• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2015

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of patients with spinal metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), who were treated by stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 23 patients who underwent SBRT from October 2008 to August 2012 for 36 spinal metastases from HCC. SBRT consisted of approximately 2 fractionation schedules, which were 18 to 40 Gy in 1 to 4 fractions for group A lesions (n = 15) and 50 Gy in 10 fractions for group B lesions (n = 21). Results: The median follow-up period was 7 months (range, 2 to 16 months). Seven patients developed grade 1 or 2 gastrointestinal toxicity, and one developed grade 2 leucopenia. Compression fractures occurred in association with 25% of the lesions, with a median time to fracture of 2 months. Pain relief occurred in 92.3% and 68.4% of group A and B lesions, respectively. Radiologic response (complete and partial response) occurred in 80.0% and 61.9% of group A and B lesions, respectively. The estimated 1-year spinal-tumor progression-free survival rate was 78.5%. The median overall survival period and 1-year overall survival rate were 9 months (range, 2 to 16 months) and 25.7%, respectively. Conclusion: SBRT for spinal metastases from HCC is well tolerated and effective at providing pain relief and radiologic response. Because compression fractures develop at a high rate following SBRT for spinal metastases from primary HCC, careful follow up of the patient is required.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.545-558
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• 2000

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of low power GaAsAl laser on Fos expression in the spinal cord induced by noxious mechanical stimulation. Noxious mechanical stimulation was applied to the right hind paw following 30min of low power laser treatment using different intensity and treatment point and the resulting Fos expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn was compared to that obtained in rats exposed only to the noxious mechanical stimulation. The results were summarized as follows: 1. In intact control rats, only a few Fos like immunoreactive(Fos-IR) neurons were evident in the lumbar spinal cord dorsal horn. Similarly, following prolonged inhalation anesthesia, Fos-IR neurons were absent in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord. In animals treated with noxious mechanical stimulation, neurons with nuclei exhibiting Fos immunostaining were distributied mainly in the medial half of ipsilateral laminae I-V at lumbar segments L3-5. These findings directly indicated that prolonged anesthesia used in this study did not affect the Fos expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn of intact animals and noxious mechanical stimulation treated animals. 2. In acupoint treated animals, 10mW of laser stimulation, not 3mW intensity, significantly reduced the number of Fos immunoreactive neurons in the spinal dorsal horn induced by noxious mechanical stimulation(P<.01). However, the supressive effect of low power laser stimulatin was not observed in 3m Wand 10m W of laser stimulation into non-acupoint. These data indicate that 10mW of low power laser stimulation into acupoint is capable of inhibiting the expression of Fos in the dorsal horn induced by noxious mechanical stimulation. In conclusion, these findings raise the possibility that low power laser stimulation into acupoint may be a promising alternative medicine therapy for the mechanical stimulation induced pain in the clinical field.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 1999

The development of standards and guidelines of rehabilitation nursing has been the major concerns for providing better nursing to the rehabilitation clients. As the patients with stroke and spinal cord injuries are the most prevalent physical disabilities in Korea, this study focussed on the nursing diagnoses of these two groups of patients. In order to identify the nursing diagnoses frequently used In their practice for the patients with stroke and spinal cord injuries, a survey was done with the questionnaire form developed by the research team. The surveyee were the staff nurses working at rehabilitation wards more than 2 years from 8 general hospitals in Korea, They identified and set the priorities of 13 nursing diagnoses from 79 stroke patients and 10 nursing diagnoses from 35 patients with spinal cord injuries during the periods from March 1 to June 2, 1999. The identified nursing diagnoses for the stroke patients are impaired physical immobility, sensory-perceptual alteration, activity intolerance, self-care deficit, altered defecation, altered urination, risk for injury, unilateral neglect, impaired skin integrity, altered thought processes, pain, altered health maintenance, dysreflexia. The identified nursing diagnoses for spinal cord injuries are altered urination, altered defecation, impaired skin integrity, pain, risk for injury, reflex incontinence, impaired physical immobility, self-care deficit, activity intolerance, knowledge deficit.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.369-374
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• 2009

