Neurologic Complication after Percutaneous Vertebroplasty with Polymethylmethacrylate: A Case Report / 대한척추외과학회지

In recent years, percutaneous vertebroplasty has frequently been used to treat osteoporotic compression fractures. This procedure is generally known to be safe because of the rare occurrence of complications. However, it is accompanied by the risk of cement leakage, and the cement can be easily removed using a surgical technique. Most neurological complications occurred due to extravasation of cement into the spinal canal. Comparatively, there were no reports of neurological complications due to the extravasation of cement into the paravertebral area. Here, we report a case of right-exiting L1 spinal root compression after percutaneous vertebroplasty with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). We proceeded to cement removal and nerve root decompression by a paraspinal open microsurgical technique in the event of neurological complication.

Treatment of Intercondylar Fractures of Humerus with Y-plate

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of the treatment of intercondylar fractures of the humerus using Y-plate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were 17 patients with intercondylar fracture of humerus who were treated using the Y-plate. Nine cases were C1 type, 4 were C2 type, and the remaining 4 were C3 type. 11 subjects had accompanying fractures of another part of the body. The average age was 48.8. The average follow up period was 33 months. We used Mayo Elbow Performance Score and Risborough-Radin's rating score for each patient as the methods of rating. RESULTS: The average range of motion of the elbow was 105 degrees (50~150 degrees). According to Cassebaum's classification for elbow range of motion, 7 cases were rated very good, 1 cases were good, 4 cases were fair, and 1 cases were poor. According to Mayo Elbow Performance Score, 7 were excellent, 7 were good, 2 fair, and 1 poor. Of the 3 patients who were fair or poor in Mayo Elbow Performance Score, 2 were type C3 fractures, and all 3 had major accompanying fractures. No significant postoperative complications developed in all cases. CONCLUSION: The fixation with Y-plate can still be a relatively good modality of treatment for interconylar fractures of the humerus in selected cases, in spite of the known mechanical weakness of the Y-plate. The patients with severe intra-articular comminution showed relatively poor results. And we think that the age of the patient and the energy of the injury have more or less influence on the results of treatment.

Diallyl Disulfide Inhibits Cytochrome c-Mediated Apoptosis in H2O2 Induced Death of Neuronal-differentiated PC12 Cells

BACKGROUND: The effects of diallyl disulfide (DADS), a garlic derived compound, on the viability and cell signaling- like the downstream signaling through cytochrome c, caspase-3, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) during an oxidative-stress induced injury were studied using H2O2 treated neuronal-differentiated PC12 cells by a nerve growth factor. METHODS: To evaluate the toxicity of the DADS itself, the viability of the differentiated PC12 cells treated with several concentrations of DADS was evaluated with 3, (4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. To evaluate the protective effect of the low concentration of DADS from oxidative stress, the viability of the cells (DADS pretreated vs. not pretreated) was evaluated following the exposure to 100 micro M H2O2. Additionally, the expression of caspase-3, PARP, and cytochrome c was examined using western blot analyses. RESULTS: The viability was not affected at low concentrations of DADS, up to 20 micro M, but, over this concentration, it was decreased. Compared with the cells treated with only 100 micro M H2O2, the pretreatment with low concentrations of DADS before exposure to 100 micro M H2O2 increased the viability and induced the inhibition of caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage, and cytochrome c release. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that low concentrations of DADS shows neuroprotective effects by affecting the downstream signaling through cytochrome c, caspase-3, and PARP pathway and may be a new potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases associated with oxidative injury.

Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6 and Episodic Ataxia Type 2 in a Korean Family

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6), episodic ataxia type 2 (EA2) and familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) have been known as allelic disorders, which are caused by the alteration of the alpha1A voltage-dependent calcium channel subunit. Expansions of the CAG repeat in the CACNA1A gene on the short arm of the chromosome 19 induce SCA6, and point mutations in the same gene are responsible for EA2 and FHM. In recent studies, both SCA6 and EA2 have been concurrently found in families with 26 CAG repeats without previously reported point mutations either in coding sequences or in intron-exon junctions. We describe a Korean family with CAG26 repeats in the CACNA1A gene. Some of the affected family members had progressive ataxia typical of SCA6 whereas others had episodic vertigo responsive to acetazolamide typical of EA2. Our family support that SCA6 and EA2 are allelic disorders with a high phenotypic variability.

The radiographic study of mandible fracture

Cecal Duplication: A case report

Duplications of the alimentary tract are relatively rare congenital malformations usually present during infancy or young childhood. They can occur anywhere in the intestinal tract. The most common site is the terminal ileum, and the least common site is the colon. Duplication of the cecum is very rare. The importance of these congenital lesions lies in the fact that they mimic other surgical disease processes and may result in significant morbidity if left untreated. Prompt recognition and treatment using combined radiologic and surgical management are associated with an excellent outcome. We experienced a case of cystic duplication in the cecum, which gave rise to partial intestinal obstruction and bleeding. We performed a resection of the cecum, including a part of the terminal ileum, and anastomosed in end-to-end fashion with a good result.

