• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.188-191
• /
• 2006

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and necessity of combined anterior approach [discectomy and fusion] and posterior approach[open-door laminoplasty] in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Methods : The authors reviewed 14 cases in whom combined anterior and posterior approach performed for cervical myelopathy due to simultaneous anterior and posterior pathology such as huge central disc herniation with narrow spinal canal between January 2000 and December 2002. Clinical symptoms were evaluated by Japanese Orthopaedic Association [JOA] score and then the cervical curvature, change of spinal canal to vertebral body[SC/VB] ratio and canal widening were measured and compared to the clinical symptoms. Results : The mean JOA score increased from $10.4{\pm}3.1$ preoperatively to $14.8{\pm}1.2$ at the final follow up with a mean recovery rate 66.4%. In all cases, there were not neurologic deterioration. Mild postoperative complications developed in two cases. One patient had a limitation of range of neck motion and the other one showed kyphotic change. Postoperative radiography showed an improvement of body to canal ratios [average $0.70{\pm}0.08$ before surgery to $1.05{\pm}0.12$ after surgery and mainte nance or recovery of cervical lordosis. Canal widening of antero-posterior diameter and dimension after operation is 6.8mm. $116.61mm^2$. Conclusion : Combined anterior and posterior procedure could be helpful in decompression of the spinal cord and good functional recovery in spondylotic myelopathy patients with combined anterior and posterior pathology such as huge disc herniation accompanying narrow spinal canal.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.138-144
• /
• 2022

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is common in elderly people and severe CSM patients are recommended to receive surgery. However, in some cases, surgery may fail to improve the patients' symptoms. An 80-year-old man diagnosed with CSM complained of right hemiplegia and right arm and leg pain with the presence of a Foley catheter, despite treatment with laminectomy and laminoplasty. Acupuncture, bee venom pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine were administered for 129 days. As a result, manual muscle testing (MMT) and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) improved, the pain in his right arm and leg decreased, and he was able to urinate by himself. This case report implies that integrative Korean medicine (IKM) can be an option for patients suffering from muscular weakness resulting from myelopathy.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.7
• /
• pp.1163-1171
• /
• 2021

