• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2010

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the sense of improvement and satisfaction from 7 cases of herniated lumbar disc patients which was treated with spine decompression&chuna. Methods: Each patient has been treated with spine decompression and chuna treatment. The degree of improvement has been evaluated by VAS(Visual Analogue Scale) and ODI(Oswestry Disability Index) score starting from the day of admission, after 1week, and 2weeks. Results and Conclusions: Through the result, spine decompression and chuna treatment proved to have valid effect for Herniated Lumbar Disc. and there needs more clinical studies into synergy between spine decompression and Chuna treatment.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2007

Objectives : This study reported 3 cases of L-spine HIVD which was treated with spine decompression, as a new medical treatment alleviates lumbago by non-surgical treatment, and oriental medicine treatment. Methods : Each patient has been treated with spine decompression and oriental medicine treatment, and the degree of improvement has been evaluated by VAS and Rating scale for LBP. Results : Through the result, the medical treatment proved to have valid effect for L-spine HIVD, but patients did not become healthy enough restored to their job before. Conclusions : At the result of this, every case can be certified to give appropriate effect, and there needs more research into synergy between spine decompression and oriental medicine treatment.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.131-138
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• 2008

Objectives : Spine decompression therapy has recently become a popular academic field as it has proven to be a great alternative to the limitations of Western medical treatment. However, little study examined spine decompression therapy for lumbago. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the sense of improvement and satisfaction from the lumbago patients reported after being treated with spine decompression therapy. Methods : A total of 80 subjects that consists of lumbago patients were participated in this study. The experimental group(50 subjects) was treated with spine decompression therapy and acupuncture, and the control group(30 subjects) was treated with acupuncture. All the subjects were asked to complete the VAS(visual analogue scale) and ODI(Oswestry disability index) before and after the treatment. Results : A comparison of VAS and ODI results of the two groups shows that the spine decompression and acupuncture treatment group reported more effective relief from lumbago than the acupuncture treatment group.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.41-48
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• 2007

Objectives : These studies are designed to make a survey of the effectiveness of the non surgical decompression treatment. Methods : These studies 15 cases of L-spine herniated lumbar intervertebral disc(HIVD) which was treated with non surgical spinal decompression and other medicine treatment(acupuncture, cupping, interferential current therapy, ultra-sound therapy and hot poultice). Each patient has been treated with spine decompression and other medicine treatment. And degree of improvement has been evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire score for low back pain. Results and Conclusions : Through the results, the medical treatment proved to have valid effect for L-spine HIDV. And further clinical studies comparing non surgical spinal decompression treatment and other medicine treatment is necessary.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.29-39
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness acupotomy and spine decompression therapy for HIVD patients. Methods : Clinical study was conducted to 40 patients who were treated in Dept. of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wonkwang University Oriental Hospital from September 2011 to January 2012. We divided into two groups. The group A(20 subjects) was treated with acupotomy and spine decompression therapy, and the group B(20 subjects) was treated with acupotomy. To estimate the efficacy of treatments, all the subjects were asked to complete the VAS(Visual analogue scale) and ODI(Oswestry disability index) before and after the treatment. Results : 1. In both two groups, VAS and ODI of patients were decreased significantly in the statistics. 2. In group A, VAS and ODI of patients were decreased more significantly in the statistics than VAS and ODI of patients in group B.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the effect of spinal decompression with Korean medicine treatment on the herniation of an intervertebral disc (HIVD) in a patient after fusion surgery of a cervical segment. Methods : A single patient was treated with spinal decompression, acupuncture, pharmacoacupuncture, and herbal medication. We measured the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), European Quality of Life-5 Dimension (EQ-5D), Cervical Range of Motion (cervical ROM) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score to evaluate the treatment effects. Results : The patient's post neck pain & pain in both arms improved significantly as suggested by the scores on the NRS, NDI, EQ5D, cervical ROM and BDI. Conclusions : Thus, spinal decompression, including Korean medicine treatment, could be taken into consideration for HIVD patients after fusion surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.597-603
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• 2017

