Involvement of the peripheral nerveous system by diabetes is referred to as diabetic neuropathy. The frequency of diabetic neuropathy ranges from 5% to 60% and the pain management is one of the greatest problem. The patient was a 57-year-old man who has been treated with diabetes(DM type IIa) for about 12 years. The symmetrical pain, swelling and sensory loss on feet were started 3 months before admission and the burning pain was intensified at night with resultant insomnia. The systoms were aggravated 1 month ago and they were not relieved by any medication and physical therapy. We attempted lumbar epidural block to the patient and the result was good. So we performed a permanent lumbar sympathetic ganglion block with neurolytics(99.9% alcohol) for the long term relief of pain. The patient was satisfied with the result of the block and discharged.
Burns ; Diabetic Neuropathies* ; Foot ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Pain Management* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Sympathetic Nervous System

Central venous pressure(CVP) catheter has become regarded as necessary in the care of the critically ill patients, long time operation and the anesthesia that massive bleeding is anticipated. Exact placement of CVP catheter tip is essential for prevention of complications due to malposition. The correct location of CVP catheter should always be ensured after catheterization as soon as possible. Acute cardiac tamponade is the most serious complication associated with CVP catheter tip malposition that may follow perforation of heart or pericardium. In 54-year old female patient, a catheter that was introduced through the left internal jugular vein entered left pericardiacophrenic vein. We experienced a case of cardiac tamponade caused by malposition of CVP catheter tip after 12hours of left internal jugular catheterization.
Anesthesia ; Cardiac Tamponade* ; Catheterization* ; Catheters ; Critical Illness ; Female ; Heart ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Middle Aged ; Pericardium ; Veins

Backgroud: In one-lung ventilation using the left-sided double-lumen tube (LDLT), it is important to place the LDLT in correct position to maintain adequate ventilation. We investigated the frequency of and the factors affecting the LDLT malposition in endotracheal intubation. Methods: Ninety one (55 male and 36 female) patients were observed. After endotracheal intubation, using 35 and 37 Fr. sized Robertshaw type LDLT, auscultation and fiberoptic bronchoscope were performed to make sure the correct position of LDLT. The heights, weights, age, and sex were noted. The lengths and diameters of trachea, and the angles and diameters of both bronchi on chest x-ray were measured for comparison. Results: Normal in auscultation and gross malposition were 87.9% and 12.1%. Among those normal in auscultation, normal in bronchoscope, advancing and removing fine malposition were 66.2%, 18.8% and 15.0%, respectively. The angle of left bronchus is 37.71+/-4.60degrees in normal in ausculation and 37.71+/-4.60degrees in gross malposition. The length of trachea is 13.41+/-0.90 cm in normal in bronchoscope, 14.49+/-0.78 cm in advancing fine malposition and 11.86+/-0.35 cm in removing fine malposition. The patient's height is 167.27+/-7.12 cm in normal in brochoscope, 172.45+/-6.67 cm in advancing fine malposition and 163.12+/-6.54 cm in removing fine malposition. Conclusions: The angle of left bronchus is a factor affecting gross malposition. And the length of trachea and the patient's height are factors affecting fine malposition. Thus it is necessary to obtain in advance information on patient's height, length of trachea and angle of left bronchus on chest x-ray, to reduce the occurrence of the LDLT malposition.
Auscultation ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopes ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Male ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Thorax ; Trachea ; Ventilation ; Weights and Measures

TGF-p receptor mutation is now considered as one of the carcinogenic process of many tumors. To evaluate whether there is an abnormality in TGF-p type II receptor in osteosarcoma cell lines, we performed Northern analysis, cross-linking assay, luciferase activity and TGF-p growth inhibition assay in four osteosarcoma cell lines: G292, U202, HOS and SaOS. We also transfected the tumor cells with normal TGF-p type II receptor sequence to find if there is a possibility of gene therapy in osteosarcoma. In Northern analysis, Type II receptor expressions were decreased at SaOS, U202 and HOS cell lines. In cross-linking assay, all four cell lines didnt show type II receptor at their cell surface. The growth of these tumor cells were not suppressed by TGF-p. From these findings, we concluded that the normal production of TGF-p type II receptor was impaired in osteosarcoma. The transfection of these tumor cells with normal type II receptor sequence restored growth inhibition by TGF-p. This means even though TGF-p type II receptor is abnormal in osteosarcoma, we can restore its function by transfection of normal sequence. We think that the TGF-p type Il receptor gene therapy can be one of the treatment method for osteosarcoma in the future.
Cell Line* ; Genetic Therapy ; Luciferases ; Osteosarcoma* ; Transfection

A stellate ganglion block is frequently used in the pain clinic. It has been known that a stellate ganglion block maintains the homeostasis of hormones by improvement of blood supply to the brain. Therefore it has a systemic effect as well as a regional effect. Androgen, the sebaceous gland, hair follicle and bacteria are involved in pathogenesis of acne. The background for the treatment of acne with a stellate ganglion block can be related to the increase of blood supply to the face and the effect on the pineal gland. We administered a stellate ganglion block for the treatment of acne and had good results. From our experience, we consider a stellate ganglion block as the one of the effective treatment of acne.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Bacteria ; Brain ; Hair Follicle ; Homeostasis ; Pain Clinics ; Pineal Gland ; Sebaceous Glands ; Stellate Ganglion*

