• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.157-160
• /
• 2007

Objective : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis in elderly patients. Methods : The authors reviewed the medical records of 49 patients older than 65 years of age with lumbar spinal stenosis who underwent surgical treatment from January 2002 to December 2004 in our institute. Results : Average age of patients was 70 years old [32 women, 17 men]. Twenty-four patients had chronic medical disorders. All patients were operated under the general anesthesia of these, 29 patients underwent decompressive laminectomy and decompressive laminectomy with instrumentation and fusion in 20 patients. The mean operation time was 193.5 minutes, mean estimated blood loss was 378cc and mean postoperative hospital stay length was 15.3 days. The mean follow-up duration was 11.9 months. The evaluation of outcome was assessed by Macnab classification. At first month after operation, the outcome showed excellent in 7 [14.3%]. good in 35 [71.4%], fair in 5 [10.2%], and poor in 2 [4.1%]. And at 6 months after operation, 17 patients were lost in follow-up, the outcome showed excellent in 4 [12.5%], good in 25 [78.1%], fair in 3 [9.4%], and no poor cases. There was no significant difference between outcome of laminectomy alone and that of laminectomy with fusion. Six patients [12.2%] experienced postoperative complications which included wound infection [3], nerve root injury [1], disc herniation [1], and reoperation due to insufficient decompression [1]. There were no deaths related to operation. Conclusion : We conclude that the surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis in elderly patients can provide good results with acceptable morbidity when carefully selected. In addition, decision on lumbar spinal fusion should not be against solely on advanced age.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.104-109
• /
• 2001

We describe the accidental injection of local anesthetics containing steroid into the subdural space during an attempted lumbar epidural injection for intractable radiculopathy in a patient with failed back surgery syndrome. A 24-year-old man complained of severe radiating pain to left lower extremity and showed a walking disturbance and severe lumbar scoliosis. The MRI finding was a left paramedian recurred disc herniation on L4-5 in a laminectomy state. Several therapeutic modalities such as epidural steroid injection, transforaminal injection, L2 root block, medication, and exercise therapy, etc failed. Initially, during epidural block at L4-5 under fluoroscopic guidance, a railroad track appearance appeared on epidurogram suggesting the presence of a subdural space. A second epidural block was tried at L5-S1. Following confirmation of epidural space upon epidurogram, 6 ml of 0.5% lidocaine including triamcinolone 40 mg was injected. The patient showed signs of the subdural injection including an unexpectedly high sensory block (T2) and a motor weakness of both lower extremities. Following this event, the severe radiculopathy and lumbar scoliosis were improved. Therefore, we conclude that subdural injection of steroid could be helpful in intractable radiculopathy, especially in the failed back surgery syndrome. However, it must be used cautiously with careful patient selection.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.51 no.6
• /
• pp.338-342
• /
• 2012

Objective : The aim of this study is to implement a critical pathway (CP) for patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy or microdiscectomy and describe the results before and after the CP in terms of length of hospital stay and cost. Methods : From March 2008 to February 2009, 61 patients underwent lumbar laminectomy or microdiscectomy due to stenosis or one- or two-level disc herniation in our department and were included in the prepathway group. After development and implementation of the CP in March 2009, 58 patients were applicable for the CP, and these were classified as the postpathway group. Results : The CP, which established a 6-day hospital stay (5 bed-days), was fulfilled by 42 patients (72.4%) in the postpathway group. The mean length of stay was 5.4 days in the postpathway group compared to 6.9 days in the prepathway group, demonstrating a 20% reduction, which was a statistically significant difference ($p{\leq}0.000$). There was a statistically significant reduction in charges for bed and nursing care (p=0.002). Conclusion : Implementation of a CP for lumbar laminectomy or microdiscectomy produced significant decreases in length of hospitalization and charges for bed and nursing care. We believe that this CP reduces the unnecessary use of hospital resources without increasing risk of adverse events.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.293-299
• /
• 2007

Objective : Thoracoscopic spinal surgery provides minimally invasive approaches for effective vertebral decompression and reconstruction of the thoracic and thoracolumbar spine, while surgery related morbidity can be significantly lowered. This study analyzes clinical results of thoracoscopic spinal surgery performed at our institute. Methods : Twenty consecutive patients underwent video-assisted thoracosopic surgery (VATS) to treat various thoracic and thoracolumbar pathologies from April 2000 to July 2006. The lesions consisted of spinal trauma (13 cases), thoracic disc herniation (4 cases), tuberculous spondylitis (1 case), post-operative thoracolumbar kyphosis (1 case) and thoracic tumor (1 case). The level of operation included upper thoracic lesions (3 cases), midthoracic lesions (6 cases) and thoracolumbar lesions (11 cases). We classified the procedure into three groups: stand-alone thoracoscopic discectomy (3 cases), thoracoscopic fusion (11 cases) and video assisted mini-thoracotomy (6 cases). Results : Analysis on the Frankel performance scale in spinal trauma patients (13 cases), showed a total of 7 patients who had neurological impairment preoperatively : Grade D (2 cases), Grade C (2 cases), Grade B (1 case), and Grade A (2 cases). Four patients were neurologically improved postoperatively, two patients were improved from C to E, one improved from grade D to E and one improved from grade B to grade D. The preoperative Cobb's and kyphotic angle were measured in spinal trauma patients and were $18.9{\pm}4.4^{\circ}$ and $18.8{\pm}4.6^{\circ}$, respectively. Postoperatively, the angles showed statistically significant improvement, $15.1{\pm}3.7^{\circ}$ and $11.3{\pm}2.4^{\circ}$, respectively(P<0.001). Conclusion : Although VATS requires a steep learning curve, it is an effective and minimally invasive procedure which provides biomechanical stability in terms of anterior column decompression and reconstruction for anterior load bearing, and preservation of intercostal muscles and diaphragm.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.772-777
• /
• 2000

Objectives : After lumbar microdiscectomy there are relatively higher incidence of readmission because of various postoperative discomfort. Analyzing these readmitted patients in our private hospital where the patients can be readmitted more easily, we expect to find out which factors are associated with improvement of the surgical outcome. Patients and Methoes : After discharge all significant patient's clinical data were registered to our computerized data bank system and periodic follow-up were performed. The authors analysed 651(97.7%) cases followed up over 2 years(average 3 years) out of 666 patients who underwent a initial lumbar microdiscectomy from May, 1994 to April, 1997. Among them, 63 patients(9.7%) were readmitted. Results : Among the patients readmitted, 29 patients(4.5%) were reoperated because of recurred disc herniation, 17 patients were myofascial pain syndrome, 4 patients were discitis, 3 patients were adhesion and one patient was epidural abscess. Treatment results of these readmitted patients showed that success rate of all readmitted patients was 68.3%, reoperation was 58.6% and myofascial pain syndrome was 82.4%. Conclusion : Treatment results of the patients readmitted because of a continuous lumbago or leg pain after microdiscectomy were acceptable through the careful analysis of the causes of the recurrent symptom. Therefore, the incidence of the chronic failed back syndrome can be reduced by efforting a more active management through readmission.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.55-65
• /
• 2017

Objectives The purpose of this review is to analyze results of case studies and controlled studies about Carthmi-Flos pharmacopuncture. Based on the review, authors desire to suggest the study model including precise information and evident the effect of Carthmi-Flos pharmacopuncture objectively in treating clinical disorders. Methods We search 44 studies about Carthmi-Flos pharmacopuncture from 6 Korean web databases, using words 'Carthmi-Flos pharmacopuncture' in Korean alphabet. This study had been conducted throughout 1 month (July, 2017). We selected case studies and controlled trials in investigated 44 thesis, excluding experimental research and thesis not using the Carthmi-Flos pharmacopuncture for major treatment. Results We analyze 13 case reports and 7 controlled trials. As a result, Carthmi-Flos Pharmacopuncture was used mostly in musculoskeletal, neurological diseases. But this can be applied to internal diseases. Disorders reported effectively were carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative knee joint arthritis, posterior neck pain, low back pain, radial nerve palsy, shoulder pain, lumbar compression fracture, alopecia areata, chronic daily headache, duverney fracture, oligomenorrhea, cervical disc herniation, rheumatoid arthritis and cervical headache. Conclusions As we analyzed, Carthmi-Flos pharmacopuncture is specifically effective in musculoskeletal and neurologic diseases. But there are various problems in study design. To design accurately, the study design should include much more specific information. And the result can be more precise by excluding other methods.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.83-90
• /
• 2012

