We analyzed one hundred and thirty nine cases of urodynamic findings of male patients who had voiding problems without organic or neurologic lesions. There were 45 patients (32.4%) with normal urodynamic findings and 94 patients (67.6%) with abnormal finding. The most frequent finding in the latter was high maximum urethral closure pressure in 41 cases (29.5%). The popular voiding symptoms were residual urine sensation (75.5%), frequency (67.6%), hesitancy (63.3%) and so on. There was no correlation between urodynamic findings and symptoms. Although many patients were lost to follow up, the results of the management were good. So we expect that it would be better to manage such patients according to the results of urodynamic findings than to manage only by the symptoms.
Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Male* ; Sensation ; Urodynamics*

We report two cases of malignant schwannoma of skin in association with non-familial neurofibromatosis. Case 1, a 47 year old man, had a large subcutaneous tumor on the sacral area and case 2, a 62 year old woman, a painful, ulcerating tumor on the posterior aspect of the left arm. Both cases were histopathologically confirmed as malignant schwannomas and immunohistochemical studies showed 5-100 protein in the tumor cells. After surgical excision of the tumors, case 1 was lost to follow up, while case 2 remained without evidence of disease for more than one and half years.
Arm ; Female ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Skin ; Ulcer

Malignant duodenocolic fistula is a rare complication of advanced right colon cancer. The surgeon becomes involved not only with the cancer lesion, but also with the physiologic complications, such as electrolyte imbalance and malnutrition. We experienced 2 cases of duodenocolic fistulas arising from right side colon cancers. One of the patients was surgically treated by right hemicolectomy and pancreatico-duodenectomy and another case was lost to follow-up. We report these cases with a brief review of the literature.
Colonic Neoplasms ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Malnutrition

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study was performed in 22 cases undergoing anterior screw fixation for type II odontoid process fracture. OBJECTIVES: To determine the utility of anterior screw fixation for type II odontoid process fracture and assess the influence of several factors including the number of screw on results. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There are few data on the surgical results of type II odontoid process fracture in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between Jan. 1987 and Jan. 1997, 24 patients were operated by anterior screw fixation for the type II odontoid process fracture, but 2 patients were lost to follow-up and we analyzed 22 patients with average 68 month followup(range: 24~142 months). Nine patients were operated by anterior fusion using one screw(group I) and 13 patients using two screws(group II). There were 19 fresh odontoid fractures, 3 delayed union preoperatively. The amount of correction of initial displacement and angulation, bone union and perioperative complications were selected as assessment criteria. Eric and James' functional outcome scale was used for the functional results. The statistical analysis using the two-way ANOVA and chisquare test was performed. RESULTS: In clinical results, excellent functional outcome were obtained in 6 cases of group I and 10 cases of group II, while good functional outcome in 3 cases of group I and 3 cases of group II according to Erric and James' criteria(p=0.477). There was no case with fair or poor results in both groups including nonunited case. In radiological results, union rate was 86.4%(19 patients) totally, 67%(6 patients) in group I and 100%(13 patients) in group II retrospectively(p=0.045). The mean time to fusion was 11.3 weeks in all cases and there was no difference between both groups(p=0.521). In all cases, reduction rate was 4.0mm(displacement in lateral view), 1 . 5degree(angulation in lateral view), 1.5degree(angulation in open mouth view) postoperatively, being 5.7mm, 2.5degree, 2.8degreein group I and 3.6mm, 3 . 8degree, 0.6degreein group II. There was no significant differences between both groups(p=0.164, p=0.794, p=0.235). SUMMARY: Anterior screw fixation was clinically and radiologically reliable surgical treatment option for type II odontoid process fracture. Speaking of the number of screw used in anterior screw fixation, two screw group showed better results in union rate.
Humans ; Korea ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Mouth ; Odontoid Process ; Retrospective Studies

Forty-four patients with brain astrocytoma and glioblastoma were treated with surgical resection and postoperative radiation from January 1980 through May 1987. Four patients were lost to follow up, and in 40 patients sruvival time was evaluable. Three year actuarial sruvival rate was 66.7% in Grade I and II astrocytoma, 30% in Grade III, and 20.4% in glioblastoma multiforme patients. The prognostic factors affecting survival rate were histologic grade in all cases, age, and total radiation dose in Grade III and glioblastoma.
Astrocytoma* ; Brain ; Glioblastoma* ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: To investigate the causative factors of the complications and clinical results of 82 patients that underwent multilevel fusion due to degenerative lumbar disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study, between October 1994 and July 2001, of 101 patients that had undergone spinal fusion at more than 3 levels, due to degenerative lumbar disease, and excluding 19 patients, which included 8 revisions, 1 postop infection and 10 lost to follow-up. The average age of the 82 patients was 61, ranging from 49 to 81 years. There were 22 men and 60 women, with an average follow up of 35, ranging from 12 to 79 months. Inclusion in the study required a minimum of 1 year of radiographic follow-up, where the lumbar lordotic angle, lateral sagittal angle of the fusion segments, problems associated with instrumentation (screw loosening, breakage and rod breakage), nonunion, fusion level, extension to sacrum, medical comorbidities and their influences on the clinical results were evaluated. Evaluation of the clinical results were quantified using Kirkaldy-Willis'criteria. T-test, Chi-square test and Pearson correlation tests were performed to evaluate the statistical significance, using SPSS version 10.0. RESULTS: 12, 35, 20 and 15 of the 82 patients declared their outcomes to be excellent, good, fair and poor, respectively. The clinical results were statistically associated with the difference between the postoperative and final sagittal angle in the fusion segments (p<0.05). The more fusion segments involved, the more problems associated with the instrumentation occurred. The number of fusion levels affected the clinical results. CONCLUSION: It seems to be difficult to reach satisfactory results in the case of multilevel spinal fusion, which was mostly associated with problems of instrumentation and nonunion, which showed poorer clinical results. Maintenance of the sagittal angle in the fusion segments was challenging when the number of fusion levels was increased.
Comorbidity ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Sacrum ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine*

STUDY DESIGN AND OBJECTS: This is a retrospective study designed to compare the surgical treatment results between postero-lateral fusion(PLF) and posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF) with pedicle screw fixation for the low grade lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis with neurologic deficit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients were operated from 1990 to 1996, but 9 patients were lost to follow-up, and we analyzed 32 patients with an average 38 months(range:24-65 months) follow-up. Twenty-one patients were operated by pos-terolateral fusion(group A) and 11 patients were operated by posterior lumbar interbody fusion(group B). Age ranged from 18 to 69 years with an average of 44.1 years old. The mean duration of symptom was 26.4 months. Slip angle, percentage of slippage, bone union and complications were considered as an assessment criteria. For the functional results we used Kim's functional evaluation scale. We used two-way ANOVA and chi -square test for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The average preoperative slip angle was 6.8degree, postoperative 9.6degreeand last follow-up was 6.9degreein group A and the changes were -0.3degree, 3.6degreeand 1.9degreerespectively in group B. In percentage of slippage, mean pre-operative value was 22.1%, post-operative 19.3% and last follow up was 20.7% in group A. And the changes were 25%, 8.2%, and 8.3% in group B respectively. In bone union, definitive solid union was obtained in 19 cases (90.4%) of group A, and in 10 cases(91%) of group B. Satisfactory functional outcome were obtained in 85.7% of group A and 90.9% of group B according to the Kim's evaluation criteria. There were no significant statistical difference in the changes of slip angle, status of bone union, complications and functional out-come(P>0.05) between group A and group B. But posterior lumbar interbody fuison was superior in the ability and maintenance of reduction compared with posterolateral fusion(p=0.020).. SUMMARY: Both posterolateral fusion and posterior lumbar interbody fusion with Gill procedure and pedicle screw fixation could be reliable surgical treatment option for the maintenance of reduction, higher fusion rate and satisfactory fuctional out-come in the symptomatic low grade lumbar isthmic spondylolisthesis with neurologic deficit.
Animals ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gills ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Retrospective Studies ; Spondylolisthesis*

PURPOSE: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the outcomes of prostate cancer patients treated with the CyberKnife radiotherapy system (Accuray). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2007 and 2010, 31 patients were treated for prostate cancer by use of the CyberKnife radiotherapy system. After excluding six patients who were lost to follow-up, data for the remaining 25 patients were analyzed. Patients were divided into the CyberKnife monotherapy group and a postexternal beam radiotherapy boost group. Clinicopathologic features and treatment outcomes were compared between the groups. The primary endpoint was biochemical recurrence-free survival period based on the Phoenix definition. Toxicities were evaluated by using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scoring criteria. RESULTS: Of 25 patients, 17 (68%) and 8 (32%) were classified in the monotherapy and boost groups, respectively. With a median follow-up of 29.3 months, most of the toxicities were grade 1 or 2 except for one patient in the boost group who experienced late grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. The overall biochemical recurrence rate was 20% (5/25) and the median time to biochemical recurrence was 51.9 months. None of the patients with low or intermediate risk had experienced biochemical recurrence during follow-up. Among D'Amico high-risk populations, 16.7% (1/6) in the monotherapy group and 50.0% (4/8) in the boost group experienced biochemical recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support that prostate cancer treatment by use of the CyberKnife radiotherapy system is feasible. The procedure can be a viable option for managing prostate cancer either in a monotherapy setting or as a boost after conventional radiotherapy regardless of the patient's risk stratification.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Radiosurgery ; Radiotherapy* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: In order to know the outcome in patients with initial overcorrection of 20 delta or more after the surgery of exotropia. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients initially overcorrected 20delta or more following surgery for an exotropia were managed with an alternate full time occlusion, echothiopate iodide, or prism glasses for the period of overcorrection. The alternate prism cover test was performed at near and distance during the follow up period. Reoperation was performed if esotropia of 20delta or more persist more than three months postoperatively. RESULTS: Most patients (87%) had a preoperative deviation of 35 delta or less at distance. Forty nine patients (72%) had 10 delta or less within 4 weeks postoperatively at distance and near, and 11 patients (16%) including 7 patients with prism glasses between five to 16 weeks postoperatively. One patient who was lost to follow up was found to be orthophoric 32 months postoperatively, and another patient refused to come to the hospital for having straight eyes. Four patients with consecutive esotropia and one patient for postoperative hypotropia after combined recession of superior rectus needed a reoperation. One remaining patient was managed with an alternate full time occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: Initial overcorrection of 20 delta or more occurred mostly in patients with a preoperative exotropia of 35 delta or less at distance. Most patients had 10 delta or less within 3 to 4 months postoperatively; however, 6% needed a reoperation for consecutive esotropia.
Esotropia ; Exotropia* ; Eyeglasses ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glass ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Reoperation

Autograft using suction hlistered epidermis is one of the surgical therapeutic mod- alities of vitiligo, and has been successfully used by several authors. The maintenance of grafting pigment is belieued to be more important than repigmentation itself. To examine the maintenance of pigment, 22 vitiligo patients were treated by autograft using suction blistered epidermis and followed for 16.8 months. Repigmentation developed in 20 patients, Two patients were lost to follow up. Out of 20 patients, grafting pigment was maintained in 17 patients(85% ) and disappeared in three patients(15% ). By clinical subtype, the rates of maintenance were 100% in segmental type, 80% in localized type and 66% in generalized type. The best results were observed in a head and neck location and the worst rates and maintenance were in the hand. However, these differences were not statistically significant. likewise, age and sex were not factors in maintenance and repigrnentation. Based on this study, autograft using suction blistered epidermis appears to be a good therapeutic modality for stable vitiligo, particularly segmental vitiligo.
Autografts* ; Blister* ; Epidermis* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hand ; Head ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Neck ; Suction* ; Transplants ; Vitiligo