• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.295-306
• /
• 2001

Objectives : The management of massive brain swelling remains an unsolved problem in neurosurgical field. Despite newly developed medical and pharmacological therapy, the mortality and morbidity due to massive brain swelling remains high. According to many recent reports, surgical decompression with dura expansion is superior to medical management in patients with massive brain swelling. We performed surgical treatment on the first line of treatment, and followed medical management in case with refractory increased intracranial pressure(ICP). To show the quantitative effect of decompressive surgery on the intracranial pressure, we performed ventricular puncture and checked the ventricular ICP continuously during the decompressive surgery and postoperative period. Materials and Methods : Fifty-one patients with massive brain swelling, undergoing bilateral decompressive craniectomy with dura expansion, were studied in this study. In all patients, ventricular puncture was performed at Kocher's point on the opposite side of massive brain swelling. The ventricular pressure was monitored continuously, during the bilateral decompression procedures and postoperative period. Results : The initial ventricular ICP were varied from 13mmHg to 112mmHg. Immediately after the bilateral craniectomy, mean ventricular ICP decreased to $53.1{\pm}15.8%$ of the initial ICP(ranges from 5mmHg to 87mmHg). Dura opening decreased mean ICP by additional 36.7% and made the ventricular pressure $16.4{\pm}10.5%$ of the initial pressure (ranges from 0mmHg to 28mmHg). Postoperatively, ventricular pressure was lowered to $20.2{\pm}22.6%$(ranged from 0mmHg to 62.3mmHg) of the initial ICP. The ventricular ICP value during the first 24 hours after decompressive surgery was found to be an important prognostic factor. If ICP was over 35mmHg, the mortality was 100% instead of additional medical(barbiturate coma therapy and hypothermia) treatments. Conclusion : Bilateral decompression with dura expansion is considered an effective therapeutic modality in ICP control. To obtain favorable clinical outcome in patients with massive brain swelling, early decision making on surgical management and proper patient selection are mandatory.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.60 no.6
• /
• pp.717-722
• /
• 2017

Objective : To evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of delayed burr hole surgery in relation to the reduction of postoperative subdural hematoma (SDH) volume in patients with acute SDH. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed patients with acute SDH who received delayed burr hole surgery at our institute. Age, sex, Glasgow coma scale, maximal SDH thickness, volume of SDH, midline shifts, hounsfield unit (HU), and medical history of anticoagulant agent usage were recorded. Outcome measures were delayed operation day, reduction of SDH volume after operation, and the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) score at discharge. The patients were divided two groups according to the postoperative reduction of volume of SDH (${\geq}50%$, group A; <50%, group B). We also analyzed variables and differences between two groups. Results : Eighteen patients were available for this analysis. The mean delayed of surgery was $13.9{\pm}7.5$ days. Maximal thickness of SDH was changed from $10.0{\pm}3.5mm$ to $12.2{\pm}3.7mm$. Volume of SDH was changed from $38.7{\pm}28.0mL$ to $42.6{\pm}29.6mL$. Midline shifts were changed from $5.8{\pm}3.3mm$ to $6.6{\pm}3.3mm$. HU were changed from $66.4{\pm}11.2$ to $53.2{\pm}20.6$. Post-operative reduction of SDH volume was $52.1{\pm}21.1%$. Eleven patients (61%) had a discharge GOS score of 1 (good recovery). Ten patients (56%) were enrolled in group A. Midline shifting was greater in group A than in group B ($7.4{\pm}3.3$ vs. $3.0{\pm}2.4mm$; p<0.02). The delay of surgery was shorter for group A than group B ($9.2{\pm}2.3$ vs. $19.8{\pm}7.7$ days; p<0.0008). Conclusion : Among well selected patients, delayed burr hole surgery in patients with acute SDH may be effective for reduction of SDH volume. Further studies will be necessary to establish the effectiveness and safety of delayed burr hole surgery in patients with acute SDH.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.11
• /
• pp.2594-2603
• /
• 1997

