• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.58 no.2
• /
• pp.159-162
• /
• 2015

Neurological deficits after brain surgery are not uncommon, and correct and prompt differential diagnosis is essential to initiate appropriate treatment. We describe a patient suffering from loss of consciousness due to hyperammonemia, following valproic acid treatment after surgery for an unruptured cerebral aneurysm. A 57-year-old female patient underwent successful aneurysmal neck clipping to correct an unruptured aneurysm. Her postoperative course was good, and she received anti-epileptic therapy (valproic acid) and a soft diet. Within a few days the patient experienced mental deterioration. Her serum valproic acid reached toxic levels (149.40 mg/L), and serum ammonia was fifteen times the upper normal limit (553 mmol/L; normal range, 9-33 mmol/L). After discontinuation of valproic acid and with conservative treatment, the patient recovered without any complications. Valproate-induced hyperammonemic encephalopathy is an unusual but serious neurosurgical complication, and should not be disregarded as a possible cause of neurological deficits after neurovascular surgery. Early diagnosis is crucial, as discontinuation of valproic acid therapy can prevent serious complications, including death.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.191-197
• /
• 1999

Background and Objective : Soft palate plays a great role in function of speech and swallowing. Ablation of tonsil cancer results in multi-demensional defect including soft palate in most cases and restoration of the postoperative oral cavity function is a continuing surgical challenge. Although a variety of techniques are available, radial forearm free flap has been known as an effective method for these defect, which offers a thin, pliable, and relatively hairless skin, and a long vascular pedicle. The aim of the present study is to report the speech and swallowing function test results of our 5 consecutive radial forearm free flaps used for tonsil cancers. Materials and Methods : We reviewed the medical records of 5 patients who were offered intraoral reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap after ablative surgery for tonsil cancers, from Dec. 1997 to Oct. 1998, and analyzed the surgical methods, complications, and speech and swallowing function test results. We have examined with modified barium swallow to evaluate postoperative wallowing function and articulation and resonance test for speech. Results : The tumor sizes by TNM stage(AJCC, 1997) were T1(1), T2(2), and T4(3). The paddles of flaps were tailored in multilobed designs from oval shape to pentalobed design and in variable size from 24$cm^2$ to 108$cm^2$(average size = 78.4$cm^2$), according to the defect after ablation. This procedures resulted in satisfactory flap success and functional results all but 1 case of flap contracture in 2 postoperative week, achieved early oral diet until 16-57 postoperative day(average, 28 days) and social speech. The oropharyngeal defect including soft palate reconstruction with radial forearm free flap might be an excellent method for the maximal functional results, after ablative surgery of tonsil cancer that results in multidimensional defect.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.173-179
• /
• 2017

Purpose: To report our experience of endoscopic botulinum toxin injection in patients who experienced severe delayed gastric emptying after pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG). Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 6 patients who received the botulinum toxin injection. They presented with severe delayed gastric emptying in the early postoperative period. Endoscopic botulinum toxin was administered as 4 injections of 25-50 IU into each of the 4 quadrants of the prepyloric area. Results: All botulinum toxin injections were successful without any complications, enabling 5 patients to tolerate soft solid diets and one to tolerate a soft fluid diet within 10 days. The endoscopic criteria of 4 patients improved. Symptom recurrence caused 2 patients to undergo repeat injections that were successful. The median follow-up period was 27 months, and all patients could ingest normal regular diets at the last follow-up. Conclusions: Endoscopic botulinum toxin injection is a feasible treatment option for early delayed gastric emptying after PPG.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.20-26
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), which retains pyloric ring and gastric function, has been accepted as a function-preserving procedure for early gastric cancer for the prevention of postgastrectomy syndrome. This study was compared laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preerving gastrectomy (LAPPG) with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I reconstruction (LADGB I). Materials and Methods: Between November 2006 and September 2007, 39 patients with early gastric cancer underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy in the Department of Surgery at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. 9 of these patients underwent LAPPG and 18 underwent LADGBI. When LAPPG was underwent, we preserved the pyloric branch, hepatic branch, and celiac branch of the vagus nerve, the infrapyloric artery, and the right gastric artery and performed D1+$\beta$ lymphadenectomy to the exclusion of suprapyloric lymph node dissection. The distal stomach was resected while retaining a $2.5{\sim}3.0\;cm$ pyloric cuff and maintaining a $3.0{\sim}4.0\;cm$ distal margin for the resection. Results: The mean age for patients who underwent LAPPG and LADGBI were $59.9{\pm}9.4$ year-old and $64.1{\pm}10.0$ year-old, respectively. The sex ratio was 1.3 : 1.0 (male 5, female 4) in the LAPPG group and 2.6 : 1.0 (male 13, female 5) in the LADGBI group. Mean total number of dissected lymph nodes ($28.3{\pm}11.9$ versus $28.1{\pm}8.9$), operation time ($269.0{\pm}34.4$ versus $236.3{\pm}39.6$ minutes), estimated blood loss ($191.1{\pm}85.7$ versus $218.3{\pm}150.6\;ml$), time to first flatus ($3.6{\pm}0.9$ versus $3.5{\pm}0.8$ days), time to start of diet ($5.1{\pm}0.9$ versus $5.1{\pm}1.7$ days), and postoperative hospital stay ($10.1{\pm}4.0$ versus $9.2{\pm}3.0$ days) were not found significant differences (P>0.05). The postoperative complications were 1 patient with gastric stasis and 1 patient with wound seroma in LAPPG group and 1 patient with left lateral segment infarct of liver in the LADGB I group. Conclusion: Patients treated by LAPPG showed a comparable quality of surgical operation compared with those treated by LADGBI. LAPPG has an important role in the surgical management of early gastric cancer in terms of quality of postoperative life. Randomized controlled studies should be undertaken to analyze the optimal survival and long-term outcomes of this operative procedure.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.206-212
• /
• 2007

