• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.87-92
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• 2011

Background: Tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) is an entrapment neuropathy that occurs in the ankle. Previous studies reported that this disease was due to physiologic factors and structural lesions in the ankle or foot. The authors investigated the causative factors of TTS and their frequency via operative findings. The diagnostic value of MRI was also evaluated based on the concordance between the operative findings and the MRI findings. Methods: This study was performed in retrospective by using medical record of the patients who underwent operations with TTS from August 2003 to May 2010. Physical examination, nerve conduction study, and MRI were conducted on patients who visited department of neurology or orthopedic surgery due to pain and sensory abnormality of their ankle and foot. Results: 34 patients underwent the operation. Ganglion accounted for the largest portion of the operative findings. In addition, varicose veins, intrinsic foot muscle hypertrophy, tenosynovitis, and fascia thickening were mainly observed. Of the 34 patients, 33 patients underwent pre-operative MRI, of whom 18 patients showed MRI findings consistent with the operative findings. Conclusions: Space-occupying lesions accounted for the majority of the causative factors in TTS patients who underwent the surgical treatment. In this study, the MRI appeared useful for identifying causes of TTS.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.7-15
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• 2019

Clinical evaluations, nerve conduction studies, and electromyography play major complementary roles in electrophysiologic diagnoses. Electromyography can be used to assess pathologic changes and localize lesions occurring in locations ranging from motor units to anterior-horn cells. Successfully performing electromyography requires knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the peripheral nervous system as well as sufficient skill and interpretation ability. Electromyography techniques include acquiring data from visual/auditory signals and performing needle positioning, semiquantitation, and interpretation. Here we introduce the basic concepts of electromyography to guide clinicians in performing electromyography appropriately.

• 대한근전도전기진단의학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.130-134
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• 2018

A 36-year-old male patient developed diffuse low back pain. His past medical history was unremarkable and had no family history of neuromuscular disease. He had no bladder and bowel problems. Creatine kinase was 172 U/L (normal < 170). Other fluid and blood chemistry tests were normal. Manual muscle test grades of extremities and sensory examination were normal. Muscle stretch reflexes were normal. Fasciculations and myotonia were not detected. Straight leg raising test was negative. There was no spinal root compression, spinal stenosis, or signal intensity change of spinal cord on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fatty change and atrophy of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar paraspinal muscles were noted on MRI. Nerve conduction studies were normal. Electromyography showed 1+ positive sharp waves in the lumbar paraspinal muscles. Electromyography of upper and lower extremity muscles revealed no abnormal spontaneous activity. We report a rare case of severe paraspinal muscle atrophy with fatty degeneration in a Young Adult.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.398-408
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• 2023

Background Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with corticosteroid injections (CIs) and surgery. In this systematic review, the influence of previous CI on different postoperative outcomes after carpal tunnel release is evaluated. Methods A systematic literature search using several databases was performed to include studies that examined patients diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome who received preoperative or intraoperative CIs. Results Of 2,459 articles, 9 were eligible for inclusion. Four papers reported outcomes of preoperative and four outcomes of intraoperative CIs. One study evaluated patients who received both intraoperative and preoperative corticosteroids. Conclusion Intraoperative CIs are associated with reduced postoperative pain after carpal tunnel release and support earlier recovery of the hand function that can be objectified in a faster median nerve conduction speed recovery and lower Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) scores. Using preoperative CIs did not lead to enhanced recovery after carpal tunnel release, and both preoperative and intraoperative CIs might be predisposing factors for infections.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.149-155
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• 2000

Background: Pulsed radiofrequency (RF) lesioning is a painless procedure and causes no neurodestruction and neuritis-like reaction are common following conventional RF lesioning. There is little data about the effect of pulsed RF especially with regard to its suitability for the treatment of acute pain. The possibility of a placebo effect cannot be ruled out because a double-blind study was not performed in previous studies. There is also no neuropathologic study about pulsed RF. Methods: The rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (40 mg/kg, i.p.; supplemented as necessary). The common sciatic nerve was exposed by blunt dissection through biceps femoris. Pulsed RF was administered to the common sciatic nerve using a 30 ms/s pulse with for 120 seconds. The temperature reached was no more than $42^{\circ}C$. Analgesia was determined using hot-plate assay shortly and, 3 days and 1 week before, and 2 weeks after operation. Lesions were examined with LM (light microscope) and EM (electron microscope) 2 weeks later. Results: There were no differences in response latencies between the control and experimental group. There were many vacuoles with hyaline bodies in the Schwann cell cytoplasm rather than axon in LM and larger electron dense bodies. No changes were found in the axon or unmyelinated fibers. Only small changes were found in the sheaths of myelinated fibers and Schwann cells. Conclusions: We therefore do think that any analgesic effect of pulsed RF is not a result of block of neural conduction. But rather than it can be attributed to others factors. It was also ineffective as a treatment for acute pain such as that caused by the hot-plate test.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.102-107
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• 2011

