• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 2019

We report a rare case of Meckel's diverticulum in a boy who initially presented with chronic iron deficiency anemia (IDA) without any history of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding at 8 years-old. Isolated small bowel Crohn's disease was suspected based on findings of small bowel ulcers on capsule endoscopy. At four years from initial presentation, he developed massive GI bleeding. Abdominal computed tomographic angiography and small bowel series revealed findings suggestive of Meckel's diverticulum. Meckel's diverticulum should be suspected in children with unexplained chronic IDA even in the absence of prominent GI bleeding and negative findings on repetitive Meckel's scans. Moreover, Meckel's diverticulum should be included in the differential diagnosis of isolated small bowel Crohn's disease when the disease is limited to a short segment of the distal small bowel, as ulcers and inflammation may result as a consequence of acid secreted from adjacent heterotopic gastric mucosa constituting the Meckel's diverticulum.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.401-411
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• 2015

More than 10 years have passed since lumbar total disc replacement (LTDR) was introduced for the first time to the world market for the surgical management of lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD). It seems like the right time to sum up the relevant results in order to understand where LTDR stands on now, and is heading forward to. The pathogenesis of DDD has been currently settled, but diagnosis and managements are still controversial. Fusion is recognized as golden standard of surgical managements but has various kinds of shortcomings. Lately, LTDR has been expected to replace fusion surgery. A great deal of LTDR reports has come out. Among them, more than 5-year follow-up prospective randomized controlled studies including USA IDE trials were expected to elucidate whether for LTDR to have therapeutic benefit compared to fusion. The results of these studies revealed that LTDR was not inferior to fusion. Most of clinical studies dealing with LTDR revealed that there was no strong evidence for preventive effect of LTDR against symptomatic degenerative changes of adjacent segment disease. LTDR does not have shortcomings associated with fusion. However, it has a potentiality of the new complications to occur, which surgeons have never experienced in fusion surgeries. Consequently, longer follow-up should be necessary as yet to confirm the maintenance of improved surgical outcome and to observe any very late complications. LTDR still may get a chance to establish itself as a substitute of fusion both nominally and virtually if it eases the concerns listed above.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.676-683
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 3-level hybrid surgery (HS), which combines fusion and cervical disc replacement (CDR), compared to 3-level fusionin patient with cervical spondylosis involving 3 levels. Methods : Patients in the anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) group (n=30) underwent 3-level fusion and the HS group (n=19) underwent combined surgery with fusion and CDR. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the visual analogue scale for the arm, the neck disability index (NDI), Odom criteria and postoperative complications. The cervical range of motion (ROM), fusion rate and adjacent segments degeneration were assessed with radiographs. Results : Significant improvements in arm pain relief and functional outcome were observed in ACDF and HS group. The NDI in the HS group showed better improvement 6 months after surgery than that of the ACDF group. The ACDF group had a lower fusion rate, higher incidence of device related complications and radiological changes in adjacent segments compared with the HS group. The better recovery of cervical ROM was observed in HS group. However, that of the ACDF group was significantly decreased and did not recover. Conclusion : The HS group was better than the ACDF group in terms of NDI, cervical ROM, fusion rate, incidence of postoperative complications and adjacent segment degeneration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.36-53
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• 2024

As the number of spinal surgeries being performed expands, the number of medical imaging procedures such as radiography, CT, and MRI is also increasing, and the importance of their interpretation is becoming more significant. Herein, we present the radiological findings of a variety of complications that can occur after spinal surgery and discuss how effectively and accurately they can be diagnosed through imaging. In particular, this study details the characteristic imaging findings specific to the early and long-term postoperative periods. Early complications of spinal surgery include improper placement of surgical instruments (instrument malpositioning), seromas, hematomas, pseudomeningoceles, and infections in the region surrounding the surgical site. Conversely, long-term complications may include osteolysis around surgical instruments, failure of fusion, adjacent segment disease, and the formation of epidural fibrosis or scar tissue. A precise understanding of the imaging assessments related to complications arising after spinal surgery is crucial to ensure timely and accurate diagnosis, which is necessary to achieve effective treatment.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.221-226
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• 2008

Objective : The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of the dynamic stabilization system in the treatment of degenerative spinal diseases. Methods : The study population included 20 consecutive patients (13 females, 7 males) with a mean age of $61{\pm}6.98$ years (range 46-70) who underwent decompression and dynamic stabilization with the Dynesys system between January 2005 and August 2006. The diagnoses included spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis (9/20, 45%), degenerative spinal stenosis (5/20, 25%), adjacent segmental disease after fusion (3/20, 15%), spinal stenosis with degenerative scoliosis (2/20, 10%) and recurrent intervertebral lumbar disc herniation (1/20, 5%). All of the patients completed the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Korean version of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The following radiologic parameters were measured in all patients : global lordotic angles and segmental lordotic angles (stabilized segments, above and below adjacent segments). The range of motion (ROM) was then calculated. Results : The mean follow-up period was $27.25{\pm}5.16$ months (range 16-35 months), and 19 patients (95%) were available for follow-up. One patient had to have the implant removed. There were 30 stabilized segments in 19 patients. Monosegmental stabilization was performed in 9 patients (47.3%), 9 patients (47.3%) underwent two segmental stabilizations and one patient (5.3%) underwent three segmental stabilizations. The most frequently treated segment was L4-5 (15/30, 50%), followed by L3-4 (12/30, 40%) and L5-S1 (3/30, 10%). The VAS decreased from $8.55{\pm}1.21$ to $2.20{\pm}1.70$ (p<0.001), and the patients' mean score on the Korean version of the ODI improved from $79.58%{\pm}15.93%$ to $22.17%{\pm}17.24%$ (p<0.001). No statistically significant changes were seen on the ROM at the stabilized segments (p=0.502) and adjacent segments (above segments, p=0.453, below segments, p=0.062). There were no patients with implant failure. Conclusion : The results of this study show that the Dynesys system could preserve the motion of stabilized segments and provide clinical improvement in patients with degenerative spinal stenosis with instability. Thus, dynamic stabilization systems with adequate decompression may be an alternative surgical option to conventional fusion in selected patients.

• BLOOD RESEARCH
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2018

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as the dilation of a segment of a coronary vessel to at least 1.5 times the diameter of its normal adjacent segment. Mean platelet volume (MPV) plays a role in acute coronary syndromes, with high MPV correlating to poor prognosis for acute thrombotic events and CAE. Several studies investigated the relationship between MPV and CAE, resulting in conflicting results. These results led us to systematically review all studies investigating the relationship between MPV and ectatic heart diseases by performing a meta-analysis study in order to report a unified result. This meta-analysis study investigated all case-control articles examining the relationship between MPV and CAE. All studies in the following databases published until January 31, 2018, were investigated: Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. Following a quality control evaluation, 14 articles, all of which were published following studies performed in Turkey from 2007 to 2016, met the criteria for study inclusion. After pooling the results from all of the articles, a total standardized mean difference (SMD) value of 0.584 (95% CI, 0.219, 0.95) was obtained using the D+L pooled SMD, indicating a significant difference (P=0.002) between the two groups, with higher MPV values in ectatic patients when comparing to healthy individuals. Therefore, increased MPV levels were significantly related to CAE, suggesting that platelets, with their inflammatory and thrombotic activities, play a role in this disease. Therefore, anti-platelet and anti-inflammatory therapies may be effective in treating CAE.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2014

Objective : To report long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of minimally invasive posterior cervical foraminotomy (MI-PCF) performed in patients with unilateral single-level cervical radiculopathy. Methods : Of forty-six patients who underwent MI-PCF for unilateral single-level radiculopathy between 2005 and 2013, 33 patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 32.7 months. Patients were regularly followed for clinical and radiological assessment. Clinical outcome was measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) for the neck/shoulder and arm, and the neck disability index (NDI). Radiological outcome was measured by focal/global angulation and disc height index (DHI). Outcomes after MI-PCF were evaluated as changes of clinical and radiological parameters from the baseline. Mixed effect model with random patients' effect was used to test for differences in the clinical and radiological parameters repeat measures. Results : There were no complications and all patients had an uneventful recovery during the early postoperative period. VAS scores for neck/shoulder and arm improved significantly in the early postoperative period (3 months) and were maintained with time (p<0.001). NDI improved significantly post-operatively and tended to decrease gradually during the follow-up period (p<0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in focal and global angulation at follow-up. Percent DHIs of the upper adjacent or operated disc were maintained without significant changes with time. During the follow-up, same site recurrence was not noted and adjacent segment disease requiring additional surgery occurred in two patients (6%) on the contra-lateral side. Conclusion : MI-PCF provides long-term pain relief and functional restoration, accompanied by good long-term radiological outcome.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.276-282
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• 2015

