• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2021

Several types of pain occur following spinal cord injury (SCI); however, neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the most intractable. Invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have been studied in clinical trials to treat chronic NP following SCI. The evidence for invasive stimulation including motor cortex and deep brain stimulation via the use of implanted electrodes to reduce SCI-related NP remains limited, due to the small scale of existing studies. The lower risk of complications associated with non-invasive stimulation, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), provide potentially attractive alternative central neuromodulation techniques. Compared to rTMS, tDCS is technically easier to apply, more affordable, available, and potentially feasible for home use. Accordingly, several new studies have investigated the efficacy of tDCS to treat NP after SCI. In this review, articles relating to the mechanisms, clinical efficacy and safety of tDCS on SCI-related NP were searched from inception to December 2019. Six clinical trials, including five randomized placebo-controlled trials and one prospective controlled trial, were included for evidence specific to the efficacy of tDCS for treating SCI-related NP. The mechanisms of action of tDCS are complex and not fully understood. Several factors including stimulation parameters and individual patient characteristics may affect the efficacy of tDCS intervention. Current evidence to support the efficacy of utilizing tDCS for relieving chronic NP after SCI remains limited. Further strong evidence is needed to confirm the efficacy of tDCS intervention for treating SCI-related NP.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.291-302
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• 2022

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most debilitating disorders throughout the world, causing persistent sensory-motor dysfunction, with no effective treatment. Oxidative stress and inflammatory responses play key roles in the secondary phase of SCI. Naringenin (NAR) is a natural flavonoid with known anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. This study aims at evaluating the effects of intrathecal NAR administration on sensory-motor disability after SCI. Methods: Animals underwent a severe compression injury using an aneurysm clip. About 30 minutes after surgery, NAR was injected intrathecally at the doses of 5, 10, and 15 mM in 20 µL volumes. For the assessment of neuropathic pain and locomotor function, acetone drop, hot plate, inclined plane, and Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan tests were carried out weekly till day 28 post-SCI. Effects of NAR on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity was appraised by gelatin zymography. Also, histopathological analyses and serum levels of glutathione (GSH), catalase and nitrite were measured in different groups. Results: NAR reduced neuropathic pain, improved locomotor function, and also attenuated SCI-induced weight loss weekly till day 28 post-SCI. Zymography analysis showed that NAR suppressed MMP-9 activity, whereas it increased that of MMP-2, indicating its anti-neuroinflammatory effects. Also, intrathecal NAR modified oxidative stress related markers GSH, catalase, and nitrite levels. Besides, the neuroprotective effect of NAR was corroborated through increased survival of sensory and motor neurons after SCI. Conclusions: These results suggest intrathecal NAR as a promising candidate for medical therapeutics for SCI-induced sensory and motor dysfunction.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.72-83
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• 2023

Background: Globally, spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a big burden, including 90% suffering permanent disability, and 60%-69% experiencing neuropathic pain. The main causes are oxidative stress, inflammation, and degeneration. The efficacy of the stem cell secretome is promising, but the role of human neural stem cell (HNSC)-secretome in neuropathic pain is unclear. This study evaluated how the mechanism of HNSC-secretome improves neuropathic pain and locomotor function in SCI rat models through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-matrix degradation, and neurotrophic activities. Methods: A proper experimental study investigated 15 Rattus norvegicus divided into normal, control, and treatment groups (30 µL HNSC-secretome, intrathecal in the level of T10, three days post-traumatic SCI). Twenty-eight days post-injury, specimens were collected, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, F2-Isoprostanes, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were analyzed. Locomotor recovery was evaluated via Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores. Neuropathic pain was evaluated using the Rat Grimace Scale. Results: The HNSC-secretome could improve locomotor recovery and neuropathic pain, decrease F2-Isoprostane (antioxidant), decrease MMP-9 and TNF-α (anti-inflammatory), as well as modulate TGF-β and BDNF (neurotrophic factor). Moreover, HNSC-secretomes maintain the extracellular matrix of SCI by reducing the matrix degradation effect of MMP-9 and increasing the collagen formation effect of TGF-β as a resistor of glial scar formation. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the mechanism of HNSC-secretome in improving neuropathic pain and locomotor function in SCI through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-matrix degradation, and neurotrophic activities.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.79-83
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• 2014

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that provides movement and feeling to the shoulder, arm and hand. The majority of acute brachial plexus injuries occur when the plexus is stretched violently or torn. This happens as result of the shoulder being pressed down forcefully while the head is pushed up and away from that shoulder. Such injuries frequently result from automobile or motor-cycle accidents or from falls and usually affect one side. Nerve injuries vary in severity from a mild stretching of the nerve to a tearing of the nerve root away from the spinal cord. We experienced a 50-year-old woman with weakness in both upper extremities after an attempted hanging. A consecutive workup revealed bilateral brachial plexus injuries. Six months after the incident, she had fully recovered. This is a very rare case of bilateral brachial plexus injuries after an attempted hanging.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.427-431
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• 2012

Conventional laminectomy is the most popular technique for the complete removal of intradural spinal tumors. In particular, the central portion intramedullary tumor and large intradural extramedullary tumor often require a total laminectomy for the midline myelotomy, sufficient decompression, and adequate visualization. However, this technique has the disadvantages of a wide incision, extensive periosteal muscle dissection, and bony structural injury. Recently, split-spinous laminectomy and tubular retractor systems were found to decrease postoperative muscle injuries, skin incision size and discomfort. The combined technique of split-spinous laminectomy, using a quadrant tube retractor system allows for an excellent exposure of the tumor with minimal trauma of the surrounding tissue. We propose that this technique offers possible advantages over the traditional open tumor removal of the intradural spinal cord tumors, which covers one or two cervical levels and requires a total laminectomy.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.377-380
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• 2015

Muscle contusion has a negative effect on muscle function. Although several studies showed that pain control and muscle recovery is facilitated by pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF), there has not been much research regarding the specific effects of PEMF on them. The aim of the present study is to investigate effects of PEMF on pain and muscle recovery following extensor digitorum longus (EDL) contusion injury through measuring the expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene and nerve growth factor (NGF). Significantly reduced c-fos expression in the spinal cord was shown in PEMF groups compared with control (CON) groups. There was no significant difference between PEMF1 and CON1, but significantly increased NGF expression was shown in PEMF3 and PEMF5 compared with in CON groups, where the numbers in the group names are the days from contusion. In conclusion, PEMF could be used to not only reduce pain in muscle injuries by down-regulating c-fos expression in the spinal cord, but it could also influence muscle healing through increasing NGF expression in the injured muscle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.752-759
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• 2002

This paper presented a design and a control of a biped walking RGO and walking simulation by this system. The biped walking RGO was distinguished from the other one by which had a very light-weight and a new RGO type with 12-servo motors. The vibration evaluation of the dynamic PLS on the biped walking RGO was used to access by the 3-axis accelerometer with a low frequency vibration for the spinal cord injuries. The gait of a biped walking RGO depended on the constrains of mechanical kinematics and the initial posture. The stability of dynamic walking was investigated by a ZMP (Zero Moment Point) of the biped walking RGO. It was designed according to a human wear type and was able to accomodate itself to a human environments. The joints of each leg were adopted with a good kinematic characteristics. To test of the analysis of joint kinematic properties, we did the strain stress analysis of the dynamic PLS and the analysis study of FEM with a dynamic PLS. It will be expect that the spinal cord injury patients are able to recover effectively with a biped walking RGO.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.550-553
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• 2020

Acupuncture, which is a procedure of inserting needles in a specific portion of the body to control pain, is conducted widely. The procedure is considered relatively safe because of its minimal side effects and low occurrence (1 in 200,000). On the other hand, its side effects include neurological damage, infection, hematoma, emphysema, etc. The authors report a case of cervical neurological damage that occurred after an acupuncture procedure.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.176-183
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• 1999

Sexual life is one of the most important things for the quality of living, which nobody can ignore. Especially, spinal cord injury is one of the most typical disabilities, which can cause abrupt changes of sexuality. Hence, sexual adjustment and its subordinate problems have to be dealt with among various problems caused by spinal cord injury. The purpose of this study was to comparative sexual interest and adjustment between the married and the unmarried people with SCI. A total of 134 persons who were registered members of SCI organization and admitted rehabilitation unit between February and June 1999 were included in the study. The sample consisted of 69 unmarried and 64 married people with SCI. Participants answered the 15 items concerning sexual interest, sexual adjustment. The results are as follows: 1) The mean score of sexual interest for the unmarried was 16.4. From seven topics related to sexuality, the greatest interest was to cope emotionally with changes in sexual functioning. For the married, mean score of sexual interest was 13.8 and the greatest interest was to help a partner cope emotionally with limitation on sexual dysfunction. There were significant difference sexual interest between two groups (t=3.75, p= .00). 2) Each mean score for sexual adjustment in the married and the unmarried was 20.0, 19.6. There were no significance difference sexual interest between two groups (t=.24, p= .811). However, there was a statistically significant difference of sexual interest. 3) Sexual interests and adjustments are not correlated in case of the unmarried that have r score= .224, while they are corrlated in case of the married that have r= .398. Because the average age of the SCI becomes lower and lower, sexual rehabilitation programs should be given the unmarried as well as the married with SCI. In conclusion, the spinal injured's major concerns about their sexual life are different between the married and the unmarried-the unmarried are interested in practical problems such as methods and techniques to achieve sexual satisfaction and their fertility, while the married give priority to considerations about their spouse. Paying attention to different sexual interest according to marital status, we should make two different sexual rehabilitation programs for each group. One program including support groups with their sposes for the married, the other program to give a chance t o solve problems of sexuality for the unmarried with SCI.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.53-55
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• 2024

A noncontact sensor field is an innovative device that can detect, measure, or monitor physical properties or conditions without direct physical contact with the subject or object under examination. These sensors use a variety of methods, including electromagnetic, optical, and acoustic technique, to collect information about the target without physical interaction. Noncontact sensors find wide-ranging applications in various fields such as manufacturing, robotics, automobiles, security, environmental monitoring, space industry, agriculture, and entertainment. In particular, they are used in the medical field, where they provide continuous monitoring of patient conditions and offer opportunities in rehabilitation medicine. This article introduces the potential of noncontact sensors in the field of rehabilitation medicine.