• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.290-294
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• 2023

Generally, patients with severe burst fractures, instability, or neurological deficits require surgical treatment. In most cases, circumferential reconstruction is performed. Surgical methods for three-column reconstruction include anterior, lateral, and posterior approaches. In cases involving an anterior or lateral approach, collaboration with general or thoracic surgeons may be necessary because the adjacent anatomical structures are unfamiliar to spinal surgeons. Risks include vascular or lumbar plexus injuries and cage displacement, and in most cases, additional posterior fusion surgery is required. However, the posterior approach is the most common and anatomically familiar approach for surgeons performing spinal surgery. We present a case in which three-column reconstruction was performed using only the posterior approach to treat a patient with a severe lumbar burst fracture.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.5
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• pp.503-510
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• 2023

Objective : The present study aimed to determine the topical and systemic efficacy of tranexamic acid (TXA) on epidural fibrosis in a rat laminectomy model. Methods : Thirty-two 12-month-old adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Each rat underwent bilateral laminectomy at the L1 and L2 vertebral levels. Rats were divided into four groups : in group I (control group, n=8), a laminectomy was performed and saline solution was applied into the surgical space. In group II (topical group, n=8), laminectomy was performed and 30 mg/kg TXA was applied to the surgical site before skin closure. In group III (systemic group, n=8), 30 mg/kg TXA was administered intravenously via the tail vein in the same session as the surgical procedure. In group IV (topical and systemic group, n=8), TXA was administered 30 mg/kg both topical and intravenous. The rats were sacrificed at 4 weeks postoperatively. Masson's trichrome and hematoxylin and eosin were used to assess acute inflammatory cells, chronic inflammatory cells, vascular proliferation, and epidural fibrosis. Results : Epidural fibrosis, acute inflammation, chronic inflammation, and sum histologic score value were significantly lower in the systemic TXA group, systemic and topical TXA groups than in the control group (p<0.05). In addion, the sum histologic score was significantly lower in the topical TXA group than in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion : In this study, epidural fibrosis formation was prevented more by systemic application, but the topical application was found to be effective when compared to the control group. As a result, we recommend the systemic and topical use of TXA to prevent epidural fibrosis during spinal surgery.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.261-267
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• 2022

Purpose: With the increasing number of polytrauma patients treated at high-level trauma centers, plastic surgery has entered the specialty of traumatology. Plastic surgeons specialize in the simultaneous surgical care of patients with facial or hand trauma and soft tissue injuries requiring microsurgery. The purpose of this study was to introduce the role of plastic surgery in a high-level trauma center. Methods: Between January 2020 and December 2020, 5,712 patients with traumatic injuries were admitted to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Of these 5,712 patients, 1,578 patients were hospitalized for surgical treatment and/or critical care. Among the 1,578 hospitalized trauma patients, 551 patients (35%) required at least one plastic surgery procedure. The patient variables included age, sex, etiology, the injured area, and injury characteristics. We also retrospectively investigated surgical data such as the duration of the operation, hospital stay, length of time from injury to surgery, and collaboration with other departments. Results: The most common injury referred to plastic surgery was facial trauma (41%), followed by hand trauma (36%), and soft tissue injuries requiring microsurgery in various parts of the body other than the hand (7%). The majority of facial and hand traumas were concomitant injuries. Sixteen percent of patients underwent collaborative surgical management for polytrauma involving both plastic surgery and another department. Conclusions: The role of plastic surgery in multidisciplinary teams at high-level trauma centers has become increasingly important. The results of this study may help in the development of multidisciplinary trauma team strategies and future workforce planning.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.416-420
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• 2023

Blunt intrathoracic tracheal injuries are rare, even among blunt chest trauma patients. An early diagnosis based on a high index of suspicion allows for timely surgical management of potentially fatal airway trauma, thereby improving overall outcomes. Diagnosing these injuries can be difficult due to their nonspecific clinical features and the occasional difficulty in radiologic diagnosis. If a patient exhibits respiratory compromise with difficult ventilation and poor lung expansion, despite the insertion and management of an intercostal drain following high-energy blunt trauma, there should be a heightened suspicion of potential airway trauma. The aim of primary repair is to restore airway integrity and to minimize the loss of pulmonary parenchyma function. This case report discusses the rare clinical presentation of a patient with blunt trauma to the intrathoracic airway, the surgical management thereof, and his overall outcome. Although blunt traumatic injuries of the trachea are extremely rare and often fatal, early surgical intervention can potentially reduce the risk of mortality.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 2021

We report a case of a 69-year-old right-dominant man who had an open Monteggia-like lesion of the right elbow (Gustilo-Andersen IIIA) with severe proximal ulna bone loss associated with an ipsilateral ulnar shaft fracture due to a motorcycle accident. The patient underwent two-stage surgery. Wound debridement and bridging external fixation were performed at first. Three months later, a frozen massive osteochondral ulnar allograft was implanted and fixed with a locking compression plate. A superficial wound infection appeared 5 weeks after the second surgery. Superficial wound debridement, negative pressure therapy, and antibiotics were administered for 3 months, achieving infection healing. At 3 years post-surgery, the elbow range of motion was satisfactory with a Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score of 16.7. Radiographs and computed tomography scans showed good allograft-bone integration without allograft reabsorption or hardware loosening. Although not complication-free, massive ulna osteochondral allograft implantation can be considered a valid option in cases of open Monteggia-like lesions associated with ulnar shaft fracture and severe bone loss in active patients, whenever osteosynthesis or joint replacement is not a proper solution. This type of bone stock restoration allows for future surgery, if needed.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.306-311
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• 2023

A 13-year-old male was diagnosed with a glenoid fracture following direct shoulder trauma, for which surgical treatment was considered. After referral to a center for pediatric orthopedic care, physical examination, contralateral shoulder X-ray, and detailed computed tomography examination ruled out the presence of fracture; these findings were later confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Normal ossification patterns in the adolescent shoulder may simulate a fracture in traumatic settings. To accurately diagnose and manage pediatric shoulder pathology, orthopedic surgeons must be aware of the normal anatomy of the growing shoulder, its secondary ossification centers, and growth plates.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.78-83
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• 2019

Tophi is one of the clinical manifestations of gout. On the other hand, it does not draw the patient's attention when it is asymptomatic, which leads to delayed management. The current case is a typical example of delayed diagnosis and management. The authors' preferred management of tophi was medical not surgical, even though the hitherto therapeutic issue has been conservative versus surgical. The authors chose conservative treatment in the osteolytic lesion resulting from huge tophi in the patella, and the report the results of 6 years follow-up.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2020

Purpose: Immediate post-laparotomy hypotension (PLH) is a precipitous drop in blood pressure caused by a sudden release of abdominal tamponade after laparotomy in cases of severe hemoperitoneum. The effect of laparotomy on blood pressure in patients with significant hemoperitoneum is unknown. Methods: In total, 163 patients underwent laparotomy for trauma from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. Exclusion criteria included the following: negative laparotomy, only a hollow viscous injury, and hemoperitoneum <1,000 mL. After applying those criteria, 62 patients were enrolled in this retrospective review. PLH was defined as a decrease in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥10 mmHg within 10 minutes after laparotomy. Results: The mean estimated hemoperitoneum was 3,516 mL. The incidence of PLH was 23% (14 of 62 patients). The MAP did not show significant differences before and after laparotomy (5 minutes post-laparotomy, 67.5±16.5 vs. 68.3±18.8 mmHg; p=0.7; 10 minutes post-laparotomy, 67.5±16.5 vs. 70.4±18.8 mmHg; p=0.193). The overall in-hospital mortality was 24% (15 of 62 patients). Mortality was not significantly higher in the PLH group (two of 14 [14.3%] vs. 13 of 48 [27.1%]; p=0.33). No statistically significant between-group differences were observed in the intensive care unit and hospital stay. Conclusions: PLH may be less frequent and less devastating than it is often considered. Surgical hemostasis during laparotomy is important. Laparotomy with adequate resuscitation may explain the equivalent outcomes in the two groups.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.36-38
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• 2016

Tarsal coalition is an abnormal union between two or more bones of the hind- and mid-feet, which can occur at various rates from cartilaginous to osseous union. Talonavicular coalition is reported less frequently than calcaneonavicular or talocalcaneal coalition and has been associated with various abnormalities, including symphalangism, clinodactyly, ray anomaly, clubfoot, other tarsal coalitions, and a ball-and-socket ankle joint. Patients with talonavicular coalitions are usually asymptomatic and rarely require surgical treatment. We review the literature and report on a case of 59-year-old male patient with talonavicular coalition.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.492-495
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• 2013

Glomus tumours are vascular hamartomas that are commonly found in the hand, particularly the subungual region. They appear as solitary or multiple tumours, and often present as a bluish discoloration of the nail plate. Different diagnostic tests are outlined, as well as imaging studies such as magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis of these tumours are common, while a familial tendency is a potential risk factor but not yet proven. Complete surgical excision often results in complete symptomatic relief, while recurrences are largely due to incomplete excision or the growth of a new glomus tumour. This article aims to review the key aspects of glomus tumours and provide a diagnostic algorithm so that the lesion can be recognized and treated earlier.