• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.309-311
• /
• 2013

Ganglion cysts usually arise from the tissues around the facet joints. It is usually associated with degenerative cahanges in facet joints. Bilateral thoracic ganglion cysts are very rare and there is no previous case that located in bilateral intervertebral foramen compressing the L1 nerve root associated with severe radiculopathy. We report a 53 years old woman who presented with bilateral groin pain and severe numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral cystic mass in the intervertebral foramen between 12th thoracal and 1st lumbar vertebrae. The cystic lesions were removed after bilateral exposure of Th12-L1 foramens. The result of hystopathology confirmed the diagnosis as ganglion cyst. The ganglion cyst may compromise lumbar dorsal ganglion when it located in the intervertebral foramen. The surgeon should keep this rare entity in their mind for differential diagnosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.366-369
• /
• 2013

Lumbar microdiscectomy (MD) is the gold standard for treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Generally, the surgeon attempts to protect the facet joint in hopes of avoiding postoperative pain/instability and secondary degenerative arthropathy. We believe that preserving the facet joint is especially important in young patients, owing to their life expectancy and activity. However, preserving the facet joint is not easy during lumbar MD. We propose several technical tips (superolateral extension of conventional laminotomy, oblique drilling for laminotomy, and additional foraminotomy) for facet joint preservation during lumbar MD.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.60 no.3
• /
• pp.294-300
• /
• 2017

Hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) is a benign indolent lesion despite the presentation of refractory epilepsy. Behavioral disturbances and endocrine problems are additional critical symptoms that arise along with HHs. Due to its nature of generating epileptiform discharge and spreading to cortical region, various management strategies have been proposed and combined. Surgical approaches with open craniotomy or endoscopy, stereotactic approaches with radiosurgery and gamma knife surgery or radiofrequency thermos-coagulation, and laser ablation have been introduced. Topographical dimension and the surgeon's preference are key factors for treatment modalities. Endoscopic disconnection has been one of the most favorable options performed in treating HHs. Here we discuss presurgical evaluation, patient selection, surgical procedures, and complications.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.37
• /
• pp.43.1-43.5
• /
• 2015

Image-guided surgery potentially enhances intraoperative safety and outcomes in a variety of craniomaxillofacial procedures. We explore the efficiency of one intraoperative navigation system in a single complex craniofacial case, review the initial and recurring costs, and estimate the added cost (e.g., additional setup time, registration). We discuss the potential challenges and benefits of utilizing image-guided surgery in our specific case and its benefits in terms of educational and teaching purposes and compare this with traditional osteotomies that rely on a surgeon's thorough understanding of anatomy coupled with tactile feedback to blindly guide the osteotome during surgery. A 13-year-old presented with untreated syndromic multi-suture synostosis, brachycephaly, severe exorbitism, and midface hypoplasia. For now, initial costs are high, recurring costs are relatively low, and there are perceived benefits of imaged-guided surgery as an excellent teaching tool for visualizing difficult and often unseen anatomy through computerized software and multi-planar real-time images.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.59-65
• /
• 2015

The extraction of third molars is a common task carried out at dental/surgery clinics. Postoperative pain is one of the two most common complications of this surgery, along with dry socket. Knowledge of the frequent risk factors of this complication is useful in determining high-risk patients, planning treatment, and preparing the patients mentally. Since the risk factors for postoperative pain have never been summarized before while the risk factors for dry socket have been highly debated, this report summarizes the literature regarding the common predictors of postextraction pain. Except for surgical difficulty and the surgeon's experience, the influences of other risk factors (age, gender and oral contraceptive use) were rather inconclusive. The case of a female gender or oral contraceptive effect might mainly be associated with estrogen levels (when it comes to dry socket), which can differ considerably from case to case. Improvement in and unification of statistical and diagnostic methods seem necessary. In addition, each risk factor was actually a combination of various independent variables, which should instead be targeted in more comprehensive studies.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.151-154
• /
• 2013

Multiple myeloma, a multicentric hematological malignancy, is the most common primary tumor of the spine. As epidural myeloma causing spinal cord compression is a rare condition, its therapeutic approach and clinical results have been reported to be diverse, and no clear guidelines for therapeutic decision have been established. Three patients presented with progressive paraplegia and sensory disturbance. Image and serological studies revealed multiple myeloma and spinal cord compression caused by epidural myeloma. Emergency radiotherapy and steroid therapy were performed in all three cases. However, their clinical courses and results were distinctly different. Following review of our cases and the related literature, we suggest a systematic therapeutic approach for these patients to achieve better clinical results.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.179-180
• /
• 2005

Non linear finite element analyses were performed in various configurations of stem-ball head. High stresses were found for the cases when the stem tended to penetrate less into the ball head. An upgraded design of the cone may improve the loading of the ball head to resist trauma-like loading more effectively than manipulating the ball diameter. When the surgeon needs to use small ball heads (i.e. 22 mm), the use of zirconia seems to be appropriate also. After simulating a trauma like loading of the materials, it was found that the deepness of the cone to locate the stem is of major importance for the performance of the device. Further work, considering more sizes for the cone design should be performed in order to determine an optimal depth for the cone in relation to the diameter of the ball head. Also the simulation of contacts pairs including polyethylene and CoCr is important for further research.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.232-234
• /
• 1996

For surgical Treatment of spastic deformities of the foot, selective peripheral neurotomies were introduced. These neurotomies utilize microsurgical techniques and intraoperative electrical stimulation for better identification of the function of the fascicles constituting the nerve. Selectivity is required to supress the excess of spasticity without excessive weakening of motor strength and without producing exaggerated amyotrophy. To achieve this goal, minimum one fourth of the motor fibers must be preserved. Neurotomies may be indicated when spasticity is localized to muscle or muscle groups supplied by a single or a few peripheral nerves that are easily accessible. To help the surgeon decide if neurotomy is appropriate, temporary local anesthetic block of the nerve with bupivacaine can be useful. Such a test can determine if articular limitations result from spasticity, musculotendinous contractures, or articular ankyloses because only spasticity is decreased by the test. In additon, these tests give the patient a chance to appreciate what to expect from the operation.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.8-13
• /
• 2014

Amputation of diabetic foot ulcer and infection is a critical modality for saving a patient's life from life threatening infections or ischemic limbs. However, it can cause serious handicaps or complications, such as lifetime shortening and re-amputation of the other limb. The minimal amputation is the main goal of amputation in diabetic patients. However, insufficient amputation can have a harmful effect on patients. The decision of amputation is very difficult and should be made using multidisciplinary approaches. All aspects of the patient's situation, including vascular status, degree of infection, and medical conditions should be considered. The foot surgeon should keep in mind the notion that proper amputation can lead to a new life for diabetic foot patients.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2018

Ankle arthrodesis is a common and standard treatment for patients with end-stage ankle arthritis. The surgical goals of ankle arthrodesis are to obtain bony union between the tibia and talus with adequate alignment, and provide a pain-free plantigrade foot for weightbearing activities. To achieve successful fusion, the surgeon should closely examine the patient's factors before surgery, particularly the following: adjacent arthritis and deformity, infection, avascular necrosis of talus, Charcot arthropathy, and rheumatoid arthritis. Recently, ankle arthroplasty has been reported to provide satisfactory clinical results. On the other hand, long-term follow-up results are still lacking, and considering the various complications of arthroplasty, ankle arthrodesis is still the primary surgical treatment for advanced arthritis of the ankle joint.