• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.287-289
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• 2015

Brachial plexus block (BPB) under ultrasound guidance has come to be widely used. However, nerve injury has been reported following ultrasound-guided BPB. We hypothesized that BPB under ultrasound guidance in conjunction with real-time electrical nerve stimulation would help us prevent nerve injury and do more successful procedure. Here, we report the successful induction and maintenance of ultrasound-guided BPB and the achievement of good peri- and postoperative pain control using a conductive catheter, the EpiStim$^{(R)}$.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제61권5호
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• pp.625-632
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• 2018

Objective : Because the anatomical structure of the brachial plexus is very complex, surgical treatment of tumors in this region is challenging. Therefore, a lot of clinical and surgical experience is required for successful treatment; however, many neurosurgeons have difficulty accumulating this experience owing to the rarity of brachial plexus tumors. The purpose of this report is to share our surgical experience with brachial plexus tumor with other neurosurgeons. Methods : The records of 18 consecutive patients with brachial plexus tumors who underwent surgical treatment between January 2010 and December 2017 in a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. The surgical approach was determined according to the tumor location and size, and intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) was used in most of cases to prevent iatrogenic nerve injury during surgery. In addition, to evaluate the differences in tumor characteristics according to pathologic diagnosis, the tumors were divided twice into two groups, based on two separate classifications, and statistical analysis was performed. Results : The 18 brachial plexus tumors comprised 15 (83.3%) benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors including schwannoma and neurofibroma, one (5.6%) malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, one (5.6%) benign tumor of non-neural sheath origin (neurogenic cyst), and one (5.6%) metastatic tumor (papillary carcinoma). The authors analyzed relationship between tumor size/location and tumor characteristic parameters such as age, size, right-left, and pathology. There were no statistically significant differences except a tendency of bigger tumor size in young age. Conclusion : For a successful surgical outcome, an appropriate surgical approach is essential, and the appropriate surgical approach is determined by the location and size of the tumor. Furthermore, applying IONM may prevent postoperative complications and it is favorable option for brachial plexus tumors surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제30권9호
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• pp.1120-1126
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• 2001

Objective : The development of magnetic resonance neurography(MRN) has made it possible to produce highresolution images of peripheral nerves themselves, as well as associated intraneural and extraneural lesions. We evaluated the clinical application and utility of high-resolution MRN techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of peripheral nerve disorder(PND)s. Material and Method : MRN images were obtained using T1-weighted spin echo, T2-weighted fast spin echo with fat suppression, and short tau inversion recovery(STIR) fast spin-echo pulse sequences. Fifteen patients were studied, three with brachial plexus tumors, five with chronic entrapment syndromes, and seven with traumatic peripheral lesions. Ten patients underwent surgery. Results : In MRN with STIR sequences of axial and coronal imagings, signals of the peripheral nerves with various lesions were detected as fairly bright signals and were discerned from signals of the uninvolved nerves. Increased signal with proximal swelling and distal flattening of the median nerve were seen in all patients of carpal tunnel syndrome. Among the eight patients with brachial plexus injury or tumors, T2-weighted MRN showed increased signal intensity in involved roots in five, enhanced mass lesions in three, and traumatic pseudomeningocele in three. Other associated MRI findings were adjacent bony signal change, neuroma, root adhesion and denervated muscle atophy with signal change. Conclusion : MRN with high-resolution imaging can be useful in the preoperative evaluation and surgical planning in patients with peripheral nerve lesions.

• 대한정형외과스포츠의학회지
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.117-122
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• 2006

목적: 견관절 회전근 개 전층 파열로 진단된 환자를 대상으로 전기 진단 검사를 통하여 신경 손상 유무를 조사하여 유병율 및 상관관계를 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 2004년 5월 1일부터 2005년 2월 1일 까지 본원에서 회전근 개 전층 파열로 확진되어 수술적 가료를 받은 환자중 급성기 외상으로 인하여 발생한 골절 및 탈구가 없는 19례에서 술전에 전기 진단 검사를 시행하여, 신경 손상의 유병율 및 여러 가지 요인과의 상관관계를 조사하였다. 이들 대상 환자의 평균 연령은 $59.1{\pm}11.4(45\sim87)$세, 평균 이환 기간은 $48.4{\pm}100.2$(1개월$\sim$30년)개월, 성비는 13:5(남자:여자)이었고, 외상 후에 동통이 생긴 경우가 8례 있었다. 결과: 19례 중 6례(31.6%)에서 신경 손상이 동반되어 있었고, 신경 손상의 유형은 전례에서 상완 신경총 손상이었으며, 후각 신경절 후 병변이었다. 신경 손상이 있는 6례에서 외상과 더불어 증상이 시작된 경우가 4례(67%)이었고. 파열 크기, 관절 운동 범위, 동통 지수, 기능 지수는 신경 손상이 없는 경우와 큰 차이를 보이지 않았다. 결론: 회전근 개 파열이 있는 환자의 진단 및 치료에 있어 신경 손상이 동반될 수 있다는 것을 유념하고 필요하면, 근전도 검사를 통하여 신경 손상의 동반 여부를 확인한다면 적절한 치료계획에 도움이 되리라 사료된다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제30권sup1호
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• pp.85-90
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• 2001

Objective : DREZotomy is effective for the treatment of deafferentation pain as a consequence of root avulsion, postparaplegic pain, posttraumatic syrinx, postherpetic neuralgia, spinal cord injury, and peripheral nerve injury. We performed microsurgical DREZotomy to the patients with deafferentation pain and relieved pain without any serious complication. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the microsurgical DREZotomy for deafferentation pain. Methods : We evaluated 4 patients with deafferntation pain who were intractable to medical therapy. Two of them were brachial plexus injury with root avulsion owing to trauma, one was axillary metastasis of the squamous cell carcinoma of the left forearm, and the last was anesthesia dolorosa after surgical treatment(MVD and rhizotomy) of trigeminal neuralgia. Preoperative evaluation was based on the neurologic examination, radiologic imaging, and electrophysiological study. In the case of anesthesia dolorosa, we produced two parallel lesions in cephalocaudal direction, 2mm in distance, from the C2 dorsal rootlet to the 5mm superior to the obex including nucleus caudalis, after suboccipital craniectomy and C1-2 laminectomy, with use of microelectrode. In the others, we confirmed lesion site with identification of the nerve root after hemilaminectomy. We performed arachnoid dissection along the posterolateral sulcus and made lesion with microsurgical knife and microelectrocoagulation, 2mm in depth, 2mm in distance, to the direction of 30-45 degrees in the medial portion of the Lissauer's tract and the most dorsal layers of the posterior horn at the one root level above and below the lesion. Results : Compared with preoperative state, microsurgical DREZotomy significantly diminished dosage of the drugs and relieved pain meaningfully. One patient showed tansient ipsilateral ataxia, but recovered soon. There was not any serious complication. Conclusion : It may be concluded that microsurgical DREZotomy is very useful and safe therapeutic modality for deafferentation pain, especially segmentally distributed intermittent or evoke pain. Complete preoperative evaluation and proper selection of the patients and lesion making device are needed to improve the result.