Objective : Percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) can provide immediate stabilization in pathologic fractures of spinal tumors. However, long term follow-up data in cases of pathologic fractures are lacking. The authors report follow-up results of VP in 185 pathologic fractures of 102 spinal tumor patients. Methods : Percutaneous VP was performed at 185 vertebral bodies of 102 patients from 2001 to 2007. Retrospective analysis was done with medical records and radiological data. The change of visual analogue score (VAS), vertebral body (VB) height and kyphotic angle were measured preoperatively and on postoperative one day and at 3, 6, and 12 months. Results : The patients were composed of metastatic spine tumors (81%) and multiple myeloma (19%). Involved spinal segments were between T6 and L5. Mean follow-up period was 12.2 months. VAS for back pain was 8.24 preoperatively, 3.59 (postoperative one day), 4.08 (three months) and 5.22 (one year). VB compression ratio changed from 21.33% preoperatively to 13.82% (postoperative one day), 14.36% (three month), and 16.04% (one year). Kyphotic angle changed from $15.35^{\circ}$ preoperatively to $12.03^{\circ}$ (postoperative one day), $13.64^{\circ}$ (three month), and $15.61^{\circ}$ (one year). Conclusion : Immediate pain relief was definite after VP in pathologic compression fracture of osteolytic spinal disease. Although VAS was slightly increased on one year follow-up, VP effect was maintained without significant change. These results indicate that VP could be a safe and effective procedure as a palliative treatment of the spinal tumor patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.226-229
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• 2014

We describe a rare case of intradural-extramedullary primary spinal cysticercosis. A 42-year-old man visited our institute for lower back pain. He denied having consumed raw meet. Magnetic resonance (MR) images revealed an intradural pure cystic mass at the L3-L4 level. A radiologic diagnosis of spinal arachnoid cyst was established. Three years later, he complained of aggravated back pain, and follow-up MR examination showed a markedly expanded cyst, occupying the subarachnoid space from the T11 to the S1 level. L2 hemilaminectomy was performed, and a yellowish infected cyst bulged out through the dural opening. The cyst was removed en bloc. The histopathological findings of the cyst were consistent with parasitic infection. Serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed the presence of spinal cysticercosis. As there was no intracranial lesion, the final diagnosis was primary spinal cysticercosis, which is very rare. MR imaging is a sensitive diagnostic tool for detecting cystic lesions in the spine; however, it is difficult to distinguish cysticercosis from non-infectious cysts such as an arachnoid cyst without using gadolinium enhancement. Clinicians treating spinal cysts with an unusual clinical course should include cysticercosis as a differential diagnosis. We recommend contrast-enhanced MR imaging and serum ELISA in the diagnostic work-up of such cases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 2021

Several studies have previously reported that exposure to stress provokes behavioral changes, including antinociception, in rodents. In the present study, we studied the effect of acute cold-water (4℃) swimming stress (CWSS) on nociception and the possible changes in several signal molecules in male ICR mice. Here, we show that 3 min of CWSS was sufficient to produce antinociception in tail-flick, hot-plate, von-Frey, writhing, and formalin-induced pain models. Significantly, CWSS strongly reduced nociceptive behavior in the first phase, but not in the second phase, of the formalin-induced pain model. We further examined some signal molecules' expressions in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord to delineate the possible molecular mechanism involved in the antinociceptive effect under CWSS. CWSS reduced p-ERK, p-AMPKα1, p-AMPKα2, p-Tyk2, and p-STAT3 expression both in the spinal cord and DRG. However, the phosphorylation of mTOR was activated after CWSS in the spinal cord and DRG. Moreover, p-JNK and p-CREB activation were significantly increased by CWSS in the spinal cord, whereas CWSS alleviated JNK and CREB phosphorylation levels in DRG. Our results suggest that the antinociception induced by CWSS may be mediated by several molecules, such as ERK, JNK, CREB, AMPKα1, AMPKα2, mTOR, Tyk2, and STAT3 located in the spinal cord and DRG.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.467-475
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• 2019

Objective : There is a lack of knowledge regarding whether decompression is necessary in treating patients with epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC) grade 2. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) without decompression and conventional open surgery (palliative laminectomy) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) spinal metastasis of ESCC grade 2. Methods : Patients with HCC spinal metastasis requiring surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with ESCC grade 2, medically intractable mechanical back pain, a Nurick grade better than 3, 3-6 months of life expectancy, Tomita score ${\geq}5$, and Spinal Instability Neoplastic Score ${\geq}7$ were included. Patients with neurological deficits, other systemic illnesses and less than 1 month of life expectancy were excluded. Thirty patients were included in the study, including 17 in the open surgery group (until 2008) and 13 in the MIS group (since 2009). Results : The MIS group had a significantly shorter operative time ($94.2{\pm}48.2minutes$ vs. $162.9{\pm}52.3minutes$, p=0.001), less blood loss ($140.0{\pm}182.9mL$ vs. $1534.4{\pm}1484.2mL$, p=0.002), and less post-operative intensive care unit transfer (one patient vs. eight patients, p=0.042) than the open surgery group. The visual analogue scale for back pain at 3 months post-operation was significantly improved in the MIS group than in the open surgery group ($3.0{\pm}1.2$ vs. $4.3{\pm}1.2$, p=0.042). The MIS group had longer ambulation time ($183{\pm}33days$ vs. $166{\pm}36days$) and survival time ($216{\pm}38days$ vs. $204{\pm}43days$) than the open surgery group without significant difference (p=0.814 and 0.959, respectively). Conclusion : MIS without decompression would be a good choice for patients with HCC spinal metastasis of ESCC grade 2, especially those with limited prognosis, mechanical instability and no neurologic deficit.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

