The main aims of surgery for severe cord compression and myelopathy caused by atlantoaxial subluxation are decompression of the spinal cord and achievement of rigid fixation and fusion. Direct decompression by resecting the bony structures that compress the spinal cord includes transoral decompression and resection of the posterior arch of the atlas. The shortcomings of these procedures are a high complication rate and a relatively low rate of union. Indirect decompression can be performed by a reduction of the subluxation and fixation without bone resection. To the best of our knowledge, there are no domestic reports on the use of indirect decompression for severe cord compression and myelopathy for atlantoaxial subluxation. We report a case of a patient that had atlantoaxial subluxation and severe myelopathy; satisfactory reduction of the subluxation and decompression with an improvement in the myelopathy symptoms was achieved by indirect decompression using segmental screw fixation.
Decompression* ; Humans ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases*

Spontaneous hemarthrosis of the knee after a total knee arthroplasty is a rare complication, and thereis no report is available in Korea. We report a case that was cured with an open synovectomy in the spontaneous hemarthrosis, which developed 10 months after the total knee arthroplasty for degenerative osteoarthritis in a 60-year-old woman.
Arthroplasty* ; Female ; Hemarthrosis* ; Humans ; Knee* ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis

Multiple extradural arachnoid cysts of the spine are extremely uncommon in children with only a few cases reported. The authors report a case of multiple extradural spinal arachnoid cysts in children with a review of the relevant literature.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoid Cysts ; Child ; Humans ; Spine

Segmental screw fixation is a useful procedure for the surgical treatment of atlantoaxial subluxation. Currently, C1 lateral mass screws and C2 pedicle screws are the standard screws used in this procedure. However, the C2 pedicle screw can cause serious complications such as vertebral artery injury. Recently we suggested a new trajectory for the C2 screw, the subarticular screw, which has a lower probability of vertebral artery injury compared with the pedicle screw, based on a study using 1 mm-sliced CT scan images and simulation software. We report the first case of segmental screw fixation using C2 subarticular screws along with C1 lateral mass screws. The patient had atlantoaxial subluxation and myelopathy and showed satisfactory results after surgery.
Humans ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vertebral Artery

Objective: . There is a debate over the relevance of ultrasound abnormalities to the pain, functional impairment, and radiologic severity in hand osteoarthritis (OA). This study aims to determine the association between ultrasound abnormalities and clinical, functional, and radiographic measures in hand OA. Methods: . A total of 66 patients was consecutively enrolled. All patients with gray-scale synovitis, joint effusion, and osteophytes were examined by ultrasound for 20 hand joints. Radiographic changes in both hands were evaluated by the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grading system and were described as total radiographic severity score and number of affected joints. Other measures were also assessed, including each patient’s visual analogue scale for pain, the Functional Index for Hand Osteoarthritis for functional disability, and grip and pinch strength for hand muscle strength. Results: . In total, 10 patients with gray-scale synovitis, 35 with joint effusion, and 66 with osteophytes were detected in hand OA scans on ultrasound. Osteophytes on ultrasound were significantly associated with total radiographic severity score and number of affected joint (r=0.293, p=0.003 and r=0.336, p＜0.001, respectively). In addition, there were weak associations of synovitis and joint effusion with radiographic changes. Patients with higher total radiographic severity score showed larger number of ultrasound-detected abnormalities, such as synovitis, joint effusion, and osteophytes (p=0.011, p=0.002, and p＜0.001, respectively). Conclusion . This study shows that ultrasound findings, especially osteophytes, were associated with radiographic changes based on K-L grade, but not clinical and functional status in hand OA.

The original version of this article contained a typographical error in the Abstract, Main text, and Figure 1. These errors have now been corrected in the online version of the Article.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the relationships of serum and urine uric acid with severity or activity in knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: A total of 42 patients with knee OA was enrolled, together with 58 healthy controls. Serum uric acid and spot urine uric acid levels were assessed for all patients. The severity and activity of knee OA were assessed by musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) and plain radiography of the knee joint. Ultrasonographic abnormalities in knee OA includedsynovial hypertrophy, suprapatellar effusion, cartilage degradation, and osteophyte formation. Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade was used to evaluate radiological progression of knee OA. RESULTS: Patients with K-L grade III had a higher urine uric acid/creatinine ratio compared to those with K-L grade I (p=0.043). Patients with synovial hypertrophy had higher serum uric acid level compared to those without synovial hypertrophy (p=0.016). The urine uric acid/creatinine ratio was higher in patients with cartilage degradation compared to those without cartilage degradation (p=0.022). Serum uric acid was significantly associated with synovial hypertrophy thickness (r=0.375, p=0.018) but not with cartilage thickness after adjusting for age and body mass index. Lower urine uric acid was related with knee OA compared to healthy controls (odds ratio=0.974, 95% confidence interval 0.954~0.994, p=0.013). CONCLUSION The results of our study suggest that serum and urine uric acid reflects synovial inflammation based on MSUS and radiographic progression and then is associated with the pathogenesis of knee OA.

