• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.228-233
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• 2008

Objective : The standard treatment strategy of intracranial aneurysms includes either endovascular coiling or microsurgical clipping. In certain situations such as in giant or dissecting aneurysms, bypass surgery followed by proximal occlusion or trapping of parent artery is required. Methods : The authors assessed the result of extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery in the treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms in one institute between 2003 and 2007 retrospectively to propose its role as treatment modality. The outcomes of 15 patients with complex aneurysms treated during the last 5 years were reviewed. Six male and 9 female patients, aged 14 to 76 years, presented with symptoms related to hemorrhage in 6 cases, transient ischemic attack (TIA) in 2 un ruptured cases, and permanent infarction in one, and compressive symptoms in 3 cases. Aneurysms were mainly in the internal carotid artery (ICA) in 11 cases, middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 2, posterior cerebral artery (PCA) in one and posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) in one case. Results : The types of aneurysms were 8 cases of large to giant size aneurysms, 5 cases of ICA blood blister-like aneurysms, one dissecting aneurysm, and one pseudoaneurysm related to trauma. High-flow bypass surgery was done in 6 cases with radial artery graft (RAG) in five and saphenous vein graft (SVG) in one. Low-flow bypass was done in nine cases using superficial temporal artery (STA) in eight and occipital artery (OA) in one case. Parent artery occlusion was performed with clipping in 9 patients, with coiling in 4, and with balloon plus coil in 1. Direct aneurysm clip was done in one case. The follow up period ranged from 2 to 48 months (mean 15.0 months). There was no mortality case. The long-term clinical outcome measured by Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) showed good or excellent outcome in 13/15. The overall surgery related morbidity was 20% (3/15) including 2 emergency bypass surgeries due to unexpected parent artery occlusion during direct clipping procedure. The short-term postoperative bypass graft patency rates were 100% but the long-term bypass patency rates were 86.7% (13/15). Nonetheless, there was no bypass surgery related morbidity due to occlusion of the graft. Conclusion : Revascularization technique is a pivotal armament in managing complex aneurysms and scrupulous prior planning is essential to successful outcomes.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.131-135
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• 2008

Objective : Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is considered as a reversible pathophysiological condition mainly induced by continuous vascular compression of the facial nerve root exit zone (REZ) at the cerebellopontine angle. As an offending vessel, vertebrobasilar artery tends to compress much more heavily than others. The authors analyzed HFS caused by vertebrobasilar artery and described the relationships between microsurgical findings and clinical courses. Methods : Out of 1,798 cases treated with microvascular decompression (MVD) from Jan. 1980 to Dec. 2004. the causative vessels were either vertebral artery or basilar artery in 87 patients. Seventy-nine patients were enrolled in this study. Preoperatively, computed tomography (CT) or brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with 3-dimentional short range MR technique was performed and CT was checked immediately or 2-3 days after anesthetic recovery. The authors retrospectively analyzed the clinical features. the compression patterns of the vessels at the time of surgery and treatment outcomes. Results : There were 47 were male and 32 female patients. HFS developed on the left side in 52 cases and on the right side in 27. The mean age of onset was 52.3 years (range 19-60) and the mean duration of symptoms was 10.7 years. Many patients (39 cases; 49.1%) had past history of hypertension. HFS caused only by the vertebral artery was 8 cases although most of the other cases were caused by vertebral artery (VA) in combination with its branching arteries. Most frequently, the VA and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) were the simultaneous causative blood vessels comprising 32 cases (40.5%). and in 27 cases (34.2 %) the VA and the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) were the offenders. Facial symptoms disappeared in 61 cases (77.2%) immediately after the operation and 68 cases (86.1%) showed good outcome after 6 months. Surgical outcome just after the operation was poor in whom the perforators arose from the offending vessels concurrently (p<0.05). Conclusion : In case where the vertebral artery is a cause of HFS, commonly branching arteries associated with main arterial compression on facial REZ requires more definite treatment for proper decompression because of its relatively poor results compared to the condition caused by other vascular compressive origins.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.72-80
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• 1994

There are several methods to reconstruct an amputated or lost thumb such as toe to thumb transfer, pollicization and other variety of free flaps. In 1980, Morrison and O'Brien advocated reconstruction of the thumb with a free wrap-around flap from the big toe to recreate a stable, sensate and functional digit, including the nail. From March, 1982 to December, 1992, thirty cases of thumb reconstructions were performed using the wrap-around procedure at Korea University Hospital. 1. 29 cases of total 30 cases were successful and can be obtained the excellent results in functional and cosmetic aspect. 2. In postoperative complications, one case is graft failure, six cases in partial skin necrosis, one case in malunion, 15 cases in resorption of grafted bone piece were come out. 3. Even if the 1st metacarpal neck amputation is occurred, thumb reconstruction with a free neurovascular wrap-around flap was also possible, however, the limitation of the mobility of the reconstructed thumb and resorption of grafted bone piece were come out. We concluded that cosmesis and fuctional results were quite satisfactory despite of some complications. The thumb reconstruction with a wrap around free flap from the big toe in thumb amputated patients is the excellent method in the cosmetic and functional aspect and can be considered as the most useful method because of less morbidity to the donor site and the operator should be trained to get the meticulous microsurgical technique and to detect the complications.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.154-162
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• 1999

