• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.738-746
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• 2020

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate surgical outcomes and complications of spinal deformity associated with neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF-1). Methods : From 2012 to 2018, patients suffering from spinal deformity associated with NF-1 who underwent surgical correction were identified. Demographic data and radiographic measures were retrospectively reviewed. Pre- and postoperative whole spine radiograph images were used to determine both coronal and sagittal Cobb angles. All of patients underwent 3-dimentional computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging scan to confirm dystrophic features. For evaluation of clinical outcomes, we surveyed the pre- and postoperative scoliosis research society-22r (SRS-22r) score. Results : Seven patients with spinal deformity associated with NF-1 were enrolled in this study. The mean age of patients was 29.5±1.2 years old. The mean follow-up period was 2.8±1.4 years. The apex of the deformity was located in cervicothoracic (n=1), thoracic (n=4), and lumbar region (n=2). Most patients have poor bone quality and decreased bone mineral density with average T-score of -3.5±1.0. All patients underwent surgical correction via posterior approach. The pre- and postoperative mean coronal and sagittal Cobb angle was 61.6±22.6° and 34.6±38.1°, 56.8±18.5° and 40.2±9.1°, respectively. Mean correction rate of coronal and sagittal angle was 44.7% and 23.1%. Ultimate follow-up SRS-22r score (average score, 3.9±0.4) improved comparing to preoperative score (average score, 3.3±0.9). Only one patient received revision surgery due to rod fracture. No serious complication occurred, such as neurological deficit, and viscerovascular injury. Conclusion : The surgical correction of patients having spinal deformity associated with NF-1 is challenging, however the radiographic and clinical outcomes are satisfactory. The all posterior approach can be a safe and effective surgical option for patients having dystrophic curves associated with NF-1.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.135-143
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• 2008

Objectives : The main purpose of this research is to make a survey of the effective way of the Oriental medical care and to enlarge the range of Oriental medical treatment about traffic accidental patients. Methods : In following research, we surveyed 120 patients of traffic accident who were hospitalized in Dong-Shin Oriental Medical Hospital from October, 1, 2007 to August, 20, 2008 according to medical chart. Results : 1. In distribution of gender and age, the rate of male was 35.8%, that of female was 64.2% and the majority of the patients were twenties and thirties. 2. In the traffic accident patterns, the most was car crash from behind(61.7%) and after traffic accident, 75 patients(62.5%) visited our hospital for oriental medical treatment in less than 5days. 3. 46 patients(38.3%) choose the oriental medical treatment for the primary care and after medical care, 36 patients(31.7%) visited our hospital due to dissatisfaction of current treatment and maintained pain. 4. Partial pain was the chief complaint and the most of painful parts was neck(76.7%), followed by low back(69.2%). 5. Though radiation test, the most was cervical spine sprain(76.7%), followed by straightening of lumbar spine(66.7%). 6. In the periods of admission, less than 7 days was the most(53.3%), followed by less than 14 days(35.9%). 7. The treatment was effective to 93 patient out of 106 who had been hospitalized for less than 14 days. Conclusions : This data suggested that the Oriental medical care could be more effective treatment about traffic accidental patients without surgical injury.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.4459-4466
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to compare the lower extremity muscle activities according to the different longitudinal arch and treadmill inclination and to provide basic data on treadmill walking exercise. The selected 17 subjects who had not lower extremity injury and ROM limitation were recruited in this study. The longitudinal arch was divided into normal foot and flat foot. The inclinations of the treadmill were $0^{\circ}$, up hill $5^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$, down hill $5^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$ and $15^{\circ}$. The electromyography was used to analyze the muscle activity of rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius lateralis and medialis. There were significant differences between the inclination $0^{\circ}$ and down hill $15^{\circ}$. There was no interactive effect of treadmill inclination on the longitudinal arch. The activity difference of lower extremity muscle was not conspicious. There existed the interactive effect between the longitudinal arch and muscle activity. The contrast test within subjects showed positively in the rectus femoris and gastrocnemius medialis, biceps femoris and gastrocnemius medialis. The different longitudinal arch did not influence on the effect(p>.05). There was significant difference between the normal foot and the flat foot. So it is necessary to carry out the long term study.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.179-189
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• 2011

Objectives : Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Radix(fuzi, 附子) and its class herbs(chaunwu, caowu etc.) are necessary for some clinical conditions, such as cold pain, chilling etc,. But, they has some poison component. And, they have been known to cause liver and kidney injury, and dangerous in the patients who has abnormal range of LFT and RFT. This study shows the consequences for aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), blood urea nitrate(BUN), and Creatinine were analyzed using samples from patients who took the decoction containing fuzi. Methods : Blood samples for Experiment Group(E) were collected from 63 patients, who took the decoction containing fuzi, admitted into the 6th internal medicine department of Dong Eui Oriental Medical Hospital between from January 2007 to March 2011. In compared to those of experiment group, blood samples as Control Group(C) were collected from 64 patients, who took the decoction not containing fuzi, admitted into the same hospital from January 2009 to April 2011. Results and Conclusions : 1. AST No changed : E 4.17%, C 2.63%, Increased : E 12.5%, C 28.95%, Decreased : E 80.33%, C 68.42% 2. ALT No changed : E2.94%, C5.13%, Increased : E 8.82%, C 20.51%, Decreased : E 88.24%, C 74.36% 3. BUN No changed : E 0%, CG 7.14%, Increased : E 32.25%, CG 14.29% Decreased : EG 67.65%, CG 78.57% 4. Creatinine No changed : EG 5.00%, CG 0%, Increased : EG 35.00%, CG 54.55% Decreased : EG 60.00%, CG 45.45% 5. The results suggest that the decoction containing fuzi isn't harmful AST, ALT, BUN, Cr of the patients who has high range of them.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.175-187
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• 2014

The subways play an important part in serious traffic problems. Almost seven million citizens a day are using subways as a means of traffic communication in the Seoul metropolitan city in 2012. However, the subway system is a semi-closed environment, so many serious problems occurred in subway stations and injured passengers' health. Platform screen doors (PSD) are expected to prevent negligent accident such as injury or death from falling and improve the air quality of the subway station. Installation of PSD at stations in Seoul metropolitan subway had been completed in December 2009. Consequently, the underground transportation system became a closed environment, so the air quality has improved the platforms, but it has deteriorated in the tunnels. Especially, the subway cabin has many doors, and the doors are frequently opened and closed. For this reason, the effect of door opening on subway cabin, dust flow inside the subway cabin. In this process, the maintenance work may influence the health of people who work underground, as well as that of subway users (passengers). In this study, we measured air quality inside and outside of the subway cabin line 2 in Seoul, Korea. This study focused on the investigation of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and measurement target pollutants are PM10, CO, $CO_2$, $NO_2$, $O_3$. It was found that levels of PM10, $CO_2$, and $NO_2$ inside subway cabin line 2 exceeded the Korea IAQ standard. Concentrations of PM10, $CO_2$, and $NO_2$ inside of the cabin are higher than outside of the cabin (Indoor Outdoor ratio is higher than 1.). Concentrations of CO, $O_3$ inside of the cabin are lower than outside of the cabin (Indoor Outdoor ratio is lower than 1.). There is a high correlation between $CO_2$ and passengers inside of the cabin and PM10 is only the weakest correlation with passengers. Therefore, it is important to find out the emission source of $NO_2$. The results of this study will be useful as fundamental data to study indoor air quality of a subway cabin.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.140-145
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• 2011

Purpose: Installing a radial head prosthesis has developed into a reliable procedure to replace the native radial head for treating unreconstructible radial head fracture when this is associated with an unstable elbow or forearm. A variety of implants have been developed and these are now commercially available. This article reviews the literature related to the indications, the available implants and the surgical techniques of radial head replacement arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: The main indication for a metallic radial head prosthesis is a comminuted fracture that is not amenable to reconstruction, and particularly if it is associated with complex elbow injuries. Excision of the radial head should be avoided in the presence of combined injured ligaments or interosseous membrane injury. Three different implants are available in Korea, including the bipolar, press fit monopolar and loose fit monopolar radial head prostheses. A primary technical goal of radial head arthroplasty is the insertion of an implant that closely replicates the native radial head. The major pitfall when using a metallic radial head prosthesis is the insertion of a longer implant, which results in overstuffing of the radiocapitellar joint. Results and Conclusion: Satisfactory clinical results can be anticipated when a radial head prosthesis is used for the correct indications and when a systemic approach is undertaken to ensure proper sizing. For the future studies, we need data regarding the long term outcomes and comparison of the various types of prostheses.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.178-187
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• 2012

Purpose: In Korea, the nation's medical expenses were 12 billion won in 2010. The medical costs for individuals can also be overwhelming. If a patient has sustained severe trauma, his/her insurance company responsible may pay only part of the medical bills. In Korean, there are diverse types of medical insurance, such as health insurance, automobile insurance, and industrial accident compensation insurance. And each insurance system has a different type of payment system. Our study will be essential for establishing the optimal medical expense payment system. Methods: From January to December 2011, we retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 161 patients who were admitted to our hospital's emergency room after having undergone severe trauma. Of those 161 patients, 125 were retrospectively reviewed. Written permission was obtained from all of the patients. We analysed the demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, data of the trauma, type of the patient's insurance, and the entire bill when the patient was discharged. Results: Seventy-one patients had health insurance, 48 automobile insurance, and six industrial accident compensation insurance. High-deductible insurance included health insurance and industrial accident compensation insurance, with the deductibles up to 20.6% and 19.1%, respectively. We attempted to analyze the cause of the high deductible rate. In patients with health insurance, medicines, primarily sedatives, pain killers, antibiotics, and fluids. comprised a large proportion. On the other hand, industrial accident compensation insurance deducted for a high-grade hospital room charge. Conclusion: We found that medical expenses were diverse according to the type of insurance. In particular, health insurance forced patients to pay too much of the medical expenses. Therefore, in Korea we should try to identify the insurance problems and improve the wage system.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.254-260
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• 2012

Purpose: Ongoing treatment and care, as well as initial stabilization, are required for trauma patients. With increasing number of sickest trauma patients and shortage of surgeons, the need for advanced practice nurse to provide and coordinate trauma care has been greater. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of hiring a trauma clinical nurse specialist and its influence on the treatment of trauma patients. Methods: Based on the employment of the clinical nurse specialist in December 2010, the patients were divided into two groups: patients admitted from January 1, 2010 to November 30, 2010 and patients admitted from December 1, 2010 to December 31, 2011. Retrospectively, data were collected using electronic medical records. The general characteristics, clinical courses, and ICU re-admission rates, collaboration (transfers to other departments and collaborative surgery) were compared. Results: To have a clinical nurse specialist on the trauma team resulted in a statistically significant reductions in the length of general ward hospital stay (p<0.05), the ICU re-admission rate, (p<0.03), the lead-time before transfer to other departments (p<0.05). Conclusion: The clinical nurse specialist, as a professional practitioner, improved the quality of treatment through early detection and management of problems. In addition, as a coordinator, the clinical nurse specialist maintained a cooperative relationship with multi-disciplinary medical personnel. The trauma clinical nurse specialist contributed to the treatment of trauma patients positively through a decrease in ICU re-admission rate and length of hospital stay.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.47-67
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• 2004

Objectives : In the present study, the effect of Scolopendrid Water-Alcohol Extract (SWAE) applied to acupuncture point BL23 (Shinsu) on the neuropathic pain was examined. A common source of persistent pain in humans is the neuropathic pain. Anti-convulsant drugs are used to treat the neuropathic pain. In the oriental medicine, Scolopendrid was used for long time to treat convulsant syndrome and back pain, etc. Methods : On the bases of the Scolopendrid clinical application, the effect of SWAE applied to the acupuncture point was tested in the rat model of neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain was induced by tight ligation of L5 spinal nerve. When rats developed pain behaviors, One hundred microliter of SWAE was applied into the ipsilateral BL23 point at a dose of 10 mg/ml under enflurane anesthesia. The foot withdraw latency of the hind limb was measured for an indicator of pain level after each manipulation. Results : SWAE injection increased the mechanical threshold of the foot in the rat model of neuropathic pain significantly for the duration of 4h, suggesting a partial alleviation of pain. SWAE applied to BL23 point produced a significant improvement of mechanical sensitivity of the foot lasting for at least 4h. However, neither contralateral BL23 point, ST25 (Chonchu) point, nor LR3 (Taechung) point produce as much increase of mechanical sensitivity as ipsilateral BL23 point. And, this increase of mechanical sensitivity was dose-dependent. The improvement of mechanical threshold was interpreted as an analgesic effect. In addition, the analgesic effect of Scolopendrid 4 mg/kg injection is equivalent to that of gabapentin 50 mg/kg injection. The relations between SWAE-induced analgesia and endogenous nitric oxide(NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS)/neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) were also examined. Results were turned out that both NO production and nNOS/iNOS protein expression which are increased by nerve injury were suppressed by SWAE injection applied to BL23 point. Conclusions : The data suggest 1) that SWAE produces a potent analgesic effect on the neuropathic pain model in the rat and 2) that SWAE-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of nNOS/iNOS protein expression.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2001

To determine if micronucleus (MN) assay could be used to predict the absorbed dose of victims after accidental radiation exposure, we carried out to assess the absorbed dose depending on the numerical changes of MN in human peripheral blood lymphocytes after $^{60}Co\;{\gamma}-rays$ exposure in the range of 0.25 to 1 Gy, respectively. The MNs were observed at very low doses, and the numerical changes according to doses. Satisfactory dose-effect calibration curve is observed after low dose irradiation of human lymphocytes in vitro. When plotting on a linear scale against radiation dose, the line of best fit was $Y=(0.02{\pm}0.0009)+(0.033{\pm}0.010)D+(0.012{\pm}0.012)D^2$. The dose-response curve for MN induction immediately after irradiation was linear-quadratic and has a significant relationship between the frequencies of MN and dose. These data show a trend towards increase of the numbers of MN with increasing dose. The number of MN in lymphocytes that were observed in the control group is $0.1610{\pm}0.0093/cell$. Accordingly, MN assay in human peripheral lymphocytes could be a useful in viva model for studying radio-protective drug sensitivity or screening test, microdosimertic indicator and radiation-induced target organ injury. Since MN assay is simple, rapid and reproducible, it will also be a biodosimetric indicator for individual dose assessment after accidental exposure.