• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.48-50
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• 2014

Brucellosis is caused by gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, facultative, intracellular coccobacilli belonging to the genus Brucella. A 50-year-old man working as an employee was admitted to neurosurgery clinic with severe low back, radicular right leg pain and hypoesthesia in right L4-5 dermatomes for 2 months. Brucella tube agglutination (Wright) test was positive in serum sample of the patient with a titer of 1/640. Brucella melitensis was isolated from blood culture. X-ray and MRI of the lomber spine showed massive collapse of L4 vertebral body. Neural tissue was decompressed and then posterior L3-5 short segment transpedicular screw fixation and stabilization was performed. Brucella melitensis was isolated from microbiologic culture of pathologic specimen. Antibiotic therapy was given as doxycycline 200 mg/day and rifampicin 600 mg/day for 6 months. Brucellosis is a systemic zoonotic infection and still an important public health problem in many geographical parts of the world. Vertebral body collapse caused by brucellosis occurs very rarely but represents a neurosurgical emergency because of its potential for causing rapidly progressive spinal cord compression and permanent paralysis. Neurosurgeons, emergency department personnel as well as infectious disease specialists should always keep a high index of suspicion and include brucellosis in the differential diagnosis of vertebral body collapse.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.422-427
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• 1982

A clinical analysis of 82 cases who were sustained the penetrating gun-shot wound in the chest by 8 bullets was done during 4~ year-period from January 1978 to August 1982 in the department of thoracic surgery, CA FGH. Among 82 cases, 61 cases [74.4%] of them were brought to the Hospital by ambulance, 21 cases [25.6%] were by Helicopter and 76 cases [92.7%] of them were admitted within 4 hours after wounding. Thirty eight [46.3%] patients were treated by closed thoracotomy only, 19 cases [23.2%]by open thoracotomy, 18 cases [22.0%] by primary closure with debridement, and 7 cases [8.5%] by vascular surgery. Causes of open thoracotomy were due to massive intrapleural bleeding in 16 cases, rupture of diaphragm in 2 Gases, and heart injury in one case. Among 25 cases of surgical complications, wound infection was most common in 16 cases [53.5%] and recurrent pneumothorax in 3 cases [10%], empyema in 3 cases [10%], and BPF in one case [3.3%]. Hospital mortality was seen in 6 cases due to hypovolemic shock and respiratory insufficiency in 4 cases, spinal shock in 2 cases due to spinal injury.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.550-553
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• 2020

Acupuncture, which is a procedure of inserting needles in a specific portion of the body to control pain, is conducted widely. The procedure is considered relatively safe because of its minimal side effects and low occurrence (1 in 200,000). On the other hand, its side effects include neurological damage, infection, hematoma, emphysema, etc. The authors report a case of cervical neurological damage that occurred after an acupuncture procedure.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.5
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• pp.1163-1168
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• 2023

Abscess formation due to Candida albicans infection is extremely rare. Radiological diagnosis of an atypical abscess at an uncommon site is challenging. In this study, we present a case of insidious onset multifocal chest wall and spinal abscess after candidemia in a young woman in the intensive care unit due to postpartum bleeding.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.259-264
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• 2005

Objective : The vertebroplasty is an excellent procedure in spine compression fracture, but there are some problems such as cement leakage and difficulties in bone biopsy. Recently, the osteoplasty system is developed to solve these problems, so we will report the usefulness of the osteoplasty system. Methods : From January 2003 to November 2003, there are 9patients with simple osteoporotic spine compression fracture, 2 compression fracture patients combined with suspicious spinal metastasis, 1patient with suspicious primary bone tumor, and 2patient with infection on spine. All patients were treated using the osteoplasty system. Results : All 11 compression fracture patients were relived the back pain after the osteoplasty and there is no complication. The bone biopsies in 3 suspicious cancer patients were also effectively performed using the osteoplasty system; negative result in 2patients and positive result in 1patient. The culture result of spontaneous discitis was no growth for 48hours. The spine tuberculosis was confirm using the osteoplasty system. Conclusion : The osteoplasty system has distinguished advantages in comparison with the vertebroplasty. That is, the risk of cement leakage is lower than vertebroplasty because of low pressure delivery system. And we can obtain the specimen effectively in bone biopsy because of large cannula. In conclusion, we emphasize that the osteoplasty system is a more useful procedure in spine compression fracture especially in the patient needed bone biopsy for diagnosis.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2003