Objective: To analyze the correlations between intraoperative ultrasound and MRI metrics of the spinal cord in degenerative cervical myelopathy and identify novel potential predictive ultrasonic indicators of neurological recovery for degenerative cervical myelopathy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients who underwent French-door laminoplasty for multilevel degenerative cervical myelopathy were followed up for 12 months. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores were assessed preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively. Maximum spinal cord compression and compression rates were measured and calculated using both intraoperative ultrasound imaging and preoperative T2-weight (T2W) MRI. Signal change rates of the spinal cord on preoperative T2W MRI and gray value ratios of dorsal and ventral spinal cord hyperechogenicity on intraoperative ultrasound imaging were measured and calculated. Correlations between intraoperative ultrasound metrics, MRI metrics, and the recovery rate JOA scores were analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis. Results: The postoperative JOA scores improved significantly, with a mean recovery rate of 65.0 ± 20.3% (p < 0.001). No significant correlations were found between the operative ultrasound metrics and MRI metrics. The gray value ratios of the spinal cord hyperechogenicity was negatively correlated with the recovery rate of JOA scores (ρ = -0.638, p = 0.001), while the ventral and dorsal gray value ratios of spinal cord hyperechogenicity were negatively correlated with the recovery rate of JOA-motor scores (ρ = -0.582, p = 0.004) and JOA-sensory scores (ρ = -0.452, p = 0.035), respectively. The dorsal gray value ratio was significantly higher than the ventral gray value ratio (p < 0.001), while the recovery rate of JOA-motor scores was better than that of JOA-sensory scores at 12 months post-surgery (p = 0.028). Conclusion: For degenerative cervical myelopathy, the correlations between intraoperative ultrasound and preoperative T2W MRI metrics were not significant. Gray value ratios of the spinal cord hyperechogenicity and dorsal and ventral spinal cord hyperechogenicity were significantly correlated with neurological recovery at 12 months postoperatively.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.159-167
• /
• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effecacy of Korean medical treatments on cervical myelopathy patient diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). Methods : The patient was treated by Korean medical treatments including acupunture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, cervical traction technique of Chuna treatment. To evaluate the change of MRI view, slipped disc ratio and A-P compression ratio were used. The improvement of the clinical symptoms was observed by Score of pain part and Nurick grade. Results : After treatment, patient's score of pain part, Nurick grade were decreased and slipped disc ratio, A-P compression ratio were also improved. Conclusions : The Korean medical treatments might be an effective method to improve the clinical symptoms and radiological view of cervical myelopathy.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.333-343
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a neck exercise using a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) neck flexion and extension pattern on body balance in a progressive range of positions (supine, prone on elbow, and sitting), on numbness in the upper extremities, and on neck flexion motions in cervical myelopathy patients. Methods: One participant who was diagnosed with cervical myelopathy participated in this study. A reversal design (A-B-A') was used. The A and A' were the baseline period (no intervention), and B was the intervention period. The intervention used a neck extension pattern with a hold-relax technique and a neck flexion pattern with a combination of isotonic techniques in the supine position. Then, neck flexion and extension patterns were applied together with a reversal technique for stabilization, followed by a neck extension pattern with a combination of isotonic techniques in the prone position on the elbows. Finally, a neck flexion and extension pattern was used with a stabilizing reversal technique, and a neck extension pattern was applied with a combination of isotonic techniques in the sitting position for 60 minutes per day, 3 times per week for 8 weeks. To measure balance, numbness, and neck motion during neck flexion, the one-leg stand test and the visual analogue scale were used. Results: The right and left one-leg stand tests showed increased balance ability in the intervention phase. Upper extremity numbness was decreased in the intervention phase, and neck flexion motion was increased in the intervention phase. These increases were maintained after the intervention (Baseline II). Conclusion: These results suggest that a neck exercise using a PNF neck pattern with additional techniques in a progressive range of positions has a positive effect on cervical myelopathy patients for balance, numbness, and neck motion.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.436-440
• /
• 2014

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology that may affect any organ in the body. The nervous system is involved in 5-16% of cases of sarcoidosis. Here, we report a case of intramedullary sarcoidosis presenting with delayed spinal cord swelling after laminoplasty for the treatment of compressive cervical myelopathy. A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of upper extremity pain and gait disturbance. The patient had undergone laminoplasty for compressive cervical myelopathy 3 months previously. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large solitary intramedullary lesion with associated extensive cord swelling, signal changes, and heterogeneous enhancement of spinal cord from C2 to C7. Spinal cord biopsy revealed non-necrotizing granulomas with signs of chronic inflammation. The final diagnosis of sarcoidosis was based upon laboratory data, imaging findings, histological findings, and the exclusion of other diagnoses. Awareness of such presentations and a high degree of suspicion of sarcoidosis may help arrive at the correct diagnosis.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.145-156
• /
• 2010

Objects: This study was to report a clinical effect of Chuna Treatment for a patient diagnosed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) as Cervical Myelopathy. Methods: In order to alleviate shoulder pain and neck stiffness, the patient was treated by acupuncture therapy, herbal medicine, pharmacopucture, cervical traction technique of Chuna treatment and conservative managements. To evaluate the effect of the treatment, Recovery rate of Hirabayashi, VAS(Visual Analogue Scale), NDI and ROM(Range of Motion) were used. Lhermitte's sign, Valsalva test, Distraction test, Compression test and Spurling test were carried out. Results: VAS, NDI and ROM were improved and Recovery rate was 100%. Conclusions: Korean Treatment can be effectively used for a patient with Cervical Myelopathy. Further clinical studies are needed to verify the findings.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.382-386
• /
• 2007

