• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.200-204
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• 2014

Objective : To evaluate the incidence of postsurgical sensory complications in patients with scalp masses and classify the locations of them from a surgical standpoint according to anatomical considerations. Methods : A total of 121 patients who underwent surgery for scalp mass were included in this study. The authors reviewed medical records and preoperative radiologic images. We investigated the complications related to sensory changes after procedure. Enrolled patients have been divided into three groups. Group A included patients with tumors above the superior nuchal line (SNL), Group B with tumors within the trapezius muscle area and patients who had tumors on the lateral trapezius muscle area were assigned to Group C. We compared the incidence related to postoperative sensory complications and summarized their additional treatments for these with clinical outcome. Results : There were 12 patients (10%) with sensory complications related on the mass excision site (Group A : 1 patient, Group B : 2 patients, Group C : 9 patients). Six patients were affected with lesser occipital nerve (LON), 2 patients on greater occipital nerve (GON) and 4 patients on GON and LON. Over 6 months after surgery, two of the twelve patients with sensory complications did not have complete recovered pain in spite of proper medications and local chemical neurolysis with 1.0% lidocaine and dexamethasone. Conclusion : Occipital neuropathy should be considered as a complication related excision of scalp mass. The sensory complications are more frequent in Group C because of the anatomical characteristics of the occipital nerves and there were no statistical difference for other variables.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.155-158
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• 2008

This report presents the application of occipital nerve stimulation in two patients with severe and disabling bilateral occipital neuralgia. Pain persisted despite the use of several procedures and the administration of medication in the patients. The patients underwent peripheral nerve stimulation for the treatment of headache. Peripheral nerve stimulation was accomplished via implantation of a subcutaneous electrode to stimulate the peripheral nerve in the occipital area. The patients reported a 90% improvement in overall pain. These cases illustrate the possible utilization of peripheral nerve stimulation for the treatment of occipital neuralgia.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1327-1336
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• 2023

This case report presents the effectiveness of Korean medicine in the treatment of occipital neuralgia. The patient with occipital neuralgia was treated with acupuncture. Acupuncture treatment was administered to the occipital nerve area, which is commonly used in occipital nerve blocks by western medicine doctors. The severity of the symptoms was assessed daily using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score of pain. The patient received outpatient treatment a total of 7 times, and only received acupuncture treatment each time. According to the patient, his symptoms decreased by about 90% two days after acupuncture treatment, and the frequency and duration of the symptoms also decreased. Seven days after all acupuncture treatments, the severity of pain was reduced from NRS 6 to NRS 0. The findings of this case report suggest that treatment with Korean medicine can be an effective option for treating occipital neuralgia. Acupuncture can be a good treatment method for occipital neuralgia, along with western drug treatment and occipital nerve block.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.222-230
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• 2000

Purpose : Resection of the epileptogenic zone in the parietal and occipital lobes may be relevant although only few studies have been reported. Methods : Eight patients with parietal epilepsy and nine patients with occipital epilepsy were included for this study. Preoperatively, all had video-EEG monitoring with extracranial electrodes, MRI, 3D-surface rendering of MRI using Allegro(ISG Technologies Inc., Toronto, Canada), and PET scans. Sixteen patients underwent invasive recording with subdural grid. Eight had parietal resection including the sensory cortex in two. Seven had partial occipital resection. Two underwent total unilateral occipital lobectomy. The extent of the resection was made based mainly on the data of invasive EEG recordings, MRI, and 3D-surface rendering of MRI, not on the intraoperative electrocorticographic findings as usually done. During resection, electrocortical stimulation was performed on the motor cortex and speech area. Results : Out of eight patients with parietal epilepsy, three had sensory aura, two had gustatory aura, and two had visual aura. Six of nine patients with occipital epilepsy had visual auras. All had complex partial seizures with lateralizing signs in 15 patients. Four had quadrantopsia. One had mild right hemiparesis. Abnormality in MRI was noticed in six out of eight parietal epilepsy and in eight out of nine occipital epilepsy. 3D-surface rendering of MRI visualized volumetric abnormality with geometric spatial relationships adjacent to the normal brain, in all of parietal and occipital epilepsy. Surface EEG recording was not reliable in localizing the epileptogenic zone in any patient. The subdural grid electrodes can be implanted on the core of the structural abnormality in 3D-reconstructed brain. Ictal onset zone was localized accurately by subdural grid EEGs in 16 patients. Motor cortex in nine and sensory speech area in two were identified by electrocortical stimulation. Histopathologic findings revealed cortical dysplasia in 10 patients ; tuberous sclerosis was combined in two, hamartoma and ganglioglioma in one each, and subpial gliosis in six. Eleven patients were seizure free at follow-up of 6 months to 37 months(mean 19.7 months) after surgery. Seizures recurred in two and were unchanged in one. Six produced transient sensory loss and one developed hemiparesis and tactile agnosia. One revealed transient apraxia. Two patients with preoperative quadrantopsia developed homonymous hemianopsia. Conclusion : This study suggests that surgical treatment was relevant in parietal and occipital epilepsies with good surgical outcome, without significant neurologic sequelae. Neuroimaging studies including conventional MRI, 3Dsurface rendering of MRI were necessary in identifying the epileptogenic zone. In particular, 3D-surface rendering of MRI was very helpful in presuming the epileptogenic zone in patients with unidentifiable lesion in the conventional MRI, in planning surgical approach to lesions, and also in making a decision of the extent of the epileptogenic zone in patients with identifiable lesion in conventional MRI. Invasive EEG recording with the subdural grid electrodes helped to confirm a core of the epileptogenic zone which was revealed in 3D-surface rendered brain.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.383-387
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• 2006

