To obtain wider versatility and greater reach in microsurgical lumbar discectomy, modified procedure has been performed on 263 patients in 1979-1983. It consisted of a smaller midline incision, removal of lateral half of the spinous process, partial but sufficient microdrilling of the lamina, use of a modified slender Taylor retractor, flavotomy, preservation of epidural adipose-areolar tissue etc. Particularly a slender Taylor-Chung retractor offered yielding surgical opening and therefore secured free of pituitary forceps to every direction. The microsurgical results including 72 bisegmental and 8 trisegmental discectomies were compared with those of standard operations of same number performed by same surgeon in 1972-1979, for the good contrast. Mean blood loss per operation was 94 ml with the standard discectomy and 46 ml with microsurgery. Dural tear occured in 17 cases undergoing standard operation and in 3 undergoing microsugery. The mean time until return to duty was 8.6 weeks with standard, compared with 4.2 weeks. In the microsurgical group, 3 patients had postoperative discitis while 2 had in the standard. In this series, the results of microsurgery surpasses the standard in the convalescent phase. Major advantages of this modified microsurgical technique were its ability to secure the greater reach to remove disc material as much as possible and to preserve the integrity of normal tissue better.
Discitis ; Diskectomy* ; Humans ; Microsurgery ; Surgical Instruments

A rare case of surgically extirpated intra- and extracranial metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma is reported. This dumb-bell shaped tumor simulated malignant meningioma on computerized tomography brain scan and cerebral angiography. Removal of the mass was successfully achieved by external carotid ligation and CUSA dissection. We suggest that, when investigating patient with suspected cranial secondaries particulary if there is a bony involvement, serum alpha-fetoprotein and hepatic ultrasound should be carried out as screening procedures.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Brain ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cerebral Angiography ; Humans ; Ligation ; Mass Screening ; Meningioma ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ultrasonography

Purpose: Previous studies have reported that progressive muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, has a negative impact on colon cancer treatment. However, the majority of studies have analyzed on patients undergoing open resection, and the association of sarcopenia with clinical outcomes is not clear for patients with colon cancer undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes after laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer. Methods: A total of 423 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer between November 2010 and October 2014 were included. Body composition was assessed by measuring muscle and fat areas at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) on preoperative computed tomography. The L3 skeletal muscle area was used to calculate the skeletal muscle index and to assess for sarcopenia. Results: Sarcopenia was identified in 54 patients (12.8%). The median time to first flatus (3 days), median time to tolerable soft diet (4 days), and median length of hospital stay (7 days) were not significantly different between patients with and without sarcopenia. However, sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for postoperative complications in the logistic regression multivariate analysis (p = 0.015). Sarcopenia was not associated with overall or disease-free survival. Conclusion Sarcopenia was not negatively associated with functional recovery, hospital stay, and oncologic outcomes in patients with colon cancer who underwent laparoscopic surgery. However, sarcopenia was associated with postoperative complications after laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer.

