• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present extended indications for the use of arterialized venous flaps in reconstructing soft tissue, tendon, nerve, blood vessel, and composite tissue defects of the hand of various sizes based on researches and clinical experiences of the authors. Moreover, procedures to achieve complete flap survival and postoperative results are presented. Materials & methods: This study is based on 154 cases of arterialized venous flaps performed to reconstruct the hand during the past 11 years. The most common cause of injury was industrial accidents with 125 cases. One hundred thirty patients or 84% of the cases had emergency operation within 2 weeks of the injury. The flaps were categorized depending on the size of the flap. Flaps smaller than $10\;cm^2$ were classified as small (n=48), those larger than $25\;cm^2$ classified large (n=42) and those in between medium (n=64). Classified according to composition, there were 88 cases (57.1 %) of venous skin flaps, 28 cases of innervated venous flaps, 15 cases of tendocutaneous venous flaps, which incorporated the palmaris longus tendon, for repair of extensor tendons of the fingers, and 17 cases of conduit venous flaps to repair arterial defect. There were 37 cases where multiple injuries to multiple digits were reconstructed. Moreover, there were 6 cases of composite tissue effects that involved soft tissue, blood vessels and tendons. The donor sites were ipsilateral forearm, wrist and thenar area, foot dorsum, and medial calf. The recipient sites were single digit, multiple digits, first web space, dorsum and palm of hand, and wrist. Results: There were seven cases (4.5%) of emergent re-exploration due to vascular crisis, and 3 cases of flap failure characterized by more than 50% necrosis of the flap. The survival rate was 98.1 % (151/154). In small flaps, an average of 1.01 afferent arteries and 1.05 efferent veins were microanastomosed, and in large flaps, an average of 1.88 afferent arteries and 2.19 efferent veins were anastomosed. In 8 cases where innervated flaps were used for reconstructing the palm of the hand, the average static two-point discrimination was $10\;(8{\sim}15)\;mm$. In 12 cases where tenocutaneous flaps were used, active range of motion at the proximal interphalangeal joint was 60 degrees, 20 degrees at the distal interphalangeal joint, and 75 degrees at the metacarpophalangeal joint. Conclusion: We conclude that the arterialized venous flap is a valuable and effective tool in the reconstruction of hand injuries, and could have a more comprehensive set of indications.

• Transactions of the KSME C: Technology and Education
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.153-165
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• 2013

The established gait analysis studies have regarded leg as one single spring. If we can design a knee-ankle actuating mechanism as a primary actuator for supporting knee extension, it might be possible to revolutionary store or release elastic strain energy, which is consumed during the gait cycle, and as a result leg stiffness is expected to increase. An ankle joint actuating mechanism that stores and releases the energy in ankle joint is expected to support and solve excessive artificial leg stiffness caused by the knee actuator (primary actuator) to a reasonable extent. If unnecessary kinematic energy is released with the artificial speed reduction control designed to prevent increase in gait speed caused by increase in time passed, it naturally brings question to the effectiveness of the actuator. As opposed to the already established studies, the authors are currently developing knee-ankle two actuator system under the concept of increasing lower limb stiffness by controlling the speed of gait in relative angular velocity of the two segments. Therefore, the author is convinced that compensatory mechanism caused by knee actuating must exist only in ankle joint. Ankle joint compensatory mechanism can be solved by reverse-examining the change in metatarso-phalangeal joint (MTPJ) tilt angle (${\theta}_1=0^{\circ}$, ${\theta}_2=17^{\circ}$, ${\theta}_3=30^{\circ}$) and the effect of change in gait speed on knee activity.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.451-459
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• 2020

Background For volar soft tissue defects of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint, free flaps are technically challenging, but have more esthetic and functional advantages than local or distant flaps. In this study, we compared the long-term surgical outcomes of arterial (hypothenar, thenar, or second toe plantar) and venous free flaps for volar defects of the PIP joint. Methods This was a single-center retrospective review of free flap coverage of volar defects between the distal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joint from July 2010 to August 2019. Patients with severe crush injuries (degloving, tendon or bone defects, or comminuted/intra-articular fractures), thumb injuries, multiple-joint and finger injuries, dorsal soft tissue defects, and defects >6 cm in length were excluded from the study, as were those lost to follow-up within 6 months. Thirteen patients received arterial (hypothenar, thenar, or second toe plantar) free flaps and 12 received venous free flaps. Patients' age, follow-up period, PIP joint active range of motion (ROM), extension lag, grip-strength ratio of the injured to the uninjured hand, and Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder & Hand (QuickDASH) score were compared between the groups. Results Arterial free flaps showed significantly higher PIP joint active ROM (P=0.043) and lower extension lag (P =0.035) than venous free flaps. The differences in flexion, grip strength, and QuickDASH scores were not statistically significant. Conclusions The surgical outcomes of arterial free flaps were superior to those of venous free flaps for volar defects of the PIP joint.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.250-255
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• 2020

