• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.956-962
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• 2007

In cancer patients showing nausea and vomiting, a number of factors can be considered as the cause including brain tumor, electrolyte imbalance, gastrointestinal diseases or types of chemotherapy agents and dose of the drugs. Though nausea and vomiting can be minimized through the use of various anti-emetic drugs, many people still suffer from severe nausea and vomiting with poor quality of life compared with patients who do not show significant nausea and vomiting. In this report, we introduce a case of a cancer patient who suffered from severe nausea and vomiting. The patient was female and 59 years old with NSCLC (non small cell lung cancer) with metastatic brain tumor. Though western conventional medical treatment was used to reduce the symptoms, persistent nausea and vomiting were noted during the admission period. Herbal decoction Gamibokryungbanha-tang was used for nausea and vomiting which were uncontrolled under conventional western medicine; the patient showed remarkable improvement in terms of frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting. Further study will be needed in order to determine the long-term effectiveness of oriental medical treatment on cancer patient with nausea and vomiting.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.223-231
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• 2015

Purpose: Delayed, traumatic, intraparenchymal hemorrhage (DTIPH) is a well-known contributing factor to secondary brain damage that evokes severe brain edema and intracranial hypertension. Once it has occurred, it adversely affects the patient's outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis factors for DTIPH by comparing clinical, radiological and hematologic results between two groups of patients according to whether surgical treatment was given or not. Methods: The author investigated 26 patients who suffered DTIPH during the recent consecutive five-year period. The 26 patients were divided according to their having undergone either a decompressive craniectomy (n=20) or continuous conservative treatment (n=6). A retrospective investigation was done by reviewing their admission records and radiological findings. Results: This incidence of DTIPH was 6.6% among the total number of patients admitted with head injuries. The clinical outcome of DTIPH was favorable in 9 of the 26 patients (34.6%) whereas it was unfavorable in 17 patients (65.4%). The patients with coagulopathy had an unexceptionally high rate of mortality. Among the variables, whether the patient had undergone a decompressive craniectomy, the patient's preoperative clinical status, and the degree of midline shift had significant correlations with the ultimate outcome. Conclusion: In patients with DTIPH, proper evaluation of preoperative clinical grading and radiological findings can hamper deleterious secondary events because it can lead to a swift and proper decompressive craniectomy to reduce the intracranial pressure. Surgical decompression should be carefully selected, paying attention to the patient's accompanying injury and hematology results, especially thrombocytopenia, in order to improve the patient's neurologic outcomes.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.287-291
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• 1994

A 49 years old male patient was admitted to our neuro-pain clinic with symptoms of left 11th intercostal neuralgic pain and low back pain that developed 2 months prior to admission. Upon initial physical examination, motor weakness or sensory deficit were absent. Intercostal neuralgic pain improved significantly after we performed thoracic root thermocoagulation. However on the afternoon of the procedure the patient started to experience voiding difficulty, saddle anesthesia and rapidly progressing motor weakness and hypoesthesia that involved the lower back area and the lower extremities for three days. Based on these symptoms spinal cord compression was suspected and subsequently plain T-L spine X-rays and T-L spine MRI were performed. A spinal tumor that appeared metastatic in origin was seen at the T11 and T12 level. Liver ultrasonography demonstrated the presence of a $4{\times}4cm$ sized ill defined mass in the posterior segment of the right lobe. The patient was diagnosed to have hepatocellular carcinoma after needle aspiration biopsy and cytologic studies. Further orthopedic surgery was recommended but as the patient rejected any further treatment and examination, it was not possible to confirm the primary focus of the tumor. However as metastasis of a primary liver tumor to the spine is a rare occurrence, some other primary focus of metastasis or even a malignant primary tumor of the spine is more likely to explain this patient's condition.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• 제49권6호
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• pp.724-735
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate relationship between delirium, risk factors on delirium, and patient prognosis based on Donabedian's structure-process-outcome model. Methods: This study utilized a path analysis design. We extracted data from the electronic medical records containing delirium screening data. Each five hundred data in a delirium and a non-delirium group were randomly selected from electronic medical records of medical and surgical intensive care patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 and AMOS 24. Results: In the final model, admission via emergency department (Β=.06, p=.019), age over 65 years (Β=.11, p=.001), unconsciousness (Β=.18, p=.001), dependent activities (Β=.12, p=.001), abnormal vital signs (Β=.12, p=.001), pressure ulcer risk (Β=.12, p=.001), enteral nutrition (Β=.12, p=.001), and use of restraint (Β=.30, p=.001) directly affecting delirium accounted for 56.0% of delirium cases. Delirium had a direct effect on hospital mortality (Β=.06, p=.038), hospital length of stay (Β=5.06, p=.010), and discharge to another facility (not home) (Β=.12, p=.001), also risk factors on delirium indirectly affected patient prognosis through delirium. Conclusion: The use of interventions to reduce delirium may improve patient prognosis. To improve the dependency activities and risk of pressure ulcers that directly affect delirium, early ambulation is encouraged, and treatment and nursing interventions to remove the ventilator and drainage tube quickly must be provided to minimize the application of restraint. Further, delirium can be prevented and patient prognosis improved through continuous intervention to stimulate cognitive awareness and monitoring of the onset of delirium. This study also discussed the effects of delirium intervention on the prognosis of patients with delirium and future research in this area.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.156-164
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• 2015

Objectives : This study is clinical report of one atopic dermatitis patient with exudate.Methods : We treated a 16-year old woman patient with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, herbal bath, aroma cream therapy and western medicine. The improvement of the patient was evaluated by SCORAD INDEX and photography.Results : The SCORAD Index score of admission day at hospital was 73.5, and the SCORAD INDEX score of discharge day was 11.4. Amount of exudate and the score of oozing were decreased.Consults : The complex treatments of korean medicine and western medicine was effective to improve of atopic dermatitis patient with exudate. And the influence of weather condition to prognosis of atopic dermatitis with exudate was observated. It is necessary to have more observations and case reports.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.144-152
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• 2009

1. Objective : This study aims to report symptomatic improvement of a Soyangin patient reporting general weakness, dizziness, gait disturbance, cold sensitivity, nocturnal sweating, and anorexia after treatment with Hyeongbangjihwang-tang. 2. Method : The patient's subjective and objective symptoms were observed daily, and the VAS scores for the main symptoms were recorded daily throughout the hospitalization period. 3. Result : The general condition of the patient improved by the end of the hospitalization period, where the VAS score dropped from VAS 10 to VAS 5 and the symptoms of dizziness, general weakness, cold sensitivity, and nocturnal sweating disappeared by day 4 of admission without recurrence. 4. Conclusion : Although the patient did not report diarrhea, one of the main Mangeum symptoms, the general symptoms improved with Hyeongbangjihwang-tang medication. This indicates that Hyeongbangjihwang-tang can be used to treat chief and subsidiary symptoms related to Mangeum symptomatic pattern when applied to the appropriate base and manifesting symptomology.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.294-302
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• 2022

This work reports the case of a middle cerebral artery infarction patient with hyperhidrosis and left upper extremity paresthesia whose condition improved following Korean medicine treatment. The patient was hospitalized for 10 days and treated with herbal medicine, mainly Hwanggigyeji-tang, and acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion. The hyperhidrosis was clinically classified and the patient's subjective discomfort in this regard was also checked. A subjective percentage of strength and sensation in the left extremity was evaluated to assess the clinical effects of the treatment. After treatment, the hyperhidrosis classification improved from Grade 3 to Grade 0, and the patient's subjective discomfort was greatly improved and continued for the two weeks after discharge. In addition, subjective strength and sensation improved by 20% and 5%, respectively, compared to time of admission. These results suggest that Korean medicine is effective in treating paresthesia after stroke and long-lasting hyperhidrosis.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.61-65
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• 2021

Although re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is rare (incidence rate <1%), it is associated with a mortality rate of >20%; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are important. We report a case of RPE following chest tube insertion in a patient with spontaneous pneumothorax. We have specifically focused on the mechanism underlying RPE and the possible etiology. An 82-year-old man with a history of chronic anemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension was referred to the emergency department for management of recurrent right-sided pneumothorax. We performed emergency closed thoracostomy for suspected tension pneumothorax, which led to stabilization of the patient's vital signs; however, he coughed up frothy pink sputum accompanied by severe right-sided chest pain 30 min postoperatively. The patient showed new-onset right pulmonary consolidation on chest radiography, as well as desaturation, tachycardia, and tachypnea and was diagnosed with RPE. He was transferred to the intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation and supportive treatment using diuretics, ionotropic agents, and prophylactic antibiotics. RPE gradually resolved, and the patient was extubated 3 days after admission. He has not experienced recurrent pneumothorax or pulmonary disease for 4 months. We emphasize the importance of RPE prevention and that aggressive ventilator care and supportive treatment can effectively treat RPE following an accurate understanding of the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms and risk factors.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.69-79
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the involvement of patients who died from hematologic neoplasms in the decision-making process surrounding the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (LST). Methods: A total of 255 patients diagnosed with hematologic neoplasms who ultimately died following decisions related to LST during their end-of-life period at a university hospital were included in the study. Data were retrospectively obtained from electronic medical records and analyzed utilizing the chi-square test, independent t-test, and logistic regression. Results: In total, 42.0% of patients participated in the decision-making process regarding LST for their hematologic neoplasms, while 58.0% of decisions were made with family involvement. Among these patients, 65.1% died in general wards and 34.9% in intensive care units (ICUs) as a result of decisions such as the suspension of LST. The period from the LST decision to death was longer when the decision was made by the patient (average, 27.15 days) than when it was made by the family (average, 7.48 days). Most decisions were made by doctors and family members in the ICU, where only 20.6% of patients exercised their right to make decisions regarding LST, a rate considerably lower than 79.4% observed in general wards. Decisions to withhold or withdraw LST were more commonly made by patients themselves than by their families. Conclusion: The key to discussing the decision to suspend hospice care and LST is respecting the patient's self-determination. If a patient is lucid prior to admission to the ICU, considerations about suspending LST should involve the patient input.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.90-96
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• 2014

Drooling causes inconvenience and develops complications, therefore it can be very stressful to patients and caregivers. Drooling caused by neurological disabilities appears to be the consequence of dysfunction in the coordination of the swallowing mechanism. However, there is no explanation about drooling by brain injury in oriental medicine literature. This is the case report about a stroke patient with drooling improved by electro-acupuncture therapy. The patient already applied scopolamine patch, and improved drooling before admission. However, caregiver concerned about side effects, so we stopped using scopolamine patch and applied electro-acupuncture for drooling treatment. The patient was treated by 4 acupuncture points on either side of Yeomcheon(CV 23), and Jichang(ST 4), Hyeopgeo(ST 6) with mixed low frequency electro stimulation. Although we stopped using scopolamine patch, drooling maintained improved state without a change, futhermore after 16 days later, drooling had disappeared until the patient discharged. This result showed electro-acupuncture is useful method to improve drooling caused by brain injury.