A novel method of adaptive beam forming is presented in this paper. The proposed technique provides for a suboptimal beam pattern that increases the Signal to Noise/Interference Ratio (SNR/SIR), thus, eventually increases the capacity of the communication channel, under an assumption that the desired signal is dominant compared to each component of interferences at the receiver, which is precoditionally achieved in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile communications by the chip correlator. The main advantages of the new technique are:(1)The procedure requires neither reference signals nor training period, (2)The signal interchoerency does not affect the performance or complexity of the entire procedure, (3)The number of antennas does not have to be greater than that of the signals of distinct arrival angles, (4)The entire procedure is iterative such that a new suboptimal beam pattern be generated upon the arrival of each new data of which the arrival angle keeps changing due tot he mobility of the signal source, (5)The total amount of computation is tremendously reduced compared to that of most conventional beam forming techniques such that the suboptimal beam pattern be produced at vevery snapshot on a real-time basis. The total computational load for generating a new set of weitht including the update of an N-by-N(N is the number of antenna elements) autocovariance matrix is $0(3N^2 + 12N)$. It can further be reduced down to O(11N) by approximating the matrix with the instantaneous signal vector.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.370-376
• /
• 2011

Objective : Posttraumatic cerebral infarction (PTCI), an infarction in well-defined arterial distributions after head trauma, is a known complication in patients with severe head trauma. The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical and radiographic characteristics of PTCI, and to assess the effect on outcome of decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) in patients with PTCI. Methods : We present a retrospective analysis of 20 patients with PTCI who were treated between January 2003 and August 2005. Twelve patients among them showed malignant PTCI, which is defined as PTCI including the territory of Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA). Medical records and radiologic imaging studies of patients were reviewed. Results : Infarction of posterior cerebral artery distribution was the most common site of PTCI. Fourteen patients underwent DHC an average of 16 hours after trauma. The overall mortality rate was 75%. Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) of survivors showed that one patient was remained in a persistent vegetative state, two patients were severely disabled and only two patients were moderately disabled at the time of discharge. Despite aggressive treatments, all patients with malignant PTCI had died. Malignant PTCI was the indicator of poor clinical outcome. Furthermore, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) at the admission was the most valuable prognostic factor. Significant correlation was observed between a GCS less than 5 on admission and high mortality (p<0.05). Conclusion : In patients who developed non-malignant PTCI and GCS higher than 5 after head injury, early DHC and duroplasty should be considered, before occurrence of irreversible ischemic brain damage. High mortality rate was observed in patients with malignant PTCI or PTCI with a GCS of 3-5 at the admission. A large prospective randomized controlled study will be required to justify for aggressive treatments including DHC and medical treatment in these patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Organophosphate insecticide poisoning is common in Korea, but there is no definitive guideline for determining the severity of the poisoning and the predictive factors. Therefore, we evaluated the organophosphate poisoned patients and we divided them into two groups, the survivors and the dead, and the results might be useful for treating organophosphate poisoning patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 68 organophosphate poisoned patients who visited the Chosun University Hospital Emergency Medical Center during a 24-month period from January, 2007 to December, 2008. We made a work sheet of the patients' characteristics and the collected data was analyzed and we compared this data between the survivor group and the dead patient group. Results: There were significant differences between the survivor group and the dead patient group for the mean age, the alcohol intake state and the typically expressed signs. The dead patients had lower blood pressure, tachycardia and a lower Glasgo Coma Score (GCS) score than the survivor group. On the arterial blood gas analysis, the dead patients had more severe acidemia and they had lower saturations. Increased serum amylase levels were found in the dead patients. The survivors'initial and follow up serum pseudocholinesterase activity (after 6~8 days) was significantly higher than that of the dead group. The total amount of atropine injected to patient was less in the survivors than that in the dead patients. Conclusion: Old age and expressing the typical intoxication signs, a lower GCS score and blood pressure, showing acidosis on the gas analysis and low serum cholinesterase activity may be useful as poor prognostic indicators for patients with organophosphate poisoning. We suggest that physicians must pay careful attention to the signs and prognostic factors of organophosphate insecticide poisoned patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.16-25
• /
• 2016

