• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3571-3574
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• 2014

Background: Brain metastasis occurs when cancerous cells come from a known (or sometimes an unknown) primary tumor to the brain and implant and grow there. This event is potentially lethal and causes neurologic symptoms and signs. These patients are treated in order to decrease their neurologic problems, increase quality of life and overall survival. Materials and Methods: In this study we evaluated clinical characteristics of 206 patients with brain metastases referred to our center from 2004 to 2011. Results: The mean age was 53.6 years. The primary tumors were breast cancer (32%), lung cancer (24.8%), lymphoma (4.4%), sarcoma (3.9%), melanoma (2.9%), colorectal cancer (2.4%) and renal cell carcinoma (1.5%). In 16.5% of the patients, brain metastasis was the first presenting symptom and the primary site was unknown. Forty two (20.4%) patients had a single brain metastasis, 18 patients (8.7%) had two or three lesions, 87 (42.2%) patients had more than three lesions. Leptomeningeal involvement was seen in 49 (23.8%) patients. Thirty five (17%) had undergone surgical resection. Whole brain radiation therapy was performed for all of the patients. Overall survival was 10.1 months (95%CI; 8.65-11.63). One and two year survival was 27% and 12% respectively. Conclusions: Overall survival of patients who were treated by combination of surgery and whole brain radiation therapy was significantly better than those who were treated with whole brain radiation therapy only [13.8 vs 9.3 months (p=0.03)]. Age, sex, primary site and the number of brain lesions did not show significant relationships with overall survival.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.275-278
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• 2017

Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is a cancer that shows aggressive behavior, early spread to distant sites, and frequent association with distinct paraneoplastic syndromes. Spontaneous remission of cancer, particularly of SCLC, is a rare biological event. Cases involving spontaneous regression of SCLC were reported, and were associated with paraneoplastic syndromes of the nervous system. This article reports on a 78-year-old man with SCLC in remission, with neurological symptoms. The patient visited the hospital because of generalized weakness, and imaging studies revealed a mass in the lower lobe of the left lung, pathological evaluation showed SCLC. The patient refused oncologic treatment and was treated only with conservative care. In follow-up study the diameter of the mass had decreased from initial 32 mm, 9 months after admission to 20 mm, 17 months after admission to 13 mm. The patient kept complaining of generalized weakness, dizziness, and paresthesia of limbs. We assumed that, in this case, the spontaneous remission of lung cancer was related to the immunologic response directed against the tumor, which is believed to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3551-3557
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• 2015

Background: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a heterogeneous type of neoplasm of the lymphatic system. To have a more accurate and early diagnosis we need to know signs, symptoms and complications of lymphoma in early stages besides pathology and immunohistochemistry. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 110 cases of NHL that were followed since February 2012 till November 2013. Biopsies were taken from all the patients besides bone marrow study. Signs and symptoms were categorized into "B" symptoms, general, lymphadenopathy and extranodal involvement and we compared the frequencies by stage and grade. Results: Of 110 cases, 88.9% had B-cell and 11.1% T-cell type with mean age $48.5{\pm}18.6$ years. "B" symptoms and lymphadenopathy were more common in men. Cervical lymphadenopathy was the most common sign (44.8%). and hematologic, bone marrow, bone and neurologic lesions were the most common complications. All complications were more common in males. "B" symptoms were seen mostly in stage III, general signs and symptoms in stage IV, and lymphadenopathy in stage II. Intermediate grade was also the most common in all signs and symptoms. In this study 12 (10.9%) patients had relapse, with neurologic and bone marrow as the most common sites of tumor recurrence. Conclusions: There is a meaningful relationship between male gender for NHL and anemia that can be due in part to higher incidence of bone marrow involvement and stage IV disease in male cases. We also found a strong relationship between low grade NHL and age. On the other hand extranodal involvement is more common in female groups.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.1024-1028
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• 2003

Influenza-associated encephalopathy is regarded as one of the major neurologic disease entities along with those of Reye syndrome, acute necrotizing encephalopathy, and myelitis which are known to be related to influenza virus, mostly type A. And it is being actively researched in Japan as it has caused a tremendous increase in the number of deaths from 1997 to 2002, but it has not been yet reported in the Korean pediatric medical community. It attacks those previously healthy children, who have not been vaccinated. Patients start with such symptoms as fever and common respiratory problems, but within 24 to 48 hours they suffer from seizures with acute mental deterioration, become worse, and suffer multiple organ failures including marked elevated transaminase levels as well as coagulopathy. It induces deaths in a couple of days after the symptoms appear or remains a serious neurologic sequelae. Confirmative diagnosis is used to demonstrate influenza viral infection. We report here a 37 month aged boy who was admitted to our hospital during the last influenza season under the diagnosis of influenza associated encephalopathy on the basis of serologic testing by hemagglutinin inhibition(HI). This is the first report confirmed by increased antibody titer of the influenza A virus in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.1040-1043
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• 2003

Henoch-Shonlein purpura(HSP) is a systemic small-vessel vasculitis that primarily affects the skin, gastrointestinal tract, joints, and kidneys. The nervous system may be involved, less commonly than other organs. When the central nervous system(CNS) was involved, headache, changes in mental status, seizures, and focal neurologic deficits have been reported. Hypertension, uremic encephalopathy, metabolic abnomalities, electrolyte abnormalities, or cerebral vasculitis were suggested as possible causes of the neurologic manifestation. Diagnosis of vasculitic involvement of CNS is difficult. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain is the modality of choice for the evaluation of the CNS disease. Steroid or plasmapheresis are used in treatment of cerebral vasculitis. We experienced a case of 9-year-old boy who had presented with Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis complicating encephalopathy accompanied by hypertension and cerebral vasculitis. Brain MRI showed multiple small nodular-linear pattern enhancing lesions in whole cerebral hemispheres and focal increased T2 signal in the right basal ganglia. We used intravenous immunoglobulin in treatment of cerebral vasculitis. We report this case with a brief review of related literature.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-98
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• 2006

