Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Using Titanium Cages and Morselized Local Bone Autograft / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study to evaluate the results of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) using titanium cages filled with morselized local bone. OBJECTIVE: To verify the clinical and radiological results of the PLIF procedure using rectangular titanium cages filled with morselized local bone. SUMMARY AND LITERATURE REVIEW: Stabilization of the spine can be achieved by interbody arthrodesis through the posterior approach. However many significant problems including bone graft collapse, resorption, nonunion, and iliac donor site morbidity caused by the classic PLIF procedure need to be solved. The use of local bone and a titanium cage might be a solution. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fifty-nine patients(average age at surgery, 51.3 years), who underwent surgery for degenerated low back disease, were enrolled in this study. The average follow-up duration was 19.9 months. The radiological fusion status, intervertebral disc heights, visual analogue scales, clinical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-three (73%) patients were classified as complete-union, 16 (27%) patients as probable-union, and no patients were classified as non-union. The average intervertebral disc height increased by 3.7 mm at immediate postoperatively, and the average subsidence was 1.1 mm at the final follow-up. The average visual analogue scale decreased from 5.5 to 1.4 for back pain and from 6.6 to 0.8 for radicular pain. Nineteen (32%) and 28 (48%) patients were classified as excellent and good, respectively, according to clinical outcome assessment by Kim and Kim criteria. The complications encountered were a dural tear in 8 patients, partial root injury in 1, and upper adjacent segment instability during follow-up in 2. CONCLUSION: PLIF using titanium cages filled with morselized local bone has the advantages of maintaining an intervertebral disc height, immediate stability, and the avoidance of donor site morbidity. However, longer-term results are needed, because the follow-up period of this study was relatively short

Patellar Nonresurfacing in Total Knee Arthroplasty

PURPOSE: The management of the patella in total knee arthroplasty is still controversy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical and radiological results after total knee arthroplasty without patellar resurfacing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospective evaluated the nonresurfaced patella in 50 Knees(45 patients) at an average of 65.5 months after total knee arthroplasty(Duracon (R), Howmedica, Rutherford, NJ). Patients were diagnosed as osteoarthritis in 45 and rheumatoid arthritis in 3 and the others were osteonecrosis and evaluated using the knee society knee score, functional knee score and modified patellar score. RESULTS: The mean preoperative knee society knee score in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis were 58.2 and 36.7 points, and functional score were 35.8 and 34 points. The mean postoperative knee society knee score in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis were 94.5 and 91.2 points, and functional score were 73.2 and 81 points and the mean modified patellar score was 28.5 points, and 26 cases(52%) were excellent(30-35 points), 18 cases(36%) were good(25-29 points) and 6 cases(12%) were fair(20-24 points). There were no patella-associated complications and in 8 cases(16%) of anterior knee pain, which resolved by a postoperative 4.1 months with conservative treatment. CONCLUSION: Total knee arthroplasty with patelloplasty, without patellar resurfacing , provided satisfactory results without significant problems, and can avoid the patellar complications. But long term radiological and clinical follow-up is recommended.

A Case of Multiple Septic Arthritis by Streptococcus pneumoniae in Kawasaki Disease / 소아과

In Kawasaki disease, arthritis may occur, generally affecting the hands, knees, ankles, or hips. Operations have not usually been needed. We report a case of Kawasaki Disease with multiple septic arthritis which was caused by S. pneumoniae and which needed athrotomy with drainage for both hips, both knees, and both ankle joints. A two year, ten-month-old girl was admitted to our pediatric department. She had a high fever for four days, erythema of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa with a "strawberry" tongue and dry, cracked lips and scarlatiniform rash around the neck and in the groin area, perianal desquamation and a nonsuppurative left cervical lymphadenopathy. At first, we diagnosed her condition as typical Kawasaki disease, and treated her with intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) and aspirin. On the sixth admission day, arthralgia developed in both hip joints. She refused to bear weight on the both lower limbs and resisted all passive motion of the hip. An ultrasonogram of the both hip joints revealed an effusion, and four milliliters of grossly purulent material was aspirated from them. Gram staining of this material showed many leukocytes and Gram-positive diplococci. The finding was consistent with septic arthritis. An open arthrotomy of the hip was done and antibiotics prescribed. On the 7th admission day, the findings of multiple athritis were found including ultrasonogram, in both hips, both knees, both ankles, both shoulders, and both elbow joints as well as both wrist joints. The purulent material culture from the left hip and right knee joints' fluid revealed S. pneumoniae. On the 9th and 11th admission day, arthrostomy was performed on the both hips, both knees, and both ankle joints.