• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 2009

We studied the historical changes of intervertebral disc displacement using magnetic resonance imaging. The phenomenon of the spontaneous regression of herniated discs is well known. The case of a 40-years-old male presenting with a large disc herniation at L5-S1, experiencing severe sciatic pain, and having the straight leg raising test positive at 25 degrees is presented. The extruded disc was documented by clinical examination. He was treated conservatively with epidural steroid injection (ESI), medication, physical therapy and self-exercise and reevaluated in 10 weeks later, 30 and 1 year. Large extruded disc can be treated successfully by physical therapy with ESI. However, the degeneration and the dehydration of disc result in decrease of disc height. Consequently, the regression of extruded disc might have been due to the resorption and the dehydration.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.45-55
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• 1999

This study was compared with each 2 groups (Intermittent traction therapy alone group1: Control group and Intermittent traction therapy plus Auriculotherapy group 2: Experimental group) on 20 HIVLD(Hemiated Intervertebral Lumbar Disk) patients with sciatics Each subjects were divided to control and experimental. Each group were applied Intermittent traction therapy (HOld:25, Rest:15) for 15 minute and control group were not received auricular stimulation. However experimental groups were applied auricular stimulation simultaneosly. Auricular acupuncture points(max-17, min=13) were stimulated with low frequency. high intensity Electro-Acupunture stimulator for 20 seconds per each point. Treatment and measurements(R.P and VAS) was administered to each patient during the 10 times therapy per 2 weeks. The results were significant differences between the two groups. Experimental group appeared significantly greater than before in pain, and pain relief, and significant improvement in centralization phenomenon of radiating pain.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.977-988
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• 1999

This study compared the effects of Intermittent traction therapy alone(Group1=Control group) and Intermittent traction therapy plus Auriculotherapy (Group2=Experimental group) to 20 Sciatica patients. Subjects were assigned to two groups with each 10. The two groups received Intermittent traction therapy (Hold:25, Rest:15) for 15 minute and experimental group did received auricular stimulation. Auricular acupuncture points(max=17, min=13) were stimulated with low frequency, high intensity Electro-Acupunture stimulator for 20 seconds per a each point. Treatment and measurements(SLR and VAS) was administered to each patient during the two weeks of 10 times therapy. The results were significant differences between the two groups. Experimental group produced significantly greater pain relief, and significant improvement of limited SLR.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2012

Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry(DEXA) is commonly used to diagnose Osteoporosis. The errors of DEXA bone density operation are caused by operator, bone mineral density meter, blood testing, patient. We focus on operator error then study about how much influence operator's region of intest(ROI) in bone testing result. During from March to July in 2011. 50 patients ware selected respectively from 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 age groups who came to Korea University Medical Center(KUMC) for their Osteoporosis treatment. A-test was performed with usually ROI and B-test was performed with most widely ROI. Then, We compare A-test and B-test for find maximum difference of T-score error which occurred operator ROI controlling. Standard deviation of T-score of B-test showed 0.1 higher then A-test in femur neck. Standard deviation of B-test showed 0.2 higher then A-test in Ward's area which in Greater trocanter and Inter trocanter. Standard deviation of B-test showed 0,1 lower then A-test in L-1. Bone density testing about Two hundred patients results are as follow. When operator ROI was changed wider than normal ROI, bone density of femur was measured more higher but bone density of L-spine was measured more lower then normal bone density. That means, sometime DEXA bone density testing result is dependent by operator ROI controlling. This is relevant with the patient's medicine and health insurance, thus, tester always keep the size of ROI for to prevent any problem in the patient.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.339-348
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• 2004

This study was peformed to assess the relationships among bone mineral density (BMD), Physiological characteristics and lifestyle factors in 61 premenopausal working women aged 30∼49 y in Busan. The BMDs of the lumbar spines (Ll∼L4), femoral necks (FN), ward's triangles (WT) and trochanters (TC) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Data for physiological characteristics and physical activity was assessed by questionnaire and usual intakes of coffee, green tea, alcohol, Coca cola by food frequency questionnaire. The BMDs of L14, FN, WT and TC were 1.02 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$, 0.76 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$,0.69 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$ and 0.66 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$respectively The BMD of FN was assessed as osteopenia by T-score. The BMD of WT was positively correlated with age of monarch (p<0.05) and the BMD of Ll4 was positively correlated with delivery number (p<0.05). The BMD of Ll4 was positively correlated with hours of outdoor activity per weekend and week (p<0.05, p<0.05). The BMDs of FN and WT (p<0.05, p<0.05) were positively correlated with intake of green tea per month and the BMD of FN (p<0.05) was positively correlated with intake of wine per month. But the BMD of Ll (p<0.05) was negatively correlated with intake of Coca cola per month. So nutritional education for increasing hours of outdoor activity and decreasing intake frequency of beverage contributing to diminishment of bone mineral density is needed for premenopausal working women to prevent osteoporosis.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 2020

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of mixed grafts in lumbar posterolateral fusion (PLF) by comparing the bone union rates of an autobone with a bone substitute mixed graft. Materials and Methods: The patients were followed-up for at least two years after PLF and divided into four groups according to the mixed graft retrospectively. Group I was 48 cases using a femoral head allobone. Group II was 38 cases using β-tricalcium phosphate. Group III was 92 cases using biphasic calcium phosphate. Group IV was 38 cases using biphasic calcium phosphate and autologous bone marrow. Union was evaluated by the work up simple radiographs after two years from PLF. Union was defined if the radiographs demonstrated a bilateral continuity in the fusion mass between the cephalad and caudal transverse processes with less than 2° of angular motion and no translation between the vertebrae at the level of fusion on the lateral flexion-extension radiographs. Results: According to simple radiographs after two years from PLF, the rate of union was highest in Group IV using local autobone, biphasic calcium phosphate and autologous bone marrow mixed graft. Conclusion: Biphasic calcium phosphate is an osteoconductive bone substitute that increases the bio-absorbability and mechanical strength. Autologous bone marrow has osteoinductive and osteogenic properties. These features can increase the rate of bone union. Therefore, a local autobone, biphasic calcium phosphate and autologous bone marrow mixed graft can be considered an effective bone graft substitute for lumbar PLF instead of an autobone graft.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.331-337
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• 2023

In this paper, we propose a deep learning model to detect lumbar 3 (L3) CT images to determine the occurrence and degree of sarcopenia. In addition, we would like to propose an optimization technique that uses oversampling ratio and class weight as design parameters to address the problem of performance degradation due to data imbalance between L3 level and non-L3 level portions of CT data. In order to train and test the model, a total of 150 whole-body CT images of 104 prostate cancer patients and 46 bladder cancer patients who visited Gangneung Asan Medical Center were used. The deep learning model used ResNet50, and the design parameters of the optimization technique were selected as six types of model hyperparameters, data augmentation ratio, and class weight. It was confirmed that the proposed optimization-based L3 level extraction model reduced the median L3 error by about 1.0 slices compared to the control model (a model that optimized only 5 types of hyperparameters). Through the results of this study, accurate L3 slice detection was possible, and additionally, we were able to present the possibility of effectively solving the data imbalance problem through oversampling through data augmentation and class weight adjustment.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2017

Purpose: To investigate the clinical outcomes of distal hook augmentation using a pedicle screw in thoracolumbar fusion in elderly patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective multicenter study recruited 20 patients aged 65 years or older, who underwent anterior support and long level posterior fusion in the thoracolumbar junction with a follow-up of one year. To assess the effect of distal hook augmentation, the patients were divided into two groups; the pedicle screw with hook group (PH group, n=10) and the pedicle screw alone group (PA group, n=10). Results: The average age was 72.4 years (65-83 years). The average fusion segment was 4.6 segments (3-6 segments). There were no significant differences in age, sex, causative diseases, bone mineral density of lumbar and proximal femur, number of patients with osteoporosis, and number of fused segments between the two groups (p≥0.05). At 1 year follow-up after surgery, parameters related with distal screw pullout were significantly worse in the PA group. No patients in the PH group had distal screw pullout. However, six patients (60%, 6/10) in the PA group had distal screw pullout. There were no significant differences in the progression of distal junctional kyphosis between the two groups. Conclusion: Distal hook augmentation is an effective procedure in protecting distal pedicle screws against the pullout when long level thoracolumbar fusion was performed in elderly patients aged 65 years or older.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.33-49
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• 2017

Background: Health care utilizations and costs of the patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease in Korea increased dramatically. We analyzed whether hospital market competition is associated with charges and length of stay for patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease. Methods: We used Medical claims data of 2002 and 2010 from the nationwide representative sample of National Health Insurance Service of Korea. The study subjects were inpatients with degenerative lumbar spine disease (N=24,768) in 2002 and 2010. We employed a multilevel linear mixed model that included patient- and hospital-level variables in hierarchical data. Results: Higher hospital competition was associated with lower charges (${\beta}=57.5$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${\beta}=353.7$, p<.0001 in 2010) and shorter length of stay (${\beta}=0.3$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${\beta}=0.9$, p<.0001 in 2010) in both 2002 and 2010. Compared to 2002, the magnitude of such association became greater in 2010. However, subgroup analyses show that the influence of competition on charges and length of stay differed by hospital size. Conclusions: This study showed that hospital market structure (e.g., hospital competition) affects hospital efficiency (i.e., hospital charges and length of stay). It is necessary to continue to monitor how changing market structure influences hospital outcomes, including more detailed outcomes such as patient satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.6
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• pp.1628-1633
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• 2021

Spinal epidural arteriovenous fistulas (SEDAVFs) are rare spinal vascular malformations that are difficult to diagnose and treat. SEDAVFs can be asymptomatic; however, symptoms can arise from the compression of adjacent nerve roots by dilated vein and perimedullary venous reflux, caused by shunting into the epidural venous plexus. A 31-year-old male presented to our institution with a 2-year history of progressively worsening low-back pain, radiating thigh pain, and sensory changes in his lower extremities. MRI and CT angiography demonstrated dilated epidural vascular lesion compressing the nerve root. The SEDAVF was embolized with multiple coils, which alleviated the nerve root compression from the engorged venous varix and improved the patient's radiculopathy. Our experience from this case shows that endovascular coil embolization using the transarterial approach can be an effective treatment for SEDAVF and an alternative to surgical ligations.