Background Rosenthal et al. classified female, habitual, non-suicidal wrist cutters as a group and introduced the concept of wrist-cutting syndrome. We investigated the characteristics of wrist-cutting patients at our institution in comparison with results reported previously. Methods We conducted a retrospective study involving 115 patients who had cut their wrists and been examined at the emergency department of a single hospital in Seoul, Korea, between March 2014 and August 2018. Results There were more women (73 patients; 63.5%) than men (42 patients; 36.5%), and the women (mean age, 34.42 years) were significantly younger than the men (mean age, 50.07 years). The patients who had cut their wrists repeatedly were mainly women (22 of 26 patients; 84.6%); however, men caused more severe damage than women. Substance use before a suicide attempt did not significantly increase the severity of wrist cutting. Our institution planned and implemented a suicide prevention intervention program to improve the continuity of outpatient care. The number of patients who continued psychiatric treatment increased significantly after program completion. Conclusions We confirmed that most patients were young women who were not suicidal in the true sense because their wounds were not severe. Our study showed a protective role of the barrier tendons (flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor carpi ulnaris), and we suggest careful repair of the barrier tendons to protect neurovascular structures against subsequent cutting events. We found that it was possible to improve the continuity of patient counseling by managing patients through a psychiatric treatment program.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.148-154
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• 2012

Peripheral nerve injuries in the oral and maxillofacial regions require nerve repairs for the recovery of sensory and/or motor functions. Primary indications for the peripheral nerve grafts are injuries or continuity defects due to trauma, pathologic conditions, ablation surgery, or other diseases, that cannot regain normal functions without surgical interventions, including microneurosurgery. For the autogenous nerve graft, sural nerve and greater auricular nerve are the most common donor nerves in the oral and maxillofacial regions. The sural nerve has been widely used for this purpose, due to the ease of harvest, available nerve graft up to 30 to 40 cm in length, high fascicular density, a width of 1.5 to 3.0 mm, which is similar to that of the trigeminal nerve, and minimal branching and donor sity morbidity. Many different surgical techniques have been designed for the sural nerve harvesting, such as a single longitudinal incision, multiple stair-step incisions, use of nerve extractor or tendon stripper, and endoscopic approach. For a better understanding of the sural nerve graft and in avoiding of uneventful complications during these procedures as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, the related surgical anatomies with their harvesting tips are summarized in this review article.

• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.49-51
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• 1994

The aims of this study were first to determine the influence of vibration displacement amplitude $(200{\mu}m, 300{\mu}m peak-to-peak)$ at selected frequencies (40-200Hz) on a commonly observed but often undesired motor response elicited bylocal vibratory stimulation, the Tonic Vibration Reflex (TVR). Second, to determine the degree of synchronization of motor unit (MU) activity with vibratory stimuli. Vibration was applied to the distal tendons of the hand flexor muscles. Changes in root- mean-square electromyographic (EMG) activity of the finger and wrist flexor muscles were analyzed both as a function of their initial contraction level (0%, 10%, 20% of the maximal voluntarycontraction: MVC) and as a function of the vibration parameters. The results indicate that the TVR increased with the initial muscle contraction up to 10% MVC: The TVR increased with vibration frequency up to 100-150 Hz and decreases beyond; A significant increase of the TVR with vibration displacement amplitude was observed only for the wrist flexor muscle; MU synchronization at vibration frequency (VF) was found more often in the low frequency range $(f{\leq}100 Hz)$ and tended todecrease beyond; In the high frequency range $(f{\geq}120 Hz)$, MU activity at subharmonic frequency was predominant; The "cut-off" frequency of the synchronization with VF was neither affected by the vibration displacement amplitude nor initial muscle contraction level. The surface EMG turned out to be a useful means to analyze MU synchronization since it is noninvasive, and it can be easily used for analysis of different muscle contraction levels, while single MU technique might have some difficulties at high muscle contraction levels. Furthermore, these results indicate that high frequencyvibration (f>150 Hz) tends to induce less muscle/tendon stress and MU synchronization. Such remarks are of importance for the design of hand-held vibrating tools.ing tools.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 1998

