• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2011

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze diabetic foot patients' direct service costs until the cure of the disease. Materials Methods: The subjects of this study were randomly sampled 60 patients who had been treated for diabetic foot at one of two tertiary hospitals and cured of the disease during from January 2008 to December 2009, and whose diagnostic code was E11.5 or E14.5. Data were collected from medical records and direct service costs were analyzed using data on the payments of individual service charges. Direct service costs spent at other medical institutions for the same disease were excluded. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The subjects' mean hospital stay was 29 days, and mean period until cure was 132 days. The inpatient cost per patient was 10,844,648 won, outpatient cost was 715,751 won, and home care services cost was 641,854 won, so total direct service cost per patient was 11,913,419 won. The total direct service cost in patients who had their foot amputated was 12,769,822 won, 1.3 times higher than without amputation, who had vascular intervention was 16,219,477 won, 1.9 times higher than non-vascular intervention, who had both infection and artery occlusion was 17,522,435 won, 2.0 times higher than either infection or artery occlusion. Conclusion: In diabetic foot patients, the direct service cost was highest as 17,522,435 won in patients accompanied with both infection and occlusion of lower extremity artery.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.643-650
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• 2017

Vascular dementia (VaD) is a group of heterogeneous diseases with the common feature of cerebral hypoperfusion. To identify key factors contributing to VaD pathophysiology, we performed a detailed comparison of Wistar and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats subjected to permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAo). Eight-week old male Wistar and SD rats underwent BCCAo, followed by a reference memory test using a five-radial arm maze with tactile cues. Continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow (CBF) was performed with a laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) system. A separate cohort of animals was sacrificed for evaluation of the brain vasculature and white matter damage after BCCAo. We found reference memory impairment in Wistar rats, but not in SD rats. Moreover, our LDPI system revealed that Wistar rats had significant hypoperfusion in the brain region supplied by the posterior cerebral artery (PCA). Furthermore, Wistar rats showed more profound CBF reduction in the forebrain region than did SD rats. Post-mortem analysis of brain vasculature demonstrated greater PCA plasticity at all time points after BCCAo in Wistar rats. Finally, we confirmed white matter rarefaction that was only observed in Wistar rats. Our studies show a comprehensive and dynamic CBF status after BCCAo in Wistar rats in addition to severe PCA dolichoectasia, which correlated well with white matter lesion and memory decline.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.220-227
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• 2021

A patient failed to use conventional complete dentures due to severe mandibular bone resorption and soft tissue hyperplasia on lips, tongue and oral vestibule from vascular malformation. The treatment of choice would be an implant-retained overdenture, however, he refused owing to high cost. The closed mouth impression technique using BPS principle, CR record registration with gothic arch tracing and monoplane occlusion using non-anatomic teeth were used to fabricate complete dentures for this patient. Patient satisfaction, the retention and the stability of complete dentures were highly improved as a result.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.121-126
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• 2000

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a new liquid embolic material, Embol, in embolization of the renal artery. Materials and Methods: Embol is a new embolic material obtained by partial hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate mixed in absolute ethanol and Iopromide 370 and manufactured by Schering Korea, Kyonggido, Korea. Six patients who underwent embolization of the renal artery using Embol were evaluated. Four were male and two were female and their ages ranged from 11 to 70 (mean, 53) years. Clinical and radiologic diagnoses referred for renal artery embolization were renal cell carcinoma (n = 3), renal angiomyolipoma (n = 2) and pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery (n = 1). After selective renal angiography, Embol was injected through various catheters, either with or without a balloon occlusion catheter. Changes in symptoms and blood chemistry which may have been related to renal artery embolization with Embol were analyzed. Results: The six patients showed immediate total occlusion of their renal vascular lesions. One of the three in whom renal cell carcinoma was embolized with Embol underwent radical nephrectomy, and the specimen thus obtained revealed 40% tumor necrosis. In the two patients with angiomyolipomas, the tumors decreased in size and abdominal pain subsided. Bleeding from pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery was successfully controlled. Four patients showed symptoms of post-embolization syndrome, and one of these also showed increased levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. One patient experienced transient hypertension. Conclusion: Embol is easy to use, its radiopacity is adequate and it is a safe and effective embolic material which provides immediate and total occlusion of renal vascular lesions.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2015

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Cannabis Fructus on exercise capacity and cognitive function in chronic hypoperfusion induced vascular dementia rat model. Methods Vascular dementia rat models were induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion through bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (BCCAO). All rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal group; control group; CF I group (feeding Cannabis Fructus 100 mg/kg); CF II group (feeding Cannabis Fructus 300 mg/kg). In order to study the effects of oral administration of Cannabis Fructus on vascular dementia rat models, corner turn test, hole board test, radial arm maze test, passive avoidance test were taken and Acetylcholine (ACh) activity, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, serum of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein level were measured. Also histological findings of the liver, kidney, brain and the change of Tau immunoreactive neurons in hippocampus were observed. Results CF I and CF II showed significant improvement in corner turn test, hole board test, radial arm maze test, passive avoidance test, Acetylcholine (ACh) activity, Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, the serum of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein level and the change of Tau immunoreactive neurons in hippocampus. CF I showed more significant effect than CF II in these tests. However in histological observations of the liver and kidney both CF I and CF II showed glomerular injury and hepatotoxicity. Conclusions These results suggest that Cannabis Fructus was helpful in improving exercise capacity and cognitive function on Chronic hypoperfusion induced Vascular Dementia rats. However Cannabis Fructus affects the liver and kidney, therefore suggest that this is an area for further study.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.619-623
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• 1998

A 51-year-old male with chronic renal failure had marked swelling and tenderness of the right arm. Venography revealed central vein occlusion involving stenosis of right proximal subclavian vein, right internal jugular vein, and left distal innominate vein, and obstruction of right brachiocephalic vein. Multiple obstruction of these veins was thought to have resulted from repeated subclavian catheterization. Right subclavian-superior vena cava was bypassed with 10 mm Gore-tex vascular graft and then left subclavian vein with 8 mm Gore-tex vascular graft was bypassed to the 10 mm Gore-tex vascular graft. The results were excellent.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.275-280
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• 2008

A brief ischemic insult induces significant protection against subsequent massive ischemic events. The molecular mechanisms known as preconditioning (PC)-induced ischemic tolerance are not completely understood. We investigated whether kinetic changes of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 during reperfusion time-periods after PC were related to ischemic tolerance. Rats were given PC by occlusion of middle cerebral artery (MCAO) for 10 min and sacrificed after the indicated time-periods of reperfusion (1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 18 or 24 h). In PC-treated rats, focal ischemia was induced by occlusion of MCA for 24 h and brain infarct volume was then studied to determine whether different reperfusion time influenced the damage. We report that the most significant protection against focal ischemia was obtained in rats with 8 h reperfusion after PC. Administration of indomethacin (10 mg/kg, oral) or rofecoxib (5 mg/kg, oral) 48 h prior to PC counteracted the effect of PC. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that COX-2 and HO-l protein were induced in PC-treated rat brain, which was significantly inhibited by rofecoxib. Taken together, we concluded that the kinetic changes of COX-2 expression during the reperfusion period after PC might be partly responsible for ischemic tolerance.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.80-85
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• 1993

Synthetic and biosynthetic vascular grafts of small diameter have long been considered to be prone to thrombosis, ultimately leading to the complete graft occlusion. Endothelial cell seeding onto synthetic blood-contacting surfaces has been suggested to be an ideal means to solve this problem. This study described a culture method of bovine endothelial cells and evaluated blood-compatibility and seeding efficiency of cultured endothelial cells. Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells were harvested enzymatically and grown to confluence on polystyrene culture flask surfaces using established techniques. The identification of endothelial cells was made through the demonstration of expression of factor VIII R:Ag by immunofluorescent technique. To quantitate the effect of improvement in blood-compatibility of viable endothelial cells, endothelial monolayers were exposed to blood containing $\^$111/In-oxine labeled platelets. Viable endothelial monolayers retained less labeled platelets than control surfaces. The Indium-labeled endothelial cells were seeded onto three different blood-contacting surfaces of Dacron vascular graft immobilized in specially equipped wells and incubated for specific time intervals (t=15, 30, 60, 120 minutes). Longer incubation times showed improved cell adherence in collagen-coated and fibrin-coated Dacron vascular graft groups. However in untreated Dacron grafts, no direct relationship was observed between incubation time and endothelial cell seeding efficiency. This may be due to leakage of endothelial cells through porosity of Dacron grafts in this in-vitro experimental condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2015

Background: Maintenance of adequate vascular access for hemodialysis is important in patients with end-stage renal disease. Once arteriovenous fistula (AVF) occlusion occurs, the patient should be treated with rescue therapy. This study was performed to evaluate the results of a rescue therapy for AVF occlusion. Methods: From January 2008 to December 2012, 47 patients who underwent surgical rescue therapy for AVF occlusion after graft AVF formation, were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, namely the graft repair group (group A, n=19) and the thrombectomy group (group B, n=28). Postoperative results of both groups were analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical characteristics between the two groups. In terms of the duration of AVF patency after the first rescue therapy, group A showed a longer AVF patency duration than group B ($24.5{\pm}21.9$ months versus $17.7{\pm}13.6$ months), but there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.310). In terms of the annual frequency of AVF occlusion after the rescue therapy of group A was lower than that of group B (0.59 versus 0.71), but there was no statistically significant difference (p=0.540). The AVF patency rates at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years after the first rescue therapy in group A were 52.6%, 31.5%, 21.0%, and 15.7%, respectively, and those in group B, they were 32.1%, 25.0%, 17.8%, and 7.14%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (p=0.402). Conclusion: Graft repair revealed comparable results. Although there was no statistically significant difference, the patent duration and annual frequency of AVF occlusion of group A were better than those of group B. Therefore, graft repair is considered as a safe and useful procedure for maintaining graft AVF.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 1986

Aggressive revascularization of the ischemic lower extremities in atherosclerotic, occlusive diseases or acute embolic arterial occlusion due to cardiac valvular disease by thromboembolectomy or an arterial bypass operation has been advocated by some authors. We have performed 68 first time vascular operations, including thromboembolectomies on RR patients with ischemic lower extremities, within an 11-year-and-6-month period, from January 1974 to June 1984. We have reviewed and analyzed our vascular operative procedures and post operative results. The patients upon whom thromboembolectomies were performed were 42 males and 13 females ranging from 5 to 72 years of age. The major arterial occlusive sites were common iliac artery in 20 cases, femoral artery in 21 cases, popliteal artery in 8 cases, common iliac artery and femoral artery in 4 cases, and femoral artery and popliteal artery in 3 cases. The underlying causes of arterial occlusive disease were atherosclerosis obliterans in 34 cases; Buerger`s disease in 3 cases; emboli due to cardiac valvular disease in 13 cases; and vascular trauma in 4 cases, including cardiac catheterization in I of those cases. Arterial bypass operations with autogenous or artificial vascular prosthesis were done in 31 cases. Amputations were done on 2 patients carrying out any more vascular operative procedures would have been of no benefit to them. Our bypass operations for ischemic lower extremities were classified as follows: those done between the abdominal aorta and the femoral artery in 17 cases, including those done between the aorta and the bifemoral arteries with a Y graft in four of those cases and long ones done from the axillary to the femoral artery in 4 cases. Five patients died in the hospital following vascular surgery for ischemic lower extremities, the causes of death were not directly related to the vascular reconstructive operative procedures. The leading causes of death were respiratory failure due to metastatic lung carcinoma: renal failure due to complications from atherosclerosis obliterans; sepsis from open, contaminated fractures of the tibia and fibula; and myocardial failures due to open heart surgery in one case and reconstructive surgery of the ascending aorta in another.