• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2009

Background: The loss of resistance (LOR) method is most commonly used to identify the epidural space. This method is thought to rely on the penetration of the ligamentum flavum. Unfortunately the exact morphology of the ligamentum flavum is variable at different vertebral levels. Especially, it has been pointed out that the lower cervical ligamentum flavum may be discontinuous in the midline in up to 50% of patients. Thus, the LOR method may be inaccurate to confirm the cervical epidural space. The aim of this study is to determine which method is the safest and most exact for confirming the cervical epidural space. Methods: 100 adult, chronic renal failure patients who were undergoing an arteriovenous bridge graft for hemodialysis at the upper arm under cervical epidural anesthesia were recruited for this study. During the cervical epidural puncture, we identified the cervical epidural space by subjectively feeling the resistance with using a finger just through the ligamentum flavum, and we also used the drip infusion method, the loss of resistance method using air, and the hanging drop method. By using 5 grades, we classified the extent of whether or not the techniques were effective. Results: Using the drip infusion method, we identify the epidural space in all the patients as ＋/＋＋ grade. The catheter insertion method was also successful in identifying those epidural spaces over a ${\pm}$ grade. The pseudo LOR was over ${\pm}$ grade in 47 patients. Conclusions: The combined LOR/hanging drop with drip infusion method is useful for confirming the cervical epidural space.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.6 s.275
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• pp.455-458
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• 2007

A 40 year-old male patient admitted for dyspnea and edema of the lower extremities. A pulsatile abdominal mass with a bruit was palpable in the right lower quadrant. Four months previously, he had underwent left partial lam-inectomy ($L4{\sim}5$) and discectomy at the L4 level due to disc protrusion, Computed tomography showed an ilio-iliac AV fistula with pseudoaneurysm at the L5 level. Because massive bleeding occurred when the aneurysm was entered, we closed the aneurysm and performed resection and suture of the aorta and both iliac arteries very near the aneurysm. After exclusion of the arterial side, we performed reduction angioplasty at the aneurysm and aorto-biiliac reconstruction with an artifcial graft. Twenty-four months after operation, he is doing well and hasn't had any complications on the follow-up.