Objective : Several surgical methods have been reported for treatment of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) in the thoracic spine. Despite rapid innovation of instruments and techniques for spinal surgery, the postoperative outcomes are not always favorable. This article reports a minimally invasive anterior decompression technique without instrumented fusion, which was modified from the conventional procedure. The authors present 2 cases of huge beak-type OPLL. Patients underwent minimally invasive anterior decompression without fusion. This method created a space on the ventral side of the OPLL without violating global thoracic spinal stability. Via this space, the OPLL and anterior lateral side of the dural sac can be seen and manipulated directly. Then, total removal of the OPLL was accomplished. No orthosis was needed. In this article, we share our key technique and concepts for treatment of huge thoracic OPLL. Methods : Case 1. 51-year-old female was referred to our hospital with right lower limb radiating pain and paresis. Thoracic OPLL at T6-7 had been identified at our hospital, and conservative treatment had been tried without success. Case 2. This 54-year-old female with a 6-month history of progressive gait disturbance and bilateral lower extremity radiating pain (right>left) was admitted to our institute. She also had hypoesthesia in both lower legs. Her symptoms had been gradually progressing. Computed tomography scans showed massive OPLL at the T9-10 level. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracolumbar spine demonstrated ventral bony masses with severe anterior compression of the spinal cord at the same level. Results : We used this surgical method in 2 patients with a huge beaked-type OPLL in the thoracic level. Complete removal of the OPLL via anterior decompression without instrumented fusion was accomplished. The 1st case had no intraoperative or postoperative complications, and the 2nd case had 1 intraoperative complication (dural tear) and no postoperative complications. There were no residual symptoms of the lower extremities. Conclusion : This surgical technique allows the surgeon to safely and effectively perform minimally invasive anterior decompression without instrumented fusion via a transthoracic approach for thoracic OPLL. It can be applied at the mid and lower level of the thoracic spine and could become a standard procedure for treatment of huge beak-type thoracic OPLL.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.6
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• pp.680-688
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• 2018

Objective : To mitigate the risk of iatrogenic instability, new posterior decompression techniques able to preserve musculoskeletal structures have been introduced but never extensively investigated from a biomechanical point of view. This study was aimed to investigate the impact on spinal flexibility caused by a unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression, in comparison to the intact condition and a laminectomy with preservation of a bony bridge at the vertebral arch. Secondary aims were to investigate the biomechanical effects of two-level decompression and the quantification of the restoration of stability after posterior fixation. Methods : A universal spine tester was used to measure the flexibility of six L2-L5 human spine specimens in intact conditions and after decompression and fixation surgeries. An incremental damage protocol was applied : 1) unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression at L3-L4; 2) on three specimens, the unilateral laminotomy was extended to L4-L5; 3) laminectomy with preservation of a bony bridge at the vertebral arch (at L3-L4 in the first three specimens and at L4-L5 in the rest); and 4) pedicle screw fixation at the involved levels. Results : Unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression had a minor influence on the lumbar flexibility. In flexion-extension, the median range of motion increased by 8%. The bone-preserving laminectomy did not cause major changes in spinal flexibility. Two-level decompression approximately induced a twofold destabilization compared to the single-level treatment, with greater effect on the lower level. Posterior fixation reduced the flexibility to values lower than in the intact conditions in all cases. Conclusion : In vitro testing of human lumbar specimens revealed that unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression and bone-preserving laminectomy induced a minor destabilization at the operated level. In absence of other pathological factors (e.g., clinical instability, spondylolisthesis), both techniques appear to be safe from a biomechanical point of view.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2019

Objective : The aim of this nationwide study was to analyze the current state of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic spine tumors according to surgical methods. Methods : Data was extracted from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. Surgery was categorized into three methods : fusion, decompression, and vertebroplasty. Data included patient age, sex, health insurance type, and co-morbidities. Survival rates of metastatic spine tumor patients according to each surgical method were evaluated. Results : Among 1677 patients who had an operation, 823 patients were treated by fusion, 141 patients underwent decompression, and 713 patients were treated by vertebroplasty. The three most prevalent primary tumor sites were the lung, breast, and liver & biliary. On the other hand, the three most prevalent primary tumor sites of patients who underwent surgery were the lung, liver & biliary, and the prostate. The median survival periods for each surgical method in the metastatic spine tumor patients were 228 days for those who underwent surgery, 249 days for decompression, and 154 days for vertebroplasty. Age, sex, and comorbidities significantly affected survival rate. Conclusion : For every primary tumor site, decompression was the least common surgical method during the study period. Although the three surgical methods did not significantly affect the survival period, patients with a poor prognosis tended to undergo vertebroplasty.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.618-618
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• 2019