• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.288-293
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• 1998

We had retrospective analysis of 421 patients who were consulted from other departments. From 1994 to 1997, these patients received nerve blocks, intravenous lidocaine infusion, lasers and so on for their pain. From these results, we are gathering information and making some recommandations. The largest percentage of patients were in their fifties with a distribution of 32.8% male and 55.1% female. The most common condition requiring treatment was low back pain 44.6%, followed by cancer pain 19.2%, cervical pain 7.4%, and shoulder pain 4.3%. In case of low back pain, the largest portion was HNP(27%), followed by spinal stenosis(16%), sprain(11%), and postlaminectomy(10%). The most common cacer was colorectal(28.4%) and the next was stomach(19.7%). The most commonly done nerve block was stellate ganglion block 32.3%, followed by lumbar epidural block 24.5% and caudal block 7.2%.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.101-104
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• 1998

Backgrouds: Twent five years have passed since the opening of the first pain clinic in korea, in 1973 at Yonsei University Hospital. The number of pain clinics are gradually increasing in recent times. It is important to plan for future pain clinics with emphasis on improving the quality of pain management. Therefore we reviewed the patients in our hospital to help us in planning for the future of our pain clinic. Methods: We analyzed 2656 patients who had visited our Kim Chan Pain Clinic, accordance to age, sex, disease, and type of treatment block, from July 1996 to August 1997. Results: The prevalent age group was in the fifties, 27.3%, seventy years and older compromised 9.2%. The most common disease were as follows: lower back pain(46.2%); cervical and upper extremities pain(23.1%); trigeminal neuralgia(7.2%); and hyperhydrosis(5.8%) Both nerve blocks and medication were prescribed as treatment. Lumbar epidural block(16.3%) and stellate ganglion block(15.6%) were the most frequent blocks performed among various nerve blocks. Among nerve block under C-arm guidance, lumbar facet joint block(24.4%) and lumbar root block(22.5%) were performed most frequently. Trigeminal nerve block(18.4%), thoracic(17.0%) and lumbar sympathetic ganglion block(11.4%) were next most prevalent blocks performed frequent block. Conclusions: Treatments at our hospital were focused on nerve blocks and medications prescriptions. Nerve blocks are of particular importance in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. However in future, to raise the quality of pain management, we need to fucus on a multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary team approach.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.131-134
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• 1995

Hiccup is characterized by a myoclonus in the diaphragm, resulting in a sudden inspiration associated with an audible closure of the glottis. The reflex arc in hiccups comprises three pars: an afferent, a central and an efferent part. The afferent portion of the neural pathway of hiccup formation is composed of the vagus nerve, the phrenic nerve, and the sympathetic chain arising from T6 to T12. The hiccup center is localised in the brain stem and the efferent limb comprises phrenic pathways. All stimuli affecting the above mentioned reflex arc may produce hiccups. The pathogenesis of persistent hiccups is not known. Hiccup can present a symptom of a subphrenic abscess or gastric distention, and metabolic alterations may also cause hiccups. Numerous treatment modalities have been tried but with questionable success. We describe a patient whose persistant hiccups was treated successfully by a cervical epidural block.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.107-115
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• 2016

The occurrence of brain stem stroke after lumbar selective nerve root block seem to be an uncommon event comparing it to after cervical selective nerve root block. We recently experienced a 60-year-old man who were diagnosed as left lateral medullary infarction (Wallenberg's syndrome) after lumbar selective nerve root block. He was treated by traditional Korean medicine with acupunture, Pulsed electromagetic therapy (PEMT), herb medicine. The range of motion of upper and lower extremity, manual muscle test, Korean version of Berg balance scale (K-BBS) and Korean version of Barthel index (K-MBI) were adopted to measure the resulting recovery after 4 weeks treatment. Traditional Korean medicine was effective for rehabilitation of patient. Further studies are needed to set up and Korean medical protocol for Wallenberg's syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.419-422
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• 2010

Objective : To analyze the clinical outcomes of computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy-guided selective neve root block (SNRB) for severe arm pain caused by acute cervical disc herniation. Methods : The authors analyzed the data obtained from 25 consecutive patients who underwent CT fluoroscopy-guided SNRB for severe arm pain, i.e., a visual analogue scale (VAS) score of 8 points or more, caused by acute soft cervical disc herniation. Patients with chronic arm pain, motor weakness, and/or hard disc herniation were excluded. Results : The series comprised 19 men and 6 women whose mean age was 48.1 years (range 35-72 years). The mean symptom duration was 17.5 days (range 4-56 days) and the treated level was at C5-6 in 13 patients, C6-7 in 9, and both C5-6 and C6-7 in 3. Twenty-three patients underwent SNRB in 1 session and 2 underwent the procedure in 2 sessions. No complications related to the procedures occurred. At a mean follow-up duration of 11.5 months (range 6-22 months), the mean VAS score and NDI significantly improved from 9 and 58.2 to 3.4 and 28.1, respectively. Eighteen out of 25 patients (72%) showed successful clinical results. Seven patients (28%) did not improve after the procedure, and 5 of these 7 underwent subsequent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Conclusion : CT fluoroscopy-guided SNRB may play a role as a primary conservative treatment for severe arm pain caused by acute cervical disc herniation.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.164-168
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• 2011

