• 대한척추외과학회지
• /
• 제25권4호
• /
• pp.175-179
• /
• 2018

연구 계획: 증례 보고 목적: 탈출된 요추 추간판이 자연 소실된 이후 추간판 간격이 감소된 증례를 보고하고자 한다. 선행 문헌의 요약: 보존적 치료를 통한 탈출된 요추 추간판의 자연 소실이 보고되었다. 대상 및 방법: 요추 추간판 탈출증으로 진단된 3명의 환자를 외래 추시를 통해 보존적 치료를 시행하였다. 내원 당시에 관찰되었던 방사통은 호전 되었으나, 만성적인 요통을 호소하였다. 원인 파악을 위해 MRI 촬영을 다시 시행하였다. 결과: 보존적 치료로 탈출된 요추 추간판이 자연 소실 되었지만, 추간판 간격의 현저한 감소가 관찰되었다. 결론: 요추 추간판 탈출증이 추간판 간격 감소의 위험요인 중 하나일 수 있다. 요추 추간판 탈출증을 진단 받은 환자의 경우 탈출된 요추 추간판이 자연 소실되더라도 만성 요통이 발생 할 수 있음을 인지하는 것이 중요하다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제49권4호
• /
• pp.241-244
• /
• 2011

Sparganosis is a rare parasitic infection affecting various organs, including the central nervous system, especially the lumbar epidural space. This report describes the identification of disease and different strategies of treatments with preoperative information. A 42-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of urinary incontinence and impotence. He had a history of ingesting raw frogs 40 years ago. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed an intramedullary nodular mass at conus medullaris and severe inflammation in the cauda equina. A 51-year-old woman was admitted with acute pain in the left inguinal area. We observed a lesion which seemed to be a tumor of the lumbar epidural space on MR imaging. She also had a history of ingesting inadequately cooked snakes 10 years ago. In the first patient, mass removal was attempted through laminectomy and parasite infection was identified during intra-operative frozen biopsy. Total removal could not be performed because of severe arachnoiditis and adhesion. We therefore decided to terminate the operation and final histology confirmed dead sparganum infection. We also concluded further surgical trial for total removal of the dead worm and inflammatory grannulation totally. However, after seeing another physician at different hospital, he was operated again which resulted in worsening of pain and neurological deficit. In the second patient, we totally removed dorsal epidural mass. Final histology and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed living sparganum infection and her pain disappeared. Although the treatment of choice is surgical resection of living sparganum with inflammation, the attempt to remove dead worm and adhesive granulation tissue may cause unwanted complications to the patients. Therefore, the result of preoperative ELISA, as well as the information from image and history, must be considered as important factors to decide whether a surgery is necessary or not.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제30권1호
• /
• pp.44-50
• /
• 2017

Background: Low back pain is a frequent condition that results in substantial disability and causes admission of patients to neurosurgery clinics. To evaluate and present the therapeutic outcomes in lumbar disc hernia (LDH) patients treated by means of a conservative approach, consisting of bed rest and medical therapy. Methods: This retrospective cohort was carried out in the neurosurgery departments of hospitals in KahramanmaraŞ city and 23 patients diagnosed with LDH at the levels of L3-L4, L4-L5 or L5-S1 were enrolled. Results: The average age was $38.4{\pm}8.0$ and the chief complaint was low back pain and sciatica radiating to one or both lower extremities. Conservative treatment was administered. Neurological examination findings, durations of treatment and intervals until symptomatic recovery were recorded. $Las{\grave{e}}gue$ tests and neurosensory examination revealed that mild neurological deficits existed in 16 of our patients. Previously, 5 patients had received physiotherapy and 7 patients had been on medical treatment. The number of patients with LDH at the level of L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 were 1, 13, and 9, respectively. All patients reported that they had benefit from medical treatment and bed rest, and radiologic improvement was observed simultaneously on MRI scans. The average duration until symptomatic recovery and/or regression of LDH symptoms was $13.6{\pm}5.4$ months (range: 5-22). Conclusions: It should be kept in mind that lumbar disc hernias could regress with medical treatment and rest without surgery, and there should be an awareness that these patients could recover radiologically. This condition must be taken into account during decision making for surgical intervention in LDH patients devoid of indications for emergent surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제53권3호
• /
• pp.167-173
• /
• 2013

