BACKGROUND: Time to first cigarette after waking is an indicator of nicotine dependence. We aimed to identify the association between time to first cigarette and spirometry-proven obstructive respiratory impairment, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in current smokers. METHODS: We included 392 subjects who visited the comprehensive medical examination center of Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital between July 2014 and September 2015. Subjects with lung disease or anemia were excluded. Obstructive pulmonary impairment was defined as < 70% of the predicted value of forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity. Subjects were classified into the early (≤30 minutes) and late (>30 minutes) groups based on the time to first cigarette. Logistic regression and linear regression analyses were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Ninety-eight subjects (25%) were classified into the early group. After adjusting for smoking behaviors (cigarettes per day and smoking duration), socioeconomic status (education and income), age, and physical activity, an early time to first cigarette was found to be associated with an increased risk of obstructive pulmonary impairment measured using spirometry (adjusted odds ratio, 2.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.22–6.61). CONCLUSION: Compared to current smokers with a late time to first cigarette, those with an early time to first cigarette had a higher risk of obstructive pulmonary impairment, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Classifying smoking-related behaviors, especially time to first cigarette, may help target clinical screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Anemia ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Heart ; Linear Models ; Logistic Models ; Lung Diseases ; Mass Screening ; Motor Activity ; Odds Ratio ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Social Class ; Spirometry* ; Statistics as Topic ; Tobacco Products* ; Tobacco Use Disorder ; Vital Capacity

Resection of retroperitoneal tumors is usually perfomed using the anterior retroperitoneal approach. Our report presents an innovative method utilizing a robotic surgical system. A 50-yr-old male patient visited our hospital due to a known paravertebral mass. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-encapsulated mass slightly abutting the abdominal aorta and left psoas muscle at the L4-L5 level. The tumor seemed to be originated from the prevertebral sympathetic plexus or lumbosacral trunk and contained traversing vessels around the tumor capsule. A full-time robotic transperitoneal tumor resection was performed. Three trocars were used for the robotic camera and working arms. The da Vinci Surgical System(R) provided delicate dissection in the small space and the tumor was completely removed without damage to the surrounding organs and great vessels. This case demonstrates the feasibility of robotic resection in retroperitoneal space. Robotic surgery offered less invasiveness in contrast to conventional open surgery.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemmoma/diagnosis/*surgery ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Robotics/*instrumentation ; Spinal Neoplasms/diagnosis/*surgery ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted/*instrumentation

OBJECTIVE: To compare the fusion rate of a hydroxyapatite demineralized bone matrix (DBM) with post-laminectomy acquired autograft in lumbar interbody fusion surgery and to evaluate the correlation between fusion rate and clinical outcome. METHODS: From January 2013 to April 2014, 98 patients underwent lumbar interbody fusion surgery with hydroxyapatite DBM (HA-DBM group) in our institute. Of those patients, 65 received complete CT scans for 12 months postoperatively in order to evaluate fusion status. For comparison with autograft, we selected another 65 patients who underwent lumbar interbody fusion surgery with post-laminectomy acquired autograft (Autograft group) during the same period. Both fusion material groups were matched in terms of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and bone mineral density (BMD). To evaluate the clinical outcomes, we analyzed the results of visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS: We reviewed the CT scans of 149 fusion levels in 130 patients (HA-DBM group, 75 levels/65 patients; Autograft group, 74 levels/65 patients). Age, sex, BMI, and BMD were not significantly different between the groups (p=0.528, p=0.848, p=0.527, and p=0.610, respectively). The HA-DBM group showed 39 of 75 fused levels (52%), and the Autograft group showed 46 of 74 fused levels (62.2%). This difference was not statistically significant (p=0.21). In the HA-DBM group, older age and low BMD were significantly associated with non-fusion (61.24 vs. 66.68, p=0.027; -1.63 vs. -2.29, p=0.015, respectively). VAS and ODI showed significant improvement after surgery when fusion was successfully achieved in both groups (p=0.004, p=0.002, HA-DBM group; p=0.012, p=0.03, Autograft group). CONCLUSION: The fusion rates of the hydroxyapatite DBM and Autograft groups were not significantly different. In addition, clinical outcomes were similar between the groups. However, older age and low BMD are risk factors that might induce non-union after surgery with hydroxyapatite DBM.
Autografts* ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Bone Matrix* ; Durapatite* ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiographic results of infective atlantoaxial subluxation, and to describe the management of pyogenic or tuberculosis atlantoaxial subluxation. METHODS: In this study, we present seven patients with atlantoaxial subluxation after pyogenic or tuberculosis vertebral osteomyelitis. Prominent manifestations included neck pain and stiffness, swelling of the retropharyngeal soft tissues, quadriparesis, and osteolytic erosions. All patients received antibiotics/antituberculosis medication. One patient was managed conservatively, two underwent only transoral biopsy, one patient underwent transoral decompression and posterior fusion, and three patients underwent only posterior fusion. RESULTS: All patients showed significant improvement in neck pain and neck movement. Three patients who showed quadriparesis or motor weakness at the time of diagnosis showed improvement in motor strength, although subjective weakness persisted in two patients. CONCLUSION: In our study, we describe the management of this disease at our institute. Available treatment modalities vary from purely conservative medical management to surgical correction. Medical treatment is the mainstay of management. The need for and the extent of surgery are dependent on the presence of instability and spinal cord compression and should be determined on a case by case basis.
Atlanto-Axial Joint ; Biopsy ; Decompression ; Humans ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Osteomyelitis ; Quadriplegia ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Trauma, Nervous System ; Tuberculosis

