• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2007

Background: Caudal block is useful when anesthesia for surgery or treatment for chronic pain is needed, but this procedure has a failure rate of up to 25% even when it performed byan experienced physician. This high failure rate is usually due to improper needle placement. Methods: After gaining approval of the ethics committee, 46 patients received caudal blocks under ultrasound guidance; these were performed after the anatomical structures in the sacral hiatus had been measured with ultrasound. All these procedures were performed by the same anesthesiologist. The position and direction of the needle were identified using fluoroscopy by injecting a radio-opaque contrast through the needle. The time taken from thelidocaine injection to verification of the needle was measured and the planned nerve block was then carried out. Results: All cases of needle insertion into the sacral canal under ultrasound guidance were successful. The average duration of the procedure and the trial count were $134.1{\pm}10.1seconds$ and $1.2{\pm}0.1$, respectively. In 12 of the 46 cases (26%), the needle deviated either left or right in the sacral canal, so the direction of the needle had to be adjusted. The distance between two cornua, the depth of the sacral hiatus and the thickness and length of the sacrococcygeal ligament were $17.1{\pm}0.4$, $3.9{\pm}0.3$, $2.3{\pm}0.1$ and $24.9{\pm}0.9mm$, respectively. Conclusions: Ultrasound guidance can increase the success rate of inserting a needle into the sacral canal. However, even when ultrasound is used, the needle can deviate either left or right in the sacral canal.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.194-201
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• 2024

Objective : This study aimed to evaluate the clinical feasibility of the combination of ultrasound and nerve stimulator guidance in transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TESIs) to manage lumbosacral chronic radicular pain. Methods : Using the combination of nerve stimulator and ultrasound guidance, TESIs were performed in 125 segments of 78 patients who presented with chronic lumbar radicular pain. Demographic characteristics and surgical outcomes were recorded on admission, pre-procedural and post-procedural for 1-week, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. The result was measured using the Numeric rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI). Results : Patients who received TESIs showed significant improvements on two evaluation tools (NRS, ODI), compared to that before procedure (p<0.001). No significant complications were observed for 6 months' follow-up. Conclusion : The result suggests that a combination of ultrasound and nerve stimulator guidance in transforaminal epidural injections is safe, reliable and effective for short-term management of lumbar disc herniation. It is a promising technique and has shown good results in providing intermediate pain relief.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.78-82
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• 2009

Obturator nerve block has been used for analgesia of hip pain, relaxation of adductor muscle spasm related to cerebral palsy or paraplegia and in urologic surgery to prevent inadvertent obturator activity during lateral wall cystoscopy. Recently, ultrasound guidance has gained popularity in the field of peripheral nerve block and have been reported in some benefits. We describe here successfully performed both obturator nerve block under ultrasound guidance.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.287-289
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• 2015

Brachial plexus block (BPB) under ultrasound guidance has come to be widely used. However, nerve injury has been reported following ultrasound-guided BPB. We hypothesized that BPB under ultrasound guidance in conjunction with real-time electrical nerve stimulation would help us prevent nerve injury and do more successful procedure. Here, we report the successful induction and maintenance of ultrasound-guided BPB and the achievement of good peri- and postoperative pain control using a conductive catheter, the EpiStim$^{(R)}$.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.50-59
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• 2012

In the domain of orthopaedic surgery, application of regional nerve block for surgery or pain control in upper and lower extremities has been increased. By performing regional block of popliteal (sciatic), femoral, proximal saphenous nerve and ankle block under guidance of ultrasound, not only the safety, but also success rate of the procedure has increased, and amount of local anesthetics could be used less, too. Since the perineural single injection or continuous catheterization of diluted local anesthetics was performed more precisely and easily by the guidance of ultrasound, postoperative pain could be controlled without complications of PCA such as nausea, vomiting, etc. We will discuss about this ultrasound guided regional nerve block.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2007

Background: Selective diagnostic blocks of the medial branches of the dorsal primary ramus are usually performed under the guidance of fluoroscopic or computed tomography. Recently, however, ultrasound guidance has been suggested as an altemative method. In this study, the distances between the vertebral structures were measured and compared with the values measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the clinical feasibility of using ultrasound-guided block in Korean patients. Methods: Five male and 15 female patients were enrolled in this study. The target point of the medial branch block in our study was the groove at the base of the superior articular process, We measured the depth from the skin to the target point at the transverse process (d-TP) and to the most superficial point of the superior articular process (d-AP). Results: The d-TP and d-AP values measured under ultrasound guidance were concordant with the values measured using MRI. Conclusions: The images of the bony landmarks obtained under ultrasound examination could be useful for ultrasound-guided lumbar medial branch block.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.181-183
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• 2004

