• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.167-179
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• 2018

The prevalence of patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) has been reported as high as 68%. ASD often leads to significant pain and disability. Recent emphasis has been placed on sagittal plane balance and restoring normal sagittal alignment with regards to the three dimensional deformity of ASD. Optimal sagittal alignment has been known to increase spinal biomechanical efficiency, reduce energy expenditure by maintaining a stable posture with improved load absorption, influence better bony union, and help to decelerate adjacent segment deterioration. Increasingly positive sagittal imbalance has been shown to correlate with poor functional outcome and poor self-image along with poor psychological function. Compensatory mechanisms attempt to maintain sagittal balance through pelvic rotation, alterations in lumbar lordosis as well as knee and ankle flexion at the cost of increased energy expenditure. Restoring normal spinopelvic alignment is paramount to the treatment of complex spinal deformity with sagittal imbalance. Posterior osteotomies including posterior column osteotomies, pedicle subtraction osteotomies, and posterior vertebral column resection, as well anterior column support are well known to improve sagittal alignment. Understanding of whole spinal alignment and dynamics of spinopelvic alignment is essential to restore sagittal balance while minimizing the risk of developing sagittal decompensation after surgical intervention.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.350-358
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• 2012

Objective : Life expectancy for humans has increased dramatically and with this there has been a considerable increase in the number of patients suffering from lumbar spine disease. Symptomatic lumbar spinal disease should be treated, even in the elderly, and surgical procedures such as fusion surgery are needed for moderate to severe lumbar spinal disease. However, various perioperative complications are associated with fusion surgery. The aim of this study was to examine perioperative complications and assess risk factors associated with lumbar spinal fusion, focusing on geriatric patients at least 70 years of age in the Republic of Korea. Methods : We retrospectively investigated 489 patients with various lumbar spinal diseases who underwent lumbar spinal fusion surgery between 2003 and 2007 at our institution. Three fusion procedures and the number of fused segments were analyzed in this study. Chronic diseases were also evaluated. Risk factors for complications and their association with age were analyzed. Results : In this study, 74 patients experienced complications (15%). The rate of perioperative complications was significantly higher in patients 70 years of age or older than in other age groups (univariate analysis, p=0.001; multivariate analysis, p=0.004). However, perioperative complications were not significantly associated with the other factors tested (sex, comorbidities, operation procedures, fusion segments involved). Conclusion : Increasing age was an important risk factor for perioperative complications in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery whereas other factors were not significant. We recommend good clinical judgment and careful selection of geriatric patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.149-153
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• 2013

Detection of cerebrospinal fluid leakage or exact localization of leakage site after spinal surgery is difficult on conventional imaging studies. We report two patients with surgery-related spinal CSF leakage detected on magnetic resonance (MR) myelography. They presented with severe headache after spinal surgeries, lumbar discectomy and excision of spinal meningioma, respectively. The sites of spinal CSF leakage in the patients were detected accurately on MR myelography, and the patients recovered from the postoperative CSF leakage after being treated with an epidural blood patch or reoperation. MR myelography may be effective in demonstrating the exact site of surgery-related spinal CSF leakage.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.63-73
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• 2013

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious condition associated with social and familial burden, as well as significant neurologic deficit. Despite the many advances in the treatment of spinal cord injury, a fundamental treatment for neurologic functional recovery has not yet been developed. In this article, we review two directions of development for spinal cord injury treatment: neuroprotective pharmacological agents and axon-regenerating cell therapy. We expect developments in these two to lead to improve functional recovery in patients with spinal cord injuries and to reduce burdens on society, as well as the patients' families.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2019

Objective : Hydatid cyst disease is caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus. It is rarely seen in the vertebral system, occurring at a rate of 0.2-1%. The aim of this study is to present 12 spinal hydatid cyst cases, and propose a new type of drainage of the cyst. Methods : Twelve cases of spinal hydatid cysts, surgical operations, multiple operations, chronic recurrences, and spinal hydatic cyst excision methods are discussed in the context of the literature. Patients are operated between 2005 and 2016. All the patients are kept under routine follow up. Patient demographic data and clinicopathologic characteristics are examined. Results : Six male and six female patients with a median age of 38.6 at the time of surgery were included in the study. Spinal cyst hydatid infection sites were one odontoid, one cervical, five thoracic, two lumbar, and three sacral. In all cases, surgery was performed, with the aim of total excision of the cyst, decompression of the spinal cord, and if necessary, stabilization of the spinal column. Mean follow up was 61.3 months (10-156). All the patients were prescribed Albendazole. Three patients had secondary hydatid cyst infection (one lung and two hepatic). Conclusion : The two-way drainage catheter placed inside a cyst provides post-operative chlorhexidine washing inside the cavity. Although a spinal hydatid cyst is a benign pathology and seen rarely, it is extremely difficult to achieve a real cure for patients with this disease. Treatment modalities should be aggressive and include total excision of cyst without rupture, decompression of spinal cord, flushing of the area with scolicidal drugs, and ensuring spinal stabilization. After the operation the patients should be kept under routine follow up. Radiological and clinical examinations are useful in spotting a recurrence.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.316-322
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• 2020

Endoscopic spine surgery is an advanced surgical technique for spinal surgery since it minimizes skin incision, muscle damage, and blood loss compared to open surgery. It requires, however, accurate positioning of an endoscope to avoid spinal nerves and to locate the endoscope near the target disk. Before the insertion of the endoscope, a guide needle is inserted to guide it. Also, the result of the surgery highly depends on the surgeons' experience and the patients' CT or MRI images. Thus, for the training, a number of haptic simulators for spinal needle insertion have been developed. But, still, it is difficult to be used in the medical field practically because previous studies require manual segmentation of vertebrae from CT images, and interaction force between the needle and soft tissue has not been considered carefully. This paper proposes AI-based automatic vertebrae CT-image segmentation and haptic rendering method using the proposed need-tissue interaction model. For the segmentation, U-net structure was implemented and the accuracy was 93% in pixel and 88% in IoU. The needle-tissue interaction model including puncture force and friction force was implemented for haptic rendering in the proposed spinal needle insertion simulator.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.388-398
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was to develop a post-operative exercise program, apply it to patients undergone lumbar spinal fusion surgery, and evaluate the effectiveness of the program on pain and disability activities of daily living. Methods: Fifty six patients who had lumbar spinal fusion were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups; 28 patients in the intervention group completed post-operative lumbar exercise program including walking for four weeks and 28 patients in the control group only did walking exercises. The degrees of pain on low back and leg were evaluated using visual analog scale (VAS) and the functional outcome was evaluated using the Korean version of Oswestry Disability Index (KODI) before surgery and 5 weeks after surgery. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, t-test with SPSS 18.0 program. Results: Low back and leg pain of the participants in both experimental and control groups were improved after surgery compared to pre-surgery pain. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. KODI score in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the control group (p=.014). Conclusion: The developed post-operative exercise program in patients with lumbar spinal fusion surgery seems to be a useful intervention to reduce disability in activities of daily living.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.487-500
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• 2021

Background: Although the erector spinae plane block has been used in various truncal surgical procedures, its clinical benefits in patients undergoing spinal surgery remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the clinical benefits of erector spinae plane block in patients undergoing spinal surgery. Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for randomized controlled trials comparing the erector spinae plane block with a nonblocked control for spinal surgery. Results: Twelve studies encompassing 696 subjects were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. We found that the erector spinae plane block decreased postoperative pain scores and opioid consumption in the postoperative and intraoperative periods. Moreover, it prolonged the time to the first rescue analgesic, reduced the number of patients who required rescue analgesia, and lowered the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. However, it did not exhibit efficacy in decreasing the incidence of urinary retention and itching or shortening the length of hospital stays, or the time to first ambulation. Conclusions: Erector spinae plane block improves analgesic efficacy among patients undergoing spinal surgery compared with nonblocked controls; however, there is insufficient evidence regarding the benefits of erector spinae plane block for rapid recovery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.288-290
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• 2010

The common etiologies of pneumocephalus, presence of air in the intracranial cavity, are trauma and cranial surgery. Pneumocephalus after spinal surgery is an unusual postoperative complication. We report the case of a male 59-year-old man who developed a pneumacephalus after posterior lumbar surgery for spinal stenosis. Intraoperatively, a cerebrospinal fluid leak following a dural tear was noted and immediately repaired. The next day, the patient complained of headache and dizziness. Head and lumbar computed tomography scans revealed significant air in the frontal region, several cisterns, intraventricle, and extra-dural area in the spine canal. Symptoms were spontaneously resolved within 2 weeks with conservative management.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.89-97
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of study was to compare perceived nursing needs between patients having spinal surgery and the nurses caring for them. Method: The participants were from three general hospitals, 71 patients who were having spinal surgery and 63 nurses. Data were collected from September 18 to November 17, 2006. Frequencies, mean, and t-test with the SPSS PC 14.0 program were used to analyze the collected data. Results: The score for perceived nursing needs during pre-op care was significantly different between the patients and nurses (t=-2.515, p=.013). The perceived nursing needs did not show significant differences in scores of perceived nursing needs at post-op or discharge. Conclusion: The results provide primary data to improve the quality of nursing care, plan, and implement appropriate nursing care for patients undergoing spinal surgery.