Purpose: The number of laparoscopy assisted distal gastrectomies (LADG) is gradually increasing for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC) patients as a surgical modality for improving quality of life. However, there are few reports on laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG), mainly because this procedure is performed relatively infrequently, and the procedure is more complicated than LADG. This study was performed to evaluate the technical feasibility, safety, and surgical results of LATG with lymphadenectomy through a review of our experience. Materials and Methods: From July 2003 to June 2007, 77 LATG with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy were performed for patients with a preoperative diagnosis of EGC. The clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes were analyzed. Results: There were 49 males and 28 females in the study with a mean age of 61 years (range $30{\sim}85$ years). The mean operation time was 210 minutes (range $100{\sim}400$ minutes) and the operation time was gradually decreased as the case numbers increased. There were 13 operative morbidities (16.9%) and no operative mortalities. The restoration of bowel motility was noted at 3.2 postoperative days; a soft diet was started at 4.4 postoperative days and the duration of hospital stay was 10 days. There were 20 mucosal lesions, 32 submucosal lesions, 15 proper muscle lesions, 7 subserosal lesions and 3 serosal lesions. A total of 20 patients were treated by D2 lymph node dissection, 55 patients were treated by D1+$\beta$ lymph node dissection, and two patients were treated by D1+$\alpha$ lymph node dissection. The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was 42 (range $11{\sim}86$). Lymph node metastases were noted in 12 patients. Conclusion: This study indicated LATG could be applied safely and effectively for patients with EGC. However, a prospective study comparing laparoscopy-assisted versus open gastrectomy for short-term and long-term surgical outcome is needed.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.141-147
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the short-term operative outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) with those of open total gastrectomy (OTG) for patients suffering with advanced upper gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Of the 47 patients who underwent LATG with $D1+{\beta}$ or D2 lymphadenectomy from July 2004 to March 2008, 29 patients with pathologically proven advanced gastric cancer were compared with 35 patients who underwent conventional OTG during the same time period. The comparison was based on the clinicopathological characteristics, the surgical outcome, the follow-up survival and tumor recurrence. Results: The patients' age, gender and body mass index were similar between the two groups. However, there were statistically differences in tumor size ($9.2{\pm}3.9$ vs $6.1{\pm}3.6cm$, P=0.002) and the proximal resected margin ($2.1{\pm}2.0$ vs $3.6{\pm}2.1cm$ P=0.004). There was no significant difference in most of the peri- and post-operative courses such as the time to first flatus, the time to starting a solid diet and the length of the hospital stay, except for a longer operating time (289.0 vs. 361.3 minutes, P<0.001) in the LATG group. The complication rate was higher in the LATG group (13.8%) than that in the OTG group (5.7%). The mean overall survival and disease free survival times were 32 and 31 months, and 24 and 28 months, respectively, with an average 18.8 months follow-up duration. The main recurrent sites were peritoneum and lymph node in both groups. Conclusion: The early results of the current study suggest that LATG for AGC is technically feasible and it does not show any inferiorities of the postoperative outcomes as compared to those of conventional open total gastrectomy.