• Clinical Pain
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2019

Objective: Greater occipital nerve block (GONB) is a widely accepted treatment of primary headaches. Two ultrasound (US)-guided blockade techniques exist: 1) the classical distal nerve block technique performed medial to the occipital artery at the superior nuchal line, and 2) the new proximal nerve block technique performed at the obliquus capitis inferior muscle at the level of C2. Our study aim was to perform a head-to-head comparative study of these two US-guided techniques. Method: Forty-nine patients with primary headache treated in our university hospital were recruited. Patients were randomized into two groups of the classical nerve block and the new proximal nerve block techniques. The headache questionnaire was made to assess the intensity of the pain of headache attacks, number of days they experience headache, duration of headache, and amount of pain medication they consumed. Results: In both groups, a decrease in the severity and frequency of the headache was observed. There was no measurable difference in outcome between the two groups. Conclusion: Our study showed that the classic and new proximal techniques are equally effective in decreasing the headache severity and frequency.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.383-397
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report the effect of traditional Korean medical therapy such as acupuncture, electroacupuncture and herbal medicine in taste disorder patients. Methods: We surveyed 5 taste disorder patients visiting the Oral Diseases Clinic in the Kyung Hee University Oriental Medicine Hospital from January, 2014 to June, 2014. Before starting traditional Korean medical therapy such as acupuncture, electroacupuncture and herbal medicine, the subjects were evaluated on severity of discomfort using visual analogue scale (VAS), salivary flow rate (SFR), quality of life about oral health (based on the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile-14) and qi-stagnation condition (based on the 23-item qi-stagnation Questionnaire). Visual analogue scale was re-evaluated during the treatment period. Results: There was no relationship between diminished SFR and severity of discomfort. Also change or loss of taste did not influence the quality of life about oral health. However, stress which refers to qi-stagnation could be one of the reasons taste disorder occurs. After receiving traditional Korean medical therapy, all 5 patients' visual analogue scale score decreased. Conclusions: Traditional Korean medical therapy may potentially be an option for taste disorder. Further evaluations including pre-post comparison with larger number of cases will be needed in the future.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.839-845
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• 2018

This is a case report of a 57-year-old patient diagnosed with bradycardia and atrioventricular (AV) block. The chief complaint of the patient was palpitation and dizziness. An electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a second degree AV block with 2:1 AV conduction. The patient was treated with Korean medicine, including herbal medicine, for 35 days. After 2 weeks of treatment, the heart rate increased from 33 to 56 and the follow-up electrocardiogram showed normal findings. The symptoms of palpitation and dizziness were also improved. The effect on heart rate, ECG, and symptoms lasted until the end of the treatment. This case report demonstrated that Korean medicine could be effective for treatment of symptomatic bradycardia with AV block.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.129-140
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• 2010

Objective: The aim of this study was to prove adjacent effect of Oriental Medical Therapy on aphasia after stroke. Method: We studied patients who took K-WAB (AQ; aphasia quotient) twice during their language therapy at Kyunghee University Hospital & Oriental Medicine Hospital to retrospectively investigate the effect of Oriental medical therapy on aphasia. 18 patients with post-stroke aphasia were assigned to receive one of the following adjuncts: Group A that received language therapy with Oriental medical therapy (n=12) and Group B (n=6) that received language therapy only; AQ score of Group A was compared against Group B. Result: Total AQ score and most partial scores, except 'Contents delivery', were better in Group A. 'Total AQ score', 'Fluency', and 'Auditory verbal comprehension score' presented statistical significance. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated the effect of Oriental medical therapy on aphasia after stroke through AQ score improvement.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1051-1062
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• 2019

Objectives: Chest pain presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges because of its various etiologies. Many patients have chest pain from unknown causes and persistent chest pain in spite of standard treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a Korean herbal medicine called Pyungjinsujeom-san (PSS) in relieving chest pain. Methods: We reviewed the electronic medical records of patients who visited the Korean Medical Clinic of Cardiology at Kyunghee University Hospital at Gangdong from January 2009 to July 2019, with the chief complaint of chest pain and who were treated with PSS. The mean severity of chest pain measured on the Numerical Rating Scale was compared before and after the administration of PSS. Results: The mean severity of chest pain of 20 patients decreased significantly from 6.80±1.61 to 1.35±0.9 after taking PSS (p<0.001). Most patients had symptoms of phlegm and food retention, including indigestion, postprandial fullness, and epigastric pain.Conclusions: These results suggest that PSS may be effective in relieving chest pain from various causes, particularly in patients with symptoms of phlegm and food retention.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.653-660
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Korean medicine on patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.Methods: The charts of 47 patients diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease in the Department of Internal Korean medicine, Stroke and Neurological Disorders Center, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Gangdong between August 2012 and July 2016 were reviewed. The Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS) was administered before and after treatment with Korean medicine.Results: Thee average UPDRS Ⅱ+Ⅲ, UPDRS Ⅱ, and UPDRS Ⅲ of the 47 patients decreased significantly from 22.26±15.15, 10.19±7.53, and 12.06±8.35, respectively, pretreatment to 16.96±13.63, 7.47±6.44, and 9.49±7.73, respectively, post-treatment. The average postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD), tremor, and bradykinesia also significantly improved post-treatment.Conclusions: These results provide evidence that Korean medicine can improve the activities of daily living and motor function of patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. In particular, Korean medicine may be effective for the treatment of PIGD, tremor, and bradykinesia.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.1313-1320
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• 2018

Objectives: This case study reports on the effects of Korean medicine on a corticobasal syndrome with apraxia. Methods: We used acupuncture, bee-venom, pharmaco-acupuncture and herbal medicine to treat a corticobasal syndrome patient during hospitalization for 32 days. We observed changes in the UPDRS score, hand movement by opening and closing of hands, the making of a tower with 10 blocks and writing. Results: The hand movement count was improved from 2 to 10. The time needed for making a tower with 10 blocks decreased from 68 to 50 sec, and the number of stroke when writing the Korean word '철' decreased. In addition, the UPDRS score was decreased after treatment from 27 to 24. Conclusion: This clinical case study suggests that Korean medicine treatment could be used in the treatment of corticobasal syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.577-580
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• 2009

A 47-year-old man presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and right cerebellar hematoma was referred for evaluation. Cerebral angiography revealed a distal anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysm associated with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Successful obliteration and complete removal of the aneurysm and AVM were obtained using transcortical approach under the guidance of neuronavigation system. The association of a peripheral AICA aneurysm and a cerebellar AVM by the same artery is unique. The reported cases of conventional surgery for this disease complex are not common and their results are variable. Less invasive surgery using image-guided neuronavigation system would be helpful and feasible for a peripheral aneurysm combining an AVM of the posterior fossa in selective cases

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.318-321
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• 2009

Tension pneumocephalus may follow a cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) leak communicating with extensive extradural air. However, it rarely occurs after diagnostic lumbar puncture, and its treatment and pathophysiology are uncertain. Tension pneumocephalus can develop even after diagnostic lumbar puncture in a special condition. This extremely rare condition and underlying pathophysiology will be presented and discussed. The authors report the case of a 44-year-old man with a basal skull fracture accompanied by pneumothorax necessitating chest tube suction drainage, who underwent an uneventful lumbar tapping that was complicated by postprocedural tension pneumocephalus resulting in an altered mental status. The patient was managed by burr hole trephination and saline infusion following chest tube disengagement. He recovered well with no neurologic deficits after the operation, and a follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated that the pneumocephalus had completely resolved. Tension pneumocephalus is a rare but serious complication of lumbar puncture in patients with basal skull fractures accompanied by pneumothorax, which requires continuous chest tube drainage. Thus, when there is a need for lumbar tapping in these patients, it should be performed after the negative pressure is disengaged.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.338-340
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• 2008

A rare case of ruptured aneurysm associated with multiple $A_1$ fenestrations resembling plexiform network was demonstrated by 3D angiography. A 56-year-old female presented with a ruptured aneurysm in the $A_2$ segment of the left distal anterior cerebral artery associated with the right $A_1$ fenestration. The ruptured aneurysm was occluded with surgical neck clipping via interhemispheric approach without neurological deficit. Plexiform fenestrations of the right distal $A_1$. opposite side to the left ruptured $A_2$ aneurysm, were clearly visible on postoperative 3D angiography. Our case may strongly support the theory described by Paget, namely that a remnant of the plexiform anastomosis between the primitive olfactory artery and $A_1$ segment is the source of such fenestration.