• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.539-548
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• 2022

Objective : Although full-endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (Endo-LIF) has been tried as the latest alternative technique to minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interobody fusion (MIS-TLIF) since mid-2010, the evidence is still lacking. We compared the clinical outcome and safety of Endo-LIF to MIS-TLIF for lumbar degenerative disease. Methods : We systematically searched electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library to find literature comparing Endo-LIF to MIS-TLIF. The results retrieved were last updated on December 11, 2020. The perioperative outcome included the operation time, blood loss, complication, and hospital stay. The clinical outcomes included Visual analog scale (VAS) of low back pain and leg pain and Oswestry disability index (ODI), and the radiological outcome included pseudoarthosis rate with 12-month minimum follow-up. Results : Four retrospective observational studies and one prospective observational study comprising 423 patients (183 Endo-LIF and 241 MIS-TLIF) were included, and the pooled data analysis revealed low heterogeneity between studies in our review. Baseline characteristics including age and sex were not different between the two groups. Operation time was significantly longer in Endo-LIF (mean difference [MD], 23.220 minutes; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10.669-35.771; p=0.001). However, Endo-LIF resulted in less perioperative blood loss (MD, -144.710 mL; 95% CI, 247.941-41.478; p=0.023). Although VAS back pain at final (MD, -0.120; p=0.586), leg pain within 2 weeks (MD, 0.005; p=0.293), VAS leg pain at final (MD, 0.099; p=0.099), ODI at final (MD, 0.141; p=0.093) were not different, VAS back pain within 2 weeks was more favorable in the Endo-LIF (MD, -1.538; 95% CI, -2.044 to -1.032; p<0.001). On the other hand, no statistically significant group difference in complication rate (relative risk [RR], 0.709; p=0.774), hospital stay (MD, -2.399; p=0.151), and pseudoarthrosis rate (RR, 1.284; p=0.736) were found. Conclusion : Relative to MIS-TLIF, immediate outcomes were favorable in Endo-LIF in terms of blood loss and immediate VAS back pain, although complication rate, mid-term clinical outcomes, and fusion rate were not different. However, the challenges for Endo-LIF include longer operation time which means a difficult learning curve and limited surgical indication which means patient selection bias. Larger-scale, well-designed study with long-term follow-up and randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm and update the results of this systematic review.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.49-76
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• 1994

Small area variations in health care utilization have long been studied as an important issue related to boto cost containment and quality assurance. This study was conducted to investigate if variations in hospital services across small geographic areas in Korea existed. The claims data of the fiscal year 1992 obtained from the regional health insurance societies were used for the study. Main findings of the research can be summarized as follows : 1. Extremal Quotients(EQ) of hospital expenditure per capita and hospital days per capita varied among diagnosis types. The EQ ranged from 2.05(cataract) to 41.67(pneumonia) in hospital expenditure per capita and from 1.86(cataract) to 45.89(pneumonia) in hospital days per capita. The diagnosis groups which showed high variation were pneumonia, cephalo-pelvic disproportion, gastritis and duodenitis, fracture of rib, and acute bronchitis. Those which showed low variation were acute appendicitis and cataract. 2. The EQ level of admission rate was different in terms of diagnosis types, ranging from 2.57(catarct) to 44.45(pneumonia). The variations were high in medical disorders such as pneumonia, oephalo-pelvic disproportion, gastritis and duodenitis and acute bronchitis, while relatively low in surgical conditions such as acute appendicitis and cataract. 3. As an indicator of service intensity, the EQ of expenditure per admission ranged from 1.67(acute appendicitis) to 31.27(essential hypertension). The diagnoses which had high variation were essential hypertension, gastric ulcer, whereas those which had low variation were cephalopelvic disproportion and acute appendicitis. With regard to hospital days per admission, the EQ ranged from 1.55(acute appendicitis) to 28.13(gastric ulcer) by diagnosis types. The diagnosis groups with showed high variation were gastric ulcer, essential hypertension, and acute bronchitis, whereas those with low variation were cephalo-pelvic disproportion, intervertebral disc disorders, and acute appendicitis. Both the expenditure and hospital days per admission showed lewwer variations than the expenditure per capita, hospital days per capita and admission rate. 4. Comparing patterns of variation in utilization indices, diagnoses such as essential hypertension, gastric ulcer, fracture of rib showed higher variations in expenditure per admission than in admission rates, whereas diagnoses such as pneumonia, cephalo-pelvic disproportion and gastric ulcer showed higher variations in admission rate than expenditure per admission. These findings suggest that wide variations existed in several diagnoses groups across small areas in Korea. Further research should be performed to investigate factors related to small area variations including provider behavior.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.311-320
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• 2019

Discogenic pain which develops during the degenerative process of intervertebral disc is an intractable disease of musculoskeletal system. Unlike other diseases in modern medical science, it is not clinically confirmed through objective imaging and clinicopathologic index. Moreover, current technology has been facing difficulties finding fundamental treatment. This study examined through reviewing literature whether the therapeutic rationales of interventional procedures for the discogenic pain, such as nerve block, intradiscal electrothermal therapy and nucleoplasty, are valid and whether safety reviews such as preclinical tests are carried out faithfully during the technology development process. As a result, it is presumed that there is not yet an interventional treatment for discogenic pain, whose therapeutic rationale has been objectively verified. And there are some cases of interventional treatment that have not been adequately equipped with the preclinical test steps necessary to review the safety of the procedure during the technology development process. In conclusion, since there is still no interventional treatment for discogenic pain which has clear therapeutic rationale, it is necessary to recognize that a more careful approach is needed to judge whether the procedure is performed in clinical settings. And medical ethical issues may arise for some interventional treatment that are deemed to have been carried out without a thorough review of safety.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5254-5260
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to find the relationship between lumber Herniated Nuclesus Pulposus of specific part and fat infiltration in paraspinal muscle. Also we intended to find the relationship between Body Mass Index(BMI) and fat infiltration ratio in the lumber paraspinal muscle based on the sexes of patients. We conducted this study of patients who visited our hospital from May, 2010 to May, 2012. The subjects are composed of 40 patients(20 females and 20 males), who are 30 to 50 years old suffering from severe lumber herniated nuclesus pulposus, who had or were going to have operation treatment. BMI is measured through anthropometry of each patient and fat infiltration inside the muscle is estimated by measuring the cross section area of lumbar paraspinal muscle from mid-cross section of disc(L2-S1) and fat infiltration ratio. The data of this study are analyzed by independent t-test to figure out the difference of fat infiltration between male and female, and by paired sample T-test after getting mean and standard deviation to find the changes of fat infiltration of lumbar on each level. Also correlation analysis is done by setting age as a control variable to find the correlation between BMI and fat infiltration of the whole lumbar. As a result, we could get only the meaningful difference between the sexes on upper lumber part(L2-L3) while we couldn't find any significant difference in the rest of lumbar(L3-S1). Besides, the changes of fat infiltration ratio on each lumbar level increased rapidly from lumbar 3,4 to lumbar 4,5. We also found that there is no correlation between fat infiltration ratio of lumbar paraspinal muscle(L2-S1) and BMI.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.295-298
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• 2005

We report a case of a 48-year-old man with a paradoxic upper airway obstruction and central sleep apnea that developed after an anterior cervical spinal fusion. Nine months before being admitted to this hospital, he was diagnosed with a herniated intervertebral disc between the 5th and 6th cervical spine, and the first operation was carried out. Two months later, a pseudoarthrosis has developed and a second operation, an anterior interbody fusion of the C5 and C6 using autogenous strut bone graft, was performed. After the second operation, he began to complain of snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and a bizarre sound heard near the upper airway during breathing. Nasopharyngoscope and magnetic resonance imaging disclosed a paradoxical narrowing of the nasopharynx during expiration. On the overnight polysomnography, the apnea index was 8.7/h (central apnea, 7.0/h; obstructive apnea, 1.7/h). Nasal continuous positive airway pressure was applied, but he complained of pressure-intolerance, and laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty was then performed. Two months after surgery, clinical symptoms as well as the apneas had improved markedly. We suggest that this paradoxic upper airway obstruction might be associated with the anterior cervical spinal surgery even though the mechanism is unclear. This case also emphasizes that an upper airway obstruction can contribute to the development of central sleep apnea.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.213-223
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• 2013

Objectives Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common reason for people in Korea to visit Korean medical institutions. To assess actual amounts of use in the treatment of LBP in Korean medicine and to provide objective base line data for policy decision making, research regarding the current state of LBP patients' treatment in Korean medical institutions are in need. Methods The current study was designed as a retrospective chart review to investigate descriptive characteristics of LBP patients. The clinical records of 304 patients who were hospitalized for the treatment of LBP in Korean rehabilitation medicine inpatient clinics of five different Korean medicine hospitals were analyzed. The percentage of patient characteristics such as sex, age, average duration of admission, insurance type, diagnosed LBP related disease code, and rates of interventions applied were assessed. Results 1. The female sex was significantly predominant among patients with LBP : 105 patients (34.5%) were male and 199 patients (65.5%) were female. Percentage of the patients' age appeared as followed : 76 people (25.0%) were in their 50s, 64 people (21.1%) were in their 40s, 51 people (16.8%) were in their 30s, 37 people (12.2%) were in their 60s, and 33 people (10.9%) were in their 70s. Approximately half of the total LBP patients investigated were older than 50. 2. The average duration of admission was 16.2 days. Approximately one third (30.3%) of the patients were hospitalized for 8 to 14 days. 3. Female patients tended to stay admitted in hospitals slightly longer than male patients. Elderly (age 60~79) patients stayed in hospitals longer (17.8 days) compared to younger (age 20~39) patients (13.5 days). 4. More than half of the patients (171 cases, 56.3%) had their hospital bills covered with automobile insurance. 40.1% (122 cases) of the patients had medical insurance to cover their hospital bills. The average duration of admission of patients who had automobile insurance was 14.2 days, while that of the patients who had medical insurance was 18.4 days. 5. "Sprain and strain of the lumbar spine and pelvis" was the most commonly used (195 cases, 64.1%) disease code in patients with LBP. Patients diagnosed as "lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy" required the longest admission duration (22.1 days). 6. Herbal medication was applied to all of the patients during admission. Acupuncture was applied to all of the patients except one case diagnosed as spinal stenosis. Physical therapy, cupping therapy, moxibustion therapy, chuna therapy, and pharmacopuncture therapy were applied to 94.7, 92.8, 85.2, 83.9, and 49.7% of the patients, respectively. 7. There were certain differences among Korean medicine hospitals in terms of the LBP patients' duration of admission, type of insurance, frequency of the disease code use, type of intervention applied. Conclusions It is thought that the current study can be used as reference data in assessing the current state of LBP treatment in Korean rehabilitation medicine and a basis for future research. Provided improvements of certain limitations of the current study in future researches, such data would act as better base line data in policy decision making.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.371-377
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• 2001

Purpose: One or more abnormal vertebrae detected on bone scintigraphy is a common finding in clinical practice, and it could pose a diagnostic dilemma especially in cancer patients. as either metastasis or benign disease may cause scintigraphic abnormality. The purpose of this study was to determine whether additional spine SPECT has a role in differentiating malignant from benign lesions in patients with back pain. Materials and Methods: We reviewed spine SPECT studios obtained over a three-year period in 108 patients. Among them, forty-five patients with abnormal SPECT and clinically followed records were evaluated (20 cancer patients were included). Uptake patterns were classified as follows: 1. Body: diffusely increased uptake, linear increased uptake of end plate, segmental increased uptake, and cold defect, 2. Posterior element: posterior to body (pedicle), posterior to Intervertebral disc space (facet joint), and spinous process. Lesions were correlated with radiological findings and with final diagnosis. Results: Sixty-nine bone lesions were detected on SFECT images, including 18 metastases, 28 degenerative diseases and 21 compression fractures. Cold defect (6) and segmental increased uptake (5) were dominant findings in metastasis; linear increased uptake (12), and facet joint uptake (15) were in degenerative change; and diffuse increased uptake (9), and linear increased uptake (9) were in compression fracture. Conclusion: Cold defect and segmental increased uptake of body were characteristic findings of metastasis, but care should be taken because compression fracture also shows segmental increased uptake in some cases. Degenerative disease was easily diagnosed because of the typical finding of linear increased uptake of end plate and facet joint. Therefore, additional bone SPECT after planar bone scan would be helpful for differentiating metastasis from benign condition in cancer patients.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.225-228
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• 2007

The therapy by injection-acupuncture (AP) with bee-venom (apitoxin) and injection-AP with apitoxin combined by administration of Chinese herbal medicine was applied in 2 cases with canine intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Case 1 was diagnosed as thoraco-lumbar IVDD (T11-T12, T12-T13, L3-L4 and L4-L5) and case 2 was diagnosed as IVDD at T10-T11 and T12-T13, respectively Injection-AP with apitoxin($Apitoxinc{(R)}$, total $200{\mu}g$ of apitoxin, 0.1 ml/acupoint) plus physical exercise (walking with gocart, TID/day) and aquatherapy (swimming treatment, BID/week) were given to each patient. The used acupoints were GV20 (Bai Hui), GB30 (Huan Tiao), ST36 (Zu San Li), GB34 (Yang Ling Quan), ST40 (Feng Long), ST41 (Jie Xi) and BL40 (Wei Zhong), the lesions, and trigger points. In addition, Chinese herbal medicine (Koda Pharmaceutical Co., Taiwan) including Zheng Gu Zi Jin Dan (正骨紫金丹 : 1 g), Shiuh Duann(續斷 : 0.2 g), Du Zhong(杜仲 : 0.2 g), Mo Yao(沒藥 : 0.2 g), Ru Xian(乳香 : 0.2 g) and Pyrite(自然銅 : 0.2 g) were orallly mdeicated BID for 0\9days in case 2. Walking was possible after session 11 for 4 weeks in case 1 and after session 6 for 2 weeks in case 2, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.138-146
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• 2024

Purpose To evaluate whether the image quality of chest radiographs obtained using a camera-type portable X-ray device is appropriate for clinical practice by comparing them with traditional mobile digital X-ray devices. Materials and Methods Eighty-six patients who visited our emergency department and underwent endotracheal intubation, central venous catheterization, or nasogastric tube insertion were included in the study. Two radiologists scored images captured with traditional mobile devices before insertion and those captured with camera-type devices after insertion. Identification of the inserted instruments was evaluated on a 5-point scale, and the overall image quality was evaluated on a total of 20 points scale. Results The identification score of the instruments was 4.67 ± 0.71. The overall image quality score was 19.70 ± 0.72 and 15.02 ± 3.31 (p < 0.001) for the mobile and camera-type devices, respectively. The scores of the camera-type device were significantly lower than those of the mobile device in terms of the detailed items of respiratory motion artifacts, trachea and bronchus, pulmonary vessels, posterior cardiac blood vessels, thoracic intervertebral disc space, subdiaphragmatic vessels, and diaphragm (p = 0.013 for the item of diaphragm, p < 0.001 for the other detailed items). Conclusion Although caution is required for general diagnostic purposes as image quality degrades, a camera-type device can be used to evaluate the inserted instruments in chest radiographs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.480-486
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• 2009

Background: The Fogarty thromboembolectomy catheter technique was devised to extract distal arterial emboli and it represents a milestone for the treatment of patients with acute arterial occlusion since the 1960s. The major causes of arterial occlusion have changed from emboli of a heart origin to atherosclerosis over the past 30 years. Accordingly, questions have been raised about the effectiveness of simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy. Material and Method: During the period from March 1990 through August 2008, 156 patients who requiring Fogarty thromboembolectomy were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: those with simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy (Group 1, 79 patients) and those with additional vascular bypass graft surgery (Group 2, 77 patients). The duration of symptoms, the cause of thrombi, admission via the emergency room, a history of acupuncture or misdiagnosis, combined diseases, the anatomic occlusion site and the cause of death were analyzed using T-tests, cross tab tests, Chi square tests and Kaplan-Meier tests, respectively. Result: The mean age was 64$\pm$10 years in the 2 groups. The duration of symptoms (pain) in Group 1 vs Group 2 was 12$\pm$4 days vs 71$\pm$14 days (p=0.001). 50 (63%) patients in Group 1 were admitted via the emergency room vs 18 (23%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.005). Misdiagnosis and the treatment for herniated intervertebral disc or acupuncture were given to, 20 (25%) patients in Group 1 vs 30 (39%) patients in Group 2. Anticoagulation treatment before admission was performed in 22 (28%) patients in Group 1 vs 11 (14%) patients in Group 2. The causes of thrombi were heart disease in, 24 (30%) patients in Group 1 vs 6 (8%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.001), atherosclerosis in 46 (58%) patients in Group 1 vs 67 (87%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.001) and trauma in 9 (11%) patients in Group 1 vs 6 (8%) patients in Group 2. The combined diseases were cerebrovascular accident, hypertension and diabetes mellitus in 22 $\sim$ 37% of the total patients. The occlusion sites were mainly in the iliac and femoral arteries. Endarterectomy was performed in 7 (9%) patients in Group 1 vs 18 (23%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.012). Treatment was successful in 27 (34%) patients in Group 1 and in 40 (52%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.019). Reocclusion occurred in 37(47%) patients in Group 1 vs 20 (26%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.000), Amputation was done in 4 (5%) patients in Group 1 vs 12 (16%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.012) and death occurred in 10 (13%) patients (Group 1) vs 3(4%) patients (Group 2) (p=0.044). Conclusion: The recent past has shown a decline in the effectiveness of simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy with a changing pattern of acute arterial occlusion from a rheumatic heart origin to atherosclerosis. Additional bypass procedures play a role for the treatment of arterial occlusion instead of always performing simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy.