• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2011

Background: Adult patients with intellectual disabilities often strongly resist the anesthetic administration for dental procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of midazolam premedication in improving the cooperation level of patients who are likely to be combative and irritated during general anesthesia (GA) induction. Methods: The patients who had received dental treatment under ambulatory GA for more than two times were included. And we selected 13 patients total that needed physical restraint or ketamine IM prior to induction at the first GA, and were prescribed midazolam tablet (7.5-15 mg) at the following GA. We reviewed pre-anesthetic records and anesthesia records, and evaluated cooperative levels of patients (4 levels scale) during anesthesia induction and recovery time retrospectively. Results: All 13 patients (Male 11, Female 2) had severe mental disabilities. The average age of the patients was 24 ${\pm}$ 7 (13-37) years and their average weight was 58 ${\pm}$ 16 (34-91) kg. At the first GA, 10 patients needed physical restraint prior to induction (level 3). And 3 patients were so poorly cooperative that the induction procedure was performed after intramuscular injection of ketamine (level 4). But after the midazolam intake, 7 patients were willing to receive the anesthetic induction (level 1, 2), and 6 patient needed physical restraint (P < 0.05). There were no statistical differences in the duration of general anesthesia and postoperative recovery. Conclusions: Oral intake of midazolam was effective in improvement of cooperation without any complications.

• Brain Tumor Research and Treatment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.54-59
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• 2018

Background Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is an uncommon, but devastating complication of advanced cancer and has no standard treatment. Herein, we analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with solid tumors who were diagnosed with LM. Methods Between January 2007 and December 2017, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with solid tumors who were diagnosed with LM. Results A total of 58 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age of patients was 51 years (range, 27-72 years), and 62.1% had a poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) (>2). The common types of primary tumor were breast cancer (39.7%), gastric cancer (25.9%), and non-small cell lung cancer (20.7%). Forty-two patients (72.4%) were diagnosed with LM by MRI of the brain and/or spine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, 14 were diagnosed by CSF analysis alone, and 2 were diagnosed by MRI alone. Treatments for LM were performed in 53 patients (91.4%), and best supportive care was provided for 5 patients (8.6%). Intrathecal chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy were administered in 43 (74.1%), 17 (29.3%), and 24 (41.4%) patients, respectively. The median overall survival of the entire cohort was 2.4 months (95% confidence interval, 1.0-3.7). In the analysis of prognostic factors for survival, a good ECOG PS (${\leq}2$), administration of systemic chemotherapy after LM diagnosis, and a prior history of brain radiation were associated with prolonged survival. Conclusion Although the prognosis of LM in patients with solid tumors is poor, systemic chemotherapy might improve survival in selected patients with a good PS.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.224-230
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• 2023

Purpose: Patients with penetrating injuries are at a high risk of mortality, and many of them require emergency surgery. Proper triage and transfer of the patient to the emergency department (ED), where immediate definitive treatment is available, is key to improving survival. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology and outcomes of patients with penetrating torso injuries in Incheon Metropolitan City. Methods: Data from trauma patients between 2014 and 2018 (5 years) were extracted from the National Emergency Department Information System. In this study, patients with penetrating injuries to the torso (chest and abdomen) were selected, while those with superficial injuries were excluded. Results: Of 66,285 patients with penetrating trauma, 752 with injuries to the torso were enrolled in this study. In the study population, 345 patients (45.9%) were admitted to the ward or intensive care unit (ICU), 20 (2.7%) were transferred to other hospitals, and 10 (1.3%) died in the ED. Among the admitted patients, 173 (50.1%) underwent nonoperative management and 172 (49.9%) underwent operative management. There were no deaths in the nonoperative management group, but 10 patients (5.8%) died after operative management. The transferred patients showed a significantly longer time from injury to ED arrival, percentage of ICU admissions, and mortality. There were also significant differences in the percentage of operative management, ICU admissions, ED stay time, and mortality between hospitals. Conclusions: Proper triage guidelines need to be implemented so that patients with torso penetrating trauma in Incheon can be transferred directly to the regional trauma center for definitive treatment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2012

