Occupational Characteristics and Health Status of Vietnamese Male Migrant Workers in the Republic of Korea

Background@#The objective of this study is to identify the working conditions and health status of Vietnamese male migrant workers in Republic of Korea, in comparison to the Korean general population. @*Methods@#We conducted our survey through the Migrant People Center, and we received completed questionnaires from 87 male Vietnamese migrant workers. The questionnaire employed was identical to those used in the Korean Working Conditions Survey and the 2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The collected data from the Vietnamese migrant workers was then compared with the Korean reference population using indirect age-standardization. @*Results@#Vietnamese male workers demonstrated a higher prevalence of health problems including hearing problems (age-standardized prevalence ratio (aSPR) 13.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.07–20.4), skin problems (aSPR 13.49, 95% CI: 8.07–20.4), and low back pain (aSPR 8.40, 95% CI: 6.50–10.69). Elevated exposure to workplace hazards such as chemicals (aSPR 2.36, 95% CI: 1.51–3.51), organic solvents (aSPR 2.22, 95% CI: 1.44–3.28), handling of heavy objects (aSPR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.24–2.21), and high temperatures (aSPR 1.96, 95% CI: 1.46–2.57) was observed among them. Additionally, they faced a higher risk of no personal protective equipment (aSPR 2.53, 95% CI: 1.26–4.52) and a greater prevalence of unmet medical needs (aSPR 7.14, 95% CI: 4.74–10.32). @*Conclusion@#Our findings highlight the elevated workplace hazards, health problems, and unmet medical needs among Vietnamese male workers compared to the Korean reference population. These findings underscores the urgency for enhanced scrutiny over working conditions and protective equipment provision, coupled with efforts to improve healthcare accessibility and worker education.

Health Effects Associated With Humidifier Disinfectant Use: A Systematic Review for Exploration

Background@#It has been 10 years since the outbreak of lung disease caused by humidifier disinfectants in Korea, but the health effects have not yet been summarized. Therefore, this study aims to systematically examine the health effects of humidifier disinfectants that have been discovered so far. @*Methods@#All literature with humidifier disinfectants and their representative components as the main words were collected based on the web, including PubMed, Research Information Sharing Service, and government publication reports. A total of 902 studies were searched, of which 196 were selected. They were divided into four groups: published human studies (group 1), published animal and cytotoxicology studies (group 2), technical reports (group 3), and gray literature (group 4). @*Results@#Out of the 196 studies, 97 (49.5%) were published in peer-reviewed journals as original research. Group 1 consisted of 49 articles (50.5%), while group 2 consisted of 48 articles (49.5%). Overall, respiratory diseases such as humidifier disinfectant associated lung injury, interstitial lung disease, and asthma have a clear correlation, but other effects such as liver, heart, thymus, thyroid, fetal growth, metabolic abnormalities, and eyes are observed in toxicological experimental studies, but have not yet been identified in epidemiologic studies. @*Conclusion@#The current level of evidence does not completely rule out the effects of humidifier disinfectants on extrapulmonary disease. Based on the toxicological evidence so far, it is required to monitor the population of humidifier disinfectant exposure continuously to see if similar damage occurs.

Surgical Results of Scleral Buckling without Subretinal Fluid Drainage in Patients with Primary Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Purpose@#To assess the clinical outcomes of scleral buckling (SB) without subretinal fluid drainage (SRFD) on primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). @*Methods@#The medical records of patients with RRD treated via SB without SRFD from March 2009 to Feb 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Cases with histories of previous intraocular surgery (except cataract removal) were excluded. The primary and final surgical success rates were the main outcome measures. Pre- and post-operative visual acuity and intraocular pressure (IOP), factors that might affect the surgical success rate, secondary operative procedures, re-operation rates, and complications were analyzed. @*Results@#A total of 66 eyes of 66 patients were included. The mean patient age was 38.9 ± 18.6 years and the mean symptom duration 19.23 ± 25.14 days. The retinae were reattached after single surgeries on 57 eyes (success rate 86.36%); the final success rate was 100% after a second operation (when necessary). Of the nine eyes requiring additional surgery, seven required vitrectomy and two vitrectomy combined with buckle revision. The mean preoperative logMAR visual acuity of 0.578 ± 0.647 improved to 0.518 ± 0.512 at 1 month after surgery (p < 0.001) and to 0.262 ± 0.372 at the last follow-up visit (p < 0.001). The postoperative IOP was higher than the preoperative IOP at 3 months (p = 0.024). @*Conclusions@#Scleral buckling without SRFD used to treat primary RRD afforded a high reattachment rate (compared to those of previous reports employing vitrectomy or scleral buckling with SRFD). Given the possible complications of SRFD, our method may be a safe and feasible surgical option, affording good results with few complications in patients with primary RRD.

Surgical Results of Scleral Buckling without Subretinal Fluid Drainage in Patients with Primary Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Purpose@#To assess the clinical outcomes of scleral buckling (SB) without subretinal fluid drainage (SRFD) on primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). @*Methods@#The medical records of patients with RRD treated via SB without SRFD from March 2009 to Feb 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Cases with histories of previous intraocular surgery (except cataract removal) were excluded. The primary and final surgical success rates were the main outcome measures. Pre- and post-operative visual acuity and intraocular pressure (IOP), factors that might affect the surgical success rate, secondary operative procedures, re-operation rates, and complications were analyzed. @*Results@#A total of 66 eyes of 66 patients were included. The mean patient age was 38.9 ± 18.6 years and the mean symptom duration 19.23 ± 25.14 days. The retinae were reattached after single surgeries on 57 eyes (success rate 86.36%); the final success rate was 100% after a second operation (when necessary). Of the nine eyes requiring additional surgery, seven required vitrectomy and two vitrectomy combined with buckle revision. The mean preoperative logMAR visual acuity of 0.578 ± 0.647 improved to 0.518 ± 0.512 at 1 month after surgery (p < 0.001) and to 0.262 ± 0.372 at the last follow-up visit (p < 0.001). The postoperative IOP was higher than the preoperative IOP at 3 months (p = 0.024). @*Conclusions@#Scleral buckling without SRFD used to treat primary RRD afforded a high reattachment rate (compared to those of previous reports employing vitrectomy or scleral buckling with SRFD). Given the possible complications of SRFD, our method may be a safe and feasible surgical option, affording good results with few complications in patients with primary RRD.

Prognostic Factors Affecting Visual Recovery in Terson Syndrome with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to survey the anatomical angiographic finding of the aneurysm and identify parameters associated with visual recovery of the patients with Terson syndrome (TS). METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted on 494 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from 2008 to 2015. Radiologists independently reviewed findings on computed tomography scans and cerebral digital subtraction angiography. Ophthalmologists conducted ophthalmological examinations for patients who had no communication problem. The degree of visual acuity recovery (DVAR) was measured based on the visual acuity difference between the initial and sixth-month follow-up. Favorable visual recovery was defined as DVAR >0.4. RESULTS: A total of 494 patients diagnosed with aneurysmal SAH were given admission to a single institute, of whom 171 received ophthalmological examinations. Of the total, 40 patients were diagnosed with TS and 54 eyeballs were affected by vitreous or retinal hemorrhage. In the multivariable analysis, male sex (odds ratio [OR] 9.530; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.824–49.801), favorable Glasgow coma scale (GCS) (≥13 points) (OR 8.073; 95% CI 1.226–53.148), and anterior orientation of aneurysm (OR 5.006; 95% CI 1.842–29.751) were identified as independent factors predicting favorable visual recovery after adjusting covariables. CONCLUSION: TS was identified in 23.4% of patients with aneurysmal SAH. Male sex, favorable GCS at admission, and anterior orientation of the aneurysm were identified as prognostic factors for favorable visual recovery. It is proposed that positive ophthalmologic consultation and treatment can be helpful in improving vision and quality of life of TS patients.

