The posterior cruciate ligament in the stoutest ligamentous structure in the knee joint. Kennedy and Hawkins have confirmed its strenght to be about 2 times that of the anterior cruciate ligament or tibial collateral ligament. This would appear to offer the support that this ligament has a vital role to play in knee stabilization. But, in the past, non-surgical management was frequently elected either because of the belief that most kness with posterior cruciate insufficiency are asymptomatic or because it is difficult to access surgically. Recently, Hughston and Trickey reported good results after surgical repair of the rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament. And current trend is to repair it surgically. So, we analyzed the 36 cases of acute posterior cruciate ligament injuries, who were admitted and treated surgically in Severance Hospital between Jan. 1981 to Dec. 1985, and obtained the following results. 1. Single rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament largely results in good outcome. 2. When the rupture site is in the substane, we can obtain relatively good results with the augmentation using the medial head of the gastrocnemius. 3. When combined with medial or lateral compartment injuries, the chance of later instability and reconstruction is high.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Clinical Study ; Head ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Ligaments ; Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Rupture

No abstract available.
Humans

This study consisted of 66 peritrochanteric fractures which were treated by the modified Gamma nail (Asian Pacific nail) from August 1993 to October 1995. Sixty-one intertrochanteric fractures and five subtrochanteric fractures were treated in our institution. Average length of follow-up was 15.0 months. Four patients died during follow-up. The results were as follows; Lag screws were ideally introduced in 55 (83%) cases. The mean length in lag screw sliding was 4.3 mm in stable trochanteric fractures and 5.7 mm in unstable ones. Fifty-one out of 62 patients (82%) were returned to their previous ambulatory status. Intraoperative complications were as follows; distal crack (3 cases); rotation of femoral head (2 cases); entry point crack (I case); medialization of proximal fragment (7 cases); and missing of the interlocking screw (1 case). All of these complications did not affect the outcome. All medial cortical gaps were closed after sliding of lag screws. Three distal cracks did not propagate to the shaft. Postoperative complications were a case of superior cut-out, and two second fractures after falls. Callus formed more early in the stable trochanteric fractures (5+/-2.1 weeks) than unstable fractures (7.3+/-2.1 weeks). It was statistically significant. Union time between stable and unstable trochanteric fractures was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the Asian Pacific (AP) nail could appropriately fix the osteoporotic peritrochanteric fractures in elderly patient. It could offer early rehabilitation to these patients and decrease the mortality and morbidity.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bony Callus ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary* ; Head ; Hip Fractures ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Rehabilitation

PURPOSE: MRI is known to be an effective imaging modality of the aorta and its role is steadily increasing in the evaluation of acquired aortic diseases including aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms. However, differentiation of the aortic dissections with thrombosed false lumen from the aortic aneurysm with mural thrombus in MRI has not been easy. Therefore, the authors tried to find the characteristic MR featrses which would to differentiate the two diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of 6 patients with thrombosed aortic dissection and 7 patients with thrombosed aortic aneurysms were reviewed retrospectively and compared in regand to shape and extent of thrombus, dimension of aorta, and luminal flow signal. RESULTS: Thrombosed aortic dissections showed sharply demarcated crescent shaped aortic wall thickening of even thickness involving long segment of the aorta, whereas thrombosed aortic aneurysms showed irregular aortic wall thickening of uneven thickness localized in the short dilated segment of the aorta. Characteristically aortic aneurysm with mural thrombus showed eccentric intraluminal slow flow signal. In contrast to the signal void of the true lumen in aortic dissections, the residual lumen of the aortic aneurysm with mural thrombus revealed intraluminal signal due to slow flow. CONCLUSION: Familiarity to these MRI findings of thrombosed aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms may lead to the accurate differential diagnosis in majority of cases.
Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm* ; Aortic Diseases ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Phenobarbital ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombosis

A one step reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) combined nested PCR was set up to increase efficiency in the diagnosis of canine distemper virus (CDV) infection after developement of nested PCR. Two PCR primer sets were designed based on the sequence of nucleocapsid gene of CDV Onderstepoort strain. One-step RT-PCR with the outer primer pair was revealed to detect 10(2) PFU/ml. The sensitivity was increased hundredfold using the one-step RT-PCR combined with the nested PCR. Specificity of the PCR was also confirmed using other related canine virus and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and body secretes of healthy dogs. Of the 51 blood samples from dogs clinically suspected of CD, 45 samples were revealed as positive by one-step RT-PCR combined with nested PCR. However, only 15 samples were identified as positive with a single one step RT-PCR. Therefore approximately 60% increase in the efficiency of the diagnosis was observed by the combined method. These results suggested that one step RT-PCR combined with nested PCR could be a sensitive, specific, and practical method for diagnosis of CDV infection.
Animals ; Distemper Virus, Canine/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Dogs ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods/*veterinary ; RNA, Viral/genetics/isolation & purification ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; Viral Vaccines

Severely comminuted tibial condylar fracture is a major threat to the structures and function of the knee joint. Recently, anterior approach with Z-tenotomy of the patellar tendon was introduced for these complicated fractures. It provides wide exposure of the tibial articular surface for maximum joint reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to describe the operative technique and to evaluate the clinical results of this method. We had performed operative treatment in 13 cases (12 patients) of severely comminuted Schatzkers type II, V, and VI tibial condylar fractures through anterior approach from December 1993 to April 1996. Twelve cases out of 13 (92%) showed acceptable results according to Blokkers criteria. There was no superficial or deep infection. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the anterior approach is a valuable aid in the operative treatment of severely comminuted tibial condylar fractures.
Joints ; Knee Joint ; Patella* ; Patellar Ligament* ; Tenotomy* ; Tibia

Balloon pulnounary valvuloplasty is an established method in the treatment of congenital valvular pulmonary stenosis. Balloon valvuloplasty was performed by using one or two balloons in a total of 19 mongrel dogs. Cross sectional area ratio ranging 145-406% was used to compare the relative sizes of the pulmonary annulus the balloon Hemodynamic changes and cardiac damages in single and double balloon groups were analyzed. Survival time of double balloon group was longer than that of single balloon group(P<0.05). Increment of the right ven?dular systolic pressure in single balloon group (mean 38 mmHg) was greater than that in double balloon group (mean 18 mmHg) (p<0.05). Decrement of the femoral arterial pressure in single balloon group (mean 87 mmHg) was greater than in double balloon group (mean 41 mmHg) (p<0.05). The locations of trauma were mainly the right ventricular free wall, the main pulmonary artery, the anterior leaflet of the pulmonary valve and in a less degree, anterior wall of the right atrium, the right ventricular outflow tract and the left pulmonary artery in the order of frequency. There were no significant differences in cardiac damages between single and double balloon groups (P>0.05). Major microscopic findings were sloughing of the endotheliu, fibrin deposition, hemorrhage, localized myocardial infarction and so on. In conclusion, double balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is superior to single balloon technique in survival time and hemodynamics. Therefore, double, balloon technique is recommended for the pulmonary valvuloplasty.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Balloon Valvuloplasty ; Blood Pressure ; Catheters* ; Dogs ; Fibrin ; Heart Atria ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage ; Methods ; Myocardial Infarction ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Valve ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Balloon pulnounary valvuloplasty is an established method in the treatment of congenital valvular pulmonary stenosis. Balloon valvuloplasty was performed by using one or two balloons in a total of 19 mongrel dogs. Cross sectional area ratio ranging 145-406% was used to compare the relative sizes of the pulmonary annulus the balloon Hemodynamic changes and cardiac damages in single and double balloon groups were analyzed. Survival time of double balloon group was longer than that of single balloon group(P<0.05). Increment of the right ven?dular systolic pressure in single balloon group (mean 38 mmHg) was greater than that in double balloon group (mean 18 mmHg) (p<0.05). Decrement of the femoral arterial pressure in single balloon group (mean 87 mmHg) was greater than in double balloon group (mean 41 mmHg) (p<0.05). The locations of trauma were mainly the right ventricular free wall, the main pulmonary artery, the anterior leaflet of the pulmonary valve and in a less degree, anterior wall of the right atrium, the right ventricular outflow tract and the left pulmonary artery in the order of frequency. There were no significant differences in cardiac damages between single and double balloon groups (P>0.05). Major microscopic findings were sloughing of the endotheliu, fibrin deposition, hemorrhage, localized myocardial infarction and so on. In conclusion, double balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is superior to single balloon technique in survival time and hemodynamics. Therefore, double, balloon technique is recommended for the pulmonary valvuloplasty.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Balloon Valvuloplasty ; Blood Pressure ; Catheters* ; Dogs ; Fibrin ; Heart Atria ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage ; Methods ; Myocardial Infarction ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Valve ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Purpose: Dislocation is the second most common cause of failure, after implant loosening, in revisional THA (Total hip arthroplasty), and its evaluation and treatment still remain controversial issue. This study was undertaken to evaluate the risk factors after THA using the posterolateral approach and posterior soft tissue repair. Materials and Methods: Between January 1998 and May 2003, 211 consecutive primary total hip replacement arthroplasties using the posterolateral approach and posterior soft tissue repair were performed by the same surgeon. To compare the dislocation groups (6 cases) with the non-dislocation groups (205 cases), we randomized 120 of the non-dislocation cases. The risk factors for hip dislocation were categorized into patient factors and surgical factors. Patient factors included gender, age, preoperative diagnosis, underlying systemic disease, and alcoholic history. Surgical factors included position of the component (acetabular version and inclination, femoral anteversion), leg length discrepancy, and sum of anteversions of the cup and stem. Their parameters were measured on postoperative radiographs. Statistics were performed with Fishe`s Exact test and T test. Results: Dislocations occurred at an overall incidence rate of 2.8% (6/211cases). There were 4 (1.9%) cases of anterior dislocations and 2 (0.9%) cases of posterior dislocations. Dislocations occurred on average at postoperative day 6.1 and all dislocated hips were reduced with the closed method, except for one case that was treated surgically. There was no statistical significance in patient factors between the two groups, except for neurologic disease and alcoholic history. However, the sum of the acetabular and femoral anteversions in the anterior dislocation group was larger than that of the non-dislocation group by approximately 19 degrees. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that by using the posterior approach and repair of soft tissue, the posterior dislocation rate after total hip replacement arthroplasty can be reduced and the sum of the acetabular and femoral anteversions had more influence on dislocations after THAs than did either anteversion alone.
Acetabulum ; Alcoholics ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Diagnosis ; Dislocations ; Hip Dislocation* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg ; Risk Factors*

Twenty-seven consecutive patients who had post-traumatic stiffness of the elbow were treated by operative soft tissue release or by soft tissue release and distraction arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to describe the method of operation and postoperative management and to evaluate the results in the patients who had operative treatment for the post-traumatic stiffness of the elbow. The type of operative procedure was determined by whether the factors limiting motion were extra-articular (extrinsic) or intra-articular (intrinsic) and by pre-operative radiographic evaluation. The soft tissue release was performed by staged adhesiolysis through lateral or combined lateral and medial approaches. And if the factors limiting motion included a severe intraarticular lesions, distraction arthroplasty using the Judet or Oganesian apparatus was added to soft tissue release. The mean pre-operative arc of active motion was 42 degrees. At follow-up examination, nineteen to sixty-six months postoperatively, the mean post-operative arc of active motion was 103 degrees. There were nine complications (33 percent) in twenty-seven patients. All of them was transient ulnar nerve paresthesia. And we analysed the final results with Mayo elbow performance index for the evaluation of clinical outcome. Twenty-five (93%) of twenty-seven patients had satisfactory result according to Mayo elbow performance index. We conclude arthrolysis with or without distraction arthroplasty is useful for the treatment of posttraumatic elbow stiffness. However, the accurate anatomical knowledge, operative skill, and careful postoperative rehabilitation program were needed in the operative treatment of post-traumatic elbow stiffness.
Arthroplasty ; Elbow* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Paresthesia ; Rehabilitation ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Ulnar Nerve