Although cysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease affecting the central nervous system, spinal cysticercosis is rare. A rare form of spinal cysticercosis involving the whole spinal canal is presented. A 45-year-old Korean male had a history of intracranial cysticercosis and showed progressive paraparesis. Spinal magnetic resonance scan showed multiple cysts compressing the spinal cord from C1 to L1. Three different levels (C1-2, T1-3, and T11-L1) required operation. Histopathological examination confirmed cysticercosis. The patient improved markedly after surgery.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurocysticercosis/diagnosis/*pathology/surgery ; Spinal Canal/*parasitology ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
HIV-1* ; Humans* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

From March 1987 to July 1989, six patients (five dadults and one child) with lung abscess (size, 5-13cm in diameter) were treated with percutaneous aspiration and drainage. In each case, the puncture was made where the wall of the abscess was in contact with the pleural surface. An 8 to 10 Fr catheter was inserted for drainage. Five of 6 had a dramatic clinical response within 24 hours of the drainage. Percutaneous drainage was successful with complete abscess resolution in four and partial resolution in one patient. No response was seen in the rest one. The duration of drainage ranged from 7 to 18 days (average, 15.5days) in successful cases. One case of the failure in drainage was due to persistent aspiration of the neurologically impaired patient. In one patient, the abscess resolved after drainage but recurred after inadvertent removal of the catheter 7 days after insertion. In two patients, concurrent pleural empyema was resolved completely by the drainage. Computed tomography provided anatomic details necessary for choosing the puncture site and avoiding a puncture of the lung parenchyma. Percutaneous catheter drainage is a safe and effective method for treating patients with lung abscess.
Abscess ; Catheters* ; Drainage* ; Empyema, Pleural ; Humans ; Lung Abscess* ; Lung* ; Methods ; Punctures

PURPOSE: We have experienced 23 patients who had underwent cervical disc replacement with Mobi-C disc prosthesis and analyzed their radiological results to evaluate its efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was performed on 23 patients with degenerative cervical disc disease who underwent CDR with Mobi-C disc prosthesis from March 2006 to June 2006. RESULTS: The age of the study population ranged from 31 to 62 years with mean of 43 years, and 16 male and 7 female cases. Regarding axial pain, the average preoperative VAS score was 6.47 +/- 1.4, while at final follow-up it was 1.4 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.001). The preoperatively VAS score for radiculopathy was 6.7 +/- 0.7 compared with an average score of 0 +/- 0 at the final follow-up (p < 0.001). At postoperative 6th month, Odom's criteria were excellent, good, or fair for all 23 patients (100%). 7 patients (30.4%) were classified as excellent, 15 patients (65.2%) as good, and 1 patients (4.4%) as fair. Prolo economic and functional rating scale was average 8.9 +/- 0.7 at postoperative 6th month. ROM in C2-7, ROM of FSU, and ROM in upper adjacent level were well preserved after CDR. CONSLUSION: This report would be the first document about the CDR with Mobi-C disc prosthesis in the treatment of degenerative cervical disc disease. CDR with Mobi-C disc prosthesis provided a favorable clinical and radiological outcome in this study. However, Long-term follow-up studies are required to prove its efficacy and ability to prevent adjacent segment disease.
Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae/physiopathology/*surgery ; Diskectomy/adverse effects/instrumentation/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Prosthesis/adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/prevention & control ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: We performed 65 cases of posterior fusion surgery for cervical and/or high thoracic lesions using a polyaxial screw-rod system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 486 screws were implanted in 65 patients. RESULTS: Fixation of the screws was carried out over an average of 2.9 spinal segments. Upon evaluation by postoperative CT scans, twelve (2.5%) screws had suboptimal trajectories but two of these revealed radiculopathy in one patient and required screw repositioning. No vascular sequelae resulted. There has been no segmental motion in any of the cases to date. As for other complications, there was one case of dural tearing and two cases of lateral mass fractures. There were no infections or other wound healing problems or hardware failures. No patients had neurological deterioration after surgery. There were statistically significant improvements in the mean Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores in the preoperative and late postoperative follow-up evaluations. Although further studies are required to establish the long-term results of fusion rates and clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: We cautiously suggest that the posterior polyaxial screw-rod system can be safely used as a primary or additional fusion method in this risky region. The successful and safe use of this method is dependent on a precise preoperative surgical plan and tactics for ensuring safe screw fixation.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Bone Screws ; Cervical Vertebrae/radiography/*surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recovery of Function ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spinal Diseases/physiopathology/*surgery ; Spinal Fusion/instrumentation/*methods ; Thoracic Vertebrae/radiography/surgery ; Time Factors ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: A retrospective review of medical records and imaging studies. To investigate characteristic clinical features and surgical outcomes of spinal cord tumors (SCTs) of the thoracolumbar junction (TLJ). The spinal cord transitions to the cauda equina in the TLJ. The TLJ contains the upper and lower motor neurons of the spinal cord and cauda equina. As a result, the clinical features of lesions in the TLJ vary, and these anatomical characteristics may affect surgical outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pathological diagnosis, clinical features, neurological signs, and surgical outcomes were investigated in 76 patients surgically treated at our institute for SCTs arising from T11 to L2. The patients were divided into epiconus (T11-12, n=18) and conus groups (L1-2, n=58). RESULTS: Patients in the epiconus group had hyperactive deep tendon reflexes (DTRs), while those in the conus group had hypoactive DTRs (p < 0.05). Nine patients were misdiagnosed with intervertebral disc diseases (IVDs) before correct diagnoses were made. It was impossible to definitively determine the exact cause of symptoms in four patients who had both SCTs and IVDs. CONCLUSION: Among SCTs of the TLJ, the epiconus group displayed upper motor neuron syndrome and the conus group displayed lower motor neuron syndrome. SCTs of the TLJ were frequently misdiagnosed as IVDs due to symptomatic similarities. SCTs of the TLJ should be included in differential diagnosis of back and leg pain, and it is highly recommended that routine lumbar magnetic resonance imaging include the TLJ.
Cauda Equina/pathology/radiography ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disk Displacement/pathology/radiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Compression/pathology/radiography ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms/*surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae/*pathology/radiography ; Treatment Outcome

