• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.6-13
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• 2024

The integrity of the high cervical spine, the transition zone from the brainstem to the spinal cord, is crucial for survival and daily life. The region protects the enclosed neurovascular structure and allows a substantial portion of the head motion. Injuries of the high cervical spine are frequent, and the fractures of the C2 vertebra account for approximately 17-25% of acute cervical fractures. We review the two major types of C2 vertebral fractures, odontoid fracture and Hangman's fracture. For both types of fractures, favorable outcomes could be obtained if the delicately selected conservative treatment is performed. In odontoid fractures, as the most common fracture on the C2 vertebrae, anterior screw fixation is considered first for type II fractures, and C1-2 fusion is suggested when nonunion is a concern or occurs. Hangman's fractures are the second most common fracture. Many stable extension type I and II fractures can be treated with external immobilization, whereas the predominant flexion type IIA and III fractures require surgical stabilization. No result proves that either anterior or posterior surgery is superior, and the surgeon should decide on the surgical method after careful consideration according to each clinical situation. This review will briefly describe the basic principles and current treatment concepts of C2 fractures.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1011-1019
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• 1996

The incidence of spinal cord injury increase due to traffic accident, industrial accident and leisure sports. Spinal cord injury damages motor and sensory function below the injury level, also affects autonomic functions associated with voiding and defecation. Sexual dysfunction and psychosocial, vocational maladaptations are also some of the unwanted consequences of injury. The purpose of this study is look for means to prevent and to manage complications in spinal cord injury through investigation and analysis. The subjects of this study in spinal cord injured patients were admitted to the department of physical therapy, Kwangju christian Hospital, Nam Kwang Hospital, Chun Nam university Hospital and Cho Sun university Hospital, from April, 1, 1995 to March, 31, 1996. The results are as follows: 1. The subjects comprised 96 cases of spinal cord injury, ranging from 17 to 85(mean-40.8 yrs) and included 72 males and 24 females. Among these patients, 58 were cervical injury, 20 were thoracic injury and 18 were lumbar injury. 2. As for a major causative of spinal cord injury were traffic accident(59.4%), fall down (27.1 %), and motocycle(4.2%).. 3. The bladder control were taken by indwelling cathetar(41.7%), Crede maneuver(37.5%) and self voiding(16.7%). The bowel control were taken by all aid(61.5%), assitance(32.3%) and self defecation(6.2%). 4. Possible of sexual function were 35 cases (47.9%). 5. The device of transfer used wheel chair(69.8%) and bed(16.7%). 6. The patients with higher cord lesion got more serious pain than lower cord lesion. Also the patients with higher cord lesion got a serious spasticity. 7. The incidence of decubitus ulcer among 96 patients were in case 46(47.9%). The largest group of the pressure sore sites were sacral portion(82.0%), less than 1 month of onset occured a large numbers(50%). Incidence of pressure sore by spasticity occured many patients in case of mild or moderate. Incidence of pressure sore by pain occured many patients in case of severe pain.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 1999

For the purpose of disclosing estimated annual incidence rate and causative factors of traumatic spinal cord injury and obtaining basic data for the establishment of effective measures to prevent this injury, the medical record of 204 cases of Seoul residents with spinal cord injury which admitted in 46 general hospitals and National rehabilitation center located in Seoul, including Sam Yook Rehabilitation Center and Jung Ang Hospital in Kyungi do and occurred in 1995 were analyzed. The results were as follows: 1) The estimated annual incidence rate of traumatic spinal cord injury in 1995 of Seoul residents was 20.5 per million population. This incidence rate was the highest in the 40th years (34.1), followed by in the 50th years (26.5) and in the 20th years (25.6) in descending order. 2) The incidence rate ratio between male and female was 3.5:1. 3) The leading cause of injury was the highest in traffic accidents (42.2%), followed by falls from elevation (29.4%) and falls on the same level (9.8%). 4) Traffic accident mainly occured from 20th years to 40th years and falls from elevation in 50th years. 5) The level of spinal cord injury was the highest in cervical cord (63.2%), followed by the thoracic cord (21.1%) and lumbosacral cord (15.7%). Traffic accidents mainly caused in cervical cord injury whereas thoracic cord injury and lumbosacral cord injury were caused from falls from elevation. Above theconsiderations in mind, it suggested that in order to prevent traumatic spinal cord injuries, safety education of falls from elevation should be focused on the 20th years and 50th years male, moreover safety education of traffic accidents will be needed in the 30th years and 40th years male.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.601-605
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• 1995