Background: The treatment of pediatric patients with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a crucial TB control strategy. LTBI is not a reportable communicable disease, and data regarding LTBI treatment in pediatric patients in Korea are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the prescription patterns and treatment completion rates among pediatric patients with LTBI in Korea by analyzing National Health reimbursement claims data. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed outpatient prescription records for pediatric patients aged 18 or younger with LTBI-related diagnostic codes from 2016 to 2020. We compared the frequency of prescriptions for the standard treatment regimen (9 months of isoniazid [9H]) and an alternative treatment regimen (3 months of isoniazid plus rifampicin [3HR]). We also assessed the treatment incompletion rates by age group, treatment regimen, treatment duration, the level of medical facility, physician’s specialty, and hospital location. We performed multivariable analysis to identify factors influencing treatment incompletion. Results: Among the 11,362 patients who received LTBI treatment, 6,463 (56.9%) were prescribed the 9H regimen, while 4,899 (43.1%) received the 3HR regimen. Patients in the 3HR group were generally older than those in the 9H group. The proportion of 3HR regimen prescriptions significantly greater in the later period (2018–2020), in primary hospitals, under the management of non-pediatric specialists, and in metropolitan regions. The overall treatment incompletion rate was 39.7% (9H group: 46.9%, 3HR group: 30.3%). In the multivariable analysis, 9H regimen prescription was the strongest factor associated with treatment incompletion (adjusted odds ratio, 2.42; 95% confidence interval, 2.20–2.66; P < 0.001). Additionally, management in a primary hospital, a hospital’s location in a nonmetropolitan region, and management by a non-pediatric specialist were also significant risk factors for treatment incompletion. Conclusion Our study results suggest that promoting the use of 3HR regimen prescriptions could be an effective strategy to enhance treatment completion. Physicians in primary hospitals, hospitals located in non-metropolitan regions, and physicians without a pediatric specialty require increased attention when administering LTBI treatment to pediatric patients to ensure treatment completion.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an important global public health concern in adults and children. Laryngotracheobronchitis (croup) is a common acute respiratory infection (ARI) among children, most often caused by a virus, and should not be treated with antibiotics. Reducing the usage of unnecessary antibiotics in ARI using an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is an effective measure against AMR in children.This study investigates the antibiotic prescription pattern in pediatric patients with laryngotracheobronchitis in Korea. Our results will be useful to improve the ASP. Methods: The data were obtained from the government agency Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. We analyzed outpatient prescriptions issued to children ≤ 5 years of age with a first-listed diagnosis code for laryngotracheobronchitis, i.e., International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision, code J050 (croup), J040 (laryngitis), or J041 (tracheitis), during 2017–2020. For each prescription, demographic information and information about medical facilities visited (type of hospital, specialty of physician, location of hospital) were extracted. The overall antibiotic prescription rate was subsequently estimated, and multivariable analysis was conducted to determine the associated factors of antibiotic prescription. Prescribed antibiotics were described and classified into extendedspectrum penicillins, cephalosporin, and macrolides. Results: Of 2,358,194 prescriptions reviewed, 829,172 (35.2%) contained antibiotics. In the multivariable analysis, management in a hospital was the strongest factor associated with antibiotic prescription (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 22.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 20.87–23.89; P < 0.001), followed by management in a clinic (aOR, 12.66; 95% CI, 11.83–13.54; P < 0.001) and management in a general hospital (aOR, 8.96; 95% CI, 8.37–9.59; P < 0.001). Antibiotic prescription was also significantly associated with patients who were ≤ 2 years of age, managed by a pediatric specialist, and treated at a hospital located in a non-metropolitan region. Overall, extended-spectrum penicillins were the most frequently prescribed (18.6%) antibiotics, followed by cephalosporins (9.4%) and macrolides (8.5%). Conclusion The results of our study suggest that ASPs need to focus on physicians in hospitals, clinics, general hospitals, and pediatric specialties. Providing education programs to these groups to increase awareness of AMR and appropriate antibiotics use could be effective ASP policy and may help to reduce unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics for laryngotracheobronchitis among pediatric patients and therefore potentially AMR in children in Korea.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively analysis of results of operatively treatment for femoral neck fracture occurred in twenties to thirties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 patients were selected whom we were able to follow up at least 2 years after internal fixation for femoral neck fracture in twenties to thirties from 1998 to 2005. Mean age was 32.2 (21~39) and average follow up period was 26.3 (24~45) months. According to preoperative X-ray, there were 6 cases for Garden classification stage I, 10 for stage II and 4 for stage III, and 7 cases for subcapital fracture, 9 for transcervical fracture, 4 for basicervical fracture. In all cases, operations were performed within 12 hours after the injury. The operations were done after satisfying reduction with the Garden alignment index, with three cannulated screws for internal fixation. Postoperative results were analyzed by clinical symptoms and radiological examinations during follow up periods. RESULTS: In immediately postoperative radiological examination, satisfying anatomical reduction with Garden alignment index was obtained in all cases, and unions were obtained within 4.5 months after the operation (3~6 month). Avascular necrosis of femoral head occurred in 7 cases of all patients (35.0%). The average time of occurrence of avascular necrosis of femoral head after operation was 10.7 months (9~15 months). Avascular necrosis was occutted 5 (31.3%) in fracture without displacement (Garden stage I, II), 2 (50.0%) in fracture with displacement (Garden stage III) and 4 in subcapital fracture, 3 in transcervical fracture. CONCLUSION: The incidence of avascular necrosis of femoral head after the operation for displaced and nondisplaced femoral neck fracture between twenties and forty years was no significant difference.
Displacement (Psychology) ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; Femur Neck ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Incidence ; Necrosis ; Retrospective Studies