Purpose: As clinical manifestations of thoracic outlet syndrome are vague pain or symptoms in upper extremity, the diagnosis of the disease is delayed or misdiagnosed as cervical HNP, shoulder pathologies, or peripheral neuropathies. In that reason, many patients spend time for unnecessary or ineffective treatments. We report the results of our thoracic outlet syndrome cases, which were treated by conservative care or surgical treatment. Materials & Methods: Twenty five cases, diagnosed as thoracic outlet syndrome since 1999, were reviewed retrospectively. Physical examinations including Adson's and reverse Adson's test, hyperabduction test, costoclavicular maneuver, and Roo's test, plain radiography of shoulder and cervical spine, MRI of neck or brachial plexus, and EMG were checked. If subjective symptoms were not improved after conservative treatments over three months, surgical treatment were performed. Nine patients were performed operative treatment and the others had conservative treatment in outpatient clinic. Postoperative improvement of symptoms and the follow up period, and the results of conservative care were reviewed. Results: Among five physical examinations, mean 1.75 tests were positive, and EMG has little diagnostic value. MRI were performed in twenty cases and compression of brachial plexus were found in 6 cases (30%). Ten patients out of 16 conservative treatment group had excellent improvement of symptoms, and 5 had good results. Eight patients out of 9 operative treatment group had excellent improvement with mean 5.1 months of follow-up period. Conclusion: Diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome is difficult due to bizarre and vague symptoms. However if the diagnosis is suspected by careful physical examinations, radiologic studies, or nerve conduction studies, conservative care should be done as initial treatment and at least after three months, reassess the patient's condition. If the results of conservative treatment is not satisfactory and still the thoracic outlet syndrome is suspected, surgical treatment should be considered. Conservative treatment and operative technique are the valuable for the treatment of this disease.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.266-273
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• 2002

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(CTS) is a common entrapment neuropathy of the median nerve at the wrist. An Electrophysiologic study has been widely used for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. The subjects of this study were 48 cases (88 hands) with clinically suspected carpal tunnel syndrome who underwent electrodiagnostic examination from Jan 1, 2001 to Sep 30, 2001, The results were as follows: 1. Among 48 persons with a clinically suspected carpal tunnel syndrome, 40 patients were female 83.33$\%$ and the patients who are above 60 years old were 37.50$\%$. 2. Electrodiagnostic results were 22 cases (45.84$\%$) with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and 10 cases (20.83$\%$) with normal. 3. Physical findings consisted of tingling sensation in 48.86$\%$ of the involved hands, positive Phalen's Sign in 20.46$\%$ of them, thenar atrophy in 15.91$\%$ of them, and weakness in 14.77$\%$ of them. 4. Electrophysiologic studies showed a decreased sensory conduction velocity in 20 cases (22.73$\%$) of total hands, a prolonged latency in 3 cases (3.41$\%$) of them, abnormal sensory and motor fiber in 33 cases (37.50$\%$) of them, and normal in 27 cases (30.68$\%$) of them. Considering above results, we had better make a diagnosis precisely the patients with clinically suspected carpal tunnel syndrome through subjective symtoms, physical examinations, and electrophysiologic studies.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.55-64
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• 2022

Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acupotomy for carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods Based on seven domestic and foreign databases. We analyzed the randomized controlled trials using acupotomy for carpal tunnel syndrome. The treatment group was treated with acupotomy and the control group was no restrictions on treatment methods. Results In this study, the effect of acupuncture treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome was investigated. Each study reported that acupotomy could be an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. However, as a result of meta-analysis of Levine carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire scores, visual analog scale, and sensory nerve conduction velocity, the results were more clinically significant than those of the control group. Due to the small number of randomized controlled trial studies and the nature of acupotomy treatment, blinding of interventions was impossible, resulting in a high risk of bias. Conclusions In this regard, it is thought that well-planned randomized controlled studies on patients with carpal tunnel syndrome are needed in the future to secure the clinical evidence for acupotomy treatment.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.44-47
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• 2011

Background: Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS) is characterized by the clinical triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia, and is considered a variant form of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Although some cases of delayed-onset facial palsy in MFS have been reported, the characteristics of this facial palsy are poorly described in the literature. Methods: Between 2007 and 2010, six patients with MFS were seen at our hospital. Delayed facial palsy, defined as a facial palsy that developed while the other symptoms of MFS began to improve following intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, was confirmed in four patients. The clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of delayed facial palsy in MFS, as observed in these patients, are described here. Results: Four patients with delayed-onset facial palsy were included. Delayed facial palsy developed 8-16 days after initial symptom onset (5-9 days after treatment). Unilateral facial palsy occurred in three patients and asymmetric facial diplegia in one patient. The House-Brackmann score of facial palsy was grade III in one patient, IV in two patients, and V in one patient. None of the patients complained of posterior auricular pain. Facial nerve conduction studies revealed normal amplitude in all four patients. The blink reflex showed abnormal prolongation in two patients and the absence of action potential formation in two patients. Facial palsy resolved completely in all four patients within 3 months. Conclusions: Delayed facial palsy is a frequent symptom in MFS and resolves completely without additional treatment. Thus, standard treatment and patient reassurance are sufficient in most cases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.258-264
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• 2001

저자들은 비염과 기관지 천식의 병력이 있으면서 열감, 설사, 신경염 증상과 함께 양측성 흉막액과 심낭액 그리고 페침윤을 보인 환자에서 흉박액 성분검사상 저당, 산성 삼출액 소견과, 폐조직 검사상 호산구 침윤과 혈관염 및 육아종성 염증 소견을 보인 Churg-Strauss 증후군 1예를 경험하였기에 이에 문헌고찰과 함께 보고하는 바이다.