• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.51-63
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• 2023

Purpose: The study aimed to analyze the occurrence and transfer status of emergency patients at Incheon International Airport in Korea. Methods: This study design included 810 patients for eight years, from July 1, 2014 to June 31, 2022. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS statistics version 25.0. Results: For the demographics, 531 (65.6%) were males, 151 (19.5%) were in the highest age group (in their 50s), and 289 (35.9%) were foreigners. The most common place of occurrence was in protected areas in the passenger terminal, with 341 (42.1%) of cases occurring here. The time of arrival at the site (z=-3.444, p=.001), stay duration at the site (z=-8.145, p=. 001), and transfer time (z=-3.623, p=.000) were all significantly longer. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider a rapid emergency transportation plan, such as developing a system that simplifies immigration procedures when emergency patients move from protected areas to general areas. Moreover, in order to quickly respond to foreign emergency patients, detailed characteristics will need to be identified. Lastly, considering the long transfer time, an instructing doctor should accompany an ambulance and actively perform advanced resuscitation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.45-64
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• 2024

Objectives: This study is purposed to investigate the effect and safety of laser therapy for stroke patients by systematic review and meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: RCTs on the treatment of laser therapy for stroke patients were selected among the literature published from January 2000 to June 2022 in twelve domestic and foreign databases. The quality of the literature was evaluated using the Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool and RevMan 5.4 was used for the synthesis of results. Results: Total 2,598 patients with stroke were finally selected from 18 RCTs. Meta-analysis showed that laser therapy was effective in significantly improving activities of daily living (MBI), motor function (effective rate), upper motor function (FMA-UE), shoulder pain related factors (CGRP, ET-1, BK). Overall, the risk of bias was uncertain or low in the quality assessment of the literature. Conclusions: Although it is unclear that laser therapy is more effective than sham laser, laser therapy might be more effective in improving symptoms than conventional rehabilitation alone. Furthermore, no serious adverse events were founded in laser therapy studies. However, the quality of the selected literature was generally low. Therefore, further studies with high methodological quality on laser therapy for stroke patients would be required in the future.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.43-48
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• 2004

Background and Objectives : Globus pharyngeus is the feeling of a lump or foreign body in the throat. Otolaryngologists are often confronted with this condition, and some author reported that it represents 3 percent of all new clinic referral. The purpose of this study is to estimate the incidence of impalpable thyroid lesion in patients with globes pharyngeus and investigate possible association between globus pharyngeus and thyroid lesions. Material and Method : 146 patients with globus pharyngeus and 30 controls were prospectively examined by high resolution ultrasound. Results: Thyroid abnormalities were present in $75/146(51\%)$ patients with globus pharyngeus and in $7/30(23\%)$ controls. Of the patients with globus, 55 patients had a nodule or nodules, 11 patients had a cyst or cysts, 9 patients had diffuse abnormalities. Solitary nodule ranged from 4mm to 20mm. Conclusion : Impalpable, ultrasound detectable thyroid abnormailities are significantly more common in patients with globus pharyngeus than in controls. The thyroid abnormalities may be the cause of globus symptoms in some patients, and high resolution ultrasound is an important modality in patients presenting with globus.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.294-319
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• 2004

Because the treatment of a physician generally pertains to the intrusion into body of a patient, his/her consent is a must in order for such conduct to be justifiable. To ensure effective consent of a patient, the physician should fully inform him/her of kind and details of the disease and way of treatment and risks associated with it. The patient can, then, make a decision whether he/she should accept any treatment or operation, if necessary, on the basis of such information. The obligation of physicians to explain has since long been recognized as important in view of guaranteeing the rights of patients for self-decision and protecting them from arbitrary assessment of physicians for treatment. Progress has been made in this respect even to the extent that physicians treat patients on equal terms and think first of all much of establishing trustworthy relationships with patients. Lots of studies in Korea and foreign countries have tried to explore the issues concerning the obligation of physicians to explain in the meantime but seem to have failed to make concrete and versatile approaches from the standpoint of protecting the rights of patients. Wouldn't it be really possible for patients to perceive their own rights and cope actively with the medical treatments? If physicians have full understanding to the rights of patients, they will be put in a better situation to protect themselves and patients, in turn, can identify their own responsibility correctly, which will eventually contribute to fulfilling the goal of treatment. With this background, the present paper examines briefly the obligations of physicians for explanation based mainly on the preceding theories and judicial precedents in the first place and then deals with the status quo and contents of the German medical laws, with a focus on the treaty of European Law 1997 and its working document on the applications of genetics for health purposes that stipulate the detailed criteria on the medical treatment and rights of patients and Germany's $\ulcorner$Charter of Rights for Patients$\lrcorner$ promulgated in 2003.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.5
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• pp.231-234
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• 2013