Hepatic mass was aspirated under the guidance with ultrasound in 9-year old female maltese with signs of anorexia, hematochezia, vomiting, depression, and abdominal distension. Radiographic and abdominal ultrasonographic examinations were performed, which revealed enlarged tubular shaped uterine mass and solitary, small round hyperechoic hepatic mass dorsal to gall bladder as an incidental finding. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration was completed, but histologic confirmation should be made for definitive diagnosis by tissue core or wedge biopsy.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.179-187
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• 2024

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common musculoskeletal disorder characterized by muscle pain, tenderness, and trigger points. Ultrasonography has emerged as a key tool for diagnosing and treating MPS owing to its ability to provide precise, minimally invasive guidance. This review discusses the use of ultrasonography in various approaches to evaluate and manage MPS. Studies have shown that shear-wave sonoelastography can effectively assess muscle elasticity and offer insights into trapezius stiffness in patients with MPS. Ultrasound-guided interfascial hydrodissection, especially with visual feedback, has demonstrated effectiveness in treating trapezius MPS. Similarly, ultrasound-guided rhomboid interfascial plane blocks and perimysium dissection for posterior shoulder MPS have significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life. The combination of extracorporeal shockwave therapy with ultrasound-guided lidocaine injections has been particularly successful in reducing pain and stiffness in trapezius MPS. Research regarding various guided injections, including dry needling, interfascial plane blocks, and fascial hydrodissection, emphasizes the importance of ultrasonography for accuracy and safety. Additionally, ultrasound-guided delivery of local anesthetics and steroids to the quadratus lumborum muscle has shown lasting pain relief over a 6-month period. Overall, these findings highlight the pivotal role of ultrasonography in the assessment and treatment of MPS.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-66
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• 2014

Traditionally, cervical interventions have been performed under fluoroscopy. But radiation exposure is the major concern when obtaining fluoroscopic images and even under real-time fluoroscopy with contrast media or CT guidance, some cases of serious spinal cord injuries, cerebellar and brain stem infarction have been reported by unintentional intra-arterial injections especially during the transforaminal root blocks. Recently, the use of ultrasound-guided cervical interventions have increased. Ultrasound offers visualization of soft tissues including major neurovascular structures and also allows to observe the spread of injectant materials around the target structure. Ultrasound is radiation free, easy to use and the image can be performed continuously while the injectant is visualized in real-time, increasing the precision of injection. Importantly, ultrasound allows visualization of major nerves and vessels and thus leads to improve safety of cervical interventions by decreasing the incidence of injury or injection into nearby vasculature. We therefore reviewed to investigate the feasibility of performing cervical interventions under real-time ultrasound guidance.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2019

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to compare clinical pregnancy rates in intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatment cycles with transabdominal ultrasound guidance during intrauterine catheter insemination (US-IUI) versus the "blind method" IUI without ultrasound guidance (BM-IUI). The secondary objective was to compare whether US-IUI had better patient tolerability and whether US-IUI made the insemination procedure easier for the clinician to perform compared to BM-IUI. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial done at the Reproductive Medicine Unit of General Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We included women aged between 25 and 40 years who underwent an IUI treatment cycle with follicle-stimulating hormone injections for controlled ovarian stimulation. Results: A total of 130 patients were recruited for our study. The US-IUI group had 70 patients and the BM-IUI group had 60 patients. The clinical pregnancy rate was 10% in both groups (p> 0.995) and there were no significant difference between the groups for patient tolerability assessed by scores on a pain visual analog scale (p= 0.175) or level of difficulty for the clinician (p> 0.995). The multivariate analysis further showed no significant increase in the clinical pregnancy rate (adjusted odds ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.85-1.34; p= 0.558) in the US-IUI group compared to the BM-IUI group even after adjusting for potential covariates. Conclusion: The conventional blind method for intrauterine catheter insemination is recommended for patients undergoing IUI treatment. The use of ultrasound during the insemination procedure increased the need for trained personnel to perform ultrasonography and increased the cost, but added no extra benefits for patients or clinicians.