• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.577-583
• /
• 1990

Subglottic stenosis is a disorder characterized by narrowing of the airway below the glottis. In children, the stenosis is usually due to scar formation secondary to prolonged airway intubation, rather than to external trauma. The location and extent of the stenosis are highly variable, consequently, corrective measures need to be selected to suit the individual problem. Conservative treatment is adequate for lesser degrees of stenosis but those with more severe scarring require external laryngeal surgery. We managed 2 children with subglottic stenosis due to prolonged intubation after open heart surgery who needed a resectional surgery of the stenotic upper airway. The preoperative evaluation and surgical technique for subglottic stenosis were reviewed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.193-194
• /
• 2000

A 45-year-old woman was diagnosed as having chylothorax after a mitral valve replacement for mitral stenosis. direct injury of lymphatics in thymus a ramification of thoracic duct was presumed to be responsibe for this complication. Four weeks of conservative treatment failed and surgical treatment was performed, We report a case of surgical treatment for chlyothorax after and open heart surgery.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2015

Aggressive benign odontogenic neoplasms have substantial potential to grow to an enormous size with resulting bone deformities, and they often invade adjacent tissues and spread beyond their normal clinical and radiographic margins; as such, they have a high rate of recurrence. Historically, management (conservative versus aggressive) on the basis of clinical, radiographic and/or histopathologic characteristics has been controversial. However, recent advances in the understanding of the biological features of these lesions may provide greater evidence of the benefits of conservative management. Three patients with different complaints and final histopathologic diagnoses were enrolled in the study. All three cases were treated by a single operator with similar conservative surgical procedures. During follow-up, the patients had uneventful secondary healing and bone regeneration, less packing time than previously reported, no clinical or radiographic evidence of recurrence and no apparent deformity. The aggressive behavior of these lesions requires long clinical and radiographic follow-up. Conservative surgical management may be an option to reduce recurrence and morbidity and increase the probability of uneventful secondary healing and bone regeneration.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.404-409
• /
• 2021

Background To date, there are no consensus guidelines for management of lymphatic leak in groin vascular reconstruction patients. The goal of this study is to review the relevant literature to determine alternatives for treatment and to design an evidence-based algorithm to minimize cost and morbidity and maximize efficacy. Methods A systematic review of the literature was conducted per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. Two independent reviewers applied agreed-upon inclusion and exclusion criteria to eligible records. Studies that included patients who underwent groin dissection for oncologic diagnoses and level 5 data were excluded. Interventions were then categorized by efficacy using predetermined criteria. Results Our search yielded 333 records, of which eight studies were included. In four studies, the success of lymphatic ligation ranged from 75% to 100%, with average days to resolution ranging from 0 to 9. Conservative management in the form of elevation, compression, and bedrest may prolong time to resolution of lymphatic leak (14-24 days) and therefore cost. Conclusions The majority of patients should be offered early operative intervention in the form of lymphatic ligation with or without a primary muscle flap. If the patient is not an operative candidate, a trial of conservative management should be attempted before other nonsurgical interventions.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.83-97
• /
• 2008

Cervical and thoracic radiculopathies are among the most common causes of neck pain. The most common causes are cervical disc herniation and cervical spondylosis in patients with cervical radiculopathy, and diabetes mellitus and thoracic disc herniation in thoracic radiculopathy. A thorough history, physical examination, and testing that includes electrodiagnostic examination and imaging studies may distinguish radiculopathy from other pain sources. Although various electrodiagnostic examinations may help evaluate radiculopathy, needle electromyography is the most important, sensitive, and specific method. Outcome studies of conservative treatments have shown varying results and have not been well controlled or systematic. When legitimate incapacitating symptoms continue despite conservative treatment attempts, more invasive spinal procedures and intradiscal treatment may be appropriate. Surgery has been shown to have excellent clinical outcomes in patients with disc extrusion and neurological deficits. However, patients with minimal disc herniation have fair or poor surgical outcomes. In addition, conventional open disc surgery entails various inadvertent surgical related risks. Although there has not yet been a non-surgical interventional procedure developed with the therapeutic efficacy of open surgery, conservative procedures can offer substantial benefits, are less invasive, and avoid surgical complications. While more invasive procedures may be appropriate when conservative treatment fails, prospective studies evaluating cervical and thoracic radiculopathies treatment options would help guide practitioners toward optimally cost-effective patient evaluation and care.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.31-36
• /
• 2011

Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of symptomatic postdiscectomy pseudocyst (PP) after endoscopic discectomy and to compare the results of surgical and conservative management of them. Methods: Initial study participants were 1,503 cases (1,406 patients) receiving endoscopic lumbar discectomy by 23-member board of neurosurgeons from March 2003 to October 2008. All patients' postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were evaluated. On the postoperative MRI, cystic lesion of T2W high and T1W low at discectomy site was regarded as PP. Reviews of medical records and radiological findings were done. The PP patients were divided into two groups, surgical and conservative management by treatment modality after PP detection. We compared the results of the two groups using the visual analogue scale (VAS) for low back pain (LBP), VAS for leg pain (LP) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI). Results: Among 1,503 cases of all male soldiers, the MRls showed that pseudocysts formed in 15 patients, about 1.0% of the initial cases. The mean postoperative interval from surgery to PP detection was 53.7 days. Interlaminar approach was correlated with PP formation compared with transforaminal approach. (p=0.001).The mean VAS for LBP and LP in the surgical group improved from 6.5 and 4.8 to 2.0 and 2.3, respectively. The mean VAS for LBP and LP in the conservative group improved from 4.4 and 4.4 to 3.9 and 2.3, respectively. There was no difference in treatment outcome between surgical and conservative management of symptomatic PP. Conclusion: Although this study was done in limited environment, symptomatic PP was detected at two months' postoperative period in about 1% of cases. Interlaminar approach seems to be more related with PP compared with transforaminal approach.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.523-527
• /
• 2012

