• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.345-347
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• 2008

We report a case of trigonal cavernous malformation (CM) radiologically mimicking meningioma. The computed tomographic (CT) head angiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a partially calcified lesion with slight contrast enhancement located in the area of the left atrium of lateral ventricle. The lesion was completely removed using microsurgery with a parieto-occipital transcortical approach. The resected mass was histologically confirmed as CM. CM should be considered as differential diagnosis in case of the atrial mass lesion due to lack of hemosiderin ring characteristically seen other seated CM.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.68-70
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• 2010

We report a case of intracranial dissemination developing approximately 4 months after partial removal of a spinal cord anplastic astrocytoma in a 22-year-old male. He presented with paraplegia on initial admission at a local hospital. Spinal magnetic resonance (MR) images disclosed multiple intramedullary lesions at the T3-11. The tumor was partially removed. The final histologic diagnosis was anaplastic astrocytoma. Four months after the operation, he was admitted with the symptoms of headache and deterioration of consciousness. MR images showed enhanced lesions in the anterior horn of the left lateral ventricle, and septum pellucidum. He underwent computed tomography-guided stereotactic biopsy and histological appearance was consistent with anaplastic astrocytoma. The clinical course indicates that the tumor originated in the spinal cord and extended into the subarachnoid space, first the spinal canal and later intracranial.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 1979

Bethanidine was administered into the lateral ventricle of the rabbit brain for the investigation of the effect on the renal function in doses ranging from 0.1 to 1.0mg/kg. In a dose of 0.1 mg/kg, bethanidine did not exhibit significant changes on the renal function of the rabbit, on the other hand, in the doses of 0.3 and 1.0mg/kg bethanidine elicited the reduction of renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate with a marked antidiuresis, at the same time bethanidine produced the decrement of urinary sodium and potassium excretion. After intravenous pretreatment of phentolamine, intraventricular bethanidine in a dose of 0.3mg/kg did not produced the antidiuresis and the decrement of urinary sodium and potassium excretion, wherease renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate reduced as before of phentolamine pretreatment although the durations of their reduction were shortened. These observations suggest that bethanidine induces the antidiuresis through the centrally mediated mechanism which interposed other factors in addition to sympathetic stimulation affected by phentolamine, alpha adrenergic blocking agent.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.249-254
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• 2000

Objective : As a minimally invasive strategy, endoscopic technique was introduced for removal of the traumatic intracerebral hematoma. Material and Method : A 54-year-old man with three-day history of seizure and progressive mental deterioration after traffic accident was presented. Computerized Tomography(CT) of the brain showed a huge intracerebral hematoma on the right frontal lobe and ventricle. The operation was performed via right frontal superolateral keyhole with 2cm eyebrow skin incision. Using 0-degree and 30-degree angled lens 4mm rigid endoscopes, nearly all of the hematoma was evacuated under the direct endoscopic visualization and a ventricular catheter was exactly placed into the frontal horn of the right lateral ventricle at the end of procedure. Results : The seizure was discontinued and neurological status had been improved during postoperative periods. Postoperative CT demonstrated that most of the hematoma was removed and the ventricular drainge tube was exactly placed in the right foramen of Monro. Conclusion : With endoscopic technique, the authors successfully evacuated traumatic intracerebral hematoma and exactly placed the ventricular drainage catheter under direct visualization. This technique may be considered as an another option for removal of traumatic intracerebral hematoma.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.2 s.20
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• pp.43-49
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• 1976

The facts that $PGE_2$ produced diuresis in the rabbit when given into a lateral ventricle of the brain and that $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ is abundantly found in the brain prompted us to investigate the effects of $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ introduced directly into the ventricle on the renal function. $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ given intraventriculary in doses of $10{\mu}g\;and\;100{\mu}g$ elicited prompt diuresis, 10-fold increase of sodium excretion and two-fold increment of potassium excretion. Free water reabsorption also increased along with the increased osmolar clearance. Neither renal plasma flow nor glomerular filtration rate did change significantly. This, along with the fact that the percentage of reabsorbed sodium filtered decreased from 99.5 to 93.9, indicates the tubular site of the diuretic and natriuretic action. Atropine pretreatment did not influence the renal effects of intraventricular $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$. Intravenously administered $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ in doses of 30 to $100{\mu}g$ did not produce any significant change in renal function. Intraventricular $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ had no effect on the systemic blood pressure, whereas intravenous administration brought about a transient hypotension. These observations suggest that $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ induces diuresis and natriuresis via central mechanism, that the site of the action resides in renal tubules, and that the reabsorption of sodium is inhibited in the proximal tubule, possibly through mediation of certain humoral agent. Overall, it is suggested that $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ might play a roll in regulating renal function through the center.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.317-321
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• 2011

