A Case of Painful Legs and Moving Toes Syndrome in a Young Woman

Painful legs and moving toes syndrome (PLMT) is a rare syndrome characterized by pain in the lower extremities and involuntary movements of single or multiple toes. A 29-year-old woman with lumbosacral intervertebral disc herniation complained of bilateral foot pain and involuntary toe movements for three months. This is the first case of PLMT in a young adult patient with a lumbosacral intervertebral disc herniation in Korea.

Neurovascular Compression Confirmed by 3D T2-Weighted Volume Isotropic Turbo Spin-Echo Acquisition Sequence in Trigeminal Neuralgia

No abstract available.

Focal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Mimicking Recurrent Transient Ischemic Attack

Focal subarachnoid hemorrhage occasionally presents as transient focal neurologic episodes mimicking transient ischemic attack (TIA). Unless properly diagnosed, it may aggravate cerebral hemorrhage by administering antithrombotic agents. Therefore, clinicians need to be aware that such focal subarachnoid hemorrhage sometimes cannot be detected on noncontrast computed tomography and blood-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging can detect even a small amount of hemorrhage. We describe an 85-year-old woman with focal subarachnoid hemorrhage and possible cerebral amyloid angiopathy who presented transient left arm weakness recurrently, which mimicked TIA.

Intravenous Iron in the Treatment of Postoperative Anemia Following Obstetric and Gynecologic Surgery / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous iron therapy (iron III hydroxide sucrose complex) in ptatients with postoperative anemia following obstetric and gynecologic operations. METHODS: We reviewed the data of 69 patients with postoperative anemia who had undergone obstetric and gynecologic surgery from September 2003 to September 2004, who refused transfusion for correction of post-operative anemia and agreed on treatment with intravenous iron therapy. Iron III hydroxide sucrose complex 200 mg diluted in 100 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride was administrated over 2 hours on postoperative day 1st, 3rd and 5th days. Hemoglobin levels checked and side effects were reviewed. RESULTS: After treatment of intravenous iron therapy, the hemoglobin levels increased rapidly. The lowest hemoglobin levels were observed on postoperative 3rd day but rapid increase of homoglobin levels were observed continously. After 2 weeks from operation, the hemoglobin levels have increased by 0.6+/-1.3 g/dL in the patients with cesarean section and 2.1+/-1.2 g/dL in the patients with gynecology operation. Major side effects such as anaphylaxis and allergic reaction were not observed, and minor side effects were observed in three patients (4%). Emesis, pain on the injection site and skin rash was observed in each patients. CONCLUSION: Intravenous iron sucrose therapy was safe and effective in anemia following obstetric and gynecologic surgery.

The Clinical Significance of Uterine Artery Doppler Flow Velocity Waveforms as a Screening Test in the Second Trimester Pregnancies / 대한주산의학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: We performed uterine artery doppler flow velocity waveforms between 20~24 weeks of gestation to access the screening properties for predicting pregnancy-induced hypertension or intrauterine growth retardation in general population. METHODS: Total 458 normal pregnant women were enrolled in this study. The abnormal uterine artery doppler flow velocity waveforms was defined that systolic/diastolic ratio is greater than 2.6 or diastolic notch waveforms are seen. RESULTS: The incidence of PIH and IUGR among study population was 3.5% and 3.5%, respectively. The incidence of PIH in normal and abnormal uterine artery Doppler flow velocity waveforms group were 2.0% and 11.4%, and those of IUGR were 3.4% and 4.2%, respectively. The incidence PIH or IUGR among abnormal doppler group was 14.2%, which was higher than in normal group of 5.4%. This method had a sensitivity of 34.3%, a specificity of 86.1% and positive predictive value of 15.7% for the prediction of PIH and IUGR. CONCLUSION: Although abnormal uterine artery doppler flow velocity waveforms is associated with an increased risk of PIH or IUGR, the lowered positive predictability lead to apply the follow-up examination or standardization of doppler ultrasonography.

A Study on Levels of Awareness of Nosocomial Infection and Management Practices by Operating Room Nurses / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the awareness and management practice of operating room nurses, to prevent nosocomial infection, to identify problems and to propose solutions. METHOD: The research tools used were the hospital infection control guideline and a modified version of the measurment tools used in the study of Cho (1998). The questionnaire consisted of questions on hand washing, personal hygiene and clothes control, cleaning and environment control, sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The collected data were analysed with the SPSS program. RESULTS: The mean score for domain-specific awareness of nosocomial infection control was 4.81 out of a possible 5 points. The highest score was for sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The mean score for domain-specific practices of nosocomial infection control was 4.40, out of a possible 5 points. Sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials had the highest scores. The mean score for awareness in all domains was higher than mean score for practice. Among the general characteristics of the nurses, high awareness was found only in the provision of infection control guidelines and it had shown statistically significant difference. Examination of relation of general characteristics to practice showed that for age, career, the provision of infection control guidelines, and experience in infection control education there were statistically significant differences in the scores. For the relation between awareness of nosocomial infection control and practice, positive correlation was found in all domains, thus high awareness leads to high practice. CONCLUSION: Considering the result of this research, plans are needed that promote virtual practice of hospital infection control.

Local Rifampicin Instillation Therapy for Suppurative Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Lymphadenitis

PURPOSE: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG) lymphadenitis is one of the most common complications of BCG vaccination. The involved lymph nodes usually subside spontaneously, but they may become enlarged and form an abscess. Treatment of these infants is controversial. The Pan American Health Organization recommends local isoniazid or rifampicin instillation for patients with suppurative BCG lymphadenitis. METHODS: The study group comprised 37 patients who presented with BCG lymphadenitis over the last three years. BCG lymphadenitis was diagnosed if the affected patient developed an ipsilateral axillary or supraclavicular lymphadenitis, with no other identifiable cause for the lymphadenitis. We used rifampicin instillation therapy for patients with suppurative BCG lymphadenitis. RESULTS: Lymphadenitis regressed spontaneously in three patients. Thirty four patients showed a progression to abscess formation. Among 34 patients with suppurative lymphadenitis, drainage developed spontaneously during the follow-up period in nine patients before therapy. Twenty five patients received needle aspiration and local rifampicin instillation therapy. Reaspiration was performed in seven patients. One of these patients still has large lymph nodes after the second attempt. CONCLUSION: Needle aspiration and local rifampicin instillation therapy into the node is a safe and effective form of treatment for suppurative BCG lymphadenitis.