• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.261-270
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• 2021

Objective : Decompressive craniectomy (DC) can partially remove the unyielding skull vault and make affordable space for the expansion of swelling brain contents. The objective of this study was to compare clinical outcome according to DC surface area (DC area) and side. Methods : A total of 324 patients underwent different surgical methods (unilateral DC, 212 cases and bilateral DC, 112 cases) were included in this retrospective analysis. Their mean age was 53.4±16.6 years (median, 54 years). Neurological outcome (Glasgow outcome scale), ventricular intracranial pressure (ICP), and midline shift change (preoperative minus postoperative) were compared according to surgical methods and total DC area, DC surface removal rate (DC%) and side. Results : DC surgery was effective for ICP decrease (32.3±16.7 mmHg vs. 19.2±13.4 mmHg, p<0.001) and midline shift change (12.5±7.6 mm vs. 7.8±6.9 mm, p<0.001). The bilateral DC group showed larger total DC area (125.1±27.8 ㎠ for unilateral vs. 198.2±43.0 ㎠ for bilateral, p<0.001). Clinical outcomes were nonsignificant according to surgical side (favorable outcome, p=0.173 and mortality, p=0.470), significantly better when total DC area was over 160 ㎠ and DC% was 46% (p=0.020 and p=0.037, respectively). Conclusion : DC surgery is effective in decrease the elevated ICP, decrease the midline shift and improve the clinical outcome in massive brain swelling patient. Total DC area and removal rate was larger in bilateral DC than unilateral DC but clinical outcome was not influenced by DC side. DC area more than 160 ㎠ and DC surface removal rate more than 46% were more important than DC side.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.123-131
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• 1983

1) To delineate the role of central ${\alpha}_2-adrenoceptors$ in the pressor response to raised intracranial pressure(ICP), the influence of yohimbine, an ${alpha}_2-adrenoceptor$ antagonist, on the pressor response to raised ICP was investigated in urethane-anesthetized rabbits. 2) The ICP was raised by infusing saline into a balloon placed in the epidural space. The rise of ICP was slow in the beginning of the infusion but it became sharp as the infusion proceeded. 3) In response to raised ICP, blood pressure(BP) tended to decrease slightly in the beginning and then increased sharply. BP, however, fell abruptly and markedly if ICP was raised further. The maximal pressor response to raised ICP was the increase of $49{\pm}2.4%$ of the original $BP(mean{\pm}SE\;in\;32\;experiments)$, and at this point the volume of saline infused into the balloon was $1.22{\pm}0.15\;ml$, and the ICP $165{\pm}6.4\;mmHg$. 4) Intraventricular yohimbine $(50{\mu}g)$ by itself did not affect BP. After the administration of this dose of yohimbine the increase of both ICP and BP was observed after the infusion of much smaller volume of saline than in the control animals, i.e., after the infusion of $0.83{\pm}0.02\;ml$ of saline the maximal increase of preesor response$(57{\pm}4.5%\;in\;6\;experiments)$ appeared and at this state the ICP was $164{\pm}9.6\;mmHg$. 5) Intraventricular $clonidine(30{\mu}g)$ markedly decreased BP by itself, and in the clonidine-treated rabbits the increase of ICP induced by the infusion was much less than in the control group and the pressor response to raised ICP was hardly seen. 6) The hypotensive effect of intraventricular clonidine was reversed by a susequent intraventricular $yohimbine(500\;{\mu}g)$. At this state the pressor response to raised ICP appeared as in the control animals. 7) These results show that the pressor response to raised ICP was facilitated when ${\alpha}_2-adrenoceptors$ in the rabbit brain was blocked by yohimbine and that yohimbine antagonized the inhibitory effect of clonidine on the pressor response to raised ICP.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1179-1183
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• 2000

