No abstract available.
Korea*

The purpose of this study was to examine the trends of length of hospital stay (LOS), which is most likely to be a major attribute to hospital performance From 1984 to 1994, an average LOS of each hospital was analyzed by factors such as medical departments, bed size, occupancy rate, region and ownership. This study was analyzed changing rate of LOS during 11 years. This rate was calculated by simple regression, which was used only with hospital without missing data during 11 years. This study findings are as follows. 1. The results indicated that the average LOS was steadily increased until 1990 but it was slightly decreased after 1990. 2. This trend could be found in all hospital scale and all group of occupancy rate. Specifically this trends of LOS were found in internal medicine, corporate owned hospitals, and hospitals in major city. But LOS of individual owned hospital was continuously increased until 1994. 3. Means of changing rates of LOS were calculated from 1984 to 1994. If we divided it into two parts, before 1990 and after 1990, most changing rates of LOS before 1990 except individual owned hospital were found positive sign. The changing rates after 1990 were negative sign but small hospital(lesser then 200 bed), individual owned hospital, national & public hospital and hospital in small urban have little change of LOS after 1990. Finally from this results we thought that most hospitals in korea began to be concerned with LOS. Nevertheless LOS of several hospital such as small hospital or individual owned hospital was increased. And this trend may be caused by a few patients, low occupancy rate, or low profit. This trend of LOS is different from that of other countries. Perhaps this phenomenon is resulted from the reimbursement method. Because of fee for service reimbursement system in korea the hospitals didn't need to shorten LOS in order to save the cost and increase the profit. Therefore reform of hospital cost reimbursement method will be reduced to reduce hospital cost in korea. we thought that the korean health authority should consider the reimbursement method by unit of bundle of services, for example DRG and prepayment in the united states. This study presents some limitations such as on insight of severity of disease, case-mix measurement of hospital, and other clinical characteristics that can possibly affect LOS, However, this study reports an important trend in LOS from 1984 to 1994.
Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Hospital Bed Capacity ; Hospital Costs ; Hospitals, Public ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Korea* ; Length of Stay* ; Ownership ; United States

No abstract available.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Renal Dialysis

Tracheal tumors are uncommon comprising less than 0.1% of all malignancies. Metastatic tracheal tumors, especially form the extrathoracic sites, are exceedingly rare. Ovarian cancer tends to metastasize to the serous cavities and the lymph nodes. One large autopsy study reported tracheal involvement in 1% of patients who had died from ovarian cancer. Other studies have not mentioned tracheal involvement at all. Since the main symptoms of cough, hemoptysis, or wheezing are nonspecific, patients may be initially treated for other conditions including asthma or bronchitis. Here we describe a metastatic tracheal tumor from an overain carcinoma that was initally treated for bronchial asthma.
Asthma ; Autopsy ; Bronchitis ; Cough ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Respiratory Sounds

No abstract available.
Bronchi*

Tracheopathia osteoplastica is a rare, benign pathologic condition chahacterized the occurrence of numerous cartilage and bony nodules within the tissue of mucosa. We report a case of tracheopathia osteoplastica that involved both larynx and trachea. The patient was 73 years old male and had hoarseness. The neck CT showed thickened and irregular wall of the trachea extending to the level of the carina with multiple calcified nodules and plaques of bony density projecting into the lumen.
Cartilage ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Larynx ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Neck ; Trachea

A biliary web is a rare lesion, which may produce an extrahepatic biliary obstruction. Even though congenital in nature, they usually present later in life, due to their initial patency, which allows bile drainage from the liver. Herein, a case of an operation on an isolated mucosal web of the common hepatic duct, in a 45 years old male, is presented.
Bile ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Drainage ; Hepatic Duct, Common ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Liver ; Male ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangioscopic Lithotomy (PTCS-L) has been reported as an effective and safe therapeutic method for complicated hepatobiliary stones, particularly in high risk patients. However, there were some limitations and technical difficulties encountered in PTCS-L. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the result of PTCS-L in patients with recurrent or residual hepatobiliary stones. METHODS: The medical records of 61 consecutive patients (Jan.1997~Jun.2002) treated with PTCS-L for biliary stone were reviewed. There were 29 patients with primary treatment, and 32 patients with adjuvant treatment for residual stones. PTCS-L was performed within 2 weeks following progressive exchange of PTCS catheter after PTBD. Lithotomy was combined with either electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL), Dormia basket, or saline irrigation under fluroscopic guide. If stone was free on one or two consecutive cholangiography after final session lithotomy, then PTCS catheter was removed, but in cases of biliary stricture, 20Fr. of PTCS catheter was placed for average 71 (ranged; 27~270) days. RESULTS: Locations of stones were intrahepatic duct (IHD) in 22 cases, common bile duct (CBD) in 22 cases, CBD & IHD in 11 cases, cystic duct stump & CBD in 3 cases, GB in 2 cases and GB & CBD in 1 case. Routes for PTCS-L were of Rt. hepatic approach (B5 or B6) in 15 cases, Lt. hepatic approach (B3) in 42 cases, both hepatic approach in 2 cases and percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PGBD) tract in 2 cases. Sessions of PTCS-L were one in 22 cases, two in 26 cases, three in 9 cases and four in 4 cases, and overall in 1.5 session. Causes of multiple session in 39 cases were biliary stricture in 13 cases (33%), impacted stones in 10 cases (26%), large stone (>2 cm) in 9 cases (23%) and anatomical variation of IHD including severe ductal angulation in 7 cases (18%), which necessitated routine combined use of EHL (total 44 cases) and sometimes fluroscopic lithotomy (3 cases). Complications encountered following PTCS-L were transient hemobilia in 11 cases, catheter dislodgement in 1 case and hepatic abscess in 1 case, but mortality was nil. During followed up of median 17 months (1~53 months), recurrence of stone occurred in 1 case and one among of 13 patients with biliary stricture underwent operation on recurred biliary stricture. CONCLUSION: PTCS-L is very useful alternative treatment to surgery for residual or recurrent stones and is highly indicated for those of high risk patients. However, Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) should be combined for those of patients with technical difficulties encountered in case of multiple large impacted stones particularly in the strictured and angulated intrahepatic ducts.
Catheters ; Cholangiography ; Common Bile Duct ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cystic Duct ; Drainage ; Gallbladder ; Hemobilia ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Liver Abscess ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Delivery of Health Care* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Tuberculosis, Renal*