Tears of the medial meniscus are roughly five to seven times more frequent than those of the lateral in Western countries. The author reviewed 19 cases of meniscus tears of the knee treated at the Orthopedic Department of Seoul National University Hospital, from 1960 up to the time of this writing. He studied the incidence and the mechanism of injury of meniscus tear and attempted to clnrify the reasons for the prevalence of tear of the lateral meniscus among Koreans. 1. Of nineteen cases, twelve were lateral meniscus tear and seven were medial. 2. Of twelve cases of lateral meniscus tear, four were male and eight were female, and of seven cases of medial, four were male and three were female. 3. As to the ratio of the left, to the right ten were in the left knee and nine in the right. 4. There were no evident history of trauma in ten cases. 5. Tears of the posterior horn was found in ten cases, of which seven were in the lateral meniscus. 6. It seems reasonably certain that the habit of exaggerated flexion of the knee in Koreans is an important factor in the production of the lesion, combined possibly with medial rotation of the tibia, for subsequent episodes of the exaggerated flexion enlarge the rent until the popliteus attachment and all peripheral attachments behind the hiatus are torn away, and the posterior half of the lateral meniscus is released from control.
Animals ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Horns ; Humans ; Incidence ; Knee ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; Orthopedics ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Tears ; Tibia ; Writing

Percutaneous method of Al pulley release for the trigger fingers using hypodermic needle or small sharp scalpel has been described by some authors. In our experience, however, these methods had some difficulties in handling the instruments and not easy to utilize proper technique. Therefore we designed a special scalpel for easy and safe percutaneous release of the Al pulley. The scalpel has a hook shaped end with a blade on the inner side. Insertion site through the skin should be 0.5cm distal to the Al pulley, and the hooked end is located at the proximal margin of the Al pulley followed by longitudinal cut of the pulley distally. We performed this procedure in 44 trigger fingers of 41 patients in our out-patient clinic. There were 9 males and 32 females with a mean age of 54.4 years (range, 24 to 83 years). Affected digits were 23 thumbs, 1 index, 13 middle, 5 ring and 2 little fingers. 9 of them were locked in flexion or extension. The duration of symptom was an average of 7.9 months. After a mean follow up of 11.3 months, 42 fingers (95.4%) were completely free of symptoms including triggering. One had mild residual triggering due to incomplete release of the pulley and another had re-release of the pulley for remaining flexion limitation. One finger showed mild bowstringing after release, which subsided in 3 months. One patient complained of persistent pain and tenderness over the release site. There were no injuries of nerves or vessels and no infections. The duration of discomfort after release ranged from 3 to 70 days (av. 18.5 days). All patients, except one, were satisfied with the treatment method and their results. We think that percutaneous release of trigger fingers using our special scalpel is a very effective and convenient procedure both to surgeons and patients. It can be easily and safely performed in out-patient clinic with successful results.
Female ; Fingers* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Outpatients ; Skin ; Thumb

Occasionally, a bony spine of variable size, the supracondylar process, projects distally from the anteromedial surface about 5cm proximal to the medial epicondyle, to which it is joined by a band of fibrous tissue. It was found in one per cent of living white subjects and less often in the colored races; only in rare instances it is associated with clinical signs, usually median nerve neuralgia. Here, we reported a case of incidental finding of supracondylar process without a definite symptom.
Continental Population Groups ; Humans ; Humerus ; Incidental Findings ; Median Neuropathy ; Spine

The carpometacarpal boss is a bone prominence involving the carpometacarpal joints of the index and long fingers. In 1931 Fiolle described a bone lesion located the dorsum of his right wrist. He initially believed this to be primarily a carpal lesion and then called it a carpe bossu (carpal boss). The cause of the lesion has been thought to be the result either of a childhood fracture, or of an occupational strain or of periostitis secondary to the pull of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon insertion. A congenital predisposition, os styloideum, has also been suggested. We experienced three patients possessing a total of five lesions which showed that repeated mechanical stress in four and os styloideum in one were implicated in the etiology of this deformity.
Carpometacarpal Joints ; Carps ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fingers ; Humans ; Periostitis ; Stress, Mechanical ; Tendons ; Wrist

Of the shoulder syndromes, acute calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff is the least difficult to differentiate, for the mechanical and inflammatory aspects combine to produce a picture of severe, and localized pain which presents in obvious distress, splinting the affected shoulder by holding the arm to his side. The radiologic picture corresponds poorly to the clinical picture, with visible calcium deposits ranging from thin crescents to large fluffy amorphous masses. Acute calcific tendinitis is a self-limited process with a natural history of 6 to 14 days. Relief is dramatic when the inflammatory and mechanical cycle is broken, but the potential remains for exacerbation as for more serious sequellae such as adhesive capsulitis. We expereinced 5 lesions of calcific tendinitis in supraspinatus tendon treated by surgical removal in 4 lesions and by conservative measure in one lesion.
Arm ; Bursitis ; Calcium ; Natural History ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder ; Splints ; Tendinopathy ; Tendons

Since Jaffe first described osteoid osteoma in 1935, it has become a well recognized clinical and pathological entity. The clinical picture is characteristic, the roentgenographic features are usually distinctive, and the pathological findings are unmistakable. Osteoid osteoma is curable by surgical excision. Often, however, a presumtive diagnosis and roentgenographic features, but surgical exploration fails to uncover the nidus. We reported a case of typical pathological specimen, roentgenographic picture and unusual clinical records with long duration and marked muscle atrophy which was hardly differentiated from herniated intervertebral disc or other spinal cord lesions.
Diagnosis ; Intervertebral Disc ; Muscular Atrophy ; Osteoma, Osteoid ; Spinal Cord

Degenerative joint disease is a non-inflammatory disorder of movable joints characterized by deterioration and abrasion of articular cartilage, and also by formation of new bone at the joint surfaces. It is by far the most common form of arthritis in persons over the age of fifty, but manifestation of this disease do not appear as a rule until the fourth or fifth decade. Despite the frequent occurrence of osteoarthrosis in the adult population, many parameters of its pathogenesis have not yet been established. It is generally accepted that many types of injury, and prolonged strenous sporting activity are capable of producing the initial cartilage lesion that leads to the development of degenerative joint disease. But little information is available on its frequency in young athletes. The present study was designed to obtain more precise information about the effect of prolonged strenuous athletic activities on the development of osteoarthrosis in young women athletes. After a detailed clinical examination of the joints of 50 Korean young women volley ball players between 19 and 24 years of age, routine roentgenography was taken of hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands. The following results were obtained: 1. 23(46%) of 50 young women volley ball players had radiological evidence of osteoarthrosis in one or other of the joint X-rays, but there was no instance of apparent narrowing of the joint space. Nine(18%) of 50 young players had osteoarthrosis in more than 2 joints. Among 50 young volley ball players, 19(38%) athletes had symptomatic osteoarthrosis. 2. The knee joints were most commonly affected(34%). Less frequent sites were ankles(16%), elbow(8%), shoulders(8%) and hips(2%). But there was no involvement of the distal interphalangeal joints of the hand which are most frequently affected in the elderly. 3. 8(16%) of 50 athletes were found to have osteoarthrosis at the site of an injury. The knee joints showed this association most frequently. 4. It was found that body weight and occupation did not affect the incidence of the osteoarthrosis significantly.
Adult ; Aged ; Ankle ; Arthritis ; Athletes ; Body Weight ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Elbow ; Female ; Hand ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joint Diseases ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Occupations ; Osteoarthritis ; Radiography ; Shoulder ; Sports ; Wrist

One hundred and fifty-four operative cases of herniated intervertebral disc were evaluated in department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Police Hospital from June 1973 to May 1979. The results were obtained as follows: 1. Out of the 154 patients, there were 137 male and 17 female cases. The ratio between male and female was 8:1. 2. The majority (72%) of the herniated intervertebral disc was found in the age group of 20 to 40 years. 3. The most common site of the lesion was between L4 and L5 vertebrae (70%). 4. About 90% of the patient showed significant sign in myelographic and clinical studies. 5. To prevent adhesion of sciatic nerve & dura after the operation, spraying the methyl-prednisolone over the operative site and covering dura with fat in spinal canal could be resulted in good method. 6. The dissecting type is considered to be what operators should observe attentively during the operation. 7. The result of treatment was excellent in 94 cases (61%) and good in 47 cases (30%).
Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Male ; Methods ; Myelography ; Orthopedics ; Police ; Sciatic Nerve ; Spinal Canal ; Spine

Tarsal tunnel syndrom is characterized by pain, paresthesias in the foot in either the entire distribution of the tibial nerve or the distribution of one or two of its major branches and caused by compression of the posterior tibial nerve as it passes posterior and inferior to the medial malleolus. This syndrome is not recognized as readily as its counterpart in the upper extremity, the carpal tunnel syndrome. Anatomically unlike the transv erse carpal ligament the laciniate ligament(flexor retinaculum) has several deep fibrous septa which blend with the periosteum covering the medial side of the calcaneus. The neurovascular bundle in the tarsal tunnel is often attached to some of these septa, rendering itself more liable to minor degrees of traction on movements of the foot. A case of tarsal tunnel syndrome, the patient 24 years old policeman, treated succesfully with surgical release of laciniate ligament is reported.
Calcaneus ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Foot ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Paresthesia ; Periosteum ; Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome ; Tibial Nerve ; Traction ; Upper Extremity

Glomus tumors are well recongnized and well documented lesions which usually present as painful dermal nodules in the fingers. A glomus consists of arteriovenous anastomosis which may be enclosed by a connective tissue capsule. They are described occuring in the skin and subcutaneous tissue on the flexor surfaces of the fingers and toes and in the nailbeds; but they also occur elsewhere in the corium. Approximately one-third of glomus tumor occur in the nail bed. These tumors may occur at any age. This paper reports a glomus tumor occuring in the subcutaneous tissue of the right cubital fossa of a 24 years old female. Despite extreme pain and tenderness with a slight touch, there was 7 years delay in the diagnosis but complete recovery followed excision of the tumor.
Arteriovenous Anastomosis ; Connective Tissue ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fingers ; Glomus Tumor ; Humans ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Toes