Objective : The treatment of malignant posttraumatic brain swelling remains a frustrating endeavor for neurosurgeon. Mortality and morbidity rates remain high depite advances in medical treatment of increased intracranial pressure. If conventional therapy fails in patients suffering from intracranial hypertension, there is only small number of second-tier option left including decompressive craniectomy. The role of decompressive craniectomy in posttraumatic brain swelling remains controversial. We assessed the efficacy and indications of decompressive craniectomy. Methods : The authors performed decompressive bifrontotemporal craniectomy in 22 patients with malignant posttraumatic brain swelling. Epidural pressure monotoring was performed in all patients. The clnical data and surgical outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. Result : The favorable outcome(GOS score 4-5) was 59%(13 of 22 patients), whereas the mortality rate was 32% (7 of 22 patients). Two patients(9%) remained in severely disabled state. Increased rate of favorable outcome was seen in the patients who had 8 or more of GCS score at admission and exhibited B wave in ICP monitoring and who showed steady state or slow deterioration in clinical course. Conclusion : If conservative therapy fails, decompressive bifrontotemporal craniectomy should be considered in the management of malignant posttraumatic brain swelling before irreversible ischemic brain damage occur.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.223-231
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• 2015

Purpose: Delayed, traumatic, intraparenchymal hemorrhage (DTIPH) is a well-known contributing factor to secondary brain damage that evokes severe brain edema and intracranial hypertension. Once it has occurred, it adversely affects the patient's outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis factors for DTIPH by comparing clinical, radiological and hematologic results between two groups of patients according to whether surgical treatment was given or not. Methods: The author investigated 26 patients who suffered DTIPH during the recent consecutive five-year period. The 26 patients were divided according to their having undergone either a decompressive craniectomy (n=20) or continuous conservative treatment (n=6). A retrospective investigation was done by reviewing their admission records and radiological findings. Results: This incidence of DTIPH was 6.6% among the total number of patients admitted with head injuries. The clinical outcome of DTIPH was favorable in 9 of the 26 patients (34.6%) whereas it was unfavorable in 17 patients (65.4%). The patients with coagulopathy had an unexceptionally high rate of mortality. Among the variables, whether the patient had undergone a decompressive craniectomy, the patient's preoperative clinical status, and the degree of midline shift had significant correlations with the ultimate outcome. Conclusion: In patients with DTIPH, proper evaluation of preoperative clinical grading and radiological findings can hamper deleterious secondary events because it can lead to a swift and proper decompressive craniectomy to reduce the intracranial pressure. Surgical decompression should be carefully selected, paying attention to the patient's accompanying injury and hematology results, especially thrombocytopenia, in order to improve the patient's neurologic outcomes.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.141-145
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• 2008

Objective : Barbiturate coma therapy (BCT) has been known to be an useful method to control increased intracranial pressure (IICP) refractory to medical and surgical treatments. We have used BCT for patients with severe IICP during the past 10 years, and analyzed our results with review of literatures. Methods : We analyzed 92 semicomatose or comatose patients with Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 7 or less with severe IICP due to cerebral edema secondary to parenchymal damages irrespective of their causes. Forty patients who had received BCT with ICP monitoring from January 1997 to December 2006 were included in BCT group, and fifty-two patients who had been managed without BCT from January 1991 to December 1995 were divided into control group. We compared outcomes with Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) and survival rate between the two groups. Results : Good outcome (GOS=4 and 5) rates at 3-month after insult were 27.5% and 5.8% in BCT and control group, respectively (p<0.01). One-year survival rates were 35.9% and 12.5% in BCT and control group, respectively (p<0.01). In BCT group, the mean age of good outcome patients ($37.1{\pm}14.9$) was significantly lower than that of poor outcome patients ($48.1{\pm}13.5$) (p<0.05). Conclusion : With our 10-year experience, we suggest that BCT is an effective treatment method for severe IICP patients for better survival and GOS, especially for younger patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.332-339
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• 2023

