• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.249-252
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• 2001

Total spinal anesthesia is a serious life threatening complication of spinal and epidural anesthesia. We report an accidental total spinal anesthesia developed during a thoracic epidural block in a practitioner's pain clinic. A 69-year-old female with post-herpetic neuralgia was treated by a thoracic epidural block. A thoracic tapping for the epidural block was performed in the right lateral position at a level between $T_{5-6}$, using a 23 gauge Tuohy needle. After the epidural space was identified, a mixed solution of 10 ml of 0.3% lidocaine and 20 mg of triamcinolone was injected into the epidural space. After removal of the syringe, fluid was dripping through the needle. The patient subsequently complained of dyspnea and dizziness, and she became unconscious. She was intubated immediately and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed because there was no pulse palpable. The patient recovered an hour after transfer to a general hospital and was discharged without any further complication 19 days later.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.247-253
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• 2010

Background: Epidural anesthesia is widely used to provide pain relief, whether for surgical anesthesia, postoperative analgesia, treatment of chronic pain, or to facilitate painless childbirth. In many cases, however, the epidural catheter is inserted blindly and the indwelling catheter position is almost always uncertain. Methods: In this study, the loss-of-resistance technique was used and an imaging agent was injected through the indwelling epidural anesthesia catheter to confirm the position of its tip and examine the migration rate. Study subjects were patients scheduled to undergo surgery using general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia. Placement of the epidural catheter was confirmed postoperatively by injection of an imaging agent and X-ray imaging. Results: The indwelling epidural catheter was placed between upper thoracic vertebrae (n = 83; incorrect placement, n = 5), lower thoracic vertebrae (n = 123; incorrect placement, n = 5), and lower thoracic vertebra-lumbar vertebra (n = 46; incorrect placement, n = 7). In this study, a relatively high frequency of incorrectly placed epidural catheters using the loss-of-resistance technique was observed, and it was found that incorrect catheter placement resulted in inadequate analgesia during surgery. Conclusions: Although the loss-of-resistance technique is easy and convenient as a method for epidural catheter placement, it frequently results in inadequate placement of epidural catheters. Care should be taken when performing this procedure.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.66-71
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• 1989

It has been standard practice in many institutions to use a combination of a light general anesthesia and an epidural block for lower abdominal and pelvic surgery. This combination of a balanced anesthesia can provide various benefits to the patient such as less bleeding in the surgical field, the use of a lower concentration of general anesthetics, less muscle relaxant, and post operative pain management. However, there are several problems associated with hemodynamics such as bradycardia and hypotension etc. In order to block the pain of the high surgical area with a lumbar epidural puncture postoperatively, a large volume of local anesthetic is required and consequently an extensive blockade of sympathetic, sensory and motor functions can occur causing motor weakness, numbness and postural hypotension. Therefore, the patient is unable to have early ambulation postoperatively. In this study, thoracic epidural catheterization was undertaken to locate the tip of the catheter exactly at the surgical level for upper abdominal surgery, and was followed by general anesthesia. Twenty-one patients scheduled for upper abdominal surgery were selected. Fifteen of them had hepatobiliary operations and the remaining 6 had gastrectomies. Thoracic epidural punctures were performed mostly at T9-T10 (57.1%) and T8-T9. Neuromuscular blocking agents were not used in half of the cases and the, mean doses of relaxant were $3.5{\pm}1.0mg$ in gastrectomies, and $2.7{\pm}0.9mg$ in cases of hepatobiliary operation. Epidural morphine was injected 1 hour before the end of the operation for postoperative pain control. Eight patients did not require additional analgesics and the mean dose of epidural morphine was $2.2{\pm}0.9mg$, and 13 cases were given 0.125% epidural bupivacaine when patients complained of pain. Their initial doses of epidural morphine were $1.9{\pm}0.4mg$ and the mean duration of bupivacaine was 6 hours 20 minutes${\pm}40$ minutes. In conclusion. thoracic epidural analgesia is valuable to reduce postoperative pain in patients with upper abdominal surgery, However, it is not easy to maintain this balanced anesthesia with high epidural analgesia-and light general anesthesia for upper abdominal surgery because of marked hemodynamic changes. Therefore, further practice will be required.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.178-182
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• 2011

