Study DesignA retrospective study.PurposeTo compare the level of restoration of the vertebral height, improvement in the wedge and kyphotic angles, and the incidence of complications in osteoporotic compression fracture in patients treated with either kyphoplasty or lordoplasty.Overview of LiteratureKyphoplasty involves recompression of the vertebral bodies. Recently, a more effective method known as lordoplasty was introduced.MethodsBetween 2004 and 2009, patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures were treated by either kyphoplasty (n = 24) or lordoplasty (n = 12) using polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement, and the results of the two interventions were compared. A visual analogue scale was used to measure the pain status. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were analyzed to quantify the anterior vertebral height restoration and the wedge and kyphotic alignment correction.ResultsAll patients in both groups reported a significant decrease in pain. The anterior heights increased 24.2% and 17.5% after the lordoplasty and kyphoplasty procedures, respectively (p < 0.05). Three months after the procedures, there was a larger decrease in the loss of anterior vertebral height in the kyphoplasty group (12.8%) than in the lordoplasty group (6.3%, p < 0.05). The wedge angles decreased after both procedures. The wedge angle in the lordoplasty group maintained its value after 3 months (p < 0.05). The kyphotic angular correction was 11.4 and 7.0° in the lordoplasty and kyphoplasty groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Both kyphotic deformities worsened to a similar degree of 5° after 3 months.ConclusionsLordoplasty is more useful than kyphoplasty in terms of the improved anatomic restoration and postoperative maintenance.

We report here on a new technique using polymethylmethacrylate to manage vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures in three patients. These patients presented with acute back pain that manifested itself after minor trauma. Osteoporotic compression fractures were diagnosed via plain X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging studies. The patients were treated with absolute bed rest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Despite of the conservative treatment, the patients experienced severe, recalcitrant and progressive pain. The vertebrae were collapsed over 50% or kyphotic deformity was seen on the radiologic materials. We performed a new technique called lordoplasty, which is derived from percutaneous vertebroplasty. The patients experienced a reduction in pain after the procedure. The wedge and kyphotic angles of the fractured vertebrae were significantly restored.

Purpose:We wanted to determine the clinic usefulness of selective nerve root block for treating lumbosacral radiculopathy that's due to a herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) or foraminal stenosis (FS) by analyzing the short-term results after the selective nerve root block (SNRB) procedure. Materials and Methods: Sixty-five patients were investigated in our research. Sixty-five patients were divided into two groups: thirty-seven patients of group one were the HNP patients and twenty-eight patients of group two were the FS patients. The effect of SNRB treatment was assessed by the degree of radiating pain in lower legs with using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and patients' subjective satisfaction. The average overall follow-up period was eleven months: that of the first group was 13.5 months and that of the group was 7.6 months. Results: For the 65 patients, the average VAS was 7.8 before a SNRB procedure and this decreased to 2.9 and 3.4 after one to three SNRB procedures, respectively. For group one, the VAS was 7.4 before the procedure and it decreased to 3.3 at one month and 3.7 at three months after the procedure. For group two, the VAS was 8.3 before the SNRB procedure and this favorably changed to 2.3 at one month and 3.0 at three months after the procedure. An operation was carried out due to no response for 8 patients (12%) and due to aggravation for 4 patients (6%) after the SNRB procedures. Three patients (8%) of group one and two patients (11%) of group two obtained pain relief at one month and aggravation at three months, respectively. On comparing the two groups, a better treatment effect was observed for the FS group after one month (p=0.002) and three months (p=0.01). Complications related to the SNRB procedure haaves not been observed in both groups. Conclusion:The SNRB procedure is a very effective and safe procedure, after the appearance of symptoms, as a non-operative treatment for single lumbosacral radiculopathy due to a herniated nucleus pulposus or foraminal stenosis. This treatment appears to be more effective for the FS group than for the HNP group and it should be considered before carrying out an operative treatment.

A Novel level-shifter circuit for Display Panel Driver is presented. A Proposed level-shifter is for the high speed and high-voltage driving capability. In order to achieve this purpose, the proposed level-shifter restricts and separates the Vgs of the output driver's pull-up PMOS and pull-down NMOS with Zener diode. The zener diode can be replaced by normal diode combination. And a speed-up PMOS transistor is introduced to reduce delay. The control signal of speed-up PMOS was designed by bootstrapping method to minimize the gate to source (Vgs) voltage to avoid Vgs breakdown.

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