Objectives : The perpose of this study was to observe the correlation between lumbar lordotic angle and radiological result. Methods : We randomly selected among the 150 patients with lumbar X-ray and MRI films who have visited Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine with low back pain. Radiographic lumbar lordotic angle and lumbar HIVD were collected and stastically analyzed. Results : In this study, if the finding of a X-ray showed straightening of lumbar lordotic curve, based on MRI finding, the number of HIVD increased. Conclusions : There was a significant correlation between lumbar hypolordosis and HIVD, hypolordosis complained mare HIDVs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.129-136
• /
• 2014

The "WuQinXi" exercise, one of the medical Qi-gongs, is an exercise maximizing human's self healing power and has been confirmed to be effective significantly at several modern researches. There are many exercise therapies in western medcine, such as Willams's flexion exercise, Mckenzie's extension exercise, vertebral stabilization exercise and so on. However, there isn't a special exercise therapy which can be applied for medical practice in oriental medicine. So we selected 24 motions which are related with lumbar movements from 3 type "WuQinXi" exercises ; 20 mode, 30 mode, and 40 mode. And then, we classified them according to lumbar movements as flexion, extention, lateral bending and rotation, and also functions as stabilization and rubbing. Next, with these classifications, we assorted them by kinds of lumbar spinal disease as HIVD(herniation of intervertebral disc), spinal stenosis, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, facet joint syndrome, compression fracture and spondylosis. We expect that "WuQinXi" exercise be a exercise therapy for lumbar spinal disease at an oriental medical clinic in this way. Oriental medical doctors will be able to teach easily patients "WuQinXi" exercise's motions at clinic, depending on kinds of lumbar spinal disease each patient suffers from. We plan to study the effect of "WuQinXi" exercise by comparing patients who do the "WuQinXi" exercise with the patients who do the western medical exercise therapy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.434-441
• /
• 2008

Objectives: This study was conducted to measure the decline in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with some diseases in South Korean adults. Methods: The EQ-5D health states in the 2005 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHNES) and the Korean EQ-5D valuation set were used to obtain the EQ-5D indexes of the study subjects. Each disease group was defined when the subjects reported to the NHNES that they were diagnosed with the corresponding disease during the previous 1 year by physicians. Since the distributions of the EQ-5D indexes in each subgroup were negatively skewed, median regression analysis was used to estimate the effects of specific diseases on the HRQoL. Median regression analysis produced estimates that approximated the median of the EQ-5D indexes and there are more robust for analyzing data with many outliers. Results: A total of 16,692 subjects (6,667 patients and 10,025 people without any disease) were included in the analysis. As a result of the median regression analysis, stroke had the strongest impact on the HRQoL for both males and females, followed by osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatic arthritis, and herniation of an intervertebral disc. While asthma had a significant impact on the HRQoL only in men, cataract, temporo-mandibular dysfunction, and peptic ulcer significantly affected the HRQoL only in women. Conclusions: Stroke and musculoskeletal diseases were associated with the largest losses of the HRQoL in Korean adults.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 2013

Objectives : The present study examines the domestic trend of Chuna treatments on lumbar spinal disorder in Korea. Methods : We investigated the studies on Chuna treatments for lumbar spinal disorder via searching 10 Korean web databases. As a result, 63 research papers were found to be analyzed according to their published year, the titles of journals, the types of study, the techniques of Chuna, the instruments for assessment, the Chuna technique and the number of the treatment trials by the cases of lumbar spinal disorder and ethical approvals. Results : The number of the research papers published tends to increase every year. The studies on Chuna treatments were mainly published in The Journal of Korea CHUNA Manual Medicine for Spine & Nerves. The most frequently adopted technique of Chuna in the examined studies was Cox flexion & distraction technique. Visual analogue scale(VAS), oswestry disability questionnaire(ODI) were used as primary means of assessments. The ethical problems of the examined studies needed to be improved. Conclusion : Reviewing the domestic trend of studies on Chuna treatments for lumbar spinal disorder and examining the strong and weak points of those treatments are essential for the future studies. It is anticipated that this review benefits the future in-depth study on the treatments for Chuna in Korean medicine.