Background: We analyzed the results of surgical reduction and fixation of ribs under thoracic epidural anesthesia and analgesia (TEA) in patients who had no more than 3 consecutive rib fractures with severe displacement to examine the clinical usefulness of this method. Materials and Methods: From May 2008 to March 2010, 35 patients underwent surgical reduction and fixation of ribs under TEA. We reviewed the indications for this technique, number of fixed ribs, combined surgical procedures for thoracic trauma, intraoperative cardiopulmonary events, postoperative complications, reestablishment of enteral nutrition, and ambulation. Results: The indications of TEA were malunion or nonunion of fractured ribs in 29 (82.9%; first operation) and incompletely ribs under previous general anesthesia in 6 (17.1%; second operation). The average number of fixed ribs per patient was 1.7 (range: 1~3). As a combined operation for thoracic trauma, 17 patients (48.6%) underwent removal of intrathoracic hematomas, and we performed repair of lung parenchyma (2), wedge resection of lung (1) for accompanying lung injury and pericardiostomy (1) for delayed hemopericardium. No patient had any intraoperative cardiopulmonary event nor did any need to switch to general anesthesia. We experienced 3 postoperative complications (8.6%): 2 extrapleural hematomas that spontaneously resolved without treatment and 1 wound infection treated with secondary closure of the wound. All patients reestablished oral feeding immediately after awakening and resumed walking ambulation the day after operation. Conclusion: Thoracic epidural anesthesia and analgesia (TEA) may positively affect cardiopulmonary function in the perioperative period. Moreover, this technique leads to an earlier return of gastrointestinal function and early ambulation without severe postoperative complications, resulting in a shortened hospital stay and lowered costs.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제48권6호
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• pp.544-546
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• 2010

Paraplegia following spinal epidural anesthesia is extremely rare. Various lesions for neurologic complications have been documented in the literature. We report a 66-year-old female who developed paraplegia after left knee surgery for osteoarthritis under spinal epidural anesthesia. In the recovery room, paraplegia and numbness below T4 vertebra was checked. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan showed a spinal thoracic intradural extramedullary (IDEM) tumor. After extirpation of the tumor, the motor weakness improved to the grade of 3/5. If a neurologic deficit following spinal epidural anesthesia does not resolve, a MRI should be performed without delay to accurately diagnose the cause of the deficit and optimal treatment should be rendered for the causative lesion.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제32권8호
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• pp.732-738
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• 1999

배경: 비디오 기술의 발전과 내시경의 향상으로 비디오 흉강경수술은 기흉, 다한증 및 종격동 종양 같은 몇 몇 질환에서는 표준 수술로서 인정받고 있다. 이러한 비디오 흉강경수술은 전신마취하에 이중기도관에 의한 일측 폐환기가 필요하였다. 그러나 폐질환이 동반된 환자나 전신상태가 나쁜 고령의 환자와 같은 고위험군 의 경우는 일측 폐환기나 전신마취 자체에 대한 위험성이 높다. 대상 및 방법: 1997년 12월부터 1998년 7월 까지, 전신상태가 나빠서 전신마취가 위험한 8례의 환자를 대상으로(농흉 6례, 난치성 흉수 1례, 간질성 폐섬 유증 1례) 경막외마취하에 자가호흡을 유지한 상태에서 비디오 흉강경을 이용하여 흉강내 질환의 진단 및 치료를 시행하였다. 결과: 7례에서 성공적으로 비디오 흉강경수술이 시행되었다. 수술 도중 호흡기능이 저하 되어 전신마취로 전환한 경우가 1례 있었으나 개흉술로 전환한 경우는 없었다. 만성 농흉 환자 2례의 경우 에서, 1례는 재발하여 다시 비디오 흉강경 배농술을 시행하였으며 1례는 수술 후 7일째 흉곽성형술을 시행 하였다. 수술시간은 평균 31.8$\pm$15.2분이었으며 수술 후 호흡합병증이 발생한 경우는 없었다. 결론: 경막외마 취하에 비디오 흉강경을 통한 진단 및 치료는 고위험군에서 안전하게 시행될 수 있는 기법이라고 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.191-198
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• 2018

