• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.240-243
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• 2010

Objective : Radiofrequency (RF) medial branch neurotomy is an effective management of lumbar facet syndrome. However, pain may recur after period of time. When pain recurs, it can be repeated, but the successful outcome and duration of relief from repeated procedures are not clearly known. The objective of this study was to determine the success rate and duration of pain relief from repeated radiofrequency medial branch neurotomy for lumbar facet syndrome. Methods : A retrospective review of medical records was done on 60 consecutive patients, from March of 2006 to February of 2009, who had an initial successful RF neurotomy but subsequently underwent repeated procedures due to recurrence of pain. All procedures were done in carefully selected patients after at least two responsive medial branch nerve blocks. C-arm fluoroscopic guide, impedance, sensory and motor threshold monitoring tools were used for the precise placement of electrodes. Responses of repeated procedures were compared with initial radiofrequency neurotomy for success rates and duration of pain relief. Results : There were 48 females and 12 males. Mean age was 52.4 years (range, 26-83). RF medial branch neurotomy was done on one side in 38 and both sides in 22 patients, each covering at least three segments. Average visual analog scale at last procedure was 6.8. Twelve patients had previous lumbar operations, including 4 patients with instrumentations. Fifty-five patients had two procedures and five patients had three procedures. Mean duration of successful pain relief (> 50% of previous pain for at least 3 months period) after initial radiofrequency neurotomy was 10.9 months (range, 3-28) in 51 (85%) patients. From repeated procedures, successful pain relief was seen in 50 (91%) patients with average duration of 10.2 months (range, 3-24). Five patients had third procedure, which was successful in 4 (80%) patients with mean duration of 9.8 months (range, 5-16). This was not statistically different from initial results. There were no permanent neurological complications from the procedures. Conclusion : Results of this study indicate that the frequency of success and durations of relief from repeated RF medial branch neurotomy for lumbar facet syndrome are similar to initial results that provided relatively prolonged period of pain relief without major side effects Each procedure seems to provide successful pain relief for about 10 months in more than 85% of carefully selected patients when properly done.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.27-30
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the endoscopic evidence of esophagitis in laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) patients using transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE) and to correlate these findings with treatment response. Methods : Fifty patients underwent TNE at Korea University Anam Hospital from July 2007 to Feb 2009. Participants were selected from patients that presented with various laryngeal symptoms. One experienced otolaryngologist assessed esophagitis according to the Los Angeles classification system using the TNE findings. Results : Fifteen of 50 LPR patients (30%) were found to have esophagitis (12 patients with Grade A, 3 patients with Grade B, no patients with grade C/ D esophagitis). Among the 15 patients positive for esophagitis based on the endoscopic findings, 12 (80%) showed symptom improvement after pharmacological therapy. Symptom improvement was correlated with evidence of esophagitis (p=0.002) but not with RFS (p=0.749). Conclusion : Endoscopic evaluation of esophagitis using TNE is a potentially valuable tool for predicting treatment response in LPRD patients.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.83-94
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• 2012

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the use and patterns of health care resources of local patients and to analyze the health seeking behaviors focusing on shopping around phenomenon. Methods : Questionnaires on the use of health institution were developed and administered to the residents in Yangsan city, Korea. We selected patients who were suffering from any diseases two months and over. Patients' health seeking behaviors were categorized, and the factors for selecting health institutions in each visiting stages were analyzed. Results : 139 local patients participated in the survey, and 130 completed questionnaires were analyzed. We found that there were sixty eight different types of medical utilization paths. The most frequent path was 'western clinics ${\rightarrow}$ Korean medicine hospitals or clinics ${\rightarrow}$ western clinics'. Only 6 patients started at Korean medicine, however, 16 patients(12.3%) finalized their treatment at Korean medicine hospitals or clinics. In most health seeking stages, patients tended to select health resources by their own decisions, and the geographic factor was the key reason to select health resources. Conclusions : Patients had not any stable forms to treat with their diseases, and we observed diversified patterns in the health seeking behaviors of patients, a typical shopping around phenomenon.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.677-689
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify types of care needs for hospice patients through Q- methodology. Method: Twenty three Q-statements were selected through in-depth interviews of hospice patients. Data were collected from 20 hospice patients by sorting 23 Q-statements into 9 points standard and then analyzed using PC QUANL program. Result: Type 1 was named 'the need for pain control type' and patients of this type had the greatest need of physical care to be free of pain and be comfortable. Type 2 was named 'the need for love and intimacy type' and patients of this type would like to share love and intimacy with their family members. Type 3 was named 'the needs for reliance on an Absolute Being type' and patients of this type would like to receive forgiveness from their God and prayers. Type 4 was named 'the need for accomplishment and service type' and patients of this type would like to complete their on going work and to give service to others. Conclusion: The study result could be basic data to perform effective nursing interventions for satisfying the care needs of hospice patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.32-54
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to identify the reason for patients to choose a hospital. We divided the hospital into two types of hospitals : corporate hospitals and university hospitals. We inverstigated patients' satisfaction according to the image of hospitals. For this purpose, two corporate hospitals and two university hospitals were selected. Data were collected from the self-administered questionnaire for the patients admitted to these four hospitals in April 1996. 772 questionnaires were collected and 55 cases had no answer or insincere answers. So, we used 707 questionnaires for the analysis. Corporate hospitals had modern facilities. However, patients preferred university hospitals because of the reliability of medical staffs and easy accessibility. University hospitals had higher level of satisfaction of medical services, while the corporate hospital had higher level of satisfaction to the friendly atmosphere, and kindness of hospital staffs. When the patients come to hospitals again after discharge, they would consider medical services, hospital atmosphere, and kindness of medical staffs regardless of hospital types. In conclusion, the reasons for patients selecting university hospitals are reliability, history, and tradition of medical services. Instead,, the reasons for patients selecting corporate hospitals are modernization of hospital facilities.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.714-727
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• 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a situation-specific theory to explain the disease management experience of patients with asthma. Methods: Twenty participants with asthma were selected using the theoretical sampling method. The data were acquired through in-depth interviews conducted from June to October 2018 and analyzed using the grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin. Results: In total, 69 concepts, 30 subcategories, and 13 categories were generated to explain the disease management experience of patients with asthma. The core category of the disease management experience of patients with asthma was 'management of the disease to prevent aggravation of symptoms over the lifetime'. The disease management process of asthma patients included three steps: the 'cognition phase', the 'adjustment phase', and the 'maintenance phase'. However, some patients remained in the 'stagnation phase' of disease management, which represents the result of the continual pursuit of risky health behavior. There were three types of disease management experiences among patients with asthma: 'self-managing', 'partially self-managing', and 'avoidant'. Conclusion: This study shows that patients with asthma must lead their disease management process to prevent exacerbation of their symptoms. It is imperative to develop nursing strategies and establish policies for effective disease management of patients with asthma based on their individual disease management processes and types.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6023-6026
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• 2012

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Malaysia for the year 2001 was 2.8 per 100,000 people. The mortality rate is increasing. A retrospective cohort study measuring the survival of HCC patients who received treatment in Selayang Hospital was conducted from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2006. The main objectives of the study were to measure the survival of the patients and to understand the influencing factors, especially ethnicity. The subjects were newly diagnosed cases of HCC by CT scan and histopathological assessment who underwent futher investigations and treatments in Hospital Selayang (inception cohort). The survival time was measured from the date of diagnosis until the subjects died, or failed to follow-up at the end of the study period (31 December 2007). A total of 299 patients were selected with 95 patients dying, the majority among Chinese (39.1%). Subgroup analysis according to ethnicity proved significantly that Chinese patients who had smaller tumor, less number of nodules, low AFP level, Child Pugh Class A and received surgical treatment had a better median survival rate compared to other ethnic groups. Malay (cHR: 1.3, 95%CI; 0.89-1.85) and Indian (cHR: 1.3, 95%CI; 0.74-2.26) patients had a poor survival compared to Chinese patients, but not in the final model. Therefore ethnicity may play a role in survival of HCC patients, but not as a main hazard prognostic factor.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.21 no.2 s.34
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• pp.325-340
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• 1991

There are evidences that occlusal splint therapy is critical to diagnose hidden akeleto-occlusal disharmonies in malocclusion patients and capable of enhancing stability after orthodontic treatment. In addition, evidences have implicated occlusal splint therapy in condylar positional changes during TMJ disorder treatment. In view of these evidences, this study was performed to investigate the effect of occlusal splint therapy on condylar positional changes in malocclusion patients and the possible clinical application of the occlusal splint as an additional orthodontic tool. For this study, 8 Angle's Class I malocclusion patients, who had centric occlusion-centric relation discrepancy within 1.0 mm and had no clinical symptoms of TMJ disorder, were selected as control group. And 22 malocclusion patients who had centric occlusion-centric relation discrepancy over 1.0 mm were selected and subdivided as Class I Malocclusion group, Class II div. 1 malocclusion group, Class II div. 2 malocclusion group, Open bite group, and Mandibular asymmetry group. For each subject the occlusal splint with mutually protected type of occlusal scheme was applied for 3 months. Condylar positions in centric relation and centric occlusion were measured using Panadent articulators and Panadent condylar position indicator (CPI) before and after occlusal splint therapy. On the basis of this study, the following conclusions might be drawn: 1, In control group, Class II div. 2 malocclusion group, and mandibular assymetry group, there were no significant differences in condylar positions before and after occlusal splint therapy. 2. In Class I malocclusion group, condyles were moved $0.27{\pm}0.45mm$ forward (p < 0.05) and $0.98{\pm}0.25mm$ upward (p < 0.01) after occlusal splint therapy. 3. In Class I malocclusion group, condyles were moved $0.24{\pm}0.21mm$ backward (p < 0.05) and $1.01{\pm}0.33mm$ upward (p < 0.01) after occlusal splint therapy. 4. In open bite group, condyles were moved $1.24{\pm}0.30mm$ upward (p < 0.01) after occlusal splint therapy. 5. In both control and experimental groups, there were no significant differences in lateral condylar positions before and after occlusal splint therapy.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.753-761
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• 1996

The purpose of present study is to assess the effects of capsaicin topically applicated to the chronic periodontal pain suffering area. In the First study, twenty patients with chronic pain caused by mild periodontal disease were selected, and periodontal pack containing capsaicin(PPC) was attached to these patients gingiva around pain suffering area. Then the presence of discomfort had been recorded every ten minutes for the first 1 hour. After 1 hour again, It had been recorded according to the presence of pack and to the existence of pain. In the second study, twenty moderate periodontitis patients were selected. After subgingival curettage of two quadrant area, non-euginol periodontal pack or PPC were attached to the curetted gingival margins of them (Non-euginol pack bearing area and capsaicin pack bearing area is supposed to control group and test group respectively.), and the degrees of pain with time had been recorded eight times with 1 hour interval (at that day) or recorded once in a day (from the next day to the next appointment day). The results are as follows : 1. PPC has caused discomfort accompanied by burning sensation to the mild periodontitis patients with chronic pain. 2. PPC has given little effects to improve the pain after subgingival curettage of moderate periodontitis patients.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.185-194
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to estimate primary diagnosis, prediction of prognosis and recognition fo treatment progress for treatment of TMD patients through measuring the various ranges of mandibular movement in normal and TMDs patients using Mandibular Kinesiograph K-6 Diagnostic system. In normal groups, 20 adults were selected, who have normal or class I molar relationship, and have no symptoms on TMJ and masticatory muscles, and have restorations less than 3 surfaces on each tooth, and have no other prosthetic restoration. In Patients group, we selected 31 outpatients who were confirmed to TMDs with clinical examination and radiographic findings. The obtained results were as follows : 1. In maximal opening, patient group was showed the limitation of vertical movement range (P<0.01) and lager lateral deviation than in normal group (P<0.05). And actual dimensional displacement of opening was calculated larger in normal group (P<0.05). 2. In protrusive movement, patients group was showed the limitation of anteroposterior movement range (P<0.001) and larger deviation than in normal group (P<0.01). And actual 3 dimensional displacement of protrusion was calculated larger in normal group (P<0.001). 3. In lateral maximum excursion, compared with normal group patient group was no significant differences to affected side, but was showed the limitation of lateral movement to unaffected side (P<0.001). 4. There was no significant difference in movement velocity of opening and closing in both groups. 5. Mandibular movement from physiologic rest position to centric occlusion was moved more anteroposteriorly in patient group. 6. Mandibular movement from centric relation to centric occlusion was no significant difference in both groups.