• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.406-409
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• 2007

Craniovertebral junction (CVJ) tuberculosis is a rare disease, potentially causing severe instability and neurological deficits. The authors present a case of CVJ tuberculosis with atlantoaxial dislocation and retropharyngeal abscess in a 28-year-old man with neck pain and quadriparesis. Radiological evaluations showed a widespread extradural lesion around the clivus, C1, and C2. Two stage operations with transoral decompression and posterior occipitocervical fusion were performed. The pathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Treatment options in CVJ tuberculosis are controversial without well-defined guidelines. But radical operation (anterior decompression and posterior fusion and fixation) is necessary in patient with neurological deficit due to cord compression, extensive bone destruction, and instability or dislocation. The diagnosis and treatment options are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.416-418
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• 2007

Hematomas caused by ruptured traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the middle meningeal artery (MMA) usually present with extradural hematomas, whereas intradural intraparenchymal hematomas are extremely rare. We report a case of traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the MMA giving rise to an intracerebral hematoma after head trauma. A 70-year-old man suffered a massive intracerebral temporoparietal hemorrhage after a head injury. CT angiogram of the brain revealed a large hematoma in the right middle cranial fossa extending to the right sylvian fissure. Cerebral angiogram also revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the MMA, which was successfully treated surgically. Although traumatic MMA pseudoaneurysm producing intracerebral hematoma (ICH) is rare, it should be considered as a possible cause of intracerebral hematoma.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.54-57
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• 2006

Central nervous system[CNS] involvement of acute lymphoblastic leukemia may occur. However, CNS involvement as a first manifestation of leukemia is very rare. An 8-year-old girl complained of a backache after playing in the water. Neurological examination detected progressing paraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging[MRI] of the thoracolumbar spine showed a well-circumscribed homogeneous posterior extradural mass lesion extending from T7 to T9. MRI of the brain showed diffused fatty marrow replacement of the calvarium and the skull base. We report a patient with epidural Burkitt's lymphoma of the thoracic and lumbar vertebra causing compression of the spinal cord after pathologic evaluation. The tumor consisted mainly of lymphoblastic cells, which were identical to those originally seen in the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. After decompressive laminectomy she began consolidation chemotherapy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.232-234
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• 2010

Gas pseudocysts are a rare cause of lumbar radiculopathy and most symptomatic gas pseudocysts are found within the confines of the spinal canal. A gas pseudocyst in the foramen causing lumbar radiculopathy is very rare. We present a case of a 67-year-old woman suffering from severe pain in the right leg. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a gas pseudocyst compressing the L2 root at the right L2-3 foramen. The patient underwent cyst excision using the lateral transmuscular approach and her leg pain was improved after the operation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1677-1681
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• 2000

Microsurgical transthoracic extrapleural approach for thoracic discectomy in three cases were modified and simplified in order to achieve better exposure of ventral extradural space than posterolateral extrapleural(lateral extracavitary) approach and less pulmonary complications than transthoracic transpleural approach. These approaches were optimized by microscope and video-assistance. Surgery was followed by clinical improvement in all patients. The results of treatment seem to support the use of these modified techniques as adequate surgical treatment of thoracic disc herniations without any complications.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.146-149
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• 2005

Most primary spinal abscesses, irrespective of pathogens and anatomical locations, have better prognosis than that of secondary abscesses with spondylitis. We report a 68-year-old man, previously undertaken pulmonary resection due to tuberculosis, presented with paraparesis. Imaging studies showed primary intraspinal abscesses at T-1 and T-3 vertebral levels, semi-invasive pulmonary Aspergillosis and inflammation of the posterior mediastinum. Operative procedure and histopathological examination revealed interdural Aspergillus abscess. Despite chemotherapy, he deteriorated progressively, and spondylitis developed at corresponding vertebrae. He eventually died 6 weeks postoperatively due to pulmonary complication. The authors intended to inform that such an extradural inflammatory lesion of Aspergillus abscess should be treated carefully.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.302-305
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• 2010

Hodgkin's disease presenting with spinal cord compression owing to extradural and bone involvement is extremely unusual. A 48-year-old man presented with progressive lower extremity weakness resulting from spinal cord compression attributable to an epidural mass in the thoracic vertebrae. The patient underwent decompressive surgery, and was then treated with chemotherapy for Langerhans cell histiocytosis. However, the disease progressed, and we performed second decompressive surgery with stabilization. Subsequent histopathological investigations revealed Hodgkin's lymphoma of the bone. Here, we describe an unusual case of spinal Hodgkin's lymphoma and Langerhans cell histiocytosis to draw attention to this combination as a possible diagnosis in patients with mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate lesions in the spine.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.283-287
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• 1996

Recently, continuous epidural catheter insertion is usually employed in operation and chronic pain control. Delayed migration of an extradural catheter into subdural space or subarachnoid space is a rare but life threatening complication of continuous epidural catheter insertion, especially with out patients. The symptoms may include lower extremity weakness, hypotension, drowsy and respiratory depression. We experienced two cases of lower extremity paralysis due to delayed migration into subdural or subarachnoid spaces at our pain clinic. The tecnical procedures for continuous epidural catheterization went smoothly without any complications. However, clinical signs of lower extremity paralysis and sensory loss developed gradually, about 2 hours and 30 minutes after the continuous epidural injection. Two cases were confirmed by subdurogram and myelogram.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.188-191
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• 1988

Recent studies have shown that narcotic drugs produce an intense prolonged analgesic action when injected into the subarachnoidal or extradural space of animals and man. In order to study the effects of intrathecal injection of morphine on postoperative pain relief and segmental block effect, we administered 0.25 mg of morphine sulfate (0.25 mg of morphine/1 ml normal saline) into lumbar subarachnoid space prior to brahial plexus block for upper extremity surgery group The results were as follows: 1) more than 20 hours analgesic effect at least 2) no segemental block effect in analgesia 3) some adverse effect (Nausea, Vomiting, Pruritus, Urinary retention).

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.270-274
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• 1993

Massive extradural spread, distinguished from subarachnoid injection that sometimes follows the introduction of small amounts of local anesthetics or narcotics during attempted epidural anesthesia or analgesia, has been attributed to subdural injection. A 64-year-old woman was admitted for partial radical hysterectomy under general anesthesia after insertion of lumbar epidural cathter by loss of resistance technique with 5 ml of air. In this case, we experienced severe respiratory depression and loss of consciousness after administration of 4 mg of morphine for postoperative pain control. We confirmed air shadows at right silvian and suprasella cisterna region by CT scanning. Patients was recovered without sequele after 2 days, As this case resembles a "massive epidural", it is suggested that subdural injection rather than epidural injection may explain the phenomenon.