This study was performed to examine the influences of the mental practice to the hemiplegic upper limb motor function improvement. 20 minute neurologic treatment based on the neurophysiological theory, 10 minute activities of daily living training, and 10 minute mental practice 5 times a week were given in turn to the experimental group(N=11). On the other hand 20 minute neurologic treatment, and 10 minute activities of daily living training 5 times a week were given in turn to the control group(N=11). Both Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale and Manual Function Test were used to evaluate upper limb motor recovery, upper limb motor function and movement ability. And the Motor Activity Log; Amount of Use and Motor Activity Log; Quality of Movement before training, 2 weeks after training, and 4 weeks after training were measured to assess the upper limb motor quantitatively and qualitatively each. The results are as follows. 1) Considering the interactions of the rate of change on the upper limb motor recovery, motor function, movement ability improvement, and qualitative motor improvement in ADL of experimental group and control group, the change rates of experimental group were found to be greater than those of the control group. 2) In experimental group, the higher the achievements were, the better upper motor recovery was.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.365-370
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• 2020

The ability to directly harvest thin and superthin perforator flaps without jeopardizing their vascularity depends on knowledge of the microsurgical vascular anatomy of each perforator within the subcutaneous tissue up to the dermis. In this paper, we report our experience with ultrahigh-frequency ultrasound (UHF-US) in the preoperative planning of thin and superthin flaps. Between May 2017 and September 2018, perforators of seven patients were preoperatively evaluated by both ultrasound (using an 18-MHz linear probe) and UHF-US (using 48- and 70-MHz linear probes). Thin flaps (two cases) and superthin flaps (five cases) were elevated for the reconstruction of head and neck oncologic defects and lower limb traumatic defects. The mean flap size was 6.5×15 cm (range, 5×8 to 7.5×23 cm). No complications occurred, and all flaps survived completely. In all cases, we found 100% agreement between the preoperative UHF-US results and the intraoperative findings. The final reconstructive outcomes were considered satisfactory by both the surgeon and the patients. In conclusion, UHF-US was found to be very useful in the preoperative planning of thin and superthin free flaps, as it allows precise anticipation of very superficial microvascular anatomy. UHF-US may represent the next frontier in thin, superthin, and pure skin perforator flap design.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.154-160
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• 2009

Purpose: This study aimed to determine new criteria for detecting independent factors with high sensitivity in cases of cervical spine injury. We compared the sensitivity, the specificity, and the false negative predictive value (NPV) of plain radiographs with those of computed tomography for cervical spine injury in patients with minor head injury. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 357 patients who underwent both cervical plain radiographs and computer tomography from January 2006, to September 2008. Patients were divided into two groups: the cervical spine injury group and the no cervical spine injury group. New criteria were organized based on variables that had significant differences in the logistic regression test. Results: Among the 357 patients, 78 patients had cervical spine injuries. The average age was $43.9{\pm}15.2$ yrs old, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.90. The most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle accidents. There was a significant difference in loss of consciousness, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)=14, neurologic deficit, posterior neck tenderness, and abnormality of the cervical plain radiographs between the two groups on the logistic regression test. New criteria included the above five variables. If a patient has at least variable, the area under the ROC curve of the new criteria was 0.850, and the sensitivity and the false NPV were 87.2% and 5.2%, respectively. Conclusion: New criteria included loss of consciousness, GCS=14, neurologic deficit, posterior neck tenderness, and abnormality of the cervical plain radiographs. If the patient had at least 1 variable, he or she could have a of cervical spine injury with a sensitivity of 87.2% and a false NPV of 5.2%.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.233-237
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• 2013

Delayed traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (DT-ICH) is a rare event in head trauma patients. However, it develops unexpectedly and results in very severe brain damage. Thus, close monitoring of the neurologic status is needed for every trauma patient. Sometimes, however, neurologic monitoring cannot be done because of sedation, especially in cases of abdominal surgery. In this case report, we describe the case of a 37-yr-old, male patients who had hemoperitoneum because of spleen and renal injury. At the initial operation, massive bleeding was found, so gauze-packing surgery was done first. After the first operation, we sedated the patient for about two days, after which the packed gauze was removed, and the abdominal wound was closed. Immediately after the second operation, we found pupil dilation. Emergent CT was performed. The CT revealed DT-ICH with severe brain edema and midline shifting. However, the patient condition deteriorated progressively despite emergency operation, he expired 2 days after hematoma evacuation.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 2001

Spinal epidural abscess(SEA) is a rare condition in children. Classic symptoms are spinal ache, root pain, weakness and paralysis. The earliest symptoms of SEA in the pediatric age group are nonspecific and variable. Early diagnosis may be almost impossible when local spinal pain is inconspicuous or absent, when toxic epiphenomena divert attention from subtle signs of neurologic dysfunction and when the patient is an acutely distressed and uncooperative child. Failure to diagnosis and treat condition on a timely basis may lead to permanent neurolgic dysfunction or even death. This infection, usually located in the dorsal epidural space of the mid thoracic or lower lumbar regions, is the result of hematogenous dissemination of bacteria, usually Staphylococci, from foci of infection in the skin, or respiratory or urinary tracts. MRI was the diagnostic method of choice. A combination of antibiotics and surgical drainage remains the treatment of choice. Prognosis is excellent if surgery is performed before the development of neurologic deficit. We report a case of SEA in a child whose first presenting symptom was abdominal pain rather than spinal pain. A case is diagnosed by MRI and successfully treated with laminectomy and drainage and antibiotics.