Aspergillus causes a variety of clinical syndromes in the lung including tracheobronchial aspergillosis, invasive aspergillosis, chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and aspergilloma. Aspergilloma usually results from ingrowths of colonized Aspergillus in damaged bronchial tree, pulmonary cyst or cavities of patients with underlying lung diseases. There are a few reports on endobronchial aspergilloma without underlying pulmonary lesion. We have experienced a case of endobronchial aspergilloma associated with foreign body developed in an immunocompetent patient without underlying lung diseases. A 59-year-old man is being hospitalized with recurring hemoptysis for 5 months. X-ray and computed tomography scans of chest showed a nodular opacity in superior segment of left lower lobe. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed an irregular, mass-like, brownish material which totally obstructed the sub-segmental bronchus and a foreign body in superior segmental bronchus of the lower left lobe. Histopathologic examinations of biopsy specimen revealed fungal hyphae, characteristic of Aspergillus species.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.304-307
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• 2013

Food bolus impaction is the most common cause of esophageal foreign body obstruction in adults. Other causes include intentional ingestion in psychiatric patients or prison inmates. We experienced successful treatment of a patient with intentional ingestion of multiple sharp foreign bodies(25 cutter and razor fragments). A 47-year-old male patient who was suffering from chronic alcoholism was admitted, via the emergency room, with dysphagia and neck pain. He was suffering from alcoholic liver cirrhosis and psychiatric problems, such as chronic alcoholism, anxiety disorder and insomnia. The patient had intended to leave the hospital after having swallowed the sharp objects. Plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scan showed multiple, scattered metal fragments in the esophagus, stomach, and small bowel. We performed emergent endoscopy and successfully removed one impacted blade in the upper esophagus using by a snare with an overtube. The rest of the fragments had already passed through the pylorus, so we could not find them with endoscopy. We checked the patient with simple abdominal radiographs and careful physical examinations every day. All remaining fragments were uneventfully excreted through stool during the patient's 6 day hospital stay. Finally, we were able to confirm the presence of the objects in the stool, and radiographs were negative. The patient was discharged without complications after 14 days hospital stay and then was followed by the Department of Psychiatry.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.451-458
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• 2009

Metallic bone plates and screws have been commonly used in oral and maxillofacial surgery for internal fixation. However, there are several disadvantages such as atrophy of cortical bone inherent to excessive rigid fixation systems, growth disturbance in growing individual, allergy reaction, interference with radiographic imaging, palpability, thermal sensitibity and the need for subsequent removal. To overcome these disadvantages and avoid additional surgery of removal of plates and screws, there have been many studies of biodegradable plates and screws. But, It also has complication such as foreign body reactions. We have undertaken a clinical and retrospective study on 140 patients in Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Inha University Hospital from February 2006 to March 2009. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical cases and review of the literatures with biodegradable plates and screws. And we concluded following results. 1. 6 cases(3.4%) of the 177 operation sites(140 patients) experienced complications. 1 case(0.6%) was a failure of initial fixation, 1 case(0.6%) was a postoperative infection, 4 cases(2.3%) were inflammations or foreign body reaction. 2. Postoperative infections, inflammations and foreign body reactions were completely recovered with incision and drainage, supporative care with antibiotic coverage and removal of biodegradable plates. 3. Biodegradable plates and screws provide acceptable rigidity and stability clinically. But, long-term observation is required for the tissue reactions around the biodegradable plates and screws because of long resorption periods of the biodegradable materials.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-71
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• 2014

Purpose. Medical tourism is recently becoming a new industry with great growth potential. The South Korean government is shifting medical tourism from simple cultural tourism to a high value-added industry with a new paradigm. Methods. The government has been providing positive support and marketing policies since the introduction of the article concerning foreign patient attraction to the medical law in 2009, and various types of medical institutions around the country has participated actively in medical tourism by themselves or in cooperation of government bodies and made increasingly greater performance. Results. This study obtained the following results. The medical institutions in Korea have been making efforts to see more development and profitability in diverse ways, including medical tourism for foreign patients and the advance of the Korean medical institutions into foreign markets. However, many local governing bodies and medical institutions participating in medical tourism around the country have primarily focused on examination and treatment on the basis of foreign patients' visit to South Korea and rarely built a medical network with other countries directly for medical tourism. This study presents a case of building a local medical network and a network for international medical tourism successfully on the basis of the local medical association, CMP, which has been formed naturally in Busan. The success factors for CMP included 1) enthusiasm of the official in charge; 2) the medical level, the service level, and open-mindedness of participant medical institutions; 3) cost efficiency due to executive office management with no costs, no conflicts, and constant partnership; 4) security of non-competitive expertise for participants; 5) local factors of CMP; 6) participation of good agencies; 7) reinforcement of participation networks; and 8) post facto management and local doctor management. Conclusions. Its positive effects included patient introduction and greater profitability on an internal basis as well as construction of the collaboration system with the institutions related to medical tourism and confidence. However, there are some limitations: it is still difficult to predict performance due to the short period of their activities, and it is necessary to continue to observe their constant activities since a single medical association was involved.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 2021

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze domestic and foreign studies using virtual reality or metaverse for exercise rehabilitation in order to help the disabled or elderly patients with exercise rehabilitation, and suggest a method for using metaverse for exercise rehabilitation. Method: In this study, after analyzing and discussing various information related to the metaverse and exercise rehabilitation through electronic search of recently published papers, academic journals, books, and internet websites, the exercise rehabilitation plan using the metaverse was proposed. Results: In the case of domestic research, the diversity of virtual reality application technology for the rehabilitation of disabled and elderly patients was not secured, but recently, virtual reality or metaverse-related technologies were developed and specialized in a form suitable for exercise rehabilitation. In the case of overseas studies, it was analyzed that exercise rehabilitation using virtual reality and metaverse games for the rehabilitation of disabled and elderly patients can help improve brain, physical ability, and anti-aging by activating the body and mind. Conclusion: Smart metaverse health care is actively introduced to exercise rehabilitation, metaverse telemedicine business is applied to exercise rehabilitation programs, and digital twin games and exercise rehabilitation programs developed by metaverse related companies take into account the characteristics of disabled and elderly patients. If customized smart metaverse healthcare is used for exercise rehabilitation, it is analyzed that it can lead this field.

• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.13-18
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• 2022

The role of artificial medical intelligence through medical big data has been focused on data-based medical device business and medical service technology development in the field of diagnostic examination of the patient's current condition, clinical decision support, and patient monitoring and management. Recently, with the 4th Industrial Revolution, the medical field changed the medical treatment paradigm from the method of treatment based on the knowledge and experience of doctors in the past to the form of receiving the help of high-precision medical intelligence based on medical data. In addition, due to the spread of non-face-to-face treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected that the era of telemedicine, in which patients will be treated by doctors at home rather than hospitals, will soon come. It can be said that artificial medical intelligence plays a big role at the center of this paradigm shift in prevention-centered treatment rather than treatment. Based on big data, this paper analyzes the current status of artificial intelligence technology for chronic disease patients, market trends, and domestic and foreign company trends to predict the expected effect and future development direction of artificial intelligence technology for chronic disease patients. In addition, it is intended to present the necessity of developing digital therapeutics that can provide various medical services to chronically ill patients and serve as medical support to clinicians.