation committee. Lastly, JCI requires continuous quality improvement activity, which can improve the efficiency of the sedation process and the safety of sedation care. Multi-departmental joint discussion may be necessary to advance the practice of sedation and avoid conflicts among departments. This review aims to highlight the starting points of adiscussionon local standards for sedation.
Fees and Charges ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Joints ; Korea ; Operating Rooms ; Quality Improvement ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; United States

The practice of anesthesia and sedation continues to expand beyond the operating room and now includes the gastroenterology suite, magnetic resonance imaging suites, and the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Non-anesthesiologists frequently administer sedation, in part because of a lack of available anesthesiologists and economic aspect, which emphasizes the safety of sedation. The Joint Commission International (JCI) set a standard responding to this issue indicating that qualified individuals who have drug and monitoring knowledge as well as airway management skills can only administer sedating agents. In Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare developed new sedation standards for hospital evaluation, which is similar to the JCI standards. This review intends to help with the understanding of the JCI sedation standard and compare it to the Korean sedation standard.
Airway Management ; Anesthesia ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Gastroenterology ; Joints ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Operating Rooms

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery spasm plays an important role in the pathogenesis of not only variant angina but also other forms of angina,acute myocardial infarction, and sudden death. However precise mechanisms by which coronary spasms occur remains unknown. The role of increased coronary artery tone as a part of pathogenesis of conary spasm and relation to the severity of coronary artery disease are still controversial. Thus we underwent this study to investigate the role of increased coronary artery tone as a part of pathogenesis of conary spasm and realtion to the severity of coronary artery disease. METHODS: Intracoronary acetylcholine and isosorbide dintrate were used as a spasm-provocative agent and vasodilator respectively. We analyzed 176 vessels(69 right coronary artery, 58 left anterior descending coronary artery, 49 left circumflex coronary artery) of 75 patients admitted for evaluation of chest pain syndrome. Among the 176 vessels, spasm occurred in 39 vessels of 25 patients. RESULTS: 1)Coronary artery spasm occured in 30.4%(21/69), 17.2%(10/58), 16.3%(8/49) of right coronary artery, left anterior descending coronary artery, left circumflex coronary artery respectively. 2) There is no relationship between angiographically visible minimal coronary artery disease and occurrence of spasm provoked by acetylcholine. 3) There was no significant difference of coronary risk factor predicting coronary spasm between two groups. 4) There is more significant % vasodilation by isosorbide dintrate(ISDDN) occurred din both the spastic and nonspastic arterial segment of vasospastic angina group than no spasm group(30.2%, 28.4% vs 14.2%, p<0.05). 5) Degree of % vasodilation by ISDN was more significantly larger in vasospastic angina group than no spasm group despite the presence of same amount of angiographically visible minimal coronary artery disease(38.3% vs 12.5%, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggests that the occurrence of conronary artery spasm is not related to minimal coronary artery disease. Increased coronary artery tone observed only in vasospastic angina group may be part of pathogenesis of coronary spasm.
Acetylcholine* ; Arteries ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Death, Sudden ; Humans ; Isosorbide ; Muscle Spasticity ; Myocardial Infarction ; Risk Factors ; Spasm ; Vasodilation

BACKGROUND: The hemodynamic responses to endotracheal intubation are associated with sympathoadrenal activity. Polymorphisms in the beta1-adrenergic receptor (beta1AR) gene can alter the pathophysiology of specific diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the Ser49Gly and Arg389Gly polymorphism of the beta1AR gene have different cardiovascular responses during endotracheal intubation under sevoflurane anesthesia. METHODS: Ninety-one healthy patients undergoing general anesthesia were enrolled. Patients underwent slow inhalation induction of anesthesia using sevoflurane in 100% oxygen. Vecuronium 0.15 mg/kg was given for muscle relaxation. Endotracheal intubation was performed by an anesthesiologist. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and the corrected QT (QTc) interval were measured before induction, before laryngoscopy, and immediately after tracheal intubation. Genomic DNA was isolated from the patients' peripheral blood and then evaluated for the beta1AR-49 and beta1AR-389 genes using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction method. RESULTS: No differences were found in the baseline values of MAP, HR, and the QTc interval among beta1AR-49 and beta1AR-389, respectively. In the case of beta1AR-49, the QTc interval change immediately after tracheal intubation was significantly greater in Ser/Ser genotypes than in Ser/Gly genotypes. No differences were observed immediately after tracheal intubation in MAP and HR for beta1AR-49 and beta1AR-389. CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between the Ser49 homozygote gene of beta1AR-49 polymorphism and increased QTc prolongation during endotracheal intubation with sevoflurane anesthesia. Thus, beta1AR-49 polymorphism may be useful in predicting the risk of arrhythmia during endotracheal intubation in patients with long QT syndrome.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arterial Pressure ; DNA ; Genotype ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopy ; Long QT Syndrome ; Methyl Ethers ; Muscle Relaxation ; Oxygen ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vecuronium Bromide

BACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve injury induces up-regulation of the calcium channel alpha2delta (alpha2delta) subunit and TRPM8 in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) which might contribute to allodynia development. We investigated the expression of the alpha2delta subunit and TRPM8 in the DRG of sympathetically maintained pain (SMP) and sympathetic independent pain (SIP) rat model. METHODS: For the SMP model, the L5 and L6 spinal nerves were ligated tightly distal to the DRG. For the SIP model, the tibial and sural nerves were transected, while the common peroneal nerve was spared. After a 7 day postoperative period, tactile and cold allodynia were assessed using von Frey filaments and acetone drops, respectively. Expression of the alpha2delta subunit and TRPM8 in the L5 and L6 DRG were subsequently examined by a Western blot. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two models for the thresholds of tactile and cold allodynia. Expression of the alpha2delta subunit in the ipsilateral DRG to the injury was increased as determined on a Western blot as compared to that in the contralateral or sham-operated DRG of the SMP model, but there was no difference in expression seen with the use of the SIP model. There was no difference in the expression of TRPM8 in the ipsilateral DRG to the injury and the contralateral or sham-operated DRG of either model. CONCLUSIONS: Up-regulation of the alpha2delta subunit in injured DRG may play a role that contributes to tactile allodynia development in SMP, but not TRPM8 to cold allodynia after peripheral nerve injury.
Acetone ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Calcium Channels ; Cold Temperature ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Hyperalgesia ; Organic Chemicals ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Peroneal Nerve ; Polyenes ; Postoperative Period ; Rats ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; Spinal Nerves ; Sural Nerve ; Up-Regulation

Pregabalin binds to the voltage-dependent calcium channel alphadelta subunit and modulates the release of neurotransmitters, resulting in analgesic effects on neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain has both sympathetically maintained pain (SMP) and sympathetic independent pain (SIP) components. We studied the antiallodynic effects of pregabalin on tactile allodynia (TA) and cold allodynia (CA) in SMP-and SIP-dominant neuropathic pain models. Allodynia was induced by ligation of the L5 & L6 spinal nerves (SMP model) or by transection of the tibial and sural nerves (SIP model) in rats. For intrathecal drug administration, a PE-10 catheter was implanted through the atlantooccipital membrane to the lumbar enlargement. Pregabalin was administered either intraperitoneally (IP) or intrathecally (IT) and dosed up incrementally until an antiallodynic effect without sedation or motor impairment was apparent. TA was assessed using von Frey filaments, and CA was assessed using acetone drops. IP-administered pregabalin dose-dependently attenuated TA in both models and CA in the SMP model, but not CA in the SIP model. IT-administered pregabalin dose-dependently attenuated both TA and CA in both models. However, the dose response curve of IT-administered pregabalin in SMP was shifted to left from that of SIP and the ED50 of IT-administered pregabalin for CA in SMP was about 900 times less than that in SIP. These findings suggest that pregabalin exerts its antiallodynic effect mainly by acting at the spinal cord, and that IT-administered pregabalin has more potent antiallodynic effects in SMP. The alphadeltasubunit might be less involved in the CA in SIP.

BACKGROUND: The immediate result of coronary balloon angioplasty was influenced by plastic and elastic changes of the vessel wall. After successful coronary angioplasty, the minimal luminal diameter of the dilated coronary artery segment was generally smaller than the diameter of the largest balloon catheter at the maximal inflation pressure. Several mechanisms could explain this phenomenon, including vasoconstriction, subintimal or intraplaque bleeding or edema and platelet or thrombus deposition. In addition, whenever balloon inflation results in overdistension of elastic components of the arterial wall, some degree of elastic recoil may occur. METHODS: To evaluate magnitude of elastic recoil after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in relation to lesion morphology and other procedure-related variables, 141 coronary lesions were selected from patients with acute myocardial infarction, stable angina, unstable angina and post myocardial infarction angina undergoing successful coronary angioplasty. Coronary angiograms were recorded before and after angioplasty, and during dilatation of balloon. The computer measuring program was used for the assessment of balloon diameters and coronary luminal diameters. RESULTS: 1) Of all 141 coronary lesions, percent diameter stenosis before angioplasty averaged 74.2% and after angioplasty averaged 22.5%. 2) Residual diameter stenosis was directly related to the degree of elastic recoil, the greater the elastic recoil the more severe the residual lesion immediately after angioplasty. The increase in elastic recoil corresponded to a increase in the balloon/artery ratio(p<0.05). 3) The residual diameter stenosis tended to decrease in segments dilated with an oversized balloon than with an undersized balloon(p<0.05). 4) The elastic recoil increased significantly in the subgroups of coronary segments dilated with an oversized balloon, of eccentric lesion, and type C lesion(p<0.05). 5) Percent residual stenosis was more sever in eccentric stenosis dilated with undersized balloon than in concentric stenosis. 6) Elastic recoil was greater in type C coronary segment dilated with an oversized balloon than with an undersized balloon(<0.05). 7) The lesion dilated with oversize non-compliant balloon showed more elastic recoil than with oversize compliant balloon(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Factors such as oversized balloon, eccentric lesion, type C lesion, and non-compliant balloon significantly affected increase of the elastic recoil.
Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Blood Platelets ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels ; Dilatation ; Edema ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflation, Economic ; Myocardial Infarction ; Phenobarbital ; Plastics ; Thrombosis ; Vasoconstriction