Therapeutic Effects of Kyphoplasty on Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures

OBJECTIVE: Percutaneous kyphoplasty using a balloon-catheter is an widely accepted method which achieves the restoration of vertebral height and the correction of kyphotic deformity with little complication in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. The authors assess the results of 59 patients who underwent kyphoplasty, and analyze the factors that could affect the prognosis. METHODS: From December 2001 to May 2003, fifty-nine patients underwent kyphoplasty. The patients included 49 women and 10 men aged 52-85 years. Average t-score on bone marrow density was -3.58. About 7cc of polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) was injected into the fractured vertebral body using Kyphon(R) under local anesthesia. The vertical height of all fractured vertebrae was measured both before and after surgery. Outcome data were obtained by comparing pre- and post-operative VAS score and by assessing postoperative satisfaction, drug dependency and activity. Various clinical factors were analyzed to assess the relationship with the outcome. RESULTS: The VAS score improved significantly, and the mean percentage of restored vertebral height was 53%. The mean improvement in kyphosis was 3.6degrees. Eighty-nine percent of the patients gained excellent or good results. Any of the clinical factors including the interval between fracture and operation, the degree of height loss, the degree of the vertebral height restoration or the correction rate of kyphosis did not affect the clinical results. CONCLUSION: Kyphoplasty is associated with a statistically significant improvement in pain and function with little complication. The clinical results are not affected by any clinical parameters. Further follow-up study is needed to determine whether the restoration affects the long-term clinical results.

Clinical Features of Posterior Inferior Cerebella Artery Aneurysms / 대한뇌혈관외과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to characterize the distribution of posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysm, the computed tomography (CT) patterns of hemorrhage, and the clinical presentation thereof. METHODS: We reviewed the records 1050 patients with intracranial aneurysms treated at our institution between January 1999 and November 2003. Upon clinical review of radiological data and postoperative reports, we found 20 patients with PICA aneurysms. RESULTS: The incidence of PICA aneurysms was 1.9% of all intracranial aneurysms. The location of PICA aneurysms varied. Of the 20 PICA aneurysm cases, ruptured aneurysms accounted for 18 cases. Review of only these ruptured cases resulted in the following observations : Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) was presented in 94.4% of cases. Isolated infratentorial and supratentorial SAH was present in 7 cases (38.9%) and 2 cases (11.1%), respectively. SAH involving the infratentorial and supratentorial region was present in 8 cases (44.5%). Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) with or without associated SAH was seen in 77.8% of cases, whereas isolated IVH was seen in only one case. Perimedullary large hematoma was present in 50% of cases, while the hematoma was consistently thicker on the aneurysm side. Hydrochephalus was present in 16 cases (88.9%). Although patients' postoperative outcomes were excellent or good in 70% of the above cases, initial angiograms failed to reveal ruptured PICA aneurysms in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: PICA aneurysm is rare in most aneurysm cases. However, awareness of a possibility of PICA aneurysm and its features are still nonetheless important. IVH and hydrocephalus are commonly presented with a ruptured PICA aneurysm and complete vertebral angiography is a required to recognize this condition.

Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release: Surgical Outcome in 100 Cases

OBJECTIVE: Carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy in the upper extremities. For the surgical treatment of CTS, endoscopic carpal tunnel release(ECTR) has been developed as a minimally invasive method, alternative to the open procedure over the past decade. The authors present clinical experience and surgical outcome of ECTR. METHODS: One hundred cases(34 right, 30 left and 19 bilateral hands) in 81 consecutive patients(mean age: 51.8 years, range: 33-77 years) with electrodiagnostically-proven CTS underwent a single-portal ECTR from January 2001 to December 2002. Preoperative clinical findings and results of electrodiagnostic studies were compared with surgical outcome respectively after 3-month-follow-up period. RESULTS: Among 100 cases 94(94%) were satisfied with complete or significant relief of symptoms and 6(6%) were dissatisfied with partial or no relief of symptoms. Major complications in 2 cases(one with ulnar nerve injury and the other one with ulnar artery laceration), developed in early experience of ECTR and recurrence in 1 case occured. Severity of electrodiagnostic abnormalities were correlated with surgical outcome but there's no statistical significance between them. Severity of clinical findings, age at onset and symptom duration were not correlated with surgical outcome respectively. CONCLUSION: ECTR is effective in relieving symptoms of CTS with a low complication rate after the learning curve period. Thus, ECTR can be the first procedure, alternative to the open surgery as an efficient, minimally invasive surgical technique for CTS.

