• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.727-737
• /
• 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 the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.18 no.10
• /
• pp.178-184
• /
• 2017

This study was performed on 16 patients diagnosed with tsutsugamushi disease and cerebral infarction from January 2007 to December 2015. An acute cerebral infarction was diagnosed by brain MRI and MRA. Tsutsugamushi disease was diagnosed using a polymerase chain reaction. To distinguish the difference between the generalized cerebral infarction and infarction with tsutsugamushi disease, the blood pressure and body temperature were measured uponadmission. In general, the blood pressure increases during an acute cerebral infarction. Interestingly, in this study, 12 patients showed a systolic blood pressure less than 130 mmHg uponadmission. The location of the cerebral infarction and whether single or multiple cerebral infarction were examined. Thirteen patients had a cerebral infarction in anterior circulation and 3 patients developed in posterior circulation. To evaluate the coagulation disorders, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), D-dimer, fibrinogen, fibrin degradation product (FDP). D-dimer, which is generally known to increase in an acute cerebral infarction, showed a significant increase in the 13 patients. Fibrin degradation products (FDP) showed a significant increase in 15 patients. The pathophysiological mechanism of tsutsugamushi disease is known as vasculitis, which may result in an endothelial cell injury and proliferation of the endothelial wall, which may lead to a cerebral infarction accompanied by coagulopathy. Without endothelial cell damage and proliferation, a vasospasm caused by vasculitis may cause vasoconstriction and cerebral infarction.

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

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.337-343
• /
• 1997

With the purpose of producing easily the basal ganglia infarction into Chen's, scerebral ischemic model which is almost cortical infarct made by the ligation of distal part of MCA and 1 hr obliteration of both common carotid arteries in rat, the MCA obstruction was extended between rhinal fissure and olfactory tract with electrocauterization in place of 10-0 silk suture ligation of distal part of MCA. Both original Chen's model and modified Chen's have shown the cortical infarction in dorsolateral & lateral frontoparietal cortex, but not any infarction in basal ganglia. However, the modified Chen's model have shown the effect of average 12% increase in cortical infarct than that of original Chen's model. This experimental results suggest the modified Chen's model can not reduce the blood flow of the lateral lenticulostriatal artery enough to make the basal ganglia infarction and that blood circulation of basal gagglia under its condition is probably being kept partly through the posterior cerebral artery via vertebral artery. Therefore, The follow-up observation on ischemic time lapse would be needed.

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

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.1291-1296
• /
• 2002

Blood circulation of brain is divided into two major categories; anterior one from carotid artery and posterior one from vertebrobasilar artery. In stroke patients, it is important to diagnose which is involved, because there is many difference in the aspects of clinical menifestations and prognosis, especially in the acute stage. In some cases of vertebrobasilar infarction, such as Wallenberg's syndrome, charicteristic cranial nerve signs, eye movement disorders and cerebellar signs are appeared. And in Dejerine's syndrome, only pure motor or sensory defecits can be appeared without any brainstem signs. So It shoud be differenciated by Brain MRI from those of the cerebral hemisphere lesions. And in the cases that nausea, vomitting and dysphagia are the first menifestations, it is frequently misdiagnosed as internal medical disease, causing appropriate treatment delayed. In this case report, we are to describe the clinical menifestations and progresses of two cases of brainstem infarctions, review previously published case reports about them and compare them to our cases. The first is Dejerine's syndrome i.e. medial medullary infarction, the second is Wallenberg's syndrome i.e. lateral medullary infarction. Simultaneously we are to investigate the oriental medical approach in the bran stem infarctions.