• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.229-240
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this report is to show the effect of complex traditional Korean medical care focused on warm needling(WN) and bee venom(BV) injection for a patient suffering from traumatic brachial plexus injury(BPI). Methods : A 51-year-old female patient with BPI was suffering from paresis and hypoesthesia with upper-extremity impairment. The patient had been treated once a day from 4 Feb to 11 Apr of 2015 mainly with WN and BV injection on the acupoints near the distribution of the brachial plexus. Improvement of the symptoms was measured by range of motion(ROM), manual muscle test(MMT) grip strength, and with the numeric rating scale(NRS) of tactile and pain sensitivity. Results : After 67 days of treatment, all obtained results showed remarkable improvement. The patient's satisfaction declaration was recorded through an interview at the end of the treatment. Conclusions : The results suggest that anatomically concerned WN and BV treatment can be a valuable option in reducing or normalizing pains from traumatic BPI.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.238-242
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• 2017

Background: Conservative treatment is performed for isolated anterior wall of the maxillary sinus fractures, in many cases when the fracture is clinically not severe and asymptomatic. Despite the absence of symptoms, complications such as sinusitis, rhinitis, and chronic purulent secretion may develop; therefore, successful reduction is required. We attempted to reduce the risk of complications using an alternative technique: reduction of the fracture with two urinary balloon catheters inserted through the maxillary ostium and fixation using fibrin glue, which minimizes the damage to the bony fragments and sinus mucosa. Methods: In this study, 38 patients who were diagnosed with an isolated anterior wall of the maxillary sinus fracture at our hospital between January 2014 and January 2017 were enrolled. The fracture site was exposed via the Caldwell-Luc approach followed by reduction through the insertion of two urinary balloon catheters using a nasal endoscope and fixation with fibrin glue. The sex, cause of fracture, physical examination, and presence of complications were examined and patient's medical records and facial bone computed tomography scans were analyzed. Results: Radiological evaluation showed that there was no evidence of collapsed reduction fragments. Although some patients had remaining symptoms of hypoesthesia (15%; 3 patients), there were no complications such as infection, rhinitis, sinusitis, and chronic purulent secretion at the surgical site. Conclusion: In this study, we present an alternative surgical technique using two urinary balloon catheters and fibrin glue for the successful reconstruction of an isolated anterior wall of the maxillary sinus fracture. This technique enables precise restoration with a reduced risk of complications.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1663-1669
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• 2007

Acute transverse myelitis(ATM) is defined as an acute intramedullary dysfunction of the spinal cord, ascendng or static involving both halves of the cord and appearing without any history of previous neurological diseases due to traumatic accident, tumor of all kind, encephalitis and of course excluding all possible viral, bacterial and fungal infection. It is mainly characterized by acute motor disorder of both limbs in respect to which spinal segments are affected as well as sensory disorder and dysuria & dyschezia. The exact cause is unknown, however it is recently suggested that immunological factors are highly involved. It has been reported by several reliable sources that it is often accompanied by immunological diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). As treatments non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDS) are primarily recommended as to steroids, limited doses are injected only with the proper prescription from the physician. Operative methods are not options as traumatic accidents and tumors are excluded as factors. To enhance muscle strength and prevent articular contracture physical therapy and passive exercise is imperative. The following patient whose chief complaints were mainly about hypoesthesia of Rt. lower limb and stiffness of phalanges of both fingers as well as to weakness of lower extermity. Therefore it has been diagnosed as arthalgia syndrome. In oriental medicine factors such as wind evil heat-evil, dampness-heat evil, cold evil cause the arthalgia syndrome. In this case the patient was diagnosed as dampness-heat evil and herbal medicine Chunglijagam-Tang and Dong-Qi acupuncture was applied to treat bladder disorder.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.203-207
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• 2007

