• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.sup1
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• pp.120-123
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• 2001

Objectives : The present study was performed to analyze results of hydroxyurea treatment for unresectable and recurrent meningiomas as adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent. Material and Methods : Among 87 cases of meningioma patients who treated surgically between Jauary 1988 and December 1997 in our department, unresectable and recurrent cases were 4 cases. Histologically, 3 cases were meningothelial type, 1 case was angiomatous type. Tumor orgin was cerebellopontine angle(CPA) in 3 cases, cavernous sinus in 1 case. Three of 4 cases received radiation treatment. All patients received a daily dosage of 20mg/kg/day of hydroxyurea. Hematological monitorning was performed monthly and tumor measurement was assessed by MR imaging before treatment and every 6 months. Mean follow-up period was 34 months. Rerults : All cases showed no enlargement of tumor mass without any shrinkage. Trigeminal neuralgia in 1 case was improved and external herniation of brain on craniectomy site in 1 case was shrunken. None of the patients had any serious side effects. White blood cell count fell below $3000/{\mu}l$ in 1 case, but recovered 2 weeks later with cessation of medication. Conclusion : Hydroxyurea stopped cell growth by triggering the apoptotic cascade. Our preliminary data indicate that hydroxyurea provides adjuvant medical treatment in patients of unresectable and recurrent meningiomas

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.12 s.257
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• pp.844-848
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• 2005

Background: Thoracic outlet syndrome(TOS) is caused by the compression of neurovascular structures that supply to the upper extremities. Only a few reports have been published in Korea, and this study attempts to investigate the clinical aspects and results of the patients who underwent surgical treatment. Material and Method: This study consist of 16 patients who underwent operations for thoracic outlet syndrome from May, 2002 to October, 2004. The surgical indications were confined to patients with: 1) symptom too severe to perform ordinary daily life because of pain, paresthesia, edema of upper extremities, 2) no improvement after proper physical therapy, 3) definite finding of compression confined by radiologic examinations (MRI, angiography, etc), and 4) no other diseases such as cervical intervertebral herniation, myositis, neurologic diseases below the brachial plexus. The surgical approaches were by transaxillary approaches in 12 cases, supraclavicular approaches in 2 cases, and infraciavicular approaches in 2 cases. Result: There were 15 males and one female with an average age of 23.9 years (range:19$\∼$39). Rib anomalies were observed in four cases (25.0$\%$), but the others had no abnormal ribs. Right lesions were found in eight cases (50.0$\%$), left lesions in five cases (31.3$\%$), and bilateral lesions in three cases (18.7$\%$). The follow-up period was 9$\∼$26 months and recurrence rate was 12.5$\%$ (2/16). Complications were one case of ulnar nerve palsy, one case of persistent pain despite radiologic improvement and three cases of wound dehiscence due to fat necrosis and hematoma. Conclusion: Although the choice of treatment in patients with TOS has been disputed, patients who have no response with proper physical therapies can benefit from the surgical treatment which may help patients to return to normal daily activity in shorter period of time.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.9-24
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• 2005

Objective: We have studied the effects of acupuncture and low level He-Ne laser therapy(LLLT) at $SI_3$, $BL_{40}$ on the tibial, sural nerve injury due to sports-damage or traffic accident and L5 spinal nerve ligature model like general herniation of nucleus pulposus(HNP) in a rat of neuopathic pain. Methods: A model of neuropathic pain was made by injuring tibial nerve and sural nerve while common peroneal nerve was maintained. Also, it was made by isolating left 5th lumbar spinal nerve. Three weeks after the neuropathic surgery, acupuncture and LLLT was injected at $SI_3$,$BL_{40}$ one time a day for one week. LLLT was divided three groups, that is LLLT-1(5mW), LLLT-2(10mW) and LLLT-3(30mW). After that, we examined the withdrawal response of neuropathic rats' legs by Von frey filament and acetone stimulation. And also we examined c-Fos, Nocieptin and KOR-3 in the midbrain central gray of neuropathic rats. Results: As we have observed the effect of mechanical allodynia, LLLT-3 group were diminished on 4 day, 5 day, 6 day and 7 day in the resection model compared with control model, LLLT-1 group were diminished on 5 day, LLLT-2 group were diminished on 3 day and 6 day, LLLT-3 group were diminished on 3 day, 4 day, 5 day, 6 day and 7 day in connected model compared with control group. As we have observed the effect of cold allodynia, LLLT-3 group were diminished on 7 day in the resection model compared with control model, LLLT-1 group were diminished on 6 day, 7 day, LLLT-3 group were diminished on 7 day in connected model compared with control group. As we have observed the effect of activity of c-Fos in the central gray part, LLLT-3 were diminished in resection model compared with control group, LLLT-1 group were diminished in connected model compared with control group. As we have observed the effect of activity of Nociceptin in the central gray part, resection model were not increased compared with control group, LLLT-1 group and LLLT-3 group were increased in connected model compared with control model. As we have observed the effect of activity of KOR-3 in the central gray part, resection model were not increased compared with control group, LLLT-3 group were increased in connected model compared with control model. Conclusions: We have noticed that LLLT-1 and LLLT-3 group have more controllable effect than acupuncture group. This study can be used in clinical therapy for neuropathic pain. But it is not reliability that Nociceptin and KOR-3 have effectively to control pain. Therefore We have to follow up about that.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.54-58
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• 2010

