• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2001

Background: This study was undertaken to observe the functional changes of the hind limb and histopathological changes in the sciatic nerve after an injection of alcohol or phenol, which are commonly used neurolytic agents, highlighting the time of recovery. Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-300 g were used for the experiment. Histopathological changes under the electron microscope, were observed in the distal part of the sciatic nerve, into which 0.1 ml of alcohol or phenol was injected. This was severed in 3 rats of each group at 10 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours, 3 days, 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks later. The functional changes in the hind limbs were observed for 6 weeks by noting their walking pattern. Results: Following the injection of alcohol or phenol into the right sciatic nerve, the right hind limb showed a severe pronounced motor weakness and obvious gait changes. About 2 weeks later, gradual improvement of gait changes began, and after 6 weeks, the motor weakness and gait changes were no longer perceptible in both groups. The findings of any histopathological change were similar in both alcohol or phenol groups. At 10 minutes after injection, destructive lesions were confined to the unmyelinated fibers and the myelin sheath of small the myelinated fibers. On the 3rd day and at 1 week, pathologic changes in axonal fibers and Schwann cells were in being phagocytized in spite of myelin restitution. From 2 to 4 weeks, axonal regeneration and remyelination appeared at the same time a myelin disintegration and axonolysis. At 6 weeks, neural regeneration was similar to that of the contralateral control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that functional and histopathological changes, after injection of neurolytics into the peripheral nerves, are quite similar in both alcohol and phenol groups. The progression of functional and histopathological changes become more obvious according to the time interval following the injection. Consequently, side effects that develop following the use of alcohol or phenol may begin to improve around the time that nerve regeneration occurs, i.e., two to four weeks later.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-25
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Yanghyuljanggeungunbo-tang(Yangxuezhuangjinjianbu-tang, YGKT) and electrical acupuncture treatment in spinal cord injury(SCI)-induced rats. Methods : The subjects were divided into 5 groups ; Normal, Control-no treatment after SCI, Experimental I(Exp. I)-taken with YGKT 500 mg/kg $0.5m{\ell}$ daily after SCI. Experimental II(Exp. II)-taken with electrical acupuncture after SCI and Experimental III(Exp. III)-taken with YGKT 500 mg/kg $0.5m{\ell}$ and electrical acupuncture after SCI. After each operation, the present author observed cytological changes, the motor behavior recovery and nerve regeneration by analysis of the motor behavior tests, EMG, hematological(AST, ALT, WBC), histological and immunological changes. Rats were tested by Motor behavior test at 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st day. Results : 1. All the experimental groups were improved compared with control group in the motor behavior tests including Tarlov test, Basso-Beattle-Bresnahan locomotor rating scale, modified inclined plane test, open field test, grid walk test and narrow beam test. Especially Exp. III was significantly improved among other groups. 2. In EMG test, H and M wave were significantly increased in Exp. III. 3. All the experimental groups were significantly decreased compared with control group in AST, ALT and WBC. 4. NGF, BDNF and Trk B of spinal cord gray matter in all the experimental groups were increased compared with control group. Especially, Exp. III was more effective. 5. In histological observations, muscle contraction and denaturation of gastrocnemius muscle of all the experimental groups were inhibited. Especially, those of Exp. III was more effective. On the observations of liver and kidney, cell atrophy and apoptosis of all the experimental groups were decreased compared with control group. Especially, those of Exp. III was more effective. Conclusions : It can be suggested that YGKT and electrical acupuncture may improve motor behavior, EMG, hematological, histological and immunological findings in SCI-induced rats. Especially, combination of these two treatments will be somewhat better in spinal nerve recovery and motor function improvement.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.136-142
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• 2022

Lateral compartment syndrome of the lower leg is rarely observed. Hence, there may be difficulty in diagnosis as its clinical patterns are different and more complicated than usual. We report two rare cases of a 20-year-old and a 28-year-old diagnosed with isolated lateral compartment syndrome who had either a surgical or conservative treatment. The comparison was done by analyzing the progression of neurological manifestation, electromyography, and nerve conduction study for two years. In the final follow-up, the patient who underwent the surgical treatment showed a shorter recovery time. However, both patients showed a full recovery from neurologic deficits.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.769-777
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• 2017

Objective: Facial nerve palsy is caused by damage to the 7th cranial nerve. It is the main symptom of facial muscle paralysis on the affected side. Usually, recovery from this disease begins 2-3 weeks after onset and most patients recover in 4-8 weeks. If the patients cannot receive proper treatment, severe permanent impairments, both physical and mental, may remain, so this disease should be treated appropriately. In this study, a patient with facial nerve palsy was admitted to the Korean medicine hospital for treatment. We report on the patient's progress and the effects of treatment. Methods: We cured the patient with herbal medicines, acupuncture, herbal acupuncture therapy, and physical therapy. We used a numerical rating scale, the House Brackmann grading system, and a weighted regional grading system to assess symptom changes. Result: The patient with facial nerve palsy was hospitalized for 23 days and recovered from symptoms without significant problems on the face or in motor function.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2020

Background: The continuous search for a novel neuropathic pain drug with few or no side effects has been a main focus of researchers for decades. This study investigated the antinociceptive and neuroprotective effects of bromelain in sciatic nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain in Wistar rats. Methods: Forty-eight Wistar rats randomly divided into eight groups comprised of six animals each were used for this study. Peripheral neuropathy was induced via chronic constriction of the common sciatic nerve. Thermal hyperalgesic and mechanical allodynia were assessed using a hotplate and von Frey filaments, respectively. The functional recovery and structural architecture of the ligated sciatic nerve were evaluated using the sciatic functional index test and a histological examination of the transverse section of the sciatic nerve. The neuroprotective effects of bromelain were investigated in the proximal sciatic nerve tissue after 21 days of treatment. Results: Bromelain significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated both the thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynic indices of neuropathic pain. There were improvements in sciatic function and structural integrity in rats treated with bromelain. These rats showed significant (P < 0.05) increases in sciatic nerve nuclear transcription factors (nuclear factor erythroid-derived-2-related factors-1 [NrF-1] and NrF-2), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione), and reduced membranelipid peroxidation compared with the ligated control group. Conclusions: This study suggest that bromelain mitigated neuropathic pain by enhancing the activities of nuclear transcription factors (NrF-1 and NrF-2) which increases the antioxidant defense system that abolish neuronal stress and structural disorganization.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2009

Purpose：This study was to determine whether median nerve mobilization has any effect on the recovery of muscle power and the reduction of pain for the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods：20 patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome were randomly divided into two groups: 10 subjects treated both with electrical therapy and median nerve mobilization(experimental group) and the other 10 subjects treated only with electrical therapy(control group). The therapy was taken three times a week for 3 weeks. Results：The grip strength increased in both groups. However, the experimental group showed more significant treatment effect than the control group, and the significant changes appeared every week during the experiment period. In terms of pain, both groups showed significant effects. But the experimental group showed but more significant treatment effect than the control group, and the significant changes appeared every week during the experiment period. Conclusions：It was significantly more effective for the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome to apply median nerve mobilization during the electrical therapy in order to reduce pain and to increase grip strength, compared with the method only using electrical therapy. Further research should be conducted to generalize these results in terms of the clinical effectiveness of the nerve mobilization.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.297-302
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• 2022

Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to analyze data on nerve damage in patients who complained of sensory changes after dental implant surgery, the clinical results according to proximity of the implant fixture to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) canal, and the factors affecting recovery of sensation. Materials and Methods: The electronic medical records of 64 patients who had experienced sensory change after implant surgery were reviewed. Patients were classified by sex, age, implant installation sites, recovery rate and the distance between the implant fixture and IAN canal on computed tomography (CT). The distance was classified into Group I (D>2 mm), Group II (2 mm≥D>0 mm), and Group III (D≤0 mm). Results: The 64 patients were included and the mean age was 57.3±7.3 years. Among the 36 patients who visited our clinic more than two times, 21 patients (58.3%) reported improvement in sensation, 13 patients (36.1%) had no change in sensation, and 2 patients (5.6%) reported worsening sensation. In Group II, symptom improvement was achieved in all patients regardless of the removal of the implant fixture. In Group III, 8 patients (40.0%) had reported symptom improvement with removal of the implant fixture, and 2 patients (33.3%) of recovered patients showed improvement without removal. Removal of the implant fixture in Group III did not result in any significant difference in recovery (P=0.337), although there was a higher possibility of improvement in sensation in removal cases. Conclusion: Clinicians first should consider removing the fixture when it directly invades the IAN canal. However, in cases of sensory change after dental implant surgery where the drill or implant fixture did not invade the IAN canal, other indirect factors such as flap elevation and damage due to anesthesia should be considered as causes of sensory change. Removal of the implant should be considered with caution in these situations.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.637-642
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• 2012

Background Fingertip injuries involving subtotal or total loss of the digital pulp are common types of hand injuries and require reconstruction that is able to provide stable padding and sensory recovery. There are various techniques used for reconstruction of fingertip injuries, but the most effective method is functionally and aesthetically controversial. Despite some disadvantages, cross-finger pulp flap is a relatively simple procedure without significant complications or requiring special techniques. Methods This study included 90 patients with fingertip defects who underwent cross-finger pulp flap between September 1998 and March 2010. In 69 cases, neurorrhaphy was performed between the pulp branch from the proper digital nerve and the recipient's sensory nerve for good sensibility of the injured fingertip. In order to evaluate the outcome of our surgical method, we observed two-point discrimination in the early (3 months) and late (12 to 40 months) postoperative periods. Results Most of the cases had cosmetically and functionally acceptable outcomes. The average defect size was $1.7{\times}1.5$ cm. Sensory return began 3 months after flap application. The two-point discrimination was measured at 4.6 mm (range, 3 to 6 mm) in our method and 7.2 mm (range, 4 to 9 mm) in non-innervated cross-finger pulp flaps. Conclusions The innervated cross-finger pulp flap is a safe and reliable procedure for lateral oblique, volar oblique, and transverse fingertip amputations. Our procedure is simple to perform under local anesthesia, and is able to provide both mechanical stability and sensory recovery. We recommend this method for reconstruction of fingertip injuries.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.29-39
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the upper limb nerve mobilization (ULNM) on functional recovery of upper extremity in hemiplegic patients following stroke. Twenty patients who had functional impairment on upper extremity were participated. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups: Control group (n=10) received traditional physical therapy only for 4 weeks; Experimental group (n=10) received ULNM treatment along with traditional physical therapy for the same period. Upper extremity functions were assessed by manual muscle test (MMT), modified Ashworth scale (MAS), and Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) before and after the treatment. In both experimental and control group, upper extremity functions were significantly improved in MMT (p<.01) and FMA (p<.01), however only experimental group showed significant improvement in FMA after the treatment (p<.05). Moreover, experimental group showed significantly greater improvement than control group in MMT (p<.05), MAS (p<.05), and FMA (p<.05). We conclude that the upper extremity functions is a useful additional therapeutic technique for the effective treatment of upper extremity deficits in hemiplegic patients.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.72-82
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• 2005

Background and purpose: Bell‘s Palsy is a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. It's caused by trauma to the 7th cranial nerve, and is not permanent. The aim of this study is to be convinced of differences between facial electrodermal activities of paralyzed side and those of normal side in acute stage of Bell's Palsy patients Methods: Electrodermal activity (EDA) was performed within 1 week after the onset of facial palsy and facial nerve electromyography (EMG) at 2 weeks after the onset. The recovery of facial nerve function was documented by House and Brackmann grading. All the patients were followed up weekly until recovery or up to 6 weeks. Results: There was significant differences (conductivity A: t=3.319, p=0.002; conductivity C: t=2.699, p=0.010) between facial electrodermal conductivities of paralyzed side and those of normal side in acute stage of Bell's Palsy patients (N=45). And the result showed that logarithmic scale of electrodermal conductivity A value ratio obviousely decreased with logarithmic scale of EMG zygomatic branch amplitude ratio (r=-0.472, p=0.143); logarithmic scale of capacitance B, logarithmic scale of EMG temporal branch amplitude ratio (r=-0.422, p=0.133); logarithmic scale of conductivity C, logarithmic scale of EMG buccal branch amplitude ratio (r=-0.545, p=0.083) (N=12). Conclusion: Electrodermal conductivities increased in paralyzed facial side in acute stage of Bell's Palsy patients.