The laryngopharyngectomy for tumor ablation is the most common indication for pharyngoesophageal reconstruction in our country. Most of these cases are advanced laryngeal cancer that has spread beyond the larynx, pharynx and cervical esophagus. Such patients are obviously unable to breathe, swallow, or speak in the normal manner. The ideal reconstruction would restore normal anatomy, permitting patients to breathe and swallow without aspiration, and would not require a permanent tracheostomy. Reconstruction of the pharyngoesophageal defect traditionally been carried out with tubed local random flap, deltopectoral or musculocutaneous flap. Another approach is the pedicled enteric flap. But microsurgical reconstruction of the pharyngoesophagus, using either the free jejunal or the tubed radial forearm flap, have now become the preferred technique. Among them, we used jejunal free flap in 39 cases, tubed radial forearm free flap in 5 cases, patched radial forearm free flap in 2 cases and pectoralis major myocutaneous island flap in 2 cases from December 1990 to Febrary 1999. In this paper we illustrated that both forearm and jejunal free flap is a usful alternative in reconstruction of hypopharynx and cervical esophagus.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.62-66
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• 2009

Purpose: Despite the free tissue transfer using microsurgical technique being the current trend of soft tissue reconstruction of the hand, the pedicled groin flap has the advantage to provide coverage for the mangled hand without necessitating the use of a damaged arterial system and also providing the benefit of saving the arterial system for later free tissue transfer. This report presents the author's experience using pedicled groin flap in four cases of mangled hands with massive bone and soft tissue defects requiring later thumb reconstruction with the free wrap around flap. Materials and methods: The patients' age ranged from 30 to 51 years; three patients were male and one was female. The causes of mangled hand included two machinery crush injuries, one laboratory explosion and one motor vehicle accident. While evaluating the post-operative results, factors like flap survival, complications, stability in opposition, pinch power and 2 point discrimination were taken into account. Results: All massive soft tissue defects of the hands were completely covered with pedicled groin flap successfully. The reconstructed thumb using free wrap around flap did not have any limitation in opposition. There was no occurrence of post-operative infection and all the flaps survived completely. The average pinch power was 70% of the contralateral intact thumb and average 2 point discrimination was 10 mm. Conclusion: The pedicled groin flap for the reconstruction of the massive soft tissue defects of the hand with subsequent reconstruction of the thumb with a wrap around flap is a very useful procedure. The combined use of pedicled groin flap and wrap around flap allows adequate coverage of sizable soft tissue defects and functional thumb opposition in cases of reconstruction of the mangled hands.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 1996

There are many kinds of free flaps for management of extensive soft tissue defect of extremities in orthopaedic field. Free vascularized scapular flap is one of the most useful and relatively easy to application. This flap has been utilize clinically from early eighties by many microsurgical pioneers. Authors performed 102 cases of this flap from 1984 to 1995. We have to consider about the surgical anatomy of the flap, technique of the donor harvesting procedures, vascular varieties and anatomical abnormalities and success rate and the weak points of the procedure. This flap nourished by cutaneous branches from circumflex scapular vessels emerges from the lateral aspect of the subscapular artery 2.5-5cm from its lateral origin passing through the triangular space(bounded by subscapularis, teres minor, teres major, long head of triceps). The terminal cutaneous branch runs posteriorly around the lateral border of the scapular and divided into two major branches, those transeverse horizontally and obliquely to the fascial plane of overlying skin of the scapular body. We can utilize these arteries for scapular and parascapular flap. The vascular pedicle ranged from 5 to 10 cm long depends on the dissection, usually two venae comitantes accompanied circumflex scapular artery and its major branches. The diameter of the circumflex scapular artery is more than 1mm in adult, rare vascular variation. Surgical techniques : The scapular flap can be dissected conveniently with prone or lateral decubitus position, prone position is more easier in my experience. There are two kinds of surgical approaches, most of the surgeon prefer elevation of the flap from its outer border towards its base which known easier and quicker, but I prefer elevation of the flap from its outer border because of the lowering the possibilities of damage to vasculature in the flap itself which runs just underneath the subcutaneous tissue of the flap and provide more quicker elevation of the flap with blunt finger dissection after secure pedicle dissection and confirmed the course from the base of the pedicle. There are minimal donor site morbidity with direct skin closure if the flap size is not so larger than 10cm width. This flap has versatility in the design of the flap shape and size, if we need more longer and larger one, we can use parascapular flap or both. Even more, the flap can be used with latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap and serratus anterior flap which have common vascular pedicle from subscapular artery, some instance can combined with osteocutaneous flap if we include the lateral border of the scapular bone or parts of the ribs with serratus anterior. The most important shortcoming of the scapular free flap is non sensating, there are no reasonable sensory nerves to the flap to anastomose with recipient site nerve. Results : Among our 102 cases, overall success rate was 89%, most of the causes of the failure was recipient site vascular problems such as damaged recipient arterial conditions, and there were two cases of vascular anomalies in our series. Patients ages from 3 years old to 62 years old. Six cases of combined flap with latissimus dorsi, 4 cases of osteocutaneous flap for bone reconstruction, 62 parascapular flap was performed - we prefer parascapular flap to scapular. Statistical analysis of the size of the flap has less meaningful because of the flap has great versatility in size. In the length of the pedicle depends on the recipient site condition, we can adjust the pedicle length. The longest vascular pedicle was 14 cm in length from the axillary artery to the enter point cutaneous tissue. In conclusion, scapular free flap is one of the most useful modalities to manage the large intractable soft tissue defect. It has almost constant vascular pedicle with rare anatomical variation, easy to dissect great versatility in size and shape, low donor morbidity, thin and hairless skin.