No abstract available.
Thoracic Nerves*

Regional anesthesia for non-obstetric surgery in parturients is a method to decrease patient and fetal risk during general anesthesia. Thoracic interfascial nerve block can be used as an analgesic technique for surgical procedures of the thorax. The Pecs II block is an interfascial block that targets not only the medial and lateral pectoral nerves, but also the lateral cutaneous branch of the intercostal nerve. Pecto-intercostal fascial block (PIFB) targets the anterior cutaneous branch of the intercostal nerve. The authors successfully performed a modified Pecs II block and PIFB without complications in a parturient who refused general anesthesia for breast surgery.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Anesthesia, General ; Breast* ; Female ; Humans ; Intercostal Nerves ; Methods ; Nerve Block* ; Pregnant Women* ; Thoracic Nerves ; Thorax

Regional anesthesia for non-obstetric surgery in parturients is a method to decrease patient and fetal risk during general anesthesia. Thoracic interfascial nerve block can be used as an analgesic technique for surgical procedures of the thorax. The Pecs II block is an interfascial block that targets not only the medial and lateral pectoral nerves, but also the lateral cutaneous branch of the intercostal nerve. Pecto-intercostal fascial block (PIFB) targets the anterior cutaneous branch of the intercostal nerve. The authors successfully performed a modified Pecs II block and PIFB without complications in a parturient who refused general anesthesia for breast surgery.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Anesthesia, General ; Breast* ; Female ; Humans ; Intercostal Nerves ; Methods ; Nerve Block* ; Pregnant Women* ; Thoracic Nerves ; Thorax

Neurilemmomas are benign nerve sheath tumors derived from Schwann cells that rarely occur in the chest wall. Neurilemmomas of the chest wall are usually solitary lesions that bulge toward the pleural cavity. Neurilemmomas are confirmed histologically based on the presence of Verocay bodies, Antoni A and Antoni B tissue patterns and S-100 protein. Bilateral neurilemmomas in the chest wall are extremely rare, as are those that grow in the subcutaneous tissue but not the pleural area. We report here a case of bilateral chest wall neurilemmomas in which the tumors bulged out to the skin and were palpable.
Intercostal Nerves ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Neurilemmoma ; Pleural Cavity ; S100 Proteins ; Schwann Cells ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax

The 213 first ribs Koreans were measured and morphologically studied. The results were as follows. 1. On average, the internal straight length of the first rib was 53.7mm (male), 49.9mm (female) ; the external straight length was 79.7mm (male), 75.4mm (female), the maximum straight length was 87.4mm (male), 81.2mm (female) ; the breadth was 15.2mm (male), 14.4mm (female) ; and the thickness was 5.5mm (male), 5.4mm (female). 2. The proportion of the scalene tubercle to the costal breadth was 0% to 90% (average 37%). 3. The incidence of the presence of the groove for the first thoracic nerve was 7.5%. 4. The common shapes of the articular surface of the head were ball-shape(41%), cylinder-shape (25%) and plane-shape (25%) ; and those of the tubercle were cylinder-shape (44%), saddle-shape (31%) and socket-shape (14%).
Head ; Incidence ; Ribs* ; Thoracic Nerves