Clinical evaluations were performed on 54 cases of the traumatic sternal fracture, those were admitted and treated at the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Chosun University Hospital during the past 5 years period from January 1990 to December 1994. The frequency was about 7.8% of the nonpenetrating chest trauma. The ratio of male to female was 2 : 1 in male predominance. Average age was 45.7 years old and age distribution was from 18 to 80 years old. The most common cause in the sternal fracture were high decelerating injury[ 38 cases . The most common fracture site was sternal body. Associated intrathoracic organ injuries were cardiac contusion[11cases , hemopneumothorax and pulmonary contusion. Added, thoracic cage and extrathoracic organ injuries were rib fracture, head injuries, thoracic spinal fracture and long bone fracture. Abnormal ECG findings were sinus bradycardia[4 cases , sinus tachycardia[3 cases , bundle branch block, atrial fibrillaton, left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial ischemia. The average days of admission was 19.1 days. All patients were treated with conservative treatment. The complications after treatment were atelectasis[2 cases ,empyema[1 cases , ARDS[1 cases .

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.247-249
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• 2006

Purpose: The neural injuries by the sprain around the ankle joint may contribute the chronic pain. Authors analyzed the incidence and the contributing factor of the neural injuries in ankle sprain. Materials and Methods: 52 patients (54 cases) were involved in this retrospective study. Patient with diabetes or spinal disease were excluded. Plain radiograph and MR image were evaluated. Treatments were consisted of cast immobilization for 4 weeks with weight bearing ambulation following bracing for 8 weeks. Neurologic evaluation were performed at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months post-injury period and each neural injury were confirmed by electromyography or lidocaine block test. Results: The average age was 39 years old and 34 cases were male and 20 cases were female. Rupture of the anterior talofibular ligament was observed in 48 cases, distal anterior tibiofibular ligament in 37 cases, calcaneofibular ligament in 6 cases. One cases revealed no injury of the ligament. Neural injuries around ankle was observed in 13 cases ; superficial peroneal nerve in 9 cases, sural nerve in 5 cases, saphanous nerve in 1 case. Neural injury was not influenced by the degree of ligament injuries but by the incidence numbers of ankle sprain. All cases were treated conservatively and symptom was subsided in all but 2 cases. Conclusion : Although the incidence is relatively low, the neural injuries in ankle sprain may occur in the recurrent ankle sprain and conservative treatment for neural injuries is satisfactory.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.153-165
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• 2019

Objective : Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a very serious health problem, usually caused by a trauma and accompanied by elevated levels of inflammation indicators. Stem cell-based therapy is promising some valuable strategies for its functional recovery. Nestin-positive progenitor and/or stem cells (SC) isolated from pancreatic islets (PI) show mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) characteristics. For this reason, we aimed to analyze the effects of rat pancreatic islet derived stem cell (rPI-SC) delivery on functional recovery, as well as the levels of inflammation factors following SCI. Methods : rPI-SCs were isolated, cultured and their MSC characteristics were determined through flow cytometry and immunofluorescence analysis. The experimental rat population was divided into three groups : 1) laminectomy & trauma, 2) laminectomy & trauma & phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and 3) laminectomy+trauma+SCs. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) labelled rPI-SCs were transplanted into the injured rat spinal cord. Their motilities were evaluated with Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) Score. After 4-weeks, spinal cord sections were analyzed for GFP labeled SCs and stained for vimentin, $S100{\beta}$, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), 2',3'-cyclic-nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and proinflammatory (interleukin [IL]-6, transforming growth factor $[TGF]-{\beta}$, macrophage inflammatory protein [MIP]-2, myeloperoxidase [MPO]) and anti-inflammatory (IL-1 receptor antagonis) factors. Results : rPI-SCs were revealed to display MSC characteristics and express neural and glial cell markers including BDNF, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), fibronectin, microtubule associated protein-2a,b (MAP2a,b), ${\beta}3$-tubulin and nestin as well as anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E2 receptor, EP3. The BBB scores showed significant motor recovery in group 3. GFP-labelled cells were localized on the injury site. In addition, decreased proinflammatory factor levels and increased intensity of anti-inflammatory factors were determined. Conclusion : Transplantation of PI-SCs might be an effective strategy to improve functional recovery following spinal cord trauma.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2018

Purpose: The regional emergency medical centers manage the patients with major blunt trauma according to the process appropriate to each hospital rather than standardized protocol of the major trauma centers. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and influence on prognosis of additional cervical-thoracic-lumbar-spine computed tomography (CTL-spine CT) scan in diagnosis of spinal injury from the victim of major blunt trauma with impaired consciousness. Methods: The study included patients visited the urban emergency medical center with major blunt trauma who were over 18 years of age from January 2013 to December 2016. Data were collected from retrospective review of medical records. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were measured for evaluation of the performance of diagnostic methods. Results: One hundred patients with Glasgow coma scale ${\leq}13$ underwent additional CTL-spine CT scan. Mechanism of injury was in the following order: driver, pedestrian traffic accident, fall and passenger accident. Thirty-one patients were diagnosed of spinal injury, six of them underwent surgical management. The sensitivity of chest, abdomen and pelvis CT (CAP CT) was 72%, specificity 97%, false positive rate 3%, false negative rate 28% and diagnostic accuracy 87%. Eleven patients were not diagnosed of spinal injury with CAP CT and C-spine lateral view, but all of them were diagnosed of stable fractures. Conclusions: C-spine CT scan be actively considered in the initial examination process. When CAP CT scan is performed in major blunt trauma patients with impaired consciousness, CTL-spine CT scan or simple spinal radiography has no significant effect on the prognosis of the patient and can be performed if necessary.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 2019

