• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.186-192
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• 2001

Background: Epidural test doses containing epinephrine are an incomplete marker for the detection of inadvertent intravascular injection. Therefore, many investigators have attempted to find a more reliable marker as an alternative to epinephrine in adult patients anesthetized with enflurane. The present study was designed to test whether two different simulated intravenous test doses of isoproterenol could be used as a reliable marker for the detection of inadvertent intravascular injection in adult patients anesthetized with $O_2-N_2O$-enflurane. Methods: Forty healthy adult patients were anesthetized with 1% end-tidal enflurane and nitrous oxide after endotracheal intubation and were randomized to one of two groups according to the dose of isoproterenol. Group 1 and 2 (n = 20 each) received 3 ml of 1.5% lidocaine with 3 and 5 g isoproterenol intravenously, respectively, to simulate an intravascularly administered test dose. Heart rate (HR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured at 20-second intervals for 4 min after injection. Results: Mean maximal HR increases were $24{\pm}17$, $35{\pm}11$ bpm (P < 0.05), mean maximal SBP increases were $14{\pm}8$, $13{\pm}9$ mmHg and mean maximal SBP decreases $20{\pm}11$, $22{\pm}9$ mmHg following the IV injection of 3, $5{\mu}g$ isoproterenol, respectively. The incidence of hypotension was similar in both groups. Isoproterenol 3 and $5{\mu}g$ produced 75%, 100% sensitivity in the HR criteria ($\geq$ 20 bpm increase) and 60%, 70% sensitivity in the SBP criteria ($\geq$ 15 mmHg), respectively. Conclusions: These results indicate that based on the HR response, the epidural test dose containing $5{\mu}g$ isoproterenol to simulate an intravascular administration is a more reliable marker than $3{\mu}g$ isoproterenol in adult healthy patients during enflurane anesthesia.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.92-95
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• 2009

Transverse myelitis is a focal inflammatory disorder of the spinal cord characterized by motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction. A 41-year-old man with transverse myelitis and no pre-existing neurologic disease presented with hypesthesia, numbness, weakness in the both lower extremities, back pain, decreased libido, constipation, and dysuria. A MRI test showed intramedullary high signal intensity between T4 and T8 on a T2-weighted image. After high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone and oral prednisolone therapy, he showed facial swelling and acneiform eruption. Therefore, we injected 40 mg methylprednisolone via an epidural route. A 7-dose serial treatment improved most symptoms. A follow up MRI showed radiological improvement. We report a case of transverse myelitis treated by epidural steroids.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.288-291
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• 2006

Epidural analgesia using an epidural catheter is an effective method to relieve the pain during the rehabilitating procedure for postoperative orthopedic patients. Total spinal anesthesia is one of the possible complications of epidural catheterization which can lead to a life-threatening condition. Achondroplasia is the most common form of short-limbed dwarfism resulting from a failure of endochondral bone formation. In patients suffering with short stature syndrome like achondroplasia, the incidence and risk of total spinal anesthesia during epidural anesthesia may increase because of the technical difficulty and structural anomaly of the spine. We report here on a 35-year old female patient with a height of a 115 cm. She was diagnosed as achondroplasia and she had a previous Ilizarov operation; both tibial lengthening and correction of valgus were done. No specific event occurred during epidural catheterization. Immediately after the injection of a test dose via epidural catheter, the patient became hypotensive, drowsy and showed weakness of both her upper and lower extremities. The symptoms were disappeared after 40 minutes. The catheter was removed on the next day. We concluded that the total spinal anesthesia was caused by intrathecal injection of local anesthetics through the epidural catheter, and the anesthesia then migrated into the subarachonoid space.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.4
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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.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 1988

Continuous cervical epidural anesthesia with two different concentrations of bupivacaine had been performed in 43 cases for surgery of upper extremity and cervical spine. After the initial dose of 0.33% bupivacaine 15ml to Group I(n=22) and 0.5% bupivacaine 15ml to Group II(n=21) was injected respectively, we observed the circulatory and pulmonary functions to be changed, and evaluated the duration of those analgesic action. The number of spinal segment to be affected and the complications were checked. Statistical significance of changes after the initial dose in both groups was determined by student's t-test. All values are impresed as mean$\pm$1S.D.. The results were as follows: 1) Circulatory functions; Systolic B.P. and Pulse rate were decreased by 10~15torr and 5~6 beats per minute respectively between 10~30 minutes following the initial dose, which were statistically significant in both groups. 2) Pulmonary functions; The diminution of minute volume showed to 20% and a rise of $PaCO_2$ level to 5~6 torr respectively between 30~60 minutes following the initial dose, which were statistically significant in both groups. There were no significant changes in self respiration and respiratory rate in both groups. 3) The duration of analgesic action was $72.3{\pm}25.7$(min) in Group I and $83.5{\pm}28.5$(min) in Group II which was not statistically significant between two groups, and the number of affected spinal segment at ore hour following the Anesthusia was $8.7{\pm}2.0$ in Group I and $10.5{\pm}2.4$ in Group II which was statistically significant between two groups. 4) Complications; a. Hypotension(below 80torr in systolic pressure) was appeared in 5% of all patients. b. Bradycardia(below 60 beats per minutes) was appeared in 25% of all patients. c. Inadvertent dural puncture was developed in only one patient, In conclusion, the 0.33% bupivacaine as well as 0.5% bupivacaine were enough for those analgesic effect in the above mentioned surgery even though the duration of analgesic action was about 10 minutes shorter in Group I than that of Group II. The cardiopulmonary function was clinically rather stable in Group I than that of Group II. Therefore we thought 0.33% bupivacaine was satisfactory for the clinical practicality in the cervical epidural anesthesia.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.68-73
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• 2009

Opioids profoundly inhibit evoked discharges of spinal nociceptive neurons, thereby inhibiting the transmission of pain. Intrathecal administration of opioids using implantable continuous infusion systems is an effective method of pain relief when other treatments have failed, as well as for patients with adequate analgesia on high dose therapy that produces unacceptable side effects. We report two cases of intrathecal pump implantation performed in patients suffering from intractable chronic pain. A test dose of 3 mg morphine was injected into the epidural space. No side effects were noted and patients experienced considerable pain relief. Implantation was performed one day after the test. The initial intrathecal morphine delivery dose was half of the equivalent dose of daily oral intake opioids and the infusion rate was increased gradually under close observation for opioid side effects. Two days post-implantation, both patients were discharged without any complications.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 1968

Technetium 99m pertechnetate brain scanning were performed in 3 cases of head injury (2 chronic subdural hematomas and 1 acute epidural hematoma), 2 cases of brain abscess and I case of intracerebral hematoma associated with arteriovenous anomaly. In all the cases brain scintigrams showed "hot areas." Literatures on radioisotope scanning of intracranial lesions were briefly reviewed. With the improvement of radioisotope scanner and development of new radiopharmaceuticals brain scanning became a safe and useful screening test for diagnosis of intracranial lesions. Brain scanning can be easily performed even to a moribund patient without any discomfort and risk to the patient which are associated with cerebral angiography or pneumoencephalography. Brain scanning has been useful in diagnosis of brain tumor, brain abscess, subdural hematoma, and cerebral vascular diseases. In 80 to 90% of brain tumors positive scintigrams can be expected. Early studies were done with $^{203}Hg$-Neohydrin or $^{131}I$-serum albumin. With these agents, however, patients receive rather much radiation to the whole body and kidneys. In 1965 Harper introduced $^{99m}Tc$ to reduce radiation dose to the patient and improve statistical variation in isotope scanning.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 1999

Background: The current maximal recommended doses of lidocaine are 7 mg/kg with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of epinephrine. But in clinical practice, sometimes more doses of lidocaine are required to produce adequate regional anesthesia. Method: Twenty-two healthy women patients were divided into two groups and pretreated with valium 5 mg p.o., morphine 5 mg i.m., and midazolam 2 mg i.v. before operation. Of these, 7 mg/kg of 2% lidocaine with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of epinephrine were given to 11 patients epidurally. Initial 3 ml of epinephrine mixed lidocaine was given as a test dose and remaining doses were given 5 ml/30 sec with 3 min intervals. Radial arterial blood were drawn at 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min to measure plasma lidocaine concentrations. After confirming all of the peak plasma concentrations of 7 mg/kg lidocaine were absolutely under $5\;{\mu}g/ml$, the other 11 patients were given 10 mg/kg of 2% lidocaine with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ of epinephrine epidurally and blood samplings were taken according to the same method of 7 mg/kg group. The peak plasma concentration ($C_{max}$), time to reach to $C_{max}$ ($T_{max}$), time to reach to $T_4$, maximal sensory block level, systemic toxicity, and vital sign changes were investigated. Result: $C_{max}$ was significantly higher in 10 mg/kg group ($5.1{\pm}1.3\;{\mu}g/ml$) than 7 mg/kg group($3.3{\pm}0.5\;{\mu}g/ml$), but $T_{max}$ ($10.5{\pm}2.7$ min vs $10.9{\pm}3.1$ min) was not different. Time to reach $T_4$ was significantly shorter in 10 mg/kg group ($9.5{\pm}2.7$ min) than 7 mg/kg group ($12.7{\pm}3.2$ min) but maximal sensory block level ($T_{3.7{\pm}0.7}$ vs $T_{2.7{\pm}1.0}$) was not different. In four patients of 10 mg/kg group, peak plasma concentrations exceeded $5\;{\mu}g/ml$, but no systemic toxicities appeared. No significant vital sign changes were observed. Conclusion: The current maximal recommended doses of lidocaine, merely based on body weight are not always appropriate. Further studies are needed to determine more precise guideline of maximal doses that include various pharmacokinetic components.