BACKGROUND: Sufficient accumulations of local anesthetics in the extrapleural space promotes effective access to several intercostal nerves and, consequently, analgesia. The total volume of leakage of these anesthetics from the space can depend on the technique of extrapleural catheter insertion which is chosen. METHODS: Twenty patients due for thoracotomy were randomly selected to be provided with postoperative pain relief by an extrapleural approach. Before the thoracic cavity was closed, appropriate spaces between parietal pleura and intercostal muscle were made with surgical dilators under direct vision. An epidural catheter was introduced at a longitudinal lie in a cephalad direction, before the thoracic cavity was closed. Bupivacaine 0.25%, with 1 : 200,000 epinephrine was injected in a 10 ml dose about 20 minutes before the end of anesthesia, and infused at a rate of 0.88 mg/kg/hour for 1 hour, 0.35 mg/kg/hour for 23 hours and 0.3 mg/kg/hour for the second day postoperatively. RESULTS: The degree of analgesia with coughing and deep breathing was satisfactory to patients and thoracic surgeons. The average numbers of analgesic dermatomes obtained by pinprick tests, VAS, and Prince Henry pain scores were 5.2 0.5, 2.0 0.5 cm and 1.6 0.6, respectively. Changes in mean arterial pressure were insignificant, and heart rate increased at the postoperative hours of 1, 4 and 8 (P value < 0.05). FVC and FEV1 were restored to levels up to 67.2 and 71.0% of their preoperative values at the postoperative hour of 48. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the technique of a catheter introduced at a longitudinal lie in a cephalad direction was effective and clinically useful for pain relief following thoracotomy regardless of some leakage of bupivacaine.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Local ; Arterial Pressure ; Bupivacaine ; Catheters* ; Cough ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intercostal Muscles ; Intercostal Nerves ; Pain Management* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pleura ; Respiration ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracotomy*

BACKGROUND: Sufficient accumulations of local anesthetics in the extrapleural space promotes effective access to several intercostal nerves and, consequently, analgesia. The total volume of leakage of these anesthetics from the space can depend on the technique of extrapleural catheter insertion which is chosen. METHODS: Twenty patients due for thoracotomy were randomly selected to be provided with postoperative pain relief by an extrapleural approach. Before the thoracic cavity was closed, appropriate spaces between parietal pleura and intercostal muscle were made with surgical dilators under direct vision. An epidural catheter was introduced at a longitudinal lie in a cephalad direction, before the thoracic cavity was closed. Bupivacaine 0.25%, with 1 : 200,000 epinephrine was injected in a 10 ml dose about 20 minutes before the end of anesthesia, and infused at a rate of 0.88 mg/kg/hour for 1 hour, 0.35 mg/kg/hour for 23 hours and 0.3 mg/kg/hour for the second day postoperatively. RESULTS: The degree of analgesia with coughing and deep breathing was satisfactory to patients and thoracic surgeons. The average numbers of analgesic dermatomes obtained by pinprick tests, VAS, and Prince Henry pain scores were 5.2 0.5, 2.0 0.5 cm and 1.6 0.6, respectively. Changes in mean arterial pressure were insignificant, and heart rate increased at the postoperative hours of 1, 4 and 8 (P value < 0.05). FVC and FEV1 were restored to levels up to 67.2 and 71.0% of their preoperative values at the postoperative hour of 48. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the technique of a catheter introduced at a longitudinal lie in a cephalad direction was effective and clinically useful for pain relief following thoracotomy regardless of some leakage of bupivacaine.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Local ; Arterial Pressure ; Bupivacaine ; Catheters* ; Cough ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intercostal Muscles ; Intercostal Nerves ; Pain Management* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pleura ; Respiration ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracotomy*

BACKGROUND: Several dermatomes around the skin wound may need to be bldegrees Cked in order to provide pain relief with intercostal bldegrees Ckade after thoracotomy and chest tube insertion. METHODS: Twenty patients who had undergone elective thoracotomy were selected to provide continuous intercostal nerve bldegrees Ck by an extrapleural approach. Before the thoracic cavity was closed, appropriate spaces between parietal pleura and intercostal muscle were made with surgical dilators under direct vision. An epidural catheter was introduced cephalad with the distal end uppermost and in a caudal direction making a U-turn lowermost in the spaces. Bupivacaine 0.25%, with 1 : 200,000 epinephrine was injected in a 10 ml dose about 20 minutes before the end of anesthesia, and infused at a rate of 0.88 mg/kg/hour for 1 hour, 0.35 mg/kg/hour for 23 hours and 0.3 mg/kg/hour for the second day postoperatively. RESULTS: The degree of analgesia with coughing and deep breathing was satisfied with patients and thoracic surgeons. Average numbers of analgesic dermatomes obtained by pinprick test, VAS and Prince Henry pain score were 5.6+/-0.3, 1.8+/-0.3 cm and 1.6+/-0.3 respectively. Changes in mean arterial pressure showed insignificantly and heart rate increased at the postoperative hour of 1 and 4(P value<0.05). FVC and FEV1 were restored up to 71 and 75% of preoperative value at the postoperative hour of 48. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that continuous intercostal nerve bldegrees Ck through the extrapleural approach was effective and clinically useful for pain relief following thoracotomy.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Bupivacaine ; Catheters ; Chest Tubes ; Cough ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intercostal Muscles ; Intercostal Nerves* ; Pain Management* ; Pleura ; Respiration ; Skin ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracotomy* ; Wounds and Injuries

