• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present extended indications for the use of arterialized venous flaps in reconstructing soft tissue, tendon, nerve, blood vessel, and composite tissue defects of the hand of various sizes based on researches and clinical experiences of the authors. Moreover, procedures to achieve complete flap survival and postoperative results are presented. Materials & methods: This study is based on 154 cases of arterialized venous flaps performed to reconstruct the hand during the past 11 years. The most common cause of injury was industrial accidents with 125 cases. One hundred thirty patients or 84% of the cases had emergency operation within 2 weeks of the injury. The flaps were categorized depending on the size of the flap. Flaps smaller than $10\;cm^2$ were classified as small (n=48), those larger than $25\;cm^2$ classified large (n=42) and those in between medium (n=64). Classified according to composition, there were 88 cases (57.1 %) of venous skin flaps, 28 cases of innervated venous flaps, 15 cases of tendocutaneous venous flaps, which incorporated the palmaris longus tendon, for repair of extensor tendons of the fingers, and 17 cases of conduit venous flaps to repair arterial defect. There were 37 cases where multiple injuries to multiple digits were reconstructed. Moreover, there were 6 cases of composite tissue effects that involved soft tissue, blood vessels and tendons. The donor sites were ipsilateral forearm, wrist and thenar area, foot dorsum, and medial calf. The recipient sites were single digit, multiple digits, first web space, dorsum and palm of hand, and wrist. Results: There were seven cases (4.5%) of emergent re-exploration due to vascular crisis, and 3 cases of flap failure characterized by more than 50% necrosis of the flap. The survival rate was 98.1 % (151/154). In small flaps, an average of 1.01 afferent arteries and 1.05 efferent veins were microanastomosed, and in large flaps, an average of 1.88 afferent arteries and 2.19 efferent veins were anastomosed. In 8 cases where innervated flaps were used for reconstructing the palm of the hand, the average static two-point discrimination was $10\;(8{\sim}15)\;mm$. In 12 cases where tenocutaneous flaps were used, active range of motion at the proximal interphalangeal joint was 60 degrees, 20 degrees at the distal interphalangeal joint, and 75 degrees at the metacarpophalangeal joint. Conclusion: We conclude that the arterialized venous flap is a valuable and effective tool in the reconstruction of hand injuries, and could have a more comprehensive set of indications.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.128-134
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• 2019

Background: Patients with rotator cuff tears are usually afflicted with shoulder pain and disability. However, it is unclear which factors are related to shoulder pain in patients with rotator cuff tears. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the factors correlated with shoulder pain in patients with painful rotator cuff tears, but without any history of trauma. Methods: We evaluated a cohort of 745 patients with painful rotator cuff tears having no trauma history, and analyzed the relationship between pain and multiple factors including demographic data, tear characteristics, and passive range of motion. Pain was analyzed with a questionnaire concerning the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. Tear characteristics were determined by evaluating tear size, muscle atrophy, number of torn tendons, and presence of arthritis. Multivariate linear regression analysis and chi-squared test were applied to evaluate the relationship between the VAS for pain and variable factors. Results: Shoulder pain was associated with young age (p=0.01), male sex (p=0.01) and the presence of diabetes mellitus (p<0.001). Measurements of rotator cuff tear characteristics including tear size (p=0.53), muscle atrophy (p=0.16) and the number of torn tendons (p=0.34) did not correlate with shoulder pain. Symptom duration (p=0.60) and range of motion (p>0.05) also showed no correlation with VAS for pain. Conclusions: Young age, male sex and the presence of diabetes mellitus correlated positively with preoperative shoulder pain in patients with painful rotator cuff tears without a trauma history. Combined treatment of pain management and risk factor correction could be helpful to control preoperative shoulder pain.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.40-43
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• 2004

A new design method for prestressed concrete girder is proposed in this study, which steps for manufacturing are; (1) the bottom part of concrete girder is placed and pretensioned by the first post-tensioning performed on the tendons located in the bottom part of concrete girder, and (2) the next step which consists of concrete placing and post-tensioning operation is followed by the previous step if required. This indicates that sufficient compressive stress can be effectively introduced at the bottom face in stepwise manner, when compared to conventional PSC girder. Two specimens are prepared and tested to investigate the short-term behavior of the PSC girders manufactured by the proposed method. Section Analysis results exhibit good agreements with the test results in terms of strain distribution across the girder section. In addition, flexural strength obtained from the tests is found to be similar to the expected based on Code(Korea). These demonstrate that the method proposed in this study is applicable to the design of PSC girders.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.223-232
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• 2001

This paper describes Genetic Algorithm-Based Relay Search Method, RS-GA, which is developed in this study to search the multiple design variables in the design space. The RS-GA based on Simple-GA consists of some functions to search many variables from some wide variable space. It repeats a Simple-GA, that is the convergence process of the Simple-GA, which makes many time reiteration itself. From the results of the numerical studies, it was actually found that RS-GA can search all peak-variable from the 2D functions including 5 peaks. Finally, RS-GA applied for design-strengthening problems in composite plate girder bridges using the external prestressing technique is also verified.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 2003

Purpose: To analyse their end results and also to differentiate the single or multiple giant cell tumor(GCT) of tendon sheath in hand. Materials & Methods: Total 21 cases with GCT of tendon sheath in hand were treated surgically and analyzed their end results with clinically, radiologically and pathologically to allowed for average 16 months after surgical excision. Results: The finger flexor tendons, especially on index and ring finger, involving distal interphalangeal joint and mid-phalanges in fourth decades (average age of 47 years old) were frequently involved, and the mass was not exceed than 2 cm in size, fixed on tendon sheath with rubbery hard tenderness but rare bony involvements except 4 cases of bony erosion and cortical perforation. The three cases with multiple GCT of hand was also combined with familial hypercholesterolemia, and are commonly involved the extensor tendons as well as achilles tendons bilaterally, treated with partial excision because of multiplicity. Average 16 months after surgical excision for single GCT cases was followed and showed the recurrence in 3 cases(3/18,16.7%), treated with wide excision. The single and multifocal GCT are similar in pathologic changes but different soft tissue tumors in their pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis. Conclusion: Incomplete excision of GCT of tendon sheath in hand are thought to be the cause of recurrence, especially in cases with incomplete lesional excision, in multilobular and bony involvement etc. So careful wide excision is necessary to prevent the recurrence.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.205-208
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• 2008

Steel-embedded composite piers can enhance the resistance of core concrete by confinement of the steel elements and also can strengthen the stability of the embedded steel elements by concrete parts, so that the resistance of the composite members and seismic requirements can be provided without increasing section dimensions and self-weight. While modular composite piers with single segment do not need prestressing, precast segment composite piers with multiple segments need to have prestressing to prevent excessive cracking at the joints. Initial stresses and deformation by the introduced prestress are changed by long-term properties of concrete and need to be considered in the design. This paper deals with the prestress losses by the measurement of load cells, strains of reinforcements, concrete and embedded steel tubes.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.328-333
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• 2023

The first extensor compartment of the wrist is a distinctly variable anatomical area. Anatomical variations in this region contribute to the pathophysiology and treatment failure of de Quervain's disease, which is a kind of tenosynovitis that develops in the first extensor compartment of the wrist. We aim to describe the first extensor compartment morphology, to evaluate the septum frequency, location of the septum, and the number of tendons of abductor pollicis longus (APL) and extensor pollicis brevis muscles (EPB). First extensor compartment of 87 wrists of 45 cadavers were dissected. The presence or absence of septum and number of tendon slips of APL and EPB revealed. The proximal and distal widths of the compartments were measured. Septums were detected in 60.9% (n=53) of the wrists. Incomplete (distal) and complete (proximal) septa were present in 35.6% (n=31) and 25.3% (n=22) of the cases. Only 26.4% of the wrists had a single slip of APL tendon. The Remaining had multiple slips. The median inner width of the proximal and distal compartments in all wrists were calculated as in the order of 9.11±1.14 mm and 8.55±1.12 mm. We believe that understanding the anatomy of the first extensor compartment in the Turkish population would be helpful to surgeons, radiologists, and physiotherapists to diagnose and manage de Quervain's disease.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2022

We describe a case of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOt) as an adjunct to treatment of a crush injury to the hand. A 34-year-old male paramedic was involved in a motor vehicle accident and admitted for diagnosis and surgical treatment. He sustained a crush injury to his right hand and presented with significant muscle damage, including multiple fractures and dislocations, an avulsion injury of the flexor tendons, and amputation of the distal phalanx of the little finger. He underwent reconstructive surgery and received HBOt over the following days. In the following 2 months, he lost the distal and middle phalanges of the little finger and recovered hand function. Posttraumatic compartment syndrome responds well to HBOt, which reduces edema and contributes to angiogenesis, as well as promoting the cascade of healing events. High-energy trauma causes massive cell destruction, and the blood supply is usually not sufficient to meet the oxygen demands of viable tissues. Hyperbaric oxygenation by diffusion through interstitial and cellular fluids increases tissue oxygenation to levels sufficient for the host's responses to injury to work and helps control the delayed inflammatory reaction. HBOt used as an adjunct to surgical treatment resulted in early healing and rehabilitation, accelerating functional recovery. The results suggest that adjunctive HBOt can be beneficial for the treatment of crush injuries of the hand, resulting in better functional outcomes and helping to avoid unnecessary amputations.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.156-162
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• 2022

This study estimates the relative position between body segments using segment orientation and segment-to-joint center (S2J) vectors. In many wearable motion tracking technologies, the S2J vector is treated as a constant based on the assumption that rigid body segments are connected by a mechanical ball joint. However, human body segments are deformable non-rigid bodies, and they are connected via ligaments and tendons; therefore, the S2J vector should be determined as a time-varying vector, instead of a constant. In this regard, our previous study (2021) proposed a method for determining the time-varying S2J vector from the learning dataset using a regression method. Because that method uses a deformation-related variable to consider the deformation of S2J vectors, the optimal variable must be determined in terms of estimation accuracy by motion and segment. In this study, we investigated the effects of deformation-related variables on the estimation accuracy of the relative position. The experimental results showed that the estimation accuracy was the highest when the flexion and adduction angles of the shoulder and the flexion angles of the shoulder and elbow were selected as deformation-related variables for the sternum-to-upper arm and upper arm-to-forearm, respectively. Furthermore, the case with multiple deformation-related variables was superior by an average of 2.19 mm compared to the case with a single variable.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 2010

Purpose: Industrial punch accidents involving fingers cause segmental injuries to tendons and neurovascular bundles. Although multiple-level segmental amputations are not replanted to regain function, most patients with an amputated finger want to undergo replantation for cosmetic as much as functional reason. The authors describe four cases of digital amputation by an industrial punch that involved the reinstatement of the amputated finger involving a joint and neurovascular bundle. Amputated segments were replanted to restore amputated surfaces and distal segments. Methods: A single institution retrospective review was performed. Inclusion criteria of punch injuries requiring replantation were applied to patients of all demographic background. Injury extent (size, tissue involvement), operative intervention, pre- and postoperative hand function were recorded. Result: Four cases of amputations were treated at our institute from 2004 to 2008 from industrial punch machine injury. Average patient age was 32.5 years (25~39 years) and there were three males and one female. Sizes of amputated segments ranged from $1.0{\times}1.0{\times}1.2\;cm^3$ to $3{\times}1.5{\times}1.6\;cm^3$. Tenorrhaphy was conducted after fixing fractured bone of the amputated segments with K-wire. Proximal and distal arteries and veins were repaired using the through & through method. The average follow-up period was thirteen months (2~26 months), and all replanted cases survived. Osteomyelitis occurred in one case, skin grafting after debridement was performed in two cases. Because joints were damaged in all four cases, active ranges of motion were much limited. However, a secondary tendon graft enhanced digit function in two cases. The two-point discrimination test showed normal values for both static and dynamic tests for three cases and 9 mm and 15 mm by dynamic and static testing, respectively, in one case. Conclusion: Though amputations from industrial punch machines are technically challenging to replant, our experience has shown it to be a valid therapy. In cases involving punch machine injury, if an amputated segment is available, the authors recommend that replantation be considered for preservation of finger length, joint mobility, and overall functional recovery of the hand.