• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제67권2호
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• pp.202-208
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• 2024

Objective : Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a common long-term complication following spine surgeries characterized by chronic persistent pain; different strategies of management were employed to deal with it. This clinical trial aims to compare the efficacy of Pregabalin and Gabapentin in the management of this condition. Methods : A double-blind, randomized, comparative study (clinical trial registry NCT05324761 on 11th April 2022) with two parallel arms with Pregabalin and Gabapentin were used in arms one and two, respectively. Visual analog scale was used for basal and endpoint assessment of pain. T-test and analysis of covariance were used to deal with different variables. A pairwise test was used to compare pairs of means. Results : Of 66 patients referred to the trial, 64 were eligible, with 60 patients completing the 30 days trial. Both pregabalin and gabapentin effectively reduce pain, with significant p-values of 0.001 for each group. However, the pregabalin group was superior to gabapentin in pain reduction (p=0.001). Gender was an insignificant factor (p=0.574 and p=0.445 for the pregabalin and gabapentin groups, respectively, with a non-significant reduction (p=0.393) for both groups in total. Location of stenosis before surgery and type of surgery performed show non-significant effect on pain reduction for both groups. Conclusion : Both pregabalin and gabapentin effectively and safely relieve neuropathic pain associated with FBSS; pregabalin was significantly more effective irrespective of the patients' gender.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.437-446
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• 2021

Background: Non-invasive painless signaling therapy (NPST) is an electro-cutaneous treatment that converts endogenous pain information into synthetic non-pain information. This study explored whether pain improvement by NPST in failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) patients is related to cerebral modulation. Methods: Electroencephalography (EEG) analysis was performed in 11 patients with FBSS. Subjects received daily NPST for 5 days. Before the first treatment, patients completed the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and Beck Depression Inventory and underwent baseline EEG. After the final treatment, they responded again to the BPI, reported the percent pain improvement (PPI), and then underwent post-treatment EEG. If the PPI grade was zero, they were assigned to the ineffective group, while all others were assigned to the effective group. We used standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) to explore the EEG current-source distribution (CSD) associated with pain improvement by NPST. Results: The 11 participants had a median age of 67.0 years, and 63.6% were female. The sLORETA images revealed a beta-2 CSD increment in 12 voxels of the right anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) and the right medial frontal area. The point of maximal CSD changes was in the right ACG. The alpha band CSD increased in 2 voxels of the left transverse gyrus. Conclusions: Pain improvement by NPST in FBSS patients was associated with increased cerebral activity, mainly in the right ACG. The change in afferent information induced by NPST seems to be associated with cerebral pain perception.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.77-86
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• 2011

Objective : This study was designed to evaluate the effect of bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy in patients with FBSS(failed back surgery syndrome). Methods : We investigated 30 cases of patients with FBSS, who had been treated from October 2010 to July 2011. We divided patients into two groups : group I was treated by acupuncture therapy only, and group II was treated by bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy and general acupuncture. We measured the efficacy of treatments using the numerical rating scale(NRS) and grade and straight leg raising(SLR) test. Results : 1. The treatment method for group II was more effective than that of group I in reducing the NRS score on the fifteenth day after admission but there was no statistically significant difference between the results of two groups on the fifth day after admission and the tenth day after admission. 2. The treatment method for group II was more effective than that of group I in NRS improvement rate from its admission day to the fifth day after admission and from the tenth day after admission to the fifteenth day after admission but there was no statistically significant difference between the performance of two groups from the fifth day after admission to the tenth day after admission. 3. Group II had a higher grade improvement rate from the seventh day after admission to the fifteenth day after admission than group I but no statistically significant difference was observed between the results of two groups from its admission day to the seventh day after admission. 4. In SLR test improvement rate the treatments applied to group II was more effective than those applied to group I. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy is effective in reducing pain for patients with FBSS. Further clinical research is needed to verify these results and findings.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.230-237
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of Korean medicine combination treatments for recurring back pain after medical procedures. Methods: This was a retrospective study performed on 311 patients admitted to Daejoen Jaseng hospital who were diagnosed with lumbar spine herniated intervertebral discs. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether or not they had undergone at least one medical procedure on the lumbar spine. They were assessed with Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and EuroQol-5 Dimensions Index (EQ-5D) before and after treatment. Results: Patients who experienced a medical procedure on the lumbar spine in the prehospital phase (Group A), statistically significantly improved EQ-5D and ODI scores. The NRS scores also decreased however it was not statistically significant. Patients who had not undergone a medical procedure on the lumbar spine in the prehospital phase (Group B) had statistically significantly improved ODI and NRS scores. The average EQ-5D score decreased however, there was no statistically significant difference before and after scores in Group B. There was no statistically significant difference in variation in EQ-5D, ODI, and NRS scores before and after treatment between the groups. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that even after a bilateral procedure and surgery, when pain in patients with lumbar spine herniated intervertebral disc did not decrease, (as in failed back surgery syndrome), Korean medicine combination treatment of postoperative pain was helpful and there was improvement in daily life.