Background: Recent studies indicate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in persistent pain, including neuropathic and inflammatory pain. Since the data suggest that ROS are involved in central sensitization, the present study examines the levels of activated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the dorsal horn after an exogenous supply of three antioxidants in rats with chronic post-ischemia pain (CPIP). This serves as an animal model of complex regional pain syndrome type-I induced by hindpaw ischemia/reperfusion injury. Methods: The application of tight-fitting O-rings for a period of three hours produced CPIP in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Allopurinol 4 mg/kg, allopurinol 40 mg/kg, superoxide dismutase (SOD) 4,000 U/kg, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 10 mg/kg and SOD 4,000 U/kg plus L-NAME 10 mg/kg were administered intraperitoneally just after O-ring application and on the first and second days after reperfusion. Mechanical allodynia was measured, and activation of the NMDA receptor subunit 1 (pNR1) of the lumbar spinal cord (L4-L6) was analyzed by the Western blot three days after reperfusion. Results: Allopurinol reduced mechanical allodynia and attenuated the enhancement of spinal pNR1 expression in CPIP rats. SOD and L-NAME also blocked spinal pNR1 in accordance with the reduced mechanical allodynia in rats with CPIP. Conclusions: The present data suggest the contribution of superoxide, produced via xanthine oxidase, and the participation of superoxide and nitric oxide as a precursor of peroxynitrite in NMDA mediated central sensitization. Finally, the findings support a therapeutic potential for the manipulation of superoxide and nitric oxide in ischemia/reperfusion related pain conditions.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.391-402
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• 2022

Background: The mechanism of peripheral axon transport in neuropathic pain is still unclear. Chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13) and its receptor (C-X-C chemokine receptor type 5, CXCR5) as well as GABA transporter 1 (GAT-1) play an important role in the development of pain. The aim of this study was to explore the axonal transport of CXCL13/CXCR5 and GAT-1 with the aid of the analgesic effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) in rats. Methods: Chronic constriction injury (CCI) rat models were established. BTX-A was administered to rats through subcutaneous injection in the hind paw. The pain behaviors in CCI rats were measured by paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latencies. The levels of CXCL13/CXCR5 and GAT-1 were measured by western blots. Results: The subcutaneous injection of BTX-A relieved the mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia induced by CCI surgery and reversed the overexpression of CXCL13/CXCR5 and GAT-1 in the spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), sciatic nerve, and plantar skin in CCI rats. After 10 mmol/L colchicine blocked the axon transport of sciatic nerve, the inhibitory effect of BTX-A disappeared, and the levels of CXCL13/CXCR5 and GAT-1 in the spinal cord and DRG were reduced in CCI rats. Conclusions: BTX-A regulated the levels of CXCL13/CXCR5 and GAT-1 in the spine and DRG through axonal transport. Chemokines (such as CXCL13) may be transported from the injury site to the spine or DRG through axonal transport. Axon molecular transport may be a target to enhance pain management in neuropathic pain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.397-400
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• 2015

The simultaneous occurrence of an intracranial and a spinal subdural hematoma (SDH) is rare. We describe a case of cranial SDH with a simultaneous spinal SDH. An 82-year-old woman visited the emergency room because of drowsiness and not being able to walk 6 weeks after falling down. A neurological examination showed a drowsy mentality. Brain computed tomography showed bilateral chronic SDH with an acute component. The patient underwent an emergency burr-hole trephination and hematoma removal. She exhibited good recovery after the operation. On the fourth postoperative day, she complained of low-back pain radiating to both lower limbs, and subjective weakness of the lower limbs. Spine magnetic resonance imaging revealed a thoracolumbosacral SDH. A follow-up spinal magnetic resonance imaging study that was performed 16 days later showed a significant decrease in the size of the spinal SDH. We discuss the pathogenesis of this simultaneous occurrence of spinal and cranial SDH.