• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2015

Objectives: A vertebral compression fracture (VCF) is characterized by back pain and fracture of a vertebral body on spinal radiography. VCFs of the thoraco lumbar spine are common in the elderly. In general, appropriate analgesics should be prescribed to reduce pain and, thus, promote early mobilization. The ideal treatment approach for VCFs has not been determined. In Korea, acupuncture and herbal medication have been used to treat VCFs for many years. There is empirical evidence that acupuncture might benefit patients with a VCF. However, no randomized, controlled, clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and the safety of acupuncture for treating a VCF have been published. Therefore, we designed a randomized, controlled, pilot, clinical trial to obtain information for the design of a further full scale trial. Methods: A five week protocol for a randomized, controlled, pilot, clinical trial is presented. Fourteen patients will be recruited and randomly allocated to two groups: a control group receiving interlaminar epidural steroid injections once a week for three weeks, and an experimental group receiving interlaminar epidural steroid injections plus acupuncture treatment (three acupuncture sessions per week for three weeks, nine sessions in total). The primary outcomes will be the pain intensity (visual analogue scale and PainVision$^{TM}$ system). The secondary outcome measurements will be the answers on the short form McGill pain questionnaire and the oswestry disability index. Assessments will be made at baseline and at one, three, and five weeks. The last assessment (week five) will take place two weeks after treatment cessation. This study will provide both an indication of feasibility and a clinical foundation for a future large scale trial. The outcomes will provide additional resources for incorporating acupuncture into existing treatments, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, narcotics and vertebral augmentation. This article describes the protocol.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.126-133
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• 2017

Background: There are many mechanisms in which stress can lead to weight gain thus high a BMI. The endocrine and inflammatory pathway can directly increase abdominal adiposity. Another way in which stress leads to weight gain is through changes in health behaviors. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among healthy students of Ahlia University, and to determine the relationship between the development of MSDs and academic stressors and body mass index. Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 94 students aged 18-26 years who were enrolled at various Ahlia University colleges and met other inclusion criteria. The students responded to the standardized Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and the modified College Student Stress Inventory regarding musculoskeletal symptoms and academic stressors. Height and weight measurements were also obtained to determine body mass index. Results: A total of 77.66% reported MSDs in one or more body part, with the prevalence being higher among women than among men. The 7-day prevalence of MSDs severe enough to interfere with activities of daily living was 60.64%, and 44.68% by female and male students, respectively. There was a significant relationship between academic stress and MSDs in the neck, shoulders, lower back, and hips, while the relationship between MSDs, and body mass index, academic stress, and grade point average was not significant. Conclusions: The prevalence of MSDs among Ahlia University students was found to be high. Apart from the positive correlation between academic stress and MSDs in certain body parts, other correlations were not significant.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

Objective : Although iliac crest autograft is the gold standard for lumbar fusion, the morbidity of donor site leads us to find an alternatives to replace autologous bone graft. Ceramic-based synthetic bone grafts such as hydroxyapatite (HA) and b-tricalcium phosphate (b-TCP) provide scaffolds similar to those of autologous bone, are plentiful and inexpensive, and are not associated with donor morbidity. The present report describes the use of Polybone$^{(R)}$ (Kyungwon Medical, Korea), a beta-tricalcium phosphate, for lumbar posterolateral fusion and assesses clinical and radiological efficacy as a graft material. Methods : This study retrospectively analyzed data from 32 patients (11 men, 21 women) who underwent posterolateral fusion (PLF) using PolyBone$^{(R)}$ from January to August, 2008. Back and leg pain were assessed using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and clinical outcome was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Serial radiological X-ray follow up were done at 1, 3, 6 12 month. A computed tomography (CT) scan was done in 12 month. Radiological fusion was assessed using simple anterior-posterior (AP) X-rays and computed tomography (CT). The changes of radiodensity of fusion mass showed on the X-ray image were analyzed into 4 stages to assess PLF status. Results : The mean NRS scores for leg pain and back pain decreased over 12 months postoperatively, from 8.0 to 1.0 and from 6.7 to 1.7, respectively. The mean ODI score also decreased from 60.5 to 17.7. X-rays and CT showed that 25 cases had stage IV fusion bridges at 12 months postoperatively (83.3% success). The radiodensity of fusion mass on X-ray AP image significantly changed at 1 and 6 months. Conclusion: The present results indicate that the use of a mixture of local autologous bone and PolyBone$^{(R)}$ results in fusion rates comparable to those using autologous bone and has the advantage of reduced morbidity. In addition, the graft radiodensity ratio significantly changed at postoperative 1 and 6 months, possibly reflecting the inflammatory response and stabilization.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.310-314
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• 2014

