Spinal Cord Hemangioblastoma: Diagnosis and Clinical Outcome after Surgical Treatment

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord hemangioblastoma is an uncommon vascular neoplasm with a benign nature and is associated with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease in 20-30% of patients. Total removal of these tumors without significant neurological deficit remains a great challenge. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of VHL mutation analysis and to evaluate surgical outcome of patients with spinal cord hemangioblastomas. METHODS: This study included nine patients treated for spinal cord hemangioblastomas at our institute between December 1994 and March 2006. There were four male and five female patients. Mean age was 37.8 years. The mean follow-up period was 22.4 months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the complete neuraxis was done in all cases and VHL mutation analysis was performed in three cases for a definite diagnosis. RESULTS: Six patients had intramedullary tumor, and the remaining patients had intradural extramedullary lesions. Five patients were associated with VHL disease. The von Hippel-Lindau mutation analysis was done in three patients and two of them showed VHL gene abnormality. Tumors were located in the cervical cord in five cases and in the thoracic cord in four cases. All patients underwent surgical intervention, and total removal was achieved in six cases. All patients showed improvement or, at least, clinically stationary state. Surgical complications did not develop in any cases. CONCLUSION: Spinal hemangioblastoma in this series has been safely and effectively removed via a posterior approach. Postoperatively, clinical outcome was excellent in the majority of cases. The VHL mutation analysis was useful in patients with family history and in those with multiple hemangioblastomas.

EFFECT OF DFDB AND GTAM BARRIERS ON BONE REGENERATION AROUND IMMEDIATE IMPLANTS PLACED IN SURGICALLY DFFECTIVE SOCKET / 대한치과보철학회지

Dental implant may be immediately placed in postextraction socket which has alveolar bone defect. The purpose of this study was to compare the bone regeneration and bone quality around defects adjacent to implants that were placed into extraction sockets according to EFEB, GTAM barrier and GTAM barrier with DFDB. Mandibular P2, P3 and P4 were extracted bilaterally in dogs, and buccal defects were created about 4mm in depth and 3.3mm in width. Screwed pure titanium implants, 3.8mm in diameter and 10mm in length, were placed into the extraction sockets. The experimental groups were divided into four groups : the G group was covered with a GTAM barrier on the defective area, the D+G group was filled with DFEB and covered with a GTAM barrier, the D group was filled with DFDB only and the control group was sutured without any special treatment on the defective area. The experimental animals were killed after 12 weeks and specimens were prepared for light microscopic evaluation and fluorescent dyes were administered daily for 2 weeks after implantation, and injected on the 4th and 11th week for fluorescent microscopic examination to observe new bone formation and bone remodeling. The new Bone height of the buccal defect was measured and compared with the another for bone gain and the removal torque for the implant was measured for the comparison of bone density and bone-implant osseointegration. Results obtained were as follows : 1. Experimental groups showed bone regeneration in oder from D+G, G, D group and control. D+G and G group was significantly from D group and control(P0.05) These results suggest that immediate implants placed in defective sockets were successfully osseointegrated and utilizing placed in defective sockets were successfully osseointegrated and utilizing not only the combination of GTAM and DFDB but also only the GTAM was favorable for the predictable regeneration of the defective area.