• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 1989

Two hundred patients with acute and chronic pain were treated with a low power laser and 115 patients among them were divided into several groups by their pathology and evaluated their response rate to the laser therapy was evaluated through follow-up study. 1) The ages of patients were between the early twenties and late sixties, and there was no differences between sexes. 2) Degenerative spondylosis and chronic lumbar sprain were the most common diseases among those patients. 3) The average duration of therapy was about 16 days and response to the therapy appeared from the fourth day of laser therapy. 4) Acute lumbar sprain and acute spinal compression fracture showed rapid response to laser therapy. 5) The spinal pathology group was the most common at 37.5% of cases and the response rate to laser therapy was the lowest at 58.7%. 6) The articular pathology group occupied 24.6% and the response rate was the highest at 81.3%. 7). The response rate of the posttraumatic and postsurgical pathology group was 76.5%. 8) The response rate of the tendinous and sports pathology group was 75%. 9) The response rate of the miscellaneous group was 66.7%. 10) The mean response rate of all patients was 71.6%.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.224-229
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• 2007

Vertebral compression fractures can occur due to trauma, a malignancy, or most commonly, osteoporosis. These fractures are frequently seen in elderly women; 30% of postmenopausal women are affected by vertebral compression fractures. These fragile fractures frequently result in both acute and chronic pain, but more importantly, are a source of increased morbidity and possibly, mortality. These injuries can be treated both conservatively and with surgery. The use of percutaneous vertebral augmentation offers a minimally invasive approach for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures. We experienced two cases of compression fractures diagnosed during the treatment of thoracic postherpetic neuralgia. Two patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia with a sharp and stabbing pain in the thoracic dermatomes that was unresponsive to conservative treatment were transferred to our clinic. During the management of postherpetic neuralgia, we incidentally found thoracic compression fractures after obtaining fluoroscopic guided images. After a balloon kyphoplasty, the preoperative pain related to the postherpetic neuralgia was successfully relieved soon after the procedure, and there were no complications.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.488-491
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• 2005

A 3-year-old female, 5kg, Shih-tzu developed an acute onset of depression, disorientation, hypersalivation, nystagmus after falling down 2 meter height place. In plain skull radiography, there was fracture line in the frontal and parietal bones and next day magnetic resonance imaging examination was performed. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was performed with 3.0 Tesla unit. Under general anesthesia, the dog was placed in prone with its head positioned in a birdcage coil. Transverse, sagittal and coronal fast spin echo images of the brain were obtained with the following pulse sequences: T1 weighted images (TR = 560 ms and TE = 18.6 ms) and T2 weighted images (TR = 3500 ms and TE = 80 ms). Magnetic resonance imaging showed epidural hematoma in the left frontal area resulting in compression of the adjacent brain parenchyma. Left lateral ventricle was compressed secondarily and the longitudinal fissure shifted to the right, representing mass effect. The lesion was iso-to slightly hyperintense on T1 weighted image and iso-slightly hypointense signal on T2 weighted image. At necropsy, there was a skull fracture and epidural hematoma in the left frontal area. Magnetic resonance imaging of epidural hematoma is reviewed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.337-342
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• 2014

Objective : To determine deformity correction by postural correction and subsequent balloon inflation in acute vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) and to examine the effect of bone mineral density on deformity correction. Methods : A totol of 50 acute OVCFs received balloon kyphoplasty. Lateral radiographs were taken and analyzed at five different time points : 1) preoperative, 2) after placing the patient in prone hyperextended position, 3) after balloon inflation, 4) after deposition of the cement, and 5) postoperative. All fractures were analyzed for height restoration of anterior (Ha), middle (Hm) and posterior (Hp) vertebra as well as Cobb angle and Kyphotic angle. The bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. According to the T-score, the patients were divided into two groups which were osteoporosis group and osteopenia group. Results : Postoperative measurements of Ha, Hm and the Cobb angle demonstrated significant reduction of 4.62 mm, 3.66 mm and $5.34^{\circ}$ compared with the preoperative measurements, respectively (each p<0.05). Postural correction significantly increased Ha by 5.51 mm, Hm by 4.35 mm and improved the Cobb angle by $8.32^{\circ}$ (each p<0.05). Balloon inflation did not demonstrate a significant improvement of Ha, Hm or the Cobb angle compared with baseline prone hyperextended. Postural correction led to greater improvements of Ha, Hm and Cobb angle in osteoporosis group than osteopenia group (each p<0.05). Conclusion : In acute OVCFs, the height restoration was mainly attributed to postural correction rather than deformity correction by balloon inflation. BMD affected deformity correction in the process of postural correction.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 2021

