• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.338-344
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• 2010

Objective : This study assessed the safety and efficacy of one level unilateral laminotomy bilateral decompression (ULBD) with the placement of a device for intervertebral assisted motion (DIAM) compared with one level ULBD only in elderly patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS). Methods : A non randomized prospective analysis was performed on 16 patients who underwent one level ULBD with DIAM (Group A) and 20 patients with one level ULBD only (Group B) between February 2007 and March 2008. Radiographic imaging, visual analog scale (VAS) and MacNab outcome scale were obtained before and after surgery at a mean interval of 21 months (range 17-27 months). Results : The disc height, interpedicular distance, slip distance and segmental lordotic angle were similar between two groups. In the group A, there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-operative imaging in terms of the sagittal balance and disc height. Both groups showed significant improvement in the clinical outcomes. In addition, there was significantly less low-back pain in the group A than in the group B at the last follow up, while the clinical improvement of the leg pain and MacNab outcome scale showed no significant difference in the two groups. There were no major complications or DIAM associated complications. Conclusion : ULBD with DIAM is a safe and efficacious treatment for selective elderly patients with DLSS, particularly for relieving low back pain comparing to ULBD. ULBD with DIAM did not alter the disc height or sagittal alignment at the mean 21 months follow-up interval.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.471-478
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• 2021

Background: The effect of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which occurs with similar degenerative conditions, when seen together, has not been studied. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the relationship between pain, balance, disability, fear of falling, and kinesiophobia in LSS patients with intermittent vascular claudication (IVC). Methods: Seventy-two patients diagnosed with LSS using magnetic resonance imaging participated in this study. Thirty-five patients with IVC symptoms and showing vascular lesions by lower extremity venous and arterial Doppler ultrasonography imaging were included in the IVC-LSS group. The pain, static balance, dynamic balance, disability, fear of falling, and kinesiophobia were evaluated using the numeric rating scale, single leg stance test, Time Up and Go (TUG), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), respectively. Results: Age and female sex were found to be higher in the IVC-LSS group (P = 0.024; P = 0.012). The IVC-LSS group had a shorter single leg stance time and TUG test duration, pain intensity, ODI, FES-I, and TSK scores were higher than patients with LSS (P = 0.001). Pain, fear of falling, and kinesiophobia were moderately correlated with disability in the IVC-LSS group. No relationship was found between pain and dynamic balance. Also, the pain was not related to kinesiophobia. Conclusions: The findings indicated that IVC causes loss of balance and an increase in pain, disability, fear of falling, and kinesophobia in patients with LSS.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.1-17
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• 2021

Objectives The present study examined the recent domestic and international trends of non-surgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods The studies on non-surgical treatment of LSS were investigated via searching Korean web databases and PubMed. As a result, 39 studies were analyzed according to the authors, the types of study, the relationship to surgical treatment and the method of treatment. Results The first authors' occupations were identified as 17 doctors, 12 Korean medicine doctors, six physiotherapists, three chiropractic doctors and one doctor of science. The most common type of study in Korea was the case report and most of the studies were retrospective. Overseas, there were many prospective or experimental studies including randomized controlled trials (RCT). In Korea, non-surgical treatment was performed independently of surgical treatment in most cases. Among non-surgical treatments, the most researched treatment was traditional Korean medicine (TKM), followed by injection therapy, exercise therapy, and physical therapy. Conclusions Through this review, we can determine the effectiveness of TKM and its research direction. TKM should be studied experimentally including RCT and it should be conducted not only on acupuncture, but also on other treatment methods such as acupotomy, chuna, and herbal medicine. It is also necessary to conduct studies on TKM before and after surgery to compare the effects of surgery and TKM together, as well the effects on non-surgical treatments.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.221-226
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• 2008

Objective : The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of the dynamic stabilization system in the treatment of degenerative spinal diseases. Methods : The study population included 20 consecutive patients (13 females, 7 males) with a mean age of $61{\pm}6.98$ years (range 46-70) who underwent decompression and dynamic stabilization with the Dynesys system between January 2005 and August 2006. The diagnoses included spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis (9/20, 45%), degenerative spinal stenosis (5/20, 25%), adjacent segmental disease after fusion (3/20, 15%), spinal stenosis with degenerative scoliosis (2/20, 10%) and recurrent intervertebral lumbar disc herniation (1/20, 5%). All of the patients completed the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Korean version of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The following radiologic parameters were measured in all patients : global lordotic angles and segmental lordotic angles (stabilized segments, above and below adjacent segments). The range of motion (ROM) was then calculated. Results : The mean follow-up period was $27.25{\pm}5.16$ months (range 16-35 months), and 19 patients (95%) were available for follow-up. One patient had to have the implant removed. There were 30 stabilized segments in 19 patients. Monosegmental stabilization was performed in 9 patients (47.3%), 9 patients (47.3%) underwent two segmental stabilizations and one patient (5.3%) underwent three segmental stabilizations. The most frequently treated segment was L4-5 (15/30, 50%), followed by L3-4 (12/30, 40%) and L5-S1 (3/30, 10%). The VAS decreased from $8.55{\pm}1.21$ to $2.20{\pm}1.70$ (p<0.001), and the patients' mean score on the Korean version of the ODI improved from $79.58%{\pm}15.93%$ to $22.17%{\pm}17.24%$ (p<0.001). No statistically significant changes were seen on the ROM at the stabilized segments (p=0.502) and adjacent segments (above segments, p=0.453, below segments, p=0.062). There were no patients with implant failure. Conclusion : The results of this study show that the Dynesys system could preserve the motion of stabilized segments and provide clinical improvement in patients with degenerative spinal stenosis with instability. Thus, dynamic stabilization systems with adequate decompression may be an alternative surgical option to conventional fusion in selected patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.292-299
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• 2009

