• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.541-543
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• 2010

The purpose of this case report is to describe a rare case of a cervicothoracic spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) after anterior cervical spine surgery. A 60-year-old man complained of severe neck and arm pain 4 hours after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at the C5-6 level. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a postoperative SEH extending from C1 to T4. Direct hemostasis and drainage of loculated hematoma at the C5-6 level completely improved the patient's condition. When a patient complains of severe neck and/or arm pain after anterior cervical spinal surgery, though rare, the possibility of a postoperative SEH extending to non-decompressed, adjacent levels should be considered as with our case.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.76-79
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• 2001

A 60-year-old male was admitted due to cervical spine injury (C7-T1 fracture dislocation) and quadriparesis after slip down. During conservative management in department of neurologic surgery, he complainted of fever, dyspnea, neck swelling. Follow up cervicothoracic CT revealed abscess pocket in paraglottic, retropharyngeal, anterior cervical spaces and mediastinum. Also noted bilateral pleural effusions. Under impression of descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM). cervical drainage and bilateral chest tube insertion was performed immediately. On next day. mediastinal drainage through mediastinotomy was performed with careful handling of cervical spine. Escherichia coli was identified in bacteriologic culture. Wire fixation of dislocated C7-T1 spine through Posterior approach was performed on 30th days after mediastinotomy. Right chest tube was removed on 40th days. At now, the patient is on rehabilitation and physical training program. DNM is relatively rare, but lethal disease with high mortality. Immedate and sufficient mediastinal drainage is essential in treatment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2006

Purpose: Recently, the American Heart Association recommended that routine cervical spine protection in submerged patients was not necessary, except in high-energy injury situations. However, until now, this recommendation has few supportive studies and literatures. This retrospective study was performed to demonstrate the risk of cervical spine injury in patients who had been submerged in a river. Methods: Seventy-nine submerged patients who visited St. Mary's Hospital between January 2000 and December 2005 were included in this retrospective study. We investigated and analyzed the victim's age, sex, activity on submersion, mental status and level of severity at admission, prognosis at discharge, associated injuries, and risk group by using the medical records and cervical spine lateral images. According to the activity on submersion, victims were classified into three groups: high risk, low risk, and unknown risk. The reports of radiologic studies were classified into unstable fracture, stable fracture, sprain, degenerative change, and normal. Results: The patients' mean age was 36.8 yrs, and 54% were males. Of the 79 patients, adult and adolescent populations (80%) were dominant. Jumping from a high bridge (48%) was the most common activity on submersion and accounted for 52% of the high-risk group. The Glasgow coma scale at admission and the cerebral performance scale at discharge showed bimodal patterns. The results of the radiologic studies showed one stable fracture, one suspicious stable fracture, and 18 sprains. The incidence of cervical spine fracture in submerged patients was 2.5% in our study. The incidence of cervical spine injury was higher in the high-risk group than it was in the low-risk group, especially in the jumping-from-high-bridge subgroup; however this observation was not statistically significant. No other factors had any significant effect on the incidence of cervical spine injury. Conclusion: Our study showed that even submerged patients in the high risk group had a low incidence of cervical spine fracture and that the prognosis of a patient did not seem to be influenced by the cervical spine fracture itself.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2012

Gunshot wounds are rare in Korea, but they have tended to increase recently. We experienced an interesting case of penetrating gunshot injuries to the cervical spine with migration the fragments of the bullet within the dural sac of the cervical spine, so discuss the pathomechanics, treatment and complications of gunshot wounds to the spine and present a review of the literature. A 38-year-old man who had tried to commit suicide with a gun was admitted to our hospital with a penetrating injury to the anterior neck. the patient had quadriplegia. A Computed tomography (CT) scan and 3-dimensional CT of the spine showed destruction of the left lateral mass and lamina of the 5th cervical vertebra; the bullet and fragments were found at the level of the 5th cervical vertebra. The posterior approach was done. A total laminectomy and removal of the lateral mass of the 5th cervical vertebrae were performed, and bone fragments and pellets were removed from the spinal canal, but an intradurally retained pellets were not totally removed. A dural laceration was noted intraoperatively, and CSF leakage was observed, so dura repair was done watertightly with prolene 6-0. The dura repair site was covered with fibrin glue and Tachocomb$^{(R)}$. Immediately, a lumbar drain was done. Radiographs included a postoperative CT scan and X-rays. The postoperative neurological status of the patient was improved compared with the preoperative neurological status. however, the patients developed symptoms of menigitis. He received lumbar drainage(200~250 cc/day) and ventilator care. After two weeks, panperitonitis due to duodenal ulcer perforation was identified. Finally, the patient died because of sepsis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.505-510
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• 2009

The possible causes of Brown-S$\acute{e}$quard Syndrome (BSS) have been frequently observed with spinal trauma and extramedullary spinal tumors, but the cervical disc herniation to cause BSS is rare. The authors present five cases of patients who were diagnosed with BSS resulting from cervical disc herniation, and the results of the literature in view of their distinctive symptoms and clinical outcomes. Postoperatively, the patients showed complete or almost complete recovery from their motor and sensory deficits. On the basis of our cases, it is important to diagnose it early by cervical magnetic resonance imaging, especially in the absence of the typical symptoms of cervical disc herniation or other obvious etiology of extremity numbness. Immediate surgical treatment is also essential for a favorable functional neurological recovery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.125-128
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• 2013