Inguinal hernia repair can result in paresthesia and/or pain in the inguinal region. Pharmacological and surgical management often yield inconsistent results associated with considerable risks and side effects. Radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF) is a neuro-destructive treatment for severe pain, but associated with hypoesthesia, neuritis-like reactions, and occasional neuroma formation. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), unlike RF, delivers high intensity currents in pulses, is non-neurodestructive, and therefore less painful, without the potential complications. Here we report on PRF in chronic postoperative inguinal pain. A 23-year-old male who received right inguinal hernia repair and complained of right sided groin pain for approximately 10 years underwent PRF at the L1 and L2 dorsal root ganglia (DRG). He then reported a decrease in pain from 80-90/100 mm to 15-30/100 mm on a visual analogue scale (VAS), which lasted for twelve months.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.452-456
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• 2010

Purpose: The schwannoma is a benign peripheral nerve tumor arising from the Schwann cell of the nerve sheath. Only 2-8% of schwannomas arise in the hand and wrist. Misdiagnosis is frequent such as ganglion and neurofibroma. This article documents and clarifies the clinical features of schwannomas arising in the hand and wrist, and emphasizes importance of differential diagnosis and meticulous surgical extirpation under magnification. Methods: The author reviewed clinical features of 15 patients with pathologic final diagnosis of schwannoma developed in hand and wrist during the last 12 years from 1998 through 2009. The review included the sex, age of onset, duration, preoperative diagnosis, location, involved nerve, preoperative symptoms and. Postoperative sequelae after surgical extirpation of the lesion with magnification, or without magnification of the surgical fields. Results: The chief complaints were slow growing firm mass in all patients, and followed by pain in 40%, and paresthesia in 40% respectively. The lesions were developed solitarily in 14 patients (93%). The postoperative pathologic diagnosis and preoperative diagnosis were coincided with only in 6 patients (40%). Other preoperative diagnosis were soft tissue tumor in 4 patient (26.6%), and ganglion in 3 patients (20%), and neurofibroma in 2 patients (13%). In all patients who were undergone surgical excision under the fields of magnification, all symptoms were subsided without any sequelae. Meanwhile muscle weakness, paresthesia, hypoesthesia and /or accidental nerve resection developed after surgical excision with naked eye. Conclusion: Schwannoma in hand most commonly appears as a slow growing solitary mass with pain or paresthesia. The chance of preoperative misdiagnosis was 60% in this series. To provide good prognosis and less sequelae, careful and elaborate diagnostic efforts and meticulous surgical excision under the magnification are necessary in management of schwannoma.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.815-818
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• 2010

Purpose: Soft tissue chondroma is a rare benign tumor, found mainly on the palm and sole and grows slowly. Typically, mature hyaline cartilage is the dominant pathological feature. There are reports that assert soft tissue chondromas to be a cause of median nerve entrapment syndrome. However, this is the first case report showing soft tissue chondroma to be a cause of simultaneous median and ulnar neuropathy. Methods: A 62 year-old woman presented with chief complaints of numbness and hypoesthesia of her right palm for 4 to 5 years, and a palpable mass on her right palm that had been increasing in size slowly for 3 years. Physical examination revealed a firm, mobile, non-tender and about $3{\times}3\;cm^2$ sized mass in the center of the right palm. Electromyography showed entrapment neuropathy of the median and ulnar nerve. Ultrasonography showed an approximately $5.7\;cm^2$ mass below the flexor tendon of ring finger. Upon surgical excision, a $3{\times}3\;cm^2$ mass attached to the flexor digitorum profundus of ring finger and redness and hypertrophy of both the median and ulnar nerve were discovered. Mass excision was performed gently and the specimen was referred for histopathologic study. Mass excision resulted in median and ulnar nerve release. Results: The pathology report confirmed the mass to be a soft tissue chondroma with mature hyaline cartilage. The patient exhibited post-operative improvement of her symptoms and did not show any complications. Conclusion: This is the first case report showing soft tissue chondroma to be a cause of simultaneous median and ulnar neuropathy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.6
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• pp.747-752
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• 2018

