Spinal fusion has performed for instability and anatomical reconstruction since 1985 by Barthe. Bone grafts and synthetic materials has been used for spinal fusion, but they have several limitations and complications. Recently a new synthetic polymer B.O.P.(Biocompatible Osteoconductive Polymer) was developed and it overcome the limitations of other materials. The B.O.P. showed no foreign body reaction and gave scaffolding for the osteoconduction and osteointegration. Authors operated 35 cases of spinal fusion with B.O.P. and the results and literature reviews were discussed.
Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Polymers ; Spinal Fusion* ; Transplants

Anterior interbody fusion has used for instability and anatomical reconstruction in various cervical diseases since 1958 by cloward. Bone grafts such as autograft, allograft, xenograft and synthetic materials were utilized in fusion as a graft material. But conventional fusion materials have problems including postoperative morbidity, transmission of diseases, foreign body reaction, collapse, prolongation of operation time. A new synthetic material, Biocompatible Osteoconductive Polymer(B.O.P) is developed and it was useful for cervical anterior interbody fusion as a substitute for other fusion materials.
Allografts ; Autografts ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Heterografts ; Transplants

The authors performed 19 cases of percutaneous automated discectomy using Nucleotome between Feb, 1988 and Jan, 1993. The mean age was 33 years ranging from 20 to 56 years. Eleven of the patients were men and eight were women. One level nucleotomy was done in 14 cases, two level in 4 cases and three level in 1 cases. Overall success rate was 63%. No intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred except transient back pain in 3 cases.
Back Pain ; Diskectomy* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Complications

Authors measured the Y-shaped angle made by both yellow ligaments and both laminae named Y-angle at the spinal CT scan in normal and lumbar stenosis group. The normal range of Y-angle is between 60 degrees and 95 degrees. Lumbar stenosis is classified into narrow Y-angle stenosis(<60 degrees) and wide Y-angle stenosis(>95 degrees) by Y-angle. Narrow Y-angle stenosis is most common in degenerative spondylotic stenosis. Wide Y-angle is most common in congenital stenosis. The Y-angle is a simple and useful diagnostic indicator in the diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis on CT scan and MRI scan.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Reference Values ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A case of extradural cavernous hemangioma on lumbar spine combined with ruptured disc is reported. Cavernous hemangiomas are uncommon vascular malformation of the central nervous system. In the spine, the majority of these lesions are from secondary extensions of vertebral hemangiomas. Occurrence of a primary extradural cavernous hemangioma is relatively rare. Authors report a case of extradural cavernous hemangioma of the spine with the review of literatures.
Central Nervous System ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Spine ; Vascular Malformations