Atypical fibroxanthoma is a pleomorphic spindle cell neoplasm characterized by a variable combination of cells with fibroblastic and histiocytic features. It occurs mostly on sun-exposed area of the head and neck of elderly person and is a clinically benign reactive lesion despite apparent malignant histologic features. However, because of its potential for metastasis, it is widely regarded as a low-grade sarcoma. We report a 30-year-old woman with atypical fibroxanthoma developed on the left occipital area. The lesion was $1.5{\times}2cm$ sized papule. There was no skin lesion such as ulcer or eschar. However, mass was involving occipital bone and composed of dense, pleomorphic spindle cells and several bizarre multinucleated giant cells. After wide excision of the scalp and occipital bone, the defect was covered with bone cement, bipedicled local flap and the donor site was covered with STSG. The wound healed completely without complication. It remained free of recurrence for a period of about 1 year follow up.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.83-92
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• 1968

A study was planned to evaluate the effects of removal of the cingulate cortex upon the occurrence of any behavior commonly displayed by the rat, and to compare the effects of cingulectomy with those of removal of the parietal, parieto-occipital, or occipital regions. The subjects were 54 male albino rats (Holtzman strain, body weight $200{\sim}330\;gm$) including 14 rats in which the cingulate gyri between splenium and genu of the corpus callosum were bilaterally ablated by suction (cingulate group), 9 animals which had their parietal cortices (chiefly area 7) partially removed (parietal group), 9 rats whose parietal and occipital regions (chiefly areae 7 & 17), 13 animals in which the occipital cortices (chiefly area 17) were removed bilaterally (occipital group), and 9 normal rats (normal control group). Eighteen observation cages, each of which housed a subject and was provided with food and water ad lib., were arranged in 6 rows on a rack and the behavior of each subject was scanned by an observer at a distance of 1.5 m from the rack. The observer scanned the first and second rows 6 times in 1 min, then proceeded to the 3rd and 4th rows, scanning for another 1 min, and finally to the 5th and 6th rows. The speed of scanning was such that behavioral observations of all of the 18 rats were completed in 3 min, each subject receiving 6 observations. The scanning was repeated every 3 min for 18 min, which constituted one observation session and was followed by a 72 minutes' recess. The whole procedure was repeated through 24 hours so that a total of 576 behavioral observations were made on each subject in 16 observation sessions. Behaviors checked were sleeping, lying, lying and sniffing, standing, standing and sniffing, exploring, eating, drinking, grooming (included were washing, licking, and scratching), and others. Results obtained were as follows: 1. The cingulate group ate significantly more often than the normal control, the parietal, and the parieto-occipital groups. 2. Exploration was significantly less frequent in the cingulate group than in the normal control, the parietal, and the occipital groups. There was, in the case of the cingulate group, a significant negative correlation between the occurrence of eating and the exploratory activity. 3. The general activity, as judged from the value obtained by adding the occurrence of exploration, eating, drinking, grooming, and standing and sniffing, was significantly increased in the cingulate group compared with those of any other groups including the normal control. 4. Though statistically insignificant, the cingulate group slept least often among all the animal groups tested. 5. The parieto-occipital group tended to groom less, and the parietal group to eat less often than the normal control group did, but the difference was not significant. There were no significant differences among all the groups except the cingulate group as regards other behaviors analyzed. Based on the above results, it was inferred that the cingulate cortex exerts an inhibitory influence upon the occurrence of eating and general activity, while it tends to facilitate the occurrence of sleep.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.103-106
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• 2010

Purpose: Giant cell tumors of the bone are rare, locally aggressive lesions that primarily affect the epiphysis of the long bones in young adults. These tumors occur very rarely on the skull, principally in the sphenoid and temporal bones. The occipital bone is an unusual site. We report a rare case of a giant cell tumor of the occipital bone with a review of the relevant literature. Methods: A 7-year-old boy presented with a mass of the right occipital area, which was accompanied by localized tenderness and mild swelling. The mass was first recognized approximately 1 year earlier and grew slowly. There was no significant history of trauma. The physical examination revealed a nonmobile and non-tender bony swelling on the occipital region. The neurological evaluation was normal. The serial skull radiography and CT scan showed focal osteolytic bone destruction with a bulged soft tissue mass in the right occipital bone. The patient underwent a suboccipital craniectomy and a complete resection of the epidural mass. The lesion was firm and cystic. The mass adhered firmly to the dura mater. Results: The postoperative clinical course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 5 days later. The histopathology report revealed scattered multinucleated giant cells and mononuclear stromal cells at the tumor section, and the giant cells were distributed evenly in the specimen, indicating a giant cell tumor. Conclusion: Giant cell tumors are generally benign, locally aggressive lesions. In our case, the lesion was resected completely but a persistent long term follow up will be needed because of the high recurrence rate and the possible transformation to a malignancy.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.251-256
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• 2019

Jugular bulb diverticulum is an irregular extension of the jugular bulb into the temporal bone that may be symptomatic or asymptomatic. The jugular bulb has rarely been reported to extend into the occipital condyle; such extension is termed a condylar jugular diverticulum and is characterized as a defect in the occipital condyle contiguous with the jugular bulb. This report details 3 cases of condylar jugular diverticulum. Extension of the jugular bulb into the ipsilateral occipital condyle was noted as an incidental finding on cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images of 3 patients. All 3 patients were asymptomatic, and this finding was unrelated to the initial area of interest. CBCT use is becoming ubiquitous in dentistry, as it allows 3-dimensional evaluation, unlike conventional radiography. Proper interpretation of the entire CBCT is essential, and recognition of the indicators of condylar jugular diverticulum may prevent misdiagnosis of this rare entity.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.292-295
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• 2011

A rare case of intraventricular meningioma that arose in the atrium of the left lateral ventricle was identified in a 51-year-old woman. Gross total removal was performed by transcortical approach. Histopathological findings showed meningothelial meningioma with a focal atypical area which had 8% of Ki-67 labeling index (LI). A large recurrence extending into the ipsilateral quadrigeminal cistern and opposite medial occipital lobe developed approximately 41 months after the first operation. The specimens obtained from the second resection showed atypical meningioma with 20% of Ki-67 LI but there were no anaplastic area. The patient underwent fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy. However, multiple local distant metastases were found in the occipital and cerebellar cortex suggesting cerebrospinal fluid dissemination apparently 24 months after the second operation. This report presents chronological progression of a rare intraventricular atypical meningioma with more aggressive transformation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.277-281
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• 2018

Objective : Craniovertebral junctional anomalies constitute a technical challenge. Surgical opening of atlantoaxial joint region is a complex procedure especially in patients with nuchal deformity like basilar invagination. This region has actually very complicated anatomical and functional characteristics, including multiple joints providing extension, flexion, and wide rotation. In fact, it is also a bottleneck region where bones, neural structures, and blood vessels are located. Stabilization surgery regarding this region should consider the fact that the area exposes excessive and life-long stress due to complex movements and human posture. Therefore, all options should be considered for surgical stabilization, and they could be interchanged during the surgery, if required. Methods : A 53-year-old male patient applied to outpatients' clinic with complaints of head and neck pain persisting for a long time. Physical examination was normal except increased deep tendon reflexes. The patient was on long-term corticosteroid due to an allergic disease. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography findings indicated basilar invagination and atlantoaxial dislocation.The patient underwent C0-C3-C4 (lateral mass) and additional C0-C2 (translaminar) stabilization surgery. Results : In routine practice, the sites where rods are bound to occipital plates were placed as paramedian. Instead, we inserted lateral mass screw to the sites where occipital screws were inserted on the occipital plate, thereby creating a site where extra rod could be bound.When C2 translaminar screw is inserted, screw caps remain on the median plane, which makes them difficult to bind to contralateral system. These bind directly to occipital plate without any connection from this region to the contralateral system.Advantages of this technique include easy insertion of C2 translaminar screws, presence of increased screw sizes, and exclusion of pullout forces onto the screw from neck movements. Another advantage of the technique is the median placement of the rod; i.e., thick part of the occipital bone is in alignment with axial loading. Conclusion : We believe that this technique, which could be easily performed as adjuvant to classical stabilization surgery with no need for special screw and rod, may improve distraction force in patients with low bone density.