• Health Policy and Management
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.46-64
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• 1997

Background & Objectives : Korea is face with the social need for health care technology assessment so that it is urgently needed to found principles and methodology in technology assessment in health care. As a groundwork for health care technology assessment, we tried to prioritize medical technology for assessment. Among medical technologies, procedure is somewhat difficult to assess, compared to drug or equipment. In this study, we aimed at the prioritisation of medical procedure to be assessed, in terms of efficay, safety, and adequacy. Method : For the standardized classification of medical procedure, ICD-9-CM(International Classification of Diseases 9th edition - Clinical Modification) was used. Among the list the procedures coming under otorhinolaringjology and thoracic surgery were selected by three family physicians. The list of procedure was mailed to the board certified surgeons of both disciplines, with the question asking about the necessity for assessment in terms of efficay, safety, and adequacy. Replied questionnaires were analyzed in each procedure. Results : Of 560 otorhinolaryngologist and 480 thoracic surgeon, 114 surgeons replied. Of otorhinolaryngological procedure, incision, excision, and destruction of inner ear : fenestration of inner ear : stapedectomy and its revision were the most urgent technology to assess in the aspect of safety. For adequacy, operations on Eustachian tube: fenestration of inner ear: incision, excision, and destruction of inner ear were highly ranked in necessity, and for efficary, operations on Eustachian tube; external maxillary antrotomy; fenestration of inner ear. Thoracic surgeons replied thoracic procedures, lung transplantation; heart transplantation; implantation of heart assist system [pump] are most important for evaluation in terms of safety; and heart transplantation; Lung transplantation; Implantation of heart assist system [pump] in terms of adequacy, and surgical collapse of lung [Artificia니 pnemothorax or pnuexoperitoeum]; lung transplantation; periarterial sympathectomy in terms of efficacy. As a whole, surgeons regard safety evaluation is more urgent than adequacy or efficary. In addition, otorhinolaryngological surgeons regard evaluation of their procedures more urgent than thoracic surgeons regard theirs. Conclusion : By the questionnaire to board certified physicians, we get some preliminary data for prioritisation of technologies to assess. Through the questionnaire like this, much information would be gathered for technology assessment, especially for medical procedure, if not enough. In the near future, well structured expert opinion gathering research, such as modified Delphi or nominal group technique, should be done succeedingly.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2014

Background: Symptomatic or asymptomatic patients with significant carotid artery stenosis (range, 70% to 99%) generally undergo either carotid artery endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) to prevent stroke. In this study, we evaluated the cost effectiveness of these two treatment modalities. Methods: A total of 47 patients (mean age, $67.1{\pm}9.1$ years; male, 87.2%) undergoing either CEA (n=28) or CAS (n=19) for the treatment of significant carotid artery stenosis were enrolled in this study. Hospitalization costs were subdivided into three parts, namely pre-procedure, procedure and resource, and post-procedure costs. Results: Total hospitalization costs were similar in both groups of CEA and CAS (6,377 thousand won [TW] vs. 6,703 TW, p=0.255); however, the total cost minus the pre-procedure cost was higher in the CAS group than in the CEA group (4,948 TW vs. 5,941 TW, p<0.0001). The pre-procedure cost of the CEA group was higher than that of the CAS group (1,429 TW vs. 762 TW, p<0.0001). However, the procedure and resource cost was higher in the CAS group because the resource cost was approximately three times higher in the CAS group than in the CEA group. The post-procedure cost was higher in the CEA group because hospital stays were approximately two times longer. Conclusion: The total hospitalization cost was not different between the CEA and the CAS groups. The pre-procedure cost was high in the CEA group, but the cost from procedure onset to discharge, including the resource cost, was significantly lower in this group.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.87 no.2
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• pp.194-199
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• 2024

Background: In recent years, medical thoracoscopy has been well established to play an important role in undiagnosed pleural effusion; however, this procedure is underutilized due to limited availability of the instruments it requires. This study analysed the outcome of single port rigid thoracoscopy in patients with undiagnosed pleural effusions. Methods: This study retrospectively analysed the outcomes of all patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion presenting to our centre between 2016 to 2020 who underwent single port rigid medical thoracoscopy as a diagnostic procedure. Results: In total, 92 patients underwent single port rigid medical thoracoscopy. The most common presenting symptom was shortness of breath. A majority of the patients had lymphocytic exudative pleural effusion. The average biopsy sample size was 18 mm, and no major complication was reported in any of the patients. Conclusion: Single port rigid thoracoscopy is a safe and well-tolerated procedure that yields a biopsy of a larger size with high diagnostic yield. Moreover, the low cost of the instruments required by this procedure makes it particularly suited for use in developing countries.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.204-209
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• 2006

Objective : The authors retrospectively evaluate the benefits of the various pain procedures for the treatment of low back pain unresponsive to conservative management. Methods : Over a period of 2 years from May 2002 and June 2004, the authors had performed various pain procedures on 106 patients with low back pain. Epidural block, facet joint block, sacroiliac joint block, and myofascial block were included among various pain procedures. The pain improvement, period of analgesic use, and degree of satisfaction were evaluated 1 day, 4 weeks, and 6 months after injections. The outcome of pain procedures was analyzed by using a modified Macnab criteria. Results : Sixty-four patients had a single procedure with no combination and 42 patients [39.6%] received the combination of the various pain procedure. Regardless of the single or combination cases of procedure, combination of appropriate spinal level on each procedure was conducted in 104 [98.1%]. Mean follow up period was 12.2 months. Eighty-two patients [77.4%] experienced significant pain relief and overall analgesic medication was reduced in 91 patients [85.8%] at 6 months after procedure. Unfavorable results were demonstrated in 10 patients. Permanent procedural complications did not occur. Conclusion : The various pain procedures are the possible therapeutic option for low back pain unresponsive to conservative management including medication or physical therapy.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.73-92
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to understand actual state of supportive behavior of parents and nurses during invasive procedure for children who visit emergency medical center. Method: The object group was children's parents who have from 0 to 7 aged children takes invasive procedure except neonates and nurses who take part in the invasive procedure. Among them, 80 children's parents and 31 nurses were selected. For data analysis, SPSS for Window 8.0 was used and especially content analysis was performed for concrete supportive behavior of parents and nurses by survey. Results: Supportive behavior of parents and nurses during children's invasive procedure gave negative influences to the children, because most parents supplied poor supportive behavior without preparation, nurses performed work-oriented and treatment-oriented nursing due to speciality and busy business in emergency medical center. Conclusion: To lead positive and affirmative supportive behavior of parents and nurses during children's invasive procedure, for parents, positive supportive behavior ability must be strengthen through the overall education about children's invasive procedure when they visit emergency medical center or go to hospital: for nurses, hospital must provide successive instruction and policy to make nurses perform not work-oriented but patient-oriented nursing and positive supportive behavior.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.129-162
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• 2008

Nowadays it is important for us to resolute medical disputes. Because a high incidence of medical accidents may be brought about according to many chances of treatment in the operation of health insurance and increasing concern of patient health. Patients and medical doctors have plenty of difficulty in uncomfortable treatment circumstances of a high incidence of medical accidents. It is especially desirable that our society should prevent medical accidents and resolute speedy, fairly and rationally the happened medical disputes. Many legislations were suggested to resolute medical dispute. But legal issue points stress only speedy medical dispute resolution procedure and don't compromise fair and professional procedure. Accordingly these legal arguing points had not been accepted by the National Assembly and people. If the speedy resolution of medical dispute was demanded to solve unsafe treatment circumstances, it is necessitated that the legislation containing legal issue points to procedure is enacted. Of course the interest of patients and doctors to legal issue points must be balanced. Because an arguing points to the reversal of proof burden is consisted of the entity judgement in connection with setting the basis of resolution of medical dispute, the legislation to these is checked carefully.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.293-296
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• 2010

Purpose: NTM (non tuberculous mycobacteria) is rare cause of surgical site infection after plastic surgery in immunocompetent patients. There are some reports about NTM infection after body contouring procedure from Latin America. But, there is no report in Korea. The purpose of this article is to report 2 patients with soft tissue infection caused by NTM after body contouring procedure. Methods: Two young female patients exhibited signs of inflammation and abscess after body contouring procedure. One patient underwent liposuction. The other underwent HPL (hypotonic pharmacologic lipo-dissolution) injection. Results: The result of tissue cultures were positive for NTM. All patients responded to the combined therapeutic approach. Conclusion: The goal of this article is to raise awareness among plastic surgeons who may encounter such patients in their practice. NTM should be included in the differential diagnosis of surgical site infection after body contouring surgery.

• Journal of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.429-433
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• 2023

84 years old gentle man with past medical history of hypertension and diabetes presented with sudden onset right sided weakness and aphasia for two hours. Initial neurological assessment revealed National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) 17. Computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated minimal early ischemic changes along left insular cortex with occlusion of left middle cerebral artery (MCA). Based on clinical and imaging findings, decision was made to perform mechanical thrombectomy procedure. Initially, right common femoral artery approach was utilized. However, due to unfavorable type-III bovine arch, left internal carotid artery could not be engaged via this approach. Subsequently, access was switched to right radial artery. Angiogram revealed small caliber radial artery, with larger caliber ulnar artery. Attempt was made to advance the guide catheter through the radial artery, however significant vasospasm was encountered. Subsequently, ulnar artery was accessed and successful thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) III left MCA reperfusion was achieved with a single pass of mechanical thrombectomy via this approach. Post procedure neurological examination demonstrated significant clinical improvement. Doppler ultrasound 48 hours after the procedure demonstrated patent flow in radial and ulnar arteries with no evidence of dissection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 2014

Background: Surgical repair of a partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) to the superior vena cava (SVC) may be complicated by sinus node dysfunction or SVC obstruction. We modified the Warden procedure by using a right atrial auricular flap to decrease the occurrence of these complications. Methods: Between February 2005 and July 2012, 10 consecutive patients underwent a modified Warden procedure to correct PAPVC. The median patient age was 5.7 years. Eight patients (80%) had an atrial septal defect. To surgically correct the PAPVC, we made a U-shaped incision on the right atrial appendage and sutured the flap to the posterior wall of the SVC. The anterior wall was reconstructed with various patch materials. Results: No early or late deaths occurred, nor did any patient require early or late reoperation for SVC or pulmonary venous obstruction. No new arrhythmias appeared during follow-up, which was complete in all patients (mean, 29.5 months). Conclusion: Our modification of the Warden procedure seems to be effective and safe. This technique may lower the risk of SVC obstruction, pulmonary venous obstruction, and sinus dysfunction.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.163-170
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• 2017

Background: The absence of atrial contraction (AC) after the maze procedure has been reported to cause subsequent annular dilatation and to increase the risk of embolic stroke. We hypothesized that the lack of AC could increase the risk of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation in patients undergoing the maze procedure. Methods: In 376 consecutive patients who had undergone a cryo-maze procedure and combined valve operation, recovery of AC was assessed at baseline and at immediate (${\leq}2$ weeks), early (${\leq}1$ year, $4.6{\pm}3.8$ months), and late (>1 year, $3.5{\pm}1.1$ years) postoperative stages. Results: With a median follow-up of 53 months, 10 patients underwent PPM implantation. Seven PPM implants were for sinus node dysfunction (pauses of $9.6{\pm}2.4$ seconds), one was for marked sinus bradycardia, and two were for advanced/complete atrioventricular block. The median (interquartile range) time to PPM implantation was 13.8 (0.5-68.2) months. Our time-varying covariate Cox models showed that the absence of AC was a risk factor for PPM implantation (hazard ratio, 11.92; 95% confidence interval, 2.52 to 56.45; p=0.002). Conclusion: The absence of AC may be associated with a subsequent risk of PPM implantation.