• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.344-352
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• 2019

Epilepsy is one of the major chronic neurological diseases affecting many patients. Resection surgery is the most effective therapy for medically intractable epilepsy, but it is not feasible in all patients. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive neuromodulation therapy that was approved in 1997 for the alleviation of seizures; however, efforts to control epilepsy by stimulating the vagus nerve have been studied for over 100 years. Although its exact mechanism is still under investigation, VNS is thought to affect various brain areas. Hence, VNS has a wide indication for various intractable epileptic syndromes and epilepsy-related comorbidities. Moreover, recent studies have shown anti-inflammatory effects of VNS, and the indication is expanding beyond epilepsy to rheumatoid arthritis, chronic headaches, and depression. VNS yields a more than 50% reduction in seizures in approximately 60% of recipients, with an increase in reduction rates as the follow-up duration increases. The complication rate of VNS is 3-6%, and infection is the most important complication to consider. However, revision surgery was reported to be feasible and safe with appropriate measures. Recently, noninvasive VNS (nVNS) has been introduced, which can be performed transcutaneously without implantation surgery. Although more clinical trials are being conducted, nVNS can reduce the risk of infection and subsequent device failure. In conclusion, VNS has been demonstrated to be beneficial and effective in the treatment of epilepsy and various diseases, and more development is expected in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of muscle fatigue by neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES). Using Biodex System 3PRO(Biodex Medical Systems Inc, USA), experiment was conducted as to the normal group(I) composed of fifteen adults and the patient group(II) composed of fifteen patients with spastic hemiplegia. As to each group, maximal tolerated intensity(MTI) and maximal tolerated isometric contraction(MTIC) in electric currents yielded by low rate(20 pps) and high rate(100 pps) neuromuscular electrical stimulation and the aspects of decrease and restoration of the isometric contraction were examined, and their strength decrement index(SDI) and strength recovery index(SRI) were also calculated. 1. As for MTI in NMES, the MTI of the group II was higher than that of the group I in both low rate and high rate NMES. In comparison within group, MTI of group II was significantly higher in high rate NMES rather than in low rate NMES(p<0.05). 2. In comparison of MTIC between groups, the group I showed higher in both low rate and high rate NMES. In comparison within group, MTIC of group II was significantly higher in high rate NMES rather than in low rate NMES(p<0.01). 3. As for SDI, both groups showed highest SDI in high rate NMES, but no significant differences could be observed. 4. As for SRI, both groups showed significantly low SRI in low rate NMES(p<0.01, p<0.05), and comparison between groups showed no significant differences could be observed. These result lead us to the conclusion that muscle fatigue was influenced by frequency, high rate NMES was lower at SDI and higher at SRI on compare to low rate NMES, therefor, a further studies concerning electrical stimulation should consider differences each frequency in response to treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was understanding the pressure ulcers and consider the physical therapy for pressure ulcers. Methods : This is a literature study with books, articles and poster. Results : We consider pressure ulcers can be treated with physical therapy which can promote healing process. Conclusion : Physical therapy in patients with pressure ulcers is required and among various physical therapeutic approaches, the method of general coordinative manipulation is considered more necessary.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.07d
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• pp.2171-2172
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• 2006

Magnetic nerve stimulation treatment is much backward real condition than other field. Specially, successful medical treatment introduction of magnetic field (MF) can was refered long ago in Avicenna's work, and is thought as age of medicine magnetology development recently. These development is achieved through biologist and biophysicist and clinician's joint effort, but, new mountings and relationship air tassel are developed steadily. Magnetic nerve stimulation treatment field designs treatment system by each function during long wave high-amplitude (traditional magneto therapy of greatly great that strong that) short time that CMF, VMF, PMF field etc. are representative but are HPMT technology in this research and manufacture and special quality did comparative analysis.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.153-161
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• 2007

Stroke is the second most significant disease leading to death in Korea. The conventional therapeutic approach is mainly based on physical training, however, it usually provides the limited degree of recovery of the normal brain function. The electric stimulation therapy is a novel and candidate approach with high potential for stroke recovery. The feasibility was validated by preliminary rat experiments in which the motor function was recovered up to 80% of the normal performance level. It is thought to improve the neural plasticity of the nerve tissues around the diseased area in the stroked brain. However, there are not so much research achievements in the electric stimulation for stroke recovery as for the Parkinson's disease or Epilepsy. This study aims at the developments of a wireless variable pulse generator using ZigBee communication for future implantation into human brain. ZigBee is widely used in wireless personal area network (WPAN) and home network applications due to its low power consumption and simplicity. The developed wireless pulse generator controlled by ZigBee can generate various electric stimulations without any distortion. The electric stimulation includes monophasic and biphasic pulse with the variation of shape parameters, which can affect the level of recovery. The developed system can be used for the telerehabilitation of stroke patient by remote control of brain stimulation via ZigBee and internet. Furthermore, the ZigBee connection used in this study provides the potential neural signal transmission method for the Brain-Machine Interface (BMI).

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2016

Background: The study aimed to determine if ultrasonography of masseter can be used to evaluate the outcome of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in subjects with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) such as myositis and myofascial pain. Methods: Fifteen TMD subjects with myofascial pain/myositis who satisfied the RDC/McNeil criteria were included in the study. All the subjects were administered TENS therapy for a period of 6 days (30 minutes per session). The mouth opening (in millimeters) and severity of pain (visual analogue scale score) and ultrasonographic thickness of the masseter (in millimeters) in the region of trigger/tender areas was assessed in all the subjects both prior and post TENS therapy. A comparison of the pre-treatment and post-treatment values of the VAS score, mouth opening and masseter thickness was done with the help of a t-test. Results: There was a significant reduction in the thickness of masseter muscle (P = 0.028) and VAS scores (P < 0.001) post TENS therapy. There was also a significant improvement in the mouth opening (P = 0.011) post TENS therapy. Conclusions: In the present study, ultrasonography was found to be an effective measuring tool in the assessment of TENS therapy in subjects with myositis and myofascial pain.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.117-122
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of the present randomized controlled clinical study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of micro-current electrical neuromuscular stimulation (MENS) as an adjunct method to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Methods: Twenty patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were recruited into the study and randomly treated with either nonsurgical periodontal therapy followed by 5 MENS treatments with a micro current device or by nonsurgical periodontal therapy alone. Periodontal parameters were measured at baseline and 6 weeks following therapy, and included the plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and clinical attachment level (CAL). Results: All measured values were reduced at the time of re-evaluation. The amount of inflammation was significantly reduced in both the test (P=0.002) and control group (P=0.015). The test group demonstrated a significant CAL gain at 6 weeks following therapy, including non-molar (P=0.009) and molar teeth (P=0.028). In comparison with the control group, the test group showed statistically significant differences in the CAL on both molar (P=0.027) and non-molar teeth (P=0.031). Conclusions: In conclusion, the short-term results of the study indicate that MENS could be a suitable adjunctive method in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.635-648
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• 2005

The procedure that enhances osteogenesis and shortens the healing period is required for successful implant therapy. It has been introduced that osteogenesis is enhanced by the generation of electric field. Many researchers have demonstrated that application of electric and electromagnetic field promote bone formation. It also has been shown that electrical stimulation enhances peri-implant bone formation. Recently, several investigators have reported that noninvasive electrical stimulation using negatively charged electret such as polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) promotes osteogenesis. Therefore, we were interested in the effect of noninvasive electrical stimulation using negatively charged electret on the periimplant bone healing. After titanium implant were installed in the proximal tibial metaphysis of New Zealand white rabbit, negatively charged PTFE membrane fabricated by corana dischage was inserted into the inner hole of the experimental implant and noncharged membrane was applied into control implant. After 4 weeks of healing, histomorphometric analysis was performed to evaluate peri-implant bone response. The histomorphometric evaluations demonstrated experimental implant tended to have higher values in the total bone-to-implant contact ratio(experimental ; $49.9{\pm}13.52%$ vs control ; $37.5{\pm}19.44%$) , the marrow bone contact ratio(experimental ; $34.94{\pm}13.32%$ vs control ; $24.15{\pm}13.69%$), amount of newly formed bone in the endosteal region(experimental ; $1.00{\pm}0.30mm$ vs control ; $0.61{\pm}0.24mm$) and bone area in the medullary canal(experimental ; $13.55{\pm}4.98%$ vs control ; $9.03{\pm}3.05%$). The mean values of the amount of newly formed bone(endosteal region) and bone area(medullary canal) of the experimental implant demonstrated a statistically significant difference as compared to the control implant(p<0.05). In conclusion, noninvasive electrical stimulation using negatively charged electret effectively promoted peri-implant new bone formation in this study. This method is expected to be used as one of the useful electrical stimulation for enhancing bone healing response in the implant therapy

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2021

Several types of pain occur following spinal cord injury (SCI); however, neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the most intractable. Invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have been studied in clinical trials to treat chronic NP following SCI. The evidence for invasive stimulation including motor cortex and deep brain stimulation via the use of implanted electrodes to reduce SCI-related NP remains limited, due to the small scale of existing studies. The lower risk of complications associated with non-invasive stimulation, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), provide potentially attractive alternative central neuromodulation techniques. Compared to rTMS, tDCS is technically easier to apply, more affordable, available, and potentially feasible for home use. Accordingly, several new studies have investigated the efficacy of tDCS to treat NP after SCI. In this review, articles relating to the mechanisms, clinical efficacy and safety of tDCS on SCI-related NP were searched from inception to December 2019. Six clinical trials, including five randomized placebo-controlled trials and one prospective controlled trial, were included for evidence specific to the efficacy of tDCS for treating SCI-related NP. The mechanisms of action of tDCS are complex and not fully understood. Several factors including stimulation parameters and individual patient characteristics may affect the efficacy of tDCS intervention. Current evidence to support the efficacy of utilizing tDCS for relieving chronic NP after SCI remains limited. Further strong evidence is needed to confirm the efficacy of tDCS intervention for treating SCI-related NP.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2022

Background: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a physical modality used to activate skeletal muscles for strengthening. While voluntary muscle contraction (VMC) follows the progressive recruitment of motor units in order of size from small to large, NMES-induced muscle contraction occurs in a nonselective and synchronous pattern. Therefore, the outcome of muscle strengthening training using NMES-induced versus voluntary contraction might be different, which might affect balance performance. Objects: We examined how the NMES training affected balance and proprioception. Methods: Forty-four young adults were randomly assigned to NMES and VMC group. All participants performed one-leg standing on a force plate and sat on the Biodex (Biodex R Corp.) to measure balance and ankle proprioception, respectively. All measures were conducted before and after a training session. In NMES group, electric pads were placed on the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles for 20 minutes. In VMC group, co-contraction of the three muscles was conducted. Outcome variables included mean distance, root mean square distance, total excursion, mean velocity, 95% confidence circle area acquired from the center of pressure data, and absolute error of dorsi/plantarflexion. Results: None of outcome variables were associated with group (p > 0.35). However, all but plantarflexion error was associated with time (p < 0.02), and the area and mean velocity were 37.0% and 18.6% lower in post than pre in NMES group, respectively, and 48.9% and 16.7% lower in post than pre in VMC group, respectively. Conclusion: Despite different physiology underlying the NMES-induced versus VMC, both training methods improved balance and ankle joint proprioception.