• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.442-447
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• 2015

Objective : Ossification of the ligamentum nuchae (OLN) is usually asymptomatic and incidentally observed in cervical lateral radiographs. Previous literatures reported the correlation between OLN and cervical spondylosis. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinical significance of OLN with relation to cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Methods : We retrospectively compared the prevalence of OPLL in 105 patients with OLN and without OLN and compared the prevalence of OLN in 105 patients with OPLL and without OPLL. We also analyzed the relationship between the morphology of OLN and involved OPLL level. The OPLL level was classified as short (1-3) or long (4-6), and the morphologic subtype of OLN was categorized as round, rod, or segmented. Results : The prevalence of OPLL was significantly higher in the patients with OLN (64.7%) than without OLN (16.1%) (p=0.0001). And the prevalence of OLN was also higher in the patients with OPLL (54.2%) than without OPLL (29.5%) (p=0.0002). In patients with round type OLN, 5 of 26 (19.2%) showed long level OPLL, while in patients with larger type (rod and segmented) OLN, 22 of 42 (52.3%) showed long level OPLL (p=0.01). Conclusion : There was significant relationship between OLN and OPLL prevalence. This correlation indicates that there might be common systemic causes as well as mechanical causes in the formation of OPLL and OLN. The incidentally detected OLN in cervical lateral radiograph, especially larger type, might be helpful to predict the possibility of cervical OPLL.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2000

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical efficacy of the arthroscopic anterior acromioplasty for the treatment of chronic impingement syndrome of the shoulder. Materials and Methods : Between July 1995 and December 1997, twenty seven consecutive shoulders of 26 patients with chronic impingement syndrome of the shoulder were treated by arthroscopic anterior acromioplasty. The patients who had severe osteoarthritis of the shoulder full thickness tear of the rotator cuff, and nonoutlet impingement were excluded. The clinical results were evaluated by using UCLA shoulder rating scale. The average follow-up was 2years 3months(range, 1year 7months to 3years 1 11months). Results : Twenty three patients$(85.2\%)$ were rated as excellent or good results, while four patients$(14.8\%)$ were fair. Twenty six cases$(96.3\%)$ were satisfied with the results of the operations, while one case$(3.7\%)$, who had Parkinsonian syndrome, ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL) of the cervical spine, and spinal stenosis of the 5th and 6th cervical spine was not satisfied. Conclusion : Arthroscopic anterior acromioplasty was an effective treatment method, especially for relief of pain, for the treatment of chronic impingement syndrome of the shoulder. If the patient has the combined lesions in the cervical spine and the shoulder, and systemic lesions, these lesions may influence the results of treatment after operation, and cause the unpredictable results.