• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.164-167
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• 2006

Background: There have been an increasing number of reports about infection-related complications after epidural block, and the analysis of these previous reports may offer valuable information for the prevention and treatment of such complications. Methods: We searched for complications about infection that was related to epidural blockade procedures by using the Medline Search program. We analyzed the types of infection-related complications as well as the potential risk factors, the time course from symptom development to treatment, the causative organisms and the treatment outcomes. Results: Seventeen cases were identified. The types of complications were epidural abscess, subdural abscess, spinal arachnoiditis, bacterial meningitis and aseptic meningitis. Five patients received a single block and twelve patients received a continuous block with catheterization. The most common site of epidural catheterization was the lumbar area and eight patients had indwelling catheters for less than fifteen days. Eight patients had a diabetes mellitus as a risk factor and fourteen patients showed less than seven days from the development of symptoms to treatment. Eleven patients received laminectomy and intravenous antibiotics as a treatment and eight patients had full recovery without neurological deficit. Conclusions: Early diagnosis and treatment is essential for the favorable outcome of infection-related complication after epidural block. In addition, absolute sterile technique should always be performed and patient education concerning these potential complications must be accompanied.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.241-244
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• 2011

Sparganosis is a rare parasitic infection affecting various organs, including the central nervous system, especially the lumbar epidural space. This report describes the identification of disease and different strategies of treatments with preoperative information. A 42-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of urinary incontinence and impotence. He had a history of ingesting raw frogs 40 years ago. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed an intramedullary nodular mass at conus medullaris and severe inflammation in the cauda equina. A 51-year-old woman was admitted with acute pain in the left inguinal area. We observed a lesion which seemed to be a tumor of the lumbar epidural space on MR imaging. She also had a history of ingesting inadequately cooked snakes 10 years ago. In the first patient, mass removal was attempted through laminectomy and parasite infection was identified during intra-operative frozen biopsy. Total removal could not be performed because of severe arachnoiditis and adhesion. We therefore decided to terminate the operation and final histology confirmed dead sparganum infection. We also concluded further surgical trial for total removal of the dead worm and inflammatory grannulation totally. However, after seeing another physician at different hospital, he was operated again which resulted in worsening of pain and neurological deficit. In the second patient, we totally removed dorsal epidural mass. Final histology and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed living sparganum infection and her pain disappeared. Although the treatment of choice is surgical resection of living sparganum with inflammation, the attempt to remove dead worm and adhesive granulation tissue may cause unwanted complications to the patients. Therefore, the result of preoperative ELISA, as well as the information from image and history, must be considered as important factors to decide whether a surgery is necessary or not.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.110-113
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• 2001

In controlling chronic intractable pains, the current therapeutic methods used are exercise, over the counter medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy, opioid medication, neural blockade, operation, etc., spinal cord stimulation being the last resort. Spinal cord stimulation was initiated when Shearly and others clinically tested the Gate control theory of Melzack and Wall. This had triggered the advancement of theoretic research on the mechanism and hardware necessary and has resulted in an accumulation of clinical experiences. This is known to be effective for treating sympathetic pain, arachnoiditis, failed back pain syndrome, radiculopathy, peripheral vascular disease, phantom limb syndrome, post-herpetic neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, and angina pectoris. This report describes our experience in experimental spinal cord stimulation in patients with simultaneous post-herpetic neuralgia and herniated intervertebral disc. There wasn't any improvement in the post-herpetic neuralgia but the symptoms of a herniated intervertebral disc was much ameliorated. This was quite an unexpected result. The patient's back pain returned when the stimulation stopped.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.79-82
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• 1993

본 연구는 1989년 10월부터 1992년 3월까지 아산재단 서울중앙병원에서 원발성 중추신경계 림프종으로 진단 받은 10명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 병리적 진단을 위한 조직은 5명에서 개두술에 의한 종양절제술로 얻어졌으며 나머지는 정위적 조직생검에 의해 얻어졌다. 성별분포는 남녀가 각 5명이었고 연령분포는 28세부터 72세로 평균연령은 45세로 나타났다. Working Formulation에 의한 세포아형은 7명에서 diffuse large cell type이었고 3명은 diffuse mixed cell type이었다. 전산화 단층촬영 결과 6명은 단일병소로 나타났으며 4명은 다발성병소로 나타났다. 치료는 전 환자가 전뇌방사선 조사를 4000 cGy/20 fx을 받은 후 원발병소에 2000 cGy/10 fx을 조사하여 총 6000 cGy를 시행하였다. 척수액 검사상 양성인 6명은 전뇌조사와 척수강내 항암제 투여를 받았으며 그중 1명은 척수강내 항암제 투여 3회 실시후 척수방사선 조사를 받았다. 척수액 검사상 음성인 4명중 3명은 전뇌조사만 실시했고 나머지 1명은 방사선 조사전 전신 항암제 투여를 받았다. 추적관찰기간은 7개월에서 26개월이었으며 평균 추적기간은 8개월 이었다. 1년 생존율은 86%이었고 2년 생존율은 69%로 나타났다. 현재까지 2명이 척수강내 재발 후 뇌실질내 재발로 사망했으며, 반면 7명의 환자는 방사선 치료후 병소가 완전히 없어졌다. 위의 결과로 볼때 원발성 중추신경계 림프종의 방사선 치료에 대한 월등한 초기반응과 원격 전이 가 적은 것을 고려하여 원발병소에 분할치료 방법들을 통한 전체 조사량을 증가시키는 것이 효과적이라고 생각되며 척수액 검사상 양성인 경우는 척수 방사선 조사와 척수강내 항암제를 함께 쓰는 좀더 적극적 치료가 필요하리라 생각된다.