• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 2006

Purpose: In terminal cancer patients, pain control with narcotic analgesics and supportive care by hospice are very useful treatment modality. However, many patients and their caregivers are poorly compliant in using narcotic analgesics for fear of addiction and tolerance. And also many patients and family caregivers are reluctant to accept hospice, presuming that hospice means patient's condition is no longer reversible and progressively deteriorating. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze the perception of using narcotic analgesics and hospice by family caregivers of terminal cancer patients who play a critical role in health care in Korean culture. Methods: A total of 54 terminal ranter patient's family caregivers participated in this study. Questionnaire consisted of 15 questions about narcotic analgesics and hospice. Results: The study revealed following results. 1) family caregivers who are not aware of hospice are more than half (56.7%). 2) 81.8% of family caregivers agreed that hospice care is beneficial to terminal cancer patients. 3) 85.1% of family caregivers were under financial burden. 4) 83.2% of patient complained pain in 24 hours. 3) while 88.5% of family caregivers believed that narcotic analgesics can control pair, 79.1% and 79.6% of them also believed that use of narcotic analgesics would result in addiction and tolerance, respectively. Conclusion: There still exist barriers to family caregivers in using narcotic analgesics for pain control. And also, terminal cancer patient's family caregivers have poor information about hospice. Therefore, educational intervention about narcotic analgesics by pharmacist and doctors are needed for proper pain control for terminal ranter patients. In addition, more precise information about hospice care should be provided for terminal cancer patients and their family caregivers.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.307-315
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to understand and describe in depth the meaning of the hospice nurse's experience in caring for terminal cancer patients through phenomenological methods. Participants of this study were selected from 9 nurses who have been working for more than 1 year in the hospice palliative ward of a kind hospital located in C city. Data were collected from July 2019 to September 2019 by using in-depth interview. Interview data were analyzed by Giorgi's phenomenological method. The analysis revealed the following constituents; Burden of work, Become mature, Forming a close relationship, Lack of support for hospice. Conclusion, It is thought that the experience of hospice nurses who care for terminal cancer patients will be provided with a comprehensive and comprehensive understanding from their point of view, thereby contributing to the development of effective support system and administrative support system based on their experience.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2021

This study was a retrospective descriptive study to identify frequency and change of palliative care provided for older patients with terminal stage of cardiopulmonary disease before and after life-sustaining treatment (LST) decision making. As a result of chart review of 124 older patients in a university hospital, oral analgesics medication, cold and hot therapy for pain management, antibiotics medication and urine culture for urinary infection, oral care, hair wash, and partial bath were provided significantly less after LST decision making. Provision of praying and relaxation therapy for pain control, oral and nasal care, and emotional care were not changed before and after LST decision making. Spiritual care was the least provided care. Therefore, non-pharmacological pain management, emotional care, and spiritual care need to be improved for older patients with terminal cardiopulmonary disease at the end of life.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.78-84
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• 2007

Purpose: The prevalence of lung cancer is increasing continuously these days. We studied clinical characters of the terminal lung cancer patients who had died in hospice units and our study is the basic report for efficient hospice and palliative care to the lung cancer patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 129 terminal lung cancer patients who had died in Sam Anyang Hospice Unit from March 2003 to December 2006. The survival days during the hospice and palliative care were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method of SPSS 13.0. Results: There were 93 males (72%) and 36 females (28%), and median age of patients was 68 years (range $37{\sim}93$). Eighty two patients (64%) took analgesics, the others 47 (36%) not. The most prevalent reason for admission was dyspnea (47 patients, 36%) and it was different from the terminally ill cancer patients being hospitalized because of pain. And the most common symptom was general weakness (103 patients, 80%). One hundred twenty of the paitents (93%) were administered opioid analgesics, and IV morphine shots were mostly used (103 patients, 80%). Sedation was used in 87 patients (67%), and midazolam was mostly used (68 patients, 53%). The median survival in hospice and palliative care was 35 days and the median hospitalization was 24 days. Conclusion: It is very important to manage dyspnea in terminal lung cancer patients. The length of hospice and palliative care for the terminal lung cancer patients is still short. Therefore continuous education and promotion of hospice and palliative care is needed for an effective care for the patients, their families and doctors.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.338-344
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• 2001

배경: 말기 신부전 환자에서 심장병, 특히 관상 동맥 질환의 이환이 늘어나면서 관상동맥 우회수술의 대상 환자가 지속적으로 증가하고 있다. 이들 환자군은 수술후 유병률과 사망률이 매우 높고 고위험군으로 알려져 있다. 대상 및 방법: 1996년 3월부터 2000년 5우러까지 서울 중앙 병원 흉부외과에서 술전 말기 신부전증으로 진단 받은 후 관상 동맥 우회수술을 시행받은 환자 25명을 대상으로 의무 기록을 중심의 후향적 분석을 하였다. 술전 위험 인자 및 술전 신기능, 수술 결과, 술후 경과, 수술후 합병증, 사망률 및 생존률 등을 분석하였다. 결과: 술전 평균 크레아티닌 청소율은 12.7$\pm$5ml/mim였고 술전 평균 혈중 크레아티닌 치는 6.2$\pm$3mg/dl(1.7-14.4)였다. 술전 투석을 시행중인 환자는 11례(44%)였고 술전 투석을 시행하지 않았던 14례(56%)중 8례(8/14, 57.1%)는 수술전후로 새로이 투석이 필요하였다. 술전 혈액 투석 중이었던 9례중 2례에서 수술후 복막 투석으로 전환하였다. 수술 사망률은 2례(8%)로 흡인성 폐렴과 종격동염으로 1례, 그리고 수술후 출형과 종격도염으로 1례가 사망하였다. 수술후 합병증은 14명(56%)의 환자에서 발생하여 매우 높은 발생율을 보였다. 만기사항은 2례(8%)에서 발생하였으며 사망원인은 카테터에 의한 복막염이었다. 생존 환자의 4년 생존률은 82$\pm$13% 였다. 결론: 말기 신부전 환자에서의 관상동맥 우회수술을 비교적 만족스러운 범위의 수술 사망률(8%)을 보였으나 합병증 발생률이 매우 높고 합병증 발생 시 사망률이 매우 높아 수술주위 감염 예방과 세심한 환자 관리가 필요하다.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2007

Decision-making of antibiotics use in infected patients with terminal stage of cancer was difficult for physicians, because of responsibility of solving a medical problem and burden on patients distressed by worthless life expansion. Korean Family Medicine Palliative Medicine Research Group discussed this subject using a case of a 65 year-old male having terminal stage of sigmoid colon cancer with extended cutaneous infection who was treated local antibiotics, improved but expired at the 12th hospital day. We reviewed related literatures and proposed a guide for antibiotics use in inferred patients with terminal stage of cancer. Antibiotics should be used for symptom control as major indication, especially when patients suffered from urinary symptoms. Appropriate antibiotics should be chosen based or sensitivity test. the most important considering factor should be patient and family members' wish about antibiotics use.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 2017

End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is a terminal condition of cirrhosis which cannot be treated without liver transplantation. Thus, it is natural for patients to consider hospice/palliative care (HPC). Since the recent legislation of the Act on Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment for Patients in Hospice and Palliative Care or at the End of Life (Act No. 14013) in Korea, the practicality of this law has become an issue. The criteria for HPC should be defined with consideration to how the severity of each ESLD complication may vary by individual patients. Generally, patients qualify if they have an intractable condition despite aggressive treatment such as the hepatorenal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy or variceal hemorrhage. However, the option of liver transplantation should be sufficiently discussed with patients and their families before making a decision on HPC. The evaluation of which ESLD patients should receive HPC should be based on a long-term doctor-patient relationship and sufficient objective data. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach and mutual consultation among cirrhosis specialists and doctors with other expertise are essential to offer optimal and balanced treatments between liver-specific treatment and HPC. Discussed in this review are adequate criteria for HPC and special considerations for ESLD at the point of HPC.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.613-616
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• 1997

We present a case of 58-year-old (tamale with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCMP) in whom we performed left ventricular(LV) remodeling surgery(Batista operation) to reduce the left ventricle diameter and improve left ventricular unction. The patient was admitted September 1996 with heart failure NYHA class IV. There was severe orthopnea and peripheral edema. 2-D echocardiography(Echo) showed DCMP with the ejection fraction(EF) I5%, LV end diastolic dimension(LVEDD) 80mm, mitral regurgitation(MR) grade IV, tricuspid regurgitation ('m) grade ll. Preoperative cardiac output(CO) was 1.5/L/min and cardiac index(Cl) was 1.0 L/min/m2. We proceeded with LV remodeling surgery by resection a part of LV lateral wall between both papillary muscle, from the mitral annulus to the LV apex. Size of resected LV wall was 90 $\times$ 100 $\times$ 15 mm. At the mean time, mitral valve and tricuspid valve were repaired. Postoperative 2-D Echo showed the EF 37%, LVEDD 50 mna, trivial MR, no TR. CO was 3.SL/min and Cl was 2.3 L/min/m2. Her fuctional NYHA class was 1.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.111-124
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• 2002

Purpose : Although the average life expectancy has increased due to advances in medicine, mortality due to cancer is on an increasing trend. Consequently, the number of terminally ill cancer patients is also on the rise. Predicting the survival period is an important issue in the treatment of terminally ill cancer patients since the choice of treatment would vary significantly by the patents, their families, and physicians according to the expected survival. Therefore, we investigated the prognostic factors for increased mortality risk in terminally ill cancer patients to help treat these patients by predicting the survival period. Methods : We investigated 31 clinical parameters in 157 terminally ill cancer patients admitted to in the Department of Family Medicine, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital between July 1, 2000 and August 31, 2001. We confirmed the patients' survival as of October 31, 2001 based on medical records and personal data. The survival rates and median survival times were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test was used to compare the differences between the survival rates according to each clinical parameter. Cox's proportional hazard model was used to determine the most predictive subset from the prognostic factors among many clinical parameters which affect the risk of death. We predicted the mean, median, the first quartile value and third quartile value of the expected lifetimes by Weibull proportional hazard regression model. Results : Out of 157 patients, 79 were male (50.3%). The mean age was $65.1{\pm}13.0$ years in males and was $64.3{\pm}13.7$ years in females. The most prevalent cancer was gastric cancer (36 patients, 22.9%), followed by lung cancer (27, 17.2%), and cervical cancer (20, 12.7%). The survival time decreased with to the following factors; mental change, anorexia, hypotension, poor performance status, leukocytosis, neutrophilia, elevated serum creatinine level, hypoalbuminemia, hyperbilirubinemia, elevated SGPT, prolonged prothrombin time (PT), prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), hyponatremia, and hyperkalemia. Among these factors, poor performance status, neutrophilia, prolonged PT and aPTT were significant prognostic factors of death risk in these patients according to the results of Cox's proportional hazard model. We predicted that the median life expectancy was 3.0 days when all of the above 4 factors were present, $5.7{\sim}8.2$ days when 3 of these 4 factors were present, $11.4{\sim}20.0$ days when 2 of the 4 were present, and $27.9{\sim}40.0$ when 1 of the 4 was present, and 77 days when none of these 4 factors were present. Conclusions : In terminally ill cancer patients, we found that the prognostic factors related to reduced survival time were poor performance status, neutrophilia, prolonged PT and prolonged am. The four prognostic factors enabled the prediction of life expectancy in terminally ill cancer patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 1999

Purpose : Because we don't have inappropriate health care system for the terminal cancer patients, there were abnormal behavior patterns of health care utilization. So, There were needs to develop the comprehensive care for terminal cancer patients. Increased attention is being paid to the futility of life-sustaining treatment and high cost of management of terminal cancer patients Materials and Methods : This study was performed on cancer patients, registered in 1996 Central Cancer Registry, who were as insured person of Korea Medical Insurance and died from January 1997 to June 1998. We studied the day of medical care and medical expenses of 151 cancer patients evaluable. Results : The mean day of inpatient care was 39 days, and the mean days of outpatient care was 14 days in study subjects. Mean expenses per day of medical care, day of inpatient, and day of outpatients care were 85,392 won, 105,908 won, and 40,173 won. 95% of medical expenses is paid to the general hospital, and 85% of medical expenses was paid for inpatient care. About half of all medical expenses in th last 6 months were incurred in the last 60 days of life, and about 30 percent were incurred in the last 30 days. Expenses of outpatients care increased between 6 month and 3 months, after which they decreased. Expenses of inpatients care increased during all last 6months Conclusion : The distribution or medical expenses during the last 6 months in our study is similar to the distribution of American Medicare costs. We need to study medical expenses during the last year of life with large scale and details in order to develop the plan about the management of terminal cancer patient.