Proper management of childhood and adolescent varicocele remains still controversial. In general, all methods for varicocele ablation for adults are available and include open surgical ligation, laparoscopic ligation, or percutaneous ablation. We evaluated the usefulness of percutaneous embolization of internal spermatic vein in boys with varicocele. Between February 1988 to May 1996, 48 boys of 53 varicoceles underwent percut aneous embolization. In 49 cases, the embolization were technically possible and in the other 4 cases, we could not access the internal spermatic vein because of vasospasm and venous abnormality. The results were successful in 40 cases (81.6%) and failed in 9 cases (18.4%), including 4 (8.2%) of persistent and 5 (10.2%) of recurred cases. There were no major complications except 3 cases of extravasation of contrast material. Percutaneous embolization may be recommended as a primary treatment for childhood and adolescent varicocele.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Humans ; Ligation ; Varicocele* ; Veins*

Hemorrhagic radiation proctitis is infrequently seen in patients receiving pelvic irradiation. The treatment of hemorrhagic ralation proctitis is often difficult. Many patients need reyeated hospitalizations and blood transfusions. Occasionally patiets will develop severe or recurrent rectal bleeding. In case of massive bleeding requiring excessive transfusion, colonic diversion by construction of a colostomy or excision of the diseased segment may be inevitable. However, surgical procedures in these patients are associated with a high mortality and morbidity. Moreover, medical therapy is usually ineffective. Recently formalin therapy has been introduced as a simple and effective treatment for hemorrhagic radiation proctitis. We experienced a 69 year-old woman patient who developed severe homorrhagic proctitis 1 year after radiotherapy for carcinoma of the cervix. She had not improved by conservative management and required blood tranafusions and repetitive hospitalizations. After local application of a 4% formalin solution in the diseased rectum under caudal anesthesia, the bleeding immediately stopped and the patient was discharged from the hospital, and no recurrence has been observed until now.
Aged ; Anesthesia, Caudal ; Blood Transfusion ; Cervix Uteri ; Colon ; Colostomy ; Female ; Formaldehyde* ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Mortality ; Proctitis* ; Radiotherapy ; Rectum ; Recurrence

Acute mountain sickness is an illness caused by climbing to a high altitude without prior acclimatization. Neurological consequences, like parkinsonism following acute mountain sickness without lesion of brain MRI have been reported rarely. A healthy 56-year-old man presented with dysarthria and gait disturbance. Neurological examination revealed tremor of hands, limb rigidity, and bradykinesia. The symptoms developed approximately 30 days following a 3,500 m climb of the Annapurna in the Himalayas. Brain MRI did not reveal any abnormalities including globus pallidus. The parkinsonism symptoms persisted for about 3 months before a complete recovered was made. We suggest that parkinsonism can develop after climbing to a high altitude but that the symptoms can be transient if a brain MRI detects no abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: Thalium 201(TI-201) has been a widely applied myocardial perfusion agent for the detection of coronary artery disease. however its low emission energy and long half-life make this agent suboptiomal for the examination of coronary artery disease. To circumvent the physical limitation of TI-201, a group of technetium 99m-labeled isonitril complex has been developed. Our study was done to examine the value of SPECT with 99mTc-HexaMIBI in estimating myocardial perfusion in patients with myocardial infarction. METHODS: We evaluated the sensitivity of SPECT with 99mTc-HexaMIBI in 29 patients with acute myocardial infarction. We also compared the severity and vascular territory of abnormal perfusion on SPECT scanning with severity of coronary artery stenosis, values of serum enzyme and sites in ECG. RESULTS: 1) There were 26 patients(90%) who showed perfusion defect, and 3 patients(10%) who showed normal perfusion in myocardial SPECT. The 3 patients with normal perfusion demonstrated non Q-wave infarction of ECG. 2) Among 23 patients performed coronary argiography, there were 19 patients(82%) who showed positive findings on myocardial SPECT and luminal narrowing above 50% on coronary angiogram, and there were 3 patients(13%) who showed significant coronary artery stenosis in spite of negative myocardial SPECT. 3) The grade of perfusion defect showed no significant difference between groups undergone thrombolytic therapy and groups not undergone thrombolytic therapy. 4) There was good correlation between the site of perfusion defect on SPECT and the site of infarction on ECG. CONCLUSION: We conclude that SPECT with 99mTc-HexaMIBI is a promising non invasive test for simultaneous diagnosis of myocardial infarction and evaluation of perfusion defect.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Stenosis ; Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Perfusion ; Phenobarbital ; Technetium ; Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi* ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Functional brain imaging is very important in the diagnosis and evaluation of the various neurologic disorders, In addition to electroencephalography (EEG) and positron emission tomography(PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)have increasingly gained importance in determination of disturbancesin regional brain functions. Both ictal and interictal Tc-99m hexamethy-propyleneamine oxime single photon emission computed tomography (TC-99m HMPAO SPECT)was done in a patient with the neonatal seizure and right cerebral hemiatrophy. The left parieto-occipital area revealed increased redioactivity during ictal stage and decreased radioactivities during interictal stage on Tc-99m HMPAO Brain SPECT. This brain ares was thought to be a epileptogenic focus. Ictal and interictal Tc-99m HMPAO brain SPECT could be a safe and sensitive diagnostic method in localization of epileptogenic foci.
Brain* ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Electrons ; Functional Neuroimaging ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases ; Radioactivity ; Seizures* ; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

