No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Fatigue* ; Sciatica*

In the March 2009 edition of the Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society, we published an article entitled "Unilateral Lumbosacral Facet Interlocking without Facet Fracture" (Volume 45, pages 182-184). Fig. 1B on page 183 was supposed to be printed in color, but it was printed in black by mistake. We apologize to the authors and readers of JKNS for any inconvenience.

Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobe responsible for a wide range of diseases in animals and humans. Symptoms associated with C. perfringens food poisoning are caused by enterotoxin expressed only during sporulation of C. perfringens. It has been known that only 6% of global C. perfringens isolates carry the enterotoxin gene. We found 2 strains of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens out of 33 strains isolated from various sources in Korea using PCR. It was also found that these two strains were both type A that were strongly associated with food poisoning by checking the presence of four major lethal toxins (a-, B-, e-, l-toxin) using PCR. These results suggest that foodborne illness caused by C. perfringens may be common in Korea and that public education is necessary to prevent contamination of foods by this organism.
Animals ; Clostridium perfringens* ; Clostridium* ; Education ; Enterotoxins* ; Foodborne Diseases ; Humans ; Korea* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

A 56-year-old woman presented with the numbness and pain in the left hand in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd finger area that developed suddenly 7 days prior to admission. In nerve conduction velocity test, the deterioration of nerve conduction velocity as well as the reduction of the potential amplitude were detected. After diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, the open median nerve release was performed. Nonetheless, the preoperative symptoms did not change. The magnetic resonance images (MRI) of brain revealed a cerebral infarction in sensoricortical area of parietal lobe. The patient was referred to the department of neurology, and after conservative treatment, her symptoms were improved.
Brain ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Median Nerve ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction ; Neurology ; Parietal Lobe* ; Rabeprazole* ; Stroke*

OBJECTIVE: Kyphoplasty performed in the middle thoracic spine presents technical challenges that differ from those in the lower thoracic or lumbar region due to small pedicle size and angular severity for thoracic kyphosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of balloon kyphoplasty through extrapedicular approach for the treatment of intractable osteoporotic compression fractures in the middle thoracic spine. METHODS: The patients who were performed with one level balloon kyphoplasty through extrapedicular approach due to painful osteoporotic compression fractures at T5-T8 from June 2003 to July 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. Imaging and clinical features were analyzed including involved vertebrae level, vertebral height, injected cement volume, clinical outcome and complications. RESULTS: Eighteen female patients (age ranged from 60 to 77 years old) were included in this study. The average amount of the implanted cement was 4.2+/-1.5 cc. The mean cobb angle and compression rate were improved from 12.1+/-6.5 degrees to 8.5+/-7.2 degrees and from 30% to 15%, respectively. The mean pain score (visual analogue scale) prior to kyphoplasty was 7.9 and it decreased to 3.0 after the procedure. Cement leakage to the adjacent disc (2 cases) and paravertebral soft tissues (1 case) were seen but there were no major complications such as pneumothorax, segmental artery injury, pulmonary embolism, or epidural leakage. CONCLUSION: Balloon kyphoplasty through extrapedicular approach is considered as a safe and effective in treating the middle thoracic regions with low complication rate.
Arteries ; Embolism ; Female ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty* ; Kyphosis ; Lumbosacral Region ; Lung Injury ; Pneumothorax ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

Prediction of acetabular development after reduction in treatment of developmental dysplasia of thc hip (DDH) is earlier, the hetter results because it would help ensure optimal timing of additional procedure if necessary. In this respect, authors reviewed retrospectively the radiographs of the hips of 35 children with DDH who had unilateral involvement and treated hy senior author (S.H.Lee) from the heginning with single successful attempt of reduction. The radiographs which were made at the time of initial diagnosis, one, two year nfter reduction und final follow up were assessed of teardrop figures. The results of treatment were classified as satisfactory group(CE > 10degrees ) and unsatisfactory group(CE < 10degrees) judged hy center-edge angle(CE degrees) at final follow-ups. 1. The teardrop figures were classifiable into 4 distinct groups as i)absent. ii)V-shaped, iii)Ushaped, iv) inverted D-shaped. 2. The teardrop figures in normal sides of hip were all U-shaped. 3. In dislocated but with satisfactory result group(24 cases), absent at 2 cases(8%), U-shaped teardrop was seen at 13 cases(54%), V-shaped in 9 cases(38%), and inverted 2-shaped in 0 case at I year after reduction. 4. In dislocated but with unsatisfactory result group( 11 cases), they were mostly of V-shaped(7 cases, 64%). The rest were of ahsent in 4 cases(36%) . hut none of U-shaped and inverted 2-shaped. In conclusions, teardrop figures appeared as significant predictor of future development of hip joint. Teardrop figure which stay as V-shaped at one year after reduction seems suggestive of insufficient reduction of DDH, therehy calls for early additional procedure.
Acetabulum ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Dislocations* ; Dronabinol ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip Joint ; Hip* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

Authors reviewed about scoliosis the chest films of 325 congenitalheart diseasepatients who visited Seoul National University Hospital during the period of Jan. 1986 to Dec. 1987 to find out the incidence of scoliosis in congenital heart disease patients and to define the nature of scoliosis associated with congenital heart disease and came to following conclusions. 1. When curvatures of 10 degrees or more on chest P-A was classified as scoliosis, the incidence of scoliosis was 14.4%. It was more than 6 times the prevalence of scoliosis of 2. 3% in general population in Korea. 2. There was no difference in the incidence of scoliosis between the cyanotic and acyanotic heart diseases (P < 0.05). 3. There was no difference in the incidence of scoliosis between individual heart diseases (P < 0.05). 4. The scoliosis associated with congenital heart diseases showed a relative male preponderance. The male to female ratio of scoliosis was 1: 2.1 in patients with congenital heart disease while male to female ratio of idiopathic scoliosis in in general populationwas 1: 8.7 in Korea. 5. The curve pattern of scoliosis associated with congenital heart disease was predominantly right sided, comprising 74.5%. There was no difference of curve pattern between the scoliosis associated with congenital heart disease and the scoliosis in the general population. 6. The curve pattern of scoliosis was influenced neither by the side of the aortic arch nor the thoracotomy incision.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Scoliosis ; Seoul ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Neoplasm Metastasis*

We present a case of 5th cervical spine (C5) body fracture following cervical spine manipulation. The patient was an 18 year-old girl. She visited a non-authorized manipulation practitioner because of her shoulder pain. At that time she had no neck pain. During manipulation, the practitioner turned her neck suddenly with strong force, then she felt sudden neck pain. A fracture of the C5 body was identified in magnetic resonance images of the cervical spine. We should be aware of the risk of serious complications associated with chiropractic manipulation.
Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Manipulation, Chiropractic ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Shoulder Pain ; Spine*