Fractures of the metacarpal and phalanx of the hand are common occurances and bony union usually occurs without difficulties. If complication of the metacarpal and phalangeal fracture of the hand occurred, it causes significant functional deficit. The authors have reviewed 92 patients, 121 cases of metacarpal and palangeal fracture of the crushed hand which were treated with internal fixation with/without open reduction in the deparment of orthopaedic surgery in Holy Family Hospital from Jan. 1985 to Dec. 1989. The authors obtained the following results ; 1. The incidence of nonunion and delayed union was 12.4% (15/121 cases). 2. The criteriae of nonunion and delayed union are progressive angulation at fracture site after removal of implant, lack of bony union evidence in the radiography more than 12 weeks after injury, tenderness and pain on motion at fracture site and gross pseudomotion. 3. Nonunion and delayed union occurred more commonly in phalangeal fractures, shaft fractures, severely traumatized fractures (open fractures, marked displaced fractures, comminuted fractures and fractures had associated injuries in the same hand) and under-reduced fractures after internal fixation. 4. Mean TAM (total active motion) range at last follow up was 94.5°in thumb and 186.6°in finger and that of nonunion and delayed union cases was 89°in thumb and 153.5°in finger.
Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Radiography ; Thumb

The snare technique has been used for the removal of ureteral stents. If, however, a stent has migrated to theupper or lower pole calyx, snaring-due to close contact between the stent and the calyceal mucosa or narrow spaceof the renal calyx-is impossible. By using the second suare technique, which involves snaring the previouslyinserted guidewire, the large renal pelvic space can be used for the removal of a migrated ureteral stent. Wedeseribe two cases and discuss the safety and efficacy of this technique.
Mucous Membrane ; SNARE Proteins* ; Stents* ; Ureter*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Nephrotic Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: A variety of sociodemographic factors, such as gender, age, household income, and educational level, influence individuals' likelihood of smoking. Work-related factors may also be linked to smoking behavior. We sought to investigate the relationship between smoking and work environment in South Korea. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to determine whether there was an association between smoking and occupation type (e.g., manual, nonmanual, or service work), night-shift work, and hours worked/week (e.g., <40, 40-48, 49-60, or >60 hours) for 4,685 workers. Regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic variables such as age, recent alcohol consumption, hours slept, educational level, and household income. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking was 50.1% in men and 7.2% in women. For women, manual workers had 2.34 times [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-5.36] greater odds of smoking compared with nonmanual workers, whereas service workers had 2.37 times greater odds (95% CI: 1.28-4.40). Furthermore, women who worked 49-60 hours had 2.21 times greater odds of smoking (95% CI: 1.10-3.75) as compared with women who worked 40-48 hours. CONCLUSION: Women who work long hours or who are employed in service or manual positions are more likely to smoke. These results indicate a need in South Korea to target these specific groups when creating nonsmoking policies.
Alcohol Drinking ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea* ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

PURPOSE: We compared ocular torsion rates in blow-out fracture patients before and after blowout fracture repair by analyzing mean disc foveal angles. METHODS: The study participants were divided into 2 groups: blow-out fracutre repair patients (n = 36) and controls (n = 36). We measured ocular torsion rates by analyzing mean disc foveal angle. The angle was composed of 2 imaginary horizontal lines which crossed the optic disc center and fovea. We compared statistically ocular torsion rates in blow-out fracture patients based on subsided diplopia, continued diplopia, or absence of diplopia before and after blow-out fracture repair using paired t-test. RESULTS: In the patient group, ocular torsion rates were statistically significantly decreased. In the blow-out fracture repair group with subsided diplopia, ocular torsion rates were decreased statistically from 7.74 +/- 3.48 degrees before blow-out fracture repair to 5.02 +/- 3.11 degrees after blow-out fracture repair. In the blow-out fracture repair group with continued diplopia or absence of diplopia before surgery, ocular torsion rates did not change statistically significantly from 6.36 +/- 2.80 degrees before blow-out fracture repair to 6.51 +/- 3.24 degrees after blow-out fracture repair. CONCLUSIONS: Subsided diplopia after blow-out fracture repair and ocular torsion rate changes were significantly related in blow-out fracture patients. Further research which on the correlation of intraorbital change and movement of orbital position after blow-out fracture repair with ocular torsion rates are necessary.
Diplopia* ; Humans ; Orbit ; Orbital Fractures*

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the relationship between lifestyle-implementation and metabolic syndrome in an electronics research and development company, and to provide a foundation for health providers of health management programs for setting priorities. METHODS: From July 1 to July 16, 2008 we carried out a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Consecutive workers of one R & D company in Seoul, Korea (N=2,079) were enrolled in study. A checklist for lifestyle (from the National Health Insurance Corporation) consisted of questions regarding diet, drinking, smoking and exercise. After the survey, researchers obtained data from health profiles for metabolic syndrome(waist-circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar level). Lifestyle was recorded as good or not good. Statistical analysis of metabolic syndrome and the lifestyle of subjects was done using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in our study gropu was 13.3% (N=277). After adjustment for age, the adjusted odds ratios (odds ratio, 95% confidence intervals) for metabolic syndrome increased in proportion to the number of bad habits: two (1.72, 1.23-2.44), three (2.47, 1.73-3.56), and four (3.63, 2.03-6.34). Relative to subjects eating both vegetables and meat', the OR for 'meat' eaters was 1.66 (1.18-2.31). Compared with 'non-smokers and ever-smoker', the OR for 'current-smoker' was 1.62 (1.25-2.10). Compared with 'Healthy drinker', the OR for 'unhealthy drinker' was 1.38 (1.05-1.83). CONCLUSIONS: Poor lifestyle was associated with an increased likelihood of metabolic syndrome. These findings suggest that lifestyle-based occupational health interventions for young employees should include a specific diet, smoking cessation, and healthy-drinking programs.
Adult ; Blood Glucose/analysis ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weights and Measures ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; *Electronics ; *Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; *Life Style ; Lipids/blood ; Male ; Men's Health ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*epidemiology ; Prevalence ; *Research

Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) can be caused by bacteria entering the liver via the portal vein or primary bacteremia, or it can be cryptogenic. Recently, Klebsiella pneumoniae has been increasingly found as a PLA pathogen. PLA due to this bacterium often leads to formation of extrahepatic abscesses. The treatment of choice is dual therapy with insertion of percutaneous catheter drainage and antibiotic therapy. We report 2 cases of PLA due to K. pneumoniae in immunocompetent children. We successfully treated patient 1 with percutaneous catheter drainage for 18 days and 6-week course of antibiotic therapy. Patient 2 was treated with percutaneous needle aspiration and antibiotic therapy for the same period. In both patients, the PLAs showed the ultrasound-confirmed resolutions after the dual therapy.
Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteremia ; Bacteria ; Catheters ; Child ; Drainage ; Humans ; Immunocompetence ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Klebsiella ; Liver ; Liver Abscess, Pyogenic ; Needles ; Pneumonia ; Portal Vein

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate musculo-skeletal symtoms of municipal sanitation workers and to evaluate working conditions of municipal sanitation workers to search for the factors related to musculo-skeletal symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey. The study subjects were comprised of 543 municipal sanitation workers in some divisions of Seoul and the Gyeonggi province. Musculo-skeletal analysis was done by using the modified criteria of NIOSH musuclo-skeletal symptoms, RULA and, REBA. Statistical analysis was done by using the chi-square test, multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: 72.2% of the subjects complained musculo-skeletal symptoms (39.6% on the upperlimbs, 30.0% on the lumbar region, 27.4% on the legs). For the musculo-skeletal symptoms criteria (1~3), street cleaners complained of more musculo-skeletal symptoms than the solid waste collectors, after classifying the jobs of sanitation workers. On logistic regression analysis of the musculo-skeletal "symptoms criteria1" positive groups, age was related to the criteria positive (prevalence odds ratio=1.018, 95% CI: 0.993-1.046). The worktime was significantly related to 'criteria positive 1 and, 2' (prevalence odds ratio=2.165 (95% CI: 1.156-4.131), 2.187 times (95% CI: 1.071-4.651)). The RULA score, the subtotal A score of RULA, the REBA score and , the total A REBA score of the upperlimbs of solid waste collectors were higher than those of the street cleaners. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the lower ergonomic evaluation score of the street cleaner, the street cleaners complained of more musculo-skeletal symptoms than did the solid waste collectors due to more frequent repetitive motions, a longer work time (over 10 hours) etc. It is suggested that the sanitation workers need to use the proper methods to avoid musculo-skeletal disease.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Human Engineering ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lumbosacral Region ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Sanitation ; Solid Waste ; Task Performance and Analysis ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVES: Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are the major cause of the common cold. Currently there is no registered, clinically effective, antiviral chemotherapeutic agent to treat diseases caused by HRVs. In this study, the antiviral activity of dexamethasone (DEX) against HRV1B was examined. METHODS: The anti–HRV1B activity of DEX was assessed by sulforhodamine B assay in HeLa cells, and by RT-PCR in the lungs of HRV1B-infected mice. Histological evaluation of HRV1B-infected lungs was performed and a histological score was given. Anti-HRV1B activity of DEX via the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR)-dependent autophagy activation was assessed by blocking with chloroquine diphosphate salt or bafilomycin A1 