• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2005

Purpose: The number of the deceased from free-fall is increasing nowadays. Free-fall comes to a great social problem in that even the survivor will be suffering for cord injury or brain injury, and so on. We analyzed the cases of free-fall patients to find out whether the injury severity is mainly correlated with the height of fall. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the characteristics of patients, who fall from the height above 2m from January 2000 to August 2004. We excluded the patients who transferred to other hospital, transferred from other hospital, and not known the height of fall. 145 patients were evaluated. Variables included in data analysis were age, height of fall, injury severity score (ISS), the being of barrier, and the survival or not. To find out the correlation between height of fall and death, we used receive operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The mean age of patients was $36.5{\pm}19.4$ years old. 110 were male and 35 were female. Mean height of fall was $11.1{\pm}8.5m$. 51 patients (35.2%) were died and 30 patients of them (58.9%) got emergency room on dead body. The mean height of fall is $8.9{\pm}5.8m$ for 94 survivors and $15.2{\pm}11.0m$ for the 51 deceased (p<0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.646, which means the height of fall was not adequate factor for predicting for death. At 13.5m, as cut?off value, sensitivity is 52.9%, specificity is 86.2%, positive predictive value is 67.5% and negative predictive value is 77.1%. There were statistical differences in mortality rate and ISS between 'below 13.5m group' and 'above 13.5m group', but there was not statistical difference in head and neck AIS. Conclusion: The height of fall is not adequate factor for prediction of death. So other factors like intoxication or not, the being of barrier or protection device need to be evaluated for predicting of free-fall patient's death.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.150-158
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• 2006

Purpose: There are two theories about the relationships between facial fractures and cranial injuries. One is that facial bones act as a protective cushion for the brain, and the other is that facial fractures are the marker for increased risk of cranial injury. They have been debated on for many years. The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between facial fractures and cranial injuries. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 242 patients with facial fractures. The data were analyzed based on the medical records of the patients: age, gender, cause of injury, Injury Severity Score (ISS), alcohol intake, type of facial fractures, and type of cranial injury. The patients were divided into two groups: facial fractures with cranial injury and facial fractures without cranial injury. We compared the general characteristics between the two groups and evaluated the relationship between each type of facial fracture and each type of cranial injury. Results: Among the 242 patients with facial bone fractures, 96 (39.7%) patients had a combination of facial fractures and cranial injuries. Gender predilection was demonstrated to favor males: the ratio was 3:1. The mean age was $36.51{\pm}19.63$. As to the injury mechanism, traffic accidents (in car, out of car, motorcycle) were statistically significant in the group of facial fractures with cranial injury (p=0.038, p=0.000, p=0.003). The ISS was significant, but alcohol intake was not significant. No significant relationship between facial fractures and skull fractures was found. Only maxilla fractures, zygoma fractures, and cerebral concussion had a significant difference in cranial injury (p=0.039, p=0.025). Conclusion: There is a no correlation between facial fractures and skull fractures, which suggests that the cushion effect is the predominent relationship between facial fractures and cranial injuries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1004-1008
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• 1998

We report a case of heart-lung transplantation in a 32 year-old female with Eisenmenger syndrome secondary to patent ductus arteriosus. She has been suffered from congestive heart failure since June 1996 and repeatedly treated at Intensive Care Unit with intravenous inotropic support since July 1997. Preoperative echocardiography showed a patent ductus arteriosus with right to left shunt, severe regurgitation of tricuspid valve and estimated right ventricular systolic pressure of 100mmHg. The brain-dead donor was an 18 year-old male with head trauma from traffic accident 3 days ago. Heart-lung block procurement was performed at another general hospital and was transported to the Seoul National University Hospital by ambulance. Total ischemic time of the transplanted heart and lung were 249 minutes and 270 minutes, respectively. The immunosuppressive therapy was commenced preoperatively with cyclosporine and azathioprine. Corticosteroid was not used until postoperative 3 weeks in order to avoid infection and delayed healing at the tracheal anastomotic site. The patient was discharged at 31st postoperative day, and has been regularly followed up at outpatient clinic without specific complication. The follow-up bronchoscopy, performed 2 weeks and 4 months after surgery, revealed no evidence of cellular rejection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.315-321
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• 1997

A clinical analysis was performed on 326 cases of the non-penetrating rib fractures experienced in the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Chosun University Hospital and 102 cases of the non-penetrating rib fractures those has been admitted and treated in the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Jeonnam Hwasoon lung-ang Hospital during a period from Jan. 1994 to Dec. 1995. 1. Sex ratio was 3.4:1 in urban and 3.6:1 in rural communities with male predominance. 2. Most· common cause were traffic accident in both communities. 3. Hemothorax, pneumothorax and hemopneumothorax which needed thoracostomy were observed iii 146 cases(44.7%) in the urban and 12 cases(11.7%) in the rural communities. 4. Left thorax was the spell site of rib fractures in both communiti s. 5. Rib fracture was prevalent from 3rd to 6th rib in both communities. 6. Open thoracotomy was performed in 37 cases(11.3%) in urban and 3 cases(2.9%) in rural communities. 7. Overall mortality was 4.29%(14 cases) in urban area and, 1.96%(2 cases) in rural communities, and cause of death were hypovolemic shock, brain edema, sepsis, respiratory failure, asphyxia, and cardiogenic shock.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.748-753
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• 2000

Objectives : A 10-year retrospective clinical study was undertaken to determine the differences between two groups according to age at presentation(group A, under 50 ; B, over 50). Methods : We analyzed 468 cases with chronic subdural hematoma admitted to the department of neurosurgery in our hospital from January 1987 to December 1996. The patients were divided into two groups according to age at presentation(group A, under 50 ; B, over 50). Results : 1) The number of group A was 126 cases(26.9%) and that of group B was 342 cases(73.1%), respectively. Males were more frequently involved than females in each group. 2) There noted a history of head trauma in 88.9% of group A and 92.4% of group B. Forty-nine patients(38.9%) of group A and 103 cases(30.1%) of group B revealed a history of alcoholism. 3) Group A patients presented with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure such as headache(75.% ), nausea and vomiting(68.0%). However, Group B patients had more frequent mental changes(84.0%) and focal neurological deficits such as hemiparesis(76.5%). 4) Onset of symptom and its duration was shorter in group A than group B. 5) Six patients among 441 cases(1.4%) treated with burr hole drainage and two patients of 27 cases(5.4%) with craniotomy died, and all of these were group B patients. The two cases among six patients with burr hole drainage developed huge intracerebral hemorrhage and brain stem hemorrhage, respectively. Conclusion : In treating patients with chronic subdural hematoma, distinguishing between two age groups is quite helpful to determine treatment strategies.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2012

With today's heightened interest in quality of life, leisure and sports activities were popular in the general public. Accordingly, the incidence of oral and maxillofacial injury are also rising. Use of a mouth protector to prevent the trauma of the oral and maxillofacial region is growing in importance, and among the mouth protector the mouthguard is the most commonly used. Mouthguard has been suggested to protect injuries by (1) preventing tooth injuries by absorbing and deflecting blows to the teeth; (2) shielding the lips, tongue, and gingival tissues from laceration; (3) preventing opposing teeth from coming into violent contact; (4) providing the mandible with resilient support, which absorbs an impact that might fracture the unsupported angle or condyle of the mandible; (5) preventing neck and cerebral brain injuries. Although mouthguard is effective for prevention of oral and maxillofacial injury, it is not widespread to athletes or general public and they are lack of awareness about the importance of mouthguard. We present the types and materials of mouthguard, things to consider when mouthguard fabrication, and the usage. This should be helpful in awareness about the importance and popularization of mouthguard.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2006

Purpose: Although hypothermia has been used in many clinical situations, such as post cardiopulmonary resuscitation, stroke, traumatic brain injury, septic shock, and hemorrhagic shock, the mechanism by which it works has not been clearly elucidated. We aimed to evaluate the effect of hypothermia on the plasma nitric oxide (NO) concentration, lung iNOS expression, and histologic changes in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR). Method: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the hypothermia group (HT, n=8, $27{\sim}30^{\circ}C$) and the normothermia group (NT, n=8, $36{\sim}37^{\circ}C$). They underwent 30 min of intestinal ischemia by clamping the superior mesenteric artery, which was followed by 1.5 h of reperfusion. They were then sacrificed. The acute lung injury (ALI) score, the plasma NO concentration, and lung iNOS gene expression were measured. Results: Compared with the HT group, the NT group showed severe infiltrations of inflammatrory cells, alveolar hemorrhages, and interstitial hypertrophies in lung tissues. There were significant differences in the ALI scores between the NT and the HT groups ($8.7{\pm}1.5/HPF$ in NT vs $5.8{\pm}1.2/HPF$ in HT, p=0.008). Although the plasma NO concentration was slightly lower in the HT group, there was no significant difference between the two groups ($0.80{\pm}0.24{\mu}mol/L$ in NT vs $0.75{\pm}0.30{\mu}mol/L$ in HT, p=0.917). Lung iNOS gene expression was stronger in the NT group than in the HT group. The band density of the expression of iNOS in lung tissues was significantly increased in the NT group compared to the HT group ($5.54{\pm}2.75$ in NT vs$0.08{\pm}0.52$ in HT, p=0.002). Conclusions: This study showed that hypothermia in intestinal IR reduces inflammatory responses, ALI scores, and iNOS gene expression in lung tissues. There was no significant effect of hypothermia on the plasma NO concentration.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.55-74
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• 1996

This study was carried out to improve service efficiency and to cope with a emergency situation in emergency radiography, through analysis of the radiographic distribution and literature cited about emergency care. Data collection of radiographic distribution was surveyed for 761 emergency outpatients who visit during JAN, 1994 at ER of the general hospital in Pusan city. The results is as follows: Emergency radiography rate of simple radiography was 61.1 %, special radiography 2.5 %, CT 12.6 %, and ultrasonography 6.7 %. In simple radiography rate, a high rate was distributed on male(63.6 %), thoracicsurgery part(90.0%), admission patient(74.9 %), and long stayed patient at ER. In special raiography rate, a high rate was observed in urologic part(28.6%), and in CT rate, observed neurosurgery part(49.2 %) and neurologic part(36.7%). Ultrasonography rate was high for female(8.8 %) and internal medicine part(15.9 %). There are distributed regional radiography rate in radiographic type that chest(55.3 %) is high in the simple radiography, urinary system(1.2%) in the special study, and brain(40.0 %) in the CT. Regional radiography rate according to diagnostic department also was showed highly for head(64.6%) in neurosurgery, chest(90.0%) in thoracic-surgery, abdomen(58.0%) in general-surgery, spine (40.0% ) in neuro-surgery, and pelvis(15.9%), upper extrimity(20.5%), and lower extrimity(31.8%) in orthopedic-surgery each. Mean radiographic case number per patient of simple radiography was sinificant on sex, age, transfer relation in both total and radiographic patients(p<0.05). Mean radiographic case number was highly distributed on male(2.2 case number) in sex, on thirties(2.7) in age, transfered patient(2.7) in patient type, and on neurosurgery(3.4) in diagnostic charged part. Total radiographic case number in regional part was highly distributed on chest(499 case number). Considering the above results, emergency radiographer should take care of the elder patient in emergency radiography and get hold of injury mechanism to decrease possible secondary injury during radiography. Because of high radiography rate of urinary system in special study, radiographer should know well about dealing with contrastmedia administration and related instrument. All radiographer who take charge emergency patient should cope with a emergency situation during radiography, Because head trauma patients is very important in patient care, especilly in CT at night, charged doctor should be always silted with CT room and monitoring-patient. Radiography was reqested by many diagnostic department in ER. Considering that rate of simple radiography is high, special room for emergency radiography should be established in ER area, and the radiographer of this room should be stationed radiologic technician who is career and can implement emergency patient care.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1 s.31
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• pp.48-83
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• 1996

Our conclusions for function evaluation tools of Stroke patients are as follows. 1. Evaluating tools of Activities of Daily Living, Katz Index, Barthel Index, Modified Barthel Index have high validity and reliability because of ease of measuring, high accuracy, consistency, sensitivity and sufficient stastistics, but they mainly measure motor function except sense, mentation, language, and social conception. Therefore cerebrovascular disease and brain injury in trauma patients with lacked acknowledgement and sensation, we are not able to apply these tools. 2. PULSES Profile is a useful scale for measuring the patient's over-all status, upper and lower limb functions, sensory components, excretary functions, and intellectual and emotional adaptabilities. It is recognized as a good, useful tool to evaluate patient's whole function. 3. Motor Assessment Scale was designed to measure the progress of stroke patients. The scale was supplemented with upper arm function items. We believe that the Motor Assessment Scale could be a useful evaluation tool with inter-rater reliability ,test-retest reliability. 4. The existing evaluation tools, Katz Index, Barthel Index, Modified Barthel Index, PULSES Profile, Motor Assessment Scale, mainly measured the rehabilitational motor function of sequela of cerebrovascular patients. On the other hand CNS & INH stroke scale can measure cerebrovascular disease patient's neurologic deficits and over-all stautus, which are recognition ability, speech status, motor function, sensory function, activities of daily living. Those scales have been recognized as useful tools to measure function of cerebrovascular disease patients and have increased in use. 5. Every function evaluation tool was recognized to have some validity and inter-rater, test-retest reliability in items of each evaluation tool and total scores of each evaluation tools, but it is thought that none of these scales have been fully validated and proved reliable. Therefore afterward, the development of a highly reliable rating system may best be accomplished by a careful comparison of several tools, using the same patients and the same observers in order to choose the most reliable items from each. 6. Ideal evaluation tools must have the following conditions; (1) It should show the objective functional statues at the same time. (2) It should be repeated consecutively to know changed function status. (3) It should be easy to observe the treatment program. (4) It should have the same result with another rater to help rater exchange information with treatment team members. (5) It should be practical and simple. (6) The patient should not suffer from the observer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.4 s.71
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• pp.664-667
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• 2005

Hydrosyringomyelia is a dilation of the spinal cord central canal. In human it may be caused by congenital malformations such as Dandy-Walker syndrome and Chiari malformations or may be acquired as a result of infection, trauma or neoplasia. Hydrocephalus is an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricles and occipital dysplasia is the dorsal extension of the foramen magnum. Hydrosyringomyelia and hydrocephalus can be confirmed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A 3-year-old male maltese was presented with a history of long-term seizure. Blood examination was all unremarkable. On rostrodorsal-caudoventral oblique radiograph of the skull showed severe occipital dysplasia. On brain sonography through the persistent fontanelle, severe lateral ventriculomegaly was revealed. MRI examination revealed hydrocephalus and hydrosyringomyelia. Diuretic therapy didn't reduce clinical symptoms and surgical decompression was conducted. The dog responded well with ventriculo-peritoneal shunting. MRI is the most superior modality to diagnose hydrocephalus and hydrosyringomyelia, to plan therapy and to determine the prognosis.