• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.331-336
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• 2007

Objective : The aim of this study was to analyze the treatment results and prognostic factors in patients with massive cerebral infarction who underwent decompressive craniectomy. Methods : From January 2000 to December 2005, we performed decompressive craniectomy in 24 patients with massive cerebral infarction. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records, radiological findings, initial clinical assessment using the Glasgow Coma Scale, serial computerized tomography (CT) with measurement of midline and septum pellucidum shift, and cerebral infarction territories. Patients were evaluated based on the following factors : the pre- and post-operative midline shifting on CT scan, infarction area or its dominancy, consciousness level, pupillary light reflex and Glasgow Outcome Scale. Results : All 24 patients (11 men, 13 women; mean age, 63 years; right middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory, 17 patients; left MCA territory, 7 patients) were treated with large decompressive craniectomy and duroplasty. The average time interval between the onset of symptoms and surgical decompression was 2.5 days. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale was 12.4 on admission and 8.3 preoperatively. Of the 24 surgically treated patients, the good outcome group (Group 2 : GOS 4-5) comprised 9 cases and the poor outcome group (Group1 : GOS 1-3) comprised 15 cases. Conclusion : We consider decompressive craniectomy for large hemispheric infarction as a life-saving procedure. Good preoperative GCS, late clinical deterioration, small size of the infarction area, absence of anisocoria, and preoperative midline shift less than 11mm were considered to be positive predictors of good outcome. Careful patient selection based on the above-mentioned factors and early operation may improve the functional outcome of surgical management for large hemispheric infarction.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.465-467
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• 2005

Anterior cerebral artery[ACA] dissecting aneurysms are extremely rare and optimal treatment remains unclear. The majority of cases manifest as cerebral infarction or as intracranial bleeding. The authors report two cases of ACA dissecting aneurysm, one with a large partially thrombosed gradually growing aneurysm and one with a cerebral infarction in the ACA territory. The patient with a large aneurysm was treated by trapping the aneurysm, and the patient with infarction by conservative management. We report on two cases of dissecting aneurysm of the ACA and include a review of pertinent literature.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.92-96
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• 2011

Objective : We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic factors that can influence long-term survival in patients who suffered acute large cerebral infarction. Methods : Between June 2003 and October 2008, a total of 178 patients were diagnosed with a large cerebral infarction, and, among them, 122 patients were alive one month after the onset of stroke. We investigated the multiple factors that might have influenced the life expectancies of these 122 patients. Results : The mean age of the patients was $70{\pm}13.4$ years and the mean survival was $41.7{\pm}2.8$ months. The mean survival of the poor functional outcome group ($mRS{\geq}4$) was $33.9{\pm}3.3$ months, whereas that of the good functional outcome group ($mRS{\leq}3$) was $58.6{\pm}2.6$ months (p value=0.000). The mean survival of the older patients (270 years) was $29.7{\pm}3.4$ months, whereas that of the younger patients (<70 years) was much better as $58.9{\pm}3.2$ months (p value=0.000). Involvement of ACA or PCA territory in MCA infarction is also a poor prognostic factor (p value=0.021). But, other factors that are also known as significant predictors of poor survival (male gender, hypertension, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, a previous history of stroke, smoking, and dyslipidemia) did not significantly influence the mean survival time in the current study. Conclusion : Age (older versus younger than 70 years old) and functional outcome at one month could be critical prognostic factors for survival after acute large cerebral infarction. Involvement of ACA or PCA territory is also an important poor prognostic factor in patients with MCA territorial infarction.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1072-1078
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• 2001