Objective : To analyze the clinical courses and outcomes after anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) for the treatment of postoperative spondylodiscitis. Methods : A total of 13 consecutive patients with postoperative spondylodiscitis treated with ALIF at our institute from January, 1994 to August, 2013 were included (92.3% male, mean age 54.5 years old). The outcome data including inflammatory markers (leukocyte count, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the modified Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and bony fusion rate using spine X-ray were obtained before and 6 months after ALIF. Results : All of the cases were effectively treated with combination of systemic antibiotics and ALIF with normalization of the inflammatory markers. The mean VAS for back and leg pain before ALIF was $6.8{\pm}1.1$, which improved to $3.2{\pm}2.2$ at 6 months after ALIF. The mean ODI score before ALIF was $70.0{\pm}14.8$, which improved to $34.2{\pm}27.0$ at 6 months after ALIF. Successful bony fusion rate was 84.6% (11/13) and the remaining two patients were also asymptomatic. Conclusion : Our results suggest that ALIF is an effective treatment option for postoperative spondylodiscitis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.870-875
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• 2011

Arthritis of the knee is the most common type of joint inflammatory disorder and it is associated with pain and inflammation of the joint capsule. The aim of present study was to investigate the endogenous effect of low intensity laser acupuncture on collagen-induced arthritis in rats. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group, arthritis group, low laser group with 10 rats in each group. Arthritis in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of type II collagen combined with complete Freund's adjuvant. Here we investigated the effects of low intensity laser therapy in experimentally induced rat knee arthritis. To evaluate preventive and therapeutic effects of low intensity laser acupuncture on collagen-induced arthritis rats. In collagen induced arthritic rats, there was significant increase in rat paw volume and decrease in body weight increment, whereas low intensity laser therapy groups, showed significant reduction in paw volume and normal gain in body weight. The altered biochemical parameters(blood urea, serum creatinine, total proteins and acute phase proteins) in the arthritic rats were significantly brought back to near normal by the low intensity laser therapy. Therefore, low intensity laser acupuncture may be a useful treatment in the prevention and treatment of collagen-induced arthritis.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.235-242
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• 1993

In the early stage of sacroilitis, it is'difficult to detect sacroiliac(Sl) abnormalities by conventional plain X-ray even though there are characteristic symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. 3 dimensional volume rendering from the CT image was performed to make an early de tection of the structural changes of Sl joint. 2 cases who had clinical impression of ankylosing spondylitis without sacroilitis in plane X-ray and 1 case of typical ankylosing spondylitis as well as 1 case of normal control were studied. The Sl Joints were separated and each joint surface of sacrum and ilium was independently reconstructed by a special 3D manipulation program. All 2 patiant who complained of inflammatory lower back pain with no abnormal findings in the plain X-ray showed structural changes in 3 dimensionally reconstructed surface Image of the Sl joint compared to the normal control. Authors tried several parameters, such as fourler analysis of each surface and the mean and variance of Sl joint gap. We couldn't tell the statistical significance because of the limited number of cases. However, the parameters showed difference according to the progression of disease.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.54-56
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• 2011