Objective : Clinical and radiological results of posterior dynamic stabilization using interspinous U (ISU, $Coflex^{TM}$, Paradigm Spine $Inc.^{(R)}$, NY, USA) were analyzed in comparison with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods : A retrospective study was conducted for a consecutive series of 61 patients with degenerative LSS between May 2003 and December 2005. We included only the patients completed minimum 24 months follow up evaluation. Among them, 30 patients were treated with implantation of ISU after decompressive laminectomy (Group ISU) and 31 patients were treated with wide decompressive laminectomy and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF; Group PLIF). We evaluated visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for clinical outcomes (VAS, ODI), disc height ratio disc height (DH), disc height/vertebral body length ${\times}100$), static vertebral slip (VS) and depth of maximal radiolucent gap between ISU and spinous process) in preoperative, immediate postoperative and last follow up. Results : The mean age of group ISU ($66.2{\pm}6.7$ years) was 6.2 years older than the mean age of group PLIF ($60.4{\pm}8.1$ years; p=0.003). In both groups, clinical measures improved significantly than preoperative values (p<0.001). Operation time and blood loss was significantly shorter and lower in group ISU than group PLIF (p<0.001). In group ISU, the DH increased transiently in immediate postoperative period ($15.7{\pm}4.5%{\rightarrow}18.6{\pm}5.9%$), however decreased significantly in last follow up ($13.8{\pm}6.6%$, p=0.027). Vertebral slip (VS) of spondylolisthesis in group ISU increased during postoperative follow-up ($2.3{\pm}3.3{\rightarrow}8.7{\pm}6.2$, p=0.040). Meanwhile, the postoperatively improved DH and VS was maintained in group PLIF in last follow up. Conclusion : According to our result, implantation of ISU after decompressive laminectomy in degenerative LSS is less invasive and provides similar clinical outcome in comparison with the instrumented fusion. However, the device has only transient effect on the postoperative restoration of disc height and reduction of slip in spondylolisthesis. Therefore, in the biomechanical standpoint, it is hard to expect that use of Interspinous U in decompressive laminectomy for degenerative LSS had long term beneficial effect.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.280-288
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• 2013

Hua-Tuo(145-208) created five "WuQinXi" exercise by imitating the movements of a tiger, a deer, a bear, a monkey and a bird. The "WuQinXi" exercise, one of the medical Qi-gongs, is an exercise maximizing human's self healing power and has been effective significantly at several modern researches. There are many exercise therapies in western medcine, such as Willamss flexion exercise, Mckenzie's extension exercise, vertebral stabilization exercise and so on. However, there isn't a special exercise therapy which can be applied for medical practice in oriental medicine. So We selected some motions from "WuQinXi" exercise, which are suitable for lumbar spinal disease, and analyzed them. After that, We assorted them by kinds of lumbar spinal disease. First, We selected 22 motions which are related with lumbar movements from 3 type "WuQinXi" exercises ; 10 mode, 15 mode, 18 mode. And then, We classified them according to lumbar movements as flexion, extention, lateral bending and rotation, and also functions as stabilization and rubbing. Next, with these classifications, We assorted those motions by kinds of lumbar spinal disease as HIVD(herniation of intervertebral disc), spinal stenosis, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, facet joint syndrome, compression fracture and spondylosis. We expect that trying "WuQinXi" exercise at clinic in this way, the particular exercise therapy of oriental medicine, "WuQinXi" exercise will become more popular. And Oriental medical doctors will be able to teach patients "WuQinXi" exercise's motions easily at clinic, depending on kinds of lumbar spinal disease each patient suffers from. We plan to study more about 20 mode, 30 mode, 40 mode and the effect of "WuQinXi" exercise by comparing patients who do the "WuQinXi" exercise with the patients who do the western medical exercise therapy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.207-209
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• 2007

