• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.676-680
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• 2000

To minimize the period of brain ischemia and the potential for neurologic damage during aortic arch replacement, we used the arch-first technique. First case was a 28-year-old female with extensive aneurysm involving ascending, arch and descending thoracic aorta. Exposure was obtained via a bilateral via a bilateral thoracotomy (clamshell incision) in the anterior 4th right and 3rd left intercostal space with oblique sternotomy. To prepare for arch perfusion, the side-arm graft(10mm) was anastomosed to the aortic graft, opposite the site of the planned anastomosis to the arch vessels. After completing the arch anastomosis under total circulatory arrest(37min) and retrograde cerebral perfusion(12min), aortic graft was clamped on either side and the arch was perfused via side-arm graft for 36min. When distal aortic anastomosis was finished, distal clamp of aortic graft was released and arch vessels were perfused via common femoral artery, and the proximal aortic anastomosis was accomplished. The patient was discharged with no event. Second case was a 48-year-old male with extensive aneurysm involving ascending, arch, and aortic regurgitaiton(grade III/IV). This case was also done using the clamshell incision. Aortic valve replacement was done by valved-conduit(Vascutek 30mm), both coronary artery anastomosis using Cabrol's procedure. Last operation procedure was the same as the 1st case.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.699-704
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• 2001

Objectives : The rupture of middle cerebral artery(MCA) aneurysm usually cause or is associated with higher incidence of intracerebral hemorrhages(ICH) than any other aneurysmal ruptures. Also, the outcome of patients who had ICH is known to be worse than patients who had subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) only. The authors report the bleeding pattern and outcome of ruptured MCA aneurysm patients. Patients and Methods : A total 106 ruptured MCA aneurysm patients who were surgically treated were included and they were divided into 2 groups by the initial brain CT findings according to the presence or absence of ICH over 10cc in amount. The clinical data were analysed retrospectively. Results : The overall mortality was 18.9%. Among 81 patients(76.4%) who had subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) only, 68 patients(84%) showed favorable outcome. Twenty five patients(23.6%) had ICH over 10cc in amount with or without SAH, and among them, 11 patients(44%) showed favorable outcome. The ICH was located in temporal lobe(15 patients, 60%), frontal lobe(3, 12%), sylvian fissure(6, 24%) and frontal-temporal lobe(1, 4%). Among 15 patients who had ICH in temporal lobe, only 4 patients(26.6%) showed favorable outcome and all 3 patients who had ICH in frontal lobe showed favorable outcome. Conclusion : ICH was presented in 23.6% of ruptured MCA aneurysm patients and the prognosis of patients with ICH was worse than patients with SAH only. The ICH was located mainly in the temporal lobe and sylvian fissure.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.194-196
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• 2013

Isolated abducens nerve paresis related to ruptured vertebral artery (VA) aneurysm is rare. It usually occurs bilaterally or ipsilaterally to the pathologic lesions. We report the case of a contralateral sixth nerve palsy following ruptured dissecting VA aneurysm. A 38-year-old man was admitted for the evaluation of a 6-day history of headache. Abnormalities were not seen on initial computed tomography (CT). On admission, the patient was alert and no signs reflecting neurologic deficits were noted. Time of flight magnetic resonance angiography revealed a fusiform dilatation of the right VA involving origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. The patient suddenly suffered from severe headache with diplopia the day before the scheduled cerebral angiography. Neurologic examination disclosed nuchal rigidity and isolated left abducens nerve palsy. Emergent CT scan showed high density in the basal and prepontine cistern compatible with ruptured aneurismal hemorrhage. Right vertebral angiography illustrated a right VA dissecting aneurysm with prominent displaced vertebrobasilar artery to inferiorly on left side. Double-stent placement was conducted for the treatment of ruptured dissecting VA aneurysm. No diffusion restriction signals were observed in follow-up magnetic resonance imaging of the brain stem. Eleven weeks later, full recovery of left sixth nerve palsy was documented photographically. In conclusion, isolated contralateral abducens nerve palsy associated with ruptured VA aneurysm may develop due to direct nerve compression by displaced verterobasilar artery triggered by primary thick clot in the prepontine cistern.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.170-175
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• 1999