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is frequently associated with inflammatory lesions of the spine and continuous fatigue stress fractures; however, an association with an intraspinal synovial cyst has not been previously reported. A 55-year-old man with a five year history of AS who presented with back pain and a right radiculopathy was admitted to the hospital. Five years previously, he underwent a percutaneous vertebroplasty for an osteoporotic L1 compression fracture, and was diagnosed with AS at that time. Plain radiographs showed aggravated kyphosis and a stress fracture through the ossified posterior element, below the prior vertebroplasty. Magnetic resonance images revealed a right foraminal cystic lesion at the L2-L3 level with effacement of the nerve root. A 1.6 cm cystic lesion that appeared to arise from the L2-L3 facet joint without direct communication was excised from the L2-L3 foramen. Pathological examination confirmed synovial cyst. The patient's symptoms resolved immediately after surgery except for a mild dysesthesia of the right leg. We report herein a rare case of foraminal synovial cyst associated with AS accompanying posterior element fracture with a review of literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 1975

The typical traction diverticulum of the mid-thoracic esophagus is conical or funnel shaped with a wide orifice, is small (rarely exceeding 2cm in length), and is situated horizontally or extends superiorly. It is a true diverticulum, having a complete investment by the esophageal muscle coats. Each of these characteristics promotes easy emptying of the diverticulum. Since food accumulation is presented, there is no tendency to progressive enlargement of the sac, and no associated dysphagia. The diverticula of mid-esophagus rarely develop and rarely produce symptoms. When symptoms develop, they are usually caused by granulomatous infections of the mediastinal lymph nodes. And also such diverticula only rarely give rise to significant complications, the most serious of which is a tracheobronchial fistula. Generally when such complications develop or a diverticulum itself produces symptoms, moderate or severe, surgery intervenes. A case of mid-esophageal diverticulum, traction type, which surgically treated with good results, was experienced at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Kyung-Pook University. School of Medicine. In this case, there were substernal discomfort, acid regurgitation, and back pain for about 6 months. On the operative findings, it was noticed that the diverticulum was developed by traction and adhesion of perihilar nodes to the esophageal wall. The diverticulum was a small finger tip size and the neck of it was obscure. The surrounding inflammatory change was minimal.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.80-82
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• 2006

Herpes zoster is well-known viral disease in immune compromised that produces inflammatory lesions in the posterior root ganglia and is characterized clinically by pain and skin eruptions along the distribution of the affected ganglia. However, motor involvement after a herpes zoster is an uncommon complication. We report a case of diaphragmatic paralysis that occurred after a herpes zoster in 63-year-old woman. The diaphragmatic paralysis occurred one month after the typical herpes zoster eruptions affecting the C3 and C4 dermatomes in the right neck, shoulder and back area.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2012

Dipsaci Radix (Dipsacaceae) has been used as a tonic, an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-complement agents in traditional herbal medicine for the therapy of low back pain, knee pain, rheumatic arthritis, traumatic hematoma, and bone fractures. A high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric method (HPLC-ESI-MS) was developed for the simultaneous quantitation method of the five compounds from the herbal drug: asperosaponin VI and asperosaponin XII (terpene glycosides), sweroside, loganin and dipsacus A(iridoid glycosides). HPLC separation of the analytes was achieved on a C18 column ($150{\times}2.0$ mm i.d., 5 ${\mu}m$) using the aqueous methanol containing 5 mM ammonium acetate with gradient flow of the mobile phase. Detection of the analytes was performed by positive ion electrospray ionization, and selected ion monitoring was used for data acquisition using m/z corresponding molecular adduct ion, $[M+NH_4]^+$ and $[M+H]^+$. Calibration graphs showed good linearity ($r^2$=0.9997) over the wide range of the analytes; intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD, %) were within 9.1% and the accuracy between 94.0-111.0%. Recoveries of the analytes through the assay procedure were in the range of 93.7-110.8%. Analytical results of the herbal drugs of Dipsaci Radix (17 samples) show wide distribution of the five marker compounds and clear difference of the species from Phlomidis Radix (4 samples). The developed method would provide a practical guide for the quality control of the herbal drug.