Objective : The present study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of electrolyte imbalance in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) who underwent craniotomy and its influence on prognosis. Methods : A total of 156 patients with moderate to severe TBI were prospectively collected from June 2019 to June 2021. All patients underwent craniotomy and intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. We aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of electrolyte disturbance and to analyze the influence of electrolyte disturbance on prognosis. Results : A total of 156 patients with moderate and severe TBI were included. There were 57 cases of hypernatremia, accounting for 36.538%, with the average level of 155.788±7.686 mmol/L, which occurred 2.2±0.3 days after injury. There were 25 cases of hyponatremia, accounting for 16.026%, with the average level of 131.204±3.708 mmol/L, which occurred 10.2±3.3 days after injury. There were three cases of hyperkalemia, accounting for 1.923%, with the average level of 7.140±1.297 mmol/L, which occurred 5.3±0.2 days after injury. There were 75 cases of hypokalemia, accounting for 48.077%, with the average level of 3.071±0.302 mmol/L, which occurred 1.8±0.6 days after injury. There were 105 cases of hypocalcemia, accounting for 67.308%, with the average level of 1.846±0.104 mmol/L, which occurred 1.6±0.2 days after injury. There were 17 cases of hypermagnesemia, accounting for 10.897%, with the average level of 1.213±0.426 mmol/L, which occurred 1.8±0.5 days after injury. There were 99 cases of hypomagnesemia, accounting for 63.462%, with the average level of 0.652±0.061 mmol/L, which occurred 1.3±0.4 days after injury. Univariate regression analysis revealed that age, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score at admission, pupil changes, ICP, hypernatremia, hypocalcemia, hypernatremia combined with hypocalcemia, epilepsy, cerebral infarction, severe hypoproteinemia were statistically abnormal (p<0.05), while gender, hyponatremia, potassium, magnesium, intracranial infection, pneumonia, allogeneic blood transfusion, hypertension, diabetes, abnormal liver function, and abnormal renal function were not statistically significant (p>0.05). After adjusting gender, age, GCS, pupil changes, ICP, epilepsy, cerebral infarction, severe hypoproteinemia, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that hypernatremia or hypocalcemia was not statistically significant, while hypernatremia combined with hypocalcemia was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion : The incidence of hypocalcemia was the highest, followed by hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, hypernatremia, hyponatremia and hypermagnesemia. Hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, and hypokalemia generally occurred in the early post-TBI period, hypernatremia occurred in the peak period of ICP, and hyponatremia mostly occurred in the late period after decreased ICP. Hypernatremia combined with hypocalcemia was associated with prognosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.536-542
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• 2000

Objective : This study was performed to evaluate the relationships among intracranial pressure(ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure(CPP), and cerebral arteriovenous oxygen difference($AVDO_2$) which were used as parameters of adequacy of cerebral blood flow to support cerebral metabolism after severe head injury and also to examine the association between delayed cerebral infarction and outcome. Material and Method : The authors studied the ICP, CPP and $AVDO_2$ before and after treatment on 34 head-injured patients from June 1996 to December 1997 and examined the association with the change of an ICP, CPP and $AVDO_2$ following treatment and the development of delayed cerebral infarction. Sixteen patients underwent craniotomy for hematoma evacuation and eighteen patients received mannitol to decrease ICP. Results : The development of delayed cerebral infarction was demonstrated in 3(42.9%) out of 7 patients in no improvement group and 13(48.1%) out of 27 patients in improvement group with an increased ICP following treatment. Also, the development of delayed cerebral infarction was demonstrated in 8(50%) out of 16 patients in no improvement group and 8(44.4%) out of 18 patients in improvement group with a decreased CPP following treatment. The association with changes of ICP and CPP following treatment and development of delayed cerebral infarction was not statistically significant(p>0.01). However, 11(78.6%) out of 14 patients who demonstrated an increase in $AVDO_2$ and 5(25%) out of 20 patients who demonstrated a decrease in $AVDO_2$ following treatment developed delayed cerebral infarction. No improvement(reduction) in $AVDO_2$ following treatment was significantly associated with the development of delayed cerebral infarction(p<0.01). All of 16 patients with delayed cerebral infarction showed poor prognosis. Conlcusion : The change of $AVDO_2$ rather than those of ICP and CPP was considered more important factor for the development of the delayed cerebral infarction and poor outcome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Treatment of Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) from solid cancers has not advanced noticeably since the introduction of intra-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) chemotherapy in the 1970's. The marginal survival benefit and difficulty of intrathecal chemotherapy injection has hindered its wide spread use. Even after the introduction of intraventricular chemotherapy with Ommaya reservoir, frequent development of CSF flow disturbance, manifested as increased intracranial pressure (ICP), made injected drug to be distributed unevenly and thus, the therapy became ineffective. Systemic chemotherapy for LMC has been limited as effective CSF concentration can hardly be achieved except high dose methotrexate (MTX) intravenous administration. However, the introduction of small molecular weight target inhibitors for primary cancer treatment has changed the old concept of 'blood-brain barrier' as the ultimate barrier to systemically administered drugs. Conventional oral administration achieves an effective concentration at the nanomolar level. Furthermore, many studies report that a combined treatment of target inhibitor and intra-CSF chemotherapy significantly prolongs patient survival. Ventriculolumbar perfusion (VLP) chemotherapy has sought to increase drug delivery to the subarachnoid CSF space even in patients with disturbed CSF flow. Recently authors performed phase 1 and 2 clinical trial of VLP chemotherapy with MTX, and 3/4th of patients with increased ICP got controlled ICP and the survival was prolonged. Further trials are required with newly available drugs for CSF chemotherapy. Additionally, new LMC biologic/pharmacodynamic markers for early diagnosis and monitoring of the treatment response are to be identified with the help of advanced molecular biology techniques.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.533-538
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• 2006