OBJECTIVES: The correction of clinical and radiologic abnormalities in patients with symptomatic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is the current mainstay of treatment. This study aimed to identify radiographic predictors of severity of myelopathy in patients with symptomatic OPLL. METHODS: Fifty patients with symptomatic cervical OPLL were enrolled. Based on Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores, patients were divided into either the mild myelopathy (n=31) or severe myelopathy (n=19) group. All subjects underwent preoperative plain cervical roentgenogram, computed tomography (CT), and MR imaging (MRI). Radiological parameters (C2–7 sagittal vertical axis, SVA; C2–7 Cobb angle; C2–7 range of motion, ROM; OPLL occupying ratio; and compression angle) were compared. Compression angle of OPLL was defined as the angle between the cranial and caudal surfaces of OPLL at the maximum level of cord compression RESULTS: The occupying ratio of the spinal canal, C2–7 Cobb angle, C2–7 SVA, types of OPLL, and C2–7 ROM of the cervical spine were not statistically different between the two groups. However, the OPLL compression angle was significantly greater (p=0.003) in the severe myelopathy group than in the mild myelopathy group and was inversely correlated with JOA score (r=-0.533, p<0.01). Furthermore, multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that the compression angle (B=-0.069, p<0.001) was significantly associated with JOA scores (R=0.647, p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Higher compression angles of OPLL have deleterious effects on the spinal cord and decrease preoperative JOA scores.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Longitudinal Ligaments* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Orthopedics ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases* ; Spine

PURPOSE: To analyze treatment outcome and side effects of adjuvant radiotherapy using radiotherapy fields and doses which have evolved over the last two decades in a single institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients received radiotherapy after orchiectomy from 1996 to 2007. At our institution, the treatment field for stage I seminoma has changed from dog-leg (DL) field prior to 2003 to paraaortic (PA) field after 2003. Fifteen patients were treated with the classic fractionation scheme of 25.5 Gy at 1.5 Gy per fraction. Other patients had been treated with modified schedules of 25.05 Gy at 1.67 Gy per fraction (n=15) and 25.2 Gy at 1.8 Gy per fraction (n=11). RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 112 months, the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 100% and 96%, respectively, and 5-year and 10-year relapse-free survival rates were both 97.1%. No in-field recurrence occurred. Contralateral seminoma occurred in one patient 5 years after treatment. No grade III-IV acute toxicity occurred. An increased rate of grade 1-2 acute hematologic toxicity was found in patients with longer overall treatment times due to 1.5 Gy per fraction. The rate of grade 2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity was significantly higher with DL field than with PA field and also higher in the 1.8-Gy group than in the 1.5-Gy and 1.67-Gy groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with stage I seminoma were safely treated with PA-only radiotherapy with no pelvic failure. Optimal fractionation schedule needs to be explored further in order to minimize treatment-related toxicity.
Adult ; Disease-Free Survival ; Dose Fractionation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant/adverse effects ; Seminoma/*radiotherapy ; Testicular Neoplasms/*radiotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

While injuries to the spine after an airplane crash are not rare, most crashes result in fatal injuries. As such, few studies exist that reported on spine fractures sustained during airplane accidents. In this report, we demonstrate three cases of spine fractures due to crash landing of a commercial airplane. Three passengers perished from injuries after the crash landing, yet most of the passengers and crew on board survived, with injuries ranging from minor to severe. Through evaluating our three spine fracture patients, it was determined that compression fracture of the spine was the primary injury related to the airplane accident. The first patient was a 20-year-old female who sustained a T6-8 compression fracture without neurologic deterioration. The second patient was a 33-year-old female with an L2 compression fracture, and the last patient was a 49-year-old male patient with a T8 compression fracture. All three patients were managed conservatively and required spinal orthotics. During the crash, each of these patients were subjected to direct, downward high gravity z-axis (Gz) force, which gave rise to load on the spine vertically, thereby causing compression fracture. Therefore, new safety methods should be developed to prevent excessive Gz force during airplane crash landings.
Accidents, Aviation ; Adult ; Aircraft* ; Back Pain ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Hypergravity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; Spine* ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: We investigated the effect of location changes in the inferior border of the belly board (BB) aperture by adding a bladder compression device (BCD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We respectively reviewed data from 10 rectal cancer patients with a median age 64 years (range, 45~75) and who underwent computed tomography (CT) simulation with the use of BB to receive pelvic radiotherapy between May and September 2010. A CT simulation was again performed with the addition of BCD since small bowel (SB) within the irradiated volume limited boost irradiation of 5.4 Gy using the cone down technique after 45 Gy. The addition of BCD made the inferior border of BB move from symphysis pubis to the lumbosacral junction (LSJ). RESULTS: Following the addition of BCD, the irradiated volumes of SB and the abdominopelvic cavity (APC) significantly decreased (174.3+/-89.5 mL vs. 373.3+/-145.0 mL, p=0.001, 1282.6+/-218.7 mL vs. 1571.9+/-158 mL, p<0.001, respectively). Bladder volume within the treated volume increased with BCD (222.9+/-117.9 mL vs. 153.7+/-95.5 mL, p<0.001). The ratio of irradiated bladder volume to APC volume with BCD (33.5+/-14.7%) increased considerably compared to patients without a BCD (27.5+/-13.1%) (p<0.001), and the ratio of irradiated SB to APC volume decreased significantly with BCD (13.9+/-7.6% vs. 24.2+/-10.2%, p<0.001). The ratios of the irradiated SB volumeand irradiated bladder volume to APC volume negatively correlated (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the addition of BCD, which made the inferior border of BB move up to the LSJ, increased the ratio of the bladder to APC volume and as a result, decreased the irradiated volume of SB.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder