• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2011

Purpose: A rib fracture secondary to blunt thoracic trauma continues to be an important injury with significant complications. Unfortunately, there are no definite treatment guidelines for severe multiple rib fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the result of early operative stabilization and to find the risk factors of surgical fixation in patients with bilateral multiple rib fractures or flail segments. Methods: From December 2005 to December 2008, the medical records of all patients who underwent operative stabilization of ribs for severe multiple rib fractures were reviewed. We investigated patients' demographics, preoperative comorbidities, underlying lung disease, chest trauma, other associated injuries, number of surgical rib fixation, combined operations, perioperative ventilator support, and postoperative complications to find the factors affecting the mortality after surgical treatment. Results: The mean age of the 96 patients who underwent surgical stabilization for bilateral multiple rib fractures or flail segments was 56.7 years (range: 22 to 82 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 3.6:1. Among the 96 patients, 16 patients (16.7%) underwent reoperation under general or epidural anesthesia due to remaining fracture with severe displacement. The surgical mortality of severe multiple rib fractures was 8.3% (8/96), 7 of those 8 patients (87.5%) dying from acute respiratory distress syndrome or sepsis. And the other one patient expired from acute myocardial infarction. The risk factors affecting mortality were liver cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, concomitant severe head or abdominal injuries, perioperative ventilator care, postoperative bleeding or pneumonia, and tracheostomy. However, age, number of fractured ribs, lung parenchymal injury, pulmonary contusion and combined operations were not significantly related to mortality. Conclusion: In the present study, surgical fixation of ribs could be carried out as a first-line therapeutic option for bilateral rib fractures or flail segments without significant complications if the risk factors associated with mortality were carefully considered. Furthermore, with a view of restoring pulmonary function, as well as chest wall configuration, early operative stabilization of the ribs is more helpful than conventional treatment for patients with severe multiple rib fractures.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.212-217
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features of children who have survived a water submersion incident, and to identify risk factors for prognosis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who experienced submersion between January 2005 and December 2014. The patients were classified into 2 groups, according to complications, and prognostic factors were evaluated. Results: During the study period, 29 children experienced submersion (20 boys and 9 girls; mean age, $83.8{\pm}46.4$ months). Submersion occurred most commonly in the summer, with the peak incidence in August. The most frequent Szpilman clinical score was grade 5 (13 patients; 44.8%), followed by grade 6 (7 patients; 24.1%), and grades 1 or 2 (3 patients; 10.3%). Five children (17.2%) in the poor prognosis group died or had hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and the overall mortality rate was 6.9%. Poor prognosis after submersion was associated with lower consciousness levels (P=0.003), higher Szpilman scores (P=0.007), greater need for intubation and mechanical ventilator support (P=0.001), and longer duration of oxygen therapy (P=0.015). Poor prognosis was also associated with lower bicarbonate levels (P=0.038), as well as higher sodium, aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (P=0.034, P=0.006, and P=0.005, respectively). Szpilman clinical scores were positively correlated with consciousness levels (r=0.489, P=0.002) and serum liver enzyme levels (AST and ALT; r=0.521, P=0.004). Conclusion: We characterized the prognostic factors associated with submersion outcomes, using the Szpilman clinical score, which is comparable to consciousness level for predicting mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.184-194
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• 2024

Background: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are widely employed as a therapeutic option for end-stage heart failure. We evaluated the outcomes associated with centrifugal-flow LVAD implantation, comparing 2 device models: the Heartmate 3 (HM3) and the Heartware Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD). Methods: Data were collected from patients who underwent LVAD implantation between June 1, 2015 and December 31, 2022. We analyzed overall survival, first rehospitalization, and early, late, and LVAD-related complications. Results: In total, 74 patients underwent LVAD implantation, with 42 receiving the HM3 and 32 the HVAD. A mild Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support score was more common among HM3 than HVAD recipients (p=0.006), and patients receiving the HM3 exhibited lower rates of preoperative ventilator use (p=0.010) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (p=0.039). The overall early mortality rate was 5.4% (4 of 74 patients), with no significant difference between groups. Regarding early right ventricular (RV) failure, HM3 implantation was associated with a lower rate (13 of 42 [31.0%]) than HVAD implantation (18 of 32 [56.2%], p=0.051). The median rehospitalization-free period was longer for HM3 recipients (16.9 months) than HVAD recipients (5.3 months, p=0.013). Furthermore, HM3 recipients displayed a lower incidence of late hemorrhagic stroke (p=0.016). In the multivariable analysis, preoperative use of continuous renal replacement therapy (odds ratio, 22.31; p=0.002) was the only significant predictor of postoperative RV failure. Conclusion: The LVAD models (HM3 and HVAD) demonstrated comparable overall survival rates. However, the HM3 was associated with a lower risk of late hemorrhagic stroke.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.26-36
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• 2021