Objective : To prospectively compare facial pain outcomes for patients having either a repeat microvascular decompression (MVD) or percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) as their surgery for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) recurrence. Methods : Prospective cohort study of 110 patients with TN recurrence who had either redo MVD (n=68) or PBC (n=42) from July 2010 until September 2016. The mean follow-up was 45.6 months. Results : After redo MVD, 65 patients (95.6%) experienced immediate relief of pain. After PBC, 34 patients (81%) were immediately relieved of their neuralgia. After 1 month, the clinical effect of redo MVD was better than PBC (p<0.01). Patients who had redo MVD more commonly were pain free off medications (93.4% at 1 year, 78.2% at 4 years) compared with the PBC patients (85.1% at 1 year, 59.3% at 4 years). However, mean length of stay was longer (p>0.05). Patients after PBC who occurred developed herpes simplex (35.7%), facial numbness (76.2%), and annoying dysesthesia (21.4%) more frequently compared with patients after redo MVD who occurred developed herpes simplex (14.7%), facial numbness (8.8%), and hypoesthesia (5.9%) (p<0.05). The symptoms recurred respectively in 15 patients (22.1%) and 19 patients (45.2%) after redo MVD and PBC within the entire 6-year follow-up period. Conclusion : For the patients with TN recurrence, redo MVD was a more effective procedure than PBC. The cure rate and immediate relief of pain were better, and the incidence of complications was lower.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.61-64
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• 2013

Schwannomas are well-differentiated solitary benign tumors that originate from the schwann cells of the nerve sheath. They can readily occur in the head and neck regions, but the schwannoma originating from the infraorbital nerve is extremely rare and usually painless, slow-growing, and without specific symptoms. The author experienced a rare case of infraorbital schwannoma, which was completely removed through the intraoral approach. A 20-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for a painless, solid and circular mass located on the right infraorbital region. The eyeball movement and visual field were normal. There was no globe displacement or proptosis. Preoperative computed tomography demonstrated $13{\times}10{\times}5mm$-sized soft tissue mass. On March 2011, the mass was removed through an intraoral approach. On histopathological examination, the gross specimen consisted of a smooth, well-encapsulated and light yellowish solid mass, measuring $12{\times}7{\times}5mm$. Microscopically, it presented a typical manifestation of schwannoma with Antoni A area with Verocay body, and Antoni B area on H&E stain. The result of the immunohistochemical staining was positive for the S-100 protein. The patient had hypoesthesia of the nasal septum and vestibule in the postoperative period, and this finding confirmed that the internal nasal branch of infraorbital nerve was the nerve in which the schwannoma originated. Infraorbital schwannomas are very rare and must be included in the differential diagnosis of the orbital masses inferior to the eyeball. In the case of early diagnosis, the small-sized infraorbital schwannomas can be completely removed without any scar through an intraoral approach.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.42
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• pp.16.1-16.8
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• 2020

Background: Cyst enucleation, which extracts only the tumor with the application of Carnoy's solution (CS), has been suggested as a conservative treatment with a low recurrence rate and morbidity. However, there has been a concern that CS's contact with inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) can cause neurons to degenerate and cause sensory dysfunction. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the neurosensory function after surgical treatment with or without the application of CS. Methods: While controlling the effects of sex, age, follow-up period, and invasion size of the tumor, we performed the binary logistic regression analysis to examine whether or not the sensory function of the patients who were treated with CS (n = 19) for the cyst enucleation procedure was significantly different from those who were not treated with CS (n = 58) at the end of the follow-up period. Results: The logistic regression result showed that the use of CS was not significantly related to the normalness of sensory function at the end of the follow-up period. Rather, the invasion size of the cyst was significantly associated with sensory dysfunction. Conclusions: CS may be used for patients who are diagnosed with OKC and UAM without much fear of its impact on sensory dysfunction. However, a small number of patients who were treated with CS experienced severe sensory damage and did not recover at the end of the follow-up period, suggesting the need for further analysis of these patients.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.127-130
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• 2021

Ultrasound (US)-guided hydrodissection (HD) is a widely applied therapeutic method to release the entrapped peripheral nerve. However, this therapy has only been studied for the nerve entrapments such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and there are no reports of its effect on direct nerve injuries with incomplete axonal damage. Here, we report a case of direct traumatic injury of a median nerve with incomplete axonal injury in a 28-year-old man. He presented hypoesthesia and weakness along with the median nerve territory of the left hand after a laceration wound of the wrist. The patient underwent a surgical procedure, but did not experience prominent improvement for the next six months. Symptoms improved after we performed the US-guided HD with dextrose. We propose this procedure as one of the new treatment methods for direct axonal injury of nerves including the median nerve.