• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.188-191
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• 2006

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and necessity of combined anterior approach [discectomy and fusion] and posterior approach[open-door laminoplasty] in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Methods : The authors reviewed 14 cases in whom combined anterior and posterior approach performed for cervical myelopathy due to simultaneous anterior and posterior pathology such as huge central disc herniation with narrow spinal canal between January 2000 and December 2002. Clinical symptoms were evaluated by Japanese Orthopaedic Association [JOA] score and then the cervical curvature, change of spinal canal to vertebral body[SC/VB] ratio and canal widening were measured and compared to the clinical symptoms. Results : The mean JOA score increased from $10.4{\pm}3.1$ preoperatively to $14.8{\pm}1.2$ at the final follow up with a mean recovery rate 66.4%. In all cases, there were not neurologic deterioration. Mild postoperative complications developed in two cases. One patient had a limitation of range of neck motion and the other one showed kyphotic change. Postoperative radiography showed an improvement of body to canal ratios [average $0.70{\pm}0.08$ before surgery to $1.05{\pm}0.12$ after surgery and mainte nance or recovery of cervical lordosis. Canal widening of antero-posterior diameter and dimension after operation is 6.8mm. $116.61mm^2$. Conclusion : Combined anterior and posterior procedure could be helpful in decompression of the spinal cord and good functional recovery in spondylotic myelopathy patients with combined anterior and posterior pathology such as huge disc herniation accompanying narrow spinal canal.

• Neurospine
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.338-347
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• 2018

Objective: Patients with extradural spine tumors are at an increased risk for intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks and postoperative wound dehiscence due to radiotherapy and other comorbidities related to systemic cancer treatment. In this case series, we discuss our experience with the management of intraoperative durotomies and wound closure strategies for this complex surgical patient population. Methods: We reviewed our recent single-center experience with spine surgery for primarily extradural tumors, with attention to intraoperative durotomy occurrence and postoperative wound-related complications. Results: A total of 105 patients underwent tumor resection and spinal reconstruction with instrumented fusion for a multitude of pathologies. Twelve of the 105 patients (11.4%) reviewed had intraoperative durotomies. Of these, 3 underwent reoperation for a delayed complication, including 1 epidural hematoma, 1 retained drain, and 1 wound infection. Of the 93 uncomplicated index operations, there were a total of 9 reoperations: 2 for epidural hematoma, 3 for wound infection, 2 for wound dehiscence, and 2 for recurrent primary disease. One patient was readmitted for a delayed spinal fluid leak. The average length of stay for patients with and without intraoperative durotomy was 7.3 and 5.9 days, respectively, with a nonsignificant trend for an increased length of stay in the durotomy cases (p=0.098). Conclusion: Surgery for extradural tumor resections can be complicated by CSF leaks due to the proximity of the tumor to the dura. When encountered, a variety of strategies may be employed to minimize subsequent morbidity.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.53-60
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• 2019

Objective : The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of intra-operative cell salvage system (ICS) to decrease the need for allogeneic transfusions in patients undergoing major spinal deformity surgeries. Methods : A total of 113 consecutive patients undergoing long level posterior spinal segmental instrumented fusion (${\geq}5$ levels) for spinal deformity correction were enrolled. Data including the osteotomy status, the number of fused segments, estimated blood loss, intra-operative transfusion amount by ICS (Cell $Saver^{(R)}$, $Haemonetics^{(C)}$, Baltimore, MA, USA) or allogeneic blood, postoperative transfusion amount, and operative time were collected and analyzed. Results : The number of patients was 81 in ICS group and 32 in non-ICS group. There were no significant differences in demographic data and comorbidities between the groups. Autotransfusion by ICS system was performed in 53 patients out of 81 in the ICS group (65.4%) and the amount of transfused blood by ICS was 226.7 mL in ICS group. The mean intra-operative allogeneic blood transfusion requirement was significantly lower in the ICS group than non-ICS group (2.0 vs. 2.9 units, p=0.033). The regression coefficient of ICS use was -1.036. Conclusion : ICS use could decrease the need for intra-operative allogeneic blood transfusion. Specifically, the use of ICS may reduce about one unit amount of allogeneic transfusion in major spinal deformity surgery.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.237-248
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• 2015

"Dynamic stabilization" systems have been developed in recent years to treat degenerative disorders of the spinal column. In contrast to arthrodesis (fusion), the aim here is to conserve intervertebral mobility to maximize comfort. When developing innovative concepts, many mechanical tests need to be carried out in order to validate the different technological solutions. The present study focuses on the B Dyn$^{(R)}$ "dynamic stabilization" device (S14$^{(R)}$ Implants, Pessac, France), the aim being to optimize the choice of polymer material used for one of the implant's components. The device allows mobility but also limit the range of movement. The stiffness of the ring remains a key design factor, which has to be optimized. Phase one consisted of static tests on the implant, as a result of which a polyurethane (PU) was selected, material no.2 of the five elastomers tested. In phase two, dynamic tests were carried out. The fatigue resistance of the B Dyn$^{(R)}$ system was tested over five million cycles with the properties of the polymer elements being measured using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) after every million cycles. This analysis demonstrated changes in stiffness and in the damping factor which guided the choice of elastomer for the B Dyn$^{(R)}$ implant.

• 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.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.228-231
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• 2010

Posttraumatic syringomyelia may result from a variety of inherent conditions and traumatic events, or from some combination of these. Many hypotheses have arisen to explain this complex disorder, but no consensus has emerged. A 28-year-old man presented with progressive lower extremity weakness, spasticity, and decreased sensation below the T4 dermatome five years after an initial trauma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large, multi-septate syrinx cavity extending from C5 to L1, with a retropulsed bony fragment of L2. We performed an L2 corpectomy, L1-L3 interbody fusion using a mesh cage and screw fixation, and a wide decompression and release of the ventral portion of the spinal cord with an operating microscope. The patient showed complete resolution of his neurological symptoms, including the bilateral leg weakness and dysesthesia. Postoperative MRI confirmed the collapse of the syrinx and restoration of subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. These findings indicate a good correlation between syrinx collapse and symptomatic improvement. This case showed that syringomyelia may develop through obstruction of the subarachnoid CSF space by a bony fracture and kyphotic deformity. Ventral decompression of the obstructed subarachnoid space, with restoration of spinal alignment, effectively treated the spinal canal encroachment and post-traumatic syringomyelia.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.381-385
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• 2009

The first case of intracranial metastases of a cervical intramedullary low-grade astrocytoma without malignant transformation in adult is presented in this report. Seven years ago, a 45 year-old male patient underwent biopsy to confirm pathologic characteristics and received craniocervical radiation and chemotherapy for a grade II astrocytoma in the cervical spinal cord. Two years later, posterior fusion was necessary for progressive kyphosis in the cervical spine. He was well for approximately 7 years after the primary surgery. Two months ago, he presented with partial weakness and incoordination with gait difficulty. MRI Scan demonstrated multiple small lesions in the cerebellar vermis and left hemisphere. After suboccipital craniectomy and posterior cervical exposure, the small masses in the cerebellar vermis and hemispheres were excised to a large extent by guidance of an intraoperative navigation system. The tumor at the cervical and brain lesions was classified as an astrocytoma (WHO grade II). When a patient with low-grade astrocytoma in the spinal cord has new cranial symptoms after surgery, radiaton, and chemotherapy, the possibility of its metastasis should be suspected because it can spread to the intracranial cavity even without malignant transformation as shown in this case.

• Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.508-512
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• 2018

Foraminal decompression using a minimally invasive technique to preserve facet joint stability and function without fusion reportedly improves the radicular symptoms in approximately 80% of patients and is considered one of the good surgical treatment choices for lumbar foraminal or extraforaminal stenosis. However, proper decompression was not possible because of the inability to access the foramen at the L5-S1 level due to prominence of the iliac crest. To overcome this challenge, endoscopy-based minimally invasive spine surgery has recently gained attention. Here, we report the technical skills required in unilateral extraforaminal biportal endoscopic spinal surgery using a $30^{\circ}$ arthroscope to enable foraminal decompression at the L5-S1 level. Two 0.8-cm portals were created 2 cm lateral from the lateral border of the pedicles at the L5-S1 level. After sufficient working space was made, half of the superior articular process (SAP) in the hypertrophied facet joint was removed using a high-speed burr and a 5-mm wide osteotome, whereas the remaining inside part of the SAP was removed using a Kerrison punch and pituitary punch. The foraminal ligamentum flavum should be removed to inspect the conditions of the L5 exiting root and disc. Removing of the extruded disc could decompress the L5 root. The extraforaminal approach using a $30^{\circ}$ arthroscope is considered a minimally invasive alternative technique for decompressing foraminal stenosis at the L5-S1 level that preserves facet stability and provides symptomatic relief.

• 대한정형외과학회지
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.519-524
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• 2021

척추 수술 후 뇌수막염은 매우 드물게 발생하지만 치명적일 수 있다. 49세 남자 환자가 제5, 6 경추부의 추간판 탈출증에 의한 압박성 척수증 진단하에 전방 경추부 감압술 및 유합술을 시행받았다. 술 후 심한 경부통 및 경부 강직, 발열이 발생하였고 수술 일주일 째 갑자기 사지 마비 증상을 보였다. 추시 자기공명영상 검사 및 뇌척수액 검사상 세균성 뇌수막염과 동반된 척수염이 확인되었다. 환자는 항생제 및 스테로이드 치료를 시행받았으나 결과는 불량하였다. 저자들은 전방 경추 수술 이후 발생한 뇌수막염과 동반된 척수염 증례에 대하여 문헌 고찰과 함께 보고하고자 한다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.37-45
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• 2010

Objective : Craniovertebral junction (CVJ) consists of the occipital bone that surrounds the foramen magnum, the atlas and the axis vertebrae. The mortality and morbidity is high for irreducible CVJ lesion with cervico-medullary compression. In a clinical retrospective study, the authors reviewed clinical and radiographic results of occipitocervical fusion using a various methods in 32 patients with CVJ instability. Methods : Thirty-two CVJ lesions (18 male and 14 female) were treated in our department for 12 years. Instability resulted from trauma (14 cases), rheumatoid arthritis (8 cases), assimilation of atlas (4 cases), tumor (2 cases), basilar invagination (2 cases) and miscellaneous (2 cases). Thirty-two patients were internally fixed with 7 anterior and posterior decompression with occipitocervical fusion, 15 posterior decompression and occipitocervical fusion with wire-rod, 5 C1-2 transarticular screw fixation, and 5 C1 lateral mass-C2 transpedicular screw. Outcome (mean follow-up period, 38 months) was based on clinical and radiographic review. The clinical outcome was assessed by Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score. Results : Nine neurologically intact patients remained same after surgery. Among 23 patients with cervical myelopathy, clinical improvement was noted in 18 cases (78.3%). One patient died 2 months after the surgery because of pneumonia and sepsis. Fusion was achieved in 27 patients (93%) at last follow-up. No patient developed evidence of new, recurrent, or progressive instability. Conclusion : The authors conclude that early occipitocervical fusion to be recommended in case of reducible CVJ lesion and the appropriate decompression and occipitocervical fusion are recommended in case of irreducible craniovertebral junction lesion.