Purpose: In patients with chronic cervical pain, the facet joint is the source of the majority. Due to the difficulty of identifying the exact location of the joint that causes these symptoms, the possibility of complications and the placebo effect brings clinical application into question. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of patients with chronic cervical pain and report the diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness of ultrasonography - guided facet joint block therapy. Materials and Methods: Patients with nonspecific chronic cervical pain for more than 6 months were selected. Patients with disc herniation, sciatica-related pain were excluded from the study and 160 patients who failed in conservative treatment (physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, medication) were included in the study. Diagnostic Ultrasonography-guided facet joint block was performed with 1% lidocaine, and after two weeks, Bupivacaine 0.25% was used in patients who tested positive for lidocaine. Patients with more than 75% pain reduction during movement after facet joint block were considered positive. Results: Among the 160 patients with chronic cervical pain, 96 patients(60%) had a positive reaction after facet block using lidocaine. Among the 64 patients with a negative reaction to lidocaine, 48 patients(75%) had a positive reaction to bupivacaine. There were 48 false positive patients(50%) who showed a positive reaction to lidocaine but a negative reaction to bupivacaine. The mean VAS of the total 160 patients before blocks was 8.5, after 2 weeks follow up it decreased to 2.7 (p = 0.001) and after 4weeks 3.6 (p = 0.001). The 8 patients as an initial improvement of symptoms are not satisfied with the procedure and the 3 patients had been worsened during observation, were showed pain relief after additional ultrasonography-guided facet joint block at 4th week. Conclusion: A single ultrasonography-guided block to chronic cervical pain patients has relatively low diagnostic value since high false positive rate. The twice facet joint blocks is thought to be a useful method for interventional pain management of patients with chronic cervical pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.4
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• pp.862-875
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• 2021

Purpose To investigate the MRI features associated with neural foraminal stenosis (NFS) in patients older than 60 years with lumbar (L) radiculopathy. Materials and Methods This study included 133 retrospectively selected patients older than 60 years with lumbar radiculopathy who had undergone a lumbar spine MRI (from January 2018 to April 2018). For L4/L5 and L5/sacral (S)1 levels, NFS was reviewed blindly by two radiologists. Spondylolisthesis, retrolisthesis, disc height loss, disc bulging/herniation/central canal stenosis, ligamentum flavum thickening, and facet hypertrophy were evaluated separately for the NFS and non-NFS groups, and they were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results The univariate analysis revealed that disc height loss (p = 0.006) was associated with NFS for L4/L5. For L5/S1, both spondylolisthesis (p = 0.005) and facet hypertrophy (p = 0.006) were associated with NFS. The multivariate logistic analysis revealed that disc height loss was associated with NFS for L4/L5 [odds ratio (OR) = 4.272; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.736-10.514]. For L5/S1, spondylolisthesis (OR = 3.696; 95% CI 1.297-10.530) and facet hypertrophy (OR = 6.468; 95% CI 1.283-32.617) were associated with NFS. Conclusion Disc height loss was associated with NFS for L4/L5 and spondylolisthesis and facet hypertrophy were associated with NFS for L5/S1.