Purpose: Verifying a reliable predictor of the progression of vertebral deformity in patients with acute osteoporotic fractures of the lumbar spine may be useful. A qualitative analysis of the muscle near the spine was performed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and its correlation with a spinal deformity was determined under the hypothesis that the causes of the kyphotic deformity are associated with muscle reduction in the multifidus and erector spinae. Materials and Methods: The study was performed in a retrospective manner using the electronic medical records of patients who presented to the author's institution between January 2007 and March 2018, and were diagnosed with an acute lumbar fracture. The fat infiltration rates of the multifidus and erector spinae were measured using MRI taken at the time of injury, and the mean value was defined as the total fat infiltration rate (TFI). Based on lateral radiographs of the lumbar spine at the one-year follow-up, the loss of height of the vertebral body, the kyphotic angle and the wedge angle were measured. The statistical significance was confirmed by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: One hundred twenty-nine patients, of which 30 were male and 99 were female, were examined. The mean age was 71.28 years. The mean T-score was -3.53±0.79 g/cm², and the mean fat infiltration was 15.20%±11.99%. TFI was positively correlated with age (R=0.373, p<0.001), compression rate (R=0.369, p<0.001), and Cobb's angle (R=0.386, p<0.001) after a one year follow-up, but negatively correlated with the BMD score (R=-0.252, p=0.004). As the fracture progressed to the lower lumbar level, the compression rate (R=-0191, p=0.030) and wedge angle (R=-0.428, p<0.001) at the time of injury tended to decrease. Conclusion: In patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures, the fat infiltration rate may be an important predictor of conservative treatment. The prognosis of patients with a high-fat infiltration rate should be explained during patient education, and the patients must be monitored closely through short-term outpatient follow-up.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.594-602
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• 2019

Objective : Although surgical intervention, such as percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP), is the standard treatment for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs), its effectiveness and safety are unclear. Therefore, this study compared the safety and efficacy of conservative treatment with that of PVP for acute OVCFs. Methods : Patients with single-level OVCFs who were treated conservatively with a transdermal fentanyl patch (TFP) or with PVP between March 2013 and December 2017 and followed-up for more than 1 year were retrospectively evaluated. Patients with pathologic fractures, fractures of more than two columns, or a history of PVP were excluded. Clinical outcomes (visual analog scale [VAS] scores) and radiographic factors were evaluated, including changes in the compression rate of the corresponding vertebral body at onset and after 12 months, sagittal Cobb angle at onset and after 6 and 12 months, and the incidence of adjacent compression fractures. Results : Of the 131 patients evaluated, 75 were treated conservatively using TFPs and 56 underwent PVP. We divided the patients into TFP and PVP groups. Their baseline characteristics (including sex, level of fracture, and bone mineral density T-scores) were similar, but the TFP group was significantly younger. The overall VAS score for pain showed a greater decrease during the first month (1 week after PVP) in the PVP group but remained similar in the two groups thereafter. The compression rate after 12 months increased in the TFP group but decreased in the PVP group. Five patients in the PVP group, but none in the TFP group, experienced adjacent compression fractures within 12 months. Conclusion : We compared clinical and radiological outcomes between the TFP and PVP groups. The immediate pain reduction effect was superior in the PVP group, but the final clinical outcome was similar. Although the PVP group had a better-preserved compression rate than the TFP group for 1 year, the development of adjacent fractures was significantly higher. Although TFPs seemed to be beneficial in reducing the failure rate of conservative treatment, the possibility of side effects (22.6%, 17 out of 75 patients, in this study) should be carefully monitored.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.199-202
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• 2010

