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: To determine whether baseline cerebral atrophy can predict the rate of future chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) after head trauma and compare indirect markers of brain atrophy with volumetric analysis of computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Single institution case-control study involving 1,476 patients who visited our hospital after head trauma from January 2009 to December 2014. Forty-one patients with delayed CSDH were identified and age, gender matched 41 patients were selected as control group. Both volumetric analyze on CT and Evans index, frontal horn index, bicaudate ratio, sylvian fissure ratio and cortical atrophy scale of 82 patients were estimated by different raters and relationship of those factors with CSDH was analyzed. RESULTS: Every indirect indices except cortical atrophy scale were not enough to give a good estimate of CSDH. Brain atrophy and cortical atrophy scale were predisposing factors of CSDH on multivariate analysis with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Brain atrophy was a potential prognostic factor of CSDH after trauma. In practice, patients with a value of cortical atrophy scale over moderate grade needed more attention for CSDH.
Animals ; Atrophy* ; Brain* ; Case-Control Studies ; Causality ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Horns ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis

Cysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease affecting the central nervous system. Spinal involvement is rare in neurocysticercosis, and isolated spinal involvement without evidence of cranial involvement is even rarer. We report an unusual case of neurocysticercosis with isolated spinal involvement. A 59 year-old male presented with radiating pain in the left leg. He complained of aggravating weakness and numbness in the left leg since his previous visit one month ago. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple peripheral wall-enhanced intradural cystic masses from L1 to L5. The patient underwent a total laminectomy of L4. Dissection revealed abnormal cystic masses compressing the nerve roots. The cyst was punctured, spilling clear mucoid fluid into the surgical field. The exposed cysticerci, white and mucoid, was easily removed. Patient received course of steroids and oral albendazole. The patient experienced symptomatic improvement without further neurologic deficits except for mild sensory impairment. Clinicians should include spinal neurocysticercosis in differential diagnosis of radiculopathies. Although isolated spinal neurocysticercosis is rare, it can be satisfactorily managed with surgery and medication.
Albendazole ; Central Nervous System ; Cysticercosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Laminectomy ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neurocysticercosis* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Parasitic Diseases ; Radiculopathy ; Spine ; Steroids

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

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

Pupose:To evaluate the results of intra-arterial urokinase thrombolysis in cases of acute ischemic stroke and to define the factors affecting prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Forty-eight patients with angiographically proven occlusion of the intracranial arteries were treated with local intra-arterial infusion of urokinase within six hours of the onset of symptoms. Neurologic status was evaluated on admis-sion and on discharge using the NIH(National Institute of Health) stroke scale score (SSS). When the SSS decreased by at least four points, this was considered indicative of an improved clinical outcome. RESULTS: Complete recanalization was achieved in 17/48 patients (35%), including 8 of 13 (62%) with occlusion of the vertebrobasilar artery (VBA), 9 of 20 (45%) with occlu-sion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), and none of 15 with occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Neurologic status improved in 12 (60%) of patients with MCA oc-clusion, in five (38%) of those with VBA occlusion and in three (20%) of those with ICA occlusion (P<0.05). Patients in whom occluded MCA was completely recanalized showed greater clinical improvement than those with partial or no recanalization (P<0.05). The overall mortality rate was 21%, 43% (9/21) in patients in whom CT revealed signs of early infarct, but only 4% (1/27) in those without this sign (P<0.05). The mortality rate of patients with parenchymal hematoma (4/5) was higher than that of those with hemorrhagic infarct (3/9) or without hemorrhage (3/34) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In patients in whom occluded MCA was completely recanalized, the clinical outcome was better, while patients with VBA occlusion did not benefit from re-canalization. The presence on CT scans of signs of early infarct and of parenchymal hematoma after thrombolysis correlated with a high mortality rate.
Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial* ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Stroke* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

OBJECTIVE: The authors analyzed the incidence, the cause and the prognosis of hydrocephalus following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage to evaluate the risk factors of hydrocephalus and to provide the proper treatment method for hydrocephalus following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: The 505 cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage followed by aneurysmal surgery from January 1990 to May 1999, were divided into shunt group and shunt-free group and we were reviewed for the clinical status, Fisher's grade, brain CT findings and prognosis. RESULTS: The incidence of acute hydrocephalus was 37.2% of patients and 18.9% to developed chronic hydrocephalus. Shunt surgery due to chronic hydrocephalus was required in 6.5% of patients. We found following variables were significantly related to shunt-dependent hydrocephalus: high Hunt-Hess and Fisher grade, initial CT findings of intraventricular hemorrahge, posterior circulation aneurysm, preoperative rebleeding, delayed ischemic deficits, and initial high ventricular size index. There were no statistically significant relationships between shunt-dependent hydrocephalus and patient age or sex, timing of operation. The previous hypertension was not related to shunt dependent hydrocephalus. Prognosis in shunt group showed poor result. CONCLUSION: The risk factors of hydrocephalus following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage are high Hunt-Hess grade, high Fisher's grade, aneurysms of posterior circulations, preoperative aneurysmal rebleeding, delayed ischemic deficits, initial CT findings of intraventricular hemorrahge and initially increased ventricular size. The patients with these factors should the carefully observed and managed accordingly due to poor prognosis related to hydrocephalus requiring shunt operation.
Aneurysm* ; Brain ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus* ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage*