No abstract available.
Extremities* ; Ilizarov Technique*

The Korean government operates a fee-for-service system, as well as a diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment system that only applies to 7 different specific disease groups. To control rapidly increasing health expenditures, the Korean government adopted a compulsory DRG payment system for 7 disease groups in 2013. However, the current Korean DRG (K-DRG) system does not address the cost of new medical technologies and accompanying services, whereas the United States and European countries have implemented incentive systems within the DRG payment system to promote technological innovations. The Korean government is expanding the accessibility of new medical technologies to strengthen the coverage of 4 major conditions with a selective reimbursement system, but the K-DRG system is inconsistent with the selective reimbursement system in terms of adopting new medical technology. Such inconsistency is clearly shown in the case of advanced energy devices that are essential for surgical procedures. Despite their clinical usefulness and the high demand for such instruments, there is little space for compensation for advanced energy devices in DRG groups. Neither healthcare providers nor patients can choose selectively reimbursed medical devices under the current DRG system, leading to unequal healthcare benefits among patient groups. This paper proposes additional payments for new medical technology that is costly but clinically effective to ensure patient access to new medical technology under the K-DRG system, and suggests that a fair and consistent policy would be to apply the selective reimbursement of medical services in K-DRG.
Compensation and Redress ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis-Related Groups* ; Health Expenditures ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Inventions ; Korea* ; Motivation ; United States

The Korean government operates a fee-for-service system, as well as a diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment system that only applies to 7 different specific disease groups. To control rapidly increasing health expenditures, the Korean government adopted a compulsory DRG payment system for 7 disease groups in 2013. However, the current Korean DRG (K-DRG) system does not address the cost of new medical technologies and accompanying services, whereas the United States and European countries have implemented incentive systems within the DRG payment system to promote technological innovations. The Korean government is expanding the accessibility of new medical technologies to strengthen the coverage of 4 major conditions with a selective reimbursement system, but the K-DRG system is inconsistent with the selective reimbursement system in terms of adopting new medical technology. Such inconsistency is clearly shown in the case of advanced energy devices that are essential for surgical procedures. Despite their clinical usefulness and the high demand for such instruments, there is little space for compensation for advanced energy devices in DRG groups. Neither healthcare providers nor patients can choose selectively reimbursed medical devices under the current DRG system, leading to unequal healthcare benefits among patient groups. This paper proposes additional payments for new medical technology that is costly but clinically effective to ensure patient access to new medical technology under the K-DRG system, and suggests that a fair and consistent policy would be to apply the selective reimbursement of medical services in K-DRG.
Compensation and Redress ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis-Related Groups* ; Health Expenditures ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Inventions ; Korea* ; Motivation ; United States

Lichen striatus is an uncommon unilateral inflammatory linear papular dermatosis of uncertain etiology. It most commonly affects the extremities and has a self-limiting course. Nail involvement in lichen striatus is a very rare reported finding and is a cause of a deformity of the nail plate. It tends to have a more prolonged course for cutaneous eruptions than disease limited only to the skin. Characteristic histopathological features are important to differentiate this condition from other linear lesions that may interfere with nail growth. Three cases of lichen striatus with onychodystrophy are presented herein.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Extremities ; Lichens* ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of osmotic-controlled release oral delivery system methylphenidate on changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHODS: A total of 26 children with ADHD (21 boys, mean age: 9.2±2.05 years old) were recruited. Each ADHD participant was examined for changes in rCBF using technetium-99m-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain SPECT before and after 8 weeks methylphenidate medication. Brain SPECT images of pediatric normal controls were selected retrospectively. SPECT images of ADHD children taken before medication were compared with those of pediatric normal controls and those taken after medication using statistical parametric mapping analysis on a voxel-wise basis. RESULTS: Before methylphenidate medication, significantly decreased rCBF in the cerebellum and increased rCBF in the right precuneus, left anterior cingulate, right postcentral gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule and right precentral gyrus were observed in ADHD children compared to pediatric normal controls (p-value<.0005, uncorrected). After medication, we observed significant hypoperfusion in the left thalamus and left cerebellum compared to pediatric normal controls (p-value<.0005, uncorrected). In the comparison between before medication and after medication, there was significant hyperperfusion in the superior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus and significant hypoperfusion in the right insula, right caudate, right middle frontal gyrus, left subcallosal gyrus, left claustrum, and left superior temporal gyrus after methylphenidate medication (p-value<.0005, uncorrected). CONCLUSION: This study supports dysfunctions of fronto-striatal structures and cerebellum in ADHD. We suggest that methylphenidate may have some effects on the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and cerebellum in children with ADHD.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Child* ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Methylphenidate* ; Parietal Lobe ; Rabeprazole ; Retrospective Studies ; Thalamus ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

To examine among patients with vertebral compression fracture the extent to which signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) values at the lumbar vertebral compression fracture site vary on diffusion-weighted MR images according to varying b values on the 1.5T MR device. Diffusion-weighted MR images of 30 patients with compression fracture due to chronic osteoporosis who underwent vertebral MRI from Jan. 2008 to Nov. 2009 were respectively obtained using a 1.5-T MR scanner with the b values increased from 400, 600, 800, 1,000 to 1,200 s/mm2. For diffusion-weighted MR images with different b values, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was assessed at three sites: the site of compression fracture of the lumbar vertebral body at L1 to L5, and both the upper and lower discs of the said fracture site, while for ADC map images with different b values, the SNR and ADC were respectively assessed at those three sites. As a quantitative analysis, diffusion-weighted MR images and ADC map images with b value of 400 s/mm2 (the base b values) were respectively compared with the corresponding images with each different b value. As far as qualitative analysis is concerned, for both diffusion-weighted MR and ADC map images with b value of 400 s/mm2, the extent to which signal intensity values obtained at the site of compression fracture of the lumbar vertebral body at L1 to L5 vary according to the increasing b values were examined. The quantitative analysis found that for both diffusion-weighted MR and ADC map images, as the b values increased, the SNR were relatively lowered at all the three sites, compared to the base b value. Also, it was found that as the b values increased, ADC values were relatively lowered at all the three sites on ADC map images. On the other hand, the qualitative analysis found that as the b values increased to more than 400 s/mm2, the signal intensity gradually decreased at all the sites, while at the levels of more than 1,000 s/mm2, severe image noises appeared at all of the three sites. In addition, higher signal intensity was found at the site of compression fracture of the lumbar vertebral body than at the discs. Findings showed that with the b value being increased, both the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) values gradually decreased at all the sites of the lumbar vertebral compression fracture and both the upper and lower discs of the fracture site, suggesting that there is a possibility of a wider range of applications to assessment of various vertebral pathologies by utilizing multi b values in the diffusion-weighted MRI examination.
Diffusion ; Fractures, Compression ; Hand ; Humans ; Noise ; Osteoporosis ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio

To evaluate the potential value of 1H Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for detecting and characterizing invasive ductal carcinoma of breast. We conducted 1H Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), using a 3.0T MR scanner, on 40 patients who were histologically diagnosed to have invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC); tumor areas of the patients were designated as experimental samples, and non-tumor areas as control samples. The peak at 3.2 ppm is characteristically intense and observed in 34 cases of the total 40 invasive ductal carcinoma (sensitivity 86.2%; specificity 100%; positive predictive value 100%; negative predictive value 60%). In constrast peak at 1.3 ppm is characteristically intense and observed in normal breast (sensitivity 86.2%; specificity 100%; positive predictive value 100%; negative predictive value 60%). The study shows that 1H MRS can effectively discriminate invasive ductal carcinoma from normal breast in most cases. It also demonstrates the feasibility of localized in vivo 1H MRS technique as a new diagnostic modality in the detection of breast tumor.
Breast ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND: Numerous modalities have been used to treat scars and wrinkles. Most of them are not satisfactory and always have some degrees of complications. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the effect of the combination therapy of superpulse CO2 laserbrasion and dermabrasion(laser-dermabrasion) in surgical treatment of scars and wrinkles and propose that it can be a effective method to improve cosmetic results. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with scars and wrinkles were treated using superpulse CO2 laserbrasion followed by dermabrasion. Questionnaires were completed for clinical assessments by the patients and clinicians. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows. 1. Excellent and good results were achieved in 83.3% of scars in clinician's assessments and in 79.2% of scars in patients' assessments. 2. Excellent and good results were achieved in 100% of wrinkles in both of clinician's and patients' assessments. 3. The degrees of satisfaction were highest during 6 to 12 months after laser-dermabrasion and maintained high over 12 months. 4. Minimal and tolerable complications developed in 9 patients such as focal hyperpigmentation, changes of skin texture, erythema, milium and acne flare-up. CONCLUSION: We propose that the laser-dermabrasion would augment the effects of both laserbrasion and dermabrasion to improve cosmetic results in treatment of scars and wrinkles with minimal risks and low costs.
Acne Vulgaris ; Cicatrix* ; Dermabrasion ; Erythema ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML) of liver is a rare neoplasm. Hepatic EAML is often misdiagnosed as other neoplasms such as hepatocellular carcinoma due to non-specific clinical and radiologic features. The morphologic features under microscope and immunohistochemistry staining profile are important in the diagnosis EAML. Here, we report a case of 52-year-old man who found 1.2 cm mass in liver by routine checkup. On the impression of hepatocellular carcinoma, lateral sectionectomy of the liver was done. Microscopically, the tumor is composed of predominant epithelioid cells with vascular component and foamy cells. These cells were positive for HMB45, MelanA, and smooth muscle actin and negative for epithelial membrane antigen. The final diagnosis was hepatic EAML.
Actins ; Angiomyolipoma* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis ; Epithelioid Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver* ; MART-1 Antigen ; Middle Aged ; Mucin-1 ; Muscle, Smooth ; Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms

Purpose: We report a rare case of allergic contact dermatitis after the use of a non-preservative 0.5% moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution.Case summary: A 60-year-old male presented with bacterial corneal ulceration of the right eye. He was treated with 50 mg/mL of fortified cefazolin and 14 mg/mL of tobramycin that were tapered as the corneal lesion improved after 1 month, and 0.5% moxifloxacin application was started. After 2 weeks of moxifloxacin treatment, the patient developed conjunctival injection, lid swelling, redness, and itching in the right eye. An allergic reaction was suspected and moxifloxacin administration was immediately stopped. The symptoms improved after the administration of oral antihistamines, 0.5% loteprednol eye drops, and steroid combination ointment. Conclusions Patients treated with 0.5% topical moxifloxacin should be monitored for allergic contact dermatitis, even if preservative-free eye drops are used.