Objective : Extracranial-intracranial(EC-IC) microvascular anastomosis was performed in 18 patients with hemodynamic cerebral ischemia and traumatic cerebral aneurysm, the aim of this retrospective study was to assess its value in neurosurgical field. Method : Of 18 cases, 17 case were hemodynamic cerebral ischemia and one was traumatic cerebral aneurysm. There were 14 superficial temporal artery(STA)-to-middle cerebral artery(MCA) anastomosis, 3 saphenous vein graft bypass(2 external carotid artery(ECA)-to-MCA, 1main trunk of the STA-to-MCA) and 1 radial artery bypass(ECA-to-MCA). Results : Bypass patency was confirmed by postoperative angiography in all cases except for two cases, postoperative cerebral blood flow of ischemic brain showed significant increased in all cases with good patency through bypass. Conclusion : Revascularization by EC-IC microvascular anastomosis to the ischemic brain eliminated ischemia and was associated with excellent good outcome and good patency rates.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.497-502
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• 2011

Objective : This study was conducted to compare the effect of etomidate with that of thiopental on brain protection during temporary vessel occlusion, which was measured by burst suppression rate (BSR) with the Bispectral Index (BIS) monitor. Methods : Temporary parent artery occlusion was performed in forty one patients during cerebral aneurysm surgery. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups. General anesthesia was induced and maintained with 1.5-2.5 vol% sevoflurane and 50% $N_2O$. The pharmacological burst suppression (BS) was induced by a bolus injection of thiopental (5 mg/kg, group T) or etomidate (0.3 mg/kg, group E) according to randomization prior to surgery. After administration of drugs, the hemodynamic variables, the onset time of BS, the numerical values of BIS and BSR were recorded at every minutes. Results : There were no significant differences of the demographics, the BIS numbers and the hemodynamic variables prior to injection of drugs. The durations of burst suppression in group E ($11.1{\pm}6.8$ min) were not statistically different from that of group T ($11.1{\pm}5.6$ min) and nearly same pattern of burst suppression were shown in both groups. More phenylephrine was required to maintain normal blood pressure in the group T. Conclusion : Thiopental and etomidate have same duration and a similar magnitude of burst suppression with conventional doses during temporary arterial occlusion. These findings suggest that additional administration of either drug is needed to ensure the BS when the temporary occlusion time exceed more than 11 minutes. Etomidate can be a safer substitute for thiopental in aneurysm surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2006

Objective : Young neurosurgeons need to focus on the mortality and morbidity of aneurysmal neck clipping to develop a personal experience with an initial series. Methods : Total 88 aneurysms from 75 patients who underwent neck clipping by the same operator from 2001 to 2004 were reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups : first year [Group I], second year [Group II], and third year [Group III] in each group. Location of aneurysm, age, Fisher grade, Hunter-Hess grade [H-H grade], postoperative Glasgow outcome scale [GOS], and complications related to surgical procedures were evaluated with Chi-square and logistic regression analyses. Results : Fourteen patients had complications related to surgery [18.7%]. The major causes of mortality and morbidity related to surgery were cerebral infarction, hemorrhage and brain swelling due to intraoperative rupture, brain retraction and vasospasm. Among the 4 cases of mortality were 2 patients in Group I, 1 patient in Group II and 1 patient in Group III, and location of aneurysms were 2 internal carotid artery[ICA] and 2 posterior communicating artery[PCoA] aneurysms. There were 4 morbidity and new neurological deficits in Group I, 4 in Group II and 2 in Group III. Although mortality and morbidity during the learning curve had a statistical significance in H-H grade, age [>60 years old], and aneurysm location [especially ICA aneurysm] as variables, mortality mainly occurred in ICA and PCoA aneurysms. Conclusion : Experienced supervision or endovascular approach should be considered for the treatment of ICA and PCoA aneurysms during the learning curve.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.sup1
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• pp.128-132
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• 2001

