• Journal of Electrodiagnosis and Neuromuscular Diseases
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the electrodiagnostic outcomes of carpal tunnel release in patients with and without diabetes with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and to evaluate the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on electrodiagnostic outcomes. Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 67 patients with electro-diagnostic evidence of CTS. Patients were classified into two groups according to the presence of DM. Both groups were evaluated using nerve conduction studies preoperatively and 3 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Results: There were no statistical differences in any of the electrodiagnostic parameters between groups 3 weeks postoperatively. However, there were statistical differences in the amplitude and the latency of compound muscle action potential, and sensory nerve conduction velocity 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion: Patients with DM did not show a significantly different outcome 3 weeks after surgery but showed a worse electrodiagnostic outcome 3 months after surgery than those without DM.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2011

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) are thought to share a similar pathophysiology, compression of the median and plantar nerve by the carpal tunnel and flexor retinaculum. A few reports introduced the relationship between idiopathic CTS and TTS without definite evidence of coexistence. The current study was designed to analyze the electrophysiologic characteristics of combined idiopathic CTS and TTS by comparing with each idiopathic CTS or TTS. Methods: We retrospectively collected patients with combined idiopathic CTS and TTS (CTS-TTS group) from June 2001 to February 2009. Patients with each idiopathic CTS or TTS were collected as controls. Electrophysiologic data of median and plantar nerves were compared between CTS-TTS group and controls. Results: CTS-TTS group was composed of 31 patients. Control group of each CTS or TTS were 50 CTS and 49 TTS patients. In comparison of median nerve conduction study between CTS-TTS group and CTS control group, decreased compound muscle action potential amplitude (p<0.001), decreased median sensory nerve action potential amplitude (p<0.001) and sensory nerve conduction velocity at finger stimulation (p=0.013) were prominent in CTS-TTS group. Decreased medial plantar sensory nerve action potential amplitude (p=0.034) was indicated when CTS-TTS groups and TTS control group were compared. Conclusions: If the electrophysiology study of patients with CTS or TTS was suggestive of severe degree of nerve injury, concerns about the possibility of combined CTS and TTS would be helpful.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES) on the alteration of spinal motor neuron excitability. In this article, I would like to experiment on a standard capacity of clinical electrophysiology, a difference in applying methods and a clinical efficiency of NMES by Nerve conduction velocity. We used normal eight subjects without neuromuscular disease and all subjects participated 3 session, which at least 1 week between session. Participants classified according to each group in Antagonist, Agonist, Antagonist-Agonist by the NMES. The test was measured continuously pre test, post-test, post 20 minute test by EMG including H reflex, F wave, motor nerve conduction velocity(MNCV). The following results were obtained; 1. H-reflex latencies and H/M intervals were significantly increased in agonist and antagonist-agonist group(p<.01). 2. H-reflex amplitudes and H/M ratios were significantly decreased in agonist and antagonist-agonist group(p<.01). In agonist group, H-reflex amplitudes and H/M ratios were more significantly decreased than antagonist group. 3. F-wave latencies were significantly increased in agonist and antagonist-agonist group(p<.01). F/M intervals were significantly increased in antagonist-agonist group(p<.01). F wave conduction velocities were significantly increased in agonist and antagonist-agonist group(p<.01) but F/M ratios were not significant. 4. MNCV were significantly decreased in agonist(p<.01). These results lead us to the conclusion that agonist and Antagonist-agonist was significantly decreased excitability of spinal motor neuron. Conversely, Antagonist does not decreased. Therefore, A further direction of this study will be to provide more evidence that NMES have an effect on excitability of spinal motor neurons in UMN syndrome.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.211-221
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• 1991

Although the existence of nerve cells which determine the activity of sympathetic nervous system in ventrolateral medulla is advocated recently, there are wide varieties on the location and function of them according to authors. Present study aimed to identify and characterize the medullospinal tract cells in rostral and caudal medulla of cats .which branch to the lateral horn of the upper thoracic spinal cord. Cats were anesthetized with ${\alpha}-chloralose$. The upper thoracic spinal cord and floor of the IVth ventricle were exposed. Medullospinal tract cells in rostral and caudal medulla were identified by anti-dromic stimulation of the intermediolateral nucleus in the upper thoracic cord and then the location and physiological characteristics of these cells were studied. A total of seventy cells in medulla had constant latency and responded to high frequency stimulation to thoracic cord. Among them fifty-six cells were identified as medullospinal tract cells either by collision with spontaneous activities or activities evoked by sciatic nerve stimulation(27/56), or by determining the refractory period (29/56). Thirty-one of these cells branched to the contralateral thoracic spinal cord, twenty-one cells to the ipsilateral side and remaining four cells branched to both sides. The conduction velocity of cells branching to the contralateral side was $29{\pm}2.9\;m/sec$ and that of cells to the ipsilateral side was $39.1{\pm}6.0\;m/sec$. When medulla was devided into two by a horizontal plane at 3 mm rostral to the obex, fifty-one among seventy cells were in the rostral medulla and nineteen were in the caudal medulla. The conduction velocities of these two groups were $21.6{\pm}1.0\;and\;33.3{\pm}3.9\;m/sec$, respectively. In this study, we confirmed the existence of two groups of medullospinal tract cells in rostral and caudal ventrolateral medulla, which branch to the lateral horn of thoracic cord and these cells have relatively few spontaneous activities and rapid conduction velocity, so we concluded that these cells are different from the previously known sympatho-related cells in ventrolateral medulla.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.7-10
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of electrical stimulation applied in dominant forearm on autonomic nervous system response of both hands. Methods : Fourteen healthy subjects (women) received low frequency-high intensity electrical stimulation to one forearm. The subjects assigned to two groups; a ipsilateral stimulation group (n=7) and a contralateral stimulation group (n=7). The electrode attachment was arranged on the forearm of the dominant arm and the electricity stimulus time was set as 15 minutes. Measuring items were the skin conduction velocity, the blood flow, and the pulse rate, which were measured total 3 times (pre, post, and post 10 min.). Results : The skin conduction velocity showed a significant difference according to the change of the time in both hands, but there was no significant difference according to time in the blood flow, and the change of the pulse frequency regardless of stimulus side. Conclusion : These results demonstrate that the low frequency-high intensity electrical stimulation applied dominant forearm can increase selectively only with the skin conduction velocity, which may be helpful for the activation of the sudomotor function of both hands by the activation of sympathetic nerve.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.269-273
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• 2013

Objective : Posture induced common peroneal nerve (CPN) palsy is usually produced during the prolonged squatting or habitual leg crossing while seated, especially in Asian culture and is manifested by the onset of foot drop. Because of its similarity to discogenic foot drop, patients may be diagnosed with a lumbar disc disorder, and in some patients, surgeons may perform unnecessary examinations and even spine surgery. The purpose of our study is to establish the clinical characteristics and diagnostic assessment of posture induced CPN palsy. Methods : From June 2008 to June 2012, a retrospective study was performed on 26 patients diagnosed with peroneal nerve palsy in neurophysiologic study among patients experiencing foot drop after maintaining a certain posture for a long time. Results : The inducing postures were squatting (14 patients), sitting cross-legged (6 patients), lying down (4 patients), walking and driving. The mean prolonged neural injury time was 124.2 minutes. The most common clinical presentation was foot drop and the most affected sensory area was dorsum of the foot with tingling sensation (14 patients), numbness (8 patients), and burning sensation (4 patients). The clinical improvement began after a mean 6 weeks, which is not related to neural injury times. Electrophysiology evaluation was performed after 2 weeks later and showed delayed CPN nerve conduction study (NCS) in 24 patients and deep peroneal nerve in 2 patients. Conclusion : We suggest that an awareness of these clinical characteristics and diagnostic assessment methods may help clinicians make a diagnosis of posture induced CPN palsy and preclude unnecessary studies or inappropriate treatment in foot drop patients.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.434-441
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• 2007

Objectives : Peripheral neurodegeneration occurs in diabetes mellitus (DM), both sensory and motor nerve. but we don't know exactly if DM affects central nerve pathway for all studies. Electrophysiologic study is one of the most important diagnostic tools for diabetic neuropathy. Electroneurography and electromyography are usually used. but evoked potentials (EP) is more sensitive to small nerve fiber damages and useful for central nerve evaluation in addition to peripheral nerves. Most diabetic neuropathy studies by EP have been performed with somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP). In contrast, the objective of this study is to investigate if DM targets central motor neurons by assessing the relation between fasting blood sugar (FBS) and motor evoked potentials (MEP) latency. Methods : We inspected the medical records of 34 patients who had MEP tests during admitting days. The latency from cervical portion to abductor pollicis brevis was used as peripheral motor conduction time (PMCT). and the latency from vertex to cervical portion was used as central motor conduction time (CMCT). Then, they were correlated to FBS using correlation analysis. Results : There was a significant linear relation between FBS and PMCT (Pearson's correlation coefficient r=0.487, p<0.01), but a poor linear relation between FBS and CMCT (Pearson's correlation coefficient r=-0.l97. p>0.05). Conclusions : This study suggests that prolonged latencies of MEP in DM may be due to peripheral neuropathy rather than dysfunction of central motor pathway. therefore the clinical use of MEP to diabetic neuropathy has to be divided segmentally.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.28-30
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• 2005

Bilateral brachial neuritis is clinically uncommon and accidentally involvement of bilateral phrenic nerves is rarely reported. We experienced a 26 year old man who developed subacute onset of asymmetric bilateral shoulder and arm weakness. The weakness slowly aggravated and finally suffered from dyspnea due to bilateral phrenic nerve palsy. Cervical spine MRI and CSF study showed no abnormality. Viral markers and other serological test showed no specific finding. Electromyographic study showed bilateral brachial axonal polyneuropathy with cervical and upper thoracic polyradiculopathy. And bilateral phrenic nerve conduction study showed no resopnse. He showed no improvement for 10 months after treatment and managed with continuous artificial ventilation. We report a case of idiopathic bilateral brachial neuritis accidentally involving bilateral phrenic nerves.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.679-700
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• 1996

Inferior alveolar nerve dysfunction may be the result of trauma, disease, or iatrogenic injury. Inferior alveolar nerve injury is inherent risk in endodontic therapy, orthognathic surgery of the mandible, and extraction of mandibular teeth, particularly the third molars. The sensory disturbances of inferior alveolar nerve associated with such injury have been well documented clinical problem that is commonly evaluated by several clinical sensory test including Tinels sign, Von Frey test(static light touch detection), directional discrimination, two-point discrimination, pin pressure nociceptive discrimination, and thermal test. These methods used to detect and assess inferior alveolar nerve injury have been subjective in nature, relying on the cooperation of the patients. In addition, many of these techniques are sensitive to differences in the examiners experience and skill with the particular technique. Data obtained at different times or by different examiners are therefore difficult to compare. Prior experimental studies have used electro diagnostic methods(sensory evoked potential) to objectively evaluate inferior alveolar nerve after nerve injury. This study was designed with inferior alveolar nerve of rabbit. Several types of injury including mind, moderate, severe compression and perforation with 19 gauze, 21 gauze needle and 6mm, 10mm traction were applied for taking the sesory evoked ppterntial. Latency and amplitude of injury rabbit inferior alveolar nerve were investigated with sensory evoked potential using unpaired t-test. The results were as follows : 1. Intensity of threshold (T1) was $128{\pm}16{\mu}A$ : latency, $0.87{\pm}0.07$ microsecond : amplitude, $0.4{\pm}0.1{\mu}V$ : conduction velocity, 23.3 m/s in sensory evoked potential of uninjured rabbit inferior alveolar nerve. 2. Rabbit inferior alveolar nerve consists of type II and III sensory nerve fiber. 3. Latency was increased and amplitude was decreased in compression injury. The more injured, the more changed in latency and amplitude. 4. Findings in perforation injury was similar to compression injury. Waveform for sensory evoked potential improved by increasing postinjured time. 5. Increasing latency was prominent in traction injury rabbit inferior alveolar nerve. 6. In microscopic histopathological findings, significant degeneration and disorganization of the internal architecture were seen in nerve facicle of severe compression and 10mm traction group. From the above findings, electrophysiological assessment(sensory evoked potential) of rabbit injured inferior alveolar nerve is reliable technique in diagnosis and prognosis of nerve injury.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-35
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• 2007

Meralgia paresthetica (MP) is a benign entrapment neuropathy which is characterized by sensory impairment and paresthesia in the cutaneous distribution of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. A 79-year-old woman presented with intermittent right inguinal burning sensation. The sensory nerve conduction study (NCS) showed decreased right side sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) on lateral femoral cutaneous nerve compared to the contralateral one. Abdomino-pelvic CT showed bilateral huge renal cysts (The size of largest one on right side: about $6.2{\times}5.0cm$). We report a case of MP caused by a huge abdominal renal cyst, which should be considered when conventional examination reveals no responsible etiology.