BACKGROUND: The management of postoperative pain with traditional narcotic analgesic regimen is associated with an unacceptably high failure rate and at best has represented a cautious compromise between adequate analgesia and the risk of complications, particularly that of respiratory depression. The purpose of this investigation was to compare the efficacy and safety of nalbuphine given by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with differential dosages after total knee replacement. METHODS: A double-blind clinical trial of 75 patients who received intravenous nalbuphine with patient- controlled analgesia during the postoperative first 48 hours after total knee replacement, was carried. Patients were assigned to three groups by the concentration of nalbuphine: Group 1 (n = 25), 2 mg/ml; Group 2, 4 mg/ml; Group 3, 6 mg/ml. The settings of PCA in three groups were same. RESULTS: Visual analog scale (VAS) scores were used to assess pain. Group 2 and 3 patients reported significant lower VAS over the postoperatively 6 hours and 12 hours at either rest or movement compared to group 1. PCA demands, delivered doses and PCA nalbuphine dosage per hours except supplemental analgesic doses in the first 48 hours were lower in group 2 and 3 compared to group 1. There were significant differences among groups at postoperatively 6 and 12 hours in nausea, vomiting and sedation of the side effects. CONCLUSIONS: IV PCA with nalbuphine is thought to be potent and safe for postoperative pain relief without the major morbidity like respiratory depression, in addition, the careful observation and treatment on the side effect like nausea, vomiting and sedation, is surely needed.
Analgesia ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Humans ; Nalbuphine* ; Nausea ; Pain, Postoperative ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Visual Analog Scale ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological and clinical results after open reduction and internal fixation with calcaneal F plate and locking calcaneal plate using lateral extensile approach in the treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 34 cases of 33 patients followed up for at least 6 months postoperatively. F plate was applied in 18 cases (Group 1), locking plate was used in 16 cases (Group 2) and compared radiological and clinical results between two groups. RESULTS: Radiollogically, the mean Bohler angle was improved from 5.5degrees preoperatively to 20.1degrees postoperatively and 18.8degrees at the last follow up in group 1 and 8.6degrees preoperatively, 21.4degrees postoperatively and 20.3degrees at last follow up in group 2. Bone union was observed in all cases and 4 cases of screw loosening were noted in Group 1 with extended fracture to anterior process. At the last follow up, both groups showed clinical results in American orthopedic foot and ankle society ankle hindfoot score, 76(77 in Sanders type II and 75 in type III) in group 1 and 72(73 in type II and 70 in type III) in group 2. CONCLUSION: F plate and locking plate showed firm fixation and satisfactory clinical results in the treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fracture. We suggest applying locking plate in cases with extended fracture to anterior process, considering screw loosenings in those who were treated with F plate fixation.
Animals ; Ankle ; Calcaneus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Intra-Articular Fractures ; Orthopedics

Although technological advances and clinical studies on stem cells have been increasingly reported in stroke, research targeting hemorrhagic stroke is still lacking compared to that targeting ischemic stroke. Studies on hemorrhagic stroke are also being conducted, mainly in the USA and China. However, little research has been conducted in Korea. In reality, stem cell research or treatment is unfamiliar to many domestic neurosurgeons. Nevertheless, given the increased interest in regenerative medicine and the increase of life expectancy, attention should be paid to this topic. In this paper, we summarized pre-clinical rodent studies and clinical trials using stem cells for hemorrhagic stroke. In addition, we discussed results of domestic investigations and future perspectives on stem cell research for a better understanding.