Aneurysm of the basilar artery trunk are rare and the surgical approach is very difficult because of the complexity of surgical anatomy around the basilar trunk and the vulnerable adjacent neurovascular structures. The development of brain CT and MRI makes the accurate diagnosis and produces the improvement of surgical approaches at the lesion of the skull base. One of the surgical approaches of basilar trunk aneurysms, the retrolabyrinthine presigmoid transtentorial transpetrosal approach to the aneurysm of the basilar trunk has some advantages of minimal retraction of cerebellum and temporal lobe, intact auditory and facial nerve function by the preservation of the vestibulocochlear and facial nerves, a preservation of sigmoid sinus and vein of Labbe and a relatively good operation field. We had a good result with this approach for the patient of basilar trunk aneurysm and reported the case with the review of literatures.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.431-434
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• 2005

Objective : Subarachnoid hemorrhage[SAH] is commonly associated with polyuria [solute diuresis or water diuresis]. The authors investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of polyuria with special reference to the administration of osmotic diuretics. Methods : One hundred and forty eight patients with high urine output [>200ml/hr] after ruptured cerebral aneurysm operated early from Jan 1998 to Jun 2003 were selected. Water diuresis [diabetes insipidus, DI] was differentiated from solute diuresis by lower urine specific gravity [<1.005] and higher plasma osmolality. The incidence and mode of onset of polyuria were compared between two types of diuresis. Additionally, the relationships between development of polyuria and clinical features including aneurysm location, clinical grade, Fisher grade, and outcome were analyzed. Osmotic diuretics were not routinely used in patients with Hunt-Hess grade I-III since July 2001. Results : Annual incidence of polyuria decreased markedly since July 2001 : 45.2% in 1998, 34.5% in 2001, 11.9% in 2003. Postoperative DI occurred in $2.4{\sim}11.1%$. DI developed mainly from ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm. The mean interval between the last SAH and the onset of DI was 7.1 days [range $1{\sim}27$ days] and lasted mean 4.6 days. When compared with solute diuresis, the development of DI was significantly delayed. Other clinical features were not closely related to polyuria. Conclusion : Uncontrolled polyuria may lead to cerebral ischemia and electrolyte imbalance because SAH patients are already predisposed to hypovolemia, and will risk precipitating the opposite situation with overhydration. We can decrease the development of polyuria without routine use of osmotic diuretics, by avoiding the increased intracranial pressure such as the intraoperative ventriculostomy and gentle brain retraction in good grade patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.370-373
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• 2006

The case of postoperative hemorrhage occurring apart from the operative site as a complication of intracranial surgery is a rare malady, especially when it involves the cerebellum after supratentorial aneurysm surgery. In a review of the literature, the possible etiologies for cerebellar hemorrhage are: coagulopathy, intraoperative urokinase irrigation, excessive head rotation on positioning, brain shift due to excessive cerebrospinal fluid[CSF] and epidural hemovac drainage. We experienced six cases of cerebellar hemorrhage after supratentorial aneurysm surgery, and all of the patients were improved by instituting conservative medical treatment. The possible mechanism for the remote cerebellar hemorrhages seen in our series is probably a multifactorial effect, such as excessive epidural hemovac and CSF drainage, and jugular venous compression due to the operative position. The purpose of this report is to alert neurosurgeons to the existence of this syndrome and to suggest several ways of minimizing the possibility of their patients developing remote cerebellar hemorrhage.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.159-162
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• 2015

Neurological deficits after brain surgery are not uncommon, and correct and prompt differential diagnosis is essential to initiate appropriate treatment. We describe a patient suffering from loss of consciousness due to hyperammonemia, following valproic acid treatment after surgery for an unruptured cerebral aneurysm. A 57-year-old female patient underwent successful aneurysmal neck clipping to correct an unruptured aneurysm. Her postoperative course was good, and she received anti-epileptic therapy (valproic acid) and a soft diet. Within a few days the patient experienced mental deterioration. Her serum valproic acid reached toxic levels (149.40 mg/L), and serum ammonia was fifteen times the upper normal limit (553 mmol/L; normal range, 9-33 mmol/L). After discontinuation of valproic acid and with conservative treatment, the patient recovered without any complications. Valproate-induced hyperammonemic encephalopathy is an unusual but serious neurosurgical complication, and should not be disregarded as a possible cause of neurological deficits after neurovascular surgery. Early diagnosis is crucial, as discontinuation of valproic acid therapy can prevent serious complications, including death.