• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2015

The reconstruction of recurrent pressure sores is challenging due to a limited set of treatment options and a high risk of flap loss. Successful treatment requires scrupulous surgical planning and a multidisciplinary approach. Although the tensor fascia lata flap is regarded as the standard treatment of choice-it provides sufficient tissue bulk for a deep trochanteric sore defect-plastic surgeons must always consider the potential of recurrence and accordingly save the second-best tissues. With the various applications of anterolateral thigh (ALT) flaps in the reconstructive field, we report two cases wherein an alternative technique was applied, whereby pedicled ALT fasciocutaneous island flaps were used to cover recurrent trochanteric pressure sores. The postoperative course was uneventful without any complications. The flap provided a sound aesthetic result without causing a dog-ear formation or damaging the lower-leg contour. This flap was used as an alternative to myocutaneous flaps, as it can cover a large trochanteric defect, recurrence is minimized, and the local musculature and lower-leg contour are preserved.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.153-166
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• 2004

In addition to antiseptic／antibiotic regimens, current therapies such as topical and systemic corticosteroids, anti-histamine agents, immune suppressing agent are generally used in the western medicine to treat atopic dermatitis(AD). However, there is almost a complete lack of effective strategies to achieve long-term control of disease, oriental medical treatments are proposed an alternative measure. It has been proved by experimental and clinical study that Oriental medical atopic dermatitis(AD) treatments such as herb-medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion therapy, and steam therapy are effective in long-term treatment. Nevertheless, oriental medical therapy has some limitations to treat acute stage of the disease. Recently developed No-Hoe(蘆？: Aloe vera L.) extract dressings will be a supplementary methods to the oriental medical therapy. The dressing can subside pruritus, exudation, erythema and scaling in the acute stage of atopic dermatitis(AD). We applied the No-Hoe(蘆？: Aloe vera L.) extract dressings to eight atopic dermatitis patients and got some good effects. This reports will provide an alternative choice for the oriental and westernal medical therapy for long-term AD treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2020

The implantation process is highly complex and difficult to mimic in vitro, and a reliable experimental model of implantation has yet to be established. Many researchers have used embryo transfer (ET) to assess implantation potential; however, ET with pseudopregnant mice requires expert surgical skills and numerous sacrificial animals. To overcome those economic and ethical problems, several researchers have tried to use outgrowth models to evaluate the implantation potential of embryos. Many previous studies, as well as our experiments, have found significant correlations between blastocyst outgrowth in vitro and implantation in utero by ET. This review proposes the blastocyst outgrowth model as a possible alternative to animal experimentation involving ET in utero. In particular, the outgrowth model might be a cost- and time-effective alternative method to ET for evaluating the effectiveness of culture conditions or treatments. An advanced outgrowth model and further culture of outgrowth embryos could provide a subtle research model of peri- and postimplantation development, excluding maternal effects, and thereby could facilitate progress in assisted reproductive technologies. Recently, we found that outgrowth embryos secreted extracellular vesicles containing specific microRNAs. The function of microRNAs from outgrowth embryos should be elucidated in further researches.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.131-143
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• 2008

This study aims at finding out the correlation between sasang constitution diagnosis using QSCCII which is self reporting questionnaire and sasang constitution diagnosis using iridology. In this study, 131 adult male and female participated as testees. The survey on questionnaires of QSCCII were carried out and then photos of irises of the participants were taken. The data from QSCCII was computed in WIN QSCCII version and they were translated into sasang constitution. For iris photos, the iris specialized camera with 1,300,000 picture elements was used, and then the iris photos were also read by computer. The correlation rate between QSCCII sasang constitution and iris sasang constitution was 52.4%, where kappa coefficient shows 0.323, which gives meaningful result statistically. And thus, the result can be used as a reference in sasang constitution diagnosis. For iridology to be served as a tool for sasang constitution diagnosis, criteria need to be developed for more concrete iris sasang constitution diagnosis in the future. And also comparative research is required among sasang constitution professionals and its iridological correlation of Sasang constitution carried out on more various group of people.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.173-199
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• 1997

The main purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative system of the distribution of OTC drugs in Korea. We first investigate the characteristics and the regulations on the distribution of the Korean medicine market and compare it with some foreign countries. We also examine the buying behavior of Korean customers. We propose three different alternatives. A passive policy is to expand the range of OTC drugs. Another one would be to amend the relevant laws. An active alternative is to arrange a separate organization to control the distribution of OTC drugs. The time and the execution of the proposed policies could vary.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.67-81
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• 2011

Background : Complementary and alternative medicine has bee used to cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, many hospitals have tried to integrate complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) with conventional medical approaches for patients with chronic diseases. Recently, the prevalence of the use of traditional Korean medicine(TKM) among patients with chronic diseases, expecially, hemiplegia patients after cerebrovascular accident is increasing in Korea. To date, however, there were only few studies addressing the patients' attitudes, and utilization of TKM, compared to the well-documented escalating use of TKM among consumers in Korea. Objectives : The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of TKM use among hemiplegia patients after cerebrovascular accident and to determine what factors affect to use CAM among the patients. The study also aims to provide information on TKM and assist therapy selection among various CAM therapies for hemiplegia patients after cerebrovascular accident within health care system in which both practitioners of TKM and practitioners of modern Western medicine coexisted. Methods : The design of the study was descriptive cross-sectional, and data were collected using a 32-items questionnaire. The subjects were one hundred fifty nine patients with chronic diseases who visited or admitted to health care facilities in a hospital in Seoul Metropolitan city, Korea. Data were analyzed using 'SPSS Statistics 18.0 Network Version(on release 18.0.1 of PASW Statistics)' program. Various statistical methods were used to obtain a profile for participants and the therapies most frequently used by hemiplegia patients of TKM. Logistic regression analysis was employed in order to determine the predicting variables of TKM use. Results : The prevalence of the use of TKM was 51.6%. The most common TKM therapies used by the patients included acupuncture(93.2%), herbal medicine(64.8%), and cupping(37.5%). Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the variables significantly related with TKM use were gender, marital status, job, No. of visiting health care facilities/week. Conclusions : This study shows that the use of TKM among the hemiplegia patients is relatively high in Korea, this topic should be taken into account in the development of a holistic approach for patients with chronic diseases and an efficient chronic disease management system in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.799-805
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• 2016

Background: There is no standard treatment for patients with platinum-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer. Single agent chemotherapies have evidence of more efficacy and less toxicity than combination therapy. Most are very expensive, with appreciable toxicity and minimal survival. Since it is difficult to make comparison between outcomes, economic analysis of single-agent chemotherapy regimens and best supportive care may help to make decisions about an appropriate management for the affected patients. Objective: To evaluate the cost effectiveness of second-line chemotherapy compared with best supportive care for patients with platinum-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer. Materials and Methods: A Markov model was used to estimate the effectiveness and total costs associated with treatments. The hypothetical patient population comprised women aged 55 with platinum-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer. Four types of alternative treatment options were evaluated: 1) gemcitabine followed by BSC; 2) pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) followed by BSC; 3) gemcitabine followed by topotecan; and 4) PLD followed by topotecan. Baseline comparator of alternative treatments was BSC. Time horizon of the analysis was 2 years. Health care provider perspective and 3% discount rate were used to determine the costs of medical treatment in this study. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) were used to measure the treatment effectiveness. Treatment effectiveness data were derived from the literature. Costs were calculated from unit cost treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer patients at various stages of disease in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH) in the year 2011. Parameter uncertainty was tested in probabilistic sensitivity analysis by using Monte Carlo simulation. One-way sensitivity analysis was used to explore each variable's impact on the uncertainty of the results. Results: Approximated life expectancy of best supportive care was 0.182 years and its total cost was 26,862 Baht. All four alternative treatments increased life expectancy. Life expectancy of gemcitabine followed by BSC, PLD followed by BSC, gemcitabine followed by topotecan and PLD followed by topotecan was 0.510, 0.513, 0.566, and 0.570 years, respectively. The total cost of gemcitabine followed by BSC, PLD followed by BSC, gemcitabine followed by topotecan and PLD followed by topotecan was 113,000, 124,302, 139,788 and 151,135 Baht, respectively. PLD followed by topotecan had the highest expected quality-adjusted life-years but was the most expensive of all the above strategies. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) of gemcitabine followed by BSC, PLD followed by BSC, gemcitabine followed by topotecan and PLD followed by topotecan was 344,643, 385,322, 385,856, and 420,299 Baht, respectively. Conclusions: All of the second-line chemotherapy strategies showed certain benefits due to an increased life-year gained compared with best supportive care. Moreover, gemcitabine as second-line chemotherapy followed by best supportive care in progressive disease case was likely to be more effective strategy with less cost from health care provider perspective. Gemcitabine was the most cost-effective treatment among all four alternative treatments. ICER is only an economic factor. Treatment decisions should be based on the patient benefit.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1313-1318
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to examine the psychological distress in women with breast cancer. Subjects were 25 women with breast cancer and 25 healthy women, who were recruited from January 2005 to September 2006 at Dunsan oriental hospital of Daejeon university. Psychological distress were assessed using SCL-90-R(Symptom-Check-List-90-Revised), and diagnosis of sasang constitution was done by QSCCII (Ousestionnare for Sasang Constitution Classification II). Psychological distress were significantly showed in breast cancer patients compared with healthy women. They are associated with unmarried or divorced women, lower level of education, and longer time lapse after diagnosis. Especially, phobic anxiety was significantly higher in Soeumin than Taeumin and Soyangin. These results lead us to the conclusion that it is necessary to psychological stabilization by various method in care program of breast cancer.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.2 s.142
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• pp.111-114
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• 2007

Chloroquine remains the drug of choice for the treatment of vivax malaria in Thailand. Mixed infections of falciparum and vivax malaria are also common in South-East Asia. Laboratory confirmation of malaria species is not generally available. This study aimed to find alternative regimens for treating both malaria species by using falciparum antimalarial drugs. From June 2004 to May 2005, 98 patients with Plasmodium vivax were randomly treated with either artemether-lumefantrine (n = 47) or chloroquine (n = 51). Both treatments were followed by 15 mg of primaquine over 14 days. Adverse events and clinical and parasitological outcomes were recorded and revealed similar in both groups. The cure rate was 97.4% for the artemether-lumefantrine treated group and 100% for the chloroquine treated group. We concluded that the combination of artemether-lumefantrine and primaquine was well tolerated, as effective as chloroquine and primaquine, and can be an alternative regimen for treatment of vivax malaria especially in the event that a mixed infection of falciparum and vivax malaria could not be ruled out.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.10
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• pp.1103-1108
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• 2009

Purpose: Recently, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been increasingly used in children. Studies have shown that 34% of adults and 11% of children use CAM in the USA and Canada. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and patterns of CAM use in elementary children in Korea. Methods:From July to August 2007, parents of elementary children completed a questionnaire survey at Gwang-ju. In all, 794 questionnaires were analyzed. Results:Of the 794 respondents, 278 answered that their pupils (35%) had experienced CAM. The following types of CAM therapy were used: herbal medicine, 62.5% dietary supplements, 31.2% vitamins, 30.2% and acupuncture, 11.1%. CAM therapies were used for the following diseases: nutritional deficiency, 33.3% atopic dermatitis, 31.3% arthralgia, 31.3% allergic rhinitis, 28.8% obesity, 26.3% and asthma. The following were the motives to use CAM: prevention of diseases (33.5%), dissatisfaction with modern medicine (21.2%), and complementary therapy to modern medicine (20.5%). People gained information about CAM through neighbors (65%) and mass media (21%). Moreover, 83 parents (30%) were satisfied with CAM because of its effectiveness. Conclusion:Many parents have advocated the use of CAM in their children. However, most of them used CAM without any prescription or adequate knowledge. Further studies are required to determine the efficacy of CAM.