Stabilization of the unstable spine created by the posterior decompression is as important as the decompression itself in the treatment of spinal stenosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of C-D pedicle screw fixation in stabilization after lumbar decompression, in reduction of spondylolisthesis and in restoration of the lumbar sagittal curvature. C-D pedicle screw fixation was performed in 102 spinal stenosis patients after posterior lumbar decompression and fusion during the period from March 1987 to December 1988. Their age ranged from 15 to 72 years with an average of 49.1 years. There were 34 males and 68 females. The follow up was from 6 to 21 months with an average of 12.5 months. The causes of spinal stenosis were degenerative in 50 patients, spondylolisthesis in 39, iatrogenic in 9 and degenerative lumbar scoliosis in 4. Objective clinical results showed significant improvement of claudication, SLR limitation, motor weakness, sensory and DTR changes in most patients. Following results were obtained from the study of C-D pedicle screw fixation after posterior decompression in lumbar spinal stenosis.1. C-D pedicle screws provide the secure fixation that allows early ambulation and shorter hospital stay. 2. C-D pedicle screws enable the reduction of spodylolisthesis at the time of posterior stabilization. 3. C-D pedicle screw fixation is successful in the restoration and maintenance of sagittal curvature of the lumbar spine. 4. C-D pedicle screw fixation enables the correction of scoliosis at the time of posterior decompression.
Decompression ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Pedicle Screws ; Scoliosis ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Stenosis*

No abstract available.
Scoliosis* ; Syringomyelia*

No abstract available.
Kyphosis*

Angiographic diagnosis of lesions of the posterior fossa requires detailed knowledge of the normal anatomy of both arteries and veins of the brainstem and cerebellum. For this perfuse we measured normal distribution of the vertebrobasilar vessels from three base lines namely clival line, Twining line and foramen magnum line. In the measurement are also included some of the methods which were published in the past. This paper is based on the results of the measurements on 18 cases of normal vertebral angiogram among 77 cases of serial vertebral angiography performed at Catholic Medical center from October 1972 to August 1975. The result obtained were as follows: 1) Distance from the most posterior portion of the pericallosal artery to the clival line is 6.55+/-0.68 cm. 2) Distance from the most posterior portion of the arcuate portion of the lateral posterior choroidal artery to the clival line is 5.16+/-0.61 cm. 3) Distance from the posterior portion of the quadrigeminal portion of the medial posterior choroidal artery to the clival line is 4.87+/-0.67 cm. 4) Distance from the most posterior portion of the distal segment of the medial posterior choroidal artery to the clival line is 4.47+/-0.49 cm. 5) Distance from the bifurcation portion of the basilar artery to the clival line is 1.22+/-0.26 cm. 6) Distance from the forward convexity of the basilar artery to the clival line is 0.15+/-0.11 cm. 7) Distance from the choroidal point to the clival line is 2.99+/-0.51 cm. 8) Distance from the posterior medullary portion of the PICA to the clival line is 2.58+/-0.45 cm. 9) Distance from the tuberculum sellae to the Torcular Herophilli(Twining line) is 10.96+/-0.52 cm. 10) Distance between the tuberculum sellae to the point on the Twining line crossed by a perpendicular line drawn from the choroidal point is 6.61+/-0.40 cm. 11) Distance from the superior portion of the anterior culminate segment of the superior cerebellar artery to the Twining line is 3.28+/-0.48 cm. 12) Distance from the supratonsilar portion of the PICA to the Twining line is 0.97+/-0.42 cm. 13) Distance from the colliculocentral point to the clival line is 3.74+/-0.37 cm. 14) Distance from the crural portion of the anterior pontomesencephalic vein to the clival line is 1.65+/-0.33 cm. 15) Distance from the crural portion of the anterior pontomesencephalic vein to the colliculocentral point is 2.51+/-0.35 cm. 16) Distance from the copular point to the clival line is 3.99+/-0.51 cm. 17) Distance from the copular point to the line drawn from the anterior margin of the foramen magnum is 1.63+/-0.38 cm. 18) Distance from the highest point of the lateral posterior choroidal artery to the Twining line is 4.74+/-0.37 cm. 19) Distance from the highest point of the medial posterior choroidal artery to the Twining line is 4.35+/-0.34 cm. 20) Distance between two bisected points of the anterior culminate segment of the superior cerebellar artery by a line drawn parallel to the Twining line at 1cm from the top of the anterior culminate segment is 2.86+/-0.29 cm.
Angiography ; Arteries ; Basilar Artery ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Choroid ; Diagnosis ; Foramen Magnum ; Normal Distribution* ; Pica ; Veins

