Diagnosis and Treatment for the Extraforaminal Lumbar Disc Herniation / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed nine patients of lumbar extraforaminal disc herniation which underwent conservative or surgical treatment. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the clinical characteristics, accuracy of diagnostic methods, and result of conservative or surgical treatment for the lumbar extraforaminal disc herniation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Lumbar extraforaminal disc herniation represents an important component of lumbar disc herniation because of the difficulty in diagnosis and the difference in clinical characteristics and surgical approaches in contrast to usual intracanalicular disc herniation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine patients which we have experienced from March 1994 to February 1997 were evaluated by physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, EMG, and disco-enhanced computed tomogram. There were 4 males and 5 females, and average age was 42.4 years. RESULTS: The level of herniation was 4 cases at L4-5 and 5 at L5-S1. Radiating pain was chief complaint but low back pain was absent or mild. Accuracy of disco-enhanced computed tomogram was superior to that of magnetic resonance imaging. The results of conservative treatment were good in 2 cases(40%), fair in 2 cases(40%), and poor in 1 case(20%). And those of surgical treatment including partial laminectomy, medial facetectomy, and discectomy or extraforaminal approach were excellent in 3 cases(75%), good in 1 case(25%) according to the grading of MacNab. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar extraforaminal disc herniation represents compressive symptoms of upper lumbar root of the involved level characteristically. Location and degree of disc herniation is an important tractor for determining the surgical approach, and disco-enhanced computed tomogram is a definite diagnostic method.

The Influence of Diabetes Mellitus on the Healing of Segmental Defect of Sciatic Nerve of Rat / 대한정형외과학회잡지

To assess the influence of diabetes mellitus on the healing of segmental defect of rat, a defect measuring 5mm was made at right sciatic nerve in thirty-three adult female Wistar rats(control group:17, diabetic group:16). To induce diabetes in rats, Streptozotocin(50mg/kg body weight) was injected into tail vein after dissolution in saline solution. Both proximal and distal nerve ends were connected with 9mm long silicone tube, and the tube was filled with 10µl collagen(Vitrogen 100) solution. Two and 4 weeks after the operation, electromyographic study(latency period and amplitude) and histologic examination(the number of myelinated axon, non-neuronal cell, and vessel at mid-chamber level, the mid-chamber cross-sectional area) after toluidine blue staining were carried out. From the results, we concluded that diabetes mellitus retarded the healing process of segmental defect of sciatic nerve in rat. And we might suggest that if we meet this situation in clinical practice, we have to consider some supportive measures to overcome the bad effect of diabetes mellitus on the healing of nerve defect.

Reduction Method of Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: A New Method / 대한정형외과학회잡지

There have been many methods of manual reduction of shoulder dislocation. But each method has its unique complications such as fracture of'humeral neck or shaft as well as vascular and nerve injuries around the shoulder due to excessive pulling and rotation during the maneuver. The present authors devised a method in which the backrest of a chair is used as a fulcrum during manupulative reduction. The dislocated shoulder can be abducted by the backrest rim, when the armpit is placed over the top of the backrest. In this abducted position of the shoulder, minimal adduction force on distal humerus and gentle backward pressure on humeral head are very effective in reducing the anterioly disocated shoulder.

Rachitic Bow Leg Deformity / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Patients with rickets frequently are seen by orthopaedic surgeon with complaints of growth disturbance, limb deformity, weakness, and multiple fracture. Among them, bow leg deformity is the most common and difficult orthopaedic problem. In growing child, however, if effective tretment is given sufficiently in early age and early disease process, the deformities usually correct spontaneously and there is little need for orthopaedic treatment other than careful observation. The orthopaedic treatment may be required to correct deformities that cannot be expected to improve with growth. A clinical study was done for 11 cses of rachitic bow leg deformity who were treated at the department of orthopaedic surgery, Catholic medical College and Center from Jan. 1978 to Dec. 1981. Results obtained were as follows: 1. The most common patients age group was in 1 to 2 years of age and there was no sexual difference. 2. Associated deformities with rachitic bow leg were rachitic rosary (5 cases), double wrist (3 cases), coxa vara (1 case), and Harrison's groove (1 case). 3. Low Ca * P solubility product, below the level of 30 (mg/dl)2 suggested active form of rickets in all cases. 4. Laboratory values such as Ca * P solubility product and alkaline phosphatase improved at 3 weeks after administration of vitamin D in 7 cases, 3 at 6 weeks, and no improvement in one case even at 6 months after treatment. 5. Six months after treatment, the average amount correction of tibiofemoral angle was 9° (43.7% of initial angle) in group 1, 13.3° (47.0%) in group II, 4.9° (29.6%) in group III, and 3.3°(25.6%) in group IV. 6. Through this study it is suggested that the more growth correction of the rachitic bow leg deformity in a younger child below the age of 2 is obtained with growth by treatment, whereas a little or no growth correction can be expected after the age of 3 or 4 years.

A Case Report of Tumoral Calcinosis / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Tumoral calcinosis was coined by Inclan in 1943 and thereafter about 40 cases have been reported in the literature, but there has not been reported on a case which involved knee joints. The majority of cases hitherto reported were found in Negro. There was no report in yellow race. Authors presented a case of tumoral calcinosis that involved boih knee joints of a 55 years old Korean housewife. On physical examination chronic draining sinuses with spontaneous extrusion of calcific material was noted on the left infrapatellar region. A radiograph of the both knees showed dense, multinodular deposits of calcium. The masses were confined to the soft tissues; the contiguous joint showed no pathological change. En-block excisianal biopsy was done. The histological section of the excised mass disclosed the foreign-body giant cell with inflamed connective tissue surrounding calcific deposits.