Quarter-Shifted Microincisional Sutureless Vitrectomy in Patients with a Glaucoma Drainage Implant or Filtering Bleb

When vitrectomy is performed in eyes that have undergone glaucoma surgery, the site of sclerotomy often overlaps with the previous glaucoma operation site. It can lead to serious complications such as postoperative hypotony, leakage, and/or infection. Our technique involves modification of surgeon's position and two sclerotomy sites 45° away from the original position, with an infusion cannula inserted infranasally to avoid damage to the glaucoma drainage implant or filtering bleb. The modified approach was applied to seven eyes with various indications. Vitrectomy was successfully completed, and there were no sclerotomy site complications, leakage, or hypotony in any case. Good intraocular pressure control was maintained throughout the postoperative course in all cases.

Endoscopic Excision of Schwannoma of Sciatic Nerve Using Hip Arthroscopy / 대한정형외과학회잡지

As the expertise of the surgeon improves in arthroscopic surgery of the hip, the number of conditions treated by it also increases. In this case, an arthroscopic treatment was performed on a patient with piriformis syndrome due to schwannoma on the sciatic nerve. Meticulous excision of the cystic lesion on the sciatic nerve was completely performed and neither recurrence nor complication of the surgery was observed. Endoscopic excision using arthroscopy is useful for reducing postoperative pain and achieving early return to activities for the patient.

Clinical Experience of Interferon Alfa-2a Treatment for Refractory Uveitis in Behcet's Disease

Behcet's disease (BD) involves multisystem vasculitis of unknown origin. Ocular manifestations of BD mostly include bilateral panuveitis and retinal vasculitis, which are very challenging to treat. Interferon alfa-2a (IFN) has been recently introduced for treating refractory Behcet uveitis, mainly in Germany and Turkey. Nonetheless, there is so far no consensus about the ideal treatment regimen of IFN for Behcet uveitis. We report our experience of IFN treatment in five Korean BD patients with refractory uveitis. All patients complained of oral ulcers; one patient had a positive pathergy test and 2 showed the presence of HLA-B51. Immunosuppressive agents used prior to IFN treatment included cyclosporine and methotrexate. The IFN treatment was commenced with a dose of 6-9 MIU/day for 7 days, adjusted according to individual ocular manifestations, tapered down to 3 MIU three times in a week, and then discontinued. All patients showed positive response to IFN treatment; 50% of them showed complete response without additional major ocular inflammation during the follow-up period. Other BD symptoms also improved after IFN treatment in most cases. After treatment, the relapse rate and the required dose of oral corticosteroid were decreased in most cases, showing a significant steroid-sparing effect. However, the visual acuity was not improved in most cases due to irreversible macular sequelae. Despite the small sample size of this study, we suggest that, in Korean patients, IFN is an effective treatment modality for BD uveitis as was observed in German and Turkish patients.

A Case of Gait Disturbance due to Chronic Bilateral Subdural Hematoma Mimicking Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a spinal cord dysfunction involving compression of the vascular and neural structures due to bony spurring or soft tissue hypertrophy in patients with degenerative cervical disorders. It presents initially as subtle gait disturbance with gradual deterioration. An elderly patient presenting with gait disturbance due to spasticity and motor weakness of both lower extremities without mental change can be easily misdiagnosed as CSM. We report on a case of gait disturbance due to chronic bilateral subdural hematoma mimicking CSM.

Arthroscopic Fragment Excision of Pipkin Type I Displaced Femoral Head Fracture: A Case Report / 대한고관절학회지

There has been a variety of options for treatment of femoral head fracture with hip dislocation according to the Pipkin classification. Pipkin type I fractures with minimal displacement have been treated conservatively. However, in cases where the fracture was displaced or reduced incongruently, it has been treated by open fragment excision or fixation after reduction. In our case, the patient was a 62-year-old man who sustained a displaced fracture of Pipkin type I. We achieved a satisfactory outcome by arthroscopic excision of a displaced bony fragment and small bony fragments that could not be confirmed by pre-operative imaging study. Therefore, we report on the case with a review of the literature.

Prevention and management of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy(DR) is the leading cause of new onset blindness among working-aged groups in industrialized countries, and its incidence is expected to increase along with the rising incidence of diabetes mellitus. Primary interventions such as strict glycemic control, tight blood pressure regulation, and lipid-lowering therapy can significantly reduce the risk of DR occurrence and progression. Currently, laser photocoagulation is the mainstay of treatment of proliferative DR and some cases of diabetic macular edema (DME). However, a considerable number of DR patients still suffer from severe visual impairment in spite of the application of laser photocoagulation and even of pars plana vitrectomy. Considering the limitations of current DR treatments, ongoing efforts have been devoted to the development of new therapeutic strategies, and it has become necessary to focus on pharmacologic treatment. Since inflammation has been identified as playing a substantial role in the pathogenesis of DR, corticosteroids with an anti-inflammatory effect can be included in the treatment of DR, though this may cause cataract and intraocular pressure elevation. The recent discovery of inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor is a revolutionary event in the management of DR, specifically DME. Some new agents aiming at the process of angiogenesis and increased vascular permeability are still under investigation, offering hope for a more effective future treatment of this sight-threatening disease. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of the clinical presentation, preventive management, and clinical therapeutic strategies of DR and DME.

Gentamicin-Induced Macular Toxicity after Transconjunctival Sutureless 23-Gauge Vitrectomy with Prophylactic Subconjunctival Gentamicin Injection

PURPOSE: To report a case of macular toxicity due to gentamicin after transconjunctival 23-gauge sutureless vitrectomy with prophylactic subconjunctival gentamicin injection. CASE SUMMARY: A 60-year-old female presented to our department with decreased vision in her left eye that had persisted for several months. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.5 in the left eye and she was diagnosed with epiretinal membrane and lamellar macular hole. The patient underwent transconjunctival 23-gauge sutureless vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane removal and intravitreal gas injection. Prophylactic subconjunctival gentamicin injection was given at the end of surgery. After 1 week, fundus examination of the left eye showed multiple retinal hemorrhages around inferior temporal vascular arcade. After six weeks, the patient underwent extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation in the left eye. After cataract surgery, BCVA of the left eye was 0.16 and atrophic change with retinal hemorrhage of the macula was observed on fundus examination of the left eye. Fluorescein angiography revealed multiple occlusion of temporal retinal arteries and capillaries of the macula. CONCLUSIONS: When a prophylactic subconjunctival drug is injected at the end of transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy, the drug can inflow into the intraocular space through sutureless sclerotomy sites and induce retinal toxicity.

Milwaukee Shoulder Syndrome in a Eldery Female Patient: A Case Report / 대한정형외과연구학회지

Milwaukee shoulder syndrome is a rare clinical entity that is a rapid destructive shoulder arthropathy associated with deposition of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals. It mainly affects elderly women. It is characterized by the presence of large amount of noninflammatory synovial fluid containing calcium hydroxyapatite crystals, a complete tear of the rotator cuff and progressive degenerative changes at the humeral head, leading to almost complete functional impairment. We present a case of a 65-year-old woman suffered by Milwaukee shoulder syndrome with literature view.

Intravitreal Clindamycin Injection for Toxoplasmic Retinochoroiditis

PURPOSE: To present cases of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TRC) treated successfully with intravitreal clindamycin injection. CASE SUMMARY: (Case 1) A 41-year-old man presented with blurred left eye vision for several months. The patient had a large chorioretinal scar with infiltrations at the boundaries, and fluorescein angiography (FA) showed active retinochoroiditis. Antitoxoplasmosis (antiTX) immunoglobulin G (IgG) was positive, and the patient was started on antiTX medication. Despite several weeks of treatment with maximum doses of antiTx, the TRC progressed and visual acuity worsened. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with intravitreal clindamycin injection (1.0 mg/0.1 ml) was performed, and an additional injection was given 4 weeks later. Six weeks after the second injection, TRC wascompletely resolved with 20/20 vision. (Case 2) A 67-year-old man presented with decreased left eye vision for 1 year. Fundus examinations showed vitreous opacity and epiretinal membranes. The FA revealed retinochoroiditis and the antiTX IgG titer was elevated. The presumed diagnosis was TRC, and oral medications of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clindamycin, and prednisolone was administered. Inflammation began to improve however, as the patient was not tolerating systemic antiTx medications, an intravitreal injection of clindamycin (1.0 mg/0.1 ml) was administered with PPV. The patientdiscontinued oral medication after surgery, and the inflammation resolved 5 weeks later. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal clindamycin injections may be an additional treatment option for TRC in patients who are unable to tolerate systemic therapy or whose disease progresses despite systemic therapy.

A Comparison of Outcomes after Acute and Chronic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical outcomes of a reconstruction with an autogenous hamstring tendon for an acute and chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 71 patients who had undergone an ACL reconstruction with an autogenous hamstring tendon from December 2003 to June 2006. The patients were divided into two groups, reconstruction for an acute injury with 34 knees and reconstruction for a chronic injury with 37 knees. The clinical results were evaluated using the Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Lachman test, Pivot shift test, KT-1000 arthrometer, and a Cybex isokinetic test for the strength of the knee flexor and extensor. The presence of associated intra-articular lesions was also investigated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the stability evaluated by the Lachman test, pivot shift test and KT-1000 arthrometer at the final follow-up (p=0.732, 0.479, 0.078). However, the acute group scored significantly higher with respect to the clinical outcome measured by the Lysholm scores and IKDC rating system at the final follow-up (P=0.042, 0.012). There was a significantly higher incidence of associated intra-articular lesions in the chronic group than those in the acute group (P=0.003). CONCLUSION: A reconstruction for acute ACL injuries showed more satisfactory clinical results and less associated intraarticular lesions than a reconstruction for chronic ACL injuries.

Traumatic Retropharyngeal Hematoma of Delayed Onset in an Anticoagulated Patient / 대한정형외과학회잡지

The development of a retropharyngeal hematoma following a trivial blunt trauma is a rare occurrence. A lateral c-spine X-ray or a cervical CT image that shows marked widening of the prevertebral space is sufficient evidence for the clinical diagnosis of retropharyngeal hematoma. When this complication does occur, it can become life-threatening if the airway is compromised. But the diagnosis is obscure and initially veiled in complaints of sore throat or hoarseness, suggesting infection. Thorough investigation of such complaints is necessary especially in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy. We now report a case of retropharyngeal hematoma that occurred as a delayed-onset consequence of a trivial blunt trauma with no evidence of a bony cervical spine injury. It occurred in a 52-year-old man who had been taking warfarin. We also reviewed the literature.

The Relationship between Spinal Stenosis and Neurological Outcome in Traumatic Cervical Spine Injury: An Analysis using Pavlov's Ratio, Spinal Cord Area, and Spinal Canal Area

BACKGROUND: This study examined the relationship between four radiological parameters (Pavlov's ratio, sagittal diameter, spinal cord area, and spinal canal area) in patients with a traumatic cervical spine injury, as well as the correlation between these parameters and the neurological outcome. METHODS: A total of 212 cervical spinal levels in 53 patients with a distractive-extension injury were examined. The following four parameters were measured: Pavlov's ratio on the plain lateral radiographs, the sagittal diameter, the spinal cord area, and the spinal canal area on the MRI scans. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the parameters at each level and between the levels of each parameter were evaluated. The correlation between the radiological parameters and the spinal cord injury status classified into four categories, A (complete), B (incomplete), C (radiculopathy), and D (normal) was assessed. RESULTS: The mean Pavlov's ratio, sagittal diameter, spinal cord area and spinal canal area was 0.84, 12.9 mm, 82.8 mm2 and 236.8 mm2, respectively. An examination of the correlation between the radiological spinal stenosis and clinical spinal cord injury revealed an increase in the values of the four radiological parameters from cohorts A to D. Pavlov's ratio was the only parameter showing statistically significant correlation with the clinical status (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between the underlying spinal stenosis and the development of neurological impairment after a traumatic cervical spine injury. In addition, it is believed that Pavlov's ratio can be used to help determine and predict the neurological outcome.

The Comparison of Multi-level Fusion versus One-level Fusion to the Development of Adjacent Level Degeneration in Anterior Cervical Arthrodesis with PEEK Cage and Plate Augmentation for the Degenerative Cervical Spinal Disorders / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of multi-level fusion in the development of adjacent level degeneration (ALD) in anterior cervical arthrodesis, as a treatment for degenerative cervical disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospectively, we analyzed 127 patients who underwent arthrodesis with PEEK cage and plate construction for the treatment of degenerative cervical disease. The mean patient age was 54.4+/-10.6 years and the average follow-up period was 48.5+/-8.5 months. Group A composed of 55 patients who underwent one level fusion and group B composed of 72 patients who underwent two or three level fusion. We evaluated and compared the severity of ALD, such as the stage of osteophyte formation, the grade of ALD, and the incidence of ALD according to 4 grading system. RESULTS: The stage of osteophyte formation was 1.62+/-0.85 points in group A and 2.43+/-1.14 points in group B (p=0.02). The grade of ADL was 1.71+/-0.94 points in group A and 2.38+/-1.11 points in group B (p=0.01). The incidence of symptomatic ALD (radiculopathy and/or myelopathy) was 3.6% (2/55 cases) in group A and 4.2% (3/77 cases) in group B (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Multi-level fusion can accelerate the severity of adjacent level degeneration as compared with one level fusion, but there was no correlation in the incidence of symptomatic adjacent level degeneration to the fusion level number after anterior cervical arthrodesis for degenerative cervical diseases.

The Long Term Results of Femoral Varus Osteotomy in Patients with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long term results of performing femoral varus osteotomy (FVO) for the treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 35 LCPD patients who received FVO and they were followed up to the time their skeletons' matured. The inclusion criteria were patients in a fragmentation stage, the patients were in Catterall group III or IV, and the patients underwent a teleoroentgenographic examination at the time of full skeletal maturity. RESULTS: The radiological outcome at the time of skeletal maturity was assessed using Stulberg's classification. The final results were 4 hips in class I, 17 hips in class II, 13 hips in class III, one hip in class IV and none in class V. The satisfactory results (good+fair hips) were 34 hips (97%). Significant shortening (>10 mm) was observed in 12 hips (34%). In 35 patients, 5 (14%) had same leg length (less than 2 mm difference), 27 (77%) had shortening of 2 mm or more, and 3 had lengthening of 2 mm or more in the operated limb. Of these 12 patients with significant shortening, only 3 patients (9%) showed shortening of 21 mm or more. CONCLUSION: FVO is a reliable method for managing LCPD in patients who are in Catterall group III or IV and who are in the fragmentation stage of disease.

Perioperative Complications in Elderly Patients Undergoing Lumbar Arthrodesis with Pedicle Screw Instrumentation in the Degenerative Lumbar Disorders: A Comparative Study between Posterolateral Fusion and Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective study that focused on the perioperative complications when performing posterior arthrodesis for treating degenerative lumbar disorders in elderly patients. OBJECTIVES: We wanted to analyze the perioperative risk factors and the complications associated with posterior lumbar decompression and arthrodesis in patients who were sixty-five years of age or older. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Lumbar arthrodesis is commonly done in elderly patients to treat degenerative spine problems. These patients may be at an increased risk for complications because of their age and their associated medical conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 111 patients who were over 65 years old and they were able to be followed up for more than 3 months after performing posterior arthrodesis during the recent 5 years. Sixty-one patients who had undergone posterolateral fusion (PLF) were classified as group A, and 50 patients who had undergone posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) using a PEEK cage were classified as group B. We analyzed their rates of complications and the causative factors, according to operative methods and age, and these complications occurred within 12 weeks after the operations. RESULTS: Complications occurred for 43 patients of group A, and for 26 patients of group B. The differences in the rates of complications were statistically significant, and group A had a more complications than did group B. The relations between medical problems and the incidence of perioperative complications were statistically significant for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients with medical problems should be made aware that they are at an increased risk for surgical complications, and attention hould be paid to controlling the blood loss and limiting the operative time. The PLIF using a PEEK cage was identified as a procedure that could reduce the perioperative complications.