PURPOSE: To analyze the characteristics of medical disputes relating to ophthalmology for prevention in advance. METHODS: Retrospective analyses of ophthalmic cases applied for Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency between June 2013 and September 2016. RESULTS: A total of 41 cases were analyzed. The number of cases relating to cataract were 19 (46.3%), refractive surgery 4 (9.8%), anterior segment 4 (9.8%), retina 7 (17.1%), oculoplasty 3 (7.3%), glaucoma 2 (4.9%), and miscellaneous 2 (4.9%). The specialty with the lowest mean payment of mediation per case was cataract (￦3,591,700), which has the largest number of cases, and oculoplasty was the highest mean payment per case (￦21,933,000). There were 16 cases confirmed as negligence by authenticators. Among these 16 cases, 7 (44%) were related to accident during surgery or procedure, 5 cases (31%) were insufficient explanation, and 4 cases (25%) were lack of tests which should have be performed before or after surgery. The results of mediation were agreement in 25 cases (61%), decision made by mediation department in 6 cases (15%), 7 cases were not adequate to mediate (17%), and 3 cases were canceled (7%). CONCLUSIONS: The number of cases associated with cataract was the largest. Among negligence of doctors, cases during surgery were most common, suggesting the need to explain surgical factors such as complications or side effects and the need for complete surgical records. If a medical dispute occurs, the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency can be used to achieve an agreement.
Cataract ; Dissent and Disputes ; Glaucoma ; Korea ; Malpractice ; Negotiating ; Ophthalmology ; Refractive Surgical Procedures ; Retina ; Retrospective Studies

The authors describe a case of 17-year-old male with anaplastic astrocytoma in the basal ganglia and brain stem 11 years after surgical excision and local irradiation(5480cGy) for craniopharyngioma. There is no recurrence at the primary tumor site. Because of a geometric coincidence between the tumor location and the radiation field, radiation therapy is strongly implicated as a cause of this anaplastic astrocytoma.
Adolescent ; Astrocytoma* ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain Stem ; Craniopharyngioma* ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; Radiotherapy* ; Recurrence

Aneurysmal bone cysts are uncommon bony lesions that usually occur in the metaphyseal region of the long bones in adolescents. Approximately 20% of the aneurysmal bone cysts occur in the spine, predominantly in the lumbar region. These lesions commonly arise from the posterior elements(ex, spinous process, laminae) and occasionally invade the pedicles and the vertebral body. We experienced a case of aneurysmal bone cyst on the entire 5th cervical vertebra(vertebral body, pedicle, laminae, spinous process and transverse process). We perfomed C5 corpectomy and fusion with ORION plate and autologous bone graft on C4-5-6, and C5 total laminectomy with gross total mass removal and posterior fusion with Heid lateral plate system and autologous bone graft and wiring on C4-5-6. The patient showed good recovery. We report a rare case of aneurysmal bone cyst on the whole involved 5th cervical vertebra
Adolescent ; Aneurysm* ; Bone Cysts* ; Bone Cysts, Aneurysmal ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Lumbosacral Region ; Spine* ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To determine the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced multidetector CT (MDCT) and the Alvarado score for acute appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MDCT and determination of the Alvarado score were prospectively performed in 282 patients with 146 pathologically proven cases of acute appendicitis and 136 pathologically proven or clinically diagnosed cases of non-acute appendicitis. To compare the diagnostic performance of MDCT and the Alvarado score, the patients were subdivided according to age and sex, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis and Spearman rank correlation were performed. RESULTS: ROC analysis revealed that the optimal cut off value of the CT appendicitis grades was 2 in all patients, resulting in a sensitivity of 96.6% and a specificity of 94.9%. The optimal cut off values of the Alvarado score was different according to age and sex, resulting in a sensitivity of 85.6% and a specificity of 48.5%. There was a significant correlation between the CT appendicitis grades and the surgical-pathological grades (r=0.496, p<.0001). However, no significant correlation was observed between the Alvarado score and the surgical-pathological grades. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced MDCT has a higher diagnostic accuracy and significant correlation with pathological findings than those of the Alvarado score in patients with acute appendicitis.
Acute Disease ; Appendicitis* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in children is not common and very different compared to adults. We analyze the etiology, hemorrhagic type, clinical features, and outcome of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in children. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients under 17years of age with nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage were analyzed retrospectively. Neonates were excepted. We reviewed their medical records in regard to their age, symptoms, radiologic findings, treatment, and prognosis. RESULTS: Among 29 patients, there were 17boys and 12girls. The average age was 10.2years. The most common presenting symptom was mental deterioration, and the most common cause was arteriovenous malformation. Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in children showed a better prognosis than in adults. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in children resulted mainly from vascular malformation and the prognosis is relatively good. More careful follow-up studies and active management are needed for better outcomes.
Adult ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Child* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intracranial Hemorrhages* ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Vascular Malformations

BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful, disabling disorder for which no proven treatment has been established. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the evidence of the efficacy of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in the management of pain in CRPS patients. METHODS: Between March 2004 and June 2006, 11 patients with CRPS were treated with SCS. The visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain (0-10) and pain disability index (PDI) were obtained in all patients prior to treatment, and 1, 3 and 6 months post-implantation. RESULTS: All 11 patients, 5 men and 6 women, with a median age and duration of CRPS of 44 years and 48.8 months, respectively, successfully received a lead implantation for SCS. The mean VAS pain score prior to the treatment was 85.5 out of 100 mm. After SCS implantation, the mean VAS pain scores were 49.5, 57.0 and 56.0 at 1, 3 and 6 months after the procedure, respectively. The mean pain score for allodynia was decreased by 50%, with a significant reduction of the PDI also observed after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our current study suggests that SCS implantation is a safe and effective method in the management of CRPS patients.
Female ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Male ; Spinal Cord Stimulation* ; Spinal Cord* ; Visual Analog Scale

