A Prospective study was performed to evaluate the role of microfibrillar collagen hemostat (Avitene) in the blood loss of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Of 103 TKAs (93 patients) with osteoarthritic knees studied to analyze blood loss, 41 TKAs used avitene on the cut tibial surfaces and 62 TKAs did not. TKAs in the avitene group demonstrated an average 429ml in suction drainage, whereas those in the non-avitene group averaged 440ml. An average calculated total blood loss was 1039ml in the avitene group and 1088ml in the non-avitene group. Avitene did not statistically decrease blood loss.

Since 1982 We have operated on 142 cases of cervical myelopathy using Hattori's method of cervical laminoplasty.This operation was performed on 14 patients with kyphotic deformity and minstability (segmental instability and olisthetic instability). This pater evaluates the patients with these instabilities.

No abstract

We experienced 8 cases (7 surgically treated) of extraforaminal lateral lumbar disc herniation.Symptoms were femoral neuralgia in one patient with on L3-4 lesion and for most patients with L4-5 lesion; sciatic neuralgia for two patients with L5-S lesions, some patients with L4-5 lesions complained of both types of neuralgia. We operated using the posterior approach for 3 patients, but 2 required re-operation due to residual low back pain. All patients operated on with the anterior approach achieved good recovery. Anterior spinal fusion appears suitable for extraforaminal lateral lumbar disc herniation especially for degenerated segments above the L4-5 disc level, after first excluding sequestrated types of hernia.

We studied about compression ratio of spinal cord on computed tomographic spondylotic myelopathy. We found that some cases with compression of below 40% ratio did not well. Some factors influencing on the postoperative results exist : for example, period until operation, canal diameter and heavy neurological sign. By compression ratio and those factors, we may be able to presuppose the prognosis of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.