• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2014

Purpose: Ultrasound-guided epidural caudal block for low back pain and radiating pain is often performed in the treatment of outpatients. However, this procedure has a failure rate of up to 25% even when it performed by an experienced physician. The authors investigate the effectiveness of Ultrasound-guided epidural caudal block in patients related to disc herniation or spinal stenosis. Materials and Methods: Ultrasound-guided caudal epidural block was performed in 55 outpatients with LBP and radiating pain. Patient was placed in the prone position and sonographic image of sacral hiatus was obtained using linear probe. A 22-gauge needle was advanced into the sacrococcygeal membrane under ultrasound guidance and then medication was injected into the caudal epidural space. There were 31 cases of disc herniation, and 24 cases of spinal stenosis. Patients were evaluated by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score at pre-treatment, post-treatment, 2 weeks and 4 weeks by telephone interviews. Results: 53 of the 55 cases (96.4%) of needle insertion into the sacral canal under ultrasound guidance were successful. Gender was not significantly different between disc herniation group and spinal stenosis group. But there was a significant age difference between disc herniation group ($42.3{\pm}10.8$), and spinal stenosis group ($62.8{\pm}15.1$) [p<0.001]. The VAS score at pre-treatment, post-treatment, 2 weeks, 4 weeks in disc group were 6.84, 3.1, 1.8 & 1.77. The VAS score at pre-treatment, post-treatment, 2 weeks, 4 weeks in spinal stenosis group were 6.88, 3.58, 4.33 & 4.88. The VAS score in both groups was significantly improved after the procedure (p<0.001). Over time, the two groups were statistically significant differences in VAS score after adjusting for age (p<0.001). Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided caudal epidural block seems to provide a high success rate and a significantly better response in disc group than spinal stenosis group.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.94 no.6
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• pp.488-495
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• 2005

This study was conducted to understand the influences of forest structure on throughfall, stemflow and interception loss. The study plots included the natural old-growth deciduous, Pinus koraiensis and Abies holophylla forests in Gwangneung and the rehabilitated young mixed forest in Yangju, Gyeonggido. The Pinus koraiensis and Abies hotophylla had been planted in 1976. The rehabilitated young mixed forest had been established to control erosion in 1974. Total and net rainfall were monitored from March, 2003 to October, 2004. Tipping bucket rain gauge recorded total rainfall. Throughfall and stemflow were measured by custom-made tipping bucket and CR10X data logger at each $10m{\times}10m$ plots at intervals of 30 minutes. Interception loss in the Pinus koraiensis plot were most as 37.2% of total rainfall and least as 22.6% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest. Stemflow in the rehabilitated young mixed forest was 10.7% of total rainfall and stemflow in the Pinus koraiensis plot was 2.4%. The average throughfall ratio ranged from 66% to 77% depending on the canopy coverage. The relationship of stemflow and total rainfall represented in a linear regression equation though the variation of data was large. The ratio of stemflow-conversion was 2% of total rainfall in the Pinus koraiensis plot and 12% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest, respectively. The stem storage of the natural old-growth deciduous was the largest of 0.21 mm whereas that of the Pinus koraiensis plot was the least of 0.003 mm. A deciduous forest produced stemflow more than a coniferous forest due to a smooth bark and steeply angled branches. Interception loss of all study plots increased linearly as total rainfall increased. The distribution of interception loss data related in total rainfall became wider in a deciduous forest than a coniferous. It resulted from seasonality of leaf area index in a deciduous forest. As considered above results, it was confirmed that there were great differences of throughfall, stemflow and interception loss depending on forest stand structures. The simulation model for predicting interception loss must have parameters such as forest stand characteristics and LAI in order to describe the influence of forest structure on interception loss.