Objective : There are many cases in which degenerative changes are prevalent in both the cervical and lumbar spine, and the relation between both spinal degenerative findings of MRI is controversial. The authors analyzed the prevalence of abnormal findings on MRI, and suggested a model to explain the relationship between cervical and lumbar disc in asymptomatic Korean subjects. Methods : We performed 3 T MRI sagittal scans on 102 asymptomatic subjects (50 men and 52 women) who visited our hospital between the ages of 14 and 82 years (mean age 46.3 years). Scores pertaining to herniation (HN), annular fissure (AF), and nucleus degeneration (ND) were analyzed. The total scores for the cervical and lumbar spine were analyzed using correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression with various predictive parameters, including weight, height, sex, age, smoking, occupation, and sedentary fashion. Results : The correlation coefficients of HN, AF, and ND were 0.44, 0.50, and 0.59, respectively. We made the best model for relationship by using multiple linear regression. Conclusion : The results of the current study showed that there was a close relationship between the cervical score (CS) and lumbar score (LS). In addition, the correlation between CS and LS, as well as the LS value itself, can be altered by other explanatory variables. Although not absolute, there was also a linear relationship between degenerative changes of the cervical and lumbar spine. Based on these results, it can be inferred that degenerative changes of the lumbar spine will be useful in predicting the degree of cervical spine degeneration in an actual clinical setting.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제59권3호
• /
• pp.276-281
• /
• 2016

Objective : Although trunk muscles in the lumbar spine preserve spinal stability and motility, little is known about the relationship between trunk muscles and spinal fusion rate. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the correlation between trunk muscles cross sectional area (MCSA) and fusion rate after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) using stand-alone cages. Methods : A total of 89 adult patients with degenerative lumbar disease who were performed PLIF using stand-alone cages at L4-5 were included in this study. The cross-sectional area of the psoas major (PS), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) muscles were quantitatively evaluated by preoperative lumbar magnetic resonance imaging at the L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 segments, and bone union was evaluated by dynamic lumbar X-rays. Results : Of the 89 patients, 68 had bone union and 21 did not. The MCSAs at all segments in both groups were significantly different (p<0.05) for the PS muscle, those at L3-4 and L4-5 segments between groups were significantly different (p=0.048, 0.021) for the ES and MF muscles. In the multivariate analysis, differences in the PS MCSA at the L4-5 and L5-S1 segments remained significant (p=0.048, 0.043 and odds ratio=1.098, 1.169). In comparison analysis between male and female patients, most MCSAs of male patients were larger than female's. Fusion rates of male patients (80.7%) were higher than female's (68.8%), too. Conclusion : For PLIF surgery, PS muscle function appears to be an important factor for bone union and preventing back muscle injury is essential for better fusion rate.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제52권3호
• /
• pp.210-214
• /
• 2012

Objective : This retrospective study aimed to compare clinical outcomes in terms of pain relief and recurrence rate between fragmentectomies and conventional microdiscectomies in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods : Between January 2008 and May 2011, a total of 175 patients met the inclusion criteria of this study. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of back and radicular pains were recorded before surgery, 2 and 6 weeks after surgery. Recurrence was defined when a patient had the same pattern of preoperative symptoms and was confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging. Results : Seventy-four patients (42.3%) were suitable for fragmentectomy, and 101 patients underwent conventional microdiscectomy. There were no significant differences in VAS scores between the fragmentectomy and conventional microdiscectomy groups 2 and 6 weeks after surgery. During the follow-up period, 3 patients (4.05%) in the fragmentectomy group and 7 patients (6.93%) in the conventional microdiscectomy group relapsed. Conclusion : If patients are selected according to well-defined criteria, fragmentectomy can be a good surgical option for LDH, in the physiological aspect of preserving healthy intervertebral disc materials.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제47권4호
• /
• pp.298-301
• /
• 2010

