No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

No abstract available.
Semen Analysis* ; Semen*

No abstract available.
Endophthalmitis* ; Vibrio*

No Abstract Available.
Cataract* ; Corneal Opacity*

No abstract available.
Fever*

No abstract available.
Semen Analysis* ; Semen*

Anterior plate fixation of the cervical spine provides good primary stability to allow early mobilization without significant external support. Despite the obvious advantages of anterior cervical fixation, neurological injury resulting from the direct trauma of a drill bit or screw are possibile with this technique. In addition, screw loosening leading to dyphagia has been reported. The cervical spine locking plate (CSLP) system maintains the mechanical advantages of internal fixation and eliminate the neurological risks of perforating the posterior cortex. The purpose of this study is to review our experience with this device, to critically assess its ability to stabilize the cervical spine, and to assess for complications associated with this device. The authors reviewed 28 consecutive patients in whom the CSLP system was applied between April 1994 to April 1995. Average age was 44 years ranged from nineteen to seventy-two. Patients with trauma were eight and degenerative diseases were twenty. Eighteen screws were inserted in C3 bodies, twenty-four in C4, forty-one in C5, thirty-six in C6, twenty-four in C7, two in Tl and nine on grafted bone. With a mean follow-up of 15 months, 27 of 28 patients went on to fusion. Mean time to fusion was three months (range 2-5). Fusion status of one patient was considered as uncertain. Three patients had screws placed in the disc rather than in bone. One patient suffered deep wound infection, which developed to tracheoesophagial fistula. No patient showed neurological injury as a result of this device.
Early Ambulation ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Spine* ; Transplants ; Wound Infection

In the investigation of patients with internal disc disruption, a discography has been the best method to decide whether intervertebral disc is normal or abnormal. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine is a new technique which offers an alternative method of obtaining this information. Some authors have reported MRI was more accurate than discography, but other reports have indicated discography was more useful test in symptomatic lumbar disc disease. The authors performed retrospective study to evaluate the diagnostic value of the image findings of MRI and discography in the internal disc disruption. Image findings of MRI and discography were analyzed comparing to pattern of provocative pain during discography. The concordant pain at discography was considered as a gold standard for evaluation of the diagnostic value of these modalities. The image findings of MRI and discography for 60 discs of 21 patients were graded and compared with the pain response at discography. The validity and predictive value (PV) of these modalities were calculated and the correlation between these image findings was evaluated. The sensitivities of discography and MRI were 83.3% and 90.9% respectively. The specificities of these findings were 47.1% and 46.7%. The positive PV of discography and MRI were 52.6% and 55.6%, and the negative PV were 80% and 87.5% respectively. There was no statistical significance in these discrepancies. The determinations of symptomatic disc level based on image findings are unreliable. The MRI can be considered as a screening test for internal disc disruption since it is non-invasive and sensitive diagnostic tool. The fusion level should be decided by the pain pattern at discography.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-eight patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures were evaluated according to the treatment methods of the retropulsed fragments. OBJECTIVE: To confirm the pure effect of ligamentotaxis according to the approaching methods to tile involved area. SUMMARY OF BACK GROUND DATA: Retropulsed fragments were effectively treated by indirect posterior reduction. Regardless of size of the retropulsed fragments, remodelling process of the retropulsed fragments was progressed during follow-up period. METHODS: 38 patients with burst fractures of thoracolumbar and lumbar spine were divided into two groups according to tile reduction method of the retropulsed fragments ; the one group consisted of 18 cases which were treated by posterior instrumentation and indirect reduction(Group I: ligamentotaxis) and the other groups consisted of 20 cases which were treated by posterior instrumentation and posterior direct reduction(Group II). Change of neural canal compromise rate, neurologic status, remodelling process of the retropulsed fragments were measured using pre-, post-operative and follow-up radiographs and CT. RESULTS: Comparing the two groups, neural canal compromise rates were decreased at postoperative period but, there were no significant differences in both groups. There were no correlation of neurologic status and neural canal compromise rate. We could confirm the remodelling process of the retropulsed fragments, but there were no significant changes according to the size of the retropulsed fragments between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Indirect reduction by posterior instrumentation( ligamentotaxis ) could effectively treat the retropulsed fragments in burst fractures of thoracolumbar and lumbar spine without directs posterior reduction.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neural Tube ; Postoperative Period ; Spine

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of estrogen receptor on the degenerative change of articular cartilage by observation of different changes of histology, matrix glycosaminoglycan and chondrocyte proliferation. In sixty-four Newzealand rabbits, experimental instability was made to induce degenerative changes by sectioning the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus of the left knees. In the oophorectomy group (32 rabbits), knee surgery was performed at 6 weeks following bilateral oophorectomy. In the non-oophorectomy group (32 rabbits), knee surgery was performed without oophorectomy. Four rabbits were killed at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 weeks, respectively, after the knee operation. Total immunohistochemical scores of estrogen receptor were evaluated between the two groups. Histologic evaluation of H-E staining was conducted by alcian blue staining. Evaluation of chondrocyte proliferation was carried out by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibody to 5-bromo-2 -deoxyuridine. The stainability of each staining was calculated using semi-quantitative analysis and statistical differences were evaluat- ed by ANOVA test and LSD multiple comparison test. Total immunohistochemical scores of estrogen receptor in the non-oophorectomy group were higher than the oophorectomy group (P<0.05). In the non-oophorectomy group, the histologic scores and the histochemical scores of glycosaminoglycan were lower than the oophorectomy group after 4 weeks and 8 weeks respectively (P<0.05). The immunohistochemical score of BrdU was the highest at 2 week and then decreased after 4weeks in both groups. The immunohistologic scores of non-oophorectomy group was significant higher than oophorectomy group between 1 and 4 weeks (P<0.05). Our results suggested that the estrogen might aggravate the degenerative change of the knee joint in rabbits by decreasing matrix glycosaminoglycan and increasing chondrocyte proliferation.
Adult* ; Alcian Blue ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; Cartilage, Articular* ; Chondrocytes ; Collateral Ligaments ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Knee Joint ; Knee* ; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ; Menisci, Tibial ; Ovariectomy ; Rabbits