Purpose: For determining the prognosis of critically injured patients, transporting patients to medical facilities capable of providing proper assessment and management, running rapid assessment and making rapid decisions, and providing aggressive resuscitation is vital. Considering the high mortality and morbidity rates in critically injured patients, various studies have been conducted in efforts to reduce those rates. However, studies related to diagnostic factors for predicting severity in critically injured patients are still lacking. Furthermore, patients showing stable vital signs and alert mental status, who are injured via a severe trauma mechanism, may be at a risk of not receiving rapid assessment and management. Thus, this study investigates diagnostic factors, including physical examination and laboratory results, that may help predict severity in trauma patients injured via a severe trauma mechanism, but showing stable vital signs. Methods: From March 2010 to December 2011, all trauma patients who fit into a diagnostic category that activated a major trauma team in CHA Bundang Medical Center were analyzed retrospectively. The retrospective analysis was based on prospective medical records completed at the time of arrival in the emergency department and on sequential laboratory test results. PASW statistics 18(SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for the statistical analysis. Patients with relatively stable vital signs and alert mental status were selected based on a revised trauma score of more than 7 points. The final diagnosis of major trauma was made based on an injury severity score of greater than 16 points. Diagnostic variables include systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate, glasgow coma scale, initial result from focused abdominal sonography for trauma, and laboratory results from blood tests and urine analyses. To confirm the true significance of the measured values, we applied the Kolmogorov-Smirnov one sample test and the Shapiro-Wilk test. When significance was confirmed, the Student's t-test was used for comparison; when significance was not confirmed, the Mann-Whitney u-test was used. The results of focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST) and factors of urine analysis were analyzed using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Variables with statistical significance were selected as prognostics factors, and they were analyzed using a multivariate logistics regression model. Results: A total of 269 patients activated the major trauma team. Excluding 91 patients who scored a revised trauma score of less than 7 points, 178 patients were subdivided by injury severity score to determine the final major trauma patients. Twenty-one(21) patients from 106 major trauma patients and 9 patients from 72 minor trauma patients were also excluded due to missing medical records or untested blood and urine analysis. The investigated variables with p-values less than 0.05 include the glasgow coma scale, respiratory rate, white blood cell count (WBC), serum AST and ALT, serum creatinine, blood in spot urine, and protein in spot urine. These variables could, thus, be prognostic factors in major trauma patients. A multivariate logistics regression analysis on those 8 variables showed the respiratory rate (p=0.034), WBC (p=0.005) and blood in spot urine (p=0.041) to be independent prognostic factors for predicting the clinical course of major trauma patients. Conclusion: In trauma patients injured via a severe trauma mechanism, but showing stable vital signs and alert mental status, the respiratory rate, WBC count and blood in the urine can be used as predictable factors for severity. Using those laboratory results, rapid assessment of major trauma patients may shorten the time to diagnosis and the time for management.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.641-652
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• 1995

Working as nurses, authors found that some patients were not content with their hospital life. Some patients wanted to move to another ward, and others complained about their ward atmosphere. In spite of patients' discomfort, nurses didn't know what made some patients complain about their ward. So, authors tried to find factors that influence atmosphere of hospital wards of the neurosurgery patients. To know the atmosphere of wards, authors selected five neurosurgery ward of a university hospital in Seoul. Observation took a month. An author observed using molar approach, in the morning, in the day time, and in evening time. Authors used concealment /no intervention technique. An author checked condition of people in the wards, and observed their verbal and nonverbal communication behavior their activities and environmental characteristics, and interpreted their meaning through ethnographic research methodology by Spradly. Authors found there was an important factors that influence the atmosphere of ward. It was a human and his attitude. At least one person who was willing to help others made ward atmosphere better. Helping others physically whenever needed, sup-porting the depressed emotionally, offering foods, or talking to others friendly brought good atmosphere. On the contrary, if everyone was indiffernt to others, the atmosphere became cold. Self-centered or selfish behaviors such as occupying too much area, using the toilet too long, covering other's suction bottle without permission and seeing others delicate or urinate were hurtful. In addition to the attitude of patients and their families, unkindness of medical teams including nurses and doctors and tasteless meal caused bad ward atmosphere. Based on this research finding, authors suggest the followings. A For the better atmosphere of ward 1. Nurses should try to make the ward atmosphere better by introducing new patient to older ones. 2. Every ward should have dividing curtains to keep patient's privacy. 3. All hospital personnel should be kind enough to make patients feel that they are repected. 4. Hospital should serve high quality meals to patients. 5. Patients had better stay with those in the similar condition. B. For the future studies 1. Repeated researches are necessary to check reliability of this results. 2. Researches for patients in different area such as ICU, or hemodialysis unit are necessary.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6919-6922
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• 2015

Background: The treatment selection for the oral squamous cell carcinoma remains controversial. Radiation therapy or surgical excision of the lesion can be applied as the sole treatment or it can be used in combination with other treatment modalities. Radiotherapy is considered to be the safest of all the treatment modalities and can be used in several situations for oral and oropharyngeal cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival outcome differences in patients treated with radical and palliative radiotherapy as the primary treatment modality. Materials and Methods: The study included a total of 47 patients with oral cancer reporting to our hospital between years 2009 to 2010. The age group for the selected patients was more than 65 years, treated with radical and palliative radiotherapy with no prior surgical interventions. Patients were evaluated till Dec 2013 for overall survival time. Results: Twenty nine patients were treated with radical radiotherapy as main stay of treatment, out of which 21 died during the follow up time with median survival of $352{\pm}281.7$ days with 8 patients alive. All the 16 patients were dead who received palliative radiotherapy with a median survival time of $112{\pm}144.0$ days. Conclusions: This retrospective study showed improved overall survival time, loco regional control rates and reduced morbidity in patients treated with radical radiotherapy when compared to patients treated with palliative radiotherapy.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 1997

Background : Endotracheal intubation is one of the methods most securely establishing airway. But accompanying hemodynamic responses are harmful to coronary or cerebral vascular disease patients. These hemodynamic responses are regarded as the results of sympathetic stimulation due to pharyngolaryngeal stimulation, and sympathetic blocking method-stellate ganglion block- may be obtundate these hemodynamic responses. Methods : 75 patients of ASA physical status I-II were selected. There were 40 patients normotensive (Group I), 35 patients hypertensive (Group II) Group I, steliate ganglion block was performed on 20 patients (Group I-S) the remainder had no procedure (Group I-O). Group II, 18 patients received SG3 (Group II-S), 17 patients had no procedure (Group II-O). SGB was performed with 1% lidocaine 8 ml on right stellate genglion after patient's consent. Blood pressure (IIP) and pulse rate(PR) were first measured in the pre-anesthesia room. Follow up BP and PR are checked immediately following SGB and every 5 minutes for subsequent 20 minutes, then after arrival at operatig room, then immediately after intubation and at 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after incubation. Results : All group experienced significantly increased blood pressure and pulse rate upon arrival at the pre-anesthesetic and opeating rooms, as compared to when patients rates in the ward. After intubation and for subsequent 5 minutes, significant changes were measured. Patients then recovered to preblock value. In Group I, no statistical significance was recorded between subgroup I-S and I-O. However in Group II, there were significant differences between sub-group II-S and II-O. In evaluating pulse rate changes, there were no significant differences between Group I-S and I-O; nor II-S and II-O. Conclusion : The proper diagnosis of Stellate Ganglion Block had some measure of protective effect on hemodynamics following endotracheal intubation, especially in hypertensive patients.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2006

After orthognathic surgery in skeletal class III patients, the hyoid bone position and the upper airway dimension could be changed due to mandibular setback. There has been many studies about airway dimension of the patients with skeletal class II malocclusion or obstructive sleep apnea. but not with skeletal class III. The purpose of this study was to examine the change of position of the hyoid bone and the consequent change of airway space as the result of retrusion of mandible after orthognathic surgery in skeletal Cl III malocclusion patients. It is also to apply this results in predicting, diagnosing and treating the subsequent obstructive sleep apnea. Forty patients who were diagnosed as skeletal Cl III maloccusion, received orthoganthic surgery of both jaws including mandibular setback, and were followed up post-operatively for more than 6 months were selected. There were 10 male patients 30 female patients. The preoperative and postoperative lateral cephalograms were traced and the distances and angles were measured. The nasopharyngeal space increased postoperatively while the oropharyngeal space decreased. Except for the change of oroparyngeal space, the changes in male patients were greater than female patients. The hyoid bone moved in the posterior-inferior direction, and the change was greater in males than in females. If the postoperative mandibular setback is great, then a significant decrease of airway space and posterior and inferior movement of the hyoid bone were observed. This can result in symptoms related to obstructive sleep apnea. This result should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment planning of orthognathic surgery patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5453-5458
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• 2015

Background: There are several factors that threaten the dignity of cancer patients in hospital settings. However, there is limited literature regarding the degree to which dignity of cancer patients is actually respected in daily clinical practice. The aims of this study were therefore to explore cancer patient perceptions of respecting their dignity and related variables in an Iranian cancer specific center. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was carried out among 250 cancer patients admitted to a cancer specific center in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. These patients were selected using a convenience sampling method. The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The patients' scores in 18 out of 25 items of PDI were 3 or greater which indicate the importance of considering these items in clinical settings. Also, the score of patients in three sub-scales of PDI including illness-related concerns, personal dignity, and social dignity were 74, 65 and 57, respectively (based on a total 100). The overall score of PDI was statistically associated with age, history of disease recurrence, education, employment and economic status of participants. Conclusions: According to the study findings the dignity of Iranian cancer patients is not completely respected in clinical settings which require special considerations. As nurses spend more time at patients' bedsides, they have an important role in maintaining and promoting dignified care.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.185-196
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• 1995

The purposes of this study are to identify effectiveness of the hospital-based home care project, to manage patients' problems in comprehensive way, to decrease the patients' economical burden to the arthritis patients. The design is nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design with matched samples in terms of age, sex and disease severity. Fifty two patients were assigned in each of the experimental and control groups in Seoul, Kyunggi, Kangwon and Kwangju. Before the experiment and after 3-month period of experiment of home care, level of pain, duration of morning stiffness, Richie Index, ADL, self-efficacy and depression were measured. Nine patients were excluded from the control group because of denial of participation. Contents of home care provided to the experimental group include distribution of prescribed drugs, assessment of patient's condition and side-reactions of drug, pain control, depression control, nutrition guide, exercise teaching, and family counselling. Patients assigned to the control group visited the outpatient clinic once a month as usual. Null hypotheses were selected because physicians concerned about the ineffective change of patients' conditions due to indirect communication with patients through nurses. Level of pain, Richie Index, ADL, self-efficacy, depression and duration of morning stiffness did not significantly different between two groups as expected. In the experimental group, level of pain, ADL, Richie Index and duration of morning stiffness changed to the positive direction from the pretest to the posttest. However, level of depression and self-efficacy did not show any changes. Ninety percent of patients in the experimental group satisfied with the home care provided to them. Since this is the intermediate report, more detailed and long-term report will be prepared.