A Clinical Review of Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND : The incidence of breast cancer has steadily increased through the years. The establishment of the cause of breast cancer plays an important role for the diagnosis, management and prevention of breast cancer. METHODS : We analysed 241 cases of breast cancer that were treated during the 13 years from January 1985 to December 1997 at the Department of General Surgery, Inje University Paik Hospital, Seoul. RESULTS : The peak incidence of breast cancer was in the 5th decade (100 cases, 41.5%). The most common age of menarche ranged from 14 to 20 years (89.9%). The most common age of first full-term delivery ranged from 25 to 29 years (54.5%). The normal group was the most frequent body mass index (156 cases, 65.8%). The most common chief complaint was a painless palpable breast mass (166 cases, 68.9%). Most patients (181 cases, 75.1%) visited the hospital within 6 months of developing symptoms. The upper outer quadrant was the most frequent location for breast cancer (146 cases, 60.6%). The most common type of operative technique was a modified radical mastectomy (225 cases, 93.4%). The most common size of the breast mass ranged from 2 to 5 cm (151 cases, 62.7%). A pathologically positive axillary lymph node was present in 122 cases (52.4%). The predominant type of pathological classi fication was invasive ductal carcinoma (215 cases, 90.7%). According to the TNM system, the most common stage was stage II (161 cases, 66.8%). The five-year survival rates for the patients in stages I, II, III were 96.7%, 82.2%, 68.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS : We conclude that women with mass or mass-related symptoms needed more careful evaluation and aggressive approaches for discovering breast cancer.

Outcome after Medical Treatment for Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Hypetensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HIH) is the most common spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. To determine the long-term prognosis of HIH after medical treatment 280 patients were studied. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with ability in daily life and were divided into good(ADL I-IV) or poor(V-VI) outcome. Patients with HIH were classified into basal ganglionic, thalamic, lobar, cerebellar, or pontine according to location of hematoma and into small, medium, or large according to volume of hemtoma. In each type of hematoma, the percentage of good and poor outcome were as follows; 73.3%/26.7% in basal ganglionic, 70.4%/29.6% in thalamic, 75.7%/24.3% in lobar, 58.6%/41.4% in cerebellar, and 22.7%/77.3% in pontine hematoma. Because of intraventricular extension the outcome was worse for patients with ganglionic-thalamic than for those with lobar and cerebellar hematoma in the small or medium sized hematomas. As other previous studies, the majority of subjects with deterioration of mentality, large hematoma volume, ventricular extension, or mass effect had poor outcome. Some cases with large hematoma volume and poor prognostic factors had good outcome. This study suggests that medical treatments for HIH are likely to improve the quality of life in patients with small or medium sized hematoma, even in some patients with large hematoma and other poor prognostic factors.

Tensilon Tonometry in Diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis

There are many reports which show that contraction of the extraocular muscles results in an increase in intraocular pressure(IOP). Goldmann tonometer was used to record IOP after Tensilon injection in 22 patients, 10 myasthenics and 12 patients with other neurologic disease. There was a significant difference in IOP measured at 30 seconds after injection between two groups; 1-7(mean: 3.4) mmHg increase in myasthenics but no change, or 1-6 (mean: 1.7) mmHg decrease in patients with other neurologic disease. It is concluded that Tensilon tonometry is a valuable, sensitive and objective method in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

Study of Brain Atrophy in Korean

449 hospital patients with no pathologic brain CT findings, 30 yrs of age or older, were selected for the study of cerebral atrophy during the 30 months, from January 1980 to June 1983, at dept. of internal medicine, Hanyang Univ. hospital & following results were obtained. 1) Thoses in male group, A gradually progressive increase in the degree of cerebral atrophy score in the 3rd, 4th & late 5th decades was followed by a dramatic increase in the late 6th & 7th decades. 2) Those in female group, A gradually progressive increase in the degree of cerebral atrophy.

Study of Brain Atrophy in Korean

449 hospital patients with no pathologic brain CT findings, 30 yrs of age or older, were selected for the study of cerebral atrophy during the 30 months, from January 1980 to June 1983, at dept. of internal medicine, Hanyang Univ. hospital & following results were obtained. 1) Thoses in male group, A gradually progressive increase in the degree of cerebral atrophy score in the 3rd, 4th & late 5th decades was followed by a dramatic increase in the late 6th & 7th decades. 2) Those in female group, A gradually progressive increase in the degree of cerebral atrophy.

Clinical Observation on Nonspecific Female Urethritis / 대한비뇨기과학회지

No abstract available.

Statistical Observation on Congenital Anomalies of the Genito-urinary Tracts / 대한비뇨기과학회지

A statistical observation was made on congenital anomalies of the genito-urinary tracts of the out-patients and in-patients in the Department of Urology, Han Ill Hospital during the period April, 1969 through Mar. 1970 and the following results were obtained. I. Statistics on out-patients. 1) During the period, 2,115 cases (1.653 males, 462 females) bad seen at our out-patient Department, 53 cases (40 males, 13 females) bad congenital anomalies of the genito-urinary tracts, giving a rate of 2.5% (male 1.9%, female 0. 6%). 2) Of 53 cases, 49 cases (92.5%) were seen by us at the ages of 39 years or below, and 4 cases (7.6%) at the ages of 40 years or above. 3) Of the anomalies (54.7%) were in penile. 13 cases (24.5%) in renal, 5 cases (9.4%) in ureteral, 3 cases (5.7%) in urethral and 3 cases (5.7%) in testicular. 4) Congenital complete phimosis was observed in 54. 7% of all the anomalies, wandering kidney in 13.3%, ureterocele in 5.7% and hypospadia in 5. 7%. II. Statistics on in-patients 1) During the period, of 156 cases hospitalized (96 males, 60 females), 11 cases (4 males, 7 females) had congenital anomalies of the genito-urinary tracts, giving a rate of 7.1% (male: 2. 6%, female: 4.5%). 2) Of 11 cases, 10 cases (90.9%) were seen by us at the ages of 40 years or above. 3) Of the anomalies, 7 cases (63.6%) were in renal, 3 cases (27.3%) in ureteral, 1 case (9.1%) in urethral. 4) Wandering kidney was observed in 27.3% of all anomalies, ureterocele in 18.2% and double kidney in 18.2%.