Purpose : The headache, one of the symptoms of meningitis, is related to abrupt elevation of intracranial pressure(ICP) or stimulation of intracranial nociceptive structure. However, in cases of mild elevation of ICP or normal findings of cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) analysis, patients sometimes complain of headaches. Therefore, other pathways may contribute to the occurrence of headaches in aseptic meningitis or meningismus. We intend to investigate the role of substance P(SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) in aseptic meningitis or meningismus. Methods : We measured leukocyte count, the concentration of protein and glucose in CSF and ICP of patients with meningeal irritation sign. We also measured SP and CGRP levels by using immunoassay. We analyzed the relationship between the presence of headache and the value of SP and CGRP. Results : The concentrations of CGRP($18.8{\pm}10.5ng/mL$) in CSF and ICP($14.8{\pm}4.5cmH_2O$) in aseptic meningitis group were significantly higher than in those($14.1{\pm}7.4ng/mL$ and $12.0{\pm}5.1cmH_2O$, respectively) of the meningismus group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the SP levels between the two groups. In the aseptic meningitis group, the concentrations of SP and CGRP were significantly higher in the normal ICP group than in the elevated ICP group(P<0.05). Conclusion : Headaches in children with aseptic meningitis or meningismus is considered to be related to the elevation of the CSF levels of SP and CGRP.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.366-370
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• 2001

Objective : The authors present three cases of brain tumors in which epidural hematomas(EDHs) were developed postoperatively in the remote areas from craniotomy sites. The preventive tactics as well as possible mechanisms of development of remote EDH are discussed. Material and Methods : The magnetic resonance imagings of three patients revealed a left lateral ventricular mass located just aside of foramen Monro in a 27-year-old male, a large cystic mass in the temporal lobe in a 35-year-old male, and a partially calcified pineal mass in a 27-year-old male patient. The surgical removals of these tumors were performed without any noticeable events during surgery via left frontal transcortical transventricular approach for lateral ventricular tumor, left temporal craniotomy for cystic temporal tumor, and right occipital transtentorial approach for pineal tumor. Results : Postoperative EDHs remote from the sites of craniotomy were detected by the immediate postoperative computerized tomographic scans. We obtained good outcomes without any morbidity in all three patients with emergent evacuation of the hematoma. The pathologic diagnoses were lateral ventricular ependymoastrocytoma, temporal craniopharyngioma and mixed germinoma of the pineal region. Conclusion : It is postulated that a sudden reduction of intracranial pressure(ICP) at the time of tumor removal may strip the dura from the inner table of the skull to cause EDH from the remote site of craniotomy. Gradual reduction of ICP with slow drainage of cerebrospinal fluid before tumor removal as well as lowering the head position of patient during surgery might be helpful for preventing this unusual complication.