We present an elderly patient with unilateral foraminal stenosis treated by isthmus resection. An 83-year-old female could not walk due to severe leg pain along right L5 sensory dermatome. Despite the laminotomy for spinal stenosis on the right side at the L4-5 level, her leg pain did not improve. Careful review of computed tomography scans and coronal source images of magnetic resonance myelography revealed foraminal stenosis on the right side at the L5 vertebra. Because of medical problem, she underwent isthmus resection on the right side at the L5 level instead of total facetectomy and fusion. After surgery, her leg pain was markedly improved. Isthmus resection showed successful result for this medically compromised elderly patient with unilateral foraminal stenosis.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2020

Purpose: To determine if sparing the interspinous and supraspinous ligaments during posterior decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis is significant in preventing postoperative spinal instability. Materials and Methods: A total of 83 patients who underwent posterior decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis between March 2014 and March 2017 with a minimum one-year follow-up period, were studied retrospectively. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the type of surgery. Fifty-six patients who underwent posterior decompression by the port-hole technique were grouped as A, while 27 patients who underwent posterior decompression by a subtotal laminectomy grouped as B. To evaluate the clinical results, the Oswestry disability index (ODI), visual analogue scale (VAS) for both back pain (VAS-B) and radiating pain (VAS-R), and the walking distance of neurogenic intermittent claudication (NIC) were checked pre- and postoperatively, while simple radiographs of the lateral and flexion-extension view in the standing position were taken preoperatively and then every six months after to measure anteroposterior slippage (slip percentage), the difference in anteroposterior slippage between flexion and extension (dynamic slip percentage), angular displacement, and the difference in angular displacement between flexion and extension (dynamic angular displacement) to evaluate the radiological results. Results: The ODI (from 28.1 to 12.8 in group A, from 27.3 to 12.3 in group B), VAS-B (from 7.0 to 2.6 in group A, from 7.7 to 3.2 in group B), VAS-R (from 8.5 to 2.8 in group A, from 8.7 to 2.9 in group B), and walking distance of NIC (from 118.4 m to 1,496.2 m in group A, from 127.6 m to 1,481.6 m in group B) were improved in both groups. On the other hand, while the other radiologic results showed no differences, the dynamic angular displacement between both groups showed a significant difference postoperatively (group A from 6.2° to 6.7°, group B from 6.5° to 8.4°, p-value=0.019). Conclusion: Removal of the posterior ligaments, including the interspinous and supraspinous ligaments, during posterior decompression of lumbar spinal stenosis can cause a postoperative increase in dynamic angular displacement, which can be prevented by the port-hole technique, which spares these posterior ligaments.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.217-223
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• 2008

Background: Lumbar transforaminal epidural injections (LTEIs) have been utilized in the treatment of radicular pain, and LTEIs have the advantage of target-specificity. However, there have not been enough studies on the contrast patterns in LTEIs with using fluoroscopy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spreading epidural contrast patterns that are seen during real-time fluoroscopic guided LTEIs. Methods: A total of 131 patients who underwent fluoroscopic guided LTEIs were studied. The inclusion criteria were those patients with low back pain and/or lower extremity pain that was caused by a herniated nucleus pulposus, lumbar spinal stenosis, failed back surgery syndrome, and herpes zoster-associated pain. We classified the contrast patterns in regard to the contrast flow spreading to the nerve root and/or the unilateral, bilateral or cylinderic type of epidural spreading on the AP view of the fluoroscopy and the ventral or dorsal epidural filling on the lateral view. In addition to the pattern analysis, we evaluated the range of contrast spreading from the cranial to the caudal epidural filling and the incidence of an intravascular flow pattern. Results: Epidural spreading was seen in 126 cases (96.2%) of the total patients through the nerve root. Ventral spreading occurred in 120 cases (95.2%). On the AP view, a nerve root with unilateral, bilateral and cylinderic epidural filling was noted for 108 (85.7%), 9 (7.1%) and 9 (7.1%) cases, respectively. The contrast spreading to vertebral segments was smaller for the patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and failed back surgery syndrome than for the other groups (P < 0.0083). The incidence of intravascular injection was 11.1% (14/126). Conclusions: LTEIs using fluoroscopic visualization provided excellent assessment of the ventral epidural filling as well as nerve root filling. However, unilateral epidural spreading was prominent for the LTEIs.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.313-315
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• 2005

A 66 year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for progressive weakness of both lower extremities since a month ago. Imaging study, based on plain X-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance image revealed spinal stenosis owing to anterior slipping of T10/11 segment. Degenerative spondylolisthesis is common in the lumbar spine and rarely occurs in the cervical spine. But there was no report of degenerative spondylolisthesis in thoracic spine. The authors experienced a case of degenerative spondylolisthesis in the thoracic spine. And we achieved a satisfactory result with posterior decompressive laminectomy alone.