A 65-year-old man who had lateral cervical disc herniation underwent cervical posterior laminoforaminotomy at C5-6 and C6-7 level right side. During the operation, there was no serious surgical bleeding event. After operation, he complained persistent right shoulder pain and neck pain. Repeated magnetic resonance image (MRI) showed diffuse cervical epidural hematoma (EDH) extending from C5 to T1 level right side and spinal cord compression at C5-6-7 level. He underwent exploration. There was active bleeding at muscular layer. Muscular active bleeding was controlled and intramuscular hematoma was removed. The patient's symptom was reduced after second operation. Symptomatic postoperative spinal EDH requiring reoperation is rare. Meticulous bleeding control is important before wound closure. In addition, if patient presents persistent or aggravated pain after operation, rapid evaluation using MRI and second look operation is needed as soon as possible.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.319-328
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• 2023

Facial nerve palsy refers to sudden, unilateral lower motor neuron facial paralysis. This study aimed to determine the importance of neck treatment in the treatment of facial paralysis. A literature search was performed on six online databases and other sources until January 15, 2023. A total of 426 papers were retrieved. After excluding duplicated and inconsistent papers, papers not including cervical treatment, and experimental papers on animals, two papers were finally selected. The type of treatment method, therapeutic effects, assessment of the risk of bias in randomized controlled trials, and non-randomized controlled trials and side effects were evaluated. Chiropractic, manual therapy, facial meridian massage, and acupotomy were applied to the face and cervical spine region. The results showed that each treatment had a significant therapeutic effect through evaluation index measurement methods, such as the visual analog scale and Yanagihara's unweighted regional grading system. This study demonstrated the importance of the cervical spine area in the treatment of facial paralysis. However, this study has many limitations. Thus, high-quality randomized controlled comparative studies on the treatment of the cervical spine area only or studies that include cervical spine area treatment as an interventional treatment while performing oriental or comprehensive treatment are needed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.213-220
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• 2011

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of sling exercise program on muscle activity and cervical spine curvature of person with forward head posture. The subjects, 25 students, were divided into two groups. This experiment was intended to examine the muscle activity and cervical spine curvature while the subjects had performed the exercises to do for 2 times/week and 4 weeks. The factors of FHP were measured cranial vertical angle, cranial rotation angle, muscular activity and cervical spine curvature. Cervical spine curvature measured craniovertical, craniocervical, cervicohorizontal and upper cervical angle. Collected data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 10.0. After experiment for 4 weeks period, results were as following: Both group was significant difference of the results according to the CVA. Exercise group are more effective to increase muscle activity (p<.05), but cervical spine curvature was no significant difference. This result, we could find out there was a significant correlation between sling exercise and muscle activity, CVA and CRA.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.637-644
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• 2009

We have analyzed the biomechanical characteristics of cervical spine after total disc replacement using finite element analysis. A finite element model of C2-C7 spinal motion segment was developed and validated by other experimental studies. Two types of artificial discs, semi-constraint and un-constraint, were inserted at C6-C7 segments. Inferior plane of C7 vertebra was fixed and 1Nm of moment were applied on superior plane of C2 vertebra with 50N of compressive load along follower load direction. Mobility of the cervical spine in which each artificial disc inserted was higher than that of intact one in all loading conditions. Also, high mobility at the surgical level after total disc replacement could lead higher facet joint force and ligaments axial stresses. The results of present study could be used to evaluate surgical option and validate the biomechanical characteristics of the implant in total disc replacement in cervical spine.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.419-422
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• 2006

Objective : Endotracheal tube cuff-pressure[ETCP] increases significantly during anterior cervical spine surgery with neck retraction. Clinically, postoperative hoarseness with sore throat is correlated with vocal cord edema due to longer intubation time and higher ETCP during neck retraction. Methods : Fifty patients of anterior cervical spine surgery were randomized to a control [no adjustment, 25 cases] and a treatment group [ETCP adjusted to 20mmHg, 25 cases]. Patients were blinded to their group assignments. They were questioned about the presence of ischemic symptoms [sore throat, dysphagia, hoarseness] postoperatively at different time points; 4 hours, 24 hours, and 1 week postoperatively. Results : No differences between groups at 4 hours and 1 week postoperatively were demonstrated. At 24 hours, 36% of patients in the treatment group complained of sore throat while 56% of control group patients did [p < 0.05]. Female patients correlated with development of all ischemic discomfort [p < 0.05 : sore throat, hoarseness, dysphagia]. Conclusion : Our results suggest that postoperative ischemic symptom following anterior cervical spine surgery may be associated with the two predictors; increased ETCP during neck retraction and female. The simple procedure of maintaining ETCP to 20mmHg can prevent postoperative tracheal ischemic symptom.