• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.51-54
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• 2010

A herniated intervertebral disc is the most common type of soft tissue mass lesion within the lumbar spinal canal. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful tool for the assessment of patients with lower back pain and radiating pain, especially intervertebral disc herniation. MRI findings of intervertebral disc herniation are typical. However, from time to time, despite an apparently classic history and typical MRI findings suggestive of disc herniation, surgical exploration fails to reveal any lesion of an intervertebral disc. Our patient underwent lumbar disc surgery with the preoperative diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation; however, nothing could be found during the surgical procedure, except a swollen nerve root.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.145-149
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• 2013

Objective : We analyzed the clinical and radiologic features of posterior apophyseal ring separation (PARS) with lumbar disc herniation and suggest the proper management options according to the PARS characteristics. Methods : We reviewed case series of patients with PARS who underwent surgery of lumbar disc herniation. Preoperative symptoms, neurologic status, Body Mass Index, preoperative and postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Korean-Oswestry Disability Index (K-ODI) scores, operation types were obtained. PARS size, locations, the degree of resection were assessed. Results : PARS was diagnosed in 109 (7.5%) patients among 1448 patients given surgical treatment for single level lumbar disc herniation. There were 55 (50.5%) small PARS and 54 (49.5%) large PARS. Among the large PARS group, 15 (27.8%) had lower endplate PARS of upper vertebra at the level of disc herniation. Thirty-nine (72.2%) were upper endplate PARS of lower vertebra. Among the group with upper endplate PARS of lower vertebra, unresected PARS was diagnosed in 12 (30.8%) cases and resected PARS was diagnosed in 27 (69.2%) cases. VAS and K-ODI scores changes were $3.6{\pm}2.9$ and $5.4{\pm}6.4$ in the unresected PARS group, $5.8{\pm}2.1$ and $11.3{\pm}7.1$ in the resected PARS group. The group with upper endplate PARS of lower vertebra showed significant difference of VAS (p=0.01) and K-ODI (p=0.013) score changes between unresected and resected PARS groups. Conclusion : The large PARS of upper endplate in lower vertebra should be removed during the surgery of lumbar disc herniation. High level or bilateral side of PARS should be widely decompressed and arthrodesis procedures are necessary if there is a possibility of secondary instability.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2017

Purpose: To analyze the result of a repeat discectomy for ipsilateral recurrent lumbar disc herniation and to investigate the potential factors that influenced the outcomes for this surgery. Materials and Methods: Fifty-nine patients, who underwent reoperation after lumbar discectomy with a minimum follow-up period of 2 years, were reviewed. The surgical outcome was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Macnab classification, and the recovery rate was calculated in accordance with VAS. A statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS to evaluate the possible factors that may have influenced the outcomes of the reoperation. Results: The rate of reoperation after lumbar disc surgery due to the recurrent disc herniation was 6.0% (59/983 cases). The average recovery rate of VAS from the 1st operation was approximately 77%, and from the 2nd operation was 71%. According to the Macnab criteria, the results were "excellent" or "good" in 96% of cases. Statistical analysis revealed that there was no difference of the average recovery rate (p<0.05). There is no additional instability after repeat discectomy. Factors, such as smoking, precipitating traumatic events, and diabetes mellitus did not have much influence on the average recovery rate after repeat discectomy for ipsilateral recurrent lumbar disc herniation. Conclusion: The outcomes of repeat discectomy were satisfactory. Moreover, factors, smoking, trauma history and diabetic mellitus, only had a minor impact on the outcomes of a repeat discectomy.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.69-74
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• 2008

Purpose: The majority of patients with radiculopathy caused by a herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) heal spontaneously without surgery. The aim of this report is to describe the spontaneous regression of lumbar disc herniation and the results of clinical follow-up. Methods: Three patients with radiating low back pain presented with an extruded intervertebral disc on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We performed follow-up with conservative treatment (epidural injection, medication, physical therapy, exercise) and clinical assessments on the 6th, 10th and 22nd months. Results: The extruded intervertebral disc almost complete regressed, and correlated with clinical improvement and follow-up MRI. Conclusion: Conservative treatment can be an effective approach for a herniated lumbar discs if no neurological deficits are present.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.75-87
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• 2015

Background: Lumbar discogenic pain without pain mediated by a disc herniation, facet joints, or the sacroiliac joints, is common and often results in chronic, persistent pain and disability. After conservative treatment failure, injection therapy, such as an epidural injection, is frequently the next step considered in managing discogenic pain. The objective of this systematic review is to determine the efficacy of lumbar epidural injections in managing discogenic pain without radiculopathy, and compare this approach to lumbar fusion or disc arthroplasty surgery. Methods: A systematic review of randomized trials published from 1966 through October 2014 of all types of epidural injections and lumbar fusion or disc arthroplasty in managing lumbar discogenic pain was performed with methodological quality assessment and grading of evidence. The level of evidence was based on the grading of evidence criteria which, was conducted using 5 levels of evidence ranging from levels I to V. Results: Based on a qualitative assessment of the evidence for both approaches, there is Level II evidence for epidural injections, either caudal or lumbar interlaminar. Conclusions: The available evidence suggests fluoroscopically directed epidural injections provide long-term improvement in back and lower extremity pain for patients with lumbar discogenic pain. There is also limited evidence showing the potential effectiveness of surgical interventions compared to nonsurgical treatments.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2015

