• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.283-292
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• 2020

Background: This case study suggests the potential use of Korean medicine treatments as a conservative management for low back pain and decreased living function due to herniation of intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine. Case Summary: The patient suffered low back pain and decreased living function due to herniation of intervertebral discs of the lumbar spine. Korean medicine treatments, including herbal medicine, acupuncture performed on BL23, BL40, SP6, and GB39, and pharmacupuncture containing Sinbaro, were applied for eight days. The numeric rating scale (NRS) results for low back pain decreased from 6 to 2 and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) low back pain scores decreased from 75.56 to 31.11. Walking time also increased from less than one minute to 20 minutes, with an increase in range of motion (ROM) from "Uncheckable" to about normal motion range. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment can be considered to be an effective conservative management option for pain and decreased living function in patients with herniation of intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2017

Purpose: To investigate and compensate the effects of respiration-induced B0 variations on fat quantification of the bone marrow in the lumbar spine. Materials and Methods: Multi-echo gradient echo images with navigator echoes were obtained from eight healthy volunteers at 3T clinical scanner. Using navigator echo data, respiration-induced B0 variations were measured and compensated. Fat fraction maps were estimated using $T2^*$-IDEAL algorithm from the uncompensated and compensated images. For manually drawn bone marrow regions, the estimated B0 variations and the calculated fat fractions (before and after compensations) were analyzed. Results: An increase of temporal B0 variations from inferior level to superior levels was observed for all subjects. After compensation using navigator echo data, the effects of the B0 variations were reduced in gradient echo images. The calculated fat fractions show significant differences (P < 0.05) in L1 and L3 between the uncompensated and the compensated. Conclusion: The results of this study raise the need for considering respiration-induced B0 variations for accurate fat quantification using gradient echo images in the lumbar spine. The use of navigator echo data can be an effective way for the reduction of the effects of respiratory motion on the quantification.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.323-329
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• 2014

Objective : Vertebral body replacement following corpectomy in thoracic or lumbar spine is performed with titanium mesh cage (TMC) containing any grafts. Radiological changes often occur on follow-up. This study investigated the relationship between the radiological stability and clinical symptoms. Methods : The subjects of this study were 28 patients who underwent corpectomy on the thoracic or lumbar spine. Their medical records and radiological data were retrospectively analyzed. There were 23 cases of tumor, 2 cases of trauma, and 3 cases of infection. During operation, spinal reconstruction was done with TMC and additional screw fixation. We measured TMC settlement in sagittal plane and spinal angular change in coronal and sagittal plane at postoperative one month and last follow-up. Pain score was also checked. We investigated the correlation between radiologic change and pain status. Whether factors, such as the kind of graft material, surgical approach, and fusion can affect the radiological stability or not was analyzed as well. Results : Mean follow-up was 23.6 months. During follow-up, $2.08{\pm}1.65^{\circ}$ and $6.96{\pm}2.08^{\circ}$ of angular change was observed in coronal and sagittal plane, respectively. A mean of cage settlement was $4.02{\pm}2.83mm$. Pain aggravation was observed in 4 cases. However, no significant relationship was found between spinal angular change and pain status (p=0.518, 0.458). Cage settlement was seen not to be related with pain status, either (p=0.644). No factors were found to affect the radiological stability. Conclusion : TMC settlement and spinal angular change were often observed in reconstructed spine. However, these changes did not always cause postoperative axial pain.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in Korean postmenopausal women. The data from 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used for data analysis. Subjects were 2,701 postmenopausal women aged ${\geq}50$ years. BMDs at whole body, total femur, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Dietary data from 24-hour dietary recall and a food frequency questionnaire containing 63 food items were used. The proportions of osteopenia at total femur, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were 37.4%, 54.5%, and 45.4%, respectively. The proportions of osteoporosis at total femur, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were 6.2%, 25.6%, and 34.3%, respectively. Age, anthropometric index including height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI), parathyroid hormone, and physical activity were related to BMD, but the relationships were site specific. Total femur BMD was explained by age, weight, parathyroid hormone and intakes of carbohydrate and fruits. Femoral neck BMD was related to age, weight, parathyroid hormone and intakes of riboflavin and fruits. Lumbar spine BMD was associated with age, weight, milk and dairy products, calcium intake, and exercise. These results indicated that adequate intakes of milk and dairy products, fruits, carbohydrate, calcium, riboflavin and exercise as well as weight maintenance might play an important role in maintaining optimum bone health in Korean postmenopausal women.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.95-98
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• 2023

