Cervical spinal stenosis can be diagnosed indirectly by measuring the anteroposterior diameter or Pavlovs ratio in simple cervical spinal radiographs. The purposes of this study were to assess the trasverse areas of the spinal canal,the dural tube and the spinal cord of the cervical spine of normal adults by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to find the possible correlationship among the MRI results. T1-weighted MR images of the cervical spine of 100 normal adults were evaluated by measuring the transverse areas of the three structures in the axial plane. The maximal transverse areas of the spinal cord was 84.5mm2 at C5 and the minimal transverse areas of the dural tube and spinal canal were 153.6mm2 and 232.4mm2 at C6, respectively. The transvere areas of the spinal canal correlated better with the dural tube areas than with the spinal cord areas. The areas of the spinal canal, the dural tube and the spinal cord in MRI correlated better with the sagittal diameter than with the Pavlov's ratio in simple lateral radiographs.
Adult* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Canal* ; Spinal Cord* ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine

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

The authors experienced a case of gastroduodenojejunal trichobezoar detected by ultrasongraphic examination. We thought that tricholbezoar had relatively specific ultrasonographic findings such as a broad hyperechogenic superficial bandlike rim with a complete posteior sonic shadowing and multiple linear echogenic strands on its surface representing hairs, which were better seen after water ingestion. So we were able to get the correct diagnosis of trichobezoar prior to conventional barium studies in a patient who could not be suspected suspected clinically.
Barium ; Bezoars* ; Diagnosis ; Eating ; Hair ; Humans ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Ultrasonography* ; Water

There have been numerous hypotheses about the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis, but it is still unclear. There are some reports that abnormalities of contractile proteins may play a role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis. The purpose of this report is to study the quantitative abnormalities of contractile proteins in muscles and nonactivated and activated platelets, and to determine whether or not the abnormalities in contractile proteins may play a role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis. The materials were 21 idiopathic scoliosis patients aged from 13 years to 28 years(average 19.2 years) and 20 persons aged from 17 years to 25 years(average 20.1 years) as a control group. The electrophoretic analysis(SDS-PAGE method) was done on platelets both unstimulated and stimulated with thrombin and also on proteins of paraspinal muscles and gluteus maximus of idiopathic scoliosis patient and paraspinal muscles of control group. The results are as follows. 1. The myosin/actin ratios of triton-insoluble fractions to paraspinal muscles in convex sides of main curvatures of scoliosis patients(1.69±0.81) were significantly decreased compared to those of concave sides(2.55±1.28), gluteus maximus muscles(2.56±1.70) and control group(2.61±1.01). 2. There were no significant differences between scoliosis group and control group in the actin/myosin ratios of triton-insoluble fractions of the platelets both nonactivated and activated by thrombin. In conclusion, abnormalities of contractile protein in paraspinal muscles of convex side may play a role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis, rather than abnormalities of systemic contractile protein.
Actins ; Blood Platelets ; Contractile Proteins ; Humans ; Muscles ; Myosins ; Paraspinal Muscles ; Scoliosis ; Thrombin

No abstract available in English.
Arthritis, Infectious ; Dislocations ; Hip

No abstract available.
Spondylolisthesis*

No abstract available.
Foreign Bodies* ; Pneumonia, Aspiration*

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

No abstract available.
Scoliosis*

One hundred and twenty patients with symptomatic lumbar disc herniation were treated with automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy(APLD) from June 1988 to October 1989 in Seoul National University Hospital. Among them, 95 patients were followed up for more than 6 months. Number of male patients was 58 and female 37. Age ranged from 15 to 57 years with average 28 years. L4-L5 was the most commomly involved level comprising 80%, and 2 level involvement was 9%. Average duration of procedure was 38 minutes, and average amount of tissue aspirated was 5.2 grams and average hospital stay was 2.4 days. The average follw up was 10.8 months. Eighty seven percent of patients were satisfactory and 13% unsatisfactory and there was no major complication. There was no significant disc space narrowing in all the cases and the size of herniation revealed no significant change in all the patients, even the patient had a satisfactory result. APLD was compared with chemonucleolysis performed during 1988 in terms of clinical results, disc space narrowing on plain films and herniation size change on follw up CT. Chemonucleolysis also had satisfactory result in 89% with reduction of herniation size in 41% but induced significant disc space narrowing in 84%. Authors experienced some special cases, which are generally considered poor indication for percutaneous discectomy. Those were degenerative, calcified and possibly ruptured discs. Satisfactory results were obtained in 10 of 14 these patients.
Diskectomy ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Chemolysis ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Seoul