Obturator nerve block has been commonly used for pain management to prevent involuntary reflex of the adductor thigh muscles. One of several options for this block is chemical neurolysis. Neurolysis is done with chemical agents. Chemical agents used in the neurolysis of the obturator nerve have been alcohol, phenol, and botulinum toxin. In the current case, a patient with spasticity of the adductor thigh muscle due to cervical cord injury had obturator nerve neurolysis done with botulinum toxin type B (BoNT-B). Most of the previous studies have used BoNT-A with only a few reports that have used BoNT-B. BoNT-B has several advantages and disadvantages over BoNT-A. Thus, we report herein a patient who successfully received obturator nerve neurolysis using BoNT-B to treat adductor thigh muscle spasm.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.502-508
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• 2022

Objective: Contralateral seventh cervical nerve transfer (contralateral C7 transfer) is a newly attempted method to restore upper extremity motor function in the patients with spastic arm paralysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of contralateral C7 transfer on upper extremity motor function in the patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: Thirty-four patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke was investigated. All patients registered between January 2020 and February 2021. The subjects were assessed on upper extremity motor function, cognition, and spasticity before and after contralateral C7 transfer. The upper extremity motor function was measured using the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale and box & block test. The cognition and spasticity were assessed by Korean version mini mental state examination (K-MMSE) and modified Ashworth scale from baseline to 8 weeks after the surgery. Results: The Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale and modified Ashworth scale were significantly improved after contralateral C7 transfer (p<0.05). However, box & block test and K-MMSE were no significant changes after the surgery (p>0.05). Conclusions: This study suggested that the contralateral C7 transfer was a feasible and practical approach to improve upper extremity motor function in the patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke, but further study is required to identify the long-term effects after the contralateral C7 transfer.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.105-108
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• 1998

Backgrounds: Cervical epidural nerve block is useful in the management of a variety of acute, chronic and cancer related pain syndromes involving the head, face, neck and upper extrimity. To safely perfom the cervical epidural block, an appreciation of the expected distance from skin to epidural space is important. We studied the distance from skin to cervical epidural space of adults to determine if any relationship exists between patient height, weight and neck circumference and the distance from skin to epidural space. Methods: Patients 170, suffering from neck and upper extremity pain with cervical HIVD(herniated intervertebral dics) were selected. Cervical epidural block was performed at $C_{6\sim7}$ or $C_{7-}T_1$ intervertebral space. Then measured the distance from skin to epidural space and analysed the relationship between age, height, weight and neck circumference and the distance from skin to epidural space. Results: The cervical epidural depth of male $C_{6\sim7}$, male $C_{7-}T_1$, female $C_{6\sim7}$ and female $C_{7-}T_1$ groups were $5.17{\pm}0.63$, $5.47{\pm}0.59$, $4.84{\pm}0.56$ and $5.01{\pm}0.60$ cm respectively. Cervical epidural depth significantly correlated with body weight, ponderal index and neck circumference. Conclusions: The distance from skin to cervical epidural space has significant relationships with weight, ponderal index and neck circumference. Although experience is important, patient's weight and neck circumference are indicating factor, of the cervical epidural depth.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.246-250
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• 2007

We report here on a case of right side spasmodic torticollis (ST) that was refractory to botulinum toxin type A injection and medication. The patient finally underwent a selective ramisectomy with ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) resection, but the remaining symptoms slowly aggravated, and a contralateral left side SCM spasm began. As conservative therapy for reducing the spasmodic symptoms, accessory nerve block, upper cervical plexus block and stellate ganglion block were performed twice in a week. After 6 months, the spasmodic symptoms significantly decreased. The Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) decreased by more than 70%. After one year of serial intermittent local anesthetic blockade therapy, the patient became almost free from the original ST symptoms (TWSTRS = 1). Serial local anesthetic interventions for the ST patient may have a beneficial role on the pathological peripherocentral neural activity of the ST patient and can modulate motor-sensory integration in the patient.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.231-234
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• 1999

Until several years ago we didn't think seriously about cervical problems as a cause of headaches, but since the publication of articles by Bogduk et al they have gotten more attention. Cervical headaches are associated with movement abnormalities of the structures of the neck such as cervical nerve roots, discs, joints and soft tissues. Considering this, we thought that the atlanto-axial joint could be one of the causes of these headaches. Headaches originating from this joint can be recognized by the fact that the pain worsens with rotation of the head in the horizontal plane. Pain can also be referred to the frontal area or around the orbit. We did atlanto-axial joint blocks using a posterior approach on 10 patients who suffered from this type of headache. The results were promising with 9 out of 10 patients showing more than 50% improvement on the numeric rating scale. There were no serious complications observed. We concluded that the atlanto-axial joint block can be an effective procedure in treating this specific type of headache.