Objectives : There is continuing controversy about the benefits of decompressive craniectomy in massive cerebral edema following space occupying hemispheric cerebral infarction. The aims of this study are to determine the effectiveness and to confirm the life-saving nature of decompressive craniectomy with dural augmentation for massive cerebral infarction. Patients and Methods : We present twelve patients with medically uncontrollable hemispheric cerebral infarction. All were treated with extensive craniectomy and duroplasty without resection of necrotic tissue. We evaluated various characteristics(size of hemispheric infarction, Glasgow Coma Scale, volume of low density and midline shift in CT) at three different periods(preoperative, immediate postoperative and 3-4weeks after operation) and evaluated effectiveness of hemicraniectomy for massive cerebral edema after large hemispheric infarction. Results : All patients have survived from surgery. Nine patients with nondominant hemispheric infarction showed significant functional recovery with minimal assistance, and remaining two patients with dominant hemispheric infarction and one patient with nondominant hemispheric infarction have functionally dependent. The volume of low density and midline shift in CT were significantly reduced after decompressive craniectomy. Conclusions : Our results indicate that decompressive craniectomy with dural augmentation without resection of necrotic tissue for massive cerebral hemispheric infarction not only reduce the mortality and infarction size but also significantly improve the outcome, especially for nondominant hemispheric infarction.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.337-341
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• 2007

Objective : Repeated administration of mannitol in the setting of large hemispheric infarction is a controversial and poorly defined therapeutic intervention. This study was performed to examine the effects of multiple-dose mannitol on a brain edema after large hemispheric infarction. Methods : A middle cerebral artery was occluded with the rat suture model for 6 hours and reperfused in 22 rats. The rats were randomly assigned to either control (n=10) or the mannitol-treated group (n=12) in which intravenous mannitol infusions (0.8 g/kg) were performed six times every four hours. After staining a brain slice with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, the weight of hemispheres, infarcted (IH) and contralateral (CH), and the IH/CH weight ratio were examined, and then hemispheric accumulation of mannitol was photometrically evaluated based on formation of NADH catalyzed by mannitol dehydrogenase. Results : Mannitol administration produced changes in body weight of $-7.6{\pm}1.1%$, increased plasma osmolality to $312{\pm}8\;mOsm/L$. It remarkably increased weight of IH ($0.77{\pm}0.06\;gm$ versus $0.68{\pm}0.03\;gm$ : p<0.01) and the IH/CH weight ratio ($1.23{\pm}0.07$ versus $1.12{\pm}0.05$ : p<0.01). The photometric absorption at 340 nm of the cerebral tissue in the mannitol-treated group was increased to $0.375{\pm}0.071$ and $0.239{\pm}0.051$ in the IH and CH, respectively from $0.167{\pm}0.082$ and $0.162{\pm}0.091$ in the IH and CH of the control group (p<0.01). Conclusion : Multiple-dose mannitol is likely to aggravate cerebral edema due to parenchymal accumulation of mannitol in the infarcted brain tissue.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.25-35
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• 2000

Objectives : The characteristic of meridian system has been similar to this of electric potentials in human body. Therefore to measure the electric potentials in healthy volunteers and patients, and to find out the characteristic of meridian system and also to do that of differences between them. Methods : Twenty-nine healthy volunteers, thirty patients diagnosed as a cerebral infarction and wind-syndrome caused by hyperactivity of the liver-yang(肝陽化風) were examined into electric potential of well(井穴) and sea(合穴) points in branches of the twelve meridians by physiograph. Results : Measurements were analyzed by factor analysis, then we obtained that both the right and the left electric potential of well and sea points in branches of the twelves meridians in healthy volunteers were divided into two factors, hand meridian and foot meridian. Where as the left electric potential of those in patients with cerebral infarction were divided into three factors, one is foot meridian, another is hand meridian with the exception of large intestine meridian, and the other is large intestine meridian and also the right electric potential were divided into three factors, foot meridian, hand meridian with the exception of large intestine and lung meridian, and large intestine and lung meridian. Conclusions : In the results, healthy volunteers differ from patients in characteristic of electrical potentials, which means that we are able to catch the characteristic of meridian system by electrical potentials of well and sea points.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.816-824
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• 2022