Objective : The incidence of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is rare. Patients with SSEH, however, present disabling neurologic deficits. Clinical outcomes are variable among patients. To evaluate the adequate treatment method according to initial patients' neurological status and clinical outcome with comparison of variables affecting the clinical outcome. Methods : We included 15 patients suffered from SSEH. Patients were divided into two groups by treatment method. Initial neurological status and clinical outcomes were assessed by the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale. Also sagittal hematoma location and length of involved segment was analyzed with magnetic resonance images. Other factors such as age, sex, premorbid medication and duration of hospital stay were reviewed with medical records. Nonparametric statistical analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to overcome small sample size. Results : Among fifteen patients, ten patients underwent decompressive surgery, and remaining five were treated with conservative therapy. Patients showed no different initial neurologic status between treatment groups. Initial neurologic status was strongly associated with neurological recovery (p=0.030). Factors that did not seem to affect clinical outcomes included : age, sex, length of the involved spinal segment, sagittal location of hematoma, premorbid medication of antiplatelets or anticoagulants, and treatment methods. Conclusion : For the management of SSEH, early decompressive surgery is usually recommended. However, conservative management can also be feasible in selective patients who present neurologic status as ASIA scale E or in whom early recovery of function has initiated with ASIA scale C or D.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.66-71
• /
• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the usefulness of ultrasonography in evaluating callus formation in radiologically suspected nonunion or delayed union of clavicle fractures during conservative management. Materials and Methods: Six male patients and one female patient (average age: 38.3 years; range: 7 to 70 years), whose conservatively managed clavicle fractures were suspected of nonunion or delayed union, were examined with ultrasonography. If callus formation was detected, the patient continued to receive conservative management. If callus formation was not detected, the patient received operative management. Results: Six patients, in whom callus formation was observed ultrasonographically, continued to receive conservative management. The final simple radiographies of their fractures showed complete unions. One patient, in whom no callus formation was observed ultrasonographically, received operative management. In that patient, there was no operative finding of any fracture healing. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a useful tool for evaluating callus formation in clavicle fractures suspected of nonunion or delayed union during conservative management. Ultrasonography can be used to avoid unnecessary surgery.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.35-42
• /
• 2001

Purpose: To analyze the results of conservative or surgical treatment after computed tomograhy(CT) classification in intraarticular calcaneal fractures. Materials and methods: From January 1996 to May 1999, we prospectively analyze 23 cases of intraarticular calcaneal fractures who were treated conservatively or operated by open reduction and internal fixation by extensive L-shaped lateral approach after CT classification. Results: A functional scoring system of 0-100 points which was based upon the responses to AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale for the operative group was at 82.8, compared with 73.2 for the non-operative group, and these were meaningful statistically(P<0.05). Of type I fracture, in the operative group there were 2 excellent results and in the non-operative group there were 2 excellent results, 1 good result. or type II fractures, in the operative group there were 2 excellent results, 3 good results, 1 fair result and in the non-operative group there were 1 good result, 1 fair result, 2 poor results. Of type III fractures, in the operative group there were 2 fair results, 2 poor results and in the non-operative group there were 1 fair result, 3 poor results. Bohler angles of subtalar joint were changed from initial average $13.3^{\circ}$ to postoperative average $20.9^{\circ}$ for the operative group compared with from initial average $15.5^{\circ}$ to follow-up average $14.8^{\circ}$ of the non-operative group(P<0.01). Conclusions: Computed tomography in the evaluation of intraarticular calcaneal fractures is effective tool. We believed that open reduction and internal fixation in all Crosby & Fitzgibbons type II and according to degrees of comminution reducible type III for the intraarticular calcaneal fractures is more effective method than conservative treatment.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.95-98
• /
• 2010

Purpose: CSF (Cerebrospinal fluid) leakage is the most common complication of neurosurgery. Early management with conservative care or surgery must be followed appropriately due to the increased risk of lethal complications, such as meningitis. We report a case of intractable CSF leakage that occurred after a cerebellar tumor resection, which was treated successfully. Methods: A 53-year old male consulted our department for continuous CSF leakage for 3 months after having received conservative care and lumbar drainage. CSF collection was observed in the dead space of the posterior fossa after a cerebellar tumor resection and postoperative radiotherapy. Using a free latissimus dorsi muscle flap, the dead space within the skull was filled and the defects were covered successfully. Results: At 6 weeks after surgery, the follow-up MRI and CT revealed proper coverage and filling in the area where cerebellar tumor had been removed. No CSF leakage was observed at the postoperative 3 month follow-up. Conclusion: Recurrent CSF leakage was treated after cerebellar tumor resection with a relatively satisfactory result. In terms of the patient's treatment, much better results can be achieved by performing dead space filling using a flap with a sufficient size, in addition to coverage of the defects of the dura.