A Case of Severe Brain Atrophy Found in the Man in His Twenties Who Drinks Moderate Amount of Alcohol / 가정의학회지

Brain atrophy is caused by the neuronal loss and reduction in Betz cell numbers. Among the many causes of brain atrophy, alcohol related atrophy is largely accounted for by a reduction in white matter volume. And the degree of brain atrophy correlates with the rate and amount of alcohol consumed over a lifetime, and it is at least partially reversible with alcohol abstinence. Alcohol-related brain damage mechanism correlates with that ethanol selectively and potently inhibits the function of NMDA receptors. Chronic alcoholics often have a low intake of folate, hence a sustained hyperhomocystenemia can frequently be observed, then this cause a pathological increase in receptor activity and subsequent excitotoxic damage. Even the consumption of light and moderate doses of alcohol lead to shrinkage of the brain and to increases in white matter volume and decrease in grey matter volume. We report the case of severe brain atrophy incidentally found at medical check-up in a young man who has drunken alcohol too much for 10 years.

Clinical analysis of pediatric patients who visited a general hospital emergency center / 소아과

PURPOSE: Through a clinical and retrospective analysis of pediatric patients who visited the Regional Emergency Medical Center of Masan Samsung Hospital from January 2007 to December 2008, we characterized pediatric and adolescent emergency patients to improve emergency care in future. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 14,065 pediatric patients below 19 years of age. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 1.5:1, and the most common age group was less than 3 years (49.6%). The peak month was May (10.0%), the peak day of the week was Sunday (24.7%), and the peak time of day was 20:00.20:59 (8.5%). There was no difference in the number of visits per day based on weather (sunny, rain [below 10 mm per day], snow, and fog) or daily temperature difference; however, visits increased on sandy, dusty days and decreased on rainy days with more than 10 mm of rain per day. Based on the international classification of disease (ICD)-10 system, the most common disease code was code R (symptoms, sign, and abnormal clinical laboratory finding) (31.5%), and the most common symptom was fever (13.1%). Final outcomes were discharged (73.8%), admitted (25.7%), transferred (0.4%), and expired (0.1%). In adolescent patients aged 15.19 years, the most common disease code was Injury & Poisoning (code S&T, 36.9%); the most common symptom was abdominal pain (9.6%). CONCLUSION: Pediatric patients visiting the emergency center were most likely to be male and under 3 years of age and to visit between 20:00 and 21:00 on Sundays and in May, and the most common symptom was fever. Differences between adolescents and pediatric patients showed that adolescents had a higher visiting rate with abdominal pain and a larger temperature difference.

Clinical review of acute seizures among children who visited the emergency room in Masan Samsung hospital from 2004 to 2006 / 소아과

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate acute childhood seizures, one of the most important causes of emergency room visits, to provide appropriate medical services. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 433 (4.6%) pediatric patients with acute seizures that visited the emergency room at Masan Samsung hospital from 2004 to 2006. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 1.4:1 and the mean age was 40.9+/-34.9 months range. The order of geographical distribution was Masan, Changwon, Haman, and others. Fever was present in 40.6% of patients; December (14.8%) was the most frequent month for visits and generalized tonic clonic seizures (62.7%) were the most common type of seizure. The average frequency and duration of the seizure was 1.5+/-1.0 and 6.7+/-13.2 minutes respectively. Febrile seizures were present in 69.7% of patients and afebrile seizures in 30.3%. The causes of the febrile seizures were acute pharyngotonsillitis (44.6%), acute bronchitis, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and unknown origin, in order of frequency. The most common cause of an afebrile seizure was epilepsy (71.5%) followed by a benign convulsion with mild gastroenteritis (BCwMG), sequela of a perinatal brain injury or brain malformation, and acute CNS infection. Evaluation of the causes of an acute seizure according to age showed that febrile seizures, epilepsy, and the sequela of perinatal brain injuries were more common between 2 and 6 years of age and epilepsy, febrile seizures and acute CNS infection, in order of frequency, were common between 6 and 15 years of age. Many patients, 49.4%, were discharged without admission. CONCLUSION: The common characteristics of pediatric patients presenting to the emergency room were male gender, an age between 2-6 years, presenting during the month of December, with generalized tonic clonic seizures due to acute pharyngitis. The most common presentation for the group less than 6 years of age was a febrile seizure and in the group more than 6 years of age, it was epilepsy. In many cases, the seizures stopped by the time the family presented to the emergency room.

The Study of Priming with Vecuronium and Atracurium on Young and Elderly Patients / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Succinylcholine is the muscle relaxant of choice for rapid endotracheal intubation, but may produce many side effects such as hyperkalemia, myalgia, increase intraocular pressure. Nondepolarizing muscle relaxants were used instead of succinylcholine, still late onset time was be dangerous. For this reason, priming principle was reported and applied to rapid intubation using nondepolarizing muscle relaxation. We studied the effect of priming with vecuronium and atracurium on elderly and young patients. METHODS: We were randomly assigned 40 patients and observed the effects of priming doses of vecuronium (0.01 mg/kg) and atracurium (0.05 mg/kg). Ten young (20-35 yrs) and ten elderly (65-75 yrs) patients were each placed in vecuronium and atracurium group. Arterial blood gas analysis and train of four (TOF) were determined before priming. All tests were performed again 4 min after vecuronium and 3 min after atracurium. We asked for symptoms and signs of muscle weakness. RESULTS: In arterial blood gas analysis and TOF ratio were decreased in both groups. There is no significant difference between two groups in all tests. PaO2 and TOF ratio were reduced more in elderly patients, significantly (P<0.05). Symptoms and signs of muscle weakness such as ptosis, dizziness, diplopia, swallowing difficulty and respiratory difficulty in elderly patients were more frequent than in young patients. CONCLUSIONS: Priming doses of vecuronium and atracurium produced greater decrease in muscle strength, PaO2 and TOF ratio in the elderly than in their younger counterparts. So using priming method in elderly patients, we need adequate pre-oxygenation and thorough monitoring before endotracheal intubation.

Comparison of Diclofenac or Fentanyl for Pain Following Tonsillectomy / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to compare intramuscular diclofenac with intravenous fentanyl in the prevention of pain after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for day-surgery. METHODS: We studied 60 patients, aged 3-13 years, undergoing tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive placebo injecton (Group 1), intramuscular diclofenac 1 mg/kg (Group 2) or intravenous fentanyl 1 microgram/kg (Group 3) after induction of anesthesia. Pain was evaluated by using an observer pain score for the first 30 min, 60 min and 4 hrs postoperatively. RESULTS: It is statistically significant that group 2 and group 3 had lesser pain than group 1 at 30 min and 60 min. But there is no difference among any groups at 4 hr postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that diclofenac may have advantages compared to fentanyl in safety and convenience for the treatment of pain after tonsillectomy in children.

Anesthesia for Renal Transplantation in Children: 4 cases / 대한마취과학회지

Despite significant advances in dialysis technology, kidney transplantation is accepted today as the optimal available treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in children and adolescents. Children undergoing renal transplantation pose many challenges to the anesthesiologist because ESRD has such adversely affects on the entire vital organ system as hypotension, hypovolemia, acidosis, atelectasis and pulmonary edema. Most importantly, hypotension and hypovolemia as results of large kidney transplantation should be corrected for normal renal function. In addition, ESRD alters the effects of various drugs used in anesthetic practice. We experienced 4 cases of general anesthesia for renal transplantation in children. Careful preoperative evaluation and preparation of the patients, as well as a knowledge of altered dry responses are essential in planning and managing anesthesia.

Metallic stent for the treatment of iliac arterial stenosis

In order to study the clinical efficacy of the metallic stent of the treatment of iliac arterial stenosis, the clinical and arteriographic findings of the 8 patients were retrospectively reviewed. All 8 patients were males with an age of 51 to 79. The Fontaine class for the functional status of lower extremities was II in 4 patients, III in 3 patients and IV in 1 patients. Self expandable Gianturco stent was inserted in 7 iliac arteries and balloon expandable Palmaz stent was inserted in 2 iliac arteries in the 8 patients. The indications for the metallic stent application were localized dissection with significant residual stenosis in 6sites, recoiling due to calcification in one case and eccentricity of the stenotic lesion in 2 sites. The deployment of the metallic stent was successful in all the cases to maintain the patency of iliac arteries with residual stenosis less than 30%. The Fontaine class was improved to I in 6 patients, II a in 1 patients IIb in another one. During the follow-up period of 3 to 14 months, none except one developed recurrence of the symptom. On the basis of our experience, we believe that metallic stent is safe and effective for the treatment of iliac arterial stenosis. However, we think that it is a complementary measure to the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The comparative study between different types of metallic stent and the long-term effect should be investigated further.

Metallic stent for the treatment of iliac arterial stenosis

In order to study the clinical efficacy of the metallic stent of the treatment of iliac arterial stenosis, the clinical and arteriographic findings of the 8 patients were retrospectively reviewed. All 8 patients were males with an age of 51 to 79. The Fontaine class for the functional status of lower extremities was II in 4 patients, III in 3 patients and IV in 1 patients. Self expandable Gianturco stent was inserted in 7 iliac arteries and balloon expandable Palmaz stent was inserted in 2 iliac arteries in the 8 patients. The indications for the metallic stent application were localized dissection with significant residual stenosis in 6sites, recoiling due to calcification in one case and eccentricity of the stenotic lesion in 2 sites. The deployment of the metallic stent was successful in all the cases to maintain the patency of iliac arteries with residual stenosis less than 30%. The Fontaine class was improved to I in 6 patients, II a in 1 patients IIb in another one. During the follow-up period of 3 to 14 months, none except one developed recurrence of the symptom. On the basis of our experience, we believe that metallic stent is safe and effective for the treatment of iliac arterial stenosis. However, we think that it is a complementary measure to the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The comparative study between different types of metallic stent and the long-term effect should be investigated further.