• Title/Summary/Keyword: 보도

Search Result 74,783, Processing Time 0.102 seconds

Analysis of Urinary Mass Screening for Elementary, Middle and High School Children Over a 3-year Period(1995-1997) in Seoul (서울지역내 초.중.고 학생들에 실시된 3년 동안의($1995{\sim}1997$) 집단뇨검사 결과 분석)

  • Kang Ho-Seok;Lee Chong-Guk
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
    • /
    • v.3 no.2
    • /
    • pp.161-169
    • /
    • 1999
  • Purpose : The urinary mass screening program for the detection of proteinuria in school aged population has been performed in Seoul since 1981. Systematic evaluation in corporation with the Seoul School Health Center for students with proteinuria identified in the mass screening has been performed from 1987. The results of urinary mass screening up to 1994 was reported. I report here the results of urinary mass screening from 1995 to 1997 and compare them with previous results and attempt to reveal the significance of urinary mass screening. Objects and Methods : In the 3-year period between 1995 and 1997, annually about 460,000 students comprising 3 different age groups; 5th grade of elementary school, 2nd grade of middle school and 2nd grade of high school were chosen, corresponding to the approximate ages of 11, 14, and 17 years, respectively. These subjects accounted for 26% of total school aged children in Seoul. The screening program was carried out in 3 steps. The 1st test was performed with dipstick at school and the 2nd at the Seoul School Health Center. Those students who showed proteinuria in the 1st and 2nd tests were referred to the hospital. Laboratory examinations including renal biopsies were performed to those students with pathologic proteinuria to clarify the incipient renal diseases. Results : 1) The prevalence of asymptomatic proteinuria was 0.28% in the 1st test. It peaked at the group of 14 years old as 0.34%, compared with 0.26% at the group of 11 years old and 0.24% at the group of 17 years old. It reached to 0.26% in male and 0.30% in female. 2) 25 percent of those having proteinuria at the first test were positive at the second test. 3) The proportion of patients with proteinuria by 3rd test were as follows; 25% of transient proteinuria, 55% of orthostatic proteinuria, 6% of constant proteinuria, 12% of proteinuria with hematuria, and 2% of transient proteinuria with isolated hematuria. Pathologic proteinuria were totaled as 20%. The prevalence of renal diseases among the age group of 7-18 years old was estimated to be 1.4 per 10,000. 4) Renal biopsy performed on 38 children with proteinuria at the third test revealed IgA nephropathy in 17(44%), focal segmental glomerusclerosis in 5(13%), minimal change disease in 4(11%), membranoproliferative glomeronephritis in 3(8%), $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura nephritis in 3(8%), and others in 6(16%). Therefore, the prevalence of IgA nephropathy among the age group of 7-18 years old was estimated to be 0.64 per 10,000. 5) The prevalence of chronic renal failure was estimated to be 5.7 per 1 million of 7 to 18 years age group. Conclusions : 1) The prevalence of proteinuria in the first screening test was 0.28% and finally only 5% of them showed the pathologic proteinuria at the third test. 2) The prevalence of IgA nephropathy and chronic renal failure were 0.63 per 10,000 and 5.7 per 1 million, respectively among school-aged children in Seoul.

  • PDF

A Clinical and Pathological Analysis of Children with Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis According to the Clinical Manifestations at Presentation (발견 양상에 따른 소아 막증식성 사구체신염의 임상적 및 병리조직학적분석)

