• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.98-101
• /
• 1996

Background: Lumbar epidural steroid injection for relief of low back pain and sciatica has become a popular procedure. further, cervical epidural steroid injection with nerve block (CESNB) is known to be effective for the management of acute and chronic pain of neck, shoulder and arm. However, many anesthesiologists are not familiar with CESNB. Methods: Charts of 34 patients who had undergone 60 cervical epidural steroid injections over a three year period, 1993 to 1995, were reviewed. We studied the followings: initial visit and department, injected interspaces, personal characteristics, indications for injection and complications. Results: Patients' first visits were mainly to orthopaedics (11 patients) and neurosurgery (10 patients). Epidural injection sites were: C7-T1 interspace (29 patients) and C6-C7 interspace (6 patients). Mean age of patients were 50.1 years. range 21~73 years. There were twenty male and fourteen female patients. Complications varied from dizziness after CESNB (1 patient). loss of consciousness with transient apnea (2 patients), and local infection with suspicious meningitis (1 patient). Conclusion: We conclude from the above data that CESNB is a good, safe and conservative form of therapeutic procedure in the management of patients suffering from cervical radiculopathy, and neck and shoulder pain.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.494-497
• /
• 2012

Traumatic lacerations are common in the orofacial region as a result of accidents. Due to the frequent movement of the skin around the mandible, scars in that area are more likely to widen or become hypertrophic. Treatment of facial laceration was performed on three patients and followed by regular check-up. It was discovered that the scars have become hypertrophic, so steroid injections were used. The results were satisfactory with the decrease in sizes and hardnes of the scar. Facial scarring is a particularly distressing phenomenon and has always been a challenge to treat as the scars are more likely to widen or become hyphertrophied due to the frequent movement of the muscle in the facial area. We confirmed that the positive effect of steroid on hypertrophic scars. So, we suggest that proper treatment and periodic follow-up, adjuvant treatments especially steroid injection is necessary in patients with lacerations.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.29 no.8
• /
• pp.867-873
• /
• 1996

This study was undertaken to determine whether the anabolic steroid nandrolone phenylpropionate(NPP) can inhibit the muscle atrophy and reduction in muscle protein synthesis caused by glucocorticoids in female rates. Daily injections of 50mg/kg of corticosterone for eight days induced significant reductions in body weight gain and protein without affecting food intake. The mass, protein and RNA content, ratio of RNA to protein, and fractional rate of protein synthesis, measured in vivo, of gastrocnemius muscle were all significantly reduced by corticosterone treatement. Simultaneous administration of NPP at a dose of 10mg/kg with corticosteorne (50mg/kg) fully inhibited the reductions in the mass, protein and RNA content of gastrocnemius muscle, and body weight gain and protein with no alteration in food intake but the reduction in fractional rate of muscle protein syntheis was only partially prevented. The results indicate that the anabolic steroid nandrolone phenylpropionate is capable of preventing muscle atrophy in female rats treated with excess corticosterion.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.182-186
• /
• 2008

Simple bone cysts are common, benign bone tumor and for the treatment, curettage with bone grafting, resection and intralesional steroid or autogenic bone marrow injections were usually performed. Simple bone cysts of the calcaneus are relatively uncommon and curettage with autologous bone grafting were proposed for management rather than intralesional steroid injections. We would like to report 9 year-old male with calcaneal simple bone cyst treated satisfactorily by minimally invasive endoscopic curettage and autologous bone grafting with review of the relevant literature.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.246-250
• /
• 2005

Facet joint synovial cysts are uncommon intraspinal abnormalities, which appear to be secondary to degenerative changes of the joints. They can cause chronic back pain and radiculopathy, as shown in spinal stenosis. When symptomatic cysts fail to respond to conservative measurements, surgical decompression is known as the standard treatment. Percutaneous steroid injections, and distension of the cysts under fluoroscopic guidance, may be a minimally invasive treatment option. Here, the case of a patient with a symptomatic L5-S1 facet joint synovial cyst and left S1 radiculopathy, who responded satisfactorily to percutaneous treatment, is presented.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.70-81
• /
• 2023

Background The clinical results of conservative treatment options for ulnar compression at the elbow have not been clearly determined. The aim of this review was to evaluate available conservative treatment options and their effectiveness for ulnar nerve compression at the elbow. Methods In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations, a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies was performed. Literature search was performed using Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Results Of the 1,079 retrieved studies, 20 were eligible for analysis and included 687 cases of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. Improvement of symptoms was reported in 54% of the cases receiving a steroid/lidocaine injection (95% confidence interval [CI], 41-67) and in 89% of the cases using a splint device (95% CI, 69-99). Conclusions Conservative management seems to be effective. Both lidocaine/steroid injections and splint devices gave a statistically significant improvement of symptoms and are suitable options for patients who refuse an operative procedure or need a bridge to their surgery. Splinting is preferred over injections, as it shows a higher rate of improvement.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.353-359
• /
• 2014

Background: Epidural steroid injections are an accepted procedure for the conservative management of chronic backache caused by lumbar disc pathology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidurographic findings for the midline, transforaminal and parasagittal approaches in lumbar epidural steroid injections, and correlating them with the clinical improvement. Methods: Sixty chronic lower back pain patients with unilateral radiculitis from a herniated/degenerated disc were enrolled. After screening the patients according to the exclusion criteria and randomly allocating them to 3 groups of 20 patients, fluoroscopic contrast enhanced epidural steroids were injected via midline (group 1), transforaminal (group 2) and parasagittal interlaminar (group 3) approaches at the level of the pathology. The fluoroscopic patterns of the three groups were studied and correlated with the clinical improvement measured by the VAS over the next 3 months; any incidences of complications were recorded. Results: The transforaminal group presented better results in terms of VAS reduction than the midline and parasagittal approach groups (P < 0.05). The epidurography showed a better ventral spread for both the transforaminal (P < 0.001) and the paramedian approaches (P < 0.05), as compared to the midline approach. The nerve root filling was greater in the transforaminal group (P < 0.001) than in the other two groups. The ventral spread of the contrast agent was associated with improvement in the VAS score and this difference was statistically significant in group 1 (P < 0.05), and highly significant in groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.001). In all the groups, any complications observed were transient and minor. Conclusions: The midline and paramedian approaches are technically easier and statistically comparable, but clinically less efficacious than the transforaminal approach. The incidence of ventral spread and nerve root delineation show a definite correlation with clinical improvement. However, an longer follow-up period is advisable for a better evaluation of the actual outcom.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.13-23
• /
• 1988

These studies were undertaken to examine the interaction of tamoxifen with sex steroid hormones in rat uterine activity. The uterine wet weights of the immature Tat uterus were examined after the administration of estradiol-l7$\beta$(1$\mu$g), tamoxifen(50$\mu$g), progesterone(lmg). The uterotropic activity in immature ovariectomized rats was observed under various treatment conditions following pretreatment with above drugs. The results obtained were as follows:1) Tamoxifen produced significant increase (p <0.01) in uterine wet weight compared with control group, although the increase was not as great as that seen with estradiol-17$\beta$. Administration of estradiol-17$\beta$ together with tamoxifen inhibited significantly the increase of uterine wet weight by estradiol-17$\beta$ (p < 0.01). Coadministration of progresterone with tamoxifen partly blocked the increase of tamoxifen-induced uterine wet weights by progesterone. 2) Estradiol-17$\beta$after the estradiol-17$\beta$ pretreatment discontinued the declining uterine wet weights due to the absence of estrogen support, but uteri continued to increase in weight if daily estradiol-17 $\beta$ was maintained. Administration of tamoxifen on the fourth day of estradiol-17$\beta$ treatment reduced uterine wet weights within 24 hours, and the weights continued to decline with additional tamoxifen. 3) The modest growth of the uterus induced by three daily injections of 5Opg tamoxifen remained stable for five days, with or without additional tamoxifen treatment. Coadministration of tamoxifen with estradiol17$\beta$ increased slightly the increase of uterine wet weight by tamoxifen. Coadministration of tamoxifen with progesterone inhibited the increase of uterine wet weight by tamoxifen. 4) The modest growth of the uterus induced by three daily injections of lmg progesterone reduced uterine wet weight to the control level for five days. Commencement of tamoxifen or estadiol-17 $\beta$ injections on the fourth day of progesterone treatment rapidly elevated uterine wet weight.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.466-471
• /
• 2006

We investigated the changes in body weight (BW), plasma sex steroid hormone profiles, and testicular development of cultured male eel Anguilla japonica during an artificial maturation process. Eels that received weekly intraperitoneal injections of eel's ringer solution containing human chronic gonadotropin (HCG) were examined. In the ringer-treated control, BW changes decreased slowly during the experimental period. Plasma testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and $17{\alpha},\;20{\beta}$-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) levels In the control remained low and did not show significant changes. Moreover, all germ cells in the testes of the control were spermatogonia. In the HCG-treated male eels, however, BW changes increased gradually from the fifth week and then decreased slowly. The plasma T level increased rapidly (p<0.05) in the second week and then decreased slowly. The plasma 11-KT level increased dramatically (p<0.05) in the second week and was maintained until the end of the experiment. The plasma DHP level increased progressively from the second week and peaked in the eighth week (p<0.05). The testes of HCG-treated male eels were more developed than those of the control; most were at the spermatozoa and spermatid stages and showed active spermiation. Thus, spermatogenesis and spermiation in the cultured eel can be induced by repeated injections of HCG.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.336-344
• /
• 2022

Background: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has prohibited epidural steroid injection (ESI) with particulate steroids. Thus, this study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of ESI with two nonparticulate steroids, dexamethasone and betamethasone. Methods: The eligible patients (n = 600) who received ESI (0 week) with dexamethasone (ESI-dexa) or betamethasone (ESI-beta) had follow-up visits at 2, 4, and 8 weeks with a phone interview at 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the proportion of effective responders without pain or who were much improved at 2 weeks. The secondary endpoints were the proportion of crossover injections at 2 weeks; changes in the visual analog scale (VAS) and disability index scores at 2, 4, and 8 weeks; the number of additional ESIs in 12 weeks; the number of participants having spinal surgery, as well as the incidence of adverse events over the 12 weeks. Results: The proportion of effective responders at 2 weeks was not different between ESI-beta (72/216, 33.3%) and ESI-dexa (63/200, 31.5%; P = 0.670). Adverse events were more common with ESI-dexa (40/200, 20.0%) than with ESI-beta (24/216, 11.1%; P = 0.012). VAS scores decreased more with ESI-beta than with ESI-dexa at 2 weeks (difference, 0.35; P = 0.023) and 4 weeks (difference, 0.42; P = 0.011). The disability score improved significantly more with ESI-beta compared with ESI-dexa at 2 weeks (difference, 3.37; P = 0.009), 4 weeks (difference, 4.01; P = 0.002), and 8 weeks (difference, 3.54; P = 0.007). Conclusions: Betamethasone would be more appropriate for ESI.