Purpose: To compare the time intervals to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surgical treatment in patients having traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) with and without bony lesions. Methods: Retrospectively analyzed adult patients visited Kyungpook National University Hospital and underwent surgical treatment for cervical SCI within 24 hours. The patients who were suspected of having cervical SCI underwent plain radiography and computed tomography (CT) upon arrival. After the initial evaluation, we evaluated the MRI findings to determine surgical treatment. Waiting times for MRI and surgery were evaluated. Results: Thirty-four patients were included. Patients' mean age was 57 (range, 23-80) years. Patients with definite bony lesions were classified into group A, and 10 cases were identified (fracture-dislocation, seven; fracture alone, three). Patients without bony lesions were classified into group B, and 24 cases were identified (ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, 16; cervical spondylotic myelopathy, eight). Mean intervals between emergency room arrival and start of MRI were 93.60 (${\pm}60.08$) minutes in group A and 313.75 (${\pm}264.89$) minutes in group B, and the interval was significantly shorter in group A than in group B (p=0.01). The mean times to surgery were 248.4 (${\pm}76.03$) minutes in group A and 560.5 (${\pm}372.56$) minutes in group B, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The American Spinal Injury Association scale at the time of arrival showed that group A had a relatively severe neurologic deficit compared with group B (p=0.046). There was no statistical significance, but it seems to be good neurological recovery, if we start treatment sooner among patients treated within 24 hours (p=0.198). Conclusions: If fracture or dislocation is detected by CT, cervical SCI can be easily predicted resulting in MRI and surgical treatment being performed more rapidly. Additionally, fracture or dislocation tends to cause more severe neurological damage, so it is assumed that rapid diagnosis and treatment are possible.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.164-172
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• 2006

Background: The authors conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the mechanism of injury, the surgical techniques, the clinical features, the combined injuries, the treatment results, and the surgical complications in patients with atlantoaxial fracture/subluxations. Methods: The authors reviewed 71 cervical fracture/dislocations during a four-year period from September 2002 to August 2006. Among them, there were twenty one C1,2 fracture/subluxations. There were thirteen men (mean age : 43.5 years) and eight women (mean age : 50 years). Their follow-up period was at least 6 months, and the mean follow-up period was 9.6 months. Gardner-Wells tongs traction was used in all patients immediately on presentation. Surgical treatment was performed, depending on the pathologic conditions. Results: Of all 21 cases, 14 cases were injured in motor vehicle accidents, 5 were falls, and 2 were miscellaneous. There were four C1 fracture (5.6%), fourteen C2 fracture (66.7%), one C1 and 2 combined fracture (4.8%), and one C1-2 subluxation (4.8%). The C1 fractures in our series were classified as two Jefferson's fractures and two C1 lateral mass fracture. The C2 fractures were classified as one odontoid type I fracture, two odontoid type II fractures, five odontoid type III fractures, one hangman's fracture, and four C2 body tear-drop fractures. Atlantoaxial fractures were associated with six (28.6%) head injuries, four (19.0%) other spinal injuries, two (9.5%) chest injuries, and three (14.3%) spinal cord injuries. Surgical treatment was performed in nine cases, which included anterior odontoid screw fixation in two cases, transarticular screw fixation with iliac bone graft in one case, posterior fixation by using C2 pedicle screw and C3 lateral mass screw in three cases, lateral mass screw fixation C1-2 with iliac bone graft in one case, O(occipito)-C1-3-4 screw fixation in one case, posterior C2-3 wiring with allograft in one case, and halo vest in six cases. Conservative management was used in the rest of the patients in our trials. Bone fusion was complete in all cases. There were no operation-related complication, except one pin site infection in the case of halo vest. Conclusion: In this study, the choice of appropriate treatment according to the fracture types resulted in safe and effective management of unique atlantoaxial fracture/subluxations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.347.2-347
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• 2002

This paper presented a design and a Vibration control of a biped walking RGO(Robotic Gait Orthosis) and walking simulation by this system. The vibration evaluation of the Knee Joint Mechanism on the biped walking RGO(Robotic Galt Orthosis) was used to access by the 3-axis accelerometer with a low frequency vibration for the spinal cord injuries. It will be expect that the spinal cord injury patients are able to recover effectively by a biped walking RGO. (omitted)