A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the prevalence rate of scoliosis in elementary, middle and high school boys in May 1988. The study population included 1,393 male students in Pusan ; 463 students of 4th grade in two elementary schools, 543 students of 1st grade in one middle school and 387 students of 1st grade in one high school. The students of elementary school were screened with inspection by two physicians at the same time and the students of middle and high schools were screened with both inspection by the same physicians and 70mm chest X-ray. Positive students in any one of the two screening tests were measured for height and body weight and asked for the shoulder side on which he carries the school bag. The angle of curvature on X-ray film was measured by Cobb's method. The number of positive students in any one of the two tests were 15(3.2%) in elementary schools, 174(32.0%) in middle school and 92(23.8%) in high school. However, positive rates in both tests were only 2.2% for the middle school students and 2.6% for the high school students and among these students 1.1% out of total middle school students and 2.3% of high school students had a curvature equal to or greater than 5 degrees of Cobb's angle on 70mm chest X-ray film. There was a statistically significant association between the direction of spinal curve and the shoulder side on which one carries school bag among positive students in both screening tests (p<0.05). Mean height and body weight of 281 positive students in any one of two screening tests were compared with the Korean standard for the same age. Mean weight of elementary school students was nearly the same as the standard weight but the height was slightly shorter than the standard. However, both mean height and weight of the middle school students were lower than the standard while those of the high school students were higher. The prevalence rate of scoliosis for the 2nd 3rd grades of high school is presumed to be higher than that of the 1st grade of high school and the rate for girls will be even higher than the rate for boys of the same age. Thus, scoliosis seems to be an important school health problem. To prevent scoliosis, it is recommended to reduce the weight of school bag, educate the students to keep a right posture and exercise periodically.
Body Weight ; Busan* ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Posture ; Prevalence* ; School Health Services ; Scoliosis* ; Shoulder ; Thorax ; X-Ray Film

he carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common perripheral nerve entrapment syndrome. Many tests have been used for diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. A new test, called the instrumented carpal tunnel and the Tinel percussion test, the Phalen wrist-flexion test, tourniquet test, and the trodiagnostically proved carpal tunnel syndrome and in a group of 49 patients(79 hands) during the period from October 1994 to July 1995. The results were as follows; 1. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy results of each provocative test were 53%, 88%, 70% on Tinel test, 72%, 66%, 69% on tourniquet test, 62%, 91%, 76% on Phalen test, 85%, 95%, 90% on the instrumented carpal compression test. 2. For the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, the instrumented carpal compression test was found to be the most sensitive, specific and accuracy results. 3. As a results, the new, instrumented carpal compression test with Durkan's CTS gauge was thought to be the most useful provocative diagnostic method & a simple, rapid & inexpensive technique for screening for carpal tunnel syndrome, and consisted of lightweight device.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Diagnosis ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Nerve Compression Syndromes ; Percussion ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tourniquets

No abstract available.

Fractures of the patella are predominantly intra-articular fractures of a sesamoid bone. The options of treatment vary from closed treatment to total patellectomy, in the middle of the spectrum are osteosynthesis and partial patellectomy. In this series, we experienced 59 cases of patellar fractures from October 1974 to October 1983 at the Department of the Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University. The results were as follows:1. Most fractures were encountered in man from twenties to forties. 2. The most common cause of fractures was traffic accident(34 cases, 59.7%), followed by slip down or falling down(15 cases, 26.3% ). 3. The most frequent configuration of fractures was the comminuted. 4. 36 cases were treated with osteosynthesis (32 cases), partial excision (1 case) or total excision (3 cases). Of the 32 cases treated with osteosynthesis, most were treated by modified tension band wiring (16 cases). And as compared with other fixation techniques, the best results were obtained by this method. 5. Modified tension band wire fixation has given accepatable results even in severely comminuted, displaced patellar fractures. Excision was sometimes unavoidable.
Accidental Falls ; Clinical Study ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Intra-Articular Fractures ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Patella ; Sesamoid Bones

Acute bacterial infection of bone and joint presents a real challenge to orthopedist because early diagnosis and treatment are difficult and also essential. In almost all practices, fever and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) are widely used for monitoring the course, for estimating the effectiveness of treatment, and for the recovery of such illnesses. However, interpreting body temperature is difficult and ESR is nonspecific, is not not sensitive, normalizes slowly. Otherwise, C-reactive protein(CRP) is very sensitive and normalizes fast. CRP, body temperature, and ESR were sequentially measured until a normal value was reached in twenty seven patients in whom acute osteomyelitis (17 patients), acute exacerbation of chronic osteomyelitis(4 patients), and septic arthritis(6 patients) had been diagnosed by positive bacterial culture at Kyungpook National University Hospital from June 1984 to May 1985. The results were as follows: 1. CRP normalized within 8.8 days on average. 2. Fever lasted 4.5 days on average. 3. ESR normalized within 41.6 days on average. 4. Initial mean value of CRP was 4.2 positive in acute in acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis and 3.5 positive in acute exacerbation of chronic osteomyelitis, therefore CRP can be considered as a very sensitive indicator for early detection of acute bacterial infection of bone and joint. Also sequential CRP determination can be used for monitoring the course, for estimating the effectiveness of treatment, and for the recovery of such illnesses.
Arthritis, Infectious ; Bacterial Infections ; Blood Sedimentation ; Body Temperature ; C-Reactive Protein ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteomyelitis ; Reference Values

The usage of electromyography is customized in the diagnosis of the neuromuscular disorder and the determination of motor conduction velocity is important in the diagnosis of the peripheral nerve lesion and in the posing of the site and severity of nerve damage. Although the radial nerve is frequently involved in generalized neuropathy and in entrapment syndrome, relatively fewer reports have appeared in the literature regarding the radial nerve. The purpose of this study is to determine the normal data of the motor conduction velocity of the proximal and distal segments of the radial nerve. The radial nerve fibers supplying the extensor indicis muscls muscle was stimulated at Erb's point, above the elbow and in the distal forearm and its muscle action potential was sampled. Seventy-four radial nerve were studied in thirty-seven healthy young subjects. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The mean proximal velocity was 70.7±6.8m/sec and the mean distal velocity was 57.6±4.3m/sec. 2. In any case tested, the proximal velcity was over 55m/sec. 3. The proximal velocity was faster than the distal velocity and the mean difference was 13.1m/sec In only 7 of the 74 nerves tested, the proximal velocity was slower than the distal velocity and the difference of Sm/sec was the most reversal. 4. The velocity in dominant limb was faster than that in nondominant limb. 5. There were no significant difference between the sexes.
Action Potentials ; Diagnosis ; Elbow ; Electromyography ; Extremities ; Forearm ; Peripheral Nerves ; Radial Nerve

Between 1982 and 1991, 33 cases(47 patients) with Ficat stage I and II avascular necrosis of the femoral head which had decompression with fibular strut grafting were followed up for average 62 months ranging from 36 to 136 months, The authors analyzed the results by Harris Hip Score(H.H.S) clinically and according to Ficat stage progression radiologically and evaluated the effectivencess of this procedure in the early stage of atraumatic avascular necrosis of the femoral head. The results were as follows. 29 hips were mon, 4 hips were women and 11 patients were bilateral. The ages ranged from 26 to 75 years and the mean age was 46.6 years. By the radiological classification of Japnese Investigation Committee, 23 hips(79%) of stage II showed diffuse involvement of the femoral heads(type 1-C, 2, 3-B). By Ficat stage, stage I were 4(12%) and stage II were 29(88%). At follow up, 2 hips were in stage I(6%), 15 hips were in stage II(46%), 11 hips were in stage III(33%) and 5 hips showed stage IV (15%). Two hips were converted to total hip arthroplasty due to failure. Preoperative Harris Hip Score was 84 points in average and at most recent follow up, the score was 89 points in average. The clinical surccess rate was 73% and radiological success rate was 52%, but 83% of the patients were satisfied with the procedure subjectively. There noted some disparity between the clinical and raiological results, but the effect of the decompression with fibular strut grafting will be known if more long term follow up is available.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Classification ; Decompression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Transplants

Thumb opposition is essential for all precision handling, in daily activity. Thenar muscle wasting is common in long-standing severe carpal tunnel compression. Unfortunately, muscle wasting rarely recovers after decompression of the nerve. A single-stage procedure, combining carpal tunnel release and opponensplasty, is therefore a logical proposal. Between July of 1993 and May of 1996, 15 patients of carpal tunnel syndrome with thenar muscle atrophy were operated upon Camitz-Littler opponensplasty at Kyungpook University Hospital; combination of palmaris longus transfer and median nerve decompression as a simultaneous procedure. Postoperative thumb opposition was assessed by means of three separate indices-maximal palmar abduction, spatial rotation, thumb-to-finger apposition. Results for an average post-operative follow-up of 12.0 months were achieved 'good' by 86.7%. We concluded that palmaris longus transfer as an opponensplasty carried out in combination with carpal tunnel release is a simple and effective procedure for restoration of opposition in case of severe carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Logic ; Median Nerve ; Muscular Atrophy ; Thumb

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assist the optimal placement of sacroiliac screw by evaluating the anatomic and radiologic features of upper sacrum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen fresh-frozen cadaveric pelvises and 13 normal adults were studied for the evaluation of morphology of first sacrum and dysplastic patterns. Measurement of anatomic parameters and CT imaging of pelvis were performed. Thirty-two patients with complicated pelvic fracture were evaluated for detection of variations in the sacral alar anatomy and slope found in upper sacral segmentation. RESULTS: The mean distance between midpoint of sacrum and sacroiliac joint was 52.75 mm. The height of first sacral body was 21.71 mm. The longest antero-posterior distance in sacral alar was 52.36 mm. The mean angle between the coronal plane of S1 vertebra and anterior aspect of the alar was 29.3 degree. The mean angle between the superior aspect of S1 vertebral body and superior edge of the alar was 34.8 degree. The mean angle between the superior aspect of S1 vertebral body and supero-posterior edge of the alar was 12.5 degree. The studies revealed about 28 to 33% of cases as dysplastic sacrum. CONCLUSIONS: We studied anatomic and radiologic features of upper sacrum in cadaveric and clinical cases to gain information on the optimal placement of sacroiliac screw.
Achilles Tendon* ; Adult ; Cadaver ; Humans ; Pelvis ; Rupture* ; Sacroiliac Joint ; Sacrum ; Spine

Ten emhalmed cadaveric adult bony hemipelvis specimens were ohtained to evaluate the configuration of the posterior column of acetabulum and to find a safe path for screw placement into it as well as to report on the morphological data of the ischial tuherosity and to determine the most optimaI technique for ischial tuberosity screw placement for open reduction and internal fixation of posterior acetabular fracture. Cadaveric studies were performed analyzing icm cross-sections through the acetabulum for the purpose of studying the anatomical configuration of the danger zone. The plane of the cross-section was perpendicular to the posterior column. Each cross-section had the medial boundary ot the acetabulum projected onto the posterior column. By analysing the projections on the posterior column, the exact configuration of the danger zone was determined. In this study, the average width of the posterior column at the mid-acetabular Ievel was 3.9cm. Computed tomography scan of the acetabulum yielded valuable int'ormation regarding screw placement in the posterior column. The average width, height and depth of the ischial tuberosity were 25.7 mm, 33. 1 mm and 31.7mm, respectively. The average angles hetween the posterior and medial aspects and hetween the posterior and lateral aspects of the ischial tuherosities were 79.5degreesand 111.5degrees, respectively. The entry point of the screw should be Smm or 10mm medial to the lateral margin of the ischial tuherosity and the screws should be directed 35-40degrees, 45-50degrees and 50-55degrees caudally at the level of the inferior acetahular margin and lcm and 2cm below it, respectively. to obtain the most favorable bony purchase.
Acetabulum* ; Adult ; Cadaver ; Humans