• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2012

Objectives : A protocol called "critical pathway" was developed to standardize the management of hospital patients the day after they underwent gamma knife radiosurgery. The quality of improvement in patient outcomes was evaluated. Methods : Critical pathway was developed, according to the regulations of the I hospital, by analyzing the medical records of 22 inpatients who underwent gamma knife surgery within the period from January to April 2011 on the day of the surgery. The study included a group of 22 patients admitted to the hospital the day after they underwent gamma knife radiosurgery, between July and September 2011. The control group included 22 patients who had surgery employing the same method within the period from May to June 2011. To measure the effects on quality improvement, the average length of stay, the execution rate of the hospital discharge notice system, daily hospital revenue, and the satisfaction of the patients and the medical team were assessed. The patient questionnaire employed a four-point Likert scale while the medical-staff questionnaire employed a five-point Likert scale. Result : The average length of stay was significantly shorter in the study group compared to the control group (2.3 days vs. 3.8 days, P<0.05). The execution rate of the hospital discharge notice system was higher in the study group (100% vs. 72%) than in the control group. Daily hospital revenues were higher by 264,178 Korean won in the study group when compared to the control group. The study group showed greater satisfaction of patients compared to the control group based on a four-point Likert scale (P<0.05). The study group showed greater satisfaction in medical team compared to the control group based on a five-point Likert scale (P<0.05). Conclusion : The development and implementation of a critical pathway protocol for hospital admission the day after gamma knife radiosurgery is an effective care process that improves the clinical quality.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 1971

The purpose of this study is to observe the administering of analgesics and sedatives to cases of surgery, the influence of the patients'situational variables on the use of these drugs, and the required number of recovery days in relation to the patients'situational variables and general conditions. Fifty patients in the age range of 15 through 65 who had undergone general surgery at Seoul national University Hospital. Woo Sok University Hospital and Koryo Hospital between May and August of 1971 were chosen for this study. They were observed with regard to the frequency of postoperative uses of analgesics and sedatives age, the required period of recovery in comparison with the situational variables of patients such as sex, age, marital status, the type and duration of anesthesia, experience of previous operation, history of other diseases, preoperative period of hospitalizations and the general conditions of patients such as sleep, stomach condition, bowel condition, urination, interest in surroundings, strength and energy, self-assistance and appetite. The study results were reviewed in a statistical method to obtain the following findings: 1. There was a significant decrease in the frequency of analgesic uses according to the number of days passed after operation. 2. The mean postoperative recovery days were 5.31 days and mote than half of the patients have never used analgesics until recovery. 3. There was a significant decrease in the frequency of sedative uses according to the number of days passed after operation. 4. The rank-order correlation between the frequency of analgesic use and that of sedative use following surgery observes in relation to the number of postoperative days was a low and negative one. 5. All of the patients except one hate used sedatives only once a day for the whole recovery period. 6. The longer they stayed in the hospital before surgery, the less have they used analgesics after surgery. 7. There were significant differences in use of analgesics after surgery by age groups; the 25-44 age group used more analgesics than the 15-24 and 45-65 age groups. 8. There were no significant differences in use of analgesics after surgery by all situational variables except the number of days of hospitalization and age. 9. The longer they stayed in the hospital before surgery, the earlier have they recovered from the surgery. 10. There were no significant differences in the number of required recovery days by all situational variables except the length of preoperative hospitalization. 11. There were no significant differences in the number of required postoperative recordedly days by the general conditions of patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.170-177
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• 2014

Purpose: The first regional trauma center selected in Korea was the Gachon University Gil hospital regional trauma center; expectation on its role has been high because of its location in the Seoul metropolitan region. To determine if those expectations are being met, we analyzed the patients visiting the center and their treatment experiences for the past 3 years in order to propose a standard for the operation of a trauma center. Methods: The visiting route, visiting methods, performance of emergency surgery, the ward and the length of stay, the injury mechanism, the injury severity score (ISS), the department that managed the surgery, and the cause of death were analyzed for 367 patients visiting the center from its establishment in June 2011 through December 2013. Results: The mean age of the patients was 47 years (285 male and 82 female patients). A total of 187 patients directly visited the center whereas 180 were transferred to the center. Traffic accidents comprised the majority of injury mechanisms, and 178 patients underwent emergency surgery. The mean length of stay per patient was 11 days for those in the ICU and 27 days for those in a general ward. These patients occupied 4 beds in the ICU and 10 beds in the general ward per day. A total of 1.21 surgeries were performed per patient, and the mean number of surgeries performed per day was 0.49. The mean ISS was 15.91, and 183 patients (50%) had an ISS of ${\geq}16$. Thirty-one patients died; they had a mean ISS of 28.42. The most frequent cause of death was multi-organ failure. The mean number of treatment consultations during a patient's stay was 6.32. Forty-five patients (13%) were discharged from the center, and 291 (79%) were transferred to another hospital. Conclusion: A systematic approach to establishing a treatment model for trauma patients, including injury mechanism, multidisciplinary treatment, and trauma surgeon intervention, is required for treating trauma patients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2000

Purpose: The aim of this research is to examine the abnormal liver function complicated with Kawasaki disease (KD) and to analyze its clinical characteristics and complications. Methods: Ninty eight cases were diagnosed as having KD, among which thirty four cases had abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (>30 IU/L). These abnormal ALT cases were evaluated in terms of age and sex distribution, major symptoms, complications, laboratory and histopathologic findings. Results: Male to female ratio was 2.4:1 and most patients (91.2%) were under 5 years of age. Cervical lymphadenopathy was observed in 3 cases (8.8%); and recurred cases were two (5.8%). Average fever duration was 8 days; average length of hospitalization was 9 days; and average recovery period was 13 days. Immediately after admission, positive CRP was observed in 31 cases (91.2%), leukocytosis (> $10,000/mm^3$) in 26 cases (76.0%), thrombocytosis (> $450,000/mm^3$) in 7 cases (20.6%), and anemia (<10 gm/dl) in 7 cases (20.6%), respectively. GB hydrops or cholecystitis were noted in 3 cases (8.8%), abnormal ECG finding in 1 case (2.9%), coronary dilatation or aneurysm in 2 cases (5.9%). Liver biopsy was done in four cases and revealed mild infiltration of lymphocytes on the portal area and mild bile duct proliferations. Conclusion: The abnormal liver function was noted in 34.7% of KD patients, and subsided all within one month. But the liver function test should be checked closely in patients of the abnormal liver function test complicated with KD despite of its good prognosis.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.144-148
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• 2022

Backgrounds/Aims: Splenectomy in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is performed to relieve abdominal symptoms, treat hypersplenism or confirm diagnosis. Excision of a very large spleen is technically challenging and data on outcomes of surgery in patients with NHL are scanty. The aim of study was to evaluate the impact of spleen size on the surgical outcome of splenectomy in patients with NHL. Methods: Patients with NHL who underwent splenectomy, between 2006 and 2017, were included and divided into two groups: group 1, spleen ≤ 20 cm; group 2, spleen > 20 cm. Surgical approach, operative time, postoperative morbidity, mortality, hospital stay and re-admission rates were retrospectively compared between groups. Non-parametric data were evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U test. Differences in frequencies were analyzed with Fisher's exact test. Results: Sixteen patients were included (group 1, 6; group 2, 10). Laparoscopy was successful in three patients of group 1, none of group 2 (p = 0.035), the intraoperative time did not differ significantly between groups. One patient in each group developed postoperative complications. The patient in group 1 died of pneumonia. Median length of stay was 8 days (range, 3-16 days) for group 1, 5.5 days (range, 3-10 days) for group 2, showing no significant difference between the two groups. No patient was readmitted to hospital. Conclusions: Spleen size does not affect the outcome of splenectomy in patients with NHL. If a mini-invasive approach is to be chosen, laparoscopy may not be feasible when the spleen size is > 20 cm.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.137-143
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• 2023

This study was conducted to analyze factors affecting the length of stay in children with injuries by determining relationships between length of stay and characteristics of children(aged 0 to 12) with injuries. 7,804 patients aged 0 to 12 who participated in the Korea Nation Hospital Discharge In-Depth Injury Surveys, got a diagnosis of sequelae of injuries and of other consequences of external causes(S00-T98), and were discharged between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2020 were investigated. A frequency analysis, independent samples t-test, and ANOVA were performed. Also, to identify factors affecting the length of stay, a regression analysis was performed. The average length of stay for the patients investigated in this study was 5.5 days. The length of stay for school-age children(aged 7 to 12) and children who had either public or private coverage was higher than that for preschoolers(aged 0 to 6) and children who didn't have public or private coverage, respectively. The length of stay for children admitted to a hospital in a rural area(Jeolla-do or Gyeongsang-do) was higher than that for children admitted to a hospital in a metropolitan area and the length of stay for children admitted to a hospital that had 100-299 hospital beds was relatively long. However, children who first visited a hospital for outpatient care stayed relatively short in hospital and children who had been burned or injured in traffic crashes stayed relatively long in hospital. Children who got a secondary diagnosis and had a principal procedure or who died after being discharged were in hospital for a long time. The findings of this study shall be useful, as they identified characteristics related to the length of stay for Korean children with injuries and factors that determine the length of stay for those children by analyzing the national dataset, or more specifically, the data from the Korea National Hospital Discharge In-Depth Injury Surveys. The risk of child injuries can be easily reduced by taking actions to prevent them and providing safety education programs. The present study has provided essential baseline data for the provision of aggressive care for child injuries and the establishment of a range of policies for child injury prevention.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2005

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of distraction osteogenesis for fourth brachymetatarsia. Materials and Methods: Seven patients (10 cases) who were treated by distraction osteogenesis for fourth brachymetatarsia from March 2000 to December 2003 were reviewed retrospectively. Results: The average length gain of fourth metatarsus was 16.6 mm (37%) and the average healing index was 50 days/cm. The final results according to AOFAS functional scale were excellent in 8 cases and good in 2 cases. Conclusion: Distraction osteogenesis is an effective treatment for fourth brachymetatarsia in spite of some minor complications.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.205-216
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• 2023

Objective: To investigate changes in the immature teeth of Sprague-Dawley rats during orthodontic treatment and to explore the changes in the peri-radicular alveolar bone through micro-computed tomography (CT). Methods: Twenty-five 26-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were included. The maxillary left first molar was moved mesially under a continuous force of 30 cN, and the right first molar served as the control. After orthodontic treatment for 7, 14, 21, 28, and 42 days, the root length, tooth volume, and alveolar bone mineral density (BMD) around the mesial root were measured through micro-CT. Results: The immature teeth continued to elongate after application of orthodontic force. The root length on the force side was significantly smaller than that on the control side, whereas the differences in the volume change between both sides were not statistically significant. Alveolar bone in the coronal part of the compression and tension sides showed no difference in BMD between the experimental and control groups. The BMD of the experimental group decreased from day 14 to day 42 in the apical part of the compression side and increased from day 7 to day 42 in the apical part of the tension side. The BMD of the experimental group decreased in the root apex part on day 7. Conclusions: The root length and volume of immature teeth showed continued development under orthodontic forces. Alveolar bone resorption was observed on the compression side, and bone formation was observed on the tension side.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.736-745
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• 2020

Objective: To identify the initial chest computed tomography (CT) findings and clinical characteristics associated with the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Materials and Methods: Baseline CT scans and clinical and laboratory data of 72 patients admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia (39 men, 46.2 ± 15.9 years) were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline CT findings including lobar distribution, presence of ground glass opacities, consolidation, linear opacities, and lung severity score were evaluated. The outcome event was recovery with hospital discharge. The time from symptom onset to discharge or the end of follow-up (for those remained hospitalized) was recorded. Data were censored in events such as death or discharge without recovery. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to explore the association between initial CT, clinical or laboratory findings, and discharge with recovery, whereby hazard ratio (HR) values < 1 indicated a lower rate of discharge at four weeks and longer time until discharge. Results: Thirty-two patients recovered and were discharged during the study period with a median length of admission of 16 days (range, 9 to 25 days), while the rest remained hospitalized at the end of this study (median, 17.5 days; range, 4 to 27 days). None died during the study period. After controlling for age, onset time, lesion characteristics, number of lung lobes affected, and bilateral involvement, the lung severity score on baseline CT (> 4 vs. ≤ 4 [reference]: adjusted HR = 0.41 [95% confidence interval, CI = 0.18-0.92], p = 0.031) and initial lymphocyte count (reduced vs. normal or elevated [reference]: adjusted HR = 0.14 [95% CI = 0.03-0.60], p = 0.008) were two significant independent factors that influenced recovery and discharge. Conclusion: Lung severity score > 4 and reduced lymphocyte count at initial evaluation were independently associated with a significantly lower rate of recovery and discharge and extended hospitalization in patients admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2023

Background: We analyzed our experience with descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) treatment and investigated the efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for mediastinal drainage. Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients who underwent surgical drainage for DNM at our hospital from 2005 to 2020. We analyzed patients' baseline characteristics, surgical data, and perioperative outcomes and compared them according to the mediastinal drainage approach among patients with type II DNM. Results: Twenty-five patients (male-to-female ratio, 18:7) with a mean age of 54.0±12.9 years were enrolled in this study. The most common infection sources were pharyngeal infections (60%). Most patients had significantly increased white blood cell counts, elevated C-reactive protein levels, and decreased albumin levels on admission. The most common DNM type was type IIB (n=16, 64%), while 5 and 4 patients had types I and IIA, respectively. For mediastinal drainage, the transcervical approach was used in 15 patients and the transthoracic approach (VATS) in 10 patients. The mean length of hospital stay was 26.5±23.8 days, and the postoperative morbidity and in-hospital mortality rates were 24% and 12%, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found among patients with type II DNM between the transcervical and VATS groups. However, the VATS group showed shorter mean antibiotic therapy duration, drainage duration, and hospital stay length than the transcervical group. Conclusion: DNM manifested as severe infection requiring long-term inpatient treatment, with a mortality rate of 12%. Thus, active treatment with a multidisciplinary approach is crucial, and mediastinal drainage using VATS is considered relatively safe and effective.