The Role of Hypotension and Hypoxia in Determining Outcome Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: It is well known that hypotension and hypoxia are detrimental secondary brain insults and have deleterious effects on the outcome of patients with severe closed head injuries. We evaluated the effect of hypotension and hypoxia on aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH). METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 159 consecutive operated aneurysmal SAH cases. Hypotension and hypoxia were identified during the patients' operation and intensive care unit hospitalization. We analyzed them as four mutually exclusive categories: neither hypotension nor hypoxia(normal), hypotension only, hypoxia only, hypotension and hypoxia combined. The outcome following aneurysmal SAH was determined by the Glasgow outcome scale score and then analyzed. The incidence of occurrence of hydrocephalus and clinical vasospasm were also analyzed. RESULTS: 22 patients(13.8%) experienced hypotension and 16 patients(10.1%) experienced hypoxia and 8 patients(5.0%) experienced both hypotension and hypoxia. The incidence of hydrocephalus in combined category(75.0%) was significantly higher than normal category(14.3%). The incidence of clinical vasospasm in hypotension category(77.3%) and combined category(87.5%) were significantly higher than normal category(38.1%, p<0.05). The outcome of hypotension category and combined category were significantly unfavorable compared with normal category(p<0.05). Furthermore, the impact of hypotensive insult was much greater on good grade Hunt-Hess patients. CONCLUSION: The detrimental secondary brain insults as hypotension and hypoxia occurred not infrequently in aneurysmal SAH patients and had deleterious effects on the outcome of aneurysmal SAH patients. These data suggest that hypotension during critical period in aneurysmal SAH patients should be avoided to improve outcome.

Clinical and Radiological Analysis of Scalp Masses

OBJECTIVE: The authors report an analysis of clinical data including incidence, clinical manifestations, diagnostic tools and surgical treatment of neoplasms of scalp and calvarium in adults. METHODS: The clinical, radiological, and pathological records of 67 patients who underwent mass excision in scalp or skull at our department during recent five years were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age was 43 years(range 16 to 85 years) and male to female ratio was 42 : 25. There were 62 scalp and five calvarial masses. Among scalp masses, there were 52 tumors, three vascular lesions, three inflammatory lesions and four miscellaneous lesions. The scalp tumors were composed of 44 benign lesions and nine malignant lesions. The most common type of scalp tumor was lipoma, followed by epidermoid and dermoid. The calvarial masses consisted of four osteomas and one eosinophilic granuloma. Surgical excision was carried out in all cases. CONCLUSION: Most scalp and calvarial masses are benign lesions, however, surgical excision seemed to be indicated in most cases for diagnosis and treatment.

Intradiscal Electrothermotherapy(IDET) in Patients with Chronic Discogenic Low Back Pain; Preliminary Report

OBJECTIVE: The IDET(Intradiscal electrothermal therapy) appears as a new therapeutic modality for intractable discogenic back pain. We carried out a prospective study to analyze and evaluate the therapeutic effects of IDET. METHODS AND RESULTS: During a six month period, we performed IDET in 39 patients with chronic low back pain using RITA Model 30 Electrosurgical device. The patients included 21 men and 18 women. The mean patient age was 50.2 years(range 21-73 years). All patients underwent preoperative plain radiography and MRI for excluding non-discogenic back pain. We conducted discography-CT to reveal painful discs in all patients. During the study, we measured intradiscal pressure subjectively. The area of annular tear, which identified with post-discography CT scan, was coagulated in 90degreesC of temperature for 15 minutes. Of the 17 patients who were followed up more than three months after surgery, the 10 patients(58.8%) experienced clinical improvement. Three patients had high intradiscal pressure on discography, other three patients had loss of disc height more than 30% of normal on plain radiography, and one patient suffered from postoperative epidural abscess. All of these patients were included in the remaining no improvement group(41.2%). CONCLUSION: The IDET procedure could be an alternative modality for discogenic back pain. It appears that a patient who has low intradiscal pressure on discography and intact disc height on plain radiography is considered a good candidate for IDET.

Vim Thalamotomy for Intractable Rubral Tremor Associated with Midbrain Tumor: Case Report

No abstract available.

Stereotactic LINAC Radiosurgery of Meningiomas

No abstract available.