Purpose: The precision error of a bone density meter reflects the equipment and reproducibility of results by an examiner. Precision error values can be expressed as coefficient of variation (CV), CV%, and root mean square-SD (RMS-SD). The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) currently recommends using RMS-SD as the precision error value. When a 95% confidence interval is applied, the least significant change (LSC) value is calculated by multiplying the precision error value by 2.77. Exceeding the LSC value reflects a significant difference in measured bone density. Therefore, the LSC value of a bone density equipment is an essential factor for accurately determining a patient's bone density. Accordingly, we aimed to calculate the LSC value of a bone density meter (Lunar iDXA, GE) and compare it with the value recommended by the ISCD. We also assessed whether the value measured by the iDXA equipment was below the LSC value recommended by ISCD. Material and Methods: The bone densities of the lumbar spine and thighs of 30 participants were measured twice, and the LSC values were calculated using the precision calculation tool provided by the ISCD (http://www.iscd.org). To check the reproducibility of the measurement, patients were asked to completely dismount from the equipment after the first measurement; the patient was then repositioned before proceeding with the second measurement. Results: The LSC values derived using the CV% values recommended by the ISCD were 5.3% for the lumbar spine and 5.0% for the thigh. The LSC values measured using our bone density equipment were 2.47% for the lumbar spine and 1.61% for the thigh. The LSC value using RMS-SD was 0.031 g/cm² for the lumbar spine and 0.017 g/cm² for the thigh. Conclusion: that the findings confirm that the CV% value measured using our bone density meter and the LSC value using RMS-SD were maintained very stably. This can be helpful for obtaining accurate measurements during bone density follow-up examinations.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 1999

The purposes of this study were to investigate biomechanical variables of the lumbar spine for women who enjoy recreational exercises regularly, and to determine the factors that influence these variables. These variables were determined by the X-ray pictures of the lumbar area of 80 housewives who visited the department of rehabilitation at the Y Hospital from October 1997 to March 1998. The sacral inclination angle, the sacrohorizontal angle, the lumbosacral joint angle, and the lumbar lordotic angle were analysed. The t-test, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the significant differences and relationships among variables. The result were as follows: 1) There was a significant difference in the sacral inclination angle (p<0.01), the sacrohorizontal angle (p<0.05) and the lumbar lordotic angle (p<0.05) between the bilateral and the unilateral exercise group. 2) With the sacral inclination angle, the sacrohorizontal angle, the lumbosacral joint angle and the lumbar lordotic angle, correlation was found between the sacral inclination angle and the sacrohorizontal angle (p<0.01), the sacral inclination angle and the lumbosacral joint angle (p<0.05), the sacral inclination angle and the lumbar lordotic angle (p<0.05), and the sacrohorizontal angle and the lumbosacral joint angle (p<0.01). 3) In the bilateral exercise group, the sacral inclination angle correlated with age (p<0.01). The sacrohorizontal angle correlated with age (p<0.01) and exercise time (p<0.01). The lumbar lordotic angle correlated with age (p<0.05) and exercise duration (p<0.05). In the unilateral exercise group, the sacral inclination angle correlated with age (p<0.01), while the sacrohorizontal angle correlated with age (p<0.01) and exercise duration (p<0.05). The lumbar lordotic angle correlated with age (p<0.05).

