Concurrent use of instrumentation has been shown to increase fusion rates and satisfactory results for surgical treatment of the lumbar stenosis. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate clinically and radiologically two groups of lumbar stenosis who were surgically treated with pedicular screw fixation system and posterior lumbar interbody or posterolateral autogenous bone graft following complete posterior decompression. One group was degenerative type and the other group was spondylolisthetic type spinal stenosis. We analyzed the results of 39 cases of lumbar stenosis who underwent pedicular screw and rod fixation system and posterior lumbar interbody or posterolateral autogenous iliac bone fusion following complete posterior decompressive operation during the period from May 1988 to December 1992. There were 27cases of degenerative type and 12 cases of spondylolisthetic type lumbar stenosis. The were 25 women and 14 men. Their age was ranged 20 to 76 years old with an average of 51.7 years old. The follow up period was the interval from 18 months to 6 years with an average of 3.2 years. The radiologic union rate was average 94.9% and 96.3%(26cases) in degenerative spinal stenosis and 91.7%(11 cases) in spondylolisthetic spinal stenosis. The clinical success rate was average 92.3%(36 cases), 88.9%(24 cases) in degenerative spinal stenosis and 100%(12 cases) in spondylolisthetic spinal stenosis. The patients with spondylolytic spinal stenosis showed better result in their life than the patient with degenerative spinal stenosis.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Decompression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Pedicle Screws ; Spinal Stenosis ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Abscess*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Fistula* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Heart* ; Thoracic Surgery*

Endoscopic variceal ligation(EVL) is an accepted alternatives to endoscopic injection sclero- therapy(EIS) in many patients with bleeding esophageal varices. Esophageal hematoma is rare and an unusual complication after EVL or EIS. We present a patient with liver cirrhosis who developed an obstructive esophageal hematoma after EVL.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ligation* ; Liver Cirrhosis

Epidural anesthesia has significantly advanced in neuraxial anesthesia and analgesia. It is used for surgical anaesthesia and treatment of chronic pain. Hearing loss during or after epidural anesthesia is rare, and it is known to occur by the change of the intracranial pressure. Cerebrospinal fluid is connected with perilymph in the cochlear and vestibule that is important to hearing and balance. If the intracranial pressure is abruptly transferred to the inner ear, perilymph can be leak, that called perilymphatic fistula, dizziness, and hearing loss can occur suddenly. We report a 65-year-old woman who presented with acute onset dizziness and hearing loss during the epidural nerve block for back pain, wherein we speculated a possibility of perilymphatic fistula as the mechanism of hearing loss and dizziness. The mechanism of dizziness and hearing loss was suspected with perilymphatic fistula.
Aged ; Anesthesia and Analgesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Back Pain ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Chronic Pain ; Dizziness ; Ear, Inner ; Female ; Fistula ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Nerve Block ; Perilymph ; Pneumocephalus ; Vertigo

Congenital renal arteriovenous malformation is a rare disease. Renal arteriovenous malformations have been discovered with increasing frequency since they were first described by Varela in 1923. Patients with arteriovenous malformations may have gross hematuria, flank pain, urinary obstruction or may be asymptomatic. The diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation is usually made by renal angiogram. Treatment of arteriovenous malformation can be obtained with conservative treatment, ligation of the arterial branch, selective transcatheter embolization and surgical procedures. We experienced a case of congenital arteriovenous malformation manifested by gross hematuria and intermittent right flank pain, cured by means of transcatheter arterial embolization therapy with gelfoam and alcohol. Thus, we report a case with a brief review of literatures.
Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Diagnosis ; Flank Pain ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Hematuria* ; Humans ; Ligation ; Rare Diseases

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the effects of norepinephrine on the potassium currents of rat medial vestibular nuclear neurons by using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats aged 14 to 16 days were anesthetized with ether and decapitated. After enzymatic digestion, the portion of the medial vestibular nucleus neurons were obtained by micropunching. The dissociated neurons were transferred into a recording chamber mounted on an inverted microscope and potassium currents were recorded by standard patch-clamp techniques under voltage-clamp modes. RESULTS: Norepinephrine inhibited the whole potassium currents of the medial vestibular nuclear neurons. Outward potassium currents were more suppressed in 4 mM 4-aminopyridine and norepinephrine added solutions than 4 mM 4-aminopyridine only, but were not suppressed in 10 mM tetraethylammonium and norepinephrine added solutions compared to 10 mM tetraethylammonium only. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that norepinephrine blocks the delayed rectifier potassium channels in medial vestibular nuclear neurons.
4-Aminopyridine ; Animals ; Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels ; Digestion ; Ether ; Neurons* ; Norepinephrine* ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tetraethylammonium ; Vestibular Nuclei

as useful as the conventional suction technique for the cytopathological evaluation of thyroid nodules.
Suction ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*

PURPOSE: To assess the spiral CT findings of inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver (IPTL), in order todistinguish this tumor from hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic abscess or other space liver occupying lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The spiral CT findings of IPTL were retrospectively evaluated in six patients. All caseswere confirmed by ultrasonography-guided gun biopsy. Four patients were men and two were women, and they were agedbetween 37 and 74 (mean, 49) years. The site, size, and number of IPTL were assessed, and their enhancementpatterns were evaluated during the arterial, portal and delayed phases of spiral CT. RESULTS: Five casesinvolveda solitary mass and in one there were multiple masses with surrounding small nodules. Four cases occurredin the right lobe and two in the left lobe. Four of five surrounding nodules were in the left lobe. During thearterial phase of spiral CT scanning, three layers were separated from four of five cases of solitary mass ; theywere composed of central and peripheral portions of low attenuation, and an intermediate portion ofisoattenuation. Delayed enhancement of the peripheral portion was prominent during the delayed phase. In the caseinvolving multiple masses three layers were not seen during the arterial phase, but during the delayed phaseenhancement was noted. CONCLUSION: The features of three layers, as seen on spiral CT, is considered to be veryspecific for distinguishing IPTL from other hepatic focal lesions.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Female ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Humans ; Liver Abscess ; Liver* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*