Yonsei medical journal
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Yonsei medical journal · May 2016
Case ReportsPlatypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome Two Decades after Definitive Surgical Repair of Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum.
A 20-year-old female had undergone definitive surgical repair for pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum soon after birth. She was referred to our institution with the chief complaint of clubbing fingers. A thorough examination revealed platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome due to an interatrial right-to-left shunt through a secundum atrial septal defect. Percutaneous closure with an Amplatzer Septal Occluder resulted in resolution of the syndrome.
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Yonsei medical journal · May 2016
Efficacy of Anti-NaV1.7 Antibody on the Sensory Nervous System in a Rat Model of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Injury.
The pathophysiology of discogenic low back pain is not fully understood. Tetrodotoxin-sensitive voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels are associated with primary sensory nerve transmission, and the NaV1.7 channel has emerged as an analgesic target. Previously, we found increased NaV1.7 expression in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons innervating injured discs. This study aimed to examine the effect of blocking NaV1.7 on sensory nerves after disc injury. ⋯ NaV1.7 antibody suppressed CGRP expression in disc DRG neurons. Anti-NaV1.7 antibody is a potential therapeutic target for pain control in patients with lumbar disc degeneration.
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Yonsei medical journal · Mar 2016
Validation of the Korean Version of the DN4 Diagnostic Questionnaire for Neuropathic Pain in Patients with Lumbar or Lumbar-Radicular Pain.
To evaluate the diagnostic value of the Korean version of the Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire and to validate this questionnaire in terms of psychometric properties in patients with chronic pain due to degenerative spinal disease. ⋯ The present study demonstrated the good discriminatory power of DN4 between nociceptive pain and neuropathic component pain in patients with lumbar or lumbar-radicular pain.
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Yonsei medical journal · Mar 2016
Intrathecal Morphine Infusion Therapy in Management of Chronic Pain: Present and Future Implementation in Korea.
Intrathecal morphine pump (ITMP) infusion therapy is efficient in managing malignant and nonmalignant chronic pain refractory to standard treatment. However, the high cost of an ITMP is the greatest barrier for starting a patient on ITMP infusion therapy. Using the revised Korean reimbursement guidelines, we investigated the cost effectiveness of ITMP infusion therapy and conducted a patient survey. ⋯ The high cost of initiating ITMP infusion therapy is challenging; however, the present results may encourage more patients to consider ITMP therapy.