Objective : Various techniques of cervical laminoplasty have been developed to decompress the spinal canal in patients with multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy. This study compared the early surgical outcomes between unilateral open-door laminoplasty and midline splitting cervical laminoplasty. Materials and Methods : From March 2004 to August 2005, we performed cervical laminoplasty in 34 patients with cervical myelopathy. Of these patients, 24 were treated by unilateral open-door laminoplasty [open-door group] and 10 by midline splitting cervical laminoplasty [splitting group]. The mean duration of follow up was 9.2 months in the open-door group and 15.8 months in the splitting group. We retrospectively analyzed neurological outcomes using the Japanese Orthopedic Association [JOA] score, and compared the radiological changes between the two groups. Results : Postoperative JOA score and recovery rate were $13.29{\pm}4.01$ and $56.28{\pm}44.91%$ in the open-door group and $15.75{\pm}0.88$ and $72.69{\pm}19.99%$ in the splitting group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups [p>0.05]. Regarding the radiological assessment, the increase of postoperative axial canal area was $63.23{\pm}23.24%$ in the open-door group and $42.30{\pm}14.96%$ in the splitting group [p<0,05]. Conclusion : There was no statistical difference in the neurological outcome when the early surgical outcomes of the open-door group and the splitting group were compared. However, the open-door group showed wider cervical spinal canal areas than the splitting group.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.10
• /
• pp.303-308
• /
• 2019

Non-traumatic acute myelopathy caused by cervical disc herniation is rare. To date, no case has been reported to be caused by extrusion cervical disc herniation, unrelated to patient posture during surgery. Here, we report the case of a 65-year-old male patient with cervical myelopathy who underwent subsequent arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery under general anesthesia; non-cervical spine surgery. Ed. Notes: I am unable to understand the insertion of the highlighted phrase. Please delete if not required, or revise the sentence appropriately. Patient showed acute postoperative tetraplegia in spite of optimal anesthetic management. He showed no limitation of neck movement at pre-operative airway evaluation, and had no history of trauma to the cervical spine. During surgery, there had been no overextension or twisting of the neck, including at the time of anesthetic induction by tracheal intubation. However, cervical disc herniation causing spinal canal cord compression was detected in the postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, which probably resulted in tetraplegia of the patient. Motor and sensory functions were recovered after 21 days of conservative treatment, including steroid pulse intravenous therapy without any surgical intervention. In this report, the disease is described after reviewing other reported cases; furthermore, we also discuss the pathophysiology of the disease. Based on our report, we propose that under general anesthesia, clinicians should pay attention to the possibility of pre-existing cervical disease, even in non-cervical spine surgeries of geriatric patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.29 no.12
• /
• pp.1634-1641
• /
• 2000

Objective : The cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) pulsates within the craniospinal axis in response to rhythmic cerebral blood volume variation during the cardiac cycle. The aim of this study is to characterize the normal and abnormal CSF flow and its waveforms in the cervical spinal subarachnoid space. Methods : The magnetic resonance(MR) images were obtained with 1.5 T(GE Signa, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, USA) unit using the 2 dimensional cine PC(phase contrast) sequence with cardiac gating and gradient recalled echo imaging. This pulse sequence yielded 16 quantitative flow-encoded images per cardiac cycle. Sagittal and axial images of the cervical spinal CSF space were obtained, and target sites were analyzed for characteristic CSF flow (TR=50ms, TE=12.5-15ms). The region of interest(ROI) was 1mm 3 in volume. Twenty six persons were included in this study : 10 healthy volunteers and 16 patients with cervical myelopathy. The post-operative cine MR study were also done in five patients. Results : The normal CSF pulsation dynamics in the cervical spine showed discrete systolic and diastolic components. The CSF flow revealed a sine wave pattern, in which the systolic phase was shorter than the diastolic phase(ratio=2 : 3). The patient group revealed decreased amplitudes of the CSF flow and irregularly distored flow waves. The systolic phase was elongated in the ROI above the stenotic level, whereas the diastolic phase was lengthened below the level. In the postoperative images, the abnormal pattern and amplitude were found to be corrected. Conclusion : From these results, the authors believe that the CSF flow study provides valuable informations regarding the extent of cervical stenosis and may be useful for the surgical planning and post-operative evaluation.