In vivo 31P NMR spectra were obtained in eight infant brain at 4.7T. Each phosphorus metabolite and its ratio were analyzed to evaluate the brain damage and maturity, and compared with the reported data obtained at the lower field strength. Measurement of T1 relaxation time at 4.7T was done in an infant and a cat brain in vivo. PCr/Pi and PCr/β-ATP ratio were used as a marker of brain damage. PME/PDE revealed higher values than those of the reported data obtained at the lower field strength and the difference was partly attributed to the long T1 relaxation time of PME rather than the brain immaturity. Although the resolution of the spectrum was improved at 4.7T, a long repetition time is recommended to minimize T1difference of phosphorus metabolites of brain at 4.7T.
Animals ; Brain* ; Cats ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy* ; Phosphorus ; Relaxation

OBJECTIVE: Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) can be fatal if untreated, so early diagnosis and treatment are essential. We conducted a retrospective study to define its clinical features and evaluate the risk factors of motor weakness. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records and images of patients with SEA who had been hospitalized in our institute from January 2005 to June 2012. Pyogenic SEA patients were categorized as patients without motor weakness (Group A) and with motor weakness (Group B). Abscess volume was measured using the Gamma-Plan program. Intervertebral foramen height and posterior disc height were measured to evaluate degree of spinal stenosis. RESULTS: Of 48 patients with pyogenic SEA, 33 (68%) were treated surgically, and 15 (32%) were treated with antibiotics. Eleven patients had weakness and abscess volume was unrelated to motor weakness. Old age, 'spare room' (abscess volume subtracted from spinal volume) and intervertebral foramen height and posterior disc height were statistically significant. Among the 48 patients, 43 (85%) had good outcome and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was the only meaningful prognostic factor (p=0.014). The cut-off value of ESR was 112mm/h with 80% sensitivity and 79% specificity and had borderline significance (p=0.062). CONCLUSION: SEA needs emergent diagnosis and treatment. Motor weakness is the most important factor in treatment decision. By careful image reading, early surgical treatment can be an option for selected patients with severe spinal stenosis for prevent motor weakness. Inflammatory markers, especially ESR, are valuable to identify worsening of SEA.
Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Blood Sedimentation ; Causality* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Epidural Abscess* ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spinal Stenosis

OBJECTIVE: Chronic subdural hematoma is a common disorder observed in neurosurgical care and the recurrence rate is relatively high. In this report, we evaluated the relationship between the recurrence rate of chronic subdural hematoma and the postoperative head position of the patient. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 72 patients with unilateral chronic subdural hematoma treated by burr hole surgery with closed system drainage from October 2009 to May 2011. In group A, there was no restriction in head position for days keeping the catheter. In group B, the patients were placed with the lesion side of the head downward after the operation. We analyzed the recurrence rate, amount of postoperative drainage and changes in computed tomography finding of group A and B. RESULTS: Group A and group B consisted of 36 cases, respectively. The mean amount of total postoperative drainage was 248.8+/-127.2 mL in group A and 176.3+/-98.9 mL in group B (p=0.01). The improvement rates of midline shifting before and after surgery showed 60.5+/-25.6% in group A and 73.4+/-26.3% in group B (p=0.039). The total recurrence rate in group A was 11.1% and 5.6% in group B. CONCLUSION: By facing the lesion downward after surgical treatment, chronic subdural hematoma is thought to help reexpand the brain and to prohibit cerebrospinal fluid from flowing into subdural space and to decrease the recurrence rate better than having a free position.
Brain ; Catheters ; Diphtheria Toxoid ; Drainage ; Haemophilus Vaccines ; Head ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Subdural Space

OBJECTIVE: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is relatively common in neurosurgical field. However not all patients develop CSDH after minor head trauma. In this study, we evaluate the risk factors of post-traumatic CSDH. METHODS: Two-hundred and seventy-seven patients were enrolled and analyzed in this study from January 2012 to December 2013. Of those, 20 participants had minor head trauma developed CSDH afterward. We also included 257 patients with minor head trauma who did not develop CSDH during the same follow-up period as the control group. We investigated the risk factors related to the development of CSDH after minor head trauma. RESULTS: Old age (p=0.014), preexisting diabetes mellitus (p=0.010), hypertension (p=0.026), history of cerebral infarction (p=0.035), antiplatelet agents (p=0.000), acute subdural hematoma in the convexity (p=0.000), encephalomalacia (p=0.029), and long distance between skull and brain parenchyma (p=0.000) were significantly correlated with the development of CSDH after trauma. Multivariate analysis revealed that only the maximum distance between the skull and the cerebral parenchyma was the independent risk factor for the occurrence of CSDH (hazard ratio 2.55, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: We should consider the possibility of developing CSDH in the post-traumatic patients with the identified risk factors.
Brain ; Cerebral Infarction ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Encephalomalacia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma, Subdural, Acute ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Multivariate Analysis ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Risk Factors ; Skull