• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.321-325
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• 1998

Most of the patients with pain resulting from advanced cancer need opioid for adequate analgesia. Various Methods of drug administration to control the pain have been developed. One of them, continuous administration of intravenous morphine is used for more effective pain control in the patient with severe pain that cannot be satisfactorily controlled by other Methods of morphine administration. But this is not a suitable method at home because of the possibility of serious infectious complications and the difficulty in managing intravenous access by untrained personnel. Continuous subcutaneous adminstration of drugs can not only overcome such disadvantages of continuous intravenous infusion but also get almost the same effect of pain control as continuous intravenous infusion, and allows opportunity to move freely and return home, improving quality of life. We used continuous subcutaneous morphine and metoclopramide in the patients with cancer pain via a portable PCA device, and accomplished satisfactory pain relief without significant side effect.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.401-405
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• 2013

Complex regional pain syndrome secondary to brachial plexus injury is often severe, debilitating and difficult to manage. Percuteneous radiofrequency sympathectomy is a relatively new technique, which has shown promising results in various chronic pain disorders. We present four consecutive patients with complex regional pain syndrome secondary to brachial plexus injury for more than 6 months duration, who had undergone percutaneous T2 and T3 radiofrequency sympathectomy after a diagnostic block. All four patients experienced minimal pain relief with conservative treatment and stellate ganglion blockade. An acceptable 6 month pain relief was achieved in all 4 patients where pain score remained less than 50% than that of initial score and all oral analgesics were able to be tapered down. There were no complications attributed to this procedure were reported. From this case series, percutaneous T2 and T3 radiofrequency sympathectomy might play a significant role in multi-modal approach of CRPS management.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 1990

Fifty-one cases of acute herpes zoster infection were analyzed to search for the most effective management strategy of the disease, including pain relief and decreasing the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. Anti-viral treatment was not included. Analgesics and nerve blocks, such as stellate ganglion block or epidural block, were helpful. Corticosteroid was administered in most of the cases either systemically or epidurally or both. Epidural administration of local anesthetic in combination with corticosteroid seemed to have certain advantages of excellent pain relief as a result of sympathetic blockade and regional plus systemic anti-inflammatory effects of the steroid, although this was not proved by definite statistical evidence.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.84-88
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• 2008

The spontaneous regression of herniated cervical discs is not a well established phenomenon. However, we encountered the 3 cases of spontaneous regression of severe radiculopathic herniated cervical discs that were treated using a non-surgical method. Each of the patients were treated with a combination of manipulation, dry needling and analgesics. In each case, the symptoms improved within 12 months of treatment and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conducted at that time revealed marked regression of the herniated disc in all cases. These cases provide additional examples of spontaneous regression of herniated cervical discs documented by MRI following non-surgical treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.277-285
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• 2013

Background: Opioid analgesics are widely used to reduce postoperative pain and to enhance post-operative recovery. However, orthostatic intolerance (OI) induced by opioid containing intravenous patient controlled analgesia (IPCA) may hinder postoperative recovery. This study investigated factors that affect OI in patients receiving IPCA for postoperative pain control. Methods: OI was instantly evaluated at the time of first ambulation in 175 patients taking opioid containing IPCA after open and laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomies. Patients were classified as having OI if they experienced dizziness, nausea/vomiting, blurred vision, headache, somnolence and syncope. Factors contributing to OI were assessed with logistic regression analysis. Results: Out of 175 patients, 61 (52.6%) male and 44 (74.6%) female patients experienced OI at the time of first ambulation. The frequency of OI related symptoms were dizziness (97, 55.4%), nausea (46, 26.3%), headache (9, 5.1%), blurred vision (3, 1.7%) and vomiting (2, 1.1%). Significant risk factors for OI were gender (P=0.002) and total amount of opioids administered (P=0.033). Conclusions: The incidence of OI is significantly higher in male than in female patients and is influenced by the opioid dose.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.384-386
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• 2006

Acute subdural hematoma is an exceptionally rare, but life-threatening complication of spinal anesthesia. The authors report here on a case of acute subdural hematoma in a 52-year-old male who underwent an arthroscopic knee joint operation under spinal epidural anesthesia due to tearing of the medial meniscus. He complained of headache after surgery. Computed tomography[CT] revealed acute subdural hematoma in the right fronto-tempo-parietal area. The headache progressed in spite of analgesics and bed rest; two weeks later, the CT showed subacute subdural hematoma with a mass effect. The patient improved after surgical decompression. The pathogenesis of subdural hematoma formation after dural puncture is discussed and we briefly review the relevant literature. Prolonged and severe postdural puncture headache[PDPH] should be viewed with suspicion and investigated promptly to rule out any intracranial complications. Immediate treatment of the PDPH with an epidural blood patch to prevent further CSF leakage should be considered.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2009

Objective : In the present study, the authors investigated the clinical and imaging features as well as the therapeutic outcomes of SIH (spontaneous intracranial hypotension) patients. Methods : A retrospective review of 12 SIH patients was carried out. The diagnostic work-up included lumbar tapping and measurement of CSF opening pressure, radioisotope cisternography, brain and spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) myelography. Autologous epidural blood patching was performed in patients who did not respond to conservative therapies, including analgesics, steroids, hydration and rest. Results : Typical postural headache was found in 11 (91%) patients. Nine (75%) patients showed pachymeningeal enhancement on their initial T1-weighted MR images. The CSF opening pressure was less than 60 mm$H_2O$ in 9 of 11 patients. Autologous epidural blood patching was performed in 7 patients, and all of them showed good responses. Conclusion : SIH can present with various clinical presentations and neuroimaging findings. Autologous epidural blood patching is thought to be the treatment of choice for patients with SIH.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.423-429
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• 2008

Ayurveda, an ancient System of Indian Medicine, has recommended a number of drugs from indigenous plant sources for the treatment of inflammation. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of methanol extract of Triphala were investigated in Wister albino rats and mice. The methanol extract of Triphala were found to encompass substantial anti-inflammatory effect in acute and sub-acute models and analgesic effect. Animal models of carrageenan induced edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma in albino rats were used. Extract of 200 mg/kg shows significantly reduced paw edema. Analgesics activity of Triphala with 200 mg/kg shown by significant reduction of writhing. These report shows to support the use methanol extract of Triphala in relieving inflammation and pain.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to test the effects of music therapy on postoperative pain in patients with total hip replacement. Method: The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were composed of thirty patients with total hip replacement. Fifteen of them were assigned to the experimental group and fifteen to the control group. Fifteen minutes tailored music therapy was given to the experimental group during five consecutive days. The instruments used for this study were pain NRS(numerical rating scale). The data were analyzed using percent, mean, standard deviation, ${\chi}^2-test$ and repeated measure ANOVA using SPSS WIN 11.0. Results: Hypothesis 1 "The score of pain NRS of experimental group will be lower than those of control group" was accepted(F=15.945, p<.001). Hypothesis 2 "The frequency of PCA analgesics of experimental group will be fewer than those of control group" was accepted (t=-2.312, p=.028). Hypothesis 3 "The vital signs(pulse, systolic BP and diastolic BP) of experimental group will be different from those of control group" was rejected. Conclusion: This music therapy can be recommended as an efficient nursing intervention to reduce postoperative pain in patients with total hip replacement.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.262-267
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• 2010

Therapeutic duplication of prescriptions is the most frequently reported inappropriate drug use in Korea. To prevent significant problems during drug prescribing and dispensing, prospectively, development of standard including drug lists considered as therapeutic duplications for the prioritized drug classes first would be necessary. This study was aimed to analyze frequent drug classes of therapeutic duplications by healthcare providers in clinical practice settings. National health claims data for drug review and reimbursement (1,426,065 prescriptions dated March 19, 2008) were analyzed. Therapeutic duplication was defined as the prescription including more than 2 ingredients belonging to the same KFDA drug classification numbers that considered to have therapeutic similarities. The following 3 drug classes were mostly frequent therapeutic duplication classes: 114 anti-pyretics, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs; 117 drugs for psycho-nervous system; 141 Antihistamines. About 3.5% of overall prescriptions analyzed showed therapeutic duplications. This result might be starting step to develop DUR therapeutic duplication standard.