• Journal of Rhinology
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.75-79
• /
• 2018

Background and Objectives: To investigate the common site of recurrent epistaxis after initial intervention such as packing and cauterization had failed and to evaluate the efficacy of surgical endoscopic electrocautery. Subjects and Method: Retrospective review of 47 patients with recurrent and uncontrolled idiopathic epistaxis between October 1995 and March 2016. All patients underwent endoscopic examination in the operating room after hospitalization. We performed electrocautery when a bleeding site was found. Results: The most common sites of bleeding were the inferior meatus (28%), sphenoethmoid recess (23%), superior septum around the olfactory cleft (13%), and the posterior end of the middle turbinate (15%). There was no serious complication during the one week after surgery. In 46 (98%) patients, refractory epistaxis was successfully controlled. One patient had recurrent epistaxis after electrocautery and underwent endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation. Conclusion: In patients with refractory idiopathic epistaxis after failure of first-line treatment, endoscopic examination through a surgical approach and electrocautery for suspected bleeding are effective.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.419-426
• /
• 2021

Purpose: In the surgical treatment of pyogenic lumbar spondylodiscitis, screw insertion at the affected vertebra has been avoided because of biofilm formation, and the risk of infection recurrence. The authors analyzed the success rate of infection treatment while minimizing the number of instrumented segments by inserting pedicle screws into the affected vertebrae. Therefore, this study examined the usefulness of this technique. Materials and Methods: From January 2000 to June 2018, among patients with pyogenic lumbar spondylodiscitis treated surgically, group A consisted of patients with pedicle screws inserted directly at the affected vertebrae (28 cases), and group B underwent fusion by inserting screws at the adjacent normal vertebrae due to bone destruction of the affected vertebral pedicle (20 cases). The classified clinical results were analyzed retrospectively. All patients were treated via the posterior-only approach, so the affected disc and sequestrum were removed. Posterior interbody fusion was performed with an autogenous strut bone graft, and the segments were then stabilized with pedicle screw systems. The hospitalization period, operation time, amount of blood loss, EQ-5D index, duration of intravenous antibiotics, and the clinical and radiological results were analyzed. Results: In group A, the number of instrumented segments, operation time, blood loss, and EQ-5D index at one month postoperatively showed significant improvement compared to group B. There were no significant differences in the duration of antibiotic use, hospitalization, radiological bone union time, sagittal angle correction rate, and recurrence rate. Conclusion: Minimal segmental fixation, in which pedicle screws were inserted directly into the affected vertebrae through the posterior approach, reduced the surgery time and blood loss, preserved the lumbar motion by minimizing fixed segments and showed rapid recovery without spreading or recurrence of infection. Therefore, this procedure recommended for the surgical treatment of lumbar pyogenic spondyodiscitis.