• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1086-1093
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• 2001

Object : With the recent variable treatment modalities and the development of microsurgical techniques, outcomes of surgical and medical management of aneurysm have shown much progress in the last 10 years. However, the management of posterior circulation aneurysm is still a debatable due to its difficulty in limited surgical approach, complicated anatomical structure and many small perforators to vital structure. The purpose of this study is to compare the results of clinical manifestation and outcome of surgery with respect to anterior and posterior circulation aneurysms. Material and Methods : We evaluated the 33 patients with PCAs(posterior circulation aneurysm) and 359 patients with ACAs(anterior circulation aneurysm) treated between 1994 and 1999, retrospectively. Results : Posterior circulation aneurysms showed higher tendency(5 cases, 14.7%) to have unusual shapes, such as dissecting or fusiform compared with anterior circulation aneurysm(15 cases, 4.2%). There were more multiple aneurysms in posterior circulation aneurysm(8 cases, 26.5%) than anterior circulation aneurysm(59 cases, 16.2%). The number of patients with Hunt-Hess grade III or IV on admission were 91(25.3%) in anterior circulation aneurysms, and 14(42.4%) in posterior circulation aneurysms. There were higher incidences of vasospasm and acute hydrocephalus in patients with posterior circulation aneurysm. In cases of anterior circulation aneurysm, neck clipping was possible in 97%. But, in posterior circulation aneurysm, neck clipping was possible only in 67.7% of each. Two hundred forty four cases(85.0%) of all anterior circulation aneurysms and 22 cases(78.6%) of all posterior circulation aneurysms showed good recovery(GR) or moderate disability(MD). The postoperative mortality rates of anterior and posterior circulation aneurysms were 4.9% and 10.7%, respectively. Conclusion : These results indicate that there exist substantial differences with respect to that there were few difference in the aspect of surgery and management outcome between posterior circulation aneurysms and anterior circulation aneurysms.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.330-335
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• 2000

Objective : The purpose of this report is to assess the morbidity and mortality associated with clipping of intracranial unruptured aneurysms. Methods : At the authors' institution between May 1989 and December 1998, a total of 128 unruptured aneurysms in 110 patients were treated with surgical clippings. The medical records and neuroimaging studies of the patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results : The main locations of the aneurysms were : middle cerebral artery 31%, internal carotid-posterior communicating artery 28%, anterior communicating artery 16%, paraclinoid 6.5%, internal carotid-anterior choroidal artery 7%, posterior circulation 7%. Forty three percent of the aneurysms were symptomatic and 57% asymptomatic. The overall outcome of the surgery was : Glasgow outcome scale(GOS) I 86%, GOS II 6%, GOS III 4.3%, GOS IV 0% and GOS V(death) 3.5%. The operative risk is higher for large to giant aneurysms, and for aneurysms in posterior circulations. Patients with non-giant aneurysm in anterior circulation showed no mortality, but morbidity of 8.2%, and in posterior circulation : 25% of mortality and 75% of morbidity. Patients with giant anterior circulation aneurysm have 22% of mortality and 22% of morbidity. For patients with giant posterior circulation aneurysm, mortality and morbidity were 25% and 25%, respectively. The postoperative deaths were related to occlusion of the major parent artery in 3 cases(75%). The postoperative morbidity was related to occlusion of artery(9/13), intraoperative rupture(3/13), and cranial nerve injury(1/13). Conclusion : This report documents 3.5% mortality and 13% of morbidity in the clipping surgery for unruptured intracranial aneurysms, and the relatively low risk of surgical clipping in non-giant and those located in anterior circulation. The natural history, especially risk of bleeding, of the unruptured intracranial aneurysms is still controversial. However, with respect to surgical results, unruptured non-giant aneurysm located in anterior circulation should be operated in patients with low risk.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.436-439
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• 2015

The majority of clinical studies on moyamoya disease (MMD) have focused on anterior circulation. The disease involvement of posterior circulation in MMD, mainly in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), has been mentioned since the early 1980s, and it has been repeatedly emphasized as one of the most important factors related to poor prognosis in MMD. However, its clinical features and outcome have only been elucidated during the last few years. In this review, the angiographic definition of PCA stenosis is summarized. The clinical features are elucidated as being either early-onset or delayed-onset, according to the time of PCA stenosis diagnosis in reference to the anterior circulation revascularization surgeries. The surgical strategy and hypothesis on the mechanism of PCA stenosis is also briefly mentioned. It appears that some MMD patients may show PCA stenosis during the early or late course of the disease and that the presenting symptoms may vary. Because the hemodynamic compromise caused by PCA stenosis may respond well to surgical treatment, clinicians should be aware of the condition, especially during follow-up of MMD patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.5
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• pp.1153-1159
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• 2022

Dolichoectasia is an uncommon disorder characterized by the presence of a dilated, elongated, and tortuous cerebral artery. Its main pathologic mechanism is the disruption of the internal elastic lamina. Risk factors for dolichoectasia are advanced age, chronic hypertension, and metabolic disease. It mainly involves the vertebrobasilar vasculature (or "posterior circulation"), but dolichoectasia can also be seen in the anterior circulation, particularly the anterior cerebral artery. There are no reported cases of dolichoectasia involving both anterior and posterior circulation in South Korea. Here we report an unusual case of dolichoectasia involving both anterior and posterior circulation in a young female without any underlying disease on the basis of prominent imaging findings.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2021

Objective : The treatment of large aneurysms of the posterior circulation is complicated and remains challenging. We here analyzed our institutional clinical outcomes of large unruptured aneurysms of the posterior circulation. Methods : This study included 56 patients who presented with a large (>10 mm) unruptured aneurysm of the posterior circulation between 2002 and 2018. Results : There were 18 (32.1%) male and 38 (67.9%) female patients, with a mean age of 53.4 years. The most common location was the vertebral artery, followed by the basilar tip and posterior cerebral artery. The median follow-up duration was 29 months. Eighteen patients (32.1%) were treated by transcranial surgery and 38 (67.9%) were treated by endovascular treatment (EVT). Post-treatment complications occurred in 16 patients (28.6%), with there being no significant difference between the transcranial surgery and EVT groups. Complete obliteration was achieved in 30 patients (53.6%), with there being no statistically significant difference between the transcranial surgery and EVT groups. Recurrence occurred in 17 patients (30.4%), and the rate of recurrence was higher in the EVT group than in the transcranial surgery group (39.5% vs. 11.1%, p=0.03). Forty-four (84%) of 56 patients showed a favorable functional outcome. In saccular aneurysm, EVT was negative predictor of worsening of functional status. Conclusion : Treatment of these aneurysms harbors an inherent high risk of morbidity. No superiority was found between transcranial surgery and EVT in terms of complications and complete obliteration, but transcranial surgery showed a higher treatment durability than EVT.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.727-737
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of Korean medicine on an elderly patient with posterior circulation cerebral infarction, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and early neurological deterioration (END). Methods: The patient, who already had CKD, was treated with Korean medicine, comprising herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxa, and cupping combined with Western medicine (antiplatelet, diabetes) and physical therapy. A manual muscle test (MMT) and a modified Barthel index (MBI) were used to observe the treatment effects, and blood tests were performed to check estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), which represent renal function. Results: After the treatment, MMT, MBI, and renal function scores had increased. Conclusions: This study suggests that Korean medicine can effectively treat posterior circulation cerebral infarction with END in CKD, but further studies should be conducted.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.369-372
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• 2006

The dissecting aneurysms of the posterior cerebral circulation arise most commonly from the vertebral artery and occasionally extend to the posterior inferior cerebellar artery[PICA]. The dissecting aneurysm localized in the PICA without involving the vertebral artery is rare. We present a PICA dissecting aneurysm that had kaleidoscopic clinical course of bleeding, occlusion, and recanalization before the surgery. The patient had serial follow-up angiograms based on significant changes of clinical status. The patient successfully underwent microsurgical trapping with clips for the dissecting aneurysm and showed neurological improvement.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.461-470
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• 2001

A unhealthy 58-year-old male patient required extraction of left upper second molar due to advanced periodontitis. Lidocaine contained 1 : 100000 epinephrine for left posterior superior alveolar nerve block was administered in the mucobuccal fold above the second molar to be treated at the local private dental clinic. After four hours of posterior superior alveolar block anesthesia, patient feeled double vision and discomfort of eyeball movement. At next day, he complained difficulty of left eyeball movement, vertigo and diplopia. He was referred to our department via local clinic and department of ophthalomology of our hospital. He was treated by medication and eyeball exercise, and then follow up check. The double vision and medial rectus muscle palsy disappeared patially after 2 months of block anesthesia. We described herein an ocular complication of diplopia and inferior rectus muscle palsy after posterior superior alveolar nerve block for extraction of left upper second molar, and review the cause or origin of this case. The autonomic nervous system is presented as the logical basis for the untoward systems of ophthalmologic sign likely to diplopia and inferior rectus muscle palsy, rather then simple circulation of anesthetic solution in the vascular network.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.400-404
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• 2016

We report a case of acute ischemic stroke involving both the anterior and posterior circulation associated with a persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PPTA), treated by endovascular revascularization for acute basilar artery (BA) occlusion via the PPTA. An otherwise healthy 67-year-old man experienced sudden loss of consciousness and quadriplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an extensive acute infarction in the right cerebral hemisphere, and magnetic resonance angiography showed occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) and BA. Because the volume of infarction in the territory of the right MCA was extensive, we judged the use of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator to be contraindicated. Cerebral angiography revealed hypoplasia of both vertebral arteries and the presence of a PPTA from the right internal carotid artery. A microcatheter was introduced into the BA via the PPTA and revascularization was successfully performed using a Merci Retriever with adjuvant low-dose intraarterial urokinase. After treatment, his consciousness level and right motor weakness improved. Although persistent carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomoses such as a PPTA are relatively rare vascular anomalies, if the persistent primitive artery is present, it can be an access route for mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.270-274
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• 2008

Objective : The purpose of this study was to report the morbidity, mortality, angiographic results, and merits of elective coiling of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Methods : Ninety-six unruptured aneurysms in 92 patients were electively treated with detachable coils. Eighty-one of these aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation, and 15 were located in the posterior circulation. Thirty-six aneurysms were treated in the presence of previously ruptured aneurysms that had already undergone operation. Nine unruptured aneurysms presented with symptoms of mass effect. The remaining 51 aneurysms were incidentally discovered in patients with other cerebral diseases and in individuals undergoing routine health maintenance. Angiographic and clinical outcomes and procedure-related complications were analyzed. Results : Eight procedure-related untoward events (8.3%) occurred during surgery or within procedure-related hospitalization, including thromboembolism, sac perforation, and coil migration. Permanent procedural morbidity was 2.2%; there was no mortality. Complete occlusion was achieved in 73 (76%) aneurysms, neck remnant occlusion in 18 (18.7%) aneurysms, and incomplete occlusion in five (5.2%) aneurysms, Recanalization occurred in 8 (15.4%) of 52 coiled aneurysms that were available for follow-up conventional angiography or magnetic resonance angiography over a mean period of 13.3 months. No ruptures occurred during the follow-up period (12-79 months). Conclusion : Endovascular coil surgery for patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms is characterized by low procedural mortality and morbidity and has advantages in patients with poor general health, cerebral infarction, posterior circulation aneurysms, aneurysms of the proximal internal cerebral artery, and unruptured aneurysms associated with ruptured aneurysm. For the management of unruptured aneurysms, endovascular coil surgery is considered an attractive alterative option.