Objective : Emergency superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis in patients with large vessel occlusion who fails mechanical thrombectomy or does not become an indication due to over the time window can be done as an alternative for blood flow restoration. The authors planned this study to quantitatively measure the degree of improvement in cerebral perfusion flow using perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after bypass surgery and to find out what factors are related to the outcome of the bypass surgery. Methods : For a total of 107 patients who underwent emergent STA-MCA bypass surgery with large vessel occlusion, the National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin score (mRS), infarction volume, and hypoperfusion area volume was calculated, the duration between symptom onset and reperfusion time, occlusion site and infarction type were analyzed. After emergency STA-MCA bypass, hypoperfusion area volume at post-operative 7 days was calculated and analyzed compared with pre-operative hypoperfusion area volume. The factors affecting the improvement of mRS were analyzed. The clinical status of patients who underwent emergency bypass was investigated by mRS and NIHSS before and after surgery, and changes in infarct volume, extent, degree of collateral circulation, and hypoperfusion area volume were measured using MRI and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Results : The preoperative infarction volume was median 10 mL and the hypoperfusion area volume was median 101 mL. NIHSS was a median of 8 points, and the last normal to operation time was a median of 60.7 hours. STA patency was fair in 97.1% of patients at 6 months follow-up DSA and recanalization of the occluded vessel was confirmed at 26.5% of patients. Infarction volume significantly influenced the improvement of mRS (p=0.010) but preoperative hypoperfusion volume was not significantly influenced (p=0.192), and the infarction type showed marginal significance (p=0.0508). Preoperative NIHSS, initial mRS, occlusion vessel type, and last normal to operation time did not influence the improvement of mRS (p=0.272, 0.941, 0.354, and 0.391). Conclusion : In a patient who had an acute cerebral infarction due to large vessel occlusion with large ischemic penumbra but was unable to perform mechanical thrombectomy, STA-MCA bypass could be performed. By using time-to-peak images of perfusion MRI, it is possible to quickly and easily confirm that the brain tissue at risk is preserved and that the ischemic penumbra is recovered to a normal blood flow state.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.437-442
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• 2001

For ischemic cerebrovascular disease, it is well known that early luxury perfusion is related to a good clinical outcome and single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) has the potential for providing useful information about regional cerebral blood flow. We report one case of Rt. MCA infarction mainly treated by oriental medicine and revealed luxury perfusion without thrombolysis. In acute stage, neurological deficits of the patient were very severe. 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT images obtained 10days after the attack showed large perfusion defect in the Rt. MCA territory. We followed up 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT 40days after the ictus. Despite of the poor early perfusion, we found considerably improved perfusion and neurological improvement.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.29-41
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• 2003

Clinical observation was made on 52 cases of Stroke that were confined through brain CT, MRI scan. The Stroke cases wee classified into the following kinds cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebellar or brain stem infarction, cerebellar or brain stem hemorrhage. And among the 52 cases of Stroke cerebral infarction was noticed in 75.00%, cerebral hemorrhage in 11.54%, cerebellar or brain stem infarction in 9.52%, cerebellar or brain stem hemorrhage in 3.85%. The ratio between males and females was 1.74:1 in the whole groups of Stroke and most cases were over 60 of age. As the time of hospitalization, most patients hospitalized from 1 day after stroke to 7 days after stroke. And as the course of hospitalization, most patients hospitalized first. Among the preceding disease at the onset of Stroke hypertention was noted in 32.69%, and deabetes mellitus or heart problem was noted frequently(15.39%). Electrocardiography findings were as follows: The normal was noted in 53.85%, the abnormal in 46.15%. And as the abnormal, left ventricular hypertrophy was noted in 17.54%. The predisposing factors or conditions at the onset of brain infarction were usually initiated during the time of sleeping and those of brain hemorrhage chiefly during the time of exercising like overwork or walking etc. It was noted that smoking a pack of cigarette showed highest disease rate(33.33%) among the average of smoking amount of one day in case of man. Prior to attack, the most chiefly complain was dyspnea or discomfort on chest region. And 30.70% of patients had no previous sign. There were a large number of recurrent cases. The first attack was noted in 71.15%, the 2nd attack in 23.08%, the 3rd attack in 5.77%.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.3 s.248
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• pp.237-240
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• 2005

Improved operative, anesthetic, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) techniques have significantly reduced postoperative complications; however, neurologic disorders remain a serious complication after open heart surgery. Possible explanations for neurologic complications are microembolism from CPB, decreased cerebral pefusion pressure due to intraoperative hypotension and unexpected metabolic changes. Amomg these, seizure has low incidence and Todd's paralysis after open heart surgery is extremely rare. Todd's paralysis is a complication of a seizure due to neuronal exhaustion mimicking large cerebral infarction after open heart surgery.