With the advent of microvascular free-tissue transfer, this single stage resurfacing method for large scar and soft tissue defects around the wrist in the patients of electrical burn has distinctive advantage over the conventional multistage pedicle-flap transfer. Between 1992 and 1996, we treated 9 cases of 8 patients who had large scar around the wrist due to old electrical burn with free flaps as a preparation of staged tendon graft. Mean age was 30.3 years and average scar area was $6{\times}11cm$. The length of time the injury and free flaps was 9 months on an average. Prior to the free flap, we performed the angiography to all patients in order to evaluate the circulation of the forearm and hand and to choose the recipient vessel. In all cases, proximal ulnar arteries in the forearm remained intact and all radial arteries remained intact in 8 of 9 cases on angiogram. The interosseous arteries were well visualized in all cases. We used the ulnar arteries as a recipient artery. The types of flaps used were f scapular cutaneous flaps, 2 dorsalis pedis flaps and a radial forearm flap. Flap survial was 100 percents with satisfactory functional and cosmetic results. Free flaps using ulnar artery as a recipient artery is one of the useful reconstruction methods for the resurfacing of large scar around the wrist in the patients of old electrical burn.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.198-204
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the merits and demerits of double bundle reconstruction and achieve improvements hereafter, by comparing the results of double bundle and single bundle reconstruction using tibialis anterior allograft. Materials and Methods: Twenty seven patients were divided to undergo either double bundle(n=14) or single bundle(n=13) reconstruction with tibialis anterior allograft tendon. The evaluation methods were AP laxity with KT-2000 arthrometer, isokinetic knee strength measurements, pivot-shift test, IKDC subjective score, Lysholm knee score, Tegner activity score, radiographic evaluations with postoperative MRI, and second look arthroscopy. Results: Lysholm knee score and Tegner activity score were significantly better in double bundle reconstruction. In pivot-shift test, single bundle reconstruction was evaluated as grade 0 in 10 of the knees, grade 1 in 1, and grade 2 in 2. Double bundle reconstruction was evaluated as grade 0 in 13, and grade 2 in 1. In second look arthroscopy, single bundle was evaluated as excellent in 6 of the knees, fair in 7, anteromedial bundle of double bundle reconstruction was excellent in 13 and fair in 1, and posterolateral bundle was excellent in 4, fair in 9, and poor in 1. There were no significant differences in other evaluations. Conclusion: Favorable outcome may be expected with double bundle reconstruction of ACL. However there are still need for improvement in terms of reconstruction technique and rehabilitation protocol to reduce PL bundle injury.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2011

Purpose: In the process of replantation of the amputated fingertips, the primary concern was given to survival of the amputees, while the functional aspect of digits after the surgery has been easily neglected. Although an internal fixation with a K-wire is often a part of replantation of the amputated fingertips, little consideration had been given to the study of relationship between distal interphalangeal joint fixation and post operative range of motion. A comparative study in relation to post operative range of motion was done on two different groups, one group with K-wire insertion and the other group without a K-wire insertion at the distal interphalangeal joint. Materials and Methods: The study was done on the cases of a single digit amputation conducted at our institute (the age in the range of 10 to 60) in about four-year of time span from March of 2005 to March of 2009. The cases with a thumb replantation, osteomyelitis or articular surface injury have been excluded from this study. The cases of both head and shaft fracture, except the insertion site of tendon, of distal phalanx of internal fixation with a single K-wire were reviewed for this study. A group of 24 cases without distal interphalangeal joint fixation in comparison to a group of 22 cases with distal interphalangeal joint fixation was reviewed to assess the postoperative range of motion at distal interphalangeal joint on the 6th week after the surgery. And, on the 30th month after the surgery, a group of 10 cases without distal interphalangeal joint fixation in comparison to a group of 10 cases with joint fixation was reviewed. A K-wire was removed in about 5 weeks after the fracture was reunited under the radiographic image, immediately followed by a physical therapy. Result: The active range of motion for a group without interphalangeal joint fixation was measured $49.0^{\circ}$ on average, while $28.6^{\circ}$ was measured for a group with interphalengeal fixation on the 6th week after the surgery. On the 30th month after the surgery, the active range of motion was measured $52.0^{\circ}$ and $55.0^{\circ}$ on average for a group without and with interphalangeal fixation respectively. Conclusion: In the process of replantation of the amputated fingertips, short-term(on the 6th week) improvement of postoperative active motion of range can be expected in the cases without distal interphalangeal fixation in comparison to the cases of interphalangeal joint fixation with a K-wire. However, there seems to be no difference on motion of range in a long-term (on the 30th month) follow up period.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 1997

Prosthetic replacement is one of the most common methods of reconstruction after resection of malignant tumor around the knee. Gait analysis provides a relative objective data about the gait function of patients with prosthesis. The purpose of this study was to compare the gait pattern of the patients who underwent limb salvage surgery with prosthesis for distal femur and that of patients with prosthesis for proximal tibia. This study included ten patients (4 males, 6 females, mean age 22.7 years, range 14-36) who underwent a wide resection and Kotz hinged modular reconstruction prosthesis replacement and six normal adult(Control). The site of bone tumor was the distal femur (Group 1) in six patients and proximal tibia (Group 2) in 4 patients. The follow-up period ranged from 15 to 82 months (mean : 33 months). The evaluation consisted of clinical assessment, radiographic assessment, gait analysis using VICON 370 Motion Analysis System. The gait analysis included the linear parameters such as, walking velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, stance time, swing time, single support and double support time and the three-dimensional kinematics (joint rotation angle, velocity of joint rotation) of ankle, knee, hip and pelvis in sagittal, coronal and transverse plane. For the kinetic evaluation, the moment of force (unit: Nm/kg) and power (unit: Watt/kg) of ankle, knee and hip joint in sagittal, coronal and transverse plane. In the linear parameters, cadence, velocity, step time and single support were decreased in both group 1 and group 2 compared with control. Double support decreased in group 2 compared with control significantly(p<.05). In contrast to our hypothesis, there was no significant difference between group 1 and group 2. In Kinematics, we observed significant difference (p<.05) of decreased knee flexion in loading response (G2