• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2024

Purpose: This study investigated changes in interpersonal violence and utilization of trauma recovery services during the COVID-19 pandemic. At an urban level I trauma center, trauma recovery services (TRS) provide education, counseling, peer support, and coordination of rehabilitation and recovery to address social and mental health needs. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted considerable changes in hospital services and increases in interpersonal victimization. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted between September 6, 2018 and December 20, 2020 for 1,908 victim-of-crime patients, including 574 victims of interpersonal violence. Outcomes included length of stay associated with initial TRS presentation, number of subsequent emergency department visits, number of outpatient appointments, and utilization of specific specialties within the year following the initial traumatic event. Results: Patients were primarily female (59.4%), single (80.1%), non-Hispanic (86.7%), and Black (59.2%). The mean age was 33.0 years, and 247 patients (49.2%) presented due to physical assault, 132 (26.3%) due to gunshot wounds, and 76 (15.1%) due to sexual assault. The perpetrators were primarily partners (27.9%) or strangers (23.3%). During the study period, 266 patients (mean, 14.9 patients per month) presented before the declaration of COVID-19 as a national emergency on March 13, 2020, while 236 patients (mean, 25.9 patients per month) presented afterward, representing a 74.6% increase in victim-of-crime patients treated. Interactions with TRS decreased during the COVID-19 period, with an average of 3.0 interactions per patient before COVID-19 versus 1.9 after emergency declaration (P<0.01). Similarly, reductions in length of stay were noted; the pre-COVID-19 average was 3.6 days, compared to 2.1 days post-COVID-19 (P=0.01). Conclusions: While interpersonal violence increased, TRS interactions decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting interruption of services, COVID-19 precautions, and postponement/cancellation of elective visits. Future direction of hospital policy to enable resource and service delivery to this population, despite internal and external challenges, appears warranted.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.487-494
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• 2020

Objective : To analyze the incidence and characteristics of delayed postoperative fever in posterior cervical fusion using cervical pedicle screws (CPS). Methods : This study analyzed 119 patients who underwent posterior cervical fusion surgery using CPS. Delayed fever was defined as no fever for the first 3 postoperative days, followed by an ear temperature ≥38℃ on postoperative day 4 and subsequent days. Patient age, sex, diagnosis, laminectomy, surgical level, revision status, body mass index, underlying medical disease, surgical duration, and transfusion status were retrospectively reviewed. Results : Of 119 patients, seven were excluded due to surgical site infection, spondylitis, pneumonia, or surgical level that included the thoracic spine. Of the 112 included patients, 28 (25%) were febrile and 84 (75%) were afebrile. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that laminectomy was a statistically significant risk factor for postoperative non-pathological fever (odds ratio, 10.251; p=0.000). In contrast, trauma or tumor surgery and underlying medical disease were not significant risk factors for fever. Conclusion : Patients who develop delayed fever 4 days after posterior cervical fusion surgery using CPS are more likely to have non-pathologic fever than surgical site infection. Laminectomy is a significant risk factor for non-pathologic fever.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.116-125
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• 2020

Objectives : Self-poisoning is the leading cause of visits to the emergency departments after a suicide attempts. This study is aimed to compare the patient characteristics according to the category of drugs ingested by the patients who attempted suicide. Methods : All medical charts were retrospectively reviewed from patients who visited the emergency center, at Seoul Medical Center, due to intentional self-poisoning from April of 2011 to July of 2019. We investigated the information regarding the subtype and quantity of the intoxication drug, how it was obtained, suicidal history, and psychiatric history, as well as, sociodemographic information. Variables were compared between prescription drug (PD) and non-prescription drug (NPD) poisoning groups. Results : The mean age of the NPD poisoning group was significantly lower than that of the PD poisoning group. The patient ratio of those enrolled in national health insurance and living with spouses were significantly higher in the NPD poisoning group. Compared to the NPD poisoning group, the PD poisoning group had a higher incidence of mental illnesses, underlying diseases and ratio of involuntary visit to the emergency department. Among the prescription drugs, the benzodiazepine poisoning group had a higher rate of self-prescription than the non-poisoning group, while the zolpidem poisoning group had a higher rate of the using someone else's prescription than other drugs. Each single drug poisoning group (benzodiazepine, zolpidem, and antidepressant single-agent) had a higher rate of no mental illness than each of the mixed-poisoning group. Conclusions : Guidelines for regulating non-prescription drugs are needed as a matter of suicide prevention. Also, this study suggests that clinicians need to be careful when issuing prescriptions and should suicidal risk according to patients' characteristics, duration of follow-up and type of drug packaging.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.316-325
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the effects of early exercise education using videos on exercise knowledge and compliance of elderly patients who undergo total knee replacement surgery. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. The participants were 70 elderly patients who had total knee arthroplasty in the C university hospital located in G city, Korea. Thirty-five patients were assigned to an experimental group and the other patients were assigned to a control group. After the total knee arthroplasty, the early exercise education accompanied by watching video instruction was conducted on the experimental group at post-operation second and third day for 15 minutes. General exercise education was administered to the control group. The exercise knowledge and compliance of the elderly patients were measured through structured questionnaires. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that early exercise education using videos has positive effects to improve the exercise knowledge and compliance of elderly patients after total knee arthroplasty. This early exercise education can be used going forward as nursing intervention for elderly patients who undergo total knee replacement surgery.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-128
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• 2005

Background: Cardiac arrest is one of the most critical diseases which can likely lead to severe cerebral disability or brain death when the cases can not recover their circulation within 10 minutes. Saving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases is a recent concern in Korea. Resuscitation has become an important multidisciplinary branch of medicine, demanding a spectrum of skills and attracting a plethora of specialities and organizations. The best survival can be achieved if all the following links have been optimized : rapid access, and early CPR, defibrillation and ACLS, Since the "Utstein Style" was advocated in 1991, many reports about out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have been published based on this guideline. These differences prevent valid inter-hospital and international comparisons. However, it is not known how effective resuscitation has become to the patients. In other words, there are no guidelines for reviewing, reporting, and conducting research on resuscitation in Korea. This dissertation aims to provide the basic data for a unified reporting guideline of resuscitation in Korea and evaluating the out-of-hospital factors associated with survival discharge of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: As for this study, uses the collected data about Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests at 4 area, from January, 2005 to April. 2005. With a retrospective study, 174 cases were analyzed. The data was recorded based on the Out-of-Hospital Utstein Style. Results: Resuscitation was performed on 174 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases at the 4 area 14 patients(8.1%) recovered their spontaneous circulation. Overall, the ROSC of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients was 8.1%, which was poorer than that of western countries. Gender distribution was 50 females(28.7%) and 124 males(71.3%), approximately twice as many males as females. ROSC of witnessed arrests was found out to be 97.7%. The ratio of the witnessed arrest groups showed higher results than that of unwitnessed arrest groups in the above-examined cases. Cardiac etiology consisted of cardiac(33.5%), non-cardiac(45.7%), trauma(20.1%), and unknown(6.0%). Cardiac was the best performance. Initial rhythm showed Ventricular Tachycardia/pulseless Ventricular Fibrillation in 8 patients(6.0%), asystole in 100(75.2%) and unknown in 25(18.8%). The results of the Ventricular Tachycardia/pulseless Ventricular Fibrillation showed higher results than the others cases, The proportion of the cardiogenic cause was 33.5%, which was only half of western countries. Ventricular Tachycardia/pulseless Ventricular Fibrillation is relatively rare. These differences were due to the prevalent pattern of Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest as well as prematurity of the EMSS. Bystander CPR was practiced on 13 patients(7.52%). ROSC was shown in 46.2% cases. CPR by EMT was carried out on 167 cases(96.5%). ACLS by EMf was rare. From collapse, 4 cases(2.6%) arrived to ED within 6 minutes. 13 (8.6%) within 10 minutes, and 49(32.5%) over 31 minutes. The sooner the patients arrived, the greater the ratio of ROSC and discharged alive became, and the same with collapse time to ROSC. As the results of the logistic regression analysis, ROSC was found out to be highly influenced by the time of ED arrival from collapse and Ventricular Tachycardia/pulseless Ventricular Fibrillation. Therefore, the ratio of ROSC depends on not any single factor but various intervention factors. Conclusion: This dissertation presents the following suggestions and directions of the study hereafter. First, the first step for a chain of survival should be taken to activate EMSS early with a phone as soon as cardiac arrests are witnessed. Second, it is keenly needed that emergency medical technicians should be increased through emergency education for living. Third, it is necessary to establish the emergency transportation system. Fourth, most of the Koreans have little understanding of EMT and the present operation systems have many problems, which should be fundamentally changed. Fifth, it is required to have an active medical control over Out-of-hospital CPR, And proper psychological supports should be given not only to patients themselves and their family but also individuals who are engaged in emergency situation. Finally, through studies hereafter on nationwide, comprehensive, and standard forms, it is needed to examine into the biological figures of human body, causes and trends of cardiac arrests, and then, to enhance the survival rate of Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Korean guidelines for Cardiopulmonary resuscitation need to be made.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1365-1371
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• 2000

Objectives : Spinal cord compression is a rare presentation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma(NHL), occurring in 0.1% to 10.2% of patients. Primary spinal extradural NHL, i.e. occurring in the absence of any detectable extraspinal lymphoproliferative disorder, has a potentially favourable outcome if diagnosed and treated early. The authors describe two patients with a clinical picture of acute spinal cord compression as the first presentation of NHL. Methods : The patients were 48-year-old female and 27-year-old female. Both presented with back pain followed by acute paraparesis and voiding difficulty. One patient was diabetic. Plain radiographs of the spine were not specific. Thoracic spine magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) revealed evidence of extradural soft tissue mass extending multiple vertebral segments. Results : The patients underwent emergency laminectomy for decompression and tissue diagnosis. Histological and immunohistochemical study revealed B-cell lymphoma, intermediate grade in both patients. Postoperative staging did not reveal any additional lesions other than extradural manifestation of the malignant lymphoma. Surgery with additional chemotherapy and radiotherapy allowed the clinical improvement of both patients. Conclusion : The authors report two patients with a clinical picture of acute spinal cord compression as the first presentation of NHL, and stress that primary spinal epidural NHL should be a diagnostic consideration in the patient without prior history of malignancy who presents with a prodrome of back pain followed by a rapid neurological deterioration.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.427-434
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• 2016

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of off-pump coronary bypass grafting over the on-pump technique in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). To further reduce the risk of acute kidney injury and the need for renal replacement therapy, even in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, we adopted protocol-based perioperative management for patients with CKD. Methods: From December 2012 to March 2015, 265 patients underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. To analyze renal function in a stable condition, we excluded 12 dialysis-dependent end stage renal failure and 10 emergency or urgent cases. Among the remaining 243 patients, 208 patients had normal kidney function (normal group), and 35 patients had CKD (CKD group). Minimizing contrast exposure, ensuring adequate hydration, using strict drug dosage adjustment, and optimizing hemodynamic status were key elements of the protocol for the CKD group. Results: The risk of acute kidney injury was about ${\times}3$ higher in the CKD group than in the normal group (p=0.01). Estimated glomerular filtration rates and serum creatinine levels deteriorated until the third postoperative day in the CKD group. However, by adopting protocol-based perioperative management, this transient renal dysfunction recovered to preoperative levels by the fifth postoperative day without requiring renal replacement therapy in all cases. Conclusion: Off-pump coronary bypass surgery combined with this protocol-based perioperative management strategy in patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD could mostly be performed without renal replacement therapy.

• Journal of Neurocritical Care
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2018

Background: Hypoglycemia is uncommon in people without diabetes. There have been only a few reports of cardiac arrest in conjunction with hypoglycemia in non-diabetic patients. Case Report: A 66-year-old man visited the emergency room with dizziness. He was a chronic alcoholic. Laboratory test showed no evidence of diabetes mellitus. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a left cerebellar infarction. Abdomen computed tomography demonstrated liver cirrhosis with minimal ascites. During his hospital stay, he consumed only a small amount of food because of nausea and headache. On hospital day 4, he had a cardiac arrest after two seizure episodes. His blood glucose was 10 mg/dL. The combination of liver cirrhosis, renal failure and poor oral intake was presumed to be the causes of the severe hypoglycemia. Conclusion: We report a rare case of cardiac arrest occurring in conjunction with severe hypoglycemia in a non-diabetic patient with cerebral infarction.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.449-456
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• 2014

This study aimed to reveal the statistical correlation between the distribution of jurisdictional population and the incidence of mobilization, which consisted with cases of patient transfer and non-transfer to hospital. For this study, we collected and analysed the data for populational status, area, and cases of patient transfer and non-transfer to hospital from 5 fire stations in D city, from January 2010 to December 2012. Total numbers of mobilization were highest in J fire station and this supreme tendency were also seen in both cases (transfer and non-transfer). On the contrary, those of B fire station were lowest. In case of populational status of specific jurisdiction, S fire station was identified to possess the highest while D fire station showed the lowest. However, influences of jurisdictional population on occurrence of patient transfer and / or non-transfer to hospital were not seemed to be shown.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-129
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• 2013

The imidazopyridine, zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic drug, is widely-prescribed for insomnia. It is regarded as a good alternative to benzodiazepine because of the reduced possibility for abuse and development of dependence. However, more recently, due to the reduced possibility for abuse and development of dependence, it is regarded as a good alternative to benzodiazepine. adverse effects of zolpidem have been recognized. The objective of this report is to provide information on the potential for occurrence of benzodiazepine-like withdrawal seizure in patients who chronically take zolpidem continually. We present and discuss a case of seizure after sudden interruption of the protracted use of an abusively high dose of zolpidem. Zolpidem may not be the ideal drug for longterm pharmacotherapeutic management of insomnia. Clinicians should administer zolpidem at a low-dose for a short period of time for prevention of drug abuse and dependence and the potential for occurrence of benzodiazepine- like withdrawal seizure.