• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 2014

The major symptoms of terminally ill cancer patients are fatigue, loss of energy, feeling of helplessness, poor appetite and pain as well as general weakness, which are very similar to symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. Adrenal insufficiency-induced symptoms widely vary from mild symptoms to life-threatening conditions and may be resulted from variable medical causes. For terminally ill cancer patients who are hospitalized for palliative care, opioid agents are prescribed to control moderate to severe pain. The use of acute or chronic opioid agents is believed to negatively affect adrenal gland function. In most studies of opioid effects (preclinical/clinical with animal subjects or and patients suffering non-malignant pain, adrenal insufficiency and hormonal abnormalities were observed as side effects. However, opioid-induced adrenal insufficiency has been rarely reported in studies with patients with malignant cancer pain. Relationship between the type, treatment period, dosage of opioid agents and hormonal abnormalities can be examined by measuring the functional level of the adrenal glands. We hope to improve patient's quality of life by indicating hormone substitution to treat symptoms of adrenal insufficiency.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.391-397
• /
• 2000

Background: Cardiac involvement of Behcets disease is very rate, however, the prognosis of Behcet disease depends on cardiovascular complications. In this article, we described surgical treatment of aortic insufficiency with Behcets disease. Material and Method: From March 1986 to February 1998, we operated on 10 patients of aortic insufficiency with Behcets disease. Male to female ratio was 8 to 2, and age ranged from 21 to 40 years(mean 32.8 years). There were 8 patients with evidence of Behcets disease and another 2 patients had some suspicious findings of Behcets disease(i.e., prosthetic value dehiscence, hypertrophied aortic wall). Adequate preoperative medical treatment for Behcets disease was done in 3 patients. Result: We performed 24 open heart surgeries in 10 patients. Redo value replacements using prosthetic valves were done in 4 patients. Among them, 2 patients were operated on for a second redo valve replacement and one of them operated on for a 4th and 5th operation because of recurrent paravalvular leakage. These 4 patients expired. 1 patient who had undergons tissue value replacement is alive. 1 patient who underwent Cabrol operation expired dut to rupture of graft anastomosis site. We used homografts in 3 patients. In 2 of them, we performed aortic root replacement and subcoronary valve replacement in another patient. The patient who underwent subcoronary valve insertion had remnant aortic insufficiency, so we are closely observing him. We also performed Ross operation in a 24 year old female who suffered severs aortic insufficiency and endocarditis after aortic valvuloplasty. 5 patients are alive and mean follow up duration is 49.0 months. Among them, we used homografts or sutografts in 4 patients. We could observe excellent clinical results in the patients who underwent aortic root replacement using homograft and they were treated medically for Behcets disease. Conclusion: We concluded that adequate preporative diagnosis, clinical suspicion, and periopertive medical treatment for Behcets disease are very important for the result of surgical management of aortic insufficiency with Behcets disease. The use of homograft or autograft was helpful for the healing of anastomosis site and we should carefully observe the long term follow up results.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study investigated accommodative changes by measuring accommodative response, appearing on the normal and convergence insufficiency Group, by using both eyes open-view auto-refractometer (Nvision-K5001, shin-nippon, Japan). Methods: It carried out objective and subjective refractions, targeting 74 college students (54 males and 20 females) aged between 19 and 29 ($21.59{\pm}2.53$), spherical equivalent OD $-2.28{\pm}2.03$ D, OS $-2.18{\pm}2.01$ D, by measuring accommodative responses at full correction and under correction with plus lens +0.25, +0.50, +0.75 arbitrarily added. Results: In the group of normal and convergence insufficiency, the shorter fixation distances were, the greater accommodative lags showed. The group of convergence insufficiency showed the lesser changes of accommodative response than those of normal. But we found that the convergence insufficiency group had a little larger accommodative amplitude in the total fixation distances. The full correction of convergence insufficiency group and the under correction (+0.50 D) of normal were alike in the accommodative responses. We have also investigated that the correlation between accommodative responses and fixation distances was decreased steeply at the excessive low vision correction. Conclusions: Under correction (+0.50 D) in a near distance is expected to avoid unnecessary accommodative responses, make eyes relaxed and comfortable.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.66 no.6
• /
• pp.618-631
• /
• 2023

The brain houses vital hormonal regulatory structures such as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which may confer unique susceptibilities to critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in patients with neurological disorders. In addition, the frequent use of steroids for therapeutic purposes in various neurological conditions may lead to the development of steroid insufficiency. This abstract aims to highlight the significance of understanding these relationships in the context of patient care and management for physicians. Neurological disorders may predispose patients to CIRCI due to the role of the brain in hormonal regulation. Early recognition of CIRCI in the context of neurological diseases is essential to ensure prompt and appropriate intervention. Moreover, the frequent use of steroids for treating neurological conditions can contribute to the development of steroid insufficiency, further complicating the clinical picture. Physicians must be aware of these unique interactions and be prepared to evaluate and manage patients with CIRCI and steroid insufficiency in the context of neurological disorders. This includes timely diagnosis, appropriate steroid administration, and careful monitoring for potential adverse effects. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between neurological disease, CIRCI, and steroid insufficiency is critical for optimizing patient care and outcomes in this complex patient population.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.204-212
• /
• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report the effects of traditional Korean treatment (acupuncture, herb medicine and Chuna manipulation treatment) on a postpartum patient with pelvic girdle pain. Methods: The postpartum patient with pelvic girdle pain was treated by traditional Korean treatment such as herbal medication (Boheotanggagam-bang), acupuncture. The patient was diagnosed pelvic insufficiency in pelvis AP x-ray. So we treated the patient a total of 10 times of acupuncture and Chuna manipulation treatment. Results: After the treatment, the patient's pain was disappeared and the pelvic insufficiency in pelvis AP x-ray was improved. Conclusions: This case shows that traditional Korean treatment might be effective in improving postpartum patients' pain and pelvic insufficiency.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.454-458
• /
• 2010

