Orbital neuroblastoma is the most common childhood metastatic malignant tumor almost always originating from the adrenal medulla; orbital primary origin is very rare. The authors experenced a case of orbital neuroblastoma. The patient was 3 year old Korean female child who was in apparently good health and no abnormalities noted of physical examminations when she developed ecchymosis of right lower lid. About two week later, she quickly developed a growing mass in the right lower orbital soft tissue. The mass was removed and his topathologically diagnosed as neuroblastoma. Radiotherapy was recommended. About 4 months bter, the patient was readmitted because of recurrence of orbital mass 3t the same site. At surgery, tumor was found invading inner and flooe wall of the orbital bone. The patient died of poor course of the disease, about one year after the onset of symptoms. It was suggested that this case was represented metastatic orbital neuroblastoma on histopathological base, but authors were unable to determine the primary site. A brief review of the related literatures is present.
Adrenal Medulla ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ecchymosis ; Female ; Humans ; Neuroblastoma* ; Orbit* ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To investigate the etiologic microorganisms of external ventricular drain (EVD)-related ventriculitis and the appropriateness of using ceftazidime and vancomycin as an empiric therapy in neurosurgical patients with EVD-related ventriculitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 39 patients with EVD-related ventriculitis among 340 neurosurgical patients to whom EVD had been placed during December 2000 and October 2003 at Kyungpook National University Hospital. RESULTS: Thirty-nine EVD-related infections (39/340, 11.5%) occurred and the attributable mortality rate was 10.3% (4/39). The average duration from the ventricular catheter placement to the development of ventriculitis was 8.4 days. All patients with EVD infection had fever and 89.7% (35/39) of the patients showed nuchal rigidity. The positive culture rate in CSF was 87.1% (34/39) and the frequency of individual organism is as follows:Acinetobacter 45% (19 cases), methicillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus 22% (9 cases), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 22% (9 cases), Enterococcus 5% (2 cases), Streptococcus pneumoniae 3% (1 case), non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli 3% (1 case). The polymicrobial infection rate was 15.4% (6/39). Among 19 cases of Acinetobacter infection, 42.1% (8/19) of the strains showed resistance to ceftriaxone and 15.7% (3/11) to ceftazidime. However, all cases were sensitive to meropenem. CONCLUSION: These findings show that the major etiologic organisms causing EVD-related ventriculitis have recently changed to Gram-negative non-fermenters, especially Acinetobacter. Because Gram-negative non-fermenting rods resistant to ceftazidime are increasing, an immediate change from ceftazidime plus vancomycin, the widely accepted empiric antibiotic therapy, to meropenem plus vancomycin should be considered when clinical symptoms and signs show no improvement or even deterioration.
Acinetobacter ; Acinetobacter Infections ; Catheters ; Ceftazidime ; Ceftriaxone ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Coagulase ; Coinfection ; Enterococcus ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mortality ; Muscle Rigidity ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Vancomycin

PURPOSE: To investigate the etiologic microorganisms of external ventricular drain (EVD)-related ventriculitis and the appropriateness of using ceftazidime and vancomycin as an empiric therapy in neurosurgical patients with EVD-related ventriculitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 39 patients with EVD-related ventriculitis among 340 neurosurgical patients to whom EVD had been placed during December 2000 and October 2003 at Kyungpook National University Hospital. RESULTS: Thirty-nine EVD-related infections (39/340, 11.5%) occurred and the attributable mortality rate was 10.3% (4/39). The average duration from the ventricular catheter placement to the development of ventriculitis was 8.4 days. All patients with EVD infection had fever and 89.7% (35/39) of the patients showed nuchal rigidity. The positive culture rate in CSF was 87.1% (34/39) and the frequency of individual organism is as follows:Acinetobacter 45% (19 cases), methicillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus 22% (9 cases), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 22% (9 cases), Enterococcus 5% (2 cases), Streptococcus pneumoniae 3% (1 case), non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli 3% (1 case). The polymicrobial infection rate was 15.4% (6/39). Among 19 cases of Acinetobacter infection, 42.1% (8/19) of the strains showed resistance to ceftriaxone and 15.7% (3/11) to ceftazidime. However, all cases were sensitive to meropenem. CONCLUSION: These findings show that the major etiologic organisms causing EVD-related ventriculitis have recently changed to Gram-negative non-fermenters, especially Acinetobacter. Because Gram-negative non-fermenting rods resistant to ceftazidime are increasing, an immediate change from ceftazidime plus vancomycin, the widely accepted empiric antibiotic therapy, to meropenem plus vancomycin should be considered when clinical symptoms and signs show no improvement or even deterioration.
Acinetobacter ; Acinetobacter Infections ; Catheters ; Ceftazidime ; Ceftriaxone ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Coagulase ; Coinfection ; Enterococcus ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mortality ; Muscle Rigidity ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Vancomycin

