• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.279-283
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• 2021

Traumatic spinal cord infarction is a rare condition that causes serious paralysis. The regulation of spinal cord blood flow in injured spinal cords remains unknown. Spinal cord infarction or ischemia has been reported after cardiovascular interventions, scoliosis correction, or profound hypotension. In this case, a 52-year-old man revisited the emergency center with motor and sensory abnormalities in all four extremities 56 hours after a motor vehicle collision. Despite the clinical presentation and imaging examination, there were no specific findings on the patient's first visit to the trauma center. Cervical spine computed tomography angiography showed a narrow vertebral artery, and diffusion-weighted imaging revealed spinal cord infarction from C3 to C5 with high signal intensity. It should be kept in mind that delayed-onset spinal cord infarction may occur in minor or major trauma patients as a result of head and neck injuries.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2000

Objective : Thoracolumbar junction is second most common level of injury next to cervical spine. The object of this study is to study the usefulness of surgical titanium mesh instead of bone graft, as well as to evaluate the correction of spinal deformity and safety of early ambulation in patients with injury at thoracolumbar junction. Patients and Methods : This review included 51 patients who were operated from July 1994 to December 1997. The injured spine is considered to be unstable, if it shows involvement of two or more columns, translatory displacement more than 3.5mm, decrease more than 35% in height of vertebral body and progression of malalignment in serial X-ray. The decision to operate was determined by (1) compression of spinal cord or cauda eguina, (2) unstable fracture, (3) malalignment and (4) fracture dislocation. The procedure consisted of anterior decompression through corpectomy and internal fixation with anterior instrument and surgical titanium mesh which was impacted with gathered bone chip from corpectomy. Results : Fifty-one patients were followed up for at least 12 months. The main causes of injury were fall and vehicle accident. The twelfth thoracic and the first and the second lumbar vertebrae were frequently involved. Complete neural decompression was possible under direct vision in all cases. Kyphotic angulation occurred in a patient. Radiologic evaluation showed correction of deformity and no distortion or loosening of surgical titanium mesh with satisfactory fixation postoperatively. Conclusions : We could obtain neurological improvement, relief of pain, immediate stabilization and early return to normal activities postoperatively. Based on these results, authors recommend anterior decompression and internal fixation with surgical titanium mesh in thoracolumbar unstable spine injuries.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.96-105
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• 2019

Objective : The aims in the management of thoracolumbar spinal fractures are not only to restore vertebral column stability, but also to obtain acceptable alignment of the thoracolumbar junction (T-L junction) to prevent complications. However, insufficient surgical correction of the thoracolumbar spine would be likely to cause late progression of abnormal kyphosis. Therefore, we identified the surgical factors that affected unfavorable radiologic outcomes of the thoracolumbar spine after surgery. Methods : This study was conducted in a single institution from January 2007 to December 2013. A total of 98 patients with unstable thoracolumbar spine fracture were included. In these patients, fixation was done through transpedicular screws with rods by three surgical patterns. We reviewed digital radiographs and analyzed the images preoperatively and postoperatively during follow-up visits to compare the change of the thoracolumbar Cobb angle with radiologic parameters and clinical outcomes. The unfavorable radiologic group was defined as the patients who were measured as having greater than 20 degrees of thoracolumbar Cobb angle on the last follow-up, or who underwent kyphotic progression of thoracolumbar Cobb angle greater than 10 degrees from the immediate postoperative state to final follow-up, or who had overt instrument failure with/without additional surgery. We assessed the risk factors that affected the unfavorable radiologic outcomes. Results : We had 43 patients with unfavorable radiologic outcomes, including 35 abnormal thoracolumbar alignments and 14 instrumental failures with/without additional surgery. The multivariate logistic regression test showed that immediate postoperative T-L junction Cobb angle less than 10.5 degrees was a statistically significant risk factor, as well as the presence of osteoporosis (p=0.017 and 0.049, respectively). Conclusion : Insufficient correction of thoracolumbar kyphosis was considered to be a major factor of an unfavorable radiological outcome. The spinal surgeon should consider that having a T-L junction Cobb angle larger than 10.5 degrees immediately after surgery could result in an unfavorable radiological outcome, which is related to a poor clinical outcome.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.176-184
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• 2014

In this study, we compared dose distributions from simultaneously integrated boost (SIB) method versus the RTOG 0631 protocol for spine radiosurgery. Spine radiosurgery plans were performed in five patients with localized spinal metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma. The computed tomography (CT) and T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were fused for delineating of GTV and spinal cord. In SIB plan, the clinical target volume (CTV1) was included the whole compartments of the involved spine, while RTOG 0631 protocol defines the CTV2 as the involved vertebral body and both left and right pedicles. The CTV2 includes transverse process and posterior element according to the extent of GTV. The doses were prescribed 18 Gy to GTV and 10 Gy to CTV1 in SIB plan, while the prescription of RTOG 0631 protocol was applied 18 Gy to CTV2. The results of dose-volume histogram (DVH) showed that there were competitive in target coverage, while the doses of spinal cord and other normal organs were lower in SIB method than in RTOG 0631 protocol. The 85% irradiated volume of VB in RTOG 0631 protocol was similar to that in the SIB plan. However, the dose to normal organs in RTOG 0631 had a tendency to higher than that in SIB plan. The SIB plan might be an alternative method in case of predictive serious complications of surrounded normal organs. In conclusion, although both approaches of SIB or RTOG 0631 showed competitive planning results, tumor control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) through diverse clinical researches should be analyzed in the future.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.272-277
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• 2001

