• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.276-280
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• 2010

Liposarcomas are malignant tumors of the soft tissue, with myxoid liposarcoma being the second most common subtype, tending to occur in the limbs, particularly in the thighs. Myxoid liposarcomas have an intermediate prognosis between well-differentiated and pleomorphic tumors. Spinal metastasis is usual but intradural involvement is extremely rare. We present an unusual case of a multicentric myxoid liposarcoma with intradural involvement. A 41-year-old woman complained of tingling sensation on her left arm. Radiological evaluation revealed multiple masses in her cervical spine, abdominal wall, liver, heart and right thigh, all of which were resected. She was histologically diagnosed with small round cell myxoid sarcoma and underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. However, magnetic resonance imaging analysis after 1 year revealed a large metastatic mass with bony invasion at the C6-T1 level. This mass consisted of extradural and intradural components causing severe compression of the spinal cord. She underwent resection via a posterior facetectomy of C6-7 and an anterior C7 corpectomy. However, the patient died of multiple metastases 18 months after the first diagnosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.49-51
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• 2013

A case of traumatic spondyloptosis of the cervical spine at the C6-C7 level is reported. The patient was treated succesfully with a anterior-posterior combined approach and decompression. The patient had good neurological outcome after surgery. A-51-year-old female patient was transported to our hospital's emergency department after a vehicle accident. The patient was quadriparetic (Asia D, MRC power 4/5) with severe neck pain. Plain radiographs, computerize tomography and spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed C6-7 spondyloptosis and C5, C6 posterior element fractures. Gardner-Wells skeleton traction was applied. Spinal alignment was reachived by traction and dislocation was decreased to a grade 1 spondylolisthesis. Then the patient was firstly operated by anterior approach. Anterior stabilization and fusion was firstly achieved. Seven days after first operation the patient was operated by a posterior approach. The posterior stabilization and fusion was achieved. Postoperative lateral X-rays and three-dimensional computed tomography showed the physiological realignment and the correct screw placements. The patient's quadriparesis was improved significantly. Subaxial cervical spondyloptosis is a relatively rare clinical entity. In this report we present a summary of the clinical presentation, the surgical technique and outcome of this rarely seen spinal disorder.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2007

Bone is a common site for metastatic spread from many kinds of malignancies. The morbidity associated with this metastatic spread can be significant, including severe pain. When it comes to spinal metastasis, occupying nearly 40% of skeletal metastases, the risks of complications, such as vertebral body collapse, nerve root impingement, or spinal cord compression, are also significant. Because of the necessity of preserving the integrity of the spinal column and the proximity of critical structures, surgical treatment has limitations when durable local control is desired. Radiotherapy, therefore, is often used as an adjunct treatment or as a sole treatment. A considerable limitation of standard radiotherapy is the reported recurrence rate or ineffective palliation of pain, either clinically or symptomatically. This may be due to limited radiation doses to tumor itself because of the proximity of critical structures. CyberKnife is an image-guided robotic radiosurgical system. The image guidance system includes a kilovoltage X-ray imaging source and amorphous silica detectors. The radiation delivery device is a mobile X-band linear accelerator (6 MV) mounted on a robotic arm. Highly conformal fields and hypofractionated radiotherapy schedules are increasingly being used as a means to achieve biologic dose escalation for body tumors. Therefore, we can give much higher doses to the targeted tumor volume with minimizing doses to the surrounding critical structures, resulting in more effective local control and less severe side effects, compared to conventional fractionated radiotherapy. A description of this technology and a review of clinical applications to bone metastases are detailed herein.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2020

Visual identification of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is considered as a gold standard of RLN preservation during thyroid surgery. Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is classified into the intermittent type and continuous type and helps surgeons identify the functional integrity of RLN and predict the postoperative vocal cord function. RLN injury during thyroid surgery is associated with tumor factors and surgeon factors. Tumor factors mean such as direct tumor invasion, adhesion of RLN to the tumor, and compression by a large thyroid tumor. Surgeon factors include nerve transection, stretching, thermal injury, and ligation injury. A recent meta-analysis reported that the IONM could reduce the RLN injury. Considering various nerve injury mechanism, we suggest that using both I-ONM and C-IONM together is more effective method in preventing nerve damage than using I-IONM alone.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.460-463
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• 2011

There are few reported cases of post-operative spondylitis caused by $Mycobacterium$ $Intracellulare$. A 75-year-old female presented to our hospital with low back pain and paraparesis after a fall. The radiologic examination revealed compression fractures of L1, L3 and L4 and an epidural hematoma compressing the spinal cord. The dark-red epidural hematoma was urgently evacuated. Four weeks post-operatively, neurologic deficits recurred with fever. On magnetic resonance image, an epidural abscess and osteomyelitis were detected in the previous operative site. Five weeks post-operatively, revision was performed with multiple biopsies. The specimen were positive for acid-fast bacilli and traditional anti-tuberculous medications were started. Because the Polymerase Chain Reaction for non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) was positive, the anti-tuberculous medications were changed to anti-NTM drugs. However, the neurologic deficits did not improve and persistent elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were noted. Eight weeks after the revision, $Mycobacterium$ $Intracellulare$ was detected in the specimen cultures. Despite supportive care with medication, the patient died due to multiple organ failure.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.312-314
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• 2009

