To study why the palmar capsular connections between radius and lunate remain intact in perilunate ligamentous injury of the wrist joint, and to compare the material properties of the short radiolunate, long radiolunate, and radioscaphoid region of the radioscaphocapitate ligaments (as the extrinsic ligaments) with those of the intrinsic ligaments of the previous papers, the anatomical and mechanical characteristics of those three palmar radiocarpal ligaments of twenty cadavers were measured and tested by a servo-hydraulic test machine. In spite of its small cross-sectional area (24% of short radiolunate ligament), the radioscaphoid ligament demonstrates a failure load of 58% and a stress of 260% of the short radiolunate ligament, and toughness similar to both the short and long radiolunate ligaments. This suggests that the radioscaphocapitate ligament may contribute as an initial constraint to perilunate injury. The failure load of the scapholunate ligament might be smaller than previously reported due to testing strain rate, which coupled with its short initial length may make it more vulnerable to injury at lower applied loads. The short radiolunate ligament, in spite of the largest width and cross-sectional area, has a failure load and toughness similar to the long radiolunate ligament. The material properties of short and long radiolunate ligaments may explain why the rest of the carpals persistently dislocate or fracture about lunate.
Cadaver ; Ligaments* ; Radius ; Wrist Joint ; Wrist*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Survival Rate*

No abstract available.
Spine*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect and usefulness of cervical selective nerve root block in advance for the patients who was scheduled for operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 to December 2008, 28 cases were selected from the patients, who underwent selective nerve root block before operation. The mean follow-up period was 30.4 months and the mean age was 59.2 years. The patients were divided into the operation group and the only cervical nerve root block group. The groups were compared for age, gender, the contraction period and the, solidity of the disc. The groups were radiologically evaluated for the existence of cervical spondylosis and the neural compression rate. The clinical results were analyzed using the neck disability index (NDI) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. RESULTS: Among the 28 cases that were scheduled for operation, 18 cases did not proceed to operation and 10 cases among them were treated with additional conservative treatment. The average VAS score for the operation group and the cervical nerve root block group was 8.3 and 7.7 at the preoperative state and the preinjection state, respectively. After surgical treatment and cervical nerve root block, the scores were 3.2 and 3.6, respectively. The NDI for the operation group was 40.6 at the preoperative state and this decreased to 11.2 at the last follow up. The NDI for the cervical nerve root block group was 38.4 at the preinjection state and this decreased to 13.6 at the last follow up. The mean contraction period was 3.2 months and the mean age was 51.9 years for the operative group. The mean contraction period was 14.82 months and the mean age was 55.9 years for the root block group. There was no difference of clinical outcomes between the operative group and the cervical nerve root block group. The operation group's mean age was younger and the duration of symptom was shorter than those of the cervical nerve root block group. CONCLUSION: Cervical nerve root block is considered to be an effective treatment for patients with cervical disc herniation with radiating pain and who are scheduled for an operation.
Contracts ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neck ; Nerve Block ; Spondylosis

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate the improvement of symptoms and diagnosis using selective nerve root block (SNRB) for radiating pain after spine surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2012 to October 2013, 112 patients with failed back surgery syndrome (41 male and 71 female, with the mean age of 62.4 years and range of 35 to 78 years), who were admitted and underwent SNRB, were included. All patients were followed-up for more than 12 months. Three groups were classified: Group 1 included patients with no improvement or aggravation of symptoms, group 2 included those with improvement of radiating pain, and group 3 included those with recurrence of radiating. RESULTS: Among the 112 patients, there were 15 patients in group 1, 59 patients in group 2, and 38 patients in group 3. Laminectomy was the highest surgical procedure, inducing failed back surgery syndrome. In group 2, the occurrence of failed back surgery syndrome was higher in case that radiating pain was complained more than 1 year before the first surgery. There is statistically significant symptom improvement in accordance with the visual analogue scale and Korean version of Oswestry disability index on every group after SNRB (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It is considered that SNRB is expected to improve the symptoms and to find the cause of symptoms as a diagnostic value even after spine surgery.
Diagnosis ; Failed Back Surgery Syndrome* ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

There are some errors in the published article. The authors would like to make corrections in the original version of the article.

No abstract available.
Perfusion* ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*

Neurenteric cyst is a rare bronchopulmonary foregut malformation, originating from notochord defect. Characteristics of this anomaly are the intrathoracic cyst associated with vertebral abnormalities, such as hemivertebrae, anterior and posterior spina bifida, absence of vertebrae and diastematomyelia. The most common symptom is respiratory distress and treatment is surgical excision of mass. We report a case of neurenteric cyst in a neonate presented with asymptomatic huge mediastinal cystic mass.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mediastinal Cyst ; Neural Tube Defects* ; Notochord ; Spinal Dysraphism ; Spine

No abstract available.
Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: Recently there have been many experiences regarding systemic effects of stellate ganglion block(SGB). During sympathetic hyperactivation, the SGB can be helpful to impaired microcirculation in brain-stem and hypothalamus. However, the exact mechanism and possible central action sites of SGB have not yet been investigated. In the present study, we traced central neural pathways following superior cervical ganglion block using the protein product(Fos) of c-fos protooncogene as a metabolic marker in a rat's brain. Method: The animals were divided into a superior cervical ganglion block group(n=5) using Marcaine 0.2 ml and a control block group(n=5) using saline 0.2ml. Medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain and hypothalamus were sectioned transversely with a sliding microtome. After imunohistochemical staining using rabbit polyclonal antibody we observed the distribution and grade of Fos expression under a light microscope. RESULTS: A blockade of superior cervical ganglion in rat led to the induction of c-fos in areas related to pain modulation sites and the autonomic nervous system; such as the parabrachial nucleus and central gray of the pons including dorsal raphe nucleus, as well as the substatia nigra of the midbrain, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, paraventricular thalamic nucleus posterior and habenular nucleus. CONCLUSIONS: Expressions of c-fos-like protein as a marker for neuronal activity following the blockade of the superior cervical ganglion in the rat have a part in the transcriptional control of the neurons which are related to the autonomic nervous system and endogenous pain modulation sites in the brain-stem.
Animals ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Brain ; Bupivacaine ; Habenula ; Hypothalamus* ; Medulla Oblongata ; Mesencephalon ; Microcirculation ; Midline Thalamic Nuclei ; Neural Pathways ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Pons ; Raphe Nuclei ; Rats* ; Staphylococcal Protein A ; Stellate Ganglion ; Superior Cervical Ganglion*