The 12th rib syndrome is a disease that causes pain between the upper abdomen and the lower chest. It is assumed that the impinging on the nerves between the ribs causes pain in the lower chest, upper abdomen, and flank. A 74-year-old female patient visited a pain clinic complaining of pain in her back, and left chest wall at a 7 on the 0-10 Numeric Rating scale (NRS). She had a lateral fixation at T12-L2, 6 years earlier. After the operation, she had multiple osteoporotic compression fractures. When the spine was bent, the patient complained about a sharp pain in the left mid-axillary line and radiating pain toward the abdomen. On physical examination, the 10th rib was not felt, and an image of the rib-cage confirmed that the left 10th rib was severed. When applying pressure from the legs to the 9th rib of the patient, pain was reproduced. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with 9th rib syndrome, and ultrasound-guided 9th and 10th intercostal nerve blocks were performed around the tips of the severed 10th rib. In addition, local anesthetics with triamcinolone were administered into the muscles beneath the 9th rib at the point of the greatest tenderness. The patient's pain was reduced to NRS 2 point. In this case, it is suspected that the patient had a partial resection of the left 10th rib in the past, and subsequent compression fractures at T8 and T9 led to the deformation of the rib cage, causing the tip of the remaining 10th rib to impinge on the 9th intercostal nerves, causing pain.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Anesthetics, Local ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Intercostal Nerves ; Leg ; Muscles ; Neuralgia ; Pain Clinics ; Physical Examination ; Ribs* ; Spine ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax ; Triamcinolone

STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-six consecutive cases were prospectively studied by chart review and radiography. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to find the learning curve of spinal thoracoscopy in spinal deformity surgery. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW : Although the efficacy and learning curve of thoracoscopic deformity spinal surgery are well documented in many countries, there is no report in Korea. METHODS: Twenty-six consecutive patients who were underwent VATS were studied. Idiopathic scoliosis was diagnosed in 23 patients (King type II in 15, type III in 5, type IV in 3), neuromuscular scoliosis in 2 and kyphotic deformity in one. In 14 cases of idiopathic scoliosis VATS for anterior release, bonegraft and instrumentation were performed. In the remaining 12 cases of anterior release, bone graft by VATS was done without instrumentation. RESULTS: The average number of discs excised was 5.2+/-0.97. The average time of surgery for the 14 cases was 7.3+/-1.3 hours, which represented 1.37+/-0.25 hours per disc. Excluding the time of instrumentation in the 26 cases, the average time for anterior release and bone grafting was 3.87+/-0.87 hours, which represented 0.76+/-0.18 hours per disc. The average operation time diminished as the series continued. Average blood loss was 748.9+/-254 mL, which represented 152.6+/-65.6 mL per disc. The Cobb's angle was corrected by 62% on average. Complications were found in 11 cases: screw cap breakage in 3, atelectasis in 4, and intercostal nerve injury in 4. There was no serious complication. CONCLUSIONS: VAST for spinal deformity is a safe and effective alternative to thoracotomy, however, the learning curve for this procedure is quite difficult.
Bone Transplantation ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Humans ; Intercostal Nerves ; Korea ; Learning Curve* ; Learning* ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Radiography ; Scoliosis ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy ; Thoracotomy ; Transplants