Objective : Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that is mainly performed for refractory pain due to osteoporotic compression fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of balloon kyphoplasty performed at different times after an injury. Methods : In this retrospective study, the records of 99 patients who underwent one level of balloon kyphoplasty between January 2005 and December 2007 were reviewed. The patients were divided into three groups : 21 patients treated within 3 weeks of an injury (the acute group), 49 treated within 3 weeks to 2 months of an injury (the subacute group), and 29 patients treated at more than 2 months after an injury (the chronic group). Clinical outcomes were assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS). In addition, modified MacNab's grading criteria was used to assess the subjective patient outcome. The radiology findings, including vertebral height restoration and procedure related complications, were analyzed based on the different time intervals after the injury. Results : Patients in all three groups achieved marked pain relief in terms of the VAS within 7 days of the procedure. Good or excellent results were achieved by most patients in all three groups. However, the height restoration, the main advantage to performing a balloon kyphoplasty, was not achieved in the chronic group. Moreover, evidence of complications including cement leakage was observed significantly less frequently in the subacute group compared to the other two groups. Conclusion : Although balloon kyphoplasty is an effective treatment for osteoporotic compression fractures, with regard to pain relief, the subacute stage appears to be optimal for treating patients with a balloon kyphoplasty in terms of achieving the best outcomes with minimal complications.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.48-51
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• 2016

Milk-alkali syndrome (MAS), a triad of hypercalcemia, metabolic alkalosis, and renal failure, is associated with ingestion of large amounts of calcium and absorbable alkali. MAS is the third most common cause of hypercalcemia in hospital, after primary hyperparathyroidism and malignant neoplasm. MAS is not often reported in the Korean literature. We describe MAS secondary to intake of calcium citrate for the treatment of osteoporosis with thoracic spine compression fracture. A 70-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 1-week history of general weakness and lethargy. He was found with acute kidney injury (serum creatinine, 4.6 mg/dL), hypercalcemia (total calcium, 14.8 mg/dL), and alkalosis. Laboratory evaluation excluded both hyperparathyroidism and malignancy. Mental status and serum calcium level was normalized within a week after proper hydration and intravenous administration of furosemide. However, he developed aspiration pneumonia, pseudomembranous colitis, and sepsis with multi-organ failure. Despite intensive treatment including inotropics, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy, he expired with no signs of renal recovery on the 28th hospital day.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.365-371
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• 2000

Objectives : To describe a technique for percutaneous vertebroplasty of osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures and to report preliminary results of its use. Methods : The technique was used over a 8-month period in 9 patients with 10 painful vertebral fractures. The technique involves percutaneous puncture of the involved vertebrae with a Jamshidi needle via a transpedicular approach followed by injection of polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) into the vertebral body. Results : The procedure was technically successful in all patients, with an average injection amount of 5.9 cc per vertebral body. One patient complained of flank pain postoperatively in spite of improvement in back pain caused by the fractured vertebra. Remaining eight patients reported significant pain relief early after treatment. The patients were followed up for 3 to 15 months(average 7.2 months) and demonstrated no recurrence of pain or aggravation of deformity. Conclusion : Vertebroplasty appears to be a valuable tool in the treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures, providing acute pain relief and early mobilization in appropriate patients. However, it needs to have more extensive prospective clinical study to confirm its definitive role in the management of this condition.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.56-60
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• 2022

The most common cause of foot drop is lumbar degenerative disc herniation, particularly at L4/5. We present a rare case of spinal cord injury accompanied by a thoracolumbar lesion that presented with bilateral foot drop. A 69-year-old male patient presented with sudden-onset severe bilateral leg pain and bilateral foot drop. Radiologic findings revealed T12 spondylitis compressing the conus medullaris. He had undergone vertebroplasty for a T12 compression fracture after a fall 6 months before. A physical examination showed bilateral foot drop, paresthesia of both L5 dermatomes, increased deep tendon reflex, and a positive Babinski sign. An acute bilateral L5 root lesion and a conus medullaris lesion were suspected based on electromyography. A surgical procedure was done for decompression and reconstruction. After the operation, bilateral lower extremity muscle strength recovered to a good grade from the trace grade, and the patient could walk without a cane. The current case is a very rare report of bilateral foot drop associated with T12 infectious spondylitis after vertebroplasty. It is essential to keep in mind that lesions of the thoracolumbar junction can cause atypical neurological symptoms. Furthermore, understanding the conus medullaris and nerve root anatomy at the T12-L1 level will be helpful for treating patients with atypical neurological symptoms.