• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.677-679
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• 2023

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.223-227
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• 2019

Radiofrequency neurolysis (RFN) of the genicular nerves has recently become accepted as an effective technique to alleviate knee pain particularly in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) or postoperative pain. However, genicular nerve RFN can produce high procedure and equipment costs, longer procedural times, procedure-related pain, and failure rate of over 25%. We are presenting two cases of alcohol neurolysis of the genicular nerve using fluoroscopy and ultrasonography in patients with knee OA or persistent postsurgical pain of the knee. Alcohol neurolysis of the genicular nerve with dual imaging modality can be a cheap, safe and effective method in patients with chronic knee pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 2000

Background: Intraperitoneal (IP) and intrathecal (IT) administration of $\alpha$-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic (AMPA) and kainate (KA) receptor antagonist attenuate hyperalgesia in various models of persistent pain. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of IP and IT LY293558, a novel AMPA/KA receptor antagonist on mechanical hyperalgesia after incision. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with halothane and underwent plantar incision. Two hours later, responses to mechanical stimuli were assessed using the response frequency to a nonpunctate mechanical stimulus and withdrawal threshold to calibrated von Frey filaments. One group of rats received vehicle, 5 or 10 mg/kg of LY293558 IP. In the other group, vehicle, 0.2, 0.5 or 2 nmol of LY293558 was administered IT. Ataxia and motor function were also evaluated. Results: Hyperalgesia was persistent in both the vehicle and 5 mg/kg group. IP administration of 10 mg/kg of LY293558 increased withdrawal threshold at 30 and 60 min after incision; deficits in rotorod performance were observed at 30, 60, 90 and 150 min. IT administration of 0.5 nmol of LY293558 increased the median withdrawal threshold at 30 and 60 min. Motor function was only impaired at 30 min. IT administration of 2 nmol produced hemiparesis. Again, inhibition of pain behaviors outlasted the effects on motor function. Conclusions: These data further suggest AMPA/KA receptors are important for the maintenance of pain behaviors caused by incisions. IT administration of LY293558 was more effective than systemic administration and reducing pain behaviors caused by a surgical incision.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.sup2
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• pp.19-28
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• 2008

Chronic abdominal pain, defined as long-lasting intermittent or constant abdominal pain, is a common pediatric problem encountered by primary care physicians and medical subspecialists. Chronic abdominal pain in children is usually functional, i.e., without objective evidence of an underlying organic disorder. Functional abdominal pain is categorized as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain, abdominal migraine, and aerophagia according to the Rome II criteria for pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders. There is insufficient evidence to state that the nature of abdominal pain or the presence of associated symptoms can discriminate between functional and organic disorders. The presence of alarming symptoms or signs, such as weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, persistent fever, and chronic severe diarrhea, is associated with a higher prevalence of organic disease. Most children with chronic abdominal pain are unlikely to require diagnostic testing; such children often need pharmacologic and behavioral therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.354-356
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• 1995

Rectal tenesmus is a persistent, painful and ineffectual sensation of straining at stool or opening of the bowels. Lumbar sympathectomy was performed in patient whose main complaint was rectal tenesmoid pain resulting from hemorrhoid operation, and in whom analgesic or psychotropic drugs had failed in controlling the symptom. After chemical lumbar sympathectomy, patient was free from the rectal tenesmoid pain. It is concluded that lumbar sympathectomy is a safe and effective treatment for rectal tenesmus.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.110-114
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• 2020

Myofascial pain (MFP) is one of the most common causes of persistent orofacial pain. Patients with chronic myofascial orofacial pain may present with diffuse heterotopic pain, complicating the correct diagnosis. Treatment of chronic MFP should focus on the elimination of aetiologic factors. This article describes two cases of chronic MFP of the masticatory muscles, whose symptoms were exacerbated after masseteric nerve neurectomy. The patients had suffered from irrelevant treatment which did not resolve the symptom. Their symptom was managed by conventional treatment protocol. These cases emphasize the importance of correct diagnosis and evidence-based approach.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2020

Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) can heal and remain asymptomatic, or they can progress to deep ankle pain on weight bearing and the formation of subchondral cysts. Treatment varies from nonoperative treatment to open and arthroscopic procedures. Operative procedures include marrow stimulation techniques (abrasion chondroplasty, multiple drilling, microfracture), osteochondral autografts or allografts, and autologous chondrocyte implantation. Among these treatments, arthroscopic marrow stimulation techniques have been the preferred initial surgical treatment for most OLT. Despite these treatments, many patients complain of persistent pain even after surgery, and many surgeons face the challenge of determining a second line of treatments. This requires a thorough re-evaluation of the patient's symptoms as well as radiological measures. If the primary surgical treatment has failed, multiple operative treatments are available, and relatively more invasive methods can be administered. On the other hand, it is inappropriate to draw a firm conclusion in which methods are superior.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.71-74
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• 2023

A medial opening wedge supramalleolar osteotomy (SMO) introduced by Takakura et al. is a useful realignment procedure for patients with ankle joint arthritis and varus malalignment by shifting the weight-bearing axis laterally and redistributing the loads on the ankle joint. When pain persists after arthroscopic microfracture in patients with medial osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT), redo arthroscopy, osteochondral autograft transplantation, autologous chondrocyte implantation, or matrix-induced chondrogenesis might be indicated. On the other hand, there is insufficient scientific evidence for realignment surgery through SMO, while the effect of realignment surgery has been studied consecutively for osteochondral lesions of the knee. Therefore, this paper reports a patient with medial OLT who underwent redo arthroscopy combined with SMO for persistent pain after primary arthroscopic microfracture.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.194-200
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• 2013

Objective : Lumbar spine stenosis (LSS) can result in symptomatic compression of the neural elements, requiring surgical treatment if conservative management fails. Minimally invasive surgery has come to be more commonly used for the treatment of LSS. The current study describes outcomes of bilateral microdecompression by unilateral or bilateral laminotomy (BML) for degenerative LSS after a minimum follow-up period of 3 years and investigates factors that result in a poor outcome. Methods : Twenty-one patients who were followed-up for at least 3 years were included in this study. For clinical evaluation, the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scoring system for low back pain was used. The modified grading system of Finneson and Cooper was used for outcome assessment. Radiographic evaluation was also performed for spondylolisthesis, sagittal rotation angle, and disc height. Results : Twenty-one patients (10 men, 11 women) aged 53-82 years ($64.1{\pm}8.9$ years) were followed-up for a minimum of 3 years (36-69 months). During follow-up, two patients underwent reoperation. Average preoperative JOA score and clinical symptoms, except persistent low back pain, improved significantly at the latest follow-up. There were no significant differences in radiological findings preoperatively and postoperatively. Thirteen patients (61.9%) had excellent to fair outcomes. Conclusion : BML resulted in a favorable and persistent outcome for patients with degenerative LSS without radiological instability over a mid-term follow-up period. Persistent low back pain unrelated to postoperative instability adversely affects mid-term outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.225-232
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• 2021

Objective: To determine whether changes in the transiting nerve rootlet or its surroundings, as seen on MRI performed after lumbar hemilaminectomy, are associated with persistent postoperative pain (PPP), commonly known as the failed back surgery syndrome. Materials and Methods: Seventy-three patients (mean age, 61 years; 43 males and 30 females) who underwent single-level partial hemilaminectomy of the lumbar spine without postoperative complications or other level spinal abnormalities between January 2010 and December 2018 were enrolled. Two musculoskeletal radiologists evaluated transiting nerve rootlet abnormalities (thickening, signal alteration, distinction, and displacement), epidural fibrosis, and intrathecal arachnoiditis on MRI obtained one year after the operations. A spine surgeon blinded to the radiologic findings evaluated each patient for PPP. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to evaluate the association between the MRI findings and PPP. Results: The presence of transiting nerve rootlet thickening, signal alteration, and ill-distinction was significantly different between the patients with PPP and those without, for both readers (p ≤ 0.020). Conversely, the presence of transiting nerve rootlet displacement, epidural fibrosis, and intrathecal arachnoiditis was not significantly different between the two groups (p ≥ 0.128). Among the above radiologic findings, transiting nerve rootlet thickening and signal alteration were the most significant findings in the multivariable analyses (p ≤ 0.009). Conclusion: On MRI, PPP was associated with transiting nerve rootlet abnormalities, including thickening, signal alterations, and ill-distinction, but was not associated with epidural fibrosis or intrathecal arachnoiditis. The most relevant findings were the nerve rootlet thickening and signal alteration.