Velopharyngeal insufficiency is defined as a status in which nasal cavity and oral cavity can not be sepa-rated when speaking, swallowing by any reason. It has been treated by palatorrhaphy, pharyn-geal flap, local flap, free flap etc. When the size of the defect is small, it can be restored by palatorrhaphy, pharyngeal flap etc. But they are not proper for treatment of the large size of defect. In that case, local flap and free flap are more beneficial. Although large defect can be restored by free flap technique, but it is very complex, time-consuming and may bring about esthetical, functional complications of donor site. Buccinator myomucosal flap is a kind of local flap and reported for the first time by Bozola et al in 1989 and it has become a useful way for reconstruction of large intraoral defect. Authors experienced the use of buccinators myomucosal flap for treating secondary velopharyngeal insufficiency with large soft palate defect and obtained good result. So we report the case with literature reviews.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.50-55
• /
• 1979

The development of aortic insufficiency radically alters the physical findings which are generally associated with ventricular septal defect that was not hemodynamically significant, and the combination of the two lesions produces a typical clinical picture, that may be serious and life-threatening when it is left untreated. Therefore, the selection of patients, type and timing of surgical treatment is considered to be important. Among 114 cases of ventricular septal defect treated surgically utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 7 cases were associated with aortic insufficiency. 1. Five cases were male, and 2 cases were female. Ages were from 4 years to 24 years, and mean age was 11.9 years. 2. In all cases, ventricular septal defect was closed with Teflon patch. In a case, a aortic valvuloplasty and in another, a aortic valve replacement with Hancock valve 23 mm., 5 months after the closure of ventricular septal defect were done. 3. Four cases were type I ventricular septal defect by Kirklin`s classification, 3 cases were type II ventricular septal defect, and diameters of ventricular septal defect were from 3.5 cm. to 0.7 cm. A PDA. was combined to a type I ventricular septal defect. 4. In 5 cases, herniation of the aortic cusp through the ventricular septal defect and in a case, annulus dilatation on the aortic valve was noted. 5. Two cases with type I ventricular septal defect and severe pulmonary hypertension expired. A re-opened case with type II ventricular septal defect expired. 6. Four cases were alive, and all of them show decrease of pulse pressure and aortic insufficiency.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.407-413
• /
• 1985

Ruptured aneurysms of the sinus Valsalva are relatively rare, and the incidence seems to be higher in oriental than in western countries. Five patients underwent operative treatment in Catholic Medical Center in recent 2.5 year period. Three patients were male and two patients were female, ages ranged from 20 to 54 years. Bacterial endocarditis was suspected or proved in 3 patients. In 3 patients in our series had a ruptured congenital aneurysms and in 2 patients acquired aneurysms by bacterial endocarditis. Associated cardiac lesions were common; such as aortic insufficiency in 3 patients, atrial septal defect in 2 patients, mitral stenoinsufficiency in 1 patient and tricuspid insufficiency in 1 patient. All aneurysmal ruptures of the sinus Valsalva arose from right coronary sinus and in 4 patients ruptured into right ventricle and in 1 patient into right atrium. Surgical techniques consisted of direct closure 4 in patients and closure with Dacron patch in 1 patient. And we preferred double approach, that is, through both the aorta and the involved cardiac chamber in cases in whom aortic insufficiency was present. So additional aortic valve replacement performed in 2 patients due to severe aortic insufficiency and aortic valvuloplasty performed in 1 patient. One patient who underwent direct closure of ruptured sinus Valsalva and double valve replacement died due to low cardiac output syndrome just after the operation. Operative results were relatively good in remainders.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.73-76
• /
• 2015

The calcaneal insufficiency avulsion fracture usually occurs in an area of fused apophysis in adults without significant history of trauma or overuse activities. It is an uncommon injury which has been described in patients with complicated diabetes, Charcot neuroarthropathy, amyloidosis with neuropathy, severe osteoporosis, and other conditions. Discussion of the issue of fracture location is still not sufficient. We report on a case of a 50-year-old male who experienced a non-traumatic diabetic calcaneal insufficiency fracture. Intraoperatively, a biopsy specimen was obtained from the exposed fracture site for histological study. We assume that the calcaneal fused apophyseal line is the weak point of failure due to various incomplete mixtures of trabecular bone, woven bone, and cartilaginous tissues, and may fail when repeated tensile stress is imposed.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.229-232
• /
• 2008

Insufficiency fractures of the sacrum are relatively common and cause severe low back and buttock pain. Percutaneous vertebroplasty is effective for treating vertebral compression fractures. We present a case of percutaneous sacroplasty for the treatment of low back and buttock pain in a sacral insufficiency fracture. A 79-year-old male with non-small lung cancer presented with severe low back and buttock pain after series of radiation treatments. Preoperative MRI showed both a sacral ala and S2 metastatic insufficiency fracture. An epidural port was inserted for continuous morphine infusion and sacral nerve root blocks were performed. However, his pain did not diminish and we attempted percutaneous sacroplasty. Both sides of the sacroplasty were done with a fluoroscopy-guided technique with 1.7 ml and 2.3 ml of bone cement injected into the right and left sacral ala. Pain relief was significant and the patient was able to sit down 1 day after the procedure.