No abstract available in English.
Clinical Study

Stabilization of the unstable spine created by the posterior decompression is as important as the decompression itself in the treatment of spinal stenosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of C-D pedicle screw fixation in stabilization after lumbar decompression, in reduction of spondylolisthesis and in restoration of the lumbar sagittal curvature. C-D pedicle screw fixation was performed in 102 spinal stenosis patients after posterior lumbar decompression and fusion during the period from March 1987 to December 1988. Their age ranged from 15 to 72 years with an average of 49.1 years. There were 34 males and 68 females. The follow up was from 6 to 21 months with an average of 12.5 months. The causes of spinal stenosis were degenerative in 50 patients, spondylolisthesis in 39, iatrogenic in 9 and degenerative lumbar scoliosis in 4. Objective clinical results showed significant improvement of claudication, SLR limitation, motor weakness, sensory and DTR changes in most patients. Following results were obtained from the study of C-D pedicle screw fixation after posterior decompression in lumbar spinal stenosis.1. C-D pedicle screws provide the secure fixation that allows early ambulation and shorter hospital stay. 2. C-D pedicle screws enable the reduction of spodylolisthesis at the time of posterior stabilization. 3. C-D pedicle screw fixation is successful in the restoration and maintenance of sagittal curvature of the lumbar spine. 4. C-D pedicle screw fixation enables the correction of scoliosis at the time of posterior decompression.
Decompression ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Pedicle Screws ; Scoliosis ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis

This study was performed by the necessity of objective information upon change of pulmonary function after surgical correction of spinal deformity in scoliotic patients. It is relatively well known that deformity of spinal curvature affects the pulmonary functions, especially lung volume or vital capacity, due to restriction of the thoracic cage. It is carried out the comparative study between preoperative and postoperative pulmonary functions in thirty two cases of thoracic scoliosis, all who were treated with Harrington instrumentation and posterior fusion at Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul, National University Hospital from 1969 to 1983. The age distribution of patients was from 6 years to 21 years and female was more involved two times than male. Following observations were obtained: Following observations were obtained: 1. Pre-and postoperative angle of scoliosis were 77.5° and 39.2° with correction rate of 48.2%. 2. Preoperative vital capacity was 64.2% and postoperative value was 74.8%, 2 years and 2 months after operation in average. 3. Postoperative vital capacity was significantly increased compared to preoperative value in patients with scoliosis (p<0.05). 4. Ther was no definite pattern of obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with scoliotic deformity.
Age Distribution ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Scoliosis ; Seoul ; Spinal Curvatures ; Vital Capacity

The authors designed a new biplanar method of measuring femoral anteversion, which may be considered a modified Magilligan's method. In addition to true A-P view, a true lateral view is taken, instead of trans-cervical lateral view in the Magilligan's technique. Acute angles(α and r) between the long axis of the femoral shaft and the femoral neck on both the A-P and lateral films are measured. The true angle (r1) of anteversion is calculated by substituting the values of tan(90-α) and tan (90-r) for the trigonometric formula tan r1 = tan(90-α)/tan(90-r). The measurement by the Magilligan's and the author's methods and the conventional CT method were compared with direct measurement for their accuracy in 20 sdult dried femora. Also correlativity among these three methods were analyzed clinically in 40 femora of 20 children. Following results were obtained, 1. Compared with the direct measurement, the Magilligan's, suthor's methods and CT method deviated an average of + 6.050 degrees, + 3.600 degrees and −1.150 degrees, respectively, all three being statistically accurate(p>0.05). The values for the latter two were closer to that of direct measurement. However, there was no statistical difference between the two. 2. The Magilligan's method overestimated in 95% and underestimated in 5% of the cases, and there was over-or under- estimation of less than 5 degrees in 20% and less than 10 degrees in 95%. The author's method overestimated in 70% and underestimated in 0% of the cases, and there was over-or under-estimation of less than 5 degrees in 55% and less than 10 degrees in 100%. The CT method overestimsted in 30% and underestimated in 60% of the cases, and there was over-or under-estimation of less than 5 degrees in 95 and less than 10 degrees in 100%. Both Magilligan's and autor's methods tended to overestimate and the CT method tended to underestimate(p<0.05). 3. The correlation coefficients among the Magilligan's and author's methods, the Magilligan's and CT methods, and author's and CT methods were 0.830, 0.592, 0.478 respectively, in clinical aspects. It is concluded that author's new method of biplanar measurement of femoral anteversion is more accurate than the Magilligan's method, while it is not less accurate than the conventional CT method.
Child ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Methods ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl

Post-stroke epilepsy presenting as paroxysmal pain is rare. In most cases, the characteristic pain nature responsible for this kind of post-stroke epilepsy is associated with lesion of somatosensory areas. In this case, however, the precental motor cortex was responsible lesion site. A 60-year-old male with right frontal cortical and subcortical infarction complained paroxysmal shock like painful sensation on left lower extremity. This sensory symptom began after 2 weeks of stroke, and all analgesics failed to relieve the pain. EEG revealed sharp and slow wave at right frontotemporal region. Antiepileptic drug medication dramatically reduced the pain. In addition, epileptiform discharge disappeared after antiepileptic medication. In this paper, we report a post-stroke epilepsy presenting as focal paroxysmal pain associated with involvement of precental motor cortices.
Analgesics ; Cerebral Infarction ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy* ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motor Cortex ; Sensation ; Shock ; Stroke

BACKGROUND: The optimal dose infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine via a femoral catheter after total knee replacement (TKR) has not been defined. This study examined various dose infusions of bupivacaine to determine the analgesic quality in patients receiving a continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB). METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive a single-injection femoral nerve block (SFNB) or CFNB performed with 20 ml of 0.125% bupivacaine, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine in four groups (n = 20 per group): 1) 0 ml/h (SFNB), 2) 2 ml/h, 3) 4 ml/h, and 4) 6 ml/h. The pain intensity at rest and on knee movement was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) for the first 2 postoperative days. The cumulative bolus use of IV patientcontrolled analgesia (PCA) with a morphine-ketorolac combination was evaluated. RESULTS: A lower cumulative bolus of IV PCA was noted in all CFNB groups compared to SFNB on postoperative days (PODs) 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.05). Lower VAS scores at rest were observed in the 4 ml/h and 6 ml/h groups than in the SFNB group on PODs 1 and 2, respectively, but only on POD 2 in the 2 ml/h group (P < 0.05). Lower VAS scores on movement were noted in the 4 ml/h than the SFNB group on PODs 1 and 2, but only on POD 1 in 6 ml/h (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The minimum effective infusion rate of 0.125% bupivacaine for CFNB after TKR appears to be 4 ml/h according to the VAS pain scores.
Analgesia ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Bupivacaine ; Catheters ; Femoral Nerve ; Humans ; Knee ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis

Cerebral cysticercosis is unfortunately a frequent disease in Korea. Cysticercosis in the ventricular system is most frequently found in the fourth ventricle. However it is found rarely in the lateral and third ventricle. Recently, we have encountered accidently a lateral ventricular cysticercosis during a V-P Shunt operation on a 32 year old hydrocephalus patient. The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of an encysted larvae on aspiration.
Adult ; Cysticercosis* ; Diagnosis ; Fourth Ventricle ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Korea ; Larva ; Lateral Ventricles* ; Third Ventricle

Vibrio vulnificus causes rapid progressing fulminant infections in susceptible individuals, especially those with elevated serum iron levels. This ferrophilic bacterium can directly acquire iron from heme-containing proteins, such as, hemoglobin, via its heme receptor protein HupA. This study was undertaken to determine the roles of cyclic AMP-receptor protein (Crp) as an activator and of ferric uptake regulator (Fur) as a repressor in regulating hupA expression at various iron and glucose concentrations. Under severely iron-deficient conditions, hupA expression in the absence of Crp was induced albeit at low levels and repressed by the addition of iron. In contrast, hupA expression in the presence of Crp was increased by the addition of iron. Under moderately iron-deficient and iron-sufficient conditions, iron addition repressed hupA expression in the presence of Fur, but not in the absence of Fur. Glucose addition repressed hupA expression in the presence of Fur but not in the absence of Fur. Furthermore, a mutation in cyaA encoding adenylate cyclase required for cAMP synthesis hupA expression, and this repression was prevented by the exogenous addition of cAMP. These results indicate that hupA expression is under the coordinate control of cAMP or Crp, which responds to glucose availability, and of Fur, which responds to iron availability, and that Crp is not essential for the constitutional expression of hupA, but is required for the optimal expression of hupA, whereas Fur is essential for the prevention of hupA over-expression.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Glucose ; Heme ; Hemoglobins ; Iron ; Proteins ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; Repression, Psychology ; Vibrio ; Vibrio vulnificus