There is evidence to suggest that cranberry juice supplements improve the health of the urinary tract by inhibiting the binding of fimbriated uropathogenic E. coli to the bladder mucosa. In patients with neurogenic bladders, urinary tract infections (UTI) are particularly common and often poorly managed by antibiotic treatment. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken on 29 geriatric and spinal cord injured patients with dysfunctional bladders. They received three times daily at mealtimes a 4 oz bottle of cranberry juice (Ocean Spray Cranberries, USA) or a specially prepared synthetic placebo drink. Two episodes of UTI arose in week one of cranberry intake and none thereafter, compared to four episodes of UTI in 4 placebo patients in weeks four, six and 10. Mean bacterial adhesion counts on bladder cells of the patients rose during the first month of treatment in 71 % of the placebo patients compared to only 31 % of cranberry patients (p < 0.001). The difference persisted to some extent for the second and third months. Bacterial adhesion levels correlated with culture findings (higher adhesion and higher viable counts in urine) (p < 0.001), positive leukocyte nitrite tests (136$\pm$131 bacteria per cell versus 52$\pm$86 in negative tests) (p < 0.001), and higher white blood cell counts (> 10) per high power field (126$\pm$125 versus 48$\pm$85 bacteria per cell) (p<0.001). E. coli was the most frequently isolated organism (40% samples) followed by K. pneumoniae (17%) and a number of other uropathogens. Group B Streptococci, and coagulase negative Staphylococcus were recovered from urine in 4 samples but were not associated with any red blood cell presence. The daily intake of cranberry juice, in amounts which are not detrimental to long term compliance, appeared to have a role in reducing the risk of bladder colonization and infection in a highly susceptible patient population.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.210-213
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• 2005

Acute viral meningitis and myositis are rare complications of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation. A 71-years-old immunocompetent man, who presented with lower back pain radiating to the left lower extremities, developed vesicles on the L5 dermatomal area. The next day, he had complained of aberrant vesicles on the trunk, face and scalp, with generalized myalgia, headache and dizziness. He was confirmed with VZV meningitis and myositis, as demonstrated by the presence of VZV DNA in the blood and cerebral spinal fluid using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. PCR has been used in patients with a VZV infection associated neurological symptoms, and provides a useful tool for the early diagnosis of VZV-associated neurological disease. The patient was treated with bed rest, with intravenous acyclovir for the VZV infection, and intravenous Patient-controlled Analgesia for pain management and the prevention of postherpetic neuralgia. When he visited the outpatient department 3 months later, the skin lesion, leg pain, headache and myalgia had all improved, without sequelae. Here, this case is reported, with a discussion of the relevant literature on its diagnosis and management.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.389-393
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• 2011

We present the case of a patient with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encephalitis who developed abnormal white matter lesions during the chronic phases of the infection. A 2-year-old-boy was admitted for a 2 day history of decreased activity with ataxic gait. The results of the physical examination were unremarkable except for generalized lethargy and enlarged tonsils with exudates. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at admission showed multiple high signal intensities in both basal ganglia and thalami. The result of EBV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cerebral spinal fluid was positive, and a serological test showed acute EBV infection. The patient was diagnosed with EBV encephalitis and recovered fully without any residual neurologic complications. Subsequently, follow-up MRI at 5 weeks revealed extensive periventricular white matter lesions. Since the patient remained clinically stable and asymptomatic during the follow-up period, no additional studies were performed and no additional treatments were provided. At the 1-year follow-up, cranial MRI showed complete disappearance of the abnormal high signal intensities previously seen in the white matter. The patient continued to remain healthy with no focal neurologic deficits on examination. This is the first case of asymptomatic self-limited white matter lesions seen in serial MRI studies in a Korean boy with EBV encephalitis.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.159-164
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• 2000

Mollaret meningitis is a rare syndrome first described by Mollaret in 1944, which is reccurent aseptic meningitis with characteristic clinical and spinal fluid cytologic findings. No etiology has been established. Several authors suggested the association with herpes virus infection, some found intracranial epidermoid tumor eventually in patients diagnosed of Mollaret meningitis. We experienced a case of 14-year old male who had 3 episodes of recurrent aseptic meningitis during four years. The patients initially presented with clinical and laboratory feature of bacterial meningitis, however, extensive serological investigation and cerebrospinal fluid analysis failed to reveal a specific cause. Immune system studies were unremarkable. Cranial computed tomography performed during the attack and magnetic resonance imaging when the patient was asymptomatic were both normal. A tentative diagnosis of Mollaret meningitis was established at the 3rd episode. We report this case with a review of related literatures.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.86-89
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• 2013

A retropharyngeal abscess is a rare disease entity in young infants but can develop after nasopharyngeal viral infection. Group B Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus are the most common pathogens in young infants, however, Mycobacterium tuberculosis is very rare. We report the case of retropharyngeal abscess and coinfection with S. aureus and M. tuberculosis in a very young infant presenting with respiratory symptoms due to upper airway obstruction. Usually tuberculous retropharyngeal abscesses are caused by the direct invasion of the bacteria from the spine via anterior longitudinal ligament of the spine. However, in this case, no associated spinal disease was observed.