Since Hadra first used metalic internal fixation in the human spine with wire loop in 1895, various implants have been used. Knodt rod was designed on the principle that the distraction produced a localized flexion attitude in the area to be fused, thus increasing the size of the intervertebral foramina and decreasing the risk of intraforaminal encroachment on the nerve root. We have performed the posterolateral fusion with or without Knodt rod as a primary procedure in spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis of lumbar spine, which required arthrodesis of more than one level. For period of 8 1/2 years' from Sep. 1977 to Apr. 1986, 12 cases of diseased spine were treated with posterolateral fusion without Knodt rod, and 13 cases were treated with posterolateral fusion using Knodt rod. We compared with two groups, and the following results were obtained. 1. Solid bony fusion was 100% in posterolateral fusion with Knodt rod, and 92% without Knodt rod. 2. An average period of post-operative immobilization was 2 months in cases with Knodt rod, and 2.5 months without Knodt rod. 3. In posterolateral fusion with Knodt rod, 4 cases with the root symptoms were all improved. In posterolateral fusion without Knodt rod, 6 cases with root symptoms, were all improved. But in 1 case without the root symptoms, developed the root symptoms. 4. No significant changes in radiologic evaluation were found between posterolateral fusion with Knodt rod and without Knodt rod. 5. Post-operative complications developed in 4 cases (31%) with Knodt rod, and 6 cases (50%) without Knodt rod. 6. Clinically, the satisfactory results were 100% with Knodt rod, and 83% without Knodt rod.
Arthrodesis ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis ; Spondylolysis

After amputation of the extremities, many patients developed problematic sequelae such as loss of function, cosmetic point of view, and psychiatric problems. For period of eleven yesrs from 1976 to 1986, we performed amputation of the fingers in 461 persons, and problematic sequelae were noted in 181 cases of 105 persons. The results were as follows : 1. Causes of the amputation were trauma, infection, burn, frost bite, tumors, and vascular diseases in that order of frequency. 2. Problematic sequelae of the fingers were scar contracutre, scanty soft tissue, neuroma, bony spur formation, deformities, hypersensitivity, ulceration, phantom pain, and depression in that order of frequency. 3. Problematic sequelae in amputation of the fingers could be classified as functional, cosmetic and psychiatric problems. In most instances, the primary concern of a particular patient was amputation itself, and this kind of psychiatric problems should be taken into consideration in the treatment of the amputated fingers.
Amputation ; Burns ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Depression ; Extremities ; Fingers ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Neuroma ; Phantom Limb ; Ulcer ; Vascular Diseases

Fractures of the distal end of the femur are difficult to manage because of the a wide range of potential complications. In the past, there has been a reluctance toward treatment of fractures of the distal end of femur with internal fixation. Recently, however, a trend toward internal fixation has become evident and good results have been reported by several authors. We analyzed 30 cases of distal femur fracture involving knee joint in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in National Medical Center from Jan. 1982 to Dec. 1986. 1. There were 30 cases in 29 patients. And were devided in 23 closed and 7 open fractures. 2. Clinical union were taken from 3 to 5 months in conservative and 2 to 3.5 months in operative treatment. 3. Satisfactory results were 5 cases(64%) in conservstive and 16 cases(73%) in operative treatment. 4. Significant complication were stiffness and infection.
Clinical Study ; Femur ; Fractures, Open ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee

There was a development of the diagnostic aids such as electromyography, discography, epidural venography, myelography, and CT in lumbar disc herniation. In 1984, Edgardo et al. described that the diagnosis of unusual extreme lateral disc herniation might be suggested by CT, but the diagnosis was made more certain with CT done after discography. Also, in 1986, Michael et al. reported,that the addition of CT to lumbar discography could help the clinician to obtain an anatomically valid diagnosis in people who, in spite of prior negative diagnosis evaluation, continue with significant clinical symptoms of low back pain and sciatica. The authors have studied 25 cases of CT after discography from July 1984 to June 1987. The results were as follows;1) CT after discography, which was a diagnostic method of direct visualization of nucleus pulposus herniation, shown same finding as previous CT in 16 cases and more accurate finding of herniated site snd size in 2 cases. 2) In one csse, the diagnosis of extreme lateral disc herniation, which was suggested by previous CT, made more certain with CT after discography. 3) There was false negative in 6 cases.
Diagnosis ; Electromyography ; Low Back Pain ; Methods ; Myelography ; Phlebography ; Sciatica

In addition to general charceteristics of tibial fracture, segmental tibial fracture is commonly combined with extensive soft tissue injury, comminution and displacement with poor blood supply in its middle segment. According to recent reports, intramedullary nailing was regarded as the excellent method in the management of this kind of fracture. Twenty-one cases were treated at the department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Medical Center from January 1980 to December 1987 and following results were obtained; 1. Most common type of fracture was Type I (38.1%). Almost all the fractures were accompanied by open wounds(85.7%) and GIIIB open wounds were 12 cases(57.1%). 2. A verage union time was 31.8 weeks(union rate, 76.2%) and showed marked difference between closed fracture(20.2 weeks) and GIIIB open one(38.6 weeks). 3. Better results were seen in 8 cases of intramedullary nailing(average union time, 24.2 weeks), while all the plating method showed non-union in 3 cases of open wound.
Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Methods ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Tibia ; Tibial Fractures ; Wounds and Injuries

Injuries of the cervical spine from C3 down to C7 are complex and potentially devastating injuries. The treatment of this condition is complicated and controversial. However, there is an increasing tendency to stabilize unstsble cervical spine injuries surgically with the benefit of good stability of the spine, easy nursing care, early mobilization and rehabilotation. We analysed clinically the 26 patients with unstable lower cervical spine injuries st the department of orthopaedics, National Medical Center from Jan. 1979 to Dec. 1988. The results obtained were as follows:1. The prevalent age distribution was between 20 and 50 years of age(71%), and the ratio between male and female was 6: l. 2. The most common cause of the injury was traffic accident(42%), and the most frequent mechanism of injury was distractive-flexion type(42%). 3. In the overall clinical evaluation, 73% of the patients were judged to have had excellent and good results, and the range of the motion was more limited in the patient who underwent posterior fusion due to wide level of fusion. 4. The patients with distractive-flexion injuries with minimal neurologic deficit were at risk of late instability following conservative treatment, and therefore open reduction and posterior fusion may be advisable. 5. The patients who were given posterior fusion were noted to have a few significant late changes, but the patient with anterior fusion carried a high incidence of progressive kyphotic deformity and persisting, pain. 6. When anterior fusion is used in the patient with posterior instability for the purpose of cord decompression, anterior cervical plate is valuable than the fusion with graft only in view of preventing progressive kyphotic deformity.
Age Distribution ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Decompression ; Early Ambulation ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Nursing Care ; Spine ; Transplants

Nonunion of the distal humerus is rare and diffcult to treat. It presents to surgeon a double challenge : to obtain bony union of the nonunion and to preserve the mobility of the joint. Six patients who had been treated for a nonunion of the distal humerus at National Medical Center from 1980 to 1988 were reviewed. Three of them were extraarticular and the rests were intraarticular fractures. Two had been open fractures. Five had been associated with nerve injury. Senile osteoporosis was noted in two. Four had been initially treated by 0/R and I/F; one, by irrigation, debriment and traction, followed by 0/R and I/F. The average time from the initial treatment to the treatment of nonunion was 20 months, ranging 3 to 44 months. The type of nonunion was reactive in one and nonreactive in five. All patients had pain, instability and limited motion of the elbow. Four who had perfomed surgical treatment for the nonunion were successful in obtaining bony union. Two who had not performed the operation were supported with the elbow brace to relieve the pain and prevent the progression of the deformity. At follw-up(average 21.6 months, ranging 5 to 39 months), functional end result was good in one; fair in four; poor in one, according to the functional rating system of Jupiter et al. In spite of success in union, the functional disability was major long-term problem. The probable causes of nonunion in our cases were unsatisfactory C/R and insufficient immobilization time, incomplete 0/R and inadequate I/F, insufficient postoperative immobilization time, senile osteoporosis, underlying systemic disease, and focal infection in fracture site.
Braces ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Elbow ; Focal Infection ; Fractures, Open ; Humans ; Humerus ; Immobilization ; Intra-Articular Fractures ; Joints ; Jupiter ; Osteoporosis ; Traction

Fracture of acetabular are relatively uncommon, but when they occur they seem to pose management difficulties for attending surgeon. They are, however, important injuries because they may give rise to disabling symptoms. Furthermore, they are increasing in frequency due to the increasing number of traffic accidents. Forty cases of acetabular fracture were treated in the National Medical Center during the period 1980 to 1987. The short summary of observation were as follows : 1) There was a preponderance of young patients, the majority being in the 31–40 age group(68%). The ratio between males and females was 2.6:1. 2) The most common cause of injury was traffic accident(68%). 3) The most common associated fracture was pelvic bone fracture(48%), and most common associated other injury was abdominal visceral injury(30%). 4) The most common fracture was posterior wall fracture(28%) following to Judet & Letournel's anatomocal clsssification. 5) Twenty-five fracture(63%) were treated by conservative measures, and 15 fractures (37%) were treated by open reduction and internal fixation. 6) The results were as follows : excellent in 13(33%), good in 19(47%), fair in 5(13%), and poor in 3(7%). 7) The complication of acetabular fracture were traumatic arthritis in 6 cases, sciatic nerve injury in 2 cases, avascular necrosis of femoral head in 2 cases. 8) Not only choice of treatment but also determination of surgical approch require accurate assessment of the fracture pattern in this region of complex bony architecture by careful radiologic analysis.
Accidents, Traffic ; Acetabulum ; Arthritis ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Pelvic Bones ; Sciatic Nerve

The treatment and results of 6 cases of the femoral shaft fracture in children are prensented and the method of Charnleys traction unit used most frequently at Korea General Hospital is described. Many Kinds of traction for the femoral shaft fracture in children was introduced. But nearly all methods which depend on heavy traction are open to the following criticism; 1) It is impossible to diminish the traction force alone without jeopardising the stablity of the reduction. 2) Gravity is not used to help in correcting the deformity of backward angulation. 3) Backward angulation of the distal fragment can never be corrected by traction in the axis of the femur. To do this the direction of the traction must be delfected away from the axis of the femur. Charnleys traction offers the following features: 1 The foot is supported at right angles to the tibia. 2. The external popliteal nerve and calf muscles are protected from pressure against the slings of the splint. The tibia is suspendcd from the Steinmann pin inside the plaster so that an air space develops under the tibia as the calf muscles lose their bulk. 3. External rotation of the foot and distal fragment of the femur is controlled. 4. The tendo Achillis is protected from pressure sores. 5. Comfort; the patient is unaware of the traction when applied through the medium of the nail. Age distribution of the patients was from 2 years to 13 years. Initial angulation after the manual reduction was from 0 to 25 degree posteriorly and from 5 to 9 degree laterally. Angulation after radiological union was from 0 to 15 degree posteriorly and from 0 to 8 degree laterally. Overriding before reduction was from 0.9 to 3.2cm and after reduction from 0.3 to 1.2cm. The duration of the inmobilization in Charnleys traction unit was from 15 days to 57 days. The duration of radiological union was from 51 days to 94 days.
Age Distribution ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Femur ; Foot ; Gravitation ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Muscles ; Pressure Ulcer ; Splints ; Tibia ; Traction

PURPOSE: To assess the characteristic features of MR imaging in the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed MR imaging of 27 cases with pathologically-proven spinal tuberculosis and analyzed the MR findings including the extent of the lesions on non-contrast T1, proton density, and T2*VI, and the specific contrast enhancement patterns of the lesion on Gd-DTPA enhnced TIWI. RESULTS: The inflammatory lesions showed low signal intensity on T1WI in 25 patients(93%) and high signal intensity on T2*gradient echo image in 25 patients(93%). Bone destruction was noted in 15 patients(55%), disc-space narrowing in 21 patients(77%), paravertebral abscess in 16 patients(59%), subligamentous extension in 23 patients(85%), kyphosis in 8 patients(29%), and spinal canal narrowing in 19 patients(70%). After Gd-DTPA was administrated, rim-enhancement was noted in all patients(100%). CONCLUSION: We conclude that MR imaging is an excellent imaging modality for establishing the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis as well as delineating the extent of soft tissue involvement. Characteristic peripheral rim enhancement after injection of Gd-DTPA may provide rather specific diagnosis in spinal tuberculosis.
Abscess ; Diagnosis ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Kyphosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Protons ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; Tuberculosis, Spinal*