Objective : External ventricular drain (EVD) is commonly performed with a freehand technique using surface anatomical landmarks at two different cranial sites, Kocher's point and the forehead. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the accuracy and safety of these percutaneous ventriculostomies. Methods : A retrospectively review of medical records and head computed tomography scans were examined in 227 patients who underwent 250 freehand pass ventriculostomy catheter placements using two different methods at two institutions, between 2003 and 2009. Eighty-one patients underwent 101 ventriculostomies using Kocher's point (group 1), whereas 146 patients underwent 149 forehead ventriculostomies (group 2). Results : In group 1, the catheter tip was optimally placed in either the ipsilateral frontal horn or the third ventricle, through the foramen of Monro (grade 1) in 82 (81.1%) procedures, in the contralateral lateral ventricle (grade 2) in 4 (3.9%), and into eloquent structures or non-target cerebrospinal space (grade 3) in 15 (14.8%). Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) >1 mL developed in 5 (5.0%) procedures. Significantly higher incidences of optimal catheter placements were observed in group 2. ICH>1 mL developed in 11 (7.4 %) procedures in group 2, showing no significant difference between groups. In addition, the mean interval from the EVD to ventriculoperitoneal shunt was shorter in group 2 than in group 1, and the incidence of EVD-related infection was decreased in group 2. Conclusion : Accurate and safe ventriculostomies were achieved using both cranial sites, Kocher's point and the forehead. However, the forehead ventriculostomies provided more accurate ventricular punctures.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.7-20
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• 1995

Taurine, a ${\beta}-amino$ acid, plays an important role as a neuromodulator and is necessary for the normal development of the brain. Since de novo synthesis of taurine in the brain is minimal and in vivo studies suggest that taurine dose not cross the blood-brain barrier, we examined whether the choroid plexus, the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier, plays a role in taurine transport in the central nervous system. The uptake of $[^3H]-taurine$ into ATP depleted choroid plexus from rabbit was substantially greater in the presence of an inwardly directed $Na^+$ gradient taurine accumulation was negligible. A transient in side-negative potential gradient enhanced the $Na^+-driven$ uptake of taurine into the tissue slices, suggesting that the transport process is electrogenic, $Na^+-driven$ taurine uptake was saturable with an estimated $V_{max}$ of $111\;{\pm}\;20.2\;nmole/g/15\;min$ and a $K_M\;of\;99.8{\pm}29.9\;{\mu}M$. The estimated coupling ratio of $Na^+$ and taurine was $1.80\;{\pm}\;0.122.$ $Na^+-dependent$ taurine uptake was significantly inhibited by ${\beta}-amino$ acids, but not by ${\alpha}-amino$ acids, indicating that the transporter is selective for ${\beta}-amino$ acids. Since it is known that the physiological concentration of taurine in the CSF is lower than that in the plasma, the active transport system we characterized may face the brush border (i.e., CSF facing) side of the choroid plexus and actively transport taurine out of the CSF. Therefore, we examined in vivo elimination of taurine from the CSF in the rat to determine whether elimination kinetics of taurine from the CSF is consistent with the in vitro study. Using a stereotaxic device, cannulaes were placed into the lateral ventricle and the cisterna magna of the rat. Radio-labelled taurine and inulin (a marker of CSF flow) were injected into the lateral ventricle, and the concentrations of the labelled compounds in the CSF were monitored for upto 3 hrs in the cisterna magna. The apparent clearance of taurine from CSF was greater than the estimated CSF flow (p<0.005) indicating that there is a clearance process in addition to the CSF flow. Taurine distribution into the choroid plexus was at least 10 fold higher than that found in other brain areas (e. g., cerebellum, olfactory bulb and cortex). When unlabelled taurine was co-administered with radio-labelled taurine, the apparent clearance of taurine was reduced (p<0.0l), suggesting a saturable disposition of taurine from CSF. Distribution of taurine into the choroid plexus, cerebellum, olfactory bulb and cortex was similarly diminished, indicating that the saturable uptake of taurine into these tissues is responsible for the non-linear disposition. A pharmacokinetic model involving first order elimination and saturable distribution described these data adequately. The Michaelis-Menten rate constant estimated from in vivo elimination study is similar to that obtained in the in vitro uptake experiment. Collectively, our results demonstrate that taurine is transported in the choroid plexus via a $Na^+-dependent,saturable$ and apparently ${\beta}-amino$ acid selective mechanism. This process may be functionally relevant to taurine homeostasis in the brain.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.211-221
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• 1991

Although the existence of nerve cells which determine the activity of sympathetic nervous system in ventrolateral medulla is advocated recently, there are wide varieties on the location and function of them according to authors. Present study aimed to identify and characterize the medullospinal tract cells in rostral and caudal medulla of cats .which branch to the lateral horn of the upper thoracic spinal cord. Cats were anesthetized with ${\alpha}-chloralose$. The upper thoracic spinal cord and floor of the IVth ventricle were exposed. Medullospinal tract cells in rostral and caudal medulla were identified by anti-dromic stimulation of the intermediolateral nucleus in the upper thoracic cord and then the location and physiological characteristics of these cells were studied. A total of seventy cells in medulla had constant latency and responded to high frequency stimulation to thoracic cord. Among them fifty-six cells were identified as medullospinal tract cells either by collision with spontaneous activities or activities evoked by sciatic nerve stimulation(27/56), or by determining the refractory period (29/56). Thirty-one of these cells branched to the contralateral thoracic spinal cord, twenty-one cells to the ipsilateral side and remaining four cells branched to both sides. The conduction velocity of cells branching to the contralateral side was $29{\pm}2.9\;m/sec$ and that of cells to the ipsilateral side was $39.1{\pm}6.0\;m/sec$. When medulla was devided into two by a horizontal plane at 3 mm rostral to the obex, fifty-one among seventy cells were in the rostral medulla and nineteen were in the caudal medulla. The conduction velocities of these two groups were $21.6{\pm}1.0\;and\;33.3{\pm}3.9\;m/sec$, respectively. In this study, we confirmed the existence of two groups of medullospinal tract cells in rostral and caudal ventrolateral medulla, which branch to the lateral horn of thoracic cord and these cells have relatively few spontaneous activities and rapid conduction velocity, so we concluded that these cells are different from the previously known sympatho-related cells in ventrolateral medulla.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.671-681
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• 1995

This study was attempted to investigate the topographical distribution, shape and immunoreactivity of growth hormone-releasing factor(GRF)- and somatostatin(SOM)-immunoreactive neurons in the hypothalamus of the Korean squirrels(Sciurus vulgalis coreae). For the light microscopical examination of immunohistochemistry, the brains were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde solution by means of intracardiac perfusion. And the frozen sections($40{\mu}m$ thick) were stained immunohistochemically by ABC method. Distribution of GRF immunoreactive neurons($12-17{\mu}m$) was highest in the paraventricular nucleus, moderate in the periventricular and supraoptic nuclei, and low in the arcuate nucleus and lateral hypothalamic area. Their immunoreactive fibers were found very high in the median eminence, moderately in the supraoptic, paraventricular and periventricular nuclei, and low in the arcuate nucleus and lateral hypothalamic area. SOM immunoreactive perikarya($14-18{\mu}m$) were found moderately in the periventricular nucleus near the subependymal layer of the third ventricle, and low in the arcuate and suprachiasmatic nuclei. SOM immunoreactive fibers were found high in the median eminence, and moderately or low in the arcuate and periventricular nuclei.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.472-480
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• 1998

We reviewed the surgical results of intracardiac lateral tunnel Fontan procedure for the repair of functional single ventricles. Between 1990 and 1996, 104 patients underwent total cavopulmonary anastomosis. Patients' age and body weight averaged 35.9(range 10 to 173) months and 12.8(range 6.5 to 37.8) kg. Preoperative diagnoses included 18 tricuspid atresias and 53 double inlet ventricles with univentricular atrioventricular connection and 33 other complex lesions. Previous palliative operations were performed in 50 of these patients, including 37 systemic to pulmonary artery shunts, 13 pulmonary artery bandings, 15 surgical atrial septectomies, 2 arterial switch procedures, 2 resections of subaortic conus, 2 repairs of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and 1 Damus-Stansel-Kaye procedure. In 19 patients bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt operation was performed before the Fontan procedure and in 1 patient a Kawashima procedure was required. Preoperative hemodynamics revealed a mean pulmonary artery pressure of 14.6(range 5 to 28) mmHg, a mean pulmonary vascular resistance of 2.2(range 0.4 to 6.9) wood-unit, a mean pulmonary to systemic flow ratio of 0.9(range 0.3 to 3.0), a mean ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 9.0 (range 3.0 to 21.0) mmHg, and a mean arterial oxygen saturation of 76.0(range 45.6 to 88.0)%. The operative procedure consisted of a longitudinal right atriotomy 2cm lateral to the terminal crest up to the right atrial auricle, followed by the creation of a lateral tunnel connecting the orifices of either the superior caval vein or the right atrial auricle to the inferior caval vein, using a Gore-Tex vascular graft with or without a fenestration. Concomitant procedures at the time of Fontan procedure included 22 pulmonary artery angioplasties, 21 atrial septectomies, 4 atrioventricular valve replacements or repairs, 4 corrections of anomalous pulmonary venous connection, and 3 permanent pacemaker implantations. In 31, a fenestration was created, and in 1 an adjustable communication was made in the lateral tunnel pathway. One lateral tunnel conversion was performed in a patient with recurrent intractable tachyarrhythmia 4 years after the initial atriopulmonary connection. Post-extubation hemodynamic data revealed a mean pulmonary artery pressure of 12.7(range 8 to 21) mmHg, a mean ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 7.6(range 4 to 12) mmHg, and a mean room-air arterial oxygen saturation of 89.9(range 68 to 100) %. The follow-up duration was, on average, 27(range 1 to 85) months. Post-Fontan complications included 11 prolonged pleural effusions, 8 arrhythmias, 9 chylothoraces, 5 of damage to the central nervous system, 5 infectious complications, and 4 of acute renal failure. Seven early(6.7%) and 5 late(4.8%) deaths occured. These results proved that the lateral tunnel Fontan procedure provided excellent hemodynamic improvements with acceptable mortality and morbidity for hearts with various types of functional single ventricle.