• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.367-375
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to announce the present condition, walking training, and adaptable training of a limb amputated patient. The study is a successful report of the limb amputated patient through the medical treatment of the physical therapy. A cause of the limb amputated patient, a truck driver, was that the patient was hit by a train when the driver alight from the truck. Then, the driver was surgical operated on left AK (Above Knee) amputation and left AE (Above Elbow) amputation by orthopedics at the Young Dong Severance Hospital on Dec.7, 1996. Two weeks after the operation (Dec., 22, 1996), the patient was trained at the Yonsei Medical Center Physical Therapy Hospital for the walking and temper adjust training. It was possible to do a flat surface walking and a slope surface walking without helping due to the patients optimistic personal character and motivation. However, the patient struggled to a dull surface walking and his weak endurance. the patient has several problems when the patient wears artificial legs and hands, fears on fall down, and mentally worries on noise when he walks. It is necessary to approach for this problems by many fields of the helpers, such as Rehabilitation medical doctor, physical therapist, occupational therpist, artificial limbs makers, psychologists, and etc. Therefore, in order for recovering from the amputated parts function after the surgical operation, more approved reports have to be for the amputated patients due to increasing traffic accidents, industrial disaster, cancer, diabetes, obstacles of the peripheral nervous system, and etc.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 2013

Background Some diabetic feet heal without complication, but others undergo amputation due to progressive wounds. This study investigates the risk factors for amputation of diabetic feet. Methods A total of 55 patients who visited our institution from 2008 to 2012 were included in the study. The patients with abnormal fasting blood sugar levels, lower leg vascularity, and poor nutrition were excluded from the study group, and the wound states were unified. The patients were categorized into a treatment success group (n=47) and a treatment failure group (n=8), and their hemoglobin A1C (HgA1C), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), and serum creatinine levels were analyzed. Results The initial CRP, WBC, and serum creatinine levels in the treatment failure group were significantly higher than that of the treatment success group, and the initial HgA1C level was significantly higher in the treatment success group. The CRP and WBC levels of both groups changed significantly as time passed, but their serum creatinine levels did not. Conclusions The initial CRP, WBC, and serum creatinine levels were considered to be risk factors for amputation. Among them, the serum creatinine level was found to be the most important predictive risk factor. Because serum creatinine represents the renal function, thorough care is needed for the feet of diabetic patients with renal impairment.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.150-156
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• 2017

Background Digital amputation is a common upper extremity injury and can cause significant impairment in hand function, as well as psychosocial stigma. Currently, the gold standard for the reconstruction of such injuries involves autologous reconstruction. However, when this or other autologous options are not available, prosthetic reconstruction can provide a functionally and aesthetically viable alternative. This study describes a novel technique, known as a tripod titanium mini-plate, for osseointegrated digit prostheses, and reviews the outcomes in a set of consecutive patients. Methods A retrospective review of patients who underwent 2-stage prosthetic reconstruction of digit amputations was performed. Demographic information, occupation, mechanism of injury, number of amputated fingers, and level of amputation were reviewed. Functional and aesthetic outcomes were assessed using the quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (Q-DASH) scale and a visual analog scale (VAS) score, respectively. In addition, complications during the postoperative period were recorded. Results Seven patients were included in this study. Their average age was 29 years. Five patients had single-digit amputations and 2 patients had multiple-digit amputations. Functional and aesthetic outcomes were assessed using the Q-DASH score (average, 10.4) and VAS score (average, 9.1), respectively. One episode of mild cellulitis was seen at 24 months of follow-up. However, it was treated successfully with oral antibiotics. No other complications were reported. Conclusions When autologous reconstruction is not suitable for digit reconstruction, prosthetic osseointegrated reconstruction can provide good aesthetic and functional results. However, larger series with longer-term follow-up are required in order to rule out the possibility of other complications.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.201-207
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• 1999

Malignant tumors of the hand are very rare. Between 1989 and 1998, 17 patients with malignant tumors of the hand were evaluated for clinical features, prevalence, treatment and results. The mean age was 45 years and median duration of follow-up was 38 months. A painless mass was the most common symptom and the most common lesion was the digit. Fifteen cases of soft tissue and 2 cases of bone tumor were diagnosed. On pathology, soft tissue tumors were comprised of 8 cases of malignant melanoma, 2 cases of angiosarcoma and 1 case each of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, extraskeletal chondrosarcoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Bone tumors were metastatic tumors and each originated from the rectal cancer or lung cancer. Lymph node involvements were noted in 4 cases of malignant melanoma and 1 case of squamous cell carcinoma. Six cases of metacarpo-phalangeal joint disarticulation and 4 cases of phalanx amputation were performed. Wide excision, ray amputation and below-elbow amputation were also performed. Three cases expired due to metastasis and progression of the original lesion. Among the surviving 14 cases, a malignant melanoma had metastasis on the axillary lymph node and 13 cases showed no local recurrence or metastasis during the follow-up.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.590-594
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• 2003

Vascular injury has been increased with popular outside activities. However there are only a few studies for vascular trauma. We intended to find out the relationships between the vascular trauma and its prognosis. Material and Method: Forty-four patients were diagnosed and operated on for vascular injury in the Gyeongsang National University Hospital from 1992. to 1999. We reviewed their chart and analysed their data retrospectively. We studied to causes, treatments, and prognoses of traumatic vascular injury. Result: The transfer time between accident place and emergency department was mean 3,5 hour, and the operation preparing time was 8.8 hours. Five cases required amputation of extremity. All amputation cases were combined with communited bony fractures. Thirty-eight cases had combined other injuries, and almost combined injuries were muscular and neurological damages, Conclusion: The optimal treatment plan for vascular trauma was prompt diagnosis and quick management. It may decrease amputation rate and post-traumatic complications. Therefore we must be carefully evaluated the multiple traumatic patients for early diagnosis of vascular injury and operate quickly in emergency status.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2002

As the defects of the penis caused by trauma, surgical amputation, or congenital abnormality give the patients both psychological trauma and functional impairment, reconstruction of the penis is mandatory. Radial forearm free flap is reliable one-stage procedure, which can reconstruct both the phallus and the urethra. Chang and Whang's adaptation of the "tube-in-a-tube" concept and its incorporation into a free flap design represented a major advance in microsurgical phallic construction. Biemer described a modification of the radial forearm flap design in which the neourethra was centered over the radial artery, but the phallic shaft was separated into two paraurethral swatches. The authors have performed one-stage penile reconstruction in two patients since 1998, using a radial forearm free flap. Our present design incorporates the original Biemer triple skin island and includes a fourth distal island for neoglans. One case was the amputation of the penis from felonious assault and the other case was the iatrogenic penile amputation from repetitive urologic surgery for congenital hypospadia. All patients showed aesthetically acceptable results and good tactile sensory recovery. Severe complications such as necrosis, fistula, or urethral stricture were not occurred. Biemer's method modified by the authors is reliable one-stage penile reconstruction providing good aesthetic and functional results.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 2016

Phantom limb pain is a phenomenon in which patients experience pain in a part of the body that no longer exists. In several treatment modalities, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been introduced for the management of intractable post-amputation pain. A 46-year-old male patient complained of severe ankle and foot pain, following above-the-knee amputation surgery on the right side amputation surgery three years earlier. Despite undergoing treatment with multiple modalities for pain management involving numerous oral and intravenous medications, nerve blocks, and pulsed radiofrequency (RF) treatment, the effect duration was temporary and the decreases in the patient's pain score were not acceptable. Even the use of SCS did not provide completely satisfactory pain management. However, the trial lead positioning in the cauda equina was able to stimulate the site of the severe pain, and the patient's pain score was dramatically decreased. We report a case of successful pain management with spinal cauda equina stimulation following the failure of SCS in the treatment of intractable phantom limb pain.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.642-648
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• 2011

Purpose: The recent advances in microsurgical techniques and their refinement over the past decade have greatly expanded the indications for digital replantations and have enabled us to salvage severed fingers more often. Many studies have reported greater than 80% viability rates in replantation surgery with functional results. However, replantation of multi-level amputations still remain a challenging problem and the decision of whether or not to replant an amputated part is difficult even for an experienced reconstructive surgeon because the ultimate functional result is unpredictable. Methods: Between January of 2002 and May of 2008, we treated 10 multi-level amputated digits of 7 patients. After brachial plexus block, meticulous replantation procedure was performed under microscopic magnification. Postoperatively, hand elevation, heat lamp, drug therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy were applied with careful observation of digital circulation. Early rehabilitation protocol was performed for functional improvement. Results: Among the 19 amputated segments of 10 digits, 16 segments survived completely without any complications. Overall survival rate was 84%. Complete necrosis of one finger tip segment and partial necrosis of two distal amputated segments developed and subsequent surgical interventions such as groin flap, local advancement flap and skin graft were performed. The overall result was functionally and aesthetically satisfactory. Conclusion: We experienced successful replantations of multi-level amputated digits. When we encounter a multi-level amputation, the key question is whether or not it is a contraindication to replantation. Despite the demand for skillful microsurgical technique and longer operative time, the authors' results prove it is worth attempting replantations in multi-level amputation because of the superiority in aesthetic and functional results.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.226-231
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• 2022

It is well-known that some species of lizard have an exceptional ability known as caudal autotomy (voluntary self-amputation of the tail) as an anti-predation mechanism. After amputation occurs, they can regenerate their new tails in a few days. The new tail section is generally shorter than the original one and is composed of cartilage rather than vertebrae bone. In addition, the skin of the regenerated tail distinctly differs from its original appearance. We performed a proteomics analysis for extracts derived from regenerating lizard tail tissues after amputation and found that endoplasmin (ENPL) was the main factor among proteins up-regulated in expression during regeneration. Thus, we performed further experiments to determine whether ENPL could induce chondrogenesis of tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells (T-MSCs). In this study, we found that chondrogenic differentiation was associated with an increase of ENPL expression by ER stress. We also found that ENPL was involved in chondrogenic differentiation of T-MSCs by suppressing extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2001

The hand with amputation of all fingers is useless for activities of daily living and traumatic amputation of some of the fingers can result in the diminished ability to perform power grip and precision grip which is vital to maintain normal function of the hand. Precision grip is used to hold an object between the opposable thumb and flexed fingers. In power grip the object is held between the flexed fingers and the palm while the thumb applies the necessary counterpressure to maintain the grip on the object. A 35 year old male lost his right all fingers including thumb at the level of proximal phalanx from the pressure machinary accident. Thumb was reconstructed using wrap around flap and the second and third fingers were reconstructed using the second and third toe transplantation. Seven years after reconstruction, he uses the reconstructed thumb and the second and the third fingers for eating meals, writing down a paper with a pencil and putting on socks.