• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.231-233
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• 2006

The C2 level is the transition zone between the cranial and cervical spine. Because of its high position and anatomic relationship to vital structures, exposing C2 is challenging and the surgical approach is controversial. We report a of a recurred chordoma in C2 portion, occupying the osseous intraspinal portion. The patient underwent total corpectomy of C3 and gross total removal of tumor by right submandibular approach 3 years previously. We performed a lateral extrapharyngeal approach from contralateral left side with resection C2 central portion followed by gross total removal of mass and placement of graft bone. Although there was transient hypoglossal nerve palsy postoperatively, the patient had full recovery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.432-441
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• 2015

Objective : To assess the impact of the complete resection of craniopharyngioma (CP) in adults on oncologic and functional outcomes. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed 82 patients with CP who were surgically treated by the same neurosurgeon at our institution between January 1994 and December 2012. Results : Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 71 patients (86.6%), near total resection (NTR) in 7 patients (8.5%), and subtotal resection (STR) in 3 patients (3.7%). The disease-specific overall survival rate was 100% with the exclusion of 2 surgery-related mortalities. The overall recurrence rate was 12.2% (10 of 82 patients), however the recurrence rate according to extent of resection (EOR) was 9.9% (7 of 71 patients) after GTR, 14.3% (1 of 7 patients) after NTR, and 66.7% (2 of 3 patients) after STR. The overall recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates at 5 and 10 years were 87.0% and 76.8%, respectively. Postoperatively, most patients (86.3%) needed hormone replacement for at least 1 hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Vision improved in 56.4% of the patients with preoperative abnormal vision, but deteriorated in 27.4% of patients. Hypothalamic dysfunction developed in 32.9% of patients. There were no significant differences in the risks of pituitary dysfunction, visual deterioration, or hypothalamic dysfunction between the groups with complete vs. incomplete removal. The overall rate of postoperative complications was 22.0%, which did not differ between groups (p=0.053). Conclusion : The complete removal of a CP at first surgery can provide a chance for a cure with acceptable morbidity and mortality risks.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.469-478
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• 2022

Objective : Cranial base chordomas are rare, but their treatment is challenging. Tumor recurrence is still common despite improvements in microsurgical techniques and postoperative radiotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed the course of treatment, overall survival, and recurrence/progression of chordomas over the past 10 years. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 50 patients who underwent surgery at Tianjin Huanhu Hospital between 2010 and 2020 and were pathologically diagnosed with chordomas. Tumor resection was performed within the maximum safe range in all patients; the extent of resection was evaluated by imaging; and the incidence of complications, recurrence or progression, and overall survival were assessed. Results : Fifty patients were divided into the low-risk group (LRG) and high-risk group (HRG) based on the cranial chordoma grading system (CCGS). The Karnofsky Performance Scale scores and gross total resection rate of the LRG were significantly higher than those of the HRG (p<0.05). The incidence of complications and mortality in the LRG were lower than those of HRG. The analysis of cumulative survival and cumulative recurrence free survival/progression free survival (RFS/PFS) showed no statistical differences in the extent of resection for survival, recurrence, or progression. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that Ki-67 was significantly associated with tumor recurrence and was an independent hazard factor (p=0.02). Conclusion : The CCGS can help neurosurgeons anticipate surgical outcomes. Pathological results are important in evaluating the possibility of tumor recurrence, and postoperative radiotherapy improves overall survival and RFS/PFS.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.164-172
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• 2008

The survival rate for rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has significantly improved after the introduction of combined multimodality treatment. We report the 20-year treatment outcome of pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma in a single institution. The medical records of 16 patients treated for rhabdomyosarcoma between December 1986 and August 2007 at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed. Mean age at diagnosis was 7.1 years (range: 1.3 -14.2 years). Retroperitoneum was the most common primary site (n=7, 43.8 %), and embryonal type was predominant (n=11, 6 %). Before the treatment, most patients were in advanced TNM stage (stage III 50 %, IV; 25 %). The patient distribution according to the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Clinical Grouping System (IRS-CGS) was as follows; Group I 31.3 %, Group II 12.5 %, Group III 31.3 % and Group IV 25 %. Patients were classified into three groups according to the extent of resection of the primary tumor; complete resection (CR, n=5; 31.3 %), gross total resection (GTR, n=7; 43.8 %) and incomplete resection (IR, n=4; 25 %). Recurrence was observed in 9 patients (56.3 %) while there was no recurrence in CR patients. All patients with recurrence were identified as moderate or high-risk according to the IRS-V Risk Group. Pre-treatment TNM stage of RMS in our institution was advanced with aggressive clinical feature, however postsurgical conditions according to IRS-CGS were similar to the previous reports by IRS. This suggests that down-staging of IRS-CGS was achieved with multimodality treatment with CR or GTR. It also suggests that complete resection is the most important prognostic factor in the treatment of RMS in children. Patients classified as moderate or high-risk need close follow-up due to high recurrence rate. In case of localized recurrence, better outcome may be achieved with multimodality treatment including limited surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.51-54
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• 2010

Surgery has a key role in the treatment of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), but the resectability of paraspinal MPNSTs is only 20%. Therefore, spinal MPNSTs show frequent recurrence and poor prognosis. Local recurrence is much more common than metastasis for MPNSTs, and surgery still has a key role in the treatment of local recurrence. Therefore, it is important that recurrence must be detected before resectability is lost. However, no evidence-based follow-up protocol has been established for MPNST. The authors performed gross total resection in a 34-year-old woman presented with thoracic MPNST. Adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy were not administered since these adjuvant therapies generally do not improve survival in MPNST and may cause additional neurovascular damage. Instead, the authors monitored the primary site every 3 months using magnetic resonance imaging to detect local recurrence at the earliest opportunity. The tumor recurred locally on two occasions without overt symptoms at 21 and 24 months postoperatively. These recurrences were treated successfully by gross total removal.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.876-882
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• 2001

Objectives : Meningeal hemangiopericytoma is a rare tumor. Clinical and radiological features are similar to those of an ordinary meningioma. But its biological behavior is quite different from those of a meningioma as it brings profuse bleeding in the operation field, frequent recurrence and metastasis to other systemic organs even in the case of gross total resection. In order to find out the prognostic factors and to compare longterm outcome after various treatment modalities, the authors reviewed consecutive 20 operated cases of meningeal hemangiopericytoma to characterize their clinical features, surgical outcomes and effectiveness of the radiation therapy. Methods : Twenty patients with a hemangiopericytoma were treated between 1982 and 1999 in our department. They are composed of 13 patients of hemangiopericytoma and 7 patients who were initially diagnosed as angioblastic type meningioma and then confirmed as a hemangiopericytoma after review of their previous histopathology slides. The mean follow-up period was 99 months(1-256 months). The long-term outcomes after various treatment modalities were evaluated according to recurrence-free survival and image follow-up. Recurrence-free survival curves are compared between the patient groups according to the extent of removal and radiation therapy. Results : There were 10 cases of recurrence and 4 cases of distant metastases ; lung, liver and femur(2 cases) respectively. The 5-year recurrence rate was 37%, while the 10-year recurrence rose to 77%. There was also statistically significant difference of median recurrence-free survival between the completely-resected group(Simpson grade 1 or 2) and partially-resected group(Simpson grade 3 or 4 or 5) ; 137 months compared to 47 months, respectively(p=0.009). The median recurrence-free period after subtotal resection of tumor and postoperative radiotherapy was 47 months compared to 117 months of the patients who underwent gross total resection of tumor and did not receive radiotherapy. But radiation therapy alone did not show significant difference in recurrence-free survival. Marked tumor volume reduction and easy removal of tumors without bleeding were found in 2 recurred cases. Conclusion : The extent of tumor resection and presence of metastasis are the most important factors related to long-term outcome of the patients with hemangiopericytoma. Radiation therapy after the first operation did not have a role in extending the recurrence-free survival, but it affected favorably to decrease the size of residual mass and intraoperative bleeding during the second operation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2006

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare proliferative disease involving synovial membranes. Natural history and etiology of PVNS are not well known. PVNS presents as localized or diffuse tumor like nodular lesion of the synovial lining of the joint and the synovial spaces adjacent to the joints. Though histologically benign, it is a very aggressive lesion, capable of bone destruction and widespread infiltration of surrounding tissues. Standard therapy is surgical resection, but due to the infiltrative growth, the recurrence rate is significantly high. After several relapses surgical treatment of diffuse PVNS becomes difficult and may require amputation of the involved limb. Radiotherapy can provide an effective treatment option for patients with large lesions or lesions which are not suitable for surgery, after incomplete resection to prevent relapses or to avoid amputation. We report 2 cases of diffuse PVNS in the knee joint treated with arthroscopic gross total synovectomy and radiotherapy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.331-341
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of microscopic invasion to determine the adequate resection margin in early gastric cancer (EGC). Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed that included patients who underwent gastrectomy for clinical early gastric cancer (cEGC) at Seoul National University Hospital between January 2007 and December 2010. After subtracting the microscopic resection margin from the gross resection margin for each proximal or distal resection margin, microscopic invasion was represented by the larger value. Microscopic invasion and its risk factors were analyzed according to the clinicopathologic characteristics. Results: In total, 861 patients were enrolled in the study. Microscopic invasion of cEGC was $6.0{\pm}12.8mm$, and the proportion of patients with microscopic invasion ${\geq}0mm$ was 78.4%. In the risk group, tumor location, pT stage, and differentiation did not significantly discriminate the presence of microscopic invasion. The microscopic invasion of EGC-IIb was $13.9{\pm}16.8mm$, which was significantly greater than that of EGC-I. No linear correlation was observed between the overall tumor size and microscopic invasion (R=0.030). The independent risk factors for microscopic invasion ${\geq}20mm$ were EGC-IIb vs. EGC-I/IIa/IIc/III (odds ratio [OR], 3.103; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.533-6.282; P=0.002) and male vs. female sex (OR, 1.655; 95% CI, 1.012-2.705; P=0.045). Conclusions: Male sex and EGC-IIb were independent risk factors for microscopic invasion ${\geq}20mm$. Examination of intraoperative frozen sections is highly recommended to avoid resection margin involvement, especially in cases of EGC-IIb.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.153-156
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• 2010

The authors present a rare case of clear cell ependymoma that developed in the cauda equina. A 54-year-old man was admitted to hospital with intermittent lower back pain. A neurological examination conducted on admission revealed no sensory or motor disturbance. Deep tendon reflexes in both lower extremities were normal. Magnetic resonance images demonstrated a 1.0 cm-sized intradural mass at the filum terminale. Gross total resection was performed via total laminectomy of L1 and L2. The tumor was confirmed to be clear cell ependymoma by histopathologic examination. His symptom was relieved after surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.410-412
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• 2007

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) has been considered as a low grade tumor of adolescents and young adults. Although this tumor often shows cystic component, the hemorrhage within the cyst is extremely rare. The authors report a rare case of cystic PXA with a hemorrhage within the cyst and the mural nodule in the left frontal lobe. A 64-year-old male presented with a week history of the right side hemiparesis. After gross total resection of the tumor, the patient was fully recovered from neurological deficit. It is suggested that this typically benign tumor could be presented with hemorrhage, causing a rapid neurological deterioration. Prompt surgical intervention, especially total removal of the tumor can provide an excellent functional recovery.