• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 2005

Purpose: Despite the advance of medical science, the number of cancer patient have increased and the mortality rate is also on the rise. Therefore, a perfect cure for cancer is crucial, but the value and meaning of the remaining life for the patient are also becoming more and more important. The principal aim of this study is to examine the differences in the quality of life, physical and psychosocial symptoms according to the performance status of terminal cancer patients. Methods: We evaluated the performance status, demographical data, blood analysis and quality of life of cancer patients who visited the Department of family Medicine at Myoung-ji Hospital in Korea between September 1, 2003 and August 31, 2005. Their performance status (ECOG) was divided into two groups ($ECOG\;0{\sim}1/ECOG\;2{\sim}4$) and analyzed by ANOVA to see if there was a difference in their blood analysis and quality of life. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: A total of 104 patients were evaluated, among which 71 patients (23 male and 48 female) scored $0{\sim}1$, and 33 patients (8 males and 25 females) scored $2{\sim}4$ in the ECOG. The blood analysis showed that patients whose performance status was $2{\sim}4$ had lower levels of lymphocytes, hemoglobin, protein, albumin and sodium. The evaluation on their quality of life showed that the overall health status of patients with $2{\sim}3$ functional ability were poor (P=0.02). Also, from a functional perspective, these patients had poor physical (P=0.05) and role (P=0.01) scores, and in terms of symptoms, they showed a significant loss of appetite. Conclusion: If a patient's performance status was poor, levels related to certain nutritions were also found to fall in blood tests, thereby leading to an overall weakened state of health. However, there was no difference in symptoms except for a loss of appetite. In conclusion, it is most important to increase the appetite in patients with poor performance status.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.5 s.274
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• pp.321-328
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• 2007

Background: It is very important to determine the surgical anatomy of the aortic root when performing spreading aortic root preserving heart surgery. This study focuses on the surgical aspect of the aortic root anatomy by performing dissection of Korean cadavers. Material and Method: The subjects were 62 cadavers. We measured the intercommissural distances, heights of the sinuses and the circumference of the sinotubular junction and the aortic annulus. Result: The mean age of death was 61.3 years. The intercommissural distance for the right coronary sinus was $0.73{\pm}2.23mm$, that for the non coronary sinus was $19.34{\pm}2.03mm$, and that for the left coronary sinus was $18.58{\pm}2.15mm$. The height of sinus was $20.59{\pm}2.48mm$ for the right coronary sinus, $18.61{\pm}2.26mm$ for the non coronary sinus and $17.95{\pm}19mm$ for the left coronary sinus. The circumference of the sinotubular junction was $70.73{\pm}5.94mm$ and that of the aortic annulus was $77.94{\pm}5.63mm$. There is no correlation between age and STJ, aortic annulus and the ratio of STJ of aortic annulus respectively (p=0.920, p=0.111, p=0.073). The tilting angle of the sinotubular junction and aortic annulus is from $2.03^{\circ}$ to $7.77^{\circ}$ $(mean=4.90^{\circ})$. Conclusion: The intercommissural distance and the height of the sinus were largest in the right coronary sinus, and the position of the sinotubular junction to the aortic annulus is obliquely tilted levo-posteriorly.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 2010

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious disease that causes life-threatening pulmonary embolism and chronic venous insufficiency. Anticoagulation is the standard therapy for DVT. However, the results of standard anticoagulation for treating DVT have been disappointing, so endovascular treatment is commonly performed nowadays. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an endovascular procedure for treating patients with DVT. Material and Method: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical data of 29 DVT patients who underwent an endovascular procedure between December 2006 and July 2008. We compared the results of the 29 patients with the results of another 45 patients who were treated with only aspirin and heparin. Result: The patient’s mean age was 55.4 years in the intervention group and 53.7 years in the control group. DVT occurred more frequently in the females. Catheter-directed thrombolysis was performed in 22 patients (75.8%). Aspiration thrombectomy was performed in 18 patients (62%) and a endovascular stent was placed in 25 patients (86.2%). Fifteen patients (51.7%) underwent percutaneous insertion of a retrievable IVC filter for the prevention of pulmonary embolism. In the control group, thirty nine patients (86.7%) were treated with low-molecular heparin, and seven patients (15.6%) who were contraindicated for warfarin were treated with aspirin. No bleeding complications occurred during thrombolysis or anticoagulation. We analyzed the statistical data according to recurrence of DVT and the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) during the follow-up period. The intervention group had a significantly lower incidence of PTS (p-value=0.008), but they had the same result as the control group for the recurrence of DVT. In addition, death from the DVT did not occur in the intervention group. Thus, we obtained better clinical outcomes in the intervention group as compared to those in the anticoagulation only group. Conclusion: Endovascular procedures are effective alternative modalities, as compared to systemic anticoagulation, for the treatment of DVT. But more studies are needed to determine the specific indications and to validate the long-term efficacy of endovascular procedures for the treatment of DVT.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.185-194
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• 2002

Purpose: We studied clinical aspects and courses of patients with pulmonary radioactivity on liver scintigraphy and speculated the mechanism of pulmonary uptake of radiocolloids. Materials and Methods: Forty-nine patients with pulmonary radioactivity were classified into 5 disease groups-liver disease, infection, cancer, ischemic necrosis of liver, etc.- and their presence or absence of chronic liver disease (CLD), Child-Pugh class, serum levels of AST and ALT, results of follow-up liver scintigraphy and clinical course were checked. Results: Of total 49 patients 25 had CLD; there were 23 liver disease patients, 16 infection patients, 7 advanced cancer patients, 2 ischemic necrosis of liver patients, and 1 hemolytic anemia patient. Reversible rise of serum levels of AST and ALT was observed in all patients with liver disease and ischemic necrosis of liver; on one-way ANOVA, these rise were statistically significant (p<0.01). Serum level of ALT of liver disease group patients without CLD was significantly higher than that of infection group patients without CLD (p<0.05). Among 17 patients who underwent follow-up liver scintigraphy, 13 showed no pulmonary radioactivity. Total 12 patients died during follow-up and most of them were terminal cancer patients or CLD patients of Child-Pugh class C. Conclusion: Pulmonary radioactivity of radiocolloid liver scintigraphy could be attributed to the mobilization of reticuloendothelial system (RES) cells by the activation of RES cells in severe infection and terminal cancer, and also by the extensive liver destruction in liver diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.588-593
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• 2009

Purpose : To investigate whether growth hormone (GH) has a protective effect on neurons in hippocampal slice cultures of neonatal rats exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Methods : Cultured hippocampal slices of 7-day-old rats were exposed to OGD for 60 min. Then, the slices were immediately treated with three doses of GH (5, 50, or $500{\mu}M$) in media. The relative fluorescent densities of propidium iodide (PI) uptake in the slices and relative lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities in the media were determined and compared between each GH- treated group of slices and untreated slices (control) at 12 and 24 h after OGD. Immunofluorescent staining for caspase-3 and TUNEL staining were performed to observe the effect of GH on apoptotic neuronal death. Results : The relative fluorescent densities of PI uptake in CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampal slices in each GH-treated group were not significantly different from those in the untreated slices at 12 and 24 h after OGD (P>0.05). Treatment with GH could reduce the relative LDH activities in the media of the GH-treated groups only at 12 h after OGD (P<0.05). Expression of caspase-3 and TUNEL positivity in CA1 and DG of the slices treated with 50-iM GH were not different from those of the untreated slices at 12 and 24 h after OGD. Conclusion : Treatment of hippocampal slice cultures with GH after OGD does not show a definitive protective effect on neuronal death but can reduce the LDH efflux of the slices in media at 12 h after OGD.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.1320-1323
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• 2008

Purpose : The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiologic status of Kawasaki disease (KD) in infants ${\leq}6months$ of age. Methods : For the epidemiologic study of KD in Korea, data from 22,674 KD patients were collected from 1997 to 2005 on a 3-year basis by a retrospective survey. From this survey, data of 1,739 KD patients ${\leq}6months$ of age were analyzed and compared with those of KD patients >6 months of age. Results : A total of 1,739 patients ${\leq}6months$ of age, including 1,088 males and 651 females, represented 7.7% of total KD patients. These subjects included 22 patients aged <1 month, 171 patients aged 1-2 months, 304 patients aged 2-3 months, 407 patients aged 3-4 months, 372 patients aged 4-5 months, and 463 patients aged 5-6 months. Their mean age of onset was 4.3 months, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.67:1. Incidences of coronary arterial (CA) abnormalities (21.0% versus 18.7%) and CA aneurysms (4.7% versus 3.1%) detected by echocardiography showed differences between patients with KD younger and older than 6 months, respectively. Conclusion : Comparison of data from KD patients >6 months old with data from 1,739 KD patients ${\leq}6months$ old showed significantly higher incidences of CA abnormalities and CA aneurysms in the younger patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2003

Myasthenia gravis is a rare autoimmune disease involving acetylcholine receptor and its autoantibody on neuromuscular junction. The methods of treatment are medical treatment and surgical thymectomy. In this paper we analyzed the result of thymectomy and the factors affecting the postoperative symptom improvement. Material and method : This study obtained medical records of 37 patients who received the thymectomy for myasthenia gravis from March 1986 to December 1998. Result Out of 37 cases, 21 cases(57%) showed improvement, of which 8 cases (50%) in the group of thymoma(n=16), and 13 cases (62%) in the group of thymic hyperplasia(n=21) showed the improvement of symptoms. Postoperative complications were respiratory insufficiency due to aggravation of symptoms after operation, including tracheal intubation for ventilator support in 9 cases, pneumonia in 3 cases, pneumothorax in 2 cases and left vocal cord palsy in 1 case. There was one postoperative mortality. The relation between postoperative improvement and sex(P=0.3222), age(P=0.7642), thymic pathologic variants,(P=0.4335) and classification of thymoma(P=0.20) showed no statistically significant correlation. However, the lower grade of preoperative symptoms can predict the lower grade of postoperative symptoms significantly(P=0.0032). Follow up study to 36 postoperative survivors was performed in October 2002 based on the out-patient records and call with patients. Out of 36 cases, 33 cases(91.7%) could be investigated and 3 cases could not. Mean follow up period was 83.2 months. Out of 33 cases, 25 cases(75.8%) showed symptomatic improvement, of which 8 cases(53.3%) in the group of thymoma(n=15) and 17 cases(94.4%) in the group of thymic hyperplasia(n=18) showed the improvement of$\boxUl$ symptoms. Conclusion : In myasthenia gravis, thymectomy showed the good improvement, and more important factor affecting the improvement of symptoms was the grdae of preoperative symptoms. Also midterm and long term follow up results showed good symptomatic improvement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.672-683
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• 2004

Background: The treatment results of the advanced lung carcinoma is not satisfactory with the present therapeutic modalities: surgical resection, anti-cancer chemotherapy, and radiotherapy or combination therapy. To predict the prognosis of the non-small-cell lung carcinoma, TNM classification has been was as the basic categorization; however, it has been not satisfactory. It is necessary to consider the causes and the prognosis of the lung carcinoma from another points of view rather the conventional methods. We intended to find out the relationship between the major apoptotic factor, p53 gene and the prognosis of the patient with lung carcinoma. Material and Method: Three hundreds and fifty-nine patients with lung carcinoma who underwent surgery were analysed. We observed p53 protein accumulated in the cellular nuclei. The p53 protein was detected by immuno-histo-chemical method. We collected information of the patient retrospectively. Result: p53 protein densities were observed in 40% in average as a whole. The protein density was 44 percent in man, 25 percent in woman, 49 percent in the squamous cell carcinoma, and 38 percent in the adenocarcinoma. There were significant correlations between the p53 protein density and the mortality in the squamous cell carcinoma (p=0.025), follow-up duration in TNM stage I group (p=0.010), and follow-up duration in the lobectomy patient group (p=0.043), and tumor cell differentiation (p=0.009). p53 protein densities were significantly different between the lobectomy and the pneumonectomy group (p=0.044). Conclusion: The authors found that p53 protein had some correlations with the prognosis of the lung cancer partially in some factors. We suggest the p53 protein density could be used as a marker of prognosis in the non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2010

Background: The use of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to perform major pulmonary resection with systematic node dissection (SND) for lung cancer by is commonly used in clinics. However, the feasibility of SND by VATS remains controversial. Video-assisted mediastinal lymphadenectomy (VAMLA) increases the quality of mediastinal lymph node staging in lung cancer. The video-mediastinoscope allows systematic lymphadenectomy by bimanual preparation. This study was conducted to assess safety and usefulness and clinical feasibility of VAMLA expanding Linder-Dahan mediastinoscope with VATS lobectomy for left sided lung cancer. Material and Method: Between February 2004 to April 2008, a total 50 patients who underwent VATS lobectomy for left sided lung cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Thirty patients (group A) underwent VAMLA followed by VATS lymphadenectomy and 20 patients (group B) underwent VATS lymphadenectomy for SND. Result: There were no statistical differences in operation times, chest tube indwelling times, or hospital days between the 2 groups. The number of dissected total nodes (p=0.001) and N2 nodes (p=0.013) were higher in group A than in group B, but there was no difference in N1 nodes. Postoperative complications included 2 prolonged air leakages (${\geq}$10 days) in each group, one pneumonia in group A, and one vocal cord palsy in group B. There were no early operative mortalities. Conclusion: Mediastinal staging of resectable lung cancer is performed by VAMLA. This new technique is the basis for VATS lobectomy particularly for left-sided lung cancer, because a higher percentage of mediastinal lymph nodes undergo complete resection using VAMLA.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.357-367
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• 1997

Purpose : To identify variable prognostic factors and analyse failure patterns in the uterine cervix cancer after radical operation and adjuvant radio-therapy, a retrospective analysis was undertaken. Materals and Methods : I analysed one hundred and twenty four patients with uterine cervix cancer, FIGO stage IB, IIA and IIB, treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant radio-therapy between May 1985 and May 1994. Minimum follow up period was 24 months. All of them were treated with full dose external radiotherapy with linear accelerator and/or high dese rate intracavitary radiation. Results : Overall 5 year survival rate and relapse free survival rate were $75.4\%,\;73.5\%$, respectively. Significant prognostic factors by relapse free survival were wall involvement thickness, lymph node location and number, parametrium involvement, tumor size, stage, uterine body involvement, vaginal resection margin involvement. By multivariate analysis, lymph node matastasis. tumor size and vaginal resection margin involvement were significant prognostic factos. Treatment related failure were 33 cases. Locoregional failure were more likely in the stage IIB, lymph node positive or vaginal resection margin positive patients whereas distant failures were relatively more frequent in stage IB, IIA and lymph node, vaginal resection negative patients. In stage IIB, 5 year relapse free survival rate was only $56\%$ and nine of twenty two patients recurred. Conculsion : Postoperative radiotherapy results are good for patients with relatively low risk factor. But the results are poor for patients with multiple, high risk factors or stage IIB. To control recurrence for patients with high risk factors, postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy is not sufficient treatment method. To raise control rate adding other methods such as radiosensitizing agent or chemotherapy is necessary and prospectively randomized study is needed for evaluation of postoperative radiotherapy efficacy and /or other methods. And it is reasonable to treat primary radical radiotherapy for patients with stage IIB cervical cancer instead of radical operation and adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy regimen.