Recently, during the multi-level fusion with pedicle screws, interspinous spacer are sometimes substituted for the most superior level of the fusion in an attempt to reduce the number of fusion level and likelihood of degeneration process at the adjacent level. In this study, a finite element (FE) study was performed to assess biomechanical efficacies of the interspinous spacer combined with posterior lumbar fusion with a previously-validated 3-dimensional FE model of the intact lumbar spine (L1-S1). The post-operative models were made by modifying the intact model to simulate the implantation of interspinous spacer and pedicle screws at the L3-4 and L4-5. Four different configurations of the post-op model were considered: (1) a normal spinal model; (2) Type 1, one-level fusion using posterior pedicle screws at the L4-5; (3) Type 2, two-level (L3-5) fusion; (4) Type 3, Type 1 plus Coflex$^{TM}$ at the L3-4. hybrid protocol (intact: 10 Nm) with a compressive follower load of 400N were used to flex, extend, axially rotate and laterally bend the FE model. As compared to the intact model, Type 2 showed the greatest increase in Range of motion (ROM) at the adjacent level (L2-3), followed Type 3, and Type 1 depending on the loading type. At L3-4, ROM of Type 2 was reduced by 34~56% regardless of loading mode, as compared to decrease of 55% in Type 3 only in extension. In case of normal bone strength model (Type 3_Normal), PVMS at the process and the pedicle remained less than 20% of their yield strengths regardless of loading, except in extension (about 35%). However, for the osteoporotic model (Type 3_Osteoporotic), it reached up to 56% in extension indicating increased susceptibility to fracture. This study suggested that substitution of the superior level fusion with the interspinous spacer in multi-level fusion may be able to offer similar biomechanical outcome and stability while reducing likelihood of adjacent level degeneration.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.496-500
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• 2013

Objective : To evaluate the successful fusion rate in postmenopausal women with single-level anterior cervical discectomy and successful fusion (ACDF) and identify the significant factors related to bone successful fusion in pre- and postmenopausal women. Methods : From July 2004 to December 2010, 108 consecutive patients who underwent single-level ACDF were prospectively selected as candidates. Among these, the charts and radiological data of 39 women were reviewed retrospectively. These 39 women were divided into two groups : a premenopausal group (n=11) and a postmenopausal group (n=28). To evaluate the significant factors affecting the successful fusion rate, the following were analyzed : the presence of successful fusion, successful fusion type, age, operated level, bone mineral density, graft materials, stand-alone cage or plating with autologous iliac bone, subsidence, adjacent segment degeneration, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and renal disease. Results : The successful fusion rates of the pre- and postmenopausal groups were 90.9% and 89.2%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the successful fusion rate or successful fusion type between the two groups. In the postmenopausal group, three patients (10.8%) had successful fusion failure. In the postmenopausal group, age and subsidence significantly affected the successful fusion rate (p=0.016 and 0.011, respectively), and the incidence of subsidence in patients with a cage was higher than that in patients with a plate (p=0.030). Conclusion : Menopausal status did not significantly affect bone successful fusion in patients with single-level ACDF. However, in older women with single-level ACDF, the combination of use of a cage and subsidence may unfavorably affect successful fusion.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.343-349
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• 2012

Objective : Pedicle-based dynamic stabilization systems, in which semi-rigid rods or cords are used to restrict or control spinal segmental motion, aim to reduce or eliminate the drawbacks associated with rigid fusion. In this study, we analyzed the two-year clinical outcomes of patients treated with the NFlex (Synthes Spine, Inc.), a pedicle-based dynamic stabilization system. Methods : Five sites participated in a retrospective study of 72 consecutive patients who underwent NFlex stabilization. Of these 72 patients, 65 were available for 2-year follow-up. Patients were included based on the presence of degenerative disc disease (29 patients), degenerative spondylolisthesis (16 patients), lumbar stenosis (9 patients), adjacent segment degeneration (6 patients), and degenerative lumbar scoliosis (5 patients). The clinical outcome measures at each assessment were Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to measure back pain, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) to measure functional status. Radiographic assessments included evidence of instrumentation failure or screw loosening. Results : Sixty-five patients (26 men and 39 women) with a mean age of 54.5 years were included. Mean follow-up was 25.6 months. The mean VAS score improved from 8.1 preoperatively to 3.8 postoperatively, representing a 53% improvement, and the ODI score from 44.5 to 21.8, representing a 51% improvement. Improvements in pain and disability scores were statistically significant. Three implant-related complications were observed. Conclusion : Posterior pedicle-based dynamic stabilization using the NFlex system seems effective in improving pain and functional scores, with sustained clinical improvement after two years. With appropriate patient selection, it may be considered an effective alternative to rigid fusion.