Morphometric Measurement of the Anatomical Landmark in Anterior Cervical Microforaminotomy

OBJECTIVE: The lack of anatomical knowledge for the anterior cervical microforaminotomy is liable to injure the neurovascular structures. The surgical anatomy is examined with special attention to the ventral aspect exposed in anterior cervical microforaminotomy. METHODS: In 16 adult formalin fixed cadaveric cervical spine, the author measured the distances from the medical margin of the longus colli to the medical wall of the ipsilateral vertebral artery and the angle for the ipsilateral vertebral artery. The distances from the lateral margin of the posterior longitudinal ligament to the medial margin of the ipsilateral medial wall of the vertebral artery, to the ipsilateral dorsal root ganglion was measured too. RESULTS: The distance from the medial margin of the longus colli to the ipsilateral vertebral artery was 13.3~14.7mm and the angle for the ipsilateral vertebral artery was 41~42.5 degrees. The range of distance from the lateral margin of the posterior longitudinal ligament to the ipsilateral vertebral artery was 11.9~16.1mm, to the ipsilateral dorsal root ganglion was 11.6~12.9mm. CONCLUSION: These data will aid in reducing neurovascular injury during anterior cervical approaches.

Traumatic Intracerebellar Hematomas

OBJECTIVE: We report six patients with traumatic intracerebellar hematomas between 1997 and 2003 at our hospitals. METHODS: Each data about patients' clinicoradiologic findings, management, and outcomes, which were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: All patients had skull fracture on occiput and five patients with large hematomas(three cm or greater) were operated on. In the results of surgery, three patients were good outcome but two patients were fatal due to compression of brain stem. One patient with small hematoma (1.5cm) was treated conservatively and recovered. CONCLUSION: In our cases, the clinical course and prognosis of traumatic intracerebellar hematoma were grave. The results of this study support that early diagnosis based on strict observation in patients with occipital fracture will lead to best results.

Fracture-Dislocation of the Thoracic Spine without Neurologic Defieit: Report of Two Cases

This is a report of two cases of thoracic spine fracture-dislocation without consequential neurological deficit. In each case, the disruption between vertebral body and the posterior column renders spontaneous decompression of the spinal canal as a result of anatomical peculiarity of the thoracic spine such anatomical peculiarity explains the preservation of neurologic function. Diagnosis and management should be carried out with great care in such cases. The two patients underwent posterior approach with instrumentation and eventually recovered without any evidence of neurologic sequelae.

A Simple Technique for Up-and-in Screw Placement on Fifth Lumbar Vertebra: Technical Notes

A simple technique for transpedicular screw fixation of L5 is presented. This percutaneous screwing allows up-and-in screw placement without excessive lateral stretching and lessens the length of incision.

A Simple Technique for Up-and-in Screw Placement on Fifth Lumbar Vertebra: Technical Notes

A simple technique for transpedicular screw fixation of L5 is presented. This percutaneous screwing allows up-and-in screw placement without excessive lateral stretching and lessens the length of incision.

The Status of Central Nervous System Tumors in Daegu City and Kyungbook Province

The authors analized statistically 403 cases of C.N.S. tumors confirmed by pathology in the boundary of Daegu city and Kyungbook province from January 1984 to December 1986. The results were as follows: 1) The each cases of male and female were 220(54.6%) and 183(45.4%). 2) Intracranial tumors were 288 cases(71.5%), spinal tumors 75(18.6%), and others 40(9.9%). 3) Numbers of C.N.S. tumors were 8.7/100,000 population in city and 6.3/100,000 in country. 4) Among the intracranial tumors, glioma(30.9%) was the most common and followed by meningioma(16.3%) and metastatic tumor(8.7%). Among the spinal tumors, metastatic tumors was 34.6%, neurofibroma 30.7%, and meningioma 5.3%. 5) The majority of intracranial tumors were found in supratentorial region(76.3%), in which area frequency of tumor incidence were as follows; glioma, meningioma, metastatic tumor. Among the infratentorial area(22.6%), the sequence of tumor incidence were glioma, medulloblastoma, and neurilemmoma, 6) Tumors predominantly in male were oligodendroglioma(2:1), metastatic tumor(1.8:1), and medulloblastoma(1.7:1), and in female were meningioma(1:2), neurilemmoma(1:1.7), and pituitary tumor(1:1.5). 7) Peak age incidence of glioma, meningioma, and neurilemmoma were from 40 to 60 years, pituitary tumor and oligodendroglioma were 30 to 50 years, craniopharyngioma and ependymoma were around 10 years old, and metastatic tumor was 50 to 70 years old. 8) In the spinal tumors, the most favorable site of longitudinal axis was thoracic area(62.7%) and transverse location was epidural space(45.3%). 9) The most common site of metastatic tumor were came from lung(29.1%) in brain metastasis and prostate(19.2%) in spine.