ObjectiveRecently, surgical outcomes of patients with intramedullary spinal cord tumors (IMSCT) have been improved due to advances of medicine. The purposes of our study were to evaluate the recent neurological outcomes after surgical treatment of IMSCTs.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 69 patients who underwent surgical treatment for IMSCT in our hospital between 1998 and 2013. Patient's age, sex, histological origin and grade, tumor location, tumor extension, preoperative neurological state, initial presenting symptom, and extend of tumor resection were analyzed to evaluate predictive factors that affect postoperative functional outcome.ResultsThe neurological states at last follow-up were improved in 16 patients (23.2%), unchanged in 47 (68.1%), aggravated in 6 (8.7%). In all patients, the functional outcomes were good in 52 patients (75.4%), fair in 10 (14.5%), poor in 7 (10.1%). Preoperative good neurological state was the strongest positive predictor of good functional outcome (p<0.05). In tumor location, functional outcomes of thoracic tumors were poor than those in cervical and conus medullaris region (p=0.011). High-grade tumor shows poor outcome compare to low-grade tumor (p=0.03).ConclusionThe most reliable predicting factor of surgical outcome was the preoperative neurological state. In addition, IMSCTs in thoracic region and high-grade tumor showed relatively bad outcome and had a risk of postoperative morbidity.

Mycotic aneurysms are rare inflammatory neurovascular lesions. Ruptured mycotic aneurysm manifesting as subdural hematoma is extremely rare. A 72-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with headache and drowsiness. Computer tomography (CT) of brain and CT angiography revealed subdural hematoma and an aneurysm located at the M4 segment of the left middle cerebral artery (MCA). Cerebral angiogram revealed 2 aneurysms; one located at the left distal MCA and the other at the bifurcation of left MCA. Laboratory studies showed leukocytosis and elevated inflammatory factors. The patent was treated with antibiotic therapy for 4 weeks. The follow-up CT and cerebral angiography showed that the mycotic aneurysm was completely resolved, and the patient was nearly free of symptoms.

ObjectiveIn the so-called primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), lobar and deep ICH were mainly due to cerebral amyloid angiopathy and deep perforating arterial disease. Our aim was to identify specifics of warfarin associated ICH (WAICH) and to focus on differences in susceptibility to warfarin according to the underlying vasculopathies, expressed by ICH location.Materials and MethodsWe identified all subjects aged ≥ 18 years who were admitted with primary ICH between January 1, 2007 and September 30, 2012. We retrospectively collected demographic characteristics, the presence of vascular risk factors and pre-ICH medication by chart reviews. We categorized ICH into four types according to location: lobar, deep, posterior fossa, and undetermined. We investigated characteristics (including hematoma volume and expansion) of ICH according to the location of ICH.Results WAICH accounted for 35 patients (5.6%) of 622 ICH cases. In WAICH, 13 patients (37.1%) had lobar ICH and 22 patients (60.0%) had non-lobar ICH. Compared to other locations of ICH, lobar ICH showed an excess risk of WAICH (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.03-6.21, p = 0.042). The predictors of lobar location of ICH were warfarin (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.05-5.04, p = 0.038) and diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.29-0.98, p = 0.044). The lobar location of ICH showed significant association with larger hematoma volume (p = 0.001) and high ratio of hematoma expansion (p = 0.037) compared with other locations of ICH.ConclusionIn our study, warfarin showed significant association with lobar ICH and it caused larger hematoma volume and more expansion of hematoma in lobar ICH.

ObjectivePosterior apophyseal ring fracture (PARF) is a common disorder that may be accompanied by herniated lumbar disc (HLD) in patients in their early twenties. However, there are very few reports on PARF in this clinical context. The objective of this study was to identify the incidence and characteristics of PARF with HLD in this age group. MethodsWe surveyed patients who visited Armed Forces Busan Hospital between May 2017 and October 2017 and included those aged between 19 and 25 years who had HLD accompanied by PARF. We retrospectively collected their demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, and radiological findings on computed tomography (CT) scans. We categorized the PARF lesions according to Takata’s classification. ResultsOf 140 HLD patients, 43 (30.7%) had PARF lesions with HLD. We found that the presence of a PARF lesion was significantly related to a severe pain score on the visual analogue scale for lower back pain and/or lower leg radiating pain (p=0.001). The most common level and location of PARF were L5/S1 (n=25, 56.8%) and the superior endplate of the S1 vertebra, respectively. Type 1, according to Takata’s classification, was the most common type of PARF in the patients (n=34, 77.2%). ConclusionWe recommend that spinal surgeons perform CT scans to check for PARF lesions in all young patients in their 20s who present with severe radiating and lower back pain.

Objective: Chronic neck pain is a common clinical problem, of which the annual prevalence is high. The relationship between the cervical axial pain and its sagittal alignment is controversial. The objective of this article was to study the relationship between cervical spine alignment measured by multiple methods and cervicalgia. Methods: We surveyed the patients who visited our hospital between May 2017 and December 2017 and shortlisted those aged between 19 and 25 years and had no cervical degenerative disease in their plain film and computer tomography. We retrospectively collected demographic characteristic and clinical manifestations. We measured the sagittal cervical alignment using Cobb's angle, Jackson physiologic stress line, Harrison's tangent, disc angle in each segments, cervical sagittal vertical axis, thoracic inlet angle, neck tilt angle and T1 slope in plain cervical lateral film. Results: Of 61 patients collected, 32 (52.4%) complained neck axial pain. We found that neck axial pain was significantly related to the kyphotic change of disc (p=0.004), the Jackson physiologic stress line (p=0.011), cervical sagittal vertical axis (p<0.001), neck tilting angle (p= 0.001) and thoracic inlet angle (p=0.041). Among measured values in plain film, T1 slope and cervical sagittal vertical axis were associated with clinical manifestation presented visual analysis scale (VAS) and Neck disability index (NDI) (p=0.035, p<0.001). In them, cervical vertical axis was significantly associated with clinical manifestation in multiple linear regression test (p<0.001). Conclusion: We recommended that the spinal surgeons should measure a cervical vertical axis for all patients suffered from cervicalgia.