To investigate the length of hospital stay (LOS) after stroke using the database of the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.
We matched the data of patients admitted for ischemic stroke onset within 7 days in the Departments of Neurology of 12 hospitals to the data from the database of the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service. We recruited 3,839 patients who were hospitalized between January 2011 and December 2011, had a previous modified Rankin Scale of 0, and no acute hospital readmission after discharge. The patients were divided according to the initial National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score (mild, ≤5; moderate, >5 and ≤13; severe, >13); we compared the number of hospitals that admitted patients and LOS after stroke according to severity, age, and sex.
The mean LOS was 115.6±219.0 days (median, 19.4 days) and the mean number of hospitals was 3.3±2.1 (median, 2.0). LOS was longer in patients with severe stroke (mild, 65.1±146.7 days; moderate, 223.1±286.0 days; and severe, 313.2±336.8 days). The number of admitting hospitals was greater for severe stroke (mild, 2.9±1.7; moderate, 4.3±2.6; and severe, 4.5±2.4). LOS was longer in women and shorter in patients less than 65 years of age.
LOS after stroke differed according to the stroke severity, sex, and age. These results will be useful in determining the appropriate LOS after stroke in the Korean medical system.
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To determine clinical and radiological factors that predict the successful outcome of percutaneous disc decompression (PDD) in patients with lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP).
We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiological features of patients who underwent lumbar PDD from April 2009 to March 2013. Sixty-nine patients with lumbar HNP were studied. Clinical outcome was assessed by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess relationship among clinical and radiological factors and the successful outcome of the PDD.
The VAS and the ODI decreased significantly at 1 year follow-up (p<0.01). One year after PDD, the reduction of the VAS (ΔVAS) was significantly greater in the patients with pain for <6 months (p=0.03) and subarticular HNP (p=0.015). The reduction of the ODI (ΔODI) was significantly greater in the patients with high intensity zone (p=0.04). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the following 5 factors that were associated with the successful outcome after PDD: pain duration for <6 months (odds ratio [OR]=14.036; p=0.006), positive straight leg raising test (OR=8.425, p=0.014), the extruded HNP (OR=0.106, p=0.04), the sequestrated HNP (OR=0.037, p=0.026), and the subarticular HNP (OR=10.876, p=0.012).
PDD provided significant improvement of pain and disability of patients. The results of the analysis indicated that the duration of pain <6 months, positive straight leg raising test, the subarticular HNP, and the protruded HNP were predicting factors associated with the successful response of PDD in patients with lumbar HNP.
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A 22-year-old woman visited our clinic with a history of radiofrequency volumetric reduction for bilateral masseter muscles at a local medical clinic. Six days after the radiofrequency procedure, she noticed a facial asymmetry during smiling. Physical examination revealed immobility of the mouth drawing upward and laterally on the left. Routine nerve conduction studies and needle electromyography (EMG) in facial muscles did not suggest electrodiagnostic abnormalities. We assumed that the cause of facial asymmetry could be due to an injury of zygomaticus muscles, however, since defining the muscles through surface anatomy was difficult and it was not possible to identify the muscles with conventional electromyographic methods. Sono-guided needle EMG for zygomaticus muscle revealed spontaneous activities at rest and small amplitude motor unit potentials with reduced recruitment patterns on volition. Sono-guided needle EMG may be an optimal approach in focal facial nerve branch injury for the specific localization of the injury lesion.
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To compare a newly developed minimally-invasive method for percutaneous transforaminal epidural injection (INJ group) with the existing method for lumbar epidural catheterization (CATH group).
Through anatomical review of experimental rats, the cephalic one fourth of the neural foramen was selected as the target point for drug delivery. After the rats had undergone lumbar epidural catheterization, lidocaine, and 1% methylene blue were injected through the unilateral or bilateral L5/6 neural foramen in the INJ group, and through an epidural catheter in the CATH group. Measurement of body weight and the mechanical allodynia test before and after injection of lidocaine, and fine dissection after injection were performed.
Results of the mechanical allodynia test of 1.0% lidocaine 50 µl injection in the CATH group were statistically similar to those of 0.5% lidocaine 100 µl injection in the INJ group. The results of 2.0% lidocaine 50 µl injection in the CATH group were statistically similar to those of 1.0% lidocaine 100 µl injection in the INJ group. After dissection, only one distal partial spinal nerve was stained by methylene blue 50 µl through the transforaminal pathway. However, the dorsal root ganglion, nerve root, and adjacent hemi-partial spinal cord were stained by methylene blue 100 µl through the transforaminal pathway.
The percutaneous transforaminal epidural injection is practical, easy, and safe, and, in particular, does not cause significant pain compared to the existing lumbar epidural catheterization. We expect this method to be effective in an animal study showing that drug delivery to the spinal epidural space is necessary.
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