Degenerated conditions such as herniated disc or spinal stenosis are common etiologies of lumbar radiculopathy. Less common etiologies include spinal extradural cyst such as synovial cysts and ganglion cysts. Ganglion cyst of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) of the spine is a rare entity that can result in classical sciatica. Posterior longitudinal ligament cyst has no continuity with the facet joint and has no epithelial lining. Two young male patients presented with unilateral sciatica and were found to have intraspinal cystic lesions causing lumbar radiculopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated rounded, cystic lesions (i.e., hypointense on T1-but hyperintense on T2-weighted images) adjacent to minimally dehydrated, nonherniated disc spaces in both cases. These patients underwent posterior decompression and cysts were excised, and their sciatic symptoms were completely resolved. Histological examination showed typical features of ganglion cysts in these cases.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제47권4호
• /
• pp.295-297
• /
• 2010

Candida is a relatively rare cause of spinal infections that commonly affects immunocompromised patients. A 70-year-old woman, who underwent a lumbar discectomy on L5-S1 two months earlier, was admitted to our department complaining of persistent back and leg pain. Magnetic resonance imaging showed irregular enhancing mass lesion in L5-S1 intervertebral space, suggest of pyogenic discitis with epidural abscess. The surgery was performed via retroperitoneal approach and the infected material at L5-S1 intervertebral space was removed. The histological examination of the specimen revealed chronic inflammation involving the bone and soft tissue, and a culture of the excised material was positive for Candida parapsilosis. The patient received intravenous fluconazole for 4 weeks after surgery and oral fluconazole 400 mg/day for 3 months after surgery. The patient made a full recovery with no symptoms 6 months after surgery. We present a rare case of spondylodiscitis after a lumbar discectomy due to Candida parapsilosis and discuss treatment option with a review of the literatures.

• 척추신경추나의학회지
• /
• 제1권1호
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2006

Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate association between lumbar spinal stenosis, one of degenerative diseases, and bone mineral density. Methods : We monitored 9 lumbar spinal stenosis patients in women above 50 years, visiting outpatient clinic of the Jaseng Oriental Medicine Hospital between January 5 2006 and March 31, 2006. They were diagnosed by radiologist ist after taking Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI). The cases were Investigated the bone mineral density using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiomerty(DEXA). and then Picture Archiving Communication System(PACS) were used to assess correlation between lumbar spinal stenosis and bone mineral density. Results : 1. In comparison of the spinal canal area and lumbar spine 2 level bone mineral density, the data showed a significant result 2. The data, between spinal canal area and lumbar spine 1-2 level bone mineral density, indicated a significant result. 3. Also, the result of comparison between spinal canal area and the lowest value of bone mineral density showed significance. Conclusions : It showed that there is a statistically significant correlation between lumbar spinal stenosis and bone mineral density.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.67-75
• /
• 2005

Objectives : Straight leg raising test(SLR) is useful clinical test to diagnose herniated lumbar intervertebral disc. The purpose of this study is to analyse diagnostic value of straight leg raising test between traffic accident patients group and non-traffic accident patients group. Methods : The study involved 26 traffic accident patients group and 45 non-traffic accident patients group with low back pain or radiating pain into the leg. All had a result of straight leg raising test and lumbar computed tomography(CT) or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). The associations between straight leg raising test and herniated lumbar intervertebral disc were analysed. Results and Conclusions : 1. There is not significant associations between straight leg raising test and herniated lumbar intervertebral disc in traffic accident patients group. 2. There is significant associations between straight leg raising test and herniated lumbar intervertebral disc in non-traffic accident patients group. 3. In traffic accident patients group, and negative predictive value are higher than non-traffic accident patients group. 4. In non-traffic accident patients group, sensitivity, positive predictive value and odds ratios are higher than traffic accident patients-group.