Objective : Polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) is often used to reconstruct the spine after total corpectomy, but the exothermic curing of liquid PMMA poses a risk of thermal injury to the spinal cord. The purposes of this study are to analyze the heat blocking effect of pre-polymerized PMMA sheet in the corpectomy model and to establish the minimal thickness of PMMA sheet to protect the spinal cord from the thermal injury during PMMA cementation of vertebral body. Materials & Methods : An experimental fixture was fabricated with dimensions similar to those of a T12 corpectomy defect. Sixty milliliters of liquid PMMA were poured into the fixture, and temperature recordings were obtained at the center of the curing PMMA mass and on the undersurface(representing the spinal cord surface) of a prepolymerized PMMA sheet of variable thickness(group 1 : 0mm, group 2 : 5mm, or group 3 : 8mm). Six replicates were tested for each barrier thickness group. Results : Consistent temperatures($106.8{\pm}3.9^{\circ}C$) at center of the curing PMMA mass in eighteen experiments confirmed the reproducibility of the experimental fixture. Peak temperatures on the spinal cord surface were $47.3^{\circ}C$ in group 2, and $43.3^{\circ}C$ in group 3, compared with $60.0^{\circ}C$ in group 1(p<0.00005). So pre-polymerized PMMA provided statistically significant protection from heat transfer. The difference of peak temperature between theoretical and experimental value was less than 1%, while the predicted time was within 35% of experimental values. The data from the theoretical model indicate that a 10mm barrier of PMMA should protect the spinal cord from temperatures greater than $39^{\circ}C$(the threshold for thermal injury in the spinal cord). Conclusion : These results suggest that pre-polymerized PMMA sheet of 10mm thickness may protect the spinal cord from the thermal injury during PMMA reconstruction of vertebral body.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.519-535
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• 2005

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of manual therapies which are Posterior Anterior Central Vertebral Pressure (PACVP) and Posterior Anterior Unilateral Vertebral Pressure(PAUVP} in patients having a chronic pain in the neck. This study focused on sixty patients having a chronic pain in the neck from 19 years old and 65years old. There are 33 females and 27 males each. This study randomize two groups from all subjects that have been mentioned above. Group 1 received a cervical spine manual therapy, Group 2 received a conservative physical therapy. Each therapy was held for 3 times a week, totally, 6 times for two weeks. The tape was used to measure cervical range of motion(ROM) in six areas-flexion, extension, left lateral flexion, right lateral flexion, left rotation, right rotation. 100mm Visual Analogue Scale(100mm VAS) was used to measure the subjective pain level. All measurements of each patient were measured at pre-treatment and 2 weeks post-treatment. The results of this study would be summarized as follow: 1. The manual treatment group has much more recovery than that of conservative physical therapy group in terms of the degree of the ROM improvement showing a significant difference between two groups(p<0.05) 2. The manual treatment group has more recovery than that of the conservative physical therapy group in the improvement of pain(p<0.05).

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1484-1490
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• 2000

Objectives : In spinal metastasis and myeloma, percutaneous vertebroplasty could be an effective treatment method to provide spinal stabilization and to relief pain for early rehabilitation. The authors report twenty-five cases the clinical results of percutaneous vertebroplasty for twenty-five cases of spinal metastasis and myeloma. Materials and Methods : From September 1998 to December 1999, seventy percutaneous vertebroplasties(PVP) were performed for spinal metastases and myeloma in 25 patients, sixteen women and nine men ranging in age from 34 to 74. The primary malignancies were 6 multiple myelomas, and in metastatic tumore from various origin. All patients complained of severe pain and had osteolytic vertebral body destructions without spinal cord compression. To evaluate clinical improvement, suObjective verbal analogue pain score(VAS) and Karnofsky performance scale(KPS) were used. Thin sliced(2mm-thickness) sectional computed tomography(CT) was performed before and after PVP. Plain X-ray film was followed up every 1 month to assess the vertebral column stability. Results : In 25 patients, a total of seventy PVPS were performed successfully : 6 cervical, 33 thoracic and 31 lumbar vertebrae. Most patients had clear improvement of pain after PVP ; mean as score was 8.1 and 2.9 before and after PVP, respectively. Improvement was maintained in most patients. No further collapse of treated vertebrae was observed(mean follow-up, 7 months). Leakage of PMMA was notod in the spinal canal(13 levels), neural foramen (2 levels), adjacent disk(15 levels), paravertebral soft tissue(14 levels) and vein(8 levels). Pulmonary embolism was detected in three patients after the procedure, but was not associated with clinical symptoms. Conclusion : These results indicate that percutaneous vertebroplasty can be valuable treatment method in osteolytic spinal metastasis and myeloma, providing immediate pain relief and spinal stabilization and contributing to early rehabilitation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2007