  • Jeon Chang-Ho;Kang Mi-Seon;Chung Woo-Yeong
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
    • /
    • v.8 no.2
    • /
    • pp.186-194
    • /
    • 2004
  • Purpose: Membranoproliferative glomeulonephritis(MPGN) has been diagnosed in an increasing number of asymptomatic cases. These cases have been detected by school urinary screening test even though the total cases of MPGN show a decreasing trend. We have analyzed the clinical and pathological characteristics of children with MPGN according to the clinical manifestations at the time of disease presentation. Methods: A total of 18 patients who had been diagnosed with idiopathic MPGN by percutaneous renal biopsy from January 1990 to February 2004 were involved in our study. The patients were divided into 2 groups as the school urinary screening(A) group and the symptomatic(S) group according to the clinical manifestations at the time of disease presentation. Results: Out of the total 18 patients, 8(44.4%) were in the S group and 10(55.6%) were in the A group. The mean serum total protein, albumin and $C_3$ levels in the S group were significantly lower than those levels of the A group, respectively($4.9{\pm}1.2\;g/dL,\;vs\;7.0{\pm}0.5\;g/dL\;P=0.002,\;2.8{\pm}0.9\;g/dL\;vs.\;4.1{\pm}0.3\;g/dL\;P=0.002,\;63.9{\pm}36.4\;mg/dL\;vs.\;100.8{\pm}39.5\;g/dL\;P=0.041$). The mean total protein amount of 24 hour collected urine in the S group were significantly higher than that of the A group($3684.0{\pm}2601.3\;mg/m^2\;vs.\;559.4{\pm}4.6.9\;mg/m^2$, respectively, P=0.001). Hypocomplementemia was observed in 11(61.1%) out of 18 patients at the time of disease onset, 7(87.5%) in the S group and 4(40%) in the A group. However the hypocomplementemia was decreased in 6(33.3%) out of 18 patients at the time of final follow-up, 3(37.5%) in the S group and 3(30%) in the A group. According to the pathologic type, hypocomplementemia was observed 8 patients(61.5%) with type I disease, 1 patients (100%) with type II disease, 2 patients(50%) in type III disease at the disease onset, but 4 patients(30.8%) in type I disease, 1 patient(100%) in type II disease, 1 patient(33.3%) with type III disease at the time of last follow-up. The incidence of cellular crescent formation and tubular atropy. as observed on light microscopy, were higher in the S group compared to the A group. Mean grade of capillary wall thickening and, mesangial proliferation were significantly higher in the S group. Conclusion: MPGN, as diagnosed in patients with only asymptomatic urinary abnormalities, has been increasing, it is more frequent in asymptomatic patients than in patients with presenting symptoms. Our result suggests that MPGN should be considered in the renal biopsy diagnosis regardless of serum $C_3$ level when urinary abnormalities are found by school urinary screening test.

  • PDF

Therapeutic Effect of Nocturnal Water Restriction in Children with Primary Nocturnal Enuresis (일차성 야뇨증 아동에서 야간 수분 제한의 치료 효과)

  • Lee Soo Jin;Yang Jae Young;Kim Hae Soon;Lee Seung Joo
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
    • /
    • v.5 no.1
    • /
    • pp.51-58
    • /
    • 2001
  • Purpose : Treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) includs folk remedies and various treatments based on pathogenesis. We assessed the therapeutic effect of nocturnal water restrict ion as the primary treatment of PNE. Materials and methods : From October 1998 to June 1999, 41 children with PNE (>3 wet nights per week) who visited Ewha Womans University Mokdong hospital and who had good compliances to nocturnal water restriction for 2 months were included. Before and during nocturnal water restriction, daily fluid intake and urine volume were recorded for 2 days every 2 weeks. Responses to nocturnal water restriction were classified according to the decrease of wet nights as complete (>90$\%$), partial (50-90$\%$) and no (<50$\%$) response. Predictors such as age, sex, daytime voiding dysfunction, fluid intake, urine volume, maximum urine volume per void and fasting urine osmolality were evaluated. Results . The response rate to nocturnal water restriction fir 2 month was 82.9$\%$(34/41) [complete response 39.0$\%$(16/41), partial response : 43.9$\%$(18/41)]. The response rate to nocturnal water restriction was significantly higher in monosymptomatic PNE than polysymptomatic PNE and more effective in PNE with or nocturnal fluid intake, nocturnal urine volume, and maximum urine volume than lower nocturnal fluid intake, nocturnal urine volume and maximum urine volume per void (P<0.05). Nocturnal urine volume, maximum urine volume per void and luting urine osmolality after nocturnal water restriction has significantly increased higher in complete response and partial response group than in no response group (P<0.05). Conclusion : The nocturnal water restriction was effective in monosymptomatic PNE with nocturnal polydypsia, nocturnal polyuria and high bladder capacity. (J, Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 5 : 51- 8, 2001)

  • PDF

Dietary Effects of an Animal Fat with High Free- Fatty Acid Content on Feed Utilization and Meat Quality in Broilers (고산가 동물성 지방의 첨가가 육계의 사료이용성과 육질에 미치는 영향)

  • 오미향;지규만;최인숙
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
    • /
    • v.12 no.1
    • /
    • pp.7-16
    • /
    • 1985
  • Present experiment was undertaken to compare the effects of two dietary fats whose free fatty acid content was quite different on performances and on meat quality of broilers. Yellow grease or animal fat (trade name) containing 15 or 38.6% free fatty acid, respectively, was added to the broiler starter and finisher diets at levels of 3.0 and 5,0%, respectively. A total of 108, day old, male Maniker(Chunho) broiler chicks was alloted to 3 dietary treatments with 3 replications per treatment and 12 chicks per replication Though control diet was not supplemented with fat, the three dietary groups were made isocaloric and isonitrogenous. All the chicks were ad libitum fed the test diets for 8 weeks. Feed intake and body weight were measured every other week. Shank color was measured at the end of feeding trial by Roche Color Fan. To evaluate meat quality, 7 chicks of mean body weight were selected from each treatment group after the trial. Measurements were made for abdominal fat content, organoleptic scores for thigh and breast, and for contents of total lipids, free fatty acids, iodine values and peroxide values of the breasts. During the period from 0 to 4 weeks of age, the broilers fed the diets added with fats performed the same as those fed the control diet. However, the body weight gam (25%), feed intake (10.8%) and feed efficiency (11.3%) of chicks fed the fat-supplemented diets, during the finisher period (5-8 weeks), appeared significantly improved compared to those of control group (p<0.05). During overall period of 8 weeks, body weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency of chicks fed the diets added with fats were, on the average, 16.2. 8.8 and 6.8%, respectively, better than, those of control Monwhile the performance between the chicks fed diets added with the two different fat sources appeared to be of the same tendency. Though the shank pigmentation was not statistically different among the treatments, the chicks fed the fat-supple ented diets tended to have slightly less pigments than the control. Organoleptic scores of thigh or breast of chicks fed the animal fat diet were of the same range as those of the other two groups. The contents of total lipids, free fatty acids, iodine values and peroxide values of breasts from broilers fed the various diets appeared to be in the same ranges among the treatments. The values for control, yellow grease and animal fat groups were 7.77, 6.66 and 6.32% for total lipids, 9.23, 9.7 and 9.31mg oleic acid/g fat for free fatty acids, 65.36, 63.89 and 59.25g/ 100g fat for iodine values, and 9.62, 10.46 and 8.79 meq/kg fat for peroxide values, respect vely. Changes of free fatty acids contents of breast during a storage for 10 da s at 4$^{\circ}C$ were also not different among the dietary groups. From the observations n. this experiment, it seems possible to conclude that the animal fat containing 38.6% free fatty acid can be used as efficiently as yellow grease in broiler diets without any adverse effects on meat quality.

  • PDF

Clinical Study of Tuberculous Meningitis in Children (소아 결핵성 뇌막염의 임상적 고찰)

  • Kim, Woo Sik;Kim, Jong Hyun;Kim, Dong Un;Lee, Won Bae;Kang, Jin Han
    • Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
    • /
    • v.4 no.1
    • /
    • pp.64-72
    • /
    • 1997
  • Purpose : The incidence of tuberculous meningitis in Korean children has been markedly decreased after 1980s, but this disease has still occurred with low rate. Therefore, it may be suspected that delayed diagnosis and treatment will be happened because of lacking of clinical experiences and indistinguishable other meningitis, so it is important to make early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculous meningitis concerning with the prognosis. In this aspect, we conducted study to concern and investigate sustainly about the diagnostic criteria, clinical characteristics, radiological findings, complications, and prognosis of typical or atypical tuberculous meningitis in children. Methods : Forty four children who were hospitalized and treated due to tuberculous meningitis in pediatric wards of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, St. Holy Hospital, St. Vincent Hospital and Uijungbu St. Mary Hospital from January 1985 to June 1996 were included in this study. We reviewed medical records of these patients retrospectively. Results : 1) The tuberculous meningitis has occured continuosly since mid-1980s. The highest 2) The diagnosis was made by contact history of active tuberculous patients, positive tuberculin test, responses of antituberculous antibiotics and discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from CSF or other specimens. Among patients, 7 children(16%) were not vaccinated with BCG, and only 18 children(40%) were positive in tuberculin test. 3) The symptoms and signs of our patients on initial examinations were fever, vomiting, headache, lethargy, poor feeding, weight loss, neck stiffness, convulsion, abdominal pain and motor deficits. 4) The findings of initial CSF samples revealed leukocyte $239.5/mm^3$(mean) with lymphocyte predominant, elevated protein levels(mean;259.5mg%) and low sugar level(mean;40.7mg%). And the ratio of CSF/blood sugar was 0.407. But, atypical CSF findings were seen in 31.8% patients. 5) On brain imaging study, 34 out of 39 children had findings of hydrocephalus, basilar meningeal enhancement, infarction and subarachnoidal inflammations etc. On chest X-ray, the findings of miliary tuberculosis(34.1%), normal finding(29.5%), parenchymal infiltrations (11.4%) and calcifications(9.1%) were showed. 6) In neurological clinical stage, there were twenty-six children(59%) in stage 1, fourteen children(32%) in stage 2 and four children(9%) in stage 3. The late sequeles were encountered by 29.5% with mild and 4.6% with severe neurological injury. The most common neurological injury was quadriplegia and the mortality rate was 6.8%. 7) The SIADH was developed in 20 children(45.5%) after the 4th hospital day. Half of all SIADH patients were symptomatic. Conclusion : Tuberculosis meningitis is still an important extrapulmonary disease with high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis with clinical contact history of active tuberculosis and radiological imaging examinations and early treatments are essential in order to prevent and decrase the rate of late sequeles and death.

  • PDF

Treatment Outcome of Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Who Received Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy with Weekly Paclitaxel (Paclitaxel 매주 투여 및 방사선치료 동시요법을 받은 국소진행성 비소세포폐암 환자들의 치료 결과)

  • Kim, Su-Zy;Shim, Byoung-Yong;Kim, Chi-Hong;Song, So-Hyang;Ahn, Meyung-Im;Cho, Deog-Gon;Cho, Kyu-Do;Yoo, Jin-Young;Kim, Hoon-Kyo;Kim, Sung-Whan
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
    • /
    • v.24 no.4
    • /
    • pp.230-236
    • /
    • 2006
  • $\underline{Purpose}$: To analyze the response, toxicity, patterns of failure and survival rate of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer who were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly paclitaxel. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: Twenty-three patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients who received radical chemoradiotherapy from October 1999 to September 2004 were included in this retrospective study. Patients received total $55.4{\sim}64.8$ (median 64.8) Gy (daily 1.8 Gy per fraction, 5 days per weeks) over $7{\sim}8$ weeks. 50 or $60\;mg/m^2$ of paclitaxel was administered on day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and 36 of radiotherapy. Four weeks after the concurrent chemoradiotherapy, three cycles of consolidation chemotherapy consisted of paclitaxel $135\;mg/m^2$ and cisplatin $75\;mg/m^2$ was administered every 3 weeks. $\underline{Results}$: Of the 23 patients, 3 patients refused to receive the treatment during the concurrent chemoradiotherapy. One patient died of bacterial pneumonia during the concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Grade 2 radiation esophagitis was observed in 4 patients (17%). Sixteen patients received consolidation chemotherapy. During the consolidation chemotherapy, 8 patients (50%) experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and one of those patients died of neutropenic sepsis. Overall response rate for 20 evaluable patients was 90% including 4 complete responses (20%) and 14 partial responses (70%). Among 18 responders, 9 had local failure, 3 had local and distant failure and 2 had distant failure only. Median progression-free survival time was 9.5 months and 2-year progression-free survival rate was 19%. Eleven patients received second-line or third-line chemotherapy after the treatment failure. The median overall survival time was 21 months. 2-year and 5-year survival rate were 43% and 33%, respectively. Age, performance status, tumor size were significant prognostic factors for progression-free survival. $\underline{Conclusion}$: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly paclitaxel revealed high response rate and low toxicity rate. But local failure occurred frequently after the remission and large tumor size was a poor prognostic factor. Further investigations are needed to improve the local control.

Studies on Persistence of Pesticides in Soils and Crops under Polyethylene Film Mulching Culture II. Effect of Polyethylene Film mulching on Weed Emergence, Growth and Yield of Red pepper, Peanut and Sesame (폴리에틸렌 멀칭재배(栽培) 시(時) 농약(農藥)의 토양(土壤) 및 작물체중(作物体中) 잔류(殘留)에 관한 연구(硏究) 제(第) 2 보(報) 폴리에틸렌 멀칭이 잡초발생(雜草發生), 고추, 땅콩, 참깨의 생육(生育) 및 수량(收量)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Ryang, H.S.;Moon, Y.H.;Kim, N.E.;Lee, J.H.
    • Korean Journal of Weed Science
    • /
    • v.7 no.3
    • /
    • pp.306-315
    • /
    • 1987
  • In the red pepper field under polythylene film mulching(P.E.-mulching) culture, the weed emergence was completely inhibited by black P.E.-mulching. The emergence in clear P.E.-mulching decreased 90% compared to that in non-mulching. Weeding effect was high in the order of pendimethalin, diphenamid, alachlor and napropamide. The effect of herbicides was higher in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Plant height and number of branches increased in the order of clear P.E.-, black P.E.-mulching, while the yield between black P.E.- and clear P.E.-mulching was not different. The herbicides had no effect on the growth and yield. In the peanut field, weed emergence was 80% lower in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Weeding effect was excellent in the plot applied with alachlor, napropamide and diphenamid. The total number of branches, main stem height and shoot weight were 2.0, 1.7 and 2.4 times greater in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching, respectively. Peanut yield was about 38% higher under clear P.E.-mulching than under non-mulching. The herbicides had no effect on the growth and yield. In the sesame field, rate of weed emergence was 10 times lower in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Weeding effect of alachlor, napropamide and diphenamid was higher under clear P.E.-mulching than under non-mulching. Germination percentage of sesame greatly decreased in non-mulching compared with in clear P.E.-mulching. The germination was inhibited by the treatment of herbicides. The inhibition effect was increased in the order of alachlor, napropamide, and diphenamid. The initial crop injury in treatment of herbicides was greater in non-mulching than in clear P.E.-mulching. The crop recovered from the injury and exhibited regrowth in clear P.E.-mulching except the alachlor treatment, but there was no recovery in non-mulching. There was no significant difference yield between herbicide treatment and hand weeding in non-mulching. Also, no significant difference was obseorbed between napropamide and diphenamid treatment and hand weeding in clear P.E.-mulching.

  • PDF

Immediate Reoperation for Failed Mitral Valve Repair (승모판막성형술 실패 직후에 시행한 재수술)

  • Baek, Man-Jong;Na, Chan-Young;Oh, Sam-Se;Kim, Woong-Han;Whang, Sung-Wook;Lee, Cheol;Chang, Yun-Hee;Jo, Won-Min;Kim, Jae-Hyun;Seo, Hong-Ju;Kim, Wook-Sung;Lee, Young-Tak;Park, Young-Kwan;Kim, Chong-Whan
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
    • /
    • v.36 no.12
    • /
    • pp.929-936
    • /
    • 2003
  • We analysed the surgical outcomes of immediate reoperations after mitral valve repair. Material and Method: Eighteen patients who underwent immediate reoperation for failed mitral valve repair from April 1995 through July 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 13 female patients. The mitral valve disease was regurgitation (MR) in 12 patients, stenosis (MS) in 3, and mixed lesion in 3. The etiologies of the valve disease were rheumatic in 9 patients, degenerative in 8, and endocarditis in 1. The causes of reoperation was residual MR in 13 patients, residual MS in 4, and rupture of left ventricle in 1. Fourteen patients had rerepair for residual mitral lesions (77.8%) and four underwent replacement. Result: There was no early death. After mean follow-vp of 33 months, there was one late death. Echocardiography revealed no or grade 1 of MR (64.3%) in 9 patients and no or mild MS in 11 patients (78,6%). Reoperation was done in one patient. The cumulative survival and freedom from valve-related reoperation at 6 years were 94% and 90%, respectively. The cumulative freedom from recurrent MR and MS at 4 years were 56% and 44%, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that immediate reoperation for failed mitral valve repair offers good early and intermediate survival, and mitral valve rerepair can be successfully performed in most of patients. However, because mitral rerepair have high failure rate, especially in rheumatic valve disease, adequate selections of valvuloplasty technique and indication are important to reduce the failure rate of mitral rerepair.

Prognosis Factors of Tricuspid Regurgitation after the Operation for Left-sided Valvular Heart Disease (좌심실 판막질환 수술 후 동반된 삼첨판패쇄부전증의 경과에 영향을 미치는 요인)