Selective cervical nerve root block is executed for patients who have symptoms of cervical radiculopathy for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. However several catastrophic complications caused by this procedure have been reported including neurological complications. A 43-year-old male received a C5 selective cervical nerve root block procedure due to continuous radiating pain even after cervical discectomy and interbody fusion was performed. At the time of the procedure, the contrast outline revealed reflux of the nerve root and epidural space. But after the procedure was performed, the patient experienced decreased sensation in the upper and low extremities as well as motor paralysis of both extremities. Our sspecting diagnosis was anterior spinal artery syndrome but both sensory and motor functions were subsequently recovered within a few hours after the procedure was completed. Due to the difficult nature of this case, we reported these complications and reviewed current literature related to this study.
Adult ; Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome ; Diskectomy ; Epidural Space ; Extremities ; Humans ; Injections, Spinal ; Male ; Paralysis ; Quadriplegia ; Radiculopathy ; Sensation ; Spinal Nerve Roots

BACKGROUND: Fentanyl, which is a potent synthetic micron-opioid receptor agonist, is one of the most widely used opioids in anesthesia and pain control. However, the pharmacodynamics of fentanyl show wide inter-individual variability. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the influence of the blood-brain barrier transporter protein, p-glycoprotein, and micron-opioid receptor genetic polymorphism on fentanyl pharmacodynamics. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) were included in this study. Postoperatively, the patients received fentanyl via an intravenous patient controlled analgesia device. The cumulative fentanyl doses and other pharmacodynamic data were then recorded at 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after the operation. In addition, genomic DNA was isolated from the patient's peripheral leukocytes and then evaluated for the presence of OPRM1 A118G and ABCB1 C3435T genetic polymorphism using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: The results of this study indicated that ABCB1 C3435T genetic polymorphism may be related to the cumulative fentanyl requirement for postoperative pain control. However, these findings were not statistically significant (P = 0.09). In addition, no relationship was observed between OPRM1 A118G and the cumulative postoperative fentanyl requirement. However, the cumulative postoperative fentanyl requirement was lower in the TTAA group (ABCB1 3435 TT, OPRM1 118 AA) than in the CCGG group (ABCB13435 CC, OPRM1 118 GG). CONCLUSIONS: The ABCB1 C3435T polymorphism may affect fentanyl pharmacodynamics. However, further studies are required to confirm the relationship between p-glycoprotein and fentanyl.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Anesthesia ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; DNA ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; P-Glycoprotein ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pharmacogenetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic

There is a direct relationship between the plasma concentration of the drugs and the magnitude of neuromuscular blockade in non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents. But the classical pharmacokinetic data of succinylcholine have not been obtained because of the lack of an appropriate assay to detect plasma concentration hydrolyzed rapidly by pseudocholinesterase. The purposes of this study was to determine neuromuscular response from the release of minute interval of toumiquet occlusion after intravenous bolus adminstration of succinylcholine at one arm following blood flow occlusion at contralateral arm with pneumatic toumiquet. The twitch height of neuromuscular responses after adminisration of succinylcholine was completely depressed in the group(control) without occlusion, but 5.40+/-3.63% on 1 minute, 30.11+/-9.72% on 2 minutes, 85.00+/-4.19% on 4 minutes and 97.75+/-0.59% on 5 minutes after blood flow occlusion respectively. The onset time of maximum depression in each group was not significant different. At 5 minutes after succinylcholine given systemically, the twitch height was 8.35%, while it was 97.75% from tourniquet release on 5 minutes after blood flow occlusion. It is concluded that succinylcholine should be also related to plasma concentration in magnitude of neuromuscular block, and receptor binding(dissociation constant) more than plasma concentration in offset of neuromuscular blockade.
Arm ; Depression ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents ; Plasma ; Pseudocholinesterase ; Succinylcholine* ; Tourniquets

There are no reports regarding pneumomediastinum caused by thoracic epidural block complications. We believe that it is possible to experience an occurrence of pneumomediastinum caused by air in the epidural space after performing a thoracic epidural block using the loss of resistance (LOR) technique with air. We report a witnessed case where pneumomediastinum appeared after a thoracic epidural block. Pneumorrrhachis, paravertebral muscle emphysema, and pneumomediastinum were diagnosed by Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography. Although extremely rare, pneumomediastinum can be caused by an epidural block using LOR technique with air. In order to avoid the above danger, the use of saline or very minimal amount of air is required during a careful LOR technique.
Electrons ; Emphysema ; Epidural Space ; Injections, Epidural ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Muscles ; Wit and Humor as Topic

Pain control is very important in managing terminal cancer patients and there are several modalities to alleviate their pain. A high dosage of epidural morphine is effective to control terminal cancer pain. Furthermore, to decrease the amount of morphine, adding an alternative adjuvant like ketamine to the morphine regimen is considered helpful for controlling the pain of a terminal cancer patient. A 45 year old male patient with terminal lung cancer had neck pain that was caused by multiple bone metastases. Continuous epidural block was started with 2 mg/day of morphine and the dosage was gradually increased to 90 mg/day in 86 days. 30 mg/day of ketamine was then added to it. Overall, the morphine and ketamine dosages were increased to 564 mg/day and 140 mg/day, respectively, in 11 months until the patient expired. In this case, the high dosage of epidural morphine, 580 mg/day, was administered to control cancer pain without any severe adverse effects.
Analgesia, Epidural* ; Humans ; Ketamine ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Morphine* ; Neck Pain ; Neoplasm Metastasis