This experiment was performed to define the paricipation of a discrete hypothalamic neural structure in the genesis of pulmonary edema and the effect of alpha adrenergic blockade. Fifty adult cats weighing 2.5 to 4.0 Kg, were used in this study. The components of the pathophysiological systemic changes, lung weight, and histopathological changes of lung and hypothalamus were studied in groups of animals when intracranial pressure(ICP) was raised to 200 mmH2O of 300 mmH2O for 2 hours by intraventricular infusion with normal saline. The animals were divided into 5 groups : The normal control group was comprised in 10 normal cats. Control and phentolamine treated animal groups which had an elevated ICP of up 200 mmH2O consisted of 10 cats each. Control and phentolamine treated animal groups which had an elevated ICP of up to 300 mmH2O consisted of 10 cats each. The results obtained were as follows : 1) In the animal groups of elevated ICP to 200 mmH2O or 300 mmH2O, there were hemodynamic systemic changes which were neurogenically mediated and caused an immediate elevation in blood pressure of 30 mmHg to 60 mmHg. The hemodynamic data of the animals that had an elevated ICP of up to 300 mmH2O were significantly more deviated from normal control values than the 200 mmH2O ICP groups. The hemodynamic responses of the phentolamine treated animal with elevated ICP of up to 200 and 300 mmH2O were less deviated from normal control values. 2) The lung weights of the animals with an elevated ICP of up to 200 and 300 mmH2O were significantly heavier than the normal control value(p<0.05) and the lung weights of the animals with an elevated ICP of 300 mmH2O were significantly heavier than those with an ICP of 200 mmH2O(p<0.01). The lung weights of the phentolamine treated animal groups were significantly lighter than the control group but showed little increase in the lung weight when compared to the normal value. 3) By controlling the elevated ICP above 200 mmH2O in the experimental animals we have confirmed gross and microscopic appearances of hemorrhagic pulmonary edema. Histopathological changes of the phentolamine treated animals were significantly less sever than in the control groups. 4) By elevating ICP above 200 mmH2O in the experimental animals, we have confirmed discrete bilateral hemorrhagic spots of the anterior hypothalamus, preoptic region induced by increased intracranial pressure. Histopathological changes of the phentolamine treated animals with the elevated ICP were significantly less severe than of the control groups. 5) This experimental model may define the specific particification of the hypothalamus in the pathophysiological pathogenesis of neurogenic pulmonary edema. These results suggest that the lungs are directly affected by the intense sympathetic discharge evoked by release phenomenon from the sympathoinhibitory influence of the hypothalamus, and pulmonary edema was effectively eliminated by alpha adrenergic blockade.
Adult ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Cats* ; Edema* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; Hypothalamus, Anterior ; Infusions, Intraventricular ; Intracranial Pressure ; Lung* ; Models, Theoretical ; Phentolamine* ; Pulmonary Edema ; Reference Values ; Weights and Measures

Congenital dermal sinuses are dermal tubes which extended inward from the surface for varying distances and frequently connect the central nervous system or its covering with the surface of the body. The inner end of the sinus may be expanded to form a dermoid or epidermoid cyst. They are the results of incomplete separation of the epithelial ectoderm from the neuroectoderm at the fourth week of fetal development. As cystic expansion of a congenital sinus which is located within the cranium or spinal canal may act as any other mass lesion to interrupt neurologic function by local compression or it may obstruct the normal circulation of spinal fluid. In addition, because of its persistent communication with the skin surface, it serves as a constant potential port of entry for infection into the central nervous system. Since the first report in 1926 by Moise of staphyloccus meningitis secondary to a congenital sacral sinus, numerous reports have appeared of infection secondary to congenital sinuses along the craniospinal axis, particulary in the suboccipital region. Authors report a case of congenital dermal sinus associated with dermoid cyst of posterior fossa which was successfully removed and discuss the pathegenesis of it in embryology, and surgical management of it's complications.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Central Nervous System ; Dermoid Cyst* ; Ectoderm ; Embryology ; Epidermal Cyst ; Fetal Development ; Meningitis ; Neural Plate ; Skin ; Skull ; Spina Bifida Occulta* ; Spinal Canal

