Anti-Ok(a) Antibody: The First Case Report in Korea / 대한수혈학회지

Anti-Ok(a) was detected in a 56-year-old female patient who was admitted for surgical treatment of degenerative scoliosis. Because Oka is a high-incidence antigen, anti-Ok(a) antibody is extremely rare. No case of hemolytic transfusion reaction or hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn caused by anti-Ok(a) antibody has been reported so far, however, it is likely that anti-Ok(a) is clinically significant based on several in vivo and in vitro studies. When a patient who is bearing anti-Ok(a) needs transfusion of RBCs, transfusion of autologous blood or Ok(a-) RBCs from family members is recommended.

Postoperative Results of Kyphoplasty for Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures

OBJECTIVE: We analyze pain relief, deformity correction and complication rate after percutaneous kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed medical records and radiological findings of 32 patients who underwent percutaneous kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. RESULTS: The patients had significant pain improvement with the procedure. The visual analogue scale score reduced from 8.6 to 3.4 significantly after the procedure. The midline vertebral body height significantly increased postoperatively, but mean kyphotic angle did not. There was no serious complication except one case of epidural cement leakage without neurological impairment. CONCLUSION: Balloon kyphoplasty safely can reduce severe back pain and returned geriatric patients to higher activity levels. The midline vertebral height is restored significantly. However kyphotic deformity correction is not significant as contrary to what we expected from the present study before it was carried out.