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.350-358
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• 2012

Objective : Life expectancy for humans has increased dramatically and with this there has been a considerable increase in the number of patients suffering from lumbar spine disease. Symptomatic lumbar spinal disease should be treated, even in the elderly, and surgical procedures such as fusion surgery are needed for moderate to severe lumbar spinal disease. However, various perioperative complications are associated with fusion surgery. The aim of this study was to examine perioperative complications and assess risk factors associated with lumbar spinal fusion, focusing on geriatric patients at least 70 years of age in the Republic of Korea. Methods : We retrospectively investigated 489 patients with various lumbar spinal diseases who underwent lumbar spinal fusion surgery between 2003 and 2007 at our institution. Three fusion procedures and the number of fused segments were analyzed in this study. Chronic diseases were also evaluated. Risk factors for complications and their association with age were analyzed. Results : In this study, 74 patients experienced complications (15%). The rate of perioperative complications was significantly higher in patients 70 years of age or older than in other age groups (univariate analysis, p=0.001; multivariate analysis, p=0.004). However, perioperative complications were not significantly associated with the other factors tested (sex, comorbidities, operation procedures, fusion segments involved). Conclusion : Increasing age was an important risk factor for perioperative complications in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery whereas other factors were not significant. We recommend good clinical judgment and careful selection of geriatric patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.296-299
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• 2006

Recently the trend of surgical procedure for treatment of lumbar benign disease is a minimally invasive surgery due to small incision, minimal blood loss, and a short hospital day. By using a microscope or an endoscope, and other surgical equipment, a delicate manipulation in a narrow space became feasible, consequently, to secure a wider view with small incision, appropriate retractors are required. But the various tubular retractor systems are expensive and have some problems. We modified Thoracoport [Auto Suture Co., Norwalk, CT] by making a window at the distal end of trocar and used it as a tubular retractor in surgical procedure for treatment of lumbar benign disease. This modified tubular retractor is docked closely on the curved lamina and provides a wider view. We used it as a tubular retractor also in lumbar bilateral decompression involving a unilateral approach. But this trocar has the limited sizes [diameter and length], and also it is difficult to fix the retractor or change the direction of retractor. And then, we propose a more modified Thoracoport with various sizes and attaching the settling holders to the head of tubular retractor to be able to fix the retractor.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 1989

Chloroma is a localized myeloblastic tumor which may develop during the course of myelogenous leukemia or as a presenting sign of the disease. A 47-year-old female diagnosed as chronic myelogenous leukemia in her hematologic remission period complained of left lower leg pain. The lumbar-spine series showed multiple osteolytic changes in the left lateral border of the lumbar spine. An inhomogenous soft tissue mass involving left lateral aspects of lumbar vertebrae was identified by CT-scanning. At the first pain attack, lumbar epidural steroid and local anesthetic injection could abolish her pain and the patient could go a few days without pain. The following radiation therapy could also improve the symptom and retain the pain free interval. One month later, a second pain attack occurred and lumbar and caudal epidural steroid and local anesthetic injections could result only in an incidental relief of pain. Radiation and chemotherapy were started but failed to relieve pain. A neurolytic block was considered but the patient's general condition was aggravated and even verbal communication with her became impossible.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2010

Objectives : The object of this study is to report a clinical effect of oriental medical treatments lot chronic muscle weakness caused by herniated intervertbral lumbar disc. Methods : The patient was diagnosed as lumbar disc herniation, and was treated by conservative treatments including acupunture, herbal mixture, pharmacopuncture. And we measured Visual Analog Score(VAS), Walking time and Manual Muscle testing(MMT). Results : After treatments, Visual Analog Score, Walking time and Manual Muscle testing(MMT) were improved in case. Conclusions : Chronic Muscle weakness caused by lumbar disc herniation can be improved by conservative maneuver as to oriental medical method.