• 대한추나의학회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.111-120
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• 2001

We reviewed literatures of western and oriental medicine about postoperative management of spine. Traditionally, with orthoses and bed rest, many physicians restricted activity of daily life and back exercises of patients who had taken spine surgery. More aggressive early mobilization, however, such as strengthening exercise and stretching after 4 weeks of surgery gets grounds nowadays. Physical therapies including manipulation, TENS, MENS, ultrasound and cryotherapy are being used as helpful treatment modalities of postoperative pain and swelling. Failed back surgery syndrome occurs due to wrong patient, diagnosis and surgery and is managed with conservative treatment or reoperation. In oriental medicine, treatments of musculoskeletal injuries including surgical wound are based on the balance of chi(氣) and blood(血).

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.296-304
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• 2018

Epiduroscopy is defined as a percutaneous, minimally invasive endoscopic investigation of the epidural space. Periduroscopy is currently used mainly as a diagnostic tool to directly visualize epidural adhesions in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), and as a therapeutic action in patients with low back pain by accurately administering drugs, releasing inflammation, washing the epidural space, and mechanically releasing the scars displayed. Considering epiduroscopy a minimally invasive technique should not lead to underestimating its potential complications. The purpose of this review is to summarize and explain the mechanisms of the side effects strictly related to the technique itself, leaving aside complications considered typical for any kind of extradural procedure (e.g. adverse reactions due to the administration of drugs or bleeding) and not fitting the usual concept of epiduroscopy for which the data on its real usefulness are still lacking. The most frequent complications and side effects of epiduroscopy can be summarized as non-persistent post-procedural low back and/or leg discomfort/pain, transient neurological symptoms (headache, hearing impairment, paresthesia), dural puncture with or without post dural puncture headache (PDPH), post-procedural visual impairment with retinal hemorrhage, encephalopathy resulting in rhabdomyolysis due to a dural tear, intradural cyst, as well as neurogenic bladder and seizures. We also report for first time, to our knowledge, a case of symptomatic pneumocephalus after epiduroscopy, and try to explain the reason for this event and the precautions to avoid this complication.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.109-115
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• 2018

Background: Patients with lumbar disc herniation are treated with physiotherapy/medication and some with surgery. However, even after technically successful surgery some develop a failed back syndrome with persistent pain. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of epiduroscopy in patients who suffer chronic low back pain and/or radicular pain with or without surgery and the gender difference in outcome. Methods: A total of 88 patients were included with a mean age of 52 years (27-82), 54 women and 34 men. 66 of them were operated previously and 22 were non-operated. They all had persistent chronic back pain and radicular pain despite of medication and physical rehabilitation. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were evaluated preoperatively, after one month, six months and one-year after the epiduroscopy. Results: All patients, and also the subgroups (gender and operated/non-operated) improved significantly in pain (VAS) and disability (ODI) at one month. A significant improvement was also seen at one year. No differences were found between men and woman at the different follow-up times. A slight worsening in VAS and ODI was noticed over time except for the non-operated group. Conclusions: Epiduroscopy helps to improve the back and leg pain due to lumbar disc herniation in the early stage. At one year an improvement still exists, and the non-operated group seems to benefit most of the procedure.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.101-103
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• 2006