PURPOSE: Liver transplantation (LT) has been advocated as a good management option for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The rate of HCC recurrence after LT is about 20%. Although the median survival time of patients with HCC recurrence is 7~9 months, the role of surgical treatment for metastatic tumors has been reported on. In this study, we evaluated the role of metastasectomy for treating patients with pulmonary metastasis from HCC after LT. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 10 patients with pulmonary metastasis after LT and who were treated between April 2005 and October 2007. The underlying liver disease was cirrhosis caused by chronic viral hepatitis. The surveillance protocol for HCC recurrence was as follows: assessing the serum alpha-fetoprotein level every 1 month, chest and abdomen-pelvic computed tomography every 3 months and a bone scan every 1 year or when bone metastasis was suspected. The patients with less than 3 metastatic lesions were recommended to undergo metastasectomy (Group S, n=6) and the patients with more 4 lesions were recommended nonsurgical management, including chemotherapy (Group N, n=4). RESULTS: All the metastatic lesions were detected on the protocol chest CT scans. The median recurrence time was 7.4 months (0.8~18.2) after LT; this was 11.0 (4.8~18.2) months for Group S and 2.0 (0.8~3.3) months for Group N. One patient had a single lesion and the others had multiple lesions on multilobes. The median survival times of Group S were 29.3 (18.5~41.3) months after pulmonary metastasis and 40.3 (23.3~48.0) months after transplantation; 5 patients had no recorded evidence of their disease status. The median survival time of Group N was 4.3 (4.0~6.3) months after metastasis and 6.2 (5.3~7.1) months after transplantation; all the patients have since died. CONCLUSION: The survival outcome seemed to be good for the patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for HCC, if it was detected earlier and it was resectable (< or =3 lesions). However, further study is required for validating the survival benefit of pulmonary metastasectomy.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation ; Metastasectomy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax

PURPOSE: Liver transplantation (LT) has been advocated as a good management option for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The rate of HCC recurrence after LT is about 20%. Although the median survival time of patients with HCC recurrence is 7~9 months, the role of surgical treatment for metastatic tumors has been reported on. In this study, we evaluated the role of metastasectomy for treating patients with pulmonary metastasis from HCC after LT. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 10 patients with pulmonary metastasis after LT and who were treated between April 2005 and October 2007. The underlying liver disease was cirrhosis caused by chronic viral hepatitis. The surveillance protocol for HCC recurrence was as follows: assessing the serum alpha-fetoprotein level every 1 month, chest and abdomen-pelvic computed tomography every 3 months and a bone scan every 1 year or when bone metastasis was suspected. The patients with less than 3 metastatic lesions were recommended to undergo metastasectomy (Group S, n=6) and the patients with more 4 lesions were recommended nonsurgical management, including chemotherapy (Group N, n=4). RESULTS: All the metastatic lesions were detected on the protocol chest CT scans. The median recurrence time was 7.4 months (0.8~18.2) after LT; this was 11.0 (4.8~18.2) months for Group S and 2.0 (0.8~3.3) months for Group N. One patient had a single lesion and the others had multiple lesions on multilobes. The median survival times of Group S were 29.3 (18.5~41.3) months after pulmonary metastasis and 40.3 (23.3~48.0) months after transplantation; 5 patients had no recorded evidence of their disease status. The median survival time of Group N was 4.3 (4.0~6.3) months after metastasis and 6.2 (5.3~7.1) months after transplantation; all the patients have since died. CONCLUSION: The survival outcome seemed to be good for the patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for HCC, if it was detected earlier and it was resectable (< or =3 lesions). However, further study is required for validating the survival benefit of pulmonary metastasectomy.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation ; Metastasectomy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax