• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.61-63
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• 2015

Lymphedema of the upper limb after breast cancer surgery is a disease that carries a life-long risk and is difficult to cure once it occurs despite the various treatments which have been developed. Two patients were referred from general surgery department for intractable lymphedema. They were treated with stellate ganglion blocks (SGBs), and the circumferences of the mid-point of their each upper and lower arms were measured on every visit to the pain clinic. A decrease of the circumference in each patient was observed starting after the second injection. A series of blocks were established to maintain a prolonged effect. Both patients were satisfied with less swelling and pain. This case demonstrates the benefits of an SGB for intractable upper limb lymphedema.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.57-60
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• 2015

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is a syndrome of chronic biliary pain or recurrent pancreatitis due to the functional obstruction of the pancreaticobiliary flow. We report a case of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic abdominal pain due to SOD. The patient had a history of cholecystectomy and had suffered from chronic right upper quadrant abdominal pain. The patient had been diagnosed as having SOD. The patient was treated with opioid analgesics and nerve blocks, including a splanchnic nerve block. However, two years later, the pain became intractable. We implanted percutaneous SCS at the T5-7 level for this patient. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain and the amount of opioid intake decreased. The patient was tracked for more than six months without significant complications. From our clinical case, SCS is an effective and alternative treatment option for SOD. Further studies and long-term follow-up are necessary to understand the effectiveness and the limitations of SCS on SOD.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2006

The effects of Korean and Japanese radishes on inflammatory reaction that involves arachidonic acid cascades were investigated in human epithelial gastric cell. The activities of type I (porcine pancreas) and type II (Crotalus atrox) phospholipase $A_2(PLA_2$) were inhibited by radish. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity was significantly suppressed by radish (p<0.05, p<0.01 and p<0.005). The nitric oxide production was also inhibited by radish. The Korean radish was more effective in inhibition of $PLA_2$ and COX-2 activities and nitric oxide production than Japanease radish. These results indicate that radish has a protective effect on gastric epithelial cell inflammation by suppressing the activities of $PLA_2$ and COX-2 activities and nitric oxide production from gastric epithelial cell.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1572-1575
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• 2006

Water extract from Cnidii Rhizoma (CRW) was tested for colon cancer chemopreventive activity by measuring the induction of phase II detoxification enzyme activity [quinone reductase (QR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] and glutathion (GSH) levels and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in cultured human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells. CRW inhibited cell proliferation in cultured HT-29 cells. CRW induced QR activity in a dose-dependent manner in a concentration range of 0.1${\sim}$5.0 $mg/m{\ell}$. GST activity was also induced with the treatment of CRW in HT-29 cells. In addition GSH levels was increased with CRW. CRW inhibited ODC activity, a key enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, which is enhanced in tumor promotion. These results suggest that CRW has colon cancer chemopreventive activity by increasing phase II enzyme activity and GSH levels and inhibiting ODC activity in vitro.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.88-92
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• 2006

Genistein was tested for chemopreventive potential against breast cancer by measuring the effect on proliferation of human breast cancer cells, human placental aromatase activity and cyclooxygenases-2 (COX-2) expression and activity, Genistein inhibited the growth of estrogen-independent MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell. However, there is no inhibitory effect of genistein on human placental aromatase activity. The expression of COX-2 was inhibited by genistein in Western blot analysis. Genistein significantly inhibited COX-2 activity at the concentrations of 10 (p<0.05), 25 (p<0.05) and 50 ${\mu}M$ (p<0.01). These results suggest that genistein may have breast cancer chemopreventive potential by inhibiting the growth of human breast cancer cell and expression and activity of COX-2.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2016

■ Objectives The purpose of this clinical study is to evaluate the effect of Korean Medical Treatment on a 71 years old Korean male with Intractable hiccup for 40 years after gastric perforation operation. ■ Methods He was treated with acupuncture, electroacupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medicine, Jakyakgamcho-tang and Banhasasim-tang. We evaluated the improvement by frequency of hiccup and NRS of hiccup. ■ Results Hiccup disappeared at sixth day of treatment and NRS of hiccup also decreased.. ■ Conclusion Korean medical treatment may be effective in treating intractable hiccup

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.232-239
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• 2011

Purpose: Diabetic foot ulcer is one of the most important diabetic complications because it increases the risk of amputations. Moreover, it lowers the quality of patients' life and increases the social medical expenses. Authors analyzed risk factors of intractable diabetic foot ulcer using retrospective study. Materials and Methods: From January 2007 to December 2010, 40 patients who could not achieve complete healing despite more than 12 weeks of proper management among who had been diagnosed and treated as diabetic foot ulcer at our hospital were included and evaluated retrospectively. We compared the risk factors between two groups who were finally treated by amputation and non-amputation. Results: The sample was composed of 31 male patients (77.5%) and 9 female patients (22.5%). Comorbidity including hypertension and hyperlipidemia were 77.5% and 80% each. By Wagner classification, 30 patients (80%) had ulcerative lesion over the grade 3. From bacteriology results, 29 patients (72.5%) had polybacteria infection. 35 patients (87.5%) had neuropathy and 26 patients (65%) had vascular stenosis at least one level. The mean initial ankle-brachial index and toe-brachial index were 0.982 and 0.439. In comparison between amputation group and non-amputation group, ulcer severity, number of stenotic vessel and initial ankle-brachial index/toe-brachial index had statistical significance. Conclusion: The most commonly risk factor of intractable diabetic foot ulcer was peripheral neuropathy reaching 87.5% of cases. In comparison with non-amputation group, ulcer severity according to Wagner classification, number of stenotic vessel and initial ankle-brachial index/toe-brachial index were demonstrated as a risk factor of amputation in intractable diabetic foot ulcer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.669-676
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• 1995

Background: The cell-mediated immunity is needed for eradicating the tubercle bacilli. Prostaglandin(PG), especially PG $E_2$, is involved in cellular immunosuppression. It is known that the PG $E_2$ is suppressed by indomethacin. For using indomethacin as a immunomodulator of intractable pulmonary tuberculosis(Tbc) patients, we measured the tuberculin skin test(TST) and the plasma PG $E_2$ levels. Method: The forty-eight inpatients with sputum positive acid-fast stain bacilli were classified into 6 groups according to antiTbc chemotherapy history(new and intractable cases), plain chest roetgenogram(minimal and far advanced cases), and TST reaction(nagative and positive cases). Except for one group(n=2; new, minimal, and negative cases of TST reaction) of the 6 groups, all subjects(n=46) were measured for the plasma PG $E_2$, levels with radioimmunoassay. Results: 1) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels among A group(far advanced and positive TST reaction cases, n=10, $11.22{\pm}2.86\;pg/ml$), B group(minimal and negative TST reaction cases, n=9, $11.35{\pm}2.20$) and C group(far advanced and positive TST reaction cases, n=7, $11.11{\pm}2.30$) in the new cases(p>0.05). 2) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between positive(n=10, $9.25{\pm}2.21$) and negative(n=10, $8.25{\pm}1.13$) groups by TST in the intractable cases(p>0.05). 3) Comparing the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between new(n=26, $11.35{\pm}2.41$) and intractable(n=20, $8.75{\pm}1.78$) groups, the intractable group had significi- andy lower plasma PG $E_2$ levels(p<0.05). 4) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between negative(n=19, $9.88{\pm}2.43$) and positive(n=27, $10.46{\pm}2.56$) groups by TST(p>0.05). 5) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels between male(n=32, $10.07{\pm}2.44$) and female(n=14, $10.56{\pm}2.70$)(p>0.05). 6) There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels among 2nd(n=5, $10.21{\pm}2.86$), 3rd(n=9, $9.97{\pm}2.47$), 4th(n=13, $11.35{\pm}2.33$) and 5th(n=19, $9.57{\pm}2.48$) decades(p>0.05). 7) There was no significant correlation between the induration sizes of the TST and the plasma PG $E_2$ levels(r=0.054, p>0.05). Conclusion: From the above results, the plasma PG $E_2$ levels of intractable group are not higher as the authors had expected. There was no significant difference in the plasma PG $E_2$ levels by the lesion sizes of plain chest roentgenogram and the induration sizes of TST, so more study will be needed to use the indomethacin as a immunomodulator for intractable pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1995

Background: The natural history of bacillary tuberculosis was studied in India and results showed that at the end of the 5-year period, 49% of the patients were dead, 33% were cured and 18% remained sputum-positive. The aim of this survey is to observe the natural course of the patients with intractable tuberculosis disease who were incurable with all drug regimens of the national tuberculosis programme(NTP). Method: Of the patients who have been found as intractable cases in Kang-Weon Province by the supervisory medical officer during the period from January 1,1987 to December 31,1992, 179 were eligible for this study. Sputum examination was done for those who were survived until October in 1993 at the Kang-Weon provincial laboratory of KNTA. 49 out of 179 patients were transferred to the private sectors and retreated with the combination of prothionamide, cycloserine, ofloxacin, enviomycin, etc. They seemed to have been bacteriologically cured, and so they were excluded from the study. Finally 130 patients were analyzed by modified life table method to calculate the fatality rate and the survival rate during the period of 7 years. Results: 1) 80.8% of intractable cases were male and 19.2%, female. 2) More than 94% of intractable cases showed moderately or far advanced Tb findings on their X-rays at the time of registration at health centres. 3) The cumulative case-fatality rate was 19.74% at the end of 1-year period and has risen to 34.55% by the end of 4-year period(increasing by 4.9% a year on an average). The case-fatality rate has shown no appreciable rise since then until the end of 7-year period. 4) The case-survival rate was 80.26% at the end of 1-year period and has decreased to 65.45% by the end of 4-year period. And then there was no appreciable change in the survival rate until the end of 7-year observation. Conclusion: The case-survival rate of intractable cases was higher than that of untreated pulmonary tuberculosis patients and they may have risk of spreading multidrug resistant organisms. It is time we made an effort to improve case-management qualitatively.

• Plant Resources
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.189-191
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• 2001