OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous vertebroplasty has recently been introduced as an interesting therapeutic alternative for the treatment of thoracolumbar vertebral body fractures in elderly persons with osteoporosis. The authors present the early results of this method. METHOD AND MATERIAL: From July 1999 to April 2000, percutaneous transpedicular technique was used in 20 patients (2 men and 18 women) whose mean age was 67.5 years old(range 59-79) with painful vertebral compression(22) and burst(2) fractures. The interval between fracture and vertebroplasty ranged 1 day to 4 months. The procedure involved percutaneous puncture of the injured vertebra via transpedicular approach under fluoroscopic guidance, followed by injection of polymethylmetacrylate(PMMA) into the vertebral body through a disposable 11-guage Jamshidi needle. RESULT: The most common cause of fracture was slip down and the most frequent injured level was the twelfth thoracic spine. The procedure was technically successful bilaterally in 18 patients(9 thoracic and 15 lumbar spines) with an average injection amount of 7.7ml PMMA in each level. Seventeen(94.4%) patients reported significant pain relief immediately after treatment. Two leaks of PMMA were detected with postoperative CT in spinal epidural space and extravertebral soft tissue without clinical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Although this study represents the early results, percutaneous vertebroplasty seems to be valuable tool in the treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral body fractures in elderly, providing acute pain relief and early mobilization.
Acute Pain ; Aged ; Early Ambulation ; Epidural Space ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Osteoporosis ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Punctures ; Spine ; Vertebroplasty*

PURPOSE: To report the effectiveness of Minocin sclerotherapy in the treatment of renal cysts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed minocin sclerotherapy to 19 patients with 21 renal cysts composed of 17 cases of solitary renal cyst and three cases of multiple renal cyst and one case of polycystic kidney comfirmed by ultrasound and CT. After aspiration of cyst fluid, if the amount was less than 50ml, 500mg of minocin was mixed with 3ml of normal saline,if more than 50ml, 1000mg of minocin mixed with 5ml of normal saline were injected, and each case was followed-up over 3 months by ultrasound. RESULTS: Of all 21 renal cysts, 14 cases were followed-up three months after minocin sclerotherapy. In 12 of 14 cases, the size of the cysts decreased by 10% or collapsed completely. Of the remaining two cases, one collapsed after 6 months while the other recurred after 6months. Three cases were followed up after 20 months and only one of them recurred. 19 of all 21 cases(91%) were cured, and two of 21 cases(9%) were recurred. Pain was the only complaint. and four of 10'cases needed analgesics. CONCLUSION: Sclerotherapy with minocin has low recurrence-rate and low complication, and relatively early high cure-rate.
Analgesics ; Cyst Fluid ; Humans ; Minocycline* ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases ; Sclerotherapy* ; Ultrasonography

This study was conducted to compare the date on knowledge, attitude and motivation toward blood donation between donors and non-donors. The study population included 622 donors and 322 non-donors who visited the mobile blood donation car of Taegu Red Cross Blood Center and participated the group appointed blood donation campaign managed by the center from March 1 to March 31, 1989. The donors and non-donors were questioned above mentioned items with a formulated questionnaire. Among the general characteristics of the subjects in the study, male predominance (84.1% in donors and 73.6% in non-donors) in young age group (16-24 years) was the outstanding feature. As a medium of information about blood donation, “television” was playing a dominant role (donors; 75.2%, non-donors; 78.9%), while “magazine” played more important roles among donors. Of the donors, 70.6% and of the non-donors, 58.1 replied that they had ever been induced to donate blood (p<0.01). Major inducers were friend and personnel of mobile blood donation vehicle. On the measuring of knowledge level, the average rates of correct answer was higher in donors (62.6%) than in non-donors (54.1%) (p<0.01). Higher the education level was presented, higher the knowledge level (p<0.05). There have been noticeable difference between donors and non-donors in blood replying the questionnaire set to measure their attitude toward blood donation, especially in the items such as “impression toward blood”, “selection of transfusion blood source” and “view on the situation of blood shortage.” The major motivation toward blood donation of the groups were “possible future need” and “altruism or humanitarian interest”. The major reasons for not donation blood in both groups were “fear of the needle” and “dread to visit to mobile car or center”.
Blood Donors* ; Daegu ; Education ; Friends ; Humans ; Male ; Motivation* ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors

OBJECTIVE: Topographic arrangement and morphometric pattern of cauda equina are studied. METHODS: In 10 adult formalin fixed cadavers, the entire dural sac of lumbosacral spine including extradural nerve roots was extracted. After paraffin fixation, serial cross section from sacral nerve roots to conus medullaris was performed. We investigated following structures at each disc level using a slide scanner after haematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome stains: 1) location of filum terminale(FT), 2) arrangement of motor and sensory bundles, 3) morphometric characteristics of sensory bundles to motor bundle of each spinal nerve root. RESULTS: The FT was located in the dorsal half of midline at L2-3 disc level and in the most dorsal portion of midline from the L4-5 disc level and downward. All bundles of each nerve root showed an oblique arrangement. Motor bundle of each spinal nerve root was always located in the anterior or anteromedial portion of the corresponding sensory bundles. At L4-5 and L5-S1 disc levels, S1 to S4 nerve roots were arranged inverted V-shape centered FT. The sensory root was composed of several bundles whereas the motor root was always composed of a single bundle. The areas occupied by sensory bundles were larger than 2 to 4 times in S1-3 sacral nerve roots and 1.9 to 2.4 times in L3-5 lumbar nerve roots compared with those occupied by the corresponding motor roots. CONCLUSION: This study will be helpful to prevent the nerve root injury during the operation of cauda equina and predict postoperative complications.
Adult ; Cadaver ; Cauda Equina* ; Coloring Agents ; Conus Snail ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Paraffin ; Postoperative Complications ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; Spine

OBJECTIVE: Using the standardization of disease diagnosis of disease, and surgical procedures, the authors have made a clinical application for the analysis of inpatient data with the ability to search for information pertinent for writing of clinical articles. METHODS: A client-server system and database software was developed for networking. For clinical application, a computerized daily report has been developed. Data from Neurosurgical patients admitted at Soonchunyang University Hospital from January to December 1998 were analyzed with this system. Data for clinical articles was obtained using the search mode, information such as orbital infarction syndrome following intracranial aneurysm surgery and epidemiological analysis or geriatric neurosurgical patients. RESULTS: For the daily report it takes approximately 10 minutes to input the patients demographic information, name of disease, diagnosis and surgical procedure. The daily report also numbers and sorts the inpatients according to large categories of diagnosis, reports the ratio between inpatients and operative patients. The annual report that was obtained was very accurate and gave rapid statistics for the one year. By retrospective study for the past 18 years, we calculated the incidence of orbital infarction syndrome following intracranial aneurysm surgery as 1.4%, and also estimated the population of geriatric inpatients as 18.3% by retrospective study. CONCLUSIONS: It has been found to be most useful to make a daily and annual report for tracking and research purposes. For use in clinical articles, it can be possible to do a search of the patients using the standardized disease, diagnosis and neurosurgical procedures application and obtain pertinent information in a timely manner.
Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Inpatients ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Neurosurgical Procedures* ; Orbit ; Retrospective Studies ; Writing

OBJECTIVE: The the international classification of disease and surgical procedure has been found to be a lengthy and time-consuming text for use by neurosurgeons. A more subject matter related classification system is needed for use by this specialty. The author has developed a more comprehensive and standardized classification system specified for diagnosis of neurological disease and neurosurgical procedures. METHODS: Standardization of disease was completed by modifying the name of disease according to that which was used for daily report past 10 years, and from textbook of neurosurgery. The fields of international coding are continued in each. Neurosurgical procedures were designated and modified according to Current Procedure Terminology 96. Client-server system will be used for networking and database software applications have been developed. RESULTS: Disease was classified in 14 large categories and 379 subcategories. Diagnosis was classified in 12 large categories and 43 subcategories. Neurosurgical procedure has 20 large and 202 subcategories. The international coding system such as ICD-10 and ICD-9CM is maintained for the diagnosis and procedures to each category. CONCLUSIONS: It could be possible to make and use a standardized database model of disease, diagnosis and neurosurgical procedures to be used by physician.
Classification ; Clinical Coding ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; International Classification of Diseases ; Neurosurgery ; Neurosurgical Procedures*

An analysis of recent experiences for the brain stem glioma with surgery and autopsy established confirmation of the characteristic symptoms and signs, and of diagnostic criterias of Conray-ventriculogram and vertebral-angiogram. The cases consisted of 2 cases of exophytic brain stem glioma and 4 cases of pontomedullary glioma, and 5 of 6 patients had the signs of the increased intracranial pressure in this cases. A resurgence of interest in the Conray ventriculogram has been produced by cut-off sign of aqueduct of Sylvius in 2 cases of the exophytic brain stem glioma. The survival period in adults (1-3 years) were longer than that in children (less than 3 months) in this series.
Adult ; Autopsy ; Brain Stem* ; Brain* ; Cerebral Aqueduct ; Child ; Glioma* ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure

No abstract available.
Korea*

No abstract available.
Neoplasm Metastasis*

Pneumocephalus is exceedingly rare in the absence of trauma or recent surgery. It is most commonly seen after severe head injury, with disruption of the dura and subsequent cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Intracranial air has also been reported as a complication of shunting. This may be secondary to intermittent shunt failure or a persistent communication between the extracranial and intracranial space that permits the entrance of air. In the present case, air appeared to enter the ventricular system through the fistula that connected the frontal sinus. This air replaced the CSF being drained into the peritoneal cavity by the shunt. The decrease of intracranial pressure after a shunt might play a role in causing pneumocephalus. We report a case of tension pneumocephalus after shunting for hydrocephalus as a life-threatning complication.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Fistula ; Frontal Sinus ; Hydrocephalus* ; Intracranial Pressure ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Pneumocephalus*