Background: Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) is known to provide good postoperative analgesia in many types of surgery including laparoscopic surgery. However, no study has compared PCEA with patient-controlled intravascular analgesia (PCIA) in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LARP). In this study, the efficacy and side effects of PCEA and PCIA after LARP were compared. Methods: Forty patients undergoing LARP were randomly divided into two groups: 1) a PCEA group, treated with 0.2% ropivacaine 3 ml and 0.1 mg morphine in the bolus; and 2) a PCIA group, treated with oxycodone 1 mg and nefopam 1 mg in the bolus. After the operation, a blinded observer assessed estimated blood loss (EBL), added a dose of rocuronium, performed transfusion, and added analgesics. The numeric rating scale (NRS), infused PCA dose, and side effects were assessed at 1, 6, 24, and 48 h. Results: EBL, added rocuronium, and added analgesics in the PCEA group were less than those in the PCIA group. There were no significant differences in side-effects after the operation between the two groups. Patients were more satisfied with PCEA than with PCIA. The NRS and accumulated PCA count were lower in PCEA group. Conclusions: Combined thoracic epidural anesthesia could induce less blood loss during operations. PCEA showed better postoperative analgesia and greater patient satisfaction than PCIA. Thus, PCEA may be a more useful analgesic method than PICA after LARP.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제36권9호
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• pp.678-682
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• 2003

이차성 자연 기흉은 흉강경 수술의 좋은 적응증이다. 이 방법은 흔히 전신마취와 일측폐환기를 필요로 한다. 그러나 전신마취와 일측폐환기가 위험성이 큰 환자도 있다. 대상 및 방법: 1999년 9월부터 2001년 8월까지 15명의 고위험군 환자를 대상으로 경막외 마취하에 흉강경수술을 시행하였다. 결과: 15명이 성공적으로 흉강경 수술을 마쳤다. 술 후 누출 기간은 평균 4.3일이었고, 의미 있는 합병증은 없었으며 재발도 없었다. 결론: 흉강경 수술은 고위험인자를 가진 이차성 자연 기흉환자의 치료로 경막외 마취하에 안전하게 시행할 수 있다.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.255-261
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• 2016

Background: Thoracic epidural anesthesia is frequently used to maintain intraoperative and postoperative analgesia. Frequently, 3 ml of local anesthetic is used as a test dose, or for intermittent epidural injection. We assessed the extent of the spread of 3 ml of contrast medium in the thoracic epidural space and attempted to identify any correlating factors affecting the epidurography. Methods: A total of 70 patients were enrolled in the study, and thoracic epidural catheterizations were performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Using 3 ml of contrast medium, epidurography was evaluated to confirm the number of spinal segments covered by the contrast medium. Correlation analysis was performed between patient characteristics (sex, age, body mass index, weight, height, and location of catheter tip) and the extent of the contrast spread. Results: The mean number of vertebral segments evaluated by contrast medium was $7.9{\pm}2.2$ using 3 ml of contrast medium. The contrast spread in the cranial direction showed more extensive distribution than that in the caudal direction, with statistical significance (P < 0.01). Patient height demonstrated a negative correlation with the extent of distribution of contrast medium (r = -0.311, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Thoracic epidurography using 3 ml of contrast medium results in coverage of a mean of $7.9{\pm}2.2$ spinal segments, with more extensive cranial spread, and patient height showed a weak negative correlation with the distribution of contrast medium.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제39권8호
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• pp.598-603
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• 2006

배경 : 경막외 마취를 이용하여 의식 있는 환자에서 관상동맥우회술을 시행하는 경우 기계 환기 및 전신 마취에 의한 합병증을 피할 수 있는 장점들이 기대된다. 대상 및 방법: 2005년 4월부터 2005년 9월까지 12명의 환자를 대상으로 상흉부 경막외 마취를 이용하여 의식이 있는 상태에서 심폐바이패스를 사용하지 않는 관상동맥우회술을 시행하였다. 1명은 여자였고 11명은 남자였으며 평균 연령은 $66{\pm}6$세였다. 정중 흉골 절개술을 시행한 후 동맥도관만을 이용하여 관상동맥우회술을 시행하였다. 결과: 평균 원위부 문합수는 ${1.8{\pm}0.9\;(1{\sim}3)}$이었으며, 수술사망 예는 없었다. 수술을 시행하는 동안 모두 8 명의 환자에서 기흉이 발생하였으며, 수술 중 기흉 (n =3), 복부내장의 팽창 (n=1), 흉관 삽입 후 발생한 혈흉 (n=1) 등의 원인으로 12 명 중 5 명의 환자에서는 기관 삽관 후 전신마취로 전환이 필요하였다. 모든 환자에서 수술 후 $1.2{\pm}0.6$일째에 관상동맥조명술을 시행하였으며, 모든 우회도관은 개통되어 있었다. 결론: 본원의 초기 경험을 통해 전신 마취를 하지 않고 의식이 있는 상태에서 심폐바이패스를 사용하지 않는 관상동맥우회술을 시행하는 것이 가능함을 확인할 수 있었다 . 이러한 수술 방법의 적응증 및 제한점에 대해서는 향후 경험을 통한 추가적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.