• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.267-269
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• 2012

Traumatic brachial plexus injuries can be devastating, causing partial to total denervation of the muscles of the upper extremities. Surgical reconstruction can restore motor and/or sensory function following nerve injuries. Direct nerve-to-nerve transfers can provide a closer nerve source to the target muscle, thereby enhancing the quality and rate of recovery. Restoration of elbow flexion is the primary goal for patients with brachial plexus injuries. A 4-year-old right-hand-dominant male sustained a fracture of the left scapula in a car accident. He was treated conservatively. After the accident, he presented with motor weakness of the left upper extremity. Shoulder abduction was grade 3 and elbow flexor was grade 0. Hand function was intact. Nerve conduction studies and an electromyogram were performed, which revealed left lateral and posterior cord brachial plexopathy with axonotmesis. He was admitted to Rehabilitation Medicine and treated. However, marked neurological dysfunction in the left upper extremity was still observed. Six months after trauma, under general anesthesia with the patient in the supine position, the brachial plexus was explored through infraclavicular and supraclavicular incisions. Each terminal branch was confirmed by electrophysiology. Avulsion of the C5 roots and absence of usable stump proximally were confirmed intraoperatively. Under a microscope, neurotization from the musculocutaneous nerve to two medial pectoral nerves was performed with nylon 8-0. Physical treatment and electrostimulation started 2 weeks postoperatively. At a 3-month postoperative visit, evidence of reinnervation of the elbow flexors was observed. At his last follow-up, 2 years following trauma, the patient had recovered Medical Research Council (MRC) grade 4+ elbow flexors. We propose that neurotization from medial pectoral nerves to musculocutaneous nerve can be used successfully to restore elbow flexion in patients with brachial plexus injuries.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.28-33
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• 2017

Background: Previous studies of radial nerve conduction study (NCS) did not present how to measure the length of the radial nerve across the elbow, and did not even mention how to manage the spiral course of the nerve. This study aimed to applicate the most reliable method to measure the length of the radial nerve during NCS. Methods: Three points (A, B, and C) were determined along the relatively straight course of the radial nerve. The distance was measured using three different methods: L1) straight distance corresponding to the A-C distance, L2) sum of the distances corresponding to the A-B-C distance, L3) based on the L2, but the elbow is flexed at a $45^{\circ}$ angle. We compared the three methods of distance measurement and the calculated nerve conduction velocities (V1, V2, and V3) in normal healthy subjects. Results: 19 normal participants were enrolled. The mean value for method L1, L2 and L3 were $22.5{\pm}1.8cm$, $24.0{\pm}2.1cm$, and $23.2{\pm}2.1cm$ (p < 0.001). Calculated conduction velocities using those distance measurement methods as follows (p < 0.001): V1 ($60.9{\pm}2.7m/s$), V2 ($64.6{\pm}3.3m/s$), and V3 ($63.4{\pm}3.9m/s$). V2 was significantly greater than V1 and V3 (p < 0.001, p = 0.010, respectively). Conclusions: The distance measurement using a stopover point near the lateral epicondyle between two stimulus points in position of a fully extended elbow with forearm pronation is the most appropriate posture for radial motor NCS.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.86-88
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• 2014

A schwannoma is a benign soft tissue tumor arising from the nerve sheath of a Schwann cell. Clinically, a schwannoma is an asymptomatic mass rarely causing neurologic deficits. However, it can cause discomfort as well as motor and sensory disturbances by compressing the nerve of its origin. The authors encountered a huge schwannoma arising from the median nerve at the proximal forearm, which caused symptoms mainly in the ulnar nerve. The tingling sensation along the ulnar nerve disappeared completely after enucleation of the schwannoma originating from the median nerve.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.19-26
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• 2006