Coexistence of cranial and spinal subdural hematomas is rare and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Herein, we report a case of cranial and spinal subdural hematomas after previous head trauma. As the pathogenesis of simultaneous intracranial and spinal subdural hematoma yet remains unclear, we developed an alternative theory to those proposed in the literature for their coexistence, the migration of blood through the subdural space.
Craniocerebral Trauma ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Spinal* ; Subdural Space

PURPOSE: To compare ocular biometry and refractive results measured using conventional applanation ultrasonography and 3 different optical interferometries, Lenstar LS900(R), AL-Scan(R) and OA-2000(R). METHODS: The biometries of 31 cataractous eyes were measured using ultrasonography, Lenstar LS900(R), AL-Scan(R) or OA-2000(R). The axial length, anterior chamber depth and keratometry were measured. The SRK/T formula was used to calculate intraocular lens power. Two months after cataract surgery, the refractive outcome was determined and results from the 4 different biometry methods were compared. RESULTS: Axial lengths were 23.39 +/- 0.95 mm, 23.42 +/- 0.98 mm, 23.43 +/- 0.98 mm and 23.44 +/- 0.98 mm measured using ultrasonography, Lenstar LS900(R), AL-Scan(R) and OA-2000(R), respectively with no statistically significant differences observed (p = 0.996). The anterior chamber depth and keratometry were 3.14 +/- 0.41 mm, 3.10 +/- 0.38 mm and 3.13 +/- 0.39 mm (p = 0.936) and 44.41 +/- 1.52 D, 44.54 +/- 1.57 D and 44.44 +/- 1.52 D (p = 0.937) for Lenstar LS900(R), AL-Scan(R) and OA-2000(R) respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the 3 optical devices. The mean absolute error of the 4 different devices were not statistically significant (p = 0.722). CONCLUSIONS: The ocular biometric measurements and prediction of postoperative refraction using ultrasonography, Lenstar LS900(R), AL-Scan(R) or OA-2000(R) showed no significant differences.
Anterior Chamber ; Biometry ; Cataract ; Interferometry* ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Optical Devices ; Refractive Errors ; Ultrasonography*

Korean women doctors have expanded their activities globally in various fields within the international community. This study conducted face-to-face interviews or e-mail surveys of representatives among internationally active women doctors with experience in working with the Medical Women's International Association and the World Health Organization. Conveying the activities of these senior women doctors will be valuable to the younger generation of doctors who are interested in international health and who aspire to become potential leaders in the international health care scene in the future.
Delivery of Health Care ; Electronic Mail ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; World Health Organization

Background: The improvement in the survival rate of preterm infants has paradoxically raised the risk of morbidities in childhood. Our objectives were to assess the medical utilization and costs in preterm infants following discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit in the first 6 years of life. Methods: We conducted a population-based study using the National Health Information Database (2011–2017) provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).A total of 361,190 children born in Korea between January 1 and December 31, 2011 were divided into four groups according to the gestational age at birth: extremely preterm (less than 28 weeks), very preterm (28–31 weeks), moderate to late preterm (32–36 weeks), and full term (37–41 weeks). The cumulative number of outpatient visits, cumulative length of hospital stay, rate of hospital and intensive care unit admissions, and cumulative medical costs for inpatients and outpatients were compared for each gestational age group. Results: Earlier gestational age was significantly associated with an increased risk of the cumulative number of outpatient visits, cumulative length of hospital stay, and rate of hospital and intensive care unit admissions for the first 6 years of life. The mean cumulative inpatient and outpatient costs per child significantly decreased with increasing gestational age. When assessed based on population size, the total cumulative medical costs were highest for moderate to late preterm children. Conclusion Earlier gestational age was strongly associated with increased healthcare resource utilization and medical costs. Our findings on the potential long-term socioeconomic impact on public health are expected to aid the development of future health care policies for preterm children.