Objective : The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that have effects on the neurological deficit in the patients with thoracolumbar fracture. Methods : Forty-eight patients were included. Cause of injury, type of injury, time interval, combined injury, kyphotic angle, spinal canal compromise, sagittal diameter, the most narrow sagittal diameter, transverse diameter, the most narrow transverse diameter, and remained height of vertebra body were concerned as the factors. The patients with American Spinal Injury Association[ASIA] impairment scale grade A to D were considered as having neurology while others with ASIA grade E were considered to be without neurology. The patients with ASIA grade A were classified to paraplegia group and the patients with ASIA grade B to E were not thought to be paraplegia. Statistical analysis for these groups were performed. Results : Spinal canal compromise [P<0.001] have correlation with neurological deficit. The most narrow sagittal diameter was smaller in the group with deficit than that in the group without deficit [P<0.004]. Also, combined injury have correlation with neurology [P=0.028]. Spinal canal compromise [P<0.001], sagittal diameter [P=0.032], the most narrow sagittal diameter [P=0.025], and Denis type [P<0.001] also have correlation with paraplegia. Conclusion : The factors of percentage of spinal canal compromise, the most narrow sagittal diameter, and combined injury are predictive of neurological deficit. The patients with paraplegia may be predicted by the factors such as type of injury, spinal canal compromise, sagittal diameter, the most narrow sagittal diameter, and Denis type.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.224-230
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• 2011

Objective : This study aimed to show the possibility of neural canal enlargement and restoration of bony fragments through laminectomy and minimal facetectomy without pediculectomy or an anterior approach, and also to prove the adequacy of posterior stabilization of vertebral deformities after thoracolumbar bursting fracture. Methods : From January 2003 to June 2009, we experienced 45 patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures. All patients enrolled were presented with either a neural canal compromise of more than 40% with a Benzel-Larson Grade of VI, or more than 30% compromise with less than a Benzel-Larson Grade of V. Most important characteristic of our surgical procedure was repositioning retropulsed bone fragments using custom-designed instruments via laminectomy and minimal facetectomy without removing the fractured bone fragments. Beneath the dural sac, these custom-designed instruments could push the retropulsed bone fragments within the neural canal after the decompression and bone fragment repositioning. Results : The mean kyphotic deformities measured preoperatively and at follow-up within 12 months were 17.7 degrees (${\pm}6.4$ degrees) and 9.6 degrees (${\pm}5.2$ degrees), respectively. The mean midsagittal diameter improved from 8.8 mm (${\pm}2.8$ mm) before surgery to 14.2 mm (${\pm}1.6$ mm) at follow-up. The mean traumatic vertebral body height before surgery was 41.3% (${\pm}12.6%$). At follow-up assessment within 12 months, this score showed a statistically significant increase to 68.3% (${\pm}12.8%$). Neurological improvement occurred in all patients. Conclusion : Though controversy exists in the treatment of severe thoracolumbar burst fracture, we achieved effective radiological and clinical results in the cases of burst fractures causing severe canal compromise and spinal deformity by using this novel custom-designed instruments, via posterior approach alone.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.247-253
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• 2017

Approximately 10-15% of pheochromocytomas are malignant. There are insufficient histologic criteria for the diagnosis of malignant pheochromocytoma. Thus, the term malignant pheochromocytoma is restricted to tumors with local invasion or distant metastases. We experienced a case of malignant pheochromocytoma recurred with spinal metastasis 4 years after the surgery for huge benign pheochromocytoma. A 68-year-old female was admitted for trunk and back pain. The patient had a history of surgery 4 years ago for a $10.0{\times}9.5{\times}7.5cm$ sized benign pheochromocytoma at the left adrenal gland. A thoracolumbar magnetic resonance imaging showed a tumor in the 7th thoracic vertebral body and a 24-hour urinary norepinephrine increased, suggesting metastatic recurrence of malignant pheochromocytoma. After metastasectomy in the 7th thoracic vertebral body, urine catecholamine was normalized and pain also disappeared. However, a metastatic lesion was found in the paraaortic area on a follow-up abdominal computed tomography scan and an additional metastasectomy was performed. The pathology confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic pheochromocytoma in the paraaortic lymph nodes. She is supposed to be treated with adjuvant iodine 131-meta-iodobenzylguanidine therapy. In our experience, a close follow-up should be considered in patients who had a huge benign pheochromocytoma due to the possibility of malignant metastases.