Due to an increased sitting time in work, lumbar disc disease is one of the most frequent diseases in modern days, and this occasionally requires surgery for treatment. Endoscopic disc surgery, one of the common disc surgeries, requires a process of inserting a guide needle to the target disc for which the insertion path is manually planned by drawing lines on the patient's skin while monitoring the fluoroscopic view of the lumbar. Such procedure inevitably exposes both surgeon and patient to the fluoroscopy radiation emitted from the c-arm for a long time. To reduce the radiation exposure time, this study proposes a computer assisted method of calculating the 3D guide needle path by using 2D c-arm images of the disc in 3 different angles. Additionally, a method of the guide robot control based on the 3D needle path was developed by implementing the Hand-eye Calibration method to calculate the transformation matrix between the c-arm and robot base coordinate systems. The proposed system was then tested for its accuracy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.241-245
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• 2007

Objective : So called "minimally invasive procedures" have evolved from chemonucleolysis, automated percutaneous discectomy, arthroscopic microdiscectomy that are mainly working within the confines of intradiscal space to transforaminal endoscopic technique to remove herniated epidural disc materials directly. The purpose of this study is to assess the result of endoscopic spinal surgery and favorable indication in the thoracolumbar spine. Methods : The records of 71 patients, 73 endoscopic procedures, were retrospectively analysed. Yeung Endoscopic Spine Surgery system with 7 mm working sleeve and $25^{\circ}$ viewing angle was used. The mean follow up period was 6 months [range, 3-9]. Results : Operated levels were from T12-L1 disc down to L5-L6 of S1 disc. Of 71 cases, 2 patients underwent transforaminal endoscopic surgery twice due to recurrence after initial operation. MacNab's criteria was used to assess the outcome. Favorable outcome, excellent of good, was seen in 78% [57 procedures] of the patients. Among 11 fair outcomes, only 1 procedure was followed by secondary open procedure, laminectomy with discectomy. Two of 5 poor outcomes were operated again by same procedure which resulted in fair outcomes. One patient with aggravated cauda equina syndrome remained poor and a lumbar fusion procedure was performed in other patient with poor outcome. There were 2 postoperative discitis that were treated with conservative care in one and anterior lumbar interbody fusion in the other. Conclusion : Evolving technology of mechanical, visual instrument enables minimal invasive procedure possible and effective. The transforaminal endoscopic spinal surgery can reach as high as T12-L1 disc level. The rate of favorable outcome is mid-range among reported endoscopic lumbar surgery series. Authors believe that the outcome will be better as cases accumulate and will be able to reach the fate of standard open microsurgery.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study is the evaluation of conservative medical treatment on the herniation of intervertebral disc(HIVD) patient after the fusion surgery of a lumbar segment. Methods: We used acupuncture, herbal medication, and manipulation for this patient. And we measured of VNRS score and SLR test result to evaluate effect of conservative medical treatment. Results & Conclusions: Patient's low back and left leg pain VNRS is decreased, and the SLR test result is improved.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.320-322
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• 2005

A 45-year-old man presented with lower back pain and pain in the right leg of 3years duration. A plain radiographic examination revealed grade I isthmic spondylolisthesis, with instability at L4-5. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated bilateral foraminal stenosis, with soft foraminal disc herniation on the right side at the L4-5 level. He underwent anterior lumbar interbody fusion[ALIF] with percutaneous posterior fixation[PF] at the L4-5 level. Without removing the posterior bony structures, removal of foraminal disc herniation and reduction of spondylolisthesis were successfully performed using ALIF with percutaneous PF. When there is no hard disc herniation or lateral recess stenosis, ALIF with percutaneous PF can be one of the treatment options for isthmic spondylolisthesis, even in the presence of foraminal disc herniation, as in our case.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.217-220
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• 2010

A 73-year-old male presented with a rare dorsally sequestrated lumbar disc herniation manifesting as severe radiating pain in both leg, progressively worsening weakness in both lower extremities, and urinary incontinence, suggesting cauda equina syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging suggested the sequestrated disc fragment located in the extradural space at the L4-L5 level had surrounded and compressed the dural sac from the lateral to dorsal sides. A bilateral decompressive laminectomy was performed under an operating microscope. A large extruded disc was found to have migrated from the ventral aspect, around the thecal sac, and into the dorsal aspect, which compressed the sac to the right. After removal of the disc fragment, his sciatica was relieved and the patient felt strength of lower extremity improved.