Brown-Sequard syndrome may be the result of penetrating injury to the spine, but many other etiologies have been described. This syndrome is most commonly seen with spinal trauma and extramedullary spinal neoplasm. A herniated cervical disc has been rarely reported as a cause of this syndrome. We present a case of a 28-year-old male patient diagnosed as large C3-C4 disc herniation with spinal cord compression. He presented with left hemiparesis and diminished sensation to pain and temperature in the right side below the C4 dermatome. Microdiscectomy and anterior cervical fusion with carbon fiber cage containing a core of granulated coralline hydroxyapatite was performed. After the surgery, rapid improvement of the neurologic deficits was noticed. We present a case of cervical disc herniation producing acute Brown-Sequard syndrome with review of pertinent literature.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.55-57
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• 2014

Synovial cysts of the cervical spine, although they occur infrequently, may cause acute radiculopathy or myelopathy. Here, we report a case of a cervical synovial cyst presenting as acute myelopathy after manual stretching. A 68-year-old man presented with gait disturbance, decreased touch senses, and increased sensitivity to pain below T12 level. These symptoms developed after manual stretching 3 days prior. Computed tomography scanning and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 1-cm, small multilocular cystic lesion in the spinal canal with cord compression at the C7-T1 level. We performed a left partial laminectomy of C7 and T1 using a posterior approach and completely removed the cystic mass. Histological examination of the resected mass revealed fibrous tissue fragments with amorphous materials and granulation tissue compatible with a synovial cyst. The patient's symptoms resolved after surgery. We describe a case of acute myelopathy caused by a cervical synovial cyst that was treated by surgical excision. Although cervical synovial cysts are often associated with degenerative facet joints, clinicians should be aware of the possibility that these cysts can cause acute neurologic symptoms.

• Journal of Electrodiagnosis and Neuromuscular Diseases
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2018

A 36-year-old male patient developed diffuse low back pain. His past medical history was unremarkable and had no family history of neuromuscular disease. He had no bladder and bowel problems. Creatine kinase was 172 U/L (normal < 170). Other fluid and blood chemistry tests were normal. Manual muscle test grades of extremities and sensory examination were normal. Muscle stretch reflexes were normal. Fasciculations and myotonia were not detected. Straight leg raising test was negative. There was no spinal root compression, spinal stenosis, or signal intensity change of spinal cord on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fatty change and atrophy of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar paraspinal muscles were noted on MRI. Nerve conduction studies were normal. Electromyography showed 1+ positive sharp waves in the lumbar paraspinal muscles. Electromyography of upper and lower extremity muscles revealed no abnormal spontaneous activity. We report a rare case of severe paraspinal muscle atrophy with fatty degeneration in a Young Adult.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.152-156
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• 2021

Diplopia is a rare complication of spine surgery. The abducens nerve is one of the cranial nerves most commonly related to diplopia caused by traction injury. We report a case of a 71-year-old woman who presented with diplopia developing from abducens nerve palsy after C1-C2 fixation and fusion due to atlantoaxial subluxation with cord compression. As soon as we discovered the symptoms, we suspected excessive traction by the instrument and subsequently performed reoperation. Subsequently, the patient's symptoms improved. In other reported cases we reviewed, most were transient. However, we thought that our rapid response also helped the patient's fast recovery in this case. The mechanisms by which postoperative diplopia develops vary and, thus, remain unclear. We should pay attention to the fact that the condition is sometimes an indicator of an underlying, life-threatening condition. Therefore, all patients with postoperative diplopia should undergo thorough ophthalmological and neurological evaluations as well as careful observation by a multidisciplinary team.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.763-771
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• 2000

Objectives : Thoracolumbar burst fractures(TBLF) result in not only compressive deformity of vertebral body but also spinal cord compression by bony fragments. Many thoracolumbar burst fractures demand both anterior decompression and intervertebral fusion. Most of spinal surgeons use anterior instrumentation for anteior intervertebral bony fusion. The use of Z-plate has been increased recently, however there has been only a few reports regarding its clinical long-term strength. We studied nineteen patients with TBLF to find out the long-term stability of Z-plate. Methods : We have operated 19 patients from March 1996 to August 1998. They were treated with anterior decompression through either a transthoracic, retroperitoneal extrapleural or retroperitoneal approach. Retropulsed bony fragments were removed completely by corpectomy. Iliac bone graft was used for interbody fusion in all of the cases. They were evaluated by plain X-ray films including flexion and extention lateral films. Cobbs angle was used to evaluate kyphotic and lateral wedging deformity. Results : Burst fractured sites were T11 in two, three T12, nine L1, and five L2. Mean follow-up duration was fifteen months. Preoperative average kyphotic angle was 23.7 degree. Immediate postoperative kyphotic angle was 10.2 degree. Follow-up resluts of average kyphotic angles revealed 14 degrees. Four patients(21%), including two spinal 3-column injury, showed increasement of kyphotic angle more than 5 degree or breakage of intrumentation. Two patients showed the difference of kyphotic angle more than 3 degree. Five patients(26%) revealed lateral wedging deformity more than 3 degrees. Postoperative complications were two meralgia parestheticas, one pulmonary atelectasis and two donor site infections. Four of the eight patients, who initially showed incomplete spinal cord deficits, were nerologically improved by Frankel's grade. Conclusion : Z-plate fixation and iliac bone graft after anterior decompression in thoracolumbar burst fractures is a safe and easy method. Immediate postoperative results revealed excellent correction of posttraumatic kyphosis, but long-term follow-up evalution showed insufficient strength. Therefore we believe that use of Z-plate should be carefully decided, especially in the case of large lumbar fracture or 3-column injury.