• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.440-448
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• 2006

Background: Surgery of descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aorta has the potential risk of causing neurological injury including spinal cord damage. This study was designed to find out the risk factors leading to spinal cord and brain damage after surgery of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta. Material and Method: Between October 1995 and July 2005, thirty three patients with descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic disease underwent resection and graft replacement of the involved aortic segments. We reviewed these patients retrospectively. There were 23 descending thoracic aortic diseases and 10 thoracoabdominal aortic diseases. As an etiology, there were 23 aortic dissections and 10 aortic aneurysms. Preoperative and perioperative variables were analyzed univariately and multivariately to identify risk factors of neurological injury. Result: Paraplegia occurred in 2 (6.1%) patients and permanent in one. There were 7 brain damages (21%), among them, 4 were permanent damages. As risk factors of spinal cord damage, Crawford type II III(p=0.011) and intercostal artery anastomosis (p=0.040) were statistically significant. Cardiopulmonary bypass time more than 200 minutes (p=0.023), left atrial vent catheter insertion (p=0.005) were statistically significant as risk factors of brain damage. Left heart partial bypass (LHPB) was statistically significant as a protecting factor of brain (p=0.032). Conclusion: The incidence of brain damage was higher than that of spinal cord damage after surgery of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta. There was no brain damage in LHPB group. LHPB was advantageous in protecting brain from postoperative brain injury. Adjunctive procedures to protect spinal cord is needed and vigilant attention should be paid in patients with Crawford type II III and patients who have patent intercostal arteries.

• Journal of International Society for Simulation Surgery
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2015

Image-guided neurosurgery (IGN) is a technique for localizing objects of surgical interest within the brain. In the past, its main use was placement of electrodes; however, the advent of computed tomography has led to a rebirth of IGN. Advances in computing techniques and neuroimaging tools allow improved surgical planning and intraoperative information. IGN influences many neurosurgical fields including neuro-oncology, functional disease, and radiosurgery. As development continues, several problems remain to be solved. This article provides a general overview of IGN with a brief discussion of future directions.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2018

Purpose: Patients with diffuse axonal injury experience various disabilities and have a high cost of treatment. Recent researches have revealed the underlying mechanism and pathogenesis of diffuse axonal injury. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the radiological grading of diffuse axonal injury and the clinical outcomes of patients. Methods: From January 2011 to December 2016, among 294 patients with traumatic brain injury, 44 patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A total of 18 patients were enrolled in this study except for other cerebral injuries, such as cerebral hemorrhage or hypoxic brain damage. Demographic data, clinical data, and radiological findings were retrospectively reviewed. The grading of diffuse axonal injury was analyzed based on patient's MRI findings. Results: For the most severe diffuse axonal injury patients, prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay (p=0.035), hospital stay (p=0.012), and prolonged mechanical ventilation (p=0.030) were observed. However, there was no significant difference in healthcare-associated infection rates between MRI grading (p=0.123). Massive transfusion, initial hemoglobin and lactate levels, and MRI gradings were found to be highly significant in predicting the duration of unconsciousness. Conclusions: This study showed that patients with high grade diffuse axonal injury have prolonged ICU stays and significantly longer hospital stays. Deteriorated mental patients with high energy injuries should be evaluated to identify diffuse axonal injuries by using an appropriate imaging tool, such as MRI. It will be important to predict the duration of consciousness recovery using MRI scans.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.181-184
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• 2014

Here, we report a case of massive rhabdomyolysis following an uncomplicated repair of a ventricular septal defect in a five-month-old baby. Postoperatively, the patient was hemodynamically stable but metabolic acidosis continued, accompanied by fever and delayed mental recovery. The next day, he became comatose and never regained consciousness thereafter. The computed tomography of the brain revealed a diffuse brain injury. The patient followed a downhill course and eventually died on postoperative day 33. An unusually high level of creatine phosphokinase was noticed, peaking (21,880 IU/L) on postoperative day 2, suggesting severe rhabdomyolysis. The relevant literature was reviewed, and the possibility of malignant hyperthermia obscured by cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermia was addressed.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.388-397
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• 2008

The present study was performed to evaluate the function of the mandible according to the pattern of fracture and treatment methods of condylar fractures of the mandible and help operators in making a treatment plan. Sixty patients (average follow-up period was $7.8{\pm}9.4$ months) who were treated for condylar fracture from June, 2002 to May, 2006 at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital were reviewed. The common causes of the condylar fracture were traffic accident and fall-down (35.0%). In concomitant injuries, laceration was 46.7% and the fracture of the mandibular symphysis was highest incidence (60.0%). The common site of the fracture was the condylar head (47.8%), followed by subcondyle (36.2%) and condylar neck (15.9%). Under 15 years old patients, the closed reduction was performed in 87.5% out of the patients. All of the condylar fragments were fixed to the mandible with titanium miniplates in cases of open reduction. The mean period of intermaxillary fixation (IMF) was $14.2{\pm}6.5$ days in closed reduction and $10.0{\pm}4.2$ days in open reduction. The old patient with bilateral condylar head fractures, who were treated by closed reduction with IMF for 3 weeks, showed the limitation of mandibular movements. But, there was no significant different results between open reduction and closed reduction with the respect of the Helkimo's mandibular mobility index and clinical dysfunction index (DI). Complications, such as fibrous ankylosis and resorption of the mandibular condyle, were not observed in all patients. These results suggest that the good results can be obtained by closed reduction with proper IMF periods and functional exercise in most condylar fractures of the mandible except severely displaced extracapsular fractures.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2010

The bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) is preferred method of surgical correction for mandibular prognathism, retrognathism and asymmetry. This technique performed from primarily an intraoral incision to avoid a scar. After forward movement of the distal segment of the mandible, healing of bone by primary or secondary intention is easily accomplished through large areas of cancellous bony overlap. When rigid fixation is used for the BSSRO, it is possible to open the mouth during the immediate post-operative period because it promotes the healing process. Although this surgical procedure has been well-documented, the incidence of postoperative trigeminal neurosensory disorder in the region of the inferior alveolar nerve and the mental nerve remains one of the major complication. However, evaluation of objective methods for sensory recovery patterns is insufficient although most patients find their sensory return. Neurometer electrodiagnostic device performs automated neuroselective sensory nerve conduction threshold evaluation by determining current perception threshold (CPT) measures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensory recovery patterns of inferior alveolar and mental nerve over time. Nerve examination with a neurometer was performed in 30 patients undergoing the BSSRO at pre-operative, post-operative 1-, 2-, 4- week, and 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6- month follow-up visits after the osteotomy to compare the differences of nerve injury and recovery patterns after the BSSRO with or without genioplasty and sensory recovery patterns associated with the kind of nerve fiber.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2016

Background: Nonsyndromic craniosynostosis is a relatively common craniofacial anomaly and various techniques were introduced to achieve its operative goals. Authors found that by using smaller bone fragments than that used in conventional cranioplasty, sufficiently rigid bone union and effective regeneration capacity could be achieved with better postoperative outcome, only if their stable fixation was ensured. Methods: Through bicoronal incisional approach, involved synostotic cranial bone together with its surrounding areas were removed. The resected bone flap was split into as many pieces as possible. The extent of this 'multi-split osteotomy' depends on the degree of dysmorphology, expectative volume increment after surgery and probable dead space caused by bony gap between bone segments. Rigid interosseous fixation was performed with variable types of absorbable plate and screw. In all cases, the pre-operational three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) was checked and brain CT was taken immediately after the surgery. Also about 12 months after the operation, 3D CT was checked again to see postoperative morphology improvement, bone union, regeneration and intracranial volume change. Results: The bony gaps seen in the immediate postoperative brain CT were all improved as seen in the 3D CT after 12 months from the surgery. No small bone fragment resorption was observed. Brain volume increase was found to be made gradually, leaving no case of remaining epidural dead space. Conclusion: We conclude that it is meaningful in presenting a new possibility to be applied to not only nonsyndromic craniosynostosis but also other reconstructive cranial vault surgeries.

• Brain Tumor Research and Treatment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.101-104
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• 2018

Pheochromocytoma (PCC) is a neuroendocrine tumor that mainly arises from the medulla of the adrenal gland. Some PCCs become malignant and metastasize to other organs. For example, it typically involves skeletal system, liver, lung, and regional lymph nodes. However, only a few cases of PCC with brain metastasis have been reported worldwide. We report a case of metastatic brain tumor from PCC in South Korea in 2016. A 52-year-old man presented with headache, dizziness and motor aphasia. He had a medical history of PCC with multi-organ metastasis, previously underwent several operations, and was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Brain MRIs showed a brain tumor on the left parietal lobe. Postoperative pathology confirmed that the metastatic brain tumor derived from malignant PCC. This is the first report PCC with brain metastasis in South Korea.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.257-260
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• 2009

Intraventricular hemorrhage long after successful encephaloduroarterio synangiosis (EDAS) is very rare. The effect of revascularization surgery for preventing hemorrhagic event of moyamoya disease remains controversial. We report a 17-year-old female with intracerebral hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrahge 10 years after successful EDAS. Even though cerebral vessels angiography showed good collateral circulations without specific weak points, a cerebral hemorrhage could occur in patient with ischemic type of moyamoya disease long after successful indirect bypass operations. Good collateralization of cerebral angiography or magnetic resonance perfusion image after indirect bypass surgery would ensure against ischemic symptoms, not a hemorrhage. And, thus a life-time follow-up strategy might be necessary even if a good collateral circulation has been established.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 1995

Previously, we have reported that methylene blue (MB) induces cytotoxicity in human brain tumor cells through the generation of free radicals. In this study the effect of deferoxamine (DFO), an iron chelator, on MB-induced cytotoxicity was investigated using SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma and U-373 MG human astrocytoma cells as model cellular systems. The cytotoxic effect of MB was potentiated by DFO. The potentiation effect of DFO was significantly blocked by either stoichiometric amounts of ferric ion, various antioxidants, hydroxyl radical scavengers or intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release blockers. These results suggest that hydroxyl radical and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ may act as important mediators of the enhanced cytotoxicity by MB and DFO. These results further suggest that the combined treatment with MB and DFO may be useful for the therapeutical applications of human brain tumors.