  • Jin, Ung;Kim, Hwan-Wook;Lee, Jong-Ho;Kweon, Jong-Bum;Jo, Min-Seop;Yoon, Jeong-Seob;Moon, Seok-Whan;Sim, Sung-Bo;Park, Kuhn;Kim, Chi-Kyung;Cho, Keon-Hyun;Wang, Young-Pil;Lee, Sun-He;Kwack, Moon-Sub
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
    • /
    • v.36 no.3
    • /
    • pp.150-156
    • /
    • 2003
  • Tricuspid regurgitation has been considered as a secondary lesion when it is combined with left valvular heart diseases. However, there have been some reports which show that tricuspid regurgitation keeps going and results in congestive heart failure even after a successful operation for left valvular heart disease. So far, there are no definite operation indications and predictive factors for the tricuspid re-gurgitation which is resulted from the left sided valvular heart disease. We designed this study to evaluate the effects of pulmonary artery pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction on the prognosis of tricuspid regurgitation, and to make an operation indication for the patients with secondary tricuspid regurgitation. Material and Method: We reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent surgery for the left sided valvular heart disease with tricuspid regurgitation and were followed for more than 1 year with echocardiograms. There was a total of 114 cases. We compared the grades of tricuspid regurgitations and pulmonary artery pressures and left ventricular ejection fractions on the basis of echocardiograms which were checked preoperatively and on the last follow up. Result: There were 43 cases of tricuspid an-nuloplasty. In these patients, the grades of tricuspid regurgitations were improved in 42 cases (97.7%). But in 71 cases without annuloplasty, 29 cases (41%) were improved, 32 cases (45%) had no change, and 29 cases (14%) were aggravated. This finding shows significant differences in the prognoses of tricuspid regur-gitations between the two groups (p<0.05). There was no difference in pulmonary artery pressures and ejection fractions between the patients who showed progression of tricuspid regurgitations and those who didn't (p > 0.05). The improvements of tricuspid regurgitations are not statistically related to the changes of pulmonary artery pressures or left ventricular ejection fractions. Conclusion: This study shows that it is impossible to predict the prognoses of tricuspid regurgitations with preoperative pulmonary artery pressures or left ventricular ejection fractions. Also, the excellent results of tricuspid annuloplasty is proven in controlling the secondary tricuspid regurgitations. Therefore, when tricuspid regurgitation is detected preoperatively, the procedures to correct the tricuspid regurgitation at the time of the operation for the left-sided valvular heart disease must be considered positively, regardless of the grades of tricuspid regurgitations, to prevent sig-nificant tricuspid regurgitation that may develop later.

Anatomical Variations in the Communicating Rami of the Upper Thoracic Sympathetic Ganglia Related to the Essential Palmar Hyperhidrosis (본태성 수부 다한증에 관련된 상부 흉부교감신경절 교통가지의 해부학적 변이)

  • Cho, Hyun-Min;Kim, Kil-Dong;Lee, Sak;Chung, Kyung-Young
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
    • /
    • v.36 no.3
    • /
    • pp.182-188
    • /
    • 2003
  • Background: Although ramicotomy (division of the rami communicantes of the thoracic sympathetic ganglia) is a selective and physiological surgical method for essential hyperhidrosis, it has some problems such as higher recurrence rates and the different surgical results among the patients and between left and right sides in the same individual. As one of the factors that are related to the differences in surgical result and recurrences, we investigated the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes. The purpose of this study is to help develop new surgical methods to decrease surgical differences among the patients or between the left and right sides of the same individual and recurrence rates in the clinical application of ramicotomy. Material and Method: We dissected 118 thoracic sympathetic chains in 59 adult Korean cadavers (male: 33, female: 26) to examine the anatomical variations of the rami communicantes from the second to the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglia that have major components innervating to the hands. After the dissection of bilateral thoracic sympathetic chains, we compared the anatomy of left and right sides and examined the anatomical variations of rami communicantes. Result: The number and variation of communicating rami connecting the spinal nerves and the second sympathetic thoracic ganglion were much larger than lower levels. There was considerably less variability in the anatomy of the rami communicantes at successive levels. Among the 59 cadavers dissected, only 14.3% (9/59) had similar anatomy of thoracic sympathetic chains at both sides. As the components related to the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the first intercostal nerve or brachial plexus were observed in 55.9% (66/118). The incidence of descending rami communicates from the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve and from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the fourth intercostal nerve were 49.2% (58/118) and 28.0% (33/118). And the incidence of ascending rami communicates from the third thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the second intercostal nerve and from the fourth thoracic sympathetic ganglion to the third intercostal nerve were 6.8% (8/118) and 3.4% (4/118), respectively. Conclusion: Based on the various anatomical evidences of the rami communicantes from this study, only the ramicotomy at the third sympathetic ganglion level is insufficient for the treatment of the essential palmar hyperhidrosis to decrease the difference of surgical results and recurrences. When one is planning to perform the ramicotomy for the essential palmar hyperhidrosis, it is advantageous to divide the intrathoracic nerve of Kuntz on the second rib and the descending or ascending rami communicantes on the third and the fourth ribs as well as all the communicating rami from the third sympathetic ganglion.