Purpose: This study aimed the effects of percutaneous electric nerve stimulation (PENS) applied to different parts of the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats on the change of glucose and nerve. Methods: rats (ten weeks old) were selected as the subjects; the normal group was five rats, and the diabetes induction group II, III and IV were five rats, respectively, which were randomly sampled from the twenty-five streptozotocin-administered rats with more than $240\;d{\ell}/m{\ell}$ of blood sugar. For PENS, electric current with 2 Hz of stimulation frequency and $200\;{\mu}s$ of pulse duration was applied to the subjects for fifteen minutes a day, six days a week, for three weeks. Calculation of glucose and weight, and nerve conduction test were conducted forty-eight hours and three weeks after streptozotocin administration, respectively. Results: As for change of glucose and weight, the group III with stimulation to the acupoints and the group IV with stimulation to non-acupoints showed significant differences from the control group II (p<0.05). As for MNCV (motor nerve conduction velocity), the group III with stimulation to the acupoints showed significant differences from the group IV with stimulation to non-acupoints and the control group II (p<0.05). Conclusion: PENS had the effects of inhibiting increase of glucose, change of weight and decrease of nerve conductive function between the distal and proximal ends of the peripheral nerve in the STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.71-78
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• 2018

Nerve conduction study (NCS) is an electrophysiological tool to assess the overall function of cranial and peripheral nervous system, therefore NCS has been diagnostically helpful in the identification and characterization of disorders involving nerve roots, peripheral nerves, muscle and neuromuscular junction, and are frequently accompanied by a needle Electromyography. Furthermore, NCS could provide valuable quantitative and qualitative results into neuromuscular function. Usually, motor, sensory, or mixed nerve studies can be performed with using NCS, stimulating the nerves with the recording electrodes placed over a distal muscle, a cutaneous sensory nerve, or the entire mixed nerve, respectively. And these findings of motor, sensory, and mixed nerve studies often show different and distinct patterns of specific abnormalities indicating the neuromuscular disorders. The purpose of this special article is to review the neurophysiologic usefulness of NCS, to outline the technical factors associated with the performance of NCS, and to demonstrate characteristic NCS changes in the setting of various neuromuscular conditions.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.109-114
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• 2000

Ganglion cysts causing suprascapular nerve compression are uncommon cause of suprascapular nerve entrapment. The advent of magnetic resonance imaging and its application in patients with shoulder pain has improved the ability to diagnose cystic lesions causing extrinsic compression of the suprascapular nerve. We present two cases of suprascapular nerve compression by ganglion cyst which was decompressed by surgical excision. Suprascapular nerve compression was also revealed by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), electromyogram(EMG) and clinical present of muscle atrophy and motor weakness. In each case, the symptom was resolved after sugical excision of the cystic lesion. We experienced two cases of suprascapular nerve entrapment by ganglion cyst and report the clinical, radiological and pathological findings in detail.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 1999

본 연구는 농약에 직업적으로 폭로되고 있는 농부들의 말초신경 기능을 평가하고자 농약살포 남성 농민 34명을 대상으로, 1998년 5월부터 1999년 2월에 걸쳐 실시하였다. 연구내용으로는 말초신경병변을 평가하기 위한 방법으로 현재 가장 많이 사용되고 있는 신경전도 검사를 우세 상하지의 청중신경, 척골신경, 비골신경, 후경골신경, 비복신경 대해 각 구간별로 나누어 실시하였다. 조사결과 조사대상자들은 평균 60세로서 농약살포 경력은 평균 33년이었다. 농사 유형은 주로 논, 밭, 고추 농사를 경작하고 있었으며 년간 평균 약 35일간 농약을 살포하였고 1일 살포시간은 약 9시간이었다. 또한 농약 중독 관련 증상을 경험한 적이 약 82%이상에서 보고되었다. 신경전도 검사상 조사원 모든 신정에서의 값이 정상범위에는 포함되었지만, 일부구간(척골감각 신경의 wrist-elbow, 후경골신경의 terminal latency)을 제외하고는 모두 참고치의 평균값보다 유의하게 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 또한 상대적 고폭로군과 저폭로군 간의 신경전도 검사치 비교에 의하면 정중감각 및 운동, 비골신경의 일부 구간 값이 고폭로군에서 높은 것을 제외하고는 유의한 차이를 발견할 수 없었다. 이것은 고폭로군의 연령이 저폭로군보다 유의하게 낮기 때문으로 판단되며, 조사 대상자들의 값이 참고치 평균보다 떨어진 것도 연령이 높음으로 인한 것임을 연령군별 비교에 의해 확인할 수 있었다. 따라서 향후 농약 폭로로 인한 미세한 말초신경 기의 이상여부를 조기에 파악하기 위해서는 감각역치 검사등 다론 신경학적 검사들을 함께 실시하는 것이 바람직하다고 판단되었다.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.36-43
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• 2019

Background: Diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy (DPN) is associated with a variety of symptoms. Nerve conduction studies (NCSs) are considered to be the gold standard of nerve damage assessments, but these studies are often dissociated from the subjective symptoms observed in DPN patients. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the correlations between NCS parameters and neuropathic symptoms quantified using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with or without symptoms of neuropathy were retrospectively enrolled. Demographic data, clinical laboratory data, MNSI score, and NCS results were collected for analysis; DPN was diagnosed based on the MNSI score (${\geq}3.0$) and abnormal NCS results. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationships between MNSI score and NCS variables. Results: The final analyses included 198 patients (115 men and 83 women) with a mean age of $62.6{\pm}12.7$ years and a mean duration of diabetes of $12.7{\pm}8.4$ years. The mean MNSI score was 2.8 (range, 0.0-9.0), and 69 patients (34.8%) were diagnosed with DPN. The MNSI score was positively correlated with the median motor nerve latency and negatively correlated with the median motor, ulnar sensory, peroneal, tibial, and sural nerve conduction velocities (NCVs). When the patients were categorized into quartiles according to MNSI score, peroneal nerve conduction velocity was significantly lower in the second MNSI quartile than in the first MNSI quartile (p = 0.001). A multivariate analysis revealed that the peroneal NCV was independently associated with MNSI score after adjusting for age, sex, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Conclusions: The present results indicate that a decrease in peroneal NCV was responsible for early sensory deficits in T2DM patients.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.64-71
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• 2012

Background: It is generally accepted that upper motor neuron (UMN) lesion can alter lower motor neuron (LMN) function by the plasticity of neural circuit. However there have been only few researches regarding the axonal excitability of LMN after UMN injury especially during the acute stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the nerve excitability properties of the LMNs following an acute to subacute supratentorial corticospinal tract lesion. Methods: An automated nerve excitability test (NET) using the threshold tracking technique was utilized to measure multiple excitability indices in median motor axons of 15 stroke patients and 20 controls. Testing of both paretic and non-paretic side was repeated twice, during the acute stage and subacute stage. The protocols calculated the strength-duration time constant from the duration-charge curve, parameters of threshold electrotonus (TE), the current-threshold relationship from sequential sub-threshold current, and the recovery cycle from sequential supra-threshold stimulation. Results: On the paretic side, compared with the control group, significant decline of superexcitablity and increase in the relative refractory period were observed during the subacute stage of stroke. Additionally, despite the absence of statistical significance, a mildly collapsing in ('fanning in') of the TE was found. Conclusions: Our results suggest that supratentorial brain lesions can affect peripheral axonal excitability even during the early stage. The NET pattern probably suggests background membrane depolarization of LMNs. These features could be associated with trans-synaptic regulation of UMNs to LMNs as one of the "neural plasticity" mechanisms in acute brain injury.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.207-210
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• 2002

Schwannoma is a relatively rare benign tumor which may occur from nerve sheath of the peripheral, sympathetic and cranial nerves and so on except optic and olfactory nerves which have no nerve sheath themselves. Although it occur most frequently in the head and neck region especially in the acoustic nerve, the schwannoma originated from the motor nerves including hypoglossal nerve is very rare. Recently, we have experienced a case of schwannoma originated from hypoglossal nerve in a 47-year-old female. We report this case with literature review.