Central Hyperthermia Treated With Baclofen for Patient With Pontine Hemorrhage

Central hyperthermia is a very rare disease; however, once it happens, it is associated with a poor prognosis and high mortality for patients with severe brainstem strokes. Following a pontine hemorrhage, a 46-years-old female developed prolonged hyperthermia. Work-ups to the fever gave no significant clues for the origin of fever, and hyperthermia did not respond to any empirical antibiotics or antipyretic agents. The patient's body temperature still fluctuated in a range of 37.5degrees C to 39.2degrees C. Considering the lesion of hemorrhage, we suspected central hyperthermia rather than infectious diseases. We started with baclofen administration at a dose of 30 mg/day. The body temperature changed to a range of 36.6degrees C to 38.2degrees C. We raised the dose of baclofen to 60 mg/day. The patient's body temperature finally dropped to a normal range. Central hyperthermia, caused by failures of thermoregulatory pathways in brainstem, following the pontine hemorrhage rarely occurs. Baclofen can be used to treat suspected central hyperthermia in a patient with pontine hemorrhage.

Central Hyperthermia Treated With Baclofen for Patient With Pontine Hemorrhage

Central hyperthermia is a very rare disease; however, once it happens, it is associated with a poor prognosis and high mortality for patients with severe brainstem strokes. Following a pontine hemorrhage, a 46-years-old female developed prolonged hyperthermia. Work-ups to the fever gave no significant clues for the origin of fever, and hyperthermia did not respond to any empirical antibiotics or antipyretic agents. The patient's body temperature still fluctuated in a range of 37.5degrees C to 39.2degrees C. Considering the lesion of hemorrhage, we suspected central hyperthermia rather than infectious diseases. We started with baclofen administration at a dose of 30 mg/day. The body temperature changed to a range of 36.6degrees C to 38.2degrees C. We raised the dose of baclofen to 60 mg/day. The patient's body temperature finally dropped to a normal range. Central hyperthermia, caused by failures of thermoregulatory pathways in brainstem, following the pontine hemorrhage rarely occurs. Baclofen can be used to treat suspected central hyperthermia in a patient with pontine hemorrhage.

Analysis of Publication Status of Abstracts Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To analyze publication rate, time to publication and the characteristics of the abstracts presented at the annual Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine (KARM) meetings. METHODS: A total of 1,027 abstracts presented at the 2008 and 2009 annual KARM meetings were enrolled in the database and searched for their subsequent citation in PubMed, KoreaMed, and Google Scholar. RESULTS: The data analysis revealed that 317 (30.87%) abstracts, were published as full-length journal articles and publication rates by subject were not significantly different. The mean time to publication was 17.17+/-10.48 months, and the journals written in English (20.39+/-10.20) required a longer duration than those written in Korean (11.94+/-8.44) with statistical significance (p<0.001). There was no statistical difference (p=0.284) in the duration between domestic (17.61+/-10.37) and foreign (16.48+/-10.51) of the 220 domestic journal articles, 190 (86.76%) were published in the Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine and the 97 articles published in foreign journals were scattered over 60 different journals. CONCLUSION: The publication rate of abstracts presented at the 2008 and 2009 annual KARM meetings was 30.87% and the mean time to publication was 17.17+/-10.48 months.

Therapeutic Effects of Mechanical Horseback Riding on Gait and Balance Ability in Stroke Patients

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects of mechanical horseback riding for gait and balance parameters in post-stroke patients. METHOD: This study was a non randomized prospective positive-controlled trial over a 12 week period. From May 2011 to October 2011, 37 stroke patients were recruited from our outpatient clinic and divided into two groups. The control group received the conventional physiotherapy while the intervention group received the conventional physiotherapy along with mechanical horseback riding therapy for 12 weeks. Outcome measurements of gait included the Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) and gait part of the Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (G-POMA) while those of balance included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the balance part of the Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (B-POMA). These measurements were taken before and after treatment. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics and initial values between the two groups. When comparing baseline and 12 weeks post treatment in each group, the intervention group showed significant improvement on BBS (39.9+/-5.7 --> 45.7+/-4.8, p=0.001) and B-POMA (10.4+/-2.6 --> 12.6+/-2.1, p=0.001), but significant improvement on gait parameters. When comparing the groups, the dynamic balance category of BBS in post treatment showed significant difference (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that mechanical horseback riding therapy may be an effective treatment tool for enhancing balance in adults with stroke.

Repeated Metal Breakage in a Femoral Shaft Fracture with Lateral Bowing: A Case Report

Fractures of the femoral shaft with marked bowing face some obstacles in fixation of the fracture such as difficulty in insertion of the intramedullary nail (IM nail) or exact contouring plate. Locking compression plates (LCP) are an option to manage this problem. However, we experienced consecutive breakage of LCP twice and IM nail once in an 80-year-old female. Finally, union of the fracture was achieved after fixation of the IM nail and additional plate together. Fractures of the femur shaft with marked bowing are thought to have different biomechanical properties; therefore, we present this case with a review of the literature.

Measurement Discrepancy of Sagittal Parameters between Plain Radiography and 3D Computed Tomography in Thoracolumbar and Lumbar Fractures / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: For decision making in the management of vertebral fractures such as operation or not, sagittal parameters like Cobb angle and wedge compression ratio are important. Plain radiography had been the only image tool for measuring such parameters until 3D computed tomography (CT) became popular recently. In this study, we investigated the measurement discrepancy between plain radiography and 3D CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plain radiography and 3D CT of 45 thoracolumbar and lumbar fracture patients (male=21, female=24) were evaluated. We measured sagittal angle and vertebral height on lateral radiography and sagittal CT. Sagittal angle was measured between the upper body and lower body of fractured vertebrae. Anterior and posterior heights were measured to assess anteriorposterior (AP) wedge ratio. RESULTS: The sagittal angle of plain radiography (13.1+/-14.3degrees) was significantly larger than that of 3D CT (8.2+/-13.0degrees) by 4.9degrees (p<0.001). AP wedge ratio of plain radiography was on average 65+/-17%, which was significantly lower than the 3D CT (73+/-17%) by 8% (p<0.001). The severer the initial kyphotic deformity, the more discrepancy of results between the two methods was observed. CONCLUSION: Significant discrepancy was observed in sagittal features of fractured vertebra between plain radiography and 3D CT. Measured values of plain radiography showed more kyphotic features of the fractured body.

Four cases of multiple biliary hamartoma in the liver / 대한내과학회지

Biliary hamartoma is a benign neoplasm that normally measures < 1 cm in diameter and can occur throughout the liver. It is composed of dilated bile ducts embedded in a fibrous stroma and is a congenital fibrocystic disease derived from incomplete remodeling of the ductal plates in the embryonic development of intrahepatic bile ducts. Incidentally found in imaging studies without clinical symptoms, it is known to be infrequently accompanied by cholangiocarcinoma. However, biliary hamartoma must be differentiated from other cystic lesions that are similar to metastatic tumors or abscesses. We describe four cases of biliary hamartoma.

Simulation of the Cardiovascular System Using PID Control Model / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVE: The electric analog circuit model can be used to analyse the various function of the cardio vascular system and the dynamic characteristics on each part of human body. According to the previous studies, viscous resistance, flow inertia, and vascular compliance in the cardiovascular system are analogous to resistance, inductance, and capacitance in electric circuit, so the cardiovascular system models have been represented by the electric circuit models. These approaches were to propose suitable models for the interested part of body and to simulate the various characteristics on the cardiovascular system. METHODS: This paper tried to put the characteristics of morphologic structure into the suggested electric circuit model. After setting parameter values of the model the dynamic characteristics of the cardio vascular system is simulated using VisSim, which is one of the simulation tools. RESULTS: The derived simulation results have represented major cardiovascular functions of normal adults. Also simulation results reflect the variation due to the pathophysiological state. CONCLUSION: The controller by baroreceptor, which is one of controllers to control the cardiovascular system, is appended in the model. The dynamic response characteristics and the procedure to restore blood pressure to normal state was observed by simulation lasted a certain period of bleeding.

Two Cases of Prurigo Pigmentosa / 대한피부과학회지

Prurigo pigmentosa is a chror ic pruritic inflammatory dermatosis characterized by erythematous papules in a reticulated pattern that resolve leaving a reticulated, mottled hyperpigmentation and rapidly response to dapsone therapy. Most cases that have been reported are from Japan. We report two cases of prurigo pigmentosa in a 21 year-old female and a 23-year-old female. Histopathologic findings of erythematous papules showed exocytosis, spongiosis, liquefaction degeneration of basal cell layer and perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltration on the upper dermis. We treated them with dapsone, 100mg daily, which resulted in a remarkable regression of the ery thematous papules and improvenien of pruritus.

Multiple Dermatofibromas in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus / 대한피부과학회지

We are reporting a case of multiple dermatofibromas which occuired during the treatment of systemic lupus erythematous with prednisolone for 3 years in a 30-yenr-old woman, All of the 26 lesions were 0.5-2cm sized. and had the same appearanes ad usual dermatofibromas coccurring singly. Histopathologic examination showed typical findings of dermatofibroma which were characterized hy proliferation of fibroblasts intermingled with collagen in irregular arrangement and proliferation of small vessels and endothelial cells.

A case of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in Takayasu arteritis

Takayasu arteritis is a chronic inflammatory arteriopathy of unknown etiology affecting large vessels, the aorta and its main branches. We experienced a case of Takayasu arteritis type III in a 9 years old girl. The diagnosis was made by physical examinations and digital subtration aortography (DSA) which showed occlusion of left subclavian artery and left renal artery and stenosis of abdominal aorta. Medical treatment and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) were performed. A brief review of literatures was made.

2 cases of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an acute inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It is thought to be an autoimmune mediated disorder which occurs usually after viral or bacterial infections, or after immunization. The clinical manifestations reflect sudden onset of the diffuse involvement of the brain, spinal cord and the meninges. We experienced two cases of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. The diagnoses were made by history, neurologic examination, CSF analysis and brain MRI. The symptoms were improved with steroid treatment. A brief reveiw of literatures also was made.

Clinical characteristics of inborn and outborn infants admitted to the NICU

Regionalization of high-risk perinatal care has been advocated because intensive care for small and ill newborn infants lowers mortality and morbidity. This report is based on analysis of admissions to the Neonatal Intensive Care unit (NICU) at the Wonju christian Hospital during the 4-year period from January, 1988 to December, 1991. There were 786 inborn infants and 1155 outborn infants admitted to the NICU. The results of our study follow; 1) Mean gestational ages were 36.8 weeks in inborn infants and 39.0 weeks in outborn infants. Mean birth weight was 2.5kg in inborn and 3.0kg in outborn infants. 2) The high-risk maternal factors, such as cesarian section delivery, eclampsia, preeclampsia, multiple pregnancy and placental anomaly were significantly more frequent in inborn infants than in outborn infants. 3) Perinatal sphyxia, HMD and transient tachypnea of newborn (TTN) were more common in inborn than in outborn infants, but pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome, and seizure were more common in outborn infants. 4) The positivity of bacterial cultures in blood and urine was higher in outborn infants than in inborn infants. The most frequently isolated microorganism was staphylococcus species in both inborn and outborn infants. 5) Hospital days, duration of TPN, duration of mechanical ventilation, frequency of seizure, and frequency of transfusion were longer or more frequent in inborn than in outborn infants. 6) Mortality rate was higher in inborn infants than in outborn infants. 7) In outborn infants, mortality rate was higher in infants whose transporting time was longer than 2 hours than for infants within 2 hour distances. However, this difference was not statistically significant. 8) These findings suggest that many lower birth weight and severly ill infants were not transported to the NICU of Wonju Christian Hospital perhaps due to poor transport systems, distance or socio-economic status. In conclusion, the improvement of transporting systems and socio-economic conditions will be required within this region.

A case of intracranial lipoma

While lipomas are common in the rest of the body, intracranial lipomas are rare condition which are usually found in the midline of the brain. The majority of these lesions show few or even no symptoms and hardly ever produce alarming neurological defects. We experienced a case of corpus callosum lipoma in a 7 year old boy, who has had headache and loss of consciousness twice. He was diagnosed by skull x-rays and brain CT. We made a brief review of literatures. @PG 428.