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To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety following percutaneous disc decompression, using navigable disc decompression device for cervical herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP).
Twenty subjects diagnosed with cervical HNP and refractory to conservative management were enrolled for the study. The herniated discs were decompressed under fluoroscopic guidance, using radiofrequency ablation device with navigable wand. The sagittal and axial plain magnetic resonance images of the clinically significant herniated disc, decided the space between the herniated base and outline as the target area for ablation. Clinical outcome was determined by Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Bodily Pain scale of Short Form-36 (SF-36 BP), assessed after 48 weeks. After the procedure, we structurally matched the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and C-arm images through bony markers. The wand position was defined as being ‘correct’ if the tip was placed within the target area of both AP and lateral views; if not, the position was stated as ‘incorrect’.
The average NRS fell from 7 to 1 at 48 weeks post procedure (p<0.05). In addition, statistically significant improvement was noted in the NDI and SF-36BP (p<0.05). The location of the wand tip resulted in 16 correct and 4 incorrect placements. Post-48 weeks, 3 of the incorrect tip cases and 1 correct tip case showed unsuccessful outcomes.
The study demonstrated the promising results and safety of the procedure. Thus, focal plasma ablation of cervical HNP with navigable wand can be another effective treatment option.
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To investigate the real-time cardiovascular response to the progressive overload exercise in different levels of spinal cord injury (SCI), and to find out whether regular exercise has effect on these cardiovascular responses.
The study enrolled 8 able-bodied individuals in the control group plus 15 SCI subjects who were divided into two groups by their neurological level of injury: high-level SCI group (T6 or above) and low-level SCI group (T7 or below). Also, subjects were divided into exercise group and non-exercise group by usual exercise habits. We instructed the subjects to perform exercises using arm ergometer according to the protocol and checked plethysmograph for the real time assessment of blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output.
Six subjects were included in high-level SCI group (3 cervical, 3 thoracic injuries), 9 subjects in low-level SCI group (9 thoracic injuries), and 8 able-bodied individuals in control group. During arm ergometer-graded exercise, mean arterial pressure (MAP) was significantly lower in high-level SCI subjects of non-exercise group, compared with high-level SCI subjects of exercise group. In addition, HR was significantly higher in low-level SCI group compared with control group.
There are significant differences in mean arterial pressure of high-level SCI group according to usual exercise habits. We discovered that even in non-athlete high-level SCI, regular exercise can bring cardiac modulation through blood pressure control.
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To evaluate the cardiopulmonary endurance of subjects with spinal cord injury by measuring the maximal oxygen consumption with varying degrees of spinal cord injury level, age, and regular exercise.
We instructed the subjects to perform exercises using arm ergometer on healthy adults at 20 years of age or older with spinal cord injury, and their maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was measured with a metabolic measurement system. The exercise proceeded stepwise according to the exercise protocol and was stopped when the subject was exhausted or when VO2 reached an equilibriu
Among the 40 subjects, there were 10 subjects with cervical cord injury, 27 with thoracic cord injury, and 3 with lumbar cord injury. Twenty-five subjects who were exercised regularly showed statistically higher results of VO2max than those who did not exercise regularly. Subjects with cervical injury showed statistically lower VO2max than the subjects with thoracic or lumbar injury out of the 40 subjects with neurologic injury. In addition, higher age showed a statistically lower VO2max. Lastly, the regularly exercising paraplegic group showed higher VO2max than the non-exercising paraplegic group.
There are differences in VO2max of subjects with spinal cord injury according to the degree of neurologic injury, age, and whether the subject participates in regular exercise. We found that regular exercise increased the VO2max in individuals with spinal cord injury.
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To investigate the normal data of pain-related evoked potentials (PREP) elicited with a concentric surface electrode among normal, healthy adults and the relationship between PREP and pain intensity.
Sixty healthy volunteers (22 men and 38 women; aged 36.4±10.7 years; height, 165.4±7.8 cm) were enrolled. Routine nerve conduction study (NCS) was done to measure PREP following electrical stimulation of hands (C7 dermatome) and feet (L5 dermatome). Negative peak (N), positive peak (P) latencies, peak to peak (NP) amplitudes, conduction velocity (CV), and verbal rating scale (VRS) score were obtained. Linear regression analysis tested for significant relevance between variables of PREP and VRS score.
Normal NCS results were obtained in all subjects. N latency of hand PREP was 163.8 ±40.0 ms (right) and 161.0±39.9 ms (left). N latency of foot PREP was 178.0±43.9 ms (right), 180.4±43.4 ms (left). NP amplitude of hands was 20.6±10.6 µV (right) and 21.9±11.6 µV (left). NP amplitude of feet was 18.8±8.3 µV (right) and 19.0±8.4 µV (left). The calculated CV was 13.2±4.7 m/s and VRS score was 3.8±1.0. A highly significant positive correlation was evident between VRS score and NP amplitude (y=0.1069x+1.781, r=0.877, n=60, p<0.0001).
PREP among normal, healthy adults revealed a statistically significant correlation between PREP amplitude and VRS score.
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To evaluate the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) to ankle dorsiflexor (DF) and ankle plantarflexor (PF) on kinematic and kinetic parameters of hemiplegic gait.
Fourteen post-stroke hemiplegic patients were considered in this study. Electrical stimulation was delivered to ankle DF during the swing phase and ankle PF during the stance phase via single foot switch. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected using a computerized motion analysis system with force plate. Data of no stimulation (NS), DF stimulation only (DS), DF and PF stimulation (DPS) group were compared among each other.
Peak ankle dorsiflexion angle during swing phase is significantly greater in DS group (-1.55°±9.10°) and DPS group (-2.23°±9.64°), compared with NS group (-6.71°±11.73°) (p<0.05), although there was no statistically significant difference between DS and DPS groups. Ankle plantarflexion angle at toe-off did not show significant differences among NS, DS, and DPS groups. Peak knee flexion in DPS group (34.12°±13.77°) during swing phase was significantly greater than that of NS group (30.78°±13.64°), or DS group (32.83°±13.07°) (p<0.05).
In addition to the usual FES application stimulating ankle DF during the swing phase, stimulation of ankle PF during stance phase can help to increase peak knee flexion during the swing phase. This study shows the advantages of stimulating the ankle DF and PF using single foot switch for post-stroke gait.
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To examine the neurophysiologic status in patients with idiopathic facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy) and Ramsay Hunt syndrome (herpes zoster oticus) within 7 days from onset of symptoms, by comparing the amplitude of compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) of facial muscles in electroneuronography (ENoG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
The facial nerve conduction study using ENoG and TMS was performed in 42 patients with Bell's palsy and 14 patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome within 7 days from onset of symptoms. Denervation ratio was calculated as CMAP amplitude evoked by ENoG or TMS on the affected side as percentage of the amplitudes on the healthy side. The severity of the facial palsy was graded according to House-Brackmann facial grading scale (H-B FGS).
In all subjects, the denervation ratio in TMS (71.53±18.38%) was significantly greater than the denervation ratio in ENoG (41.95±21.59%). The difference of denervation ratio between ENoG and TMS was significantly smaller in patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome than in patients with Bell's palsy. The denervation ratio of ENoG or TMS did not correlated significantly with the H-B FGS.
In the electrophysiologic study for evaluation in patients with facial palsy within 7 days from onset of symptoms, ENoG and TMS are useful in gaining additional information about the neurophysiologic status of the facial nerve and may help to evaluate prognosis and set management plan.
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To evaluate the effect of semiconditional electrical stimulation of the pudendal nerve afferents for the neurogenic detrusor overactivity in patients with spinal cord injury. Forty patients (36 males, 4 males) with spinal cord injury who had urinary incontinence and frequency, as well as felt bladder contraction with bladder filling sense or autonomic dysreflexic symptom participated in this study.
Patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity were subdivided into complete injury and incomplete injury groups by ASIA classification and subdivided into tetraplegia and paraplegia groups by neurologic level of injury. Bladder function, such as bladder volumes infused to the bladder until the first occurrence of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (Vini) and the last contraction suppressed by electrical stimulation (Vmax) was measured by water cystometry (CMG) and compared with the results of each subgroup.
Among the 40 subjects, 35 patients showed neurogenic detrusor overactivity in the CMG study. Among these 35 patients, detrusor overactivity was suppressed effectively by pudendal nerve afferent electrical stimulation in 32 patients. The infusion volume until the occurrence of the first reflex contraction (Vini) was 99.4±80.3 ml. The volume of saline infused to the bladder until the last contraction suppressed by semiconditional pudendal nerve stimulation (Vmax) was 274.3±93.2 ml, which was significantly greater than Vini. In patients with good response to the pudendal nerve afferent stimulation, the bladder volume significantly increased by stimulation in all the patients.
In this study, semiconditional electrical stimulation on the dorsal penile afferent nerve could effectively inhibit neurogenic detrusor overactivity and increase bladder volume in patients with spinal cord injury.
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