Purpose: Previous studies have reported that presarcopenia negatively affects rectal cancer treatment. However, most studies have analyzed patients including majority of open surgery, and the association between presarcopenia and clinical outcomes after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of presarcopenia on the clinical and oncological outcomes after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. Methods: Three hundred and one patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery between December 2009 and May 2016 were enrolled. Body composition was assessed using computed tomography by measuring the muscle and fat areas at the third lumbar (L3) vertebra. The L3 skeletal muscle area was used to calculate the skeletal muscle index and evaluate presarcopenia. Results: Presarcopenia was more common in older ( ≥ 70 years, P = 0.008) or female patients (P = 0.045). Patients with presarcopenia had decreased skeletal muscle area (P < 0.001), lower hemoglobin level (P = 0.034), longer time to first flatus (P < 0.001), and more frequent surgical site infection (P = 0.001). However, survival rates were not significantly different between those with and without presarcopenia. Conclusion Computed tomography-assessed presarcopenia was associated with delayed functional recovery and increased surgical site infection, although it was not revealed as a prognostic factor for oncological outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined the effect of a conservative neck dissection in patients with head and neck cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 patients, who underwent a conservative neck dissection for the treatment of oral cancer from January 2002 to December 2007, were included. All procedures were performed by one oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The mean age was 58.2 years (range, 19 to 79 years). The medical recordings, pathologic findings, and radiographic findings were evaluated. The mean follow up period was 41.1 months (range, 4 to 88 months). RESULTS: 1. Oral cancer was more common in men than women with a 3:1 ratio. 2. Histopathologically, squamous cell carcinoma(83%) was the most prevalent oral cancer in this study. 3. The most common primary site was the tongue(6 cases, 25%) followed by the mouth floor (5 cases, 21%), buccal mucosa (3 cases, 13%), lower lip, mandible, palate (2 cases, respectively) and salivary gland, retromolar area, oropharynx, alveolus (1 case, each). 4. Three out of the 24 (13%) subjects had a recurrence at the primary sites. 5. Two out of 24 (8%) subjects had a distant metastasis. 6. All 24 patients survived and there were eleven patients who passed 5 years postoperatively. CONCLUSION: A conservative neck dissection is a reliable and effective method for controlling neck node metastases in patients with oral cancer of the N0 or N1 neck node without serious complications.
Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Lip ; Male ; Mandible ; Medical Records ; Mouth Floor ; Mouth Mucosa ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Neck ; Neck Dissection ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oropharynx ; Palate ; Recurrence ; Salivary Glands

INTRODUCTION: This study examined the effect of cyclosporine A (CsA) on the allogenic cranial bone graft in the mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty eight 12-week-old male ICR mice weighing 40 g were used. The experimental group was injected subcutaneously with CsA (10 mg/kg/day) diluted in Caster oil for 7 days prior to the graft until sacrifice. The control group was injected with the same solution without CsA. RESULTS: In the experimental group, fibrous connective tissues and small amounts of inflammatory cells were observed. At 2 weeks after the allograft in the experimental group, new bone formation in fibrous collagenous tissue and around the allogenic bone was noted. At 4 weeks after the allograft, new bone formation was active along and at the periphery of the mature allogenic bone. The proliferation of blood vessels increased in bone marrow. In the control group, fibrous tissues and inflammatory cells were observed around the allogenic bone and existing bone at 1 week. At 2 weeks after the allograft, the proliferation of blood vessels accompanied by inflammatory cells were scattered in the fibrous connective tissues. New bone formation around the allogenic and existing bone could be observed. At 4 weeks after the allograft, inflammatory cells were severely infiltrated around the allogenic bone. Osteoclasts were scattered along the allogenic bone and induced bone resorption. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the daily administration of CsA (10 mg/kg/day) induces efficient immunosuppression without serious complications ,and this protocol might be useful for the experimental model of allogenic bone grafts.
Animals ; Blood Vessels ; Bone Marrow ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Cyclosporine ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Models, Theoretical ; Osteoclasts ; Osteogenesis ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants

Purpose: Studies have yielded contradictory results on whether donor sex and donor-recipient sex disparity affect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The present study assessed whether donor sex or donor-recipient sex disparity affects HCC recurrence after LDLT at a high-volume center. Methods: This study included 772 HCC patients who underwent LDLT between January 2006 and December 2015 at Asan Medical Center. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on the sex of the donor and recipient: male-to-male (n = 490, 63.5%), male-to-female (n = 75, 9.7%), female-to-male (n = 170, 22.0%), and female-to-female (n = 37, 4.8%). Results: Disease-free survival (DFS; P = 0.372) and overall survival (OS; P = 0.591) did not differ significantly among the 4 groups. DFS also did not differ significantly between LDLT recipients with male and female donors (P = 0.792) or between male and female recipients (P = 0.084). After patient matching with an α-FP/des-γ-carboxy prothrombin/tumor volume score cutoff of 5logs, donor-recipient sex disparity did not significantly affect DFS (P = 0.598) or OS (P = 0.777). There were also no differences in DFS in matched LDLT recipients with male and female donors (P = 0.312) or between male and female recipients (P = 0.374). Conclusion Neither donor sex nor donor-recipient sex disparity significantly affected posttransplant HCC recurrence.