Publications by authors named "Jun-hong Min"
LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 (LHP1) encodes the only plant homologue of the metazoan HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 (HP1) protein family. The LHP1 protein is necessary for proper epigenetic regulation of a range of developmental processes in plants. LHP1 is a transcriptional repressor of flowering-related genes, such as FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), AGAMOUS (AG) and APETALA 3 (AP3).
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- The authors discuss two cases where disc herniation near an ALIF site showed spontaneous improvement.
- They suggest that this improvement might be due to increased tension on the posterior longitudinal ligament resulting from restoring proper disc height and lumbar curvature.
- This mechanism is likened to ligamentotaxis, a method used to treat thoracolumbar burst fractures.
The authors report the case of a 52-year-old man who had undergone resection of an ossified posterior longitudinal ligament via the anterior approach. The patient experienced postoperative neurological deterioration that may have been caused by a massive cord herniation associated with a dural defect at the corpectomy site. Spinal cord herniation may develop as a complication of anterior cervical decompression.
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- The study is a retrospective analysis aimed at understanding the relationship between thoracic and lumbar spine curvatures in patients with lumbar degenerative kyphosis (LDK) after surgery.
- Significant improvements were observed post-surgery: sagittal imbalance decreased from 78.3 mm to 13.6 mm, lumbar lordosis increased from 9.4 degrees to 38.4 degrees, and thoracic kyphosis increased from 1.1 degrees to 17.6 degrees.
- The findings suggest a reciprocal relationship between lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis, indicating that restoring lumbar curvature can positively influence thoracic alignment.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzed x-rays and surgical outcomes of 21 female patients (average age 64.5) suffering from lumbar degenerative kyphosis and persistent back pain despite having compensatory spinal adjustments.
- Surgical intervention involved anterior and posterior spinal arthrodesis, leading to significant improvements in sagittal balance, lumbar lordosis, and thoracic kyphosis, with p-values indicating strong statistical significance (P < 0.0001).
- Post-surgery, patient-reported outcomes showed marked reductions in pain and disability, with 85.5% of participants reporting satisfactory results at follow-up.
Article Synopsis
- A retrospective study evaluated the clinical significance and risk factors for adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) in patients after instrumented lumbar fusion.
- A total of 48 patients were assessed, revealing that 62.5% developed ASD, with notable factors including age and surgical approach influencing its occurrence.
- Though radiographic ASD was common, it did not correlate with poorer clinical outcomes, suggesting that age and surgical technique may play a role in ASD development without negatively impacting patient recovery.
Article Synopsis
- This study analyzed the surgical outcomes and factors influencing recovery in 19 patients who underwent anterior decompression for thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).
- Results showed mixed outcomes: 21.1% had excellent recovery, while 21.1% remained unchanged and 10.5% worsened, with the preoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score being the only significant predictor of outcome.
- Complications included neurologic deterioration in 10.5% of patients and cerebrospinal fluid leakage in 31.6%, highlighting the technical challenges and risks associated with this surgical procedure.
Surgical treatment of failed back surgery syndrome due to sagittal imbalance.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976)
December 2007
Study Design: Retrospective study of consecutive patient series.
Objective: To review the etiology of failed back surgery syndrome due to sagittal imbalance and radiographic and clinical results of surgical treatment of these patients who were treated with combined anterior and posterior arthrodesis.
Summary Of Background Data: Sagittal imbalance after spinal fusion surgery may be a major source of pain and disability.
Lumbar degenerative kyphosis: radiologic analysis and classifications.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976)
November 2007
Article Synopsis
- This study analyzed 78 patients with lumbar degenerative kyphosis (LDK) to understand the relationship between thoracic and lumbar spine curves.
- The results revealed two distinct groups based on their thoracolumbar junction angles: a compensated group with strong correlations between thoracic and lumbar curves, and a decompensated group with weak correlations.
- The findings suggest that the thoracolumbar junction angle is crucial for identifying compensatory mechanisms in patients with LDK.
Article Synopsis
- The study explores the relationship between thoracic and lumbar curves in patients with degenerative flat back syndrome and how surgical correction of lumbar lordosis influences these curves.
- The researchers analyzed data from 28 patients who underwent combined spinal surgery, measuring key spinal parameters before and after the procedure.
- Results showed significant improvements in spinal alignment post-surgery, highlighting that restoring lumbar lordosis leads to positive changes in thoracic kyphosis and sacral angle.
Clinical significance of redundant nerve roots of the cauda equina in lumbar spinal stenosis.
Clin Neurol Neurosurg
January 2008
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess the impact of redundant nerve roots (RNR) on surgical outcomes in patients with lumbar stenosis by comparing those with RNR to those without.
- RNR was found in about 34% of patients, with the RNR group being older and showing no significant differences in symptom duration or surgery success compared to the group without RNR.
- Though the outcomes were not significantly different, the NRNR group showed slightly better results, while longer RNR lengths correlated with better outcomes in the RNR group.
Article Synopsis
- This study compared outcomes for patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis who had either anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) or posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) to see which approach better prevents adjacent-segment degeneration (ASD).
- Involving 48 patients, the research found that the ALIF group had a significantly lower incidence of ASD (44%) compared to the PLIF group (82.6%), indicating that ALIF may be a more effective surgical option.
- Both surgical methods showed similar clinical success rates, with ALIF at 92% and PLIF at 87%, but ALIF was highlighted as more beneficial in preventing ASD.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the significance of the signs of dural ossification applied to the thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), as originally described for cervical OPLL by Hida et al.
Methods: Twenty patients with thoracic OPLL who underwent anterior decompression were retrospectively studied through examination of preoperative computed tomographic scans and medical records. The types of OPLL, single- and double-layer signs, as well as actual dural penetration were evaluated.
Object: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the significance of the signs of dural penetration, which were previously described by Hida et al. This goal was accomplished by an analysis of preoperative computed tomography scans and a review of the medical records of patients who underwent removal of the ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) via the anterior approach.
Methods: Outcomes in 197 patients with cervical OPLL who underwent anterior decompression and fusion were studied retrospectively.
Hyperostotic meningioma with minimal tumor invasion into the skull.
Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo)
September 2005
Article Synopsis
- A 56-year-old man had a meningioma causing a visible mass on his forehead and eye bulging, with CT scans showing hyperostosis but no initial signs of a tumor.
- Follow-up imaging revealed an intracranial mass and hyperostosis that extended outside the skull, leading to surgery where the tumor was removed.
- Histological studies confirmed it was a rhabdoid meningioma, but most of the surrounding hyperostotic bone showed no tumor cells, suggesting that other mechanisms, rather than direct tumor invasion, may explain the hyperostosis.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess the clinical importance of transforaminal ligaments (TFLs) in relation to lumbar intervertebral foramen (IVF) size using cadaver spines.
- Researchers analyzed 198 cadaveric lumbar IVFs, measuring the presence and type of TFLs, capturing images, and calculating the areas of both IVFs and TFLs.
- Findings revealed that TFLs were present in 82.8% of IVFs, with the average IVF area being 155.8 mm² and TFLs occupying about 28.5% of that area, suggesting that TFLs might limit space for the spinal nerve root, potentially leading to nerve root impingement.
Morphometric analysis of the working zone for endoscopic lumbar discectomy.
J Spinal Disord Tech
April 2005
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze the working zone during endoscopic discectomy at the lateral exit zone of the intervertebral foramen and identify a safe practice point.
- Measurements were taken from 186 nerve roots of lumbar intervertebral foramina, recording distances from the nerve roots to nearby anatomical structures and the angles involved.
- Results indicated variability in distances and angles, suggesting that blind insertion of instruments could be risky; instead, direct visualization of the annulus during procedures is recommended for safety.