For young children with scoliosis before growth spurt, suhcutaneous lengthening without fusion was designed by Harrington and modified by Moe and Luque. However, many problems including spontaneous fusion, rod breakage, and hook disloclgement have been ohserved. CotrelDubousset(CD) instrumentation was sometimes used, but it usually resulted in failure due to soft tissue adhesion around the rough surface of ordinary CD rod. We tried to use the smooth CD rod, transvcrse-pedicle clawing on the upper part, and pedicle screw inscrtion on upper and lower part of the curve to reduce the hardware failures. Among 8 patients in whom suhcutaneous lengthening with smooth CD rod was carried out hetween October l992 and Suly 1996. 4 cases perfomed with final spinal fusion were analysed. There were I central core disease, 1 multicore disease and 2 idiopathic scoliosis(infantile and juvenile type). Mean age at the first operation was l0.0(8.8-11.8) years, and the Risser sign was all grade 0 except one with grade 1. Suhcutaneous lengthening was performed every 5 or 6 months Mean lengthening duration was 22(9-39) months and mean age at spinal fusion was 11.7(9.6-13.8) years. Mean Cobb angle decreased from 7ldegrees (55degrees-88degrees) at preoperative stage to 32 (10degrees-59degrees) at the last follow-up. There were 5 complications during 21 operations, and three hardware failures comprised 2 hook dislodgcment and 1 screw pull-out. Crankshaft phenomenon happened in I case who had had a posterior fusion in young age(9.6 years) due to laminar fracture. The suhcutaneous lengthening with smooth CD rod can he another option of treatment for young children with severe scoliosis. prescrving the powth potential of involved vertebrae with few complications.
Animals ; Child* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hoof and Claw ; Humans ; Myopathy, Central Core ; Scoliosis* ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine ; Tissue Adhesions

Recently the change in medical informatics enabled us to use medical information whenever we want and wherever we are. There are many homepages on the web, which provide hospital information, medical counseling. Our multimedia center began its service as a internet Hospital in MIDAS Dongailbo, one of the major daily newspaper in Korea, on March 25th, 1997. The aim of this study is to examine the content and purpose of medical counseling on the web. The subjects consisted of 1,000 counsellings which were called 'Dongailbo Internet Hospital' for March, 25th, 1997 through October 30th, 1997. Many questioners wanted to know treatment principles, to make a diagnosis, and to know specific medical knowledges. The most common questions are as follows: general and unspecified, musculoskeletal, skin, digestive, respiratory, neurological problems.
Computer Communication Networks ; Counseling* ; Diagnosis ; Internet ; Korea ; Medical Informatics ; Multimedia ; Periodicals* ; Skin

Recently the change in medical informatics enabled us to use medical information whenever we want and wherever we are. There are many homepages on the web, which provide hospital information, medical counseling. Our multimedia center began its service as a internet Hospital in MIDAS Dongailbo, one of the major daily newspaper in Korea, on March 25th, 1997. The aim of this study is to examine the content and purpose of medical counseling on the web. The subjects consisted of 1,000 counsellings which were called 'Dongailbo Internet Hospital' for March, 25th, 1997 through October 30th, 1997. Many questioners wanted to know treatment principles, to make a diagnosis, and to know specific medical knowledges. The most common questions are as follows: general and unspecified, musculoskeletal, skin, digestive, respiratory, neurological problems.
Computer Communication Networks ; Counseling* ; Diagnosis ; Internet ; Korea ; Medical Informatics ; Multimedia ; Periodicals* ; Skin