Oral prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) is a medicine that is clinically applied during a treatment of patients suffering with vascular disease with chronic arterial obstruction because it has vasodilation and anti-platelet effects. The mechanisms of lumbosacral symptoms associated with spinal stenosis probably include vascular insufficiency with hypoxic injury to the cauda equina and the nerve roots. Thus, increasing the blood supply would be beneficial to improve the pathophysiologic condition. Several studies on the improvement of clinical symptoms of spinal stenosis by PGE1 treatment have been reported on. In this case, 47-year old female underwent posterior compression and posterolateral fusion with a cage at L2-4 due to L3 compression fracture, and she did not show improvement of the radiating pain of her right leg after the operation. Therefore, she received repetitive epidural catheterization and adhesiolysis, epidural block and physical therapy, but her symptoms deteriorated after temporary improvement. Finally, she was given PGE1 and the radiculopathy was completely improved, although some muscle weakness still remained.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.41-48
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• 2014

Objectives The present study examines the domestic trend of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) in Korea. Methods The studies on FBSS were investigated via searching Korean web databases. As a result, 41 research papers were found and they were analyzed according to the year of publishment, the titles of journals which have the papers, the types of study, the definition of FBSS, employed treatment trials, and the instruments for assessment. Results The number of the research papers on FBSS published was increased since 2005. The studies on FBSS were mainly published in the Korean Journal of Pain. The most popular type of the studies were the case report and the most studies defined FBSS as persistent or recurring low back pain with or without sciatica after receiving spine surgeries. Various surgical and conservative treatments were employed in the studies and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used as primary means of assessments. Conclusions Reviewing the domestic trends of studies on FBSS and examining the definition of FBSS is essential for the future studies because there is no clear criteria for making diagnosis of FBSS. Therefore, the further studies on FBSS need to be more elaborate with the definition of FBSS, and it is also necessary to apply more assessment tools for the better understanding of FBSS from various aspects. Ultimately, this review is anticipated to benefit the future in-depth study on FBSS.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.54-59
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• 2007

Background: Selective transforaminal epidural block (STEB) has showen effectiveness as a diagnostic and therapeutic option for the management of patients with low back pain or sciatica. This study was carried out in order to determine the short-term effects and prognostic factors associated with STEB in patients with low back pain or sciatica. Methods: Ninety-seven patients were selectedfor participation in this study. Their diagnosis were based werewason the clinical symptoms and MRI findings. We performed STEB under fluoroscopic guidance and injected 3 ml of radio opaque dye in order to confirm the technical success of the procedure. We then injected 20 mg of triamcinolone mixed into 3 ml of 0.5% mepivacaine. One month later, we classified the patient outcomes as excellent, good, moderate or poor, according to the degree of reduction in VAS score from baseline. The independent variables assessed included symptom duration, block level, number of blocks, primary diagnosis, prior caudal block, anterior epidural space filling of dye, medication history, demographic data, radiating pain, back surgery and spondylolisthesis. Results: At a mean follow-up period of 1 month after STEB, excellent results were noted in the patients diagnosed with herniated lumbar disc (70%), non-specific spondylosis (54%), spinal stenosis (44%), and failed back syndrome (28%). The patients with epidural adhesion and combined spondylolisthesis were associated with poorer outcomes. Combined caudal block, symptom duration and the extent of epidural spread of the drug were not related to the effectiveness of the treatment. Conclusions: Selective transforaminal epidural block is effective in treating patients with radiculopathy, such as herniated lumbar disc, but it isrelatively ineffective in treating patients with structural deformities, such as failed back syndrome and spondylolisthesis.