Purpose : This study aimed to present the incidence of pressure ulcers and identify different associated factors according to the time of occurrence of pressure ulcers in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods : The participants were 313 patients who reported pressure ulcers among 2,908 patients in ICUs at a large tertiary hospital in Gyeonggi-do. Among them, 220 patients (70.3%) had a pressure ulcer before admission, and 93 patients (29.7%) reported newly developed pressure ulcers after admission to the ICU. Data were collected between August 2018 and April 2019. Along with the time of occurrence and characteristics of pressure ulcers, diverse associated factors were gathered through electronic medical records. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and 𝑥²-tests. Results : Different risk factors associated with pressure ulcers in ICU patients according to the time of occurrence were main diagnosis, score of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation, score of Richmond agitation sedation scale, level of consciousness, administered sedatives, use of a ventilator, insertion of a feeding tube, and the duration of fasting period. Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, healthcare providers, especially ICU nurses, should try to detect early signs and symptoms of pressure ulcers, taking into account the derived factors associated with pressure ulcers in ICU patients. Practical intervention programs and strategies considering the factors associated with pressure ulcers must be developed to prevent and alleviate such ulcers in ICU patients in the future.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.232-243
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was to identify the level of knowledge and performances on evidence-based infection control and influencing factors on performance among nurses in intensive care unit. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used. Two hundred thirty-nine nurses at intensive care units were conveniently recruited from seven hospitals located in Seoul and Kyounggi province. Data were collected with a questionnaire survey about evidence-based infection control. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. Results: Both level of knowledge (mean 9.15 out of 19) on preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia and central venous catheter induced bloodstream infection, and performance on evidence-based infection control (1.94 out of 4) were moderate. Performance of evidence-based practice for infection control was related to reading research articles regularly, professional satisfaction, and taken education course. Conclusion: These results indicate that systematic and organizational strategies for enhancing evidence-based infection control are needed to improve quality of intensive nursing care.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.179-185
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• 2017

Purpose: Rib fracture is the most common complication of blunt thoracic trauma. We investigated the effect of rib fracture on pulmonary function in the conservatively treated patients. Methods: From January 2000 to February 2017, we reviewed the records of 72 patients with rib fracture and pulmonary function tests were performed. According to the number of rib fractures, patients were classified into two groups: less than six fractured ribs (group A) and more than six fractured ribs (group B). The groups were compared concerning demographics, underlying diseases, associated thoracic injuries, surgery, mechanical ventilator times, days spent in the intensive care unit and pulmonary function test. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic data between the two groups. Mean hospitalization was 13.5 days in group A and 27.0 days in group B (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the pulmonary function test. Conclusions: We conclude that pulmonary function is restored by conservative treatment in patients with rib fractures even if the number of rib fractures increases. In patients with multiple rib fractures, studies comparing open rib fixation and conservative treatment of long term pulmonary function are required.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.197-203
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• 2014

In this paper, we develop an attachable head of bed(HOB) monitoring system, which can prevent ventilator associated pneumonia(VAP), and analyze the performance of the developed HOB monitoring system. The main purpose of the HOB monitoring system is to support visible HOB display for keeping patients' position effectively and collect data for analysis of the relation between HOB elevation and patients' symptom. The HOB monitoring system is developed in attached-type and uses an FIR filter with heuristic logic to remove the unwanted noise. The optical encoder is used for the performance analysis of the developed HOB monitoring system.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.265-274
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors contributed to unplanned readmission to intensive care unit (ICU) and to investigate the prediction model of unplanned readmission. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records which included the data of 3,903 patients who had discharged from ICUs in a university hospital in Seoul from January 2011 to April 2012. Results: The unplanned readmission rate was 4.8% (n=186). The nine variables were significantly different between the unplanned readmission and no readmission groups: age, clinical department, length of stay at 1st ICU, operation, use of ventilator during 24 hours a day, APACHE II score at ICU admission and discharge, direct nursing care hours and Glasgow coma scale total score at 1st ICU discharge. The clinical department, length of stay at 1st ICU, operation and APACHE II score at ICU admission were the significant predictors of unplanned ICU readmission. The predictive model's area under the curve was .802 (p<.001). Conclusion: We identified the risk factors and the prediction model associated with unplanned ICU readmission. Better patient assessment tools and knowledge about risk factors could contribute to reduce unplanned ICU readmission rate and mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.739-747
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• 1989

Between September 1986, and August 1989, eight infants underwent operation for repair of coarctation of the aorta in the first year of life. The patients included 7 males and 1 female ranging in age 19 days and 9 months. Weights ranged from 3.5 Kg to 7 Kg [mean 5 Kg]. All patients had preductal coarctation of the aorta. Each infant had associated cardiac anomalies, including ventricular septal defect [7 infants] and patent ductus arteriosus [5 infants]. All had intractable congestive heart failure, despite aggressive medical therapy. Pressure gradient across the coarctation ranged from 10 mmHg to 60 mmHg. Operative techniques were subclavian flap aortoplasty in five cases, Gore-Tex patch aortoplasty in three cases. In addition to coarctation repair, six infants had concomitant banding of the pulmonary artery. Four infants required ventilator support for several days. There was no operative death. Complications developed in two. One infant had tracheal stenosis after a tracheostomy. Another infant had restenosis of the aorta revealed by cardiac catheterization 30 months after surgery. The pressure gradient was 30 mmHg, necessitating balloon dilatation aortoplasty. Results were satisfactory. During follow up, we performed total correction procedures [patch closure of the ventricular septal defect, infundibulectomy, pulmonary valvotomy and pulmonary artery angioplasty] in one case. Continuing follow-up finds all patients in good condition.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify status and characteristics of patients who have been readmitted to ICU, and to analyze risk factors associated with the readmission to ICU within 48hours. Method: Data were collected from patient's electronic medical reports from one hospital in B city. Participants were 2,937 patients aged 18 years old or older admitted to the ICU. Data were analyzed using odd ratios (ORs) from multivariate logistic regressions. Results: 2.2% of the 2,937 patients were early readmitted to ICU. Risk factors for early readmission to ICU were existence of respiratory disease, use of mechanical ventilator, and duration of hospitalization (longer). Conclusion: The assessment on the respiratory system of the patient who will be discharged from the ICU was identified as an important nursing activity. Therefore, the respiratory system management and education should be actively conducted. In addition, early ICU readmission may be prevented and decreased if a link was built to share the information on patient condition between the ICU and general wards.