In the rat lumbar spinal cord, the pathways and distribution of corticospinal tract (CST) axons were investigated using retrograde transport of Fast Blue(FB) and Fluoro-Gold(FG). The purpose of this study was, therefore, to fond the extent of CST projections in the lateral funiculus in the rat. Total of twelve female rats were used in this study. The laminectomy was performed at the 78 cord level to expose the spinal cord. Using a radiofrequency lesioning device, the CST, including the dorsal columns, were lesioned bilaterally. Three to seven days after lesioning, two laminectomies were performed at C6-8 and L3-5 to expose the spinal cord for dye injections. Retrograde tracing of fast blue(FB) and fluoro-gold(FG) were used to quantitate the number of cerebral cortex neurons projecting to the lumbar cord through tracts other than the CST in the dorsal column. New findings of the this study are : (1) a small number of CST axons projected to lumbosacral spinal cord bilaterally in the dorsolateral funiculi. (2) some axons projecting to the lumbar cord through the dorsolateral funiculi are collateral of neuron that project to the cervical spinal cord. Our results suggest that there are a larger number of CSTs than previously thought projecting to the lumbar spinal cord through the lateral funiculi. These residual tracts may play a role in the functional recovery of the affected limbs.
Animals ; Axons ; Cerebral Cortex ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Neurons ; Pyramidal Tracts* ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord*

Myoepitheliomas are well-established to occur in the salivary glands, but they have also been described in the breast, upper aerodigestive tract, skin, and soft tissues. We report here on a unique case of primary myoepithelioma that occurred in the right testis of a 28-year-old man. The tumor was entirely confined to the testis and it was clearly separated from the epididymis. Histopathology revealed mixed architectural patterns in which the reticular areas merged into the chondromyxoid stroma. The tumor cells, which were focally immunoreactive to pancytokeratin and S-100 protein, were round to ovoid and spindly arranged in cords, strands, and fascicles. They showed mild nuclear pleomorphism, sparse mitotic figures and a low Ki-67 proliferative index. There was no ductal differentiation in the tumor. To the best of our knowledge, there has been only one case report of a primary testicular myoepithelioma in the English medical literature.
Adult ; Breast ; Epididymis ; Humans ; Male ; Myoepithelioma ; S100 Proteins ; Salivary Glands ; Skin ; Testis

BACKGROUND: Propofol often causes pain when injected into small peripheral veins, but the pain can be minimized by using a larger vein. This study was designed to determine whether local warming of the injection site and forearm before propofol injection is effective in reducing pain. METHODS: Sixty adult patients undergoing general anesthesia for an elective surgery were randomly allocated to one of two groups. All were unpremedicated and had an 18-gauge cannula inserted into a cephalic vein on the wrist. Patients in group 1 (n = 30) received 1% propofol at room temperature. Patients in group 2 (n = 30) received 1% propofol after local warming (36-37 degrees C) of the injection site and forearm using a forced-air warming system (Bair Hugger(R)). For each patient, the pain during injection of the propofol solution was graded as none, mild, moderate, or severe. RESULTS: Overall the incidence of pain was significantly reduced in group 2 (36.7%) compared with group 1 (66.7%). No patients complained of pain at the injection site and forearm in group 2. However, there was no significant difference in the incidence or severity of pain on the elbow and axilla between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We found that local warming applied to the injection site (wrist) and forearm before propofol injection is significantly effective in reducing pain at the injection site and forearm, but there was no improvement of pain on the elbow and axilla when injecting.
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Axilla ; Catheters ; Elbow ; Forearm* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Propofol ; Veins ; Wrist

The aim of this paper was to report the effect of temporary and chronic spinal cord stimulation for refractory neuropathic pain in neuralgic amyotrophy (NA). A 35-year-old female presented with two-months history of a severe, relentless neuropathic pain of the left shoulder, forearm, palm, and fingers. The neuropathic pain was refractory to various medical treatments, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opiates, epidural and stellate ganglion blocks, and typically unrelenting. The diagnosis of NA was made with the characteristic clinical history and magnetic resonance imaging. The patient underwent a temporary spinal cord stimulation to achieve an adequate pain relief because her pain was notoriously difficult to control and lasted longer than the average duration (about 4 weeks on average) of a painful phase of NA. Permanent stimulation was given with paddle lead. The neuropathic pain in her NA persisted and she continued using the spinal cord stimulation with 12 months after development of NA. The temporary spinal cord stimulation was effective in a patient with an extraordinary prolonged, acute painful phase of NA attack, and the subsequent chronic stimulation was also useful in achieving an adequate analgesia during the chronic phase of NA.
Acute Pain ; Adult ; Analgesia ; Brachial Plexus Neuritis* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fingers ; Forearm ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuralgia* ; Shoulder ; Spinal Cord Stimulation* ; Spinal Cord* ; Stellate Ganglion

A retrospective analysis of 60 patients with traumatic subdural hygroma who had been managed and followed up at least 6 months, was done in relation to time of development and associated intracranial lesion, initial Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS), sequeritial changes of subdural hygroma, and Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS). The incidence of traumatic subdural hygroma was 8.4%, 131 cases among 1,563 head-injured cases. And most of them was subacute from(55%, 33 cases among 60 cases), complex subdural hygroma was 65%(39 cases among 60 cases). The conversion rate of traumatic subdural hygroma into chronic subdural hematoma was 15%(9 cases among 60 cases). There was no statistically significant relation between initial GCS score and time of development and also intial GCS score and development of complex subdural hygroma and time of development and GOS of 6 months follow-up(P>0.05). There noted only highly significant relation between initial GCS score and GOS of 6 months follow-up(P<0.001).
Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Subdural Effusion*

BACKGROUND: Phadiatop test has been introduced as a single test for screening the atopics who were sensitized to common inhalant allergens. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We compared the clinical efficiency of Phadiatop test and total IgE level for defining presence of atopy in 136 asthmatic subjects. The presence of atopy was defined by skin prick test done with 10 common inhalant allergens. More than 2+ skin reactivity was defined as having atopy. Phadiatop test and total IgE level in serum were measured using Pharmacia CAP systems. RESULT: 109 out of 136 subjects had more than 2+ skin reactivity to at least one allergen and another 27 subjects had 1+ or negative skin reactivity to allergens. The performance characteristics of Phadiatop test for screening atopy was superior than total IgE level, with sensitivity(91.7% vs. 82.6%), positive predictive value(94.3% vs. 86.5%) and concordance rate(89.0 % vs. 75.7% ). Specificity and negative predictive value of the Phadistop test were acceptable and higher than that of total IgE level. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that Ph adiatop may be simple and useful for screening atopic status in Korean asthmatic subjects.
Allergens ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immunoglobulin E ; Mass Screening* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of acute cerebral infection following deep brain stimulation (DBS) is currently being reported with elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) level. The aim of the present study was to establish normal range of the magnitude and time-course of CRP increases following routine DBS procedures in the absence of clinical and laboratory signs of infection. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of serial changes of plasma CRP levels in 46 patients undergoing bilateral, two-staged DBS was performed. Because DBS was performed as a two-staged procedure involving; implantation of lead and internal pulse generator (IPG), CRP was measured preoperatively and postoperatively every 2 days until normalization of CRP (post-lead implantation day 2 and 4, post-IPG implantation day 2, 4, and 6). RESULTS: Compared with preoperative CRP levels (0.12+/-0.17 mg/dL, n=46), mean CRP levels were significantly elevated after lead insertion day 2 and 4 (1.68+/-1.83 mg/dL, n=46 and 0.76+/-0.38 mg/dL, n=16, respectively, p<0.001). The mean CRP levels at post-lead implantation day 2 were further elevated at post-IPG implantation day 2 (3.41+/-2.56 mg/dL, n=46, respectively, p<0.01). This elevation in post-IPG day 2 rapidly declined in day 4 (1.24+/-1.29 mg/dL, n=46, p<0.05) and normalized to preoperative value at day 6 (0.42+/-0.33 mg/dL, n=46, p>0.05). Mean CRP levels after IPG implantation were significantly higher in patients whose IPGs were implanted at post-lead day 3 than those at post-lead day 5-6 (3.99+/-2.80 mg/dL, n=30, and 2.31+/-1.56 mg/dL, n=16, respectively, p<0.05). However, there was no difference in post-IPG day 2 and 4 between them (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The mean postoperative CRP levels were highest on post-IPG insertion day 2 and decreased rapidly, returning to the normal range on post-IPG implantation day 6. The duration of post-lead implantation period influenced the magnitude of CRP elevation at post-IPG insertion day 2. Information about the normal response of CRP following DBS could help to avoid unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic efforts.
C-Reactive Protein* ; Deep Brain Stimulation* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Plasma ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies