• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2018

A case of surgically treated intervertebral disc extrusion with intraoperatively confirmed intradiscal hematoma in a 30-year-old physical trainer is presented. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging revealed downward migrating disc herniation, without definite suggestive findings of intradiscal hematoma. Intervertebral disc herniation with concomitant intradiscal hematoma is extremely rare, but could occur in patients who have excessive axial stress to the spine occupationally. In our case, the patient was an occupational physical trainer who had repetitive minor trauma to the lumbar spine. Although the patient did not have any clear history of major trauma to the spine, the intraoperative findings revealed intradiscal hematoma, which is very rare. The presence of intradiscal hematoma is to be suspected even when preoperative imaging studies shows indefinite findings of hematoma, considering the change in signal intensity of hematoma by time.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.178-181
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• 2011

Congenital anomalies in arches of the atlas are rare, and are usually discovered incidentally. However, a very rare subgroup of patients with unique radiographic features is predisposed to transient quadriparesis after minor cervical or head trauma, A 46-year-old male presented with a 2-month history of tremor and hyperesthesia of the lower extremities after experiencing a minor head trauma. He said that he had been quadriplegic for about 2 weeks after that trauma. Radiographs of his cervical spine revealed bilateral bony defects of the lateral aspects of the posterior arch of C1 and a midline cleft within the anterior arch of the atlas. A magnetic resonance imaging revealed an increased cord signal at the C2 level on the T2-weighted sagittal image. A posterior, suboccipital midline approach for excision of the remnant posterior tubercle was performed. The patient showed significant improvement of his motor and sensory functions. Since major neurologic deficits can be produced by a minor trauma, it is crucial to recognize this anomaly.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.132-138
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• 2012

Purpose: Trauma is one of the major causes of maternal and fetal mortality, and the most common cause of maternal trauma is a traffic accident. In Korea, data about traffic accidents in pregnant women are not widely collected and classified so far. Hence, we studied and analyzed the characteristics of injured pregnant women by the traffic accidents. Methods: From January 2002 to August 2011, pregnant women who were in traffic accidents visiting Emergency Department were studied. Pregnancy out come and the degree of the damage were determined through the retrospective analysis of the medical records. Results: The pregnant women who visited after traffic accidents were total 204 patients. Among them, 176 patients had no complication related to the traffic accidents, 28 patients had complications. The incidence of the complications in the 3rd trimester pregnants was statistically significant higher than that in the other trimesters. The analysis based on the mechanism shows more complications in the pedestrian injury. In the survey by the type of the vehicles, the complications from the trauma associated with a car had lower incidence. The patients arrived at the emergency center by walking had greater numbers than who arrived by an ambulance in the groups occurred the complications. The patients suffered complications who complained pain in trunk especially in abdomen and pelvis than in extremities and complained vaginal discharge, and those showed a statistically significant greater incidence. Conclusion: When pregnant women were injured by the traffic accidents, the factors related to the poor pregnant prognosis were trimester of pregnancy, means of visiting the emergency center, trauma mechanism, and complaining symptoms. Therefore, these factors may be used as a prognostic tool to predict an incidence of complications, length of hospital stay and rate of complications and can be used to plan for treatments.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.139-145
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• 2016

Purpose: The major pelvic trauma results in high mortality with associated fatal other injuries. During early stage of resuscitation, multidisciplinary approach is essential to improve the survival and outcomes. This study aims to report the effect and positive outcome of the trauma team approach on the management of hemodynamically unstable pelvic bone fracture. Methods: This retrospective review included all patients with hemodynamically unstable pelvic bone fracture admitted between March 2007 and December 2015. Patients were divided into group A, which comprised those admitted before the trauma team approach was started, and group B, which comprised those admitted after the approach was started. The advanced trauma life support protocol was followed for all patient. The comparisons between the two groups were based on medical records. Study variables included demographics, initial vital sign, injury severity score, fracture type, and injury mechanism. We analyzed the outcomes in each group with respect to the time interval for doctors' arrival, total length of stay in the emergency department (ED), time interval for computed tomography evaluation, 24-hour mortality, time interval for definitive fixation, and definitive fixation in the time-window of opportunity. Results: Fifty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. No statistically significant differences in demographic data existed between the two groups. The time interval for doctors' arrival (min, $63.09{\pm}50.48$ vs $21.48{\pm}17.75$; p=0.038) and total length of stay in the ED (min, $269.33{\pm}105.96$ vs $115.49{\pm}56.24$; p=0.023) were significantly improved. The 24-hour mortality was not significantly different between the two groups.(%, 14.3 vs 12.0; p=1.000) However, the time interval for definitive fixation and definitive fixation in the time-window of opportunity showed better results. Conclusion: The trauma team approach has positive effects, which include initial resuscitation through multidisciplinary approach and shortening the time interval to definitive fixation, on the management of hemodynamically unstable pelvic bone fracture.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.133-138
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• 2014

Purpose: If the survival of patients suffering from severe blunt trauma is to be improved, appropriate interventions should be taken immediately. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical utility of end-tidal carbon dioxide ($ETCO_2$) as a surrogate marker for predicting both the need for intervention and the prognosis. Methods: This is a prospective observational study. Nasal cannula was applied to measure $ETCO_2$, and the following parameters, which are known to be related to the prognosis for a patient, were recorded: injury severity score (ISS), revised trauma score (RTS), arterial blood gas (ABG), lactate, and hemoglobin (Hb). To evaluate the outcome, we investigated the details of emergent interventions and expired patients. Results: A total of 93 patients were enrolled in this study. Emergent intervention was significantly associated with systolic blood pressure (sBP, p-value=0.001), $ETCO_2$ (p-value<0.001), serum lactate level (p-value<0.001), pH (p-value< 0.003), $HCO_3$ (p-value=0.004), base excess (p-value<0.002), ISS (p-value<0.001) and RTS (p-value=0.005). In the multivariate logistic regression, only $ETCO_2$ (odds ratio (OR): 0.897, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.792-0.975, p-value= 0.048) and ISS (OR: 1.132, 95% CI: 1.053-1.233, p-value=0.002) were associated with emergent intervention whereas $ETCO_2$ (p-value=0.973) and ISS (p-value=0.511) were not statistically significant in predicting the survival of patients in the univariate analysis. An optimal ETCO cut-off of 29 mmHg on the ROC curve was determined, with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) being 0.824 (0.732-0.917)]. Conclusion: This study has revealed that $ETCO_2$, which can be rapid and easily measured through a nasal cannula, and the ISS may be prognostic indicators of emergent interventions in Emergency Departments.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.76-81
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• 2018

Fractures at the thoracolumbar region are commonly followed after major traumatic injuries, and up to 20% of these fractures are known to be burst fractures. Making surgical decisions for these patients are of great interest however there is no golden standard so far. Since the introduction of Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity (TLICS) score in 2007, it has been widely used as a referential guideline for making surgical decisions in thoracolumbar fractures. However, there is still limitations in this system. In this clinical case report, we introduce a L1 burst fracture after motor vehicle injury, who was successfully treated conservatively even while she was graded as a TLICS 5 injury. A case report is presented as well as discussion on the limitations of this grading system.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.791-798
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• 2021

Objective : The period of mechanical ventilator (MV)-dependent respiratory failure after cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) varies from patient to patient. This study aimed to identify predictors of MV at hospital discharge (MVDC) due to prolonged respiratory failure among patients with MV after CSCI. Methods : Two hundred forty-three patients with CSCI were admitted to our institution between May 2006 and April 2018. Their medical records and radiographic data were retrospectively reviewed. Level and completeness of injury were defined according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) standards. Respiratory failure was defined as the requirement for definitive airway and assistance of MV. We also evaluated magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of the cervical spine. These characteristics included : maximum canal compromise (MCC); intramedullary hematoma or cord transection; and integrity of the disco-ligamentous complex for assessment of the Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification (SLIC) scoring. The inclusion criteria were patients with CSCI who underwent decompression surgery within 48 hours after trauma with respiratory failure during hospital stay. Patients with Glasgow coma scale 12 or lower, major fatal trauma of vital organs, or stroke caused by vertebral artery injury were excluded from the study. Results : Out of 243 patients with CSCI, 30 required MV during their hospital stay, and 27 met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 48.1% (13/27) of patients had MVDC with greater than 30 days MV or death caused by aspiration pneumonia. In total, 51.9% (14/27) of patients could be weaned from MV during 30 days or less of hospital stay (MV days : MVDC 38.23±20.79 vs. MV weaning, 13.57±8.40; p<0.001). Vital signs at hospital arrival, smoking, the American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, Associated injury with Injury Severity Score, SLIC score, and length of cord edema did not differ between the MVDC and MV weaning groups. The ASIA impairment scale, level of injury within C3 to C6, and MCC significantly affected MVDC. The MCC significantly correlated with MVDC, and the optimal cutoff value was 51.40%, with 76.9% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, MCC >51.4% was a significant risk factor for MVDC (odds ratio, 7.574; p=0.039). Conclusion : As a method of predicting which patients would be able to undergo weaning from MV early, the MCC is a valid factor. If the MCC exceeds 51.4%, prognosis of respiratory function becomes poor and the probability of MVDC is increased.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 2018

Objective : Several earlier studies have reported similar symptoms in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who have been repeatedly exposed to relevant media after disasters and trauma. This study aimed to examine the effects of indirect trauma experience through media rather than direct traumatic events on an individual's social life. Methods : Five hundred and fifty-four individuals participated in our online, self-reported questionnaire survey. All subjects were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Korean version of Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, Patient Health Questionnaire-15, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. Participants were assessed in regards to their experience of violent media exposure within the past three months. Results : Data from our study indicates that the group exposed to violent media had significantly higher perceived stress, physical symptoms, insomnia, and suicide ideation in comparison to the control group. Among the major symptoms of PTSD, the proportion of intrusion symptoms was relatively high in the media exposed group. Conclusion : This suggests that indirect trauma caused by media exposure could cause post-traumatic stress symptoms. The PTSD caused by indirect trauma may have slight differences from the PTSD caused by direct trauma. Therefore, it is necessary to understand, prevent, and control the adverse effects of media.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.12-24
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• 2015

Purpose: The need for the rapid evaluation and treatment of emergency department patients with major trauma is essential. A computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system can improve communication and provide immediate access to information with the goal of reducing ED time delays. The aim of this study was to report on the operation of a trauma CPOE program and demonstrate its usefulness by comparing time intervals from ED arrival to various evaluation steps before and after implementation of the program. Methods: This was a before-and-after observational study from a single emergency department at an academic center. The CPOE program was implemented for 6 months and compared with the data collected from the pre-CPOE implementation period. The efficacy of the program was assessed by comparing the time difference before and after CPOE implementation based on the following factors: total boarding time in ED, door-to-disposition decision time, door-to-blood-test report time, door-to-X-ray time, door-to-CT time, and door-to-transfusion time. Results: Over a period of 6 months, the CPOE was activated for a total of 17 patients. Total boarding time was reduced significantly after implementation [median, 641.5 minutes (IQR, 367.3-859.3) versus289.0 minutes (IQR, 140.0-508.0) for pre-CPOE vs. post-CPOE, respectively, p< 0.05). Time intervals for all evaluation steps were reduced after implementation of the program. The improvements in the door-to-blood-test and door-to-CT times were both statistically significant. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that a standard CPOE system can be successfully implemented and can reduce ED time delays in managing trauma patients.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2004

The appropriate care to the dental emergency patients is much important in the aspect of community dental service. To attain such a purpose, the sacred duty of the training of oral and maxillofacial surgeons is required. So, a retrospective study on the characteristics of dental injuries and diseases in emergency care unit will be very meaningful. This study was carried by reviewing the charts and radiographic films of 3,394 patients, treated for dental emergency at Wonju Christian Hospital, Republic of Korea, from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 2002. All patients were classified to 6 groups including trauma, toothache, infection, hemorrhage, TMJ disorder and the others. The clinical characteristics of diseases and treatment modalities according to each group were analyzed. The trauma (73.9%) was the most frequent cause in dental emergency patients, and acute toothache, odontogenic infection, oral hemorrhage, and TMJ disorder were next in order. Gender prediction was male (68%), there were many patients on May and December in the monthly frequency, and the most frequent age group was from 0 to 9 years. In the trauma group, male (68.6%) was predominant, and soft tissue injuries and primary closures were the most frequent type of injury and treatment. In jaw fractures, traffic accidents were the most cause and the weakest site was mandibular symphysis area, and mandibular angle, condyle, and body area were next in order. In the acute toothache group, the cause was dental pulpitis mostly and treatment for that was drug administration mainly. Buccal space abscess in infection group had the largest incidence (24.5%), and common treatments were incision and drainage and medications. In the hemorrhage group, a major cause was postoperative bleeding (60.3%) and hemostasis was obtained by pressure dressing, curettage and suture. For the TMJ disorder group, the peak incidence (63.8%) was shown in the post-traumatic myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome and its primary care was medication such as analgesics and sedatives. In the other group, the various specific symptoms were complained due to acute sialadenitis, trigeminal neuralgia, acute stomatitis, chemical burn, terminal stage neuritis of head and neck cancer, and foreign body aspiration. In conclusion, for the rapid and proper care of the emergency dental diseases, well-trained education should be presented to the intern and resident course of oral and maxillofacial surgery. And it is demanded that oral and maxillofacial surgeons must be prepared in knowledge and skill for such emergency care.