Purpose: Patients suffering from acute poisoning by different substances often visit the emergency department (ED) and receive various prognoses according to the toxic material and patients' condition. Hyperlactatemia, which is an increased blood lactate level that generally indicates tissue hypoperfusion, is commonly utilized as a prognostic marker in critically ill patients such as those with sepsis. This study was conducted to investigate the relationships between blood lactate and clinical prognosis in acute poisoned patients. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from January 2013 to June 2014 at a single and regional-tertiary ED. We enrolled study patients who were examined for blood test with lactate among acute intoxicated patients. The toxic materials, patient demographics, laboratory data, and mortalities were also reviewed. Additionally, we analyzed variables including blood lactate to verify the correlation with patient mortality. Results: A total of 531 patients were enrolled, including 24 (4.5%) non-survivors. Patient age, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), serum creatinine (Cr), aspartate transaminase (AST), and serum lactate differed significantly between survivors and non-survivors in the binary logistic regression analysis. Among these variables, GCS, AST, and lactate differed significantly. The median serum lactate levels were 2.0 mmol/L among survivors and 6.9 mmol/L among non-survivors. The AUC with the ROC curve and odds ratio of the initial serum lactate were 0.881 and 3.06 (0.89-8.64), respectively. Conclusion: Serum lactate was correlated with fatalities of acute poisoning patients in the ED; therefore, it may be used as a clinical predictor to anticipate their prognoses.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.52-56
• /
• 2016

Propionic acidemia (PA) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disease caused by the deficiency of propionyl-CoA carboxylase (PCC). PA affects the catabolism of branched chain amino acid and oddchain fatty acid then results in accumulation of propionic acid and other metabolites in plasma and urine. Catabolic stress such as infection, illness or any stress can precipitate cause acute metabolic decompensation, especially in the first years of life. Acute metabolic decompensation commonly calls for emergency treatment or admission and if the patient is in a serious condition, it can lead to coma or death. But frequent admissions or visiting the emergency room are much burden to the patients and their kins. And we experienced the propionic academia with a confirmed novel mutation and the patient suffered from frequent admission and visiting the emergency room. So, we tried the regular home carebased fluid therapy after securing a central venous line. Finally, we succeeded in preventing frequent admissions resulted from acute metabolic decompensation and could contribute to relieving the burden to the patient and their family.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.47-53
• /
• 2006

Purpose: Recently, the American Heart Association recommended that routine cervical spine protection in submerged patients was not necessary, except in high-energy injury situations. However, until now, this recommendation has few supportive studies and literatures. This retrospective study was performed to demonstrate the risk of cervical spine injury in patients who had been submerged in a river. Methods: Seventy-nine submerged patients who visited St. Mary's Hospital between January 2000 and December 2005 were included in this retrospective study. We investigated and analyzed the victim's age, sex, activity on submersion, mental status and level of severity at admission, prognosis at discharge, associated injuries, and risk group by using the medical records and cervical spine lateral images. According to the activity on submersion, victims were classified into three groups: high risk, low risk, and unknown risk. The reports of radiologic studies were classified into unstable fracture, stable fracture, sprain, degenerative change, and normal. Results: The patients' mean age was 36.8 yrs, and 54% were males. Of the 79 patients, adult and adolescent populations (80%) were dominant. Jumping from a high bridge (48%) was the most common activity on submersion and accounted for 52% of the high-risk group. The Glasgow coma scale at admission and the cerebral performance scale at discharge showed bimodal patterns. The results of the radiologic studies showed one stable fracture, one suspicious stable fracture, and 18 sprains. The incidence of cervical spine fracture in submerged patients was 2.5% in our study. The incidence of cervical spine injury was higher in the high-risk group than it was in the low-risk group, especially in the jumping-from-high-bridge subgroup; however this observation was not statistically significant. No other factors had any significant effect on the incidence of cervical spine injury. Conclusion: Our study showed that even submerged patients in the high risk group had a low incidence of cervical spine fracture and that the prognosis of a patient did not seem to be influenced by the cervical spine fracture itself.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.54-58
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The committee on trauma of the american college of surgeons, in its manual resources for optimal care of the injured patients involved in falls from less than 20 feet need not be taken to trauma centers. Because triage criteria dictate less urgency for low-level falls, this classification scheme has demerits for early detection and treatment of serious problems in the emergency room. Methods: A prospective analysis was conducted of 182 patients treated for fall-related trauma from June 2003 to March 2004. Falls were classified as group A (<3 m), group B (${\geq}3m$, <6 m), and group C (${\geq}6m$). Collected data included the patient's age, gender, site and height of fall, surface fallen upon, body area of first impact, body regions of injuries, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and Injury Severity Score (ISS). Results: The 182 patients were classified as group A (105) 57.7%, group B (61) 33.5%, and group C (16) 8.8%. There was a weak positive correlation between the height of fall and the patients' ISS in the three groups (p<0.001). There were significant differences in GCS (p=0.017), RTS (p=0.034), and ISS (p=0.007) between group A and B. In cases that the head was the initial impact area of the body, the GCS (p<0.001) and the RTS (p=0.002) were lower, but the ISS (p<0.001) was higher than it was for other type of injuries. Hard surfaces as an impact surface type, had an influence on the GCS (p<0.001) and the ISS (p=0.025). Conclusion: To simply categorize patients who fall over 6 meters as severely injured patients doesn't have much meaning, and though patients may have fallen less than 6 meters, they should be categorized by using the dynamics (impact surface type, initial body - impact area) of their fall.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.138-143
• /
• 2007

Purpose: $S100{\beta}$, a marker of traumatic brain injury (TBI), has been increasingly focused upon during recent years. $S100{\beta}$, is easily measured not only in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) but also in serum. After TBI, serum S 10019, has been found to be increased at an early stage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical correlations between serum $S100{\beta}$, and neurologic outcome, and severity in traumatic brain injury. Methods: From August 2006 to October 2006, we made a protocol and studied prospectively 42 patients who visited the emergency room with TBI. Venous blood samples for $S100{\beta}$, protein were taken within six hours after TBI and vital signs, as well as the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), were recorded. The final diagnosis and the severity were evaluated using the Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS), and the prognosis of the patients was evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS). Results: Thirty-eight patients showed a favorable prognosis (discharge, recovery, transfer), and four showed an unfavorable prognosis. Serum $S100{\beta}$, was higher in patients with an unfavorable prognosis than in patients with a favorable prognosis, and a significant difference existed between the two groups ($0.74{\pm}1.50\;{\mu}g/L$ vs $7.62{\pm}6.53\;{\mu}g/L$ P=0.002). A negative correlation existed between serum $S100{\beta}$, and the Revised Traumatic Score (R2=-0.34, P=0.03), and a positive correlation existed between serum $S100{\beta}$, and the Injury Severity Score (R2=0.33, P=0.03). Furthermore, the correlation between serum $S100{\beta}$, and the initial GCS and the GCS 24 hours after admission to the ER were negative (R2=-0.62, P<0.001; R2=-0.47, P=0.005). Regarding the GOS, the mean serum concentration of $S100{\beta}$, was $7.62\;{\ss}{\partial}/L$ (SD=${\pm}6.53$) in the expired patients, $1.15\;{\mu}g/L$ in the mildly disable patient, and $0.727\;{\mu}g/L$ (SD=${\pm}0.73$) in the recovered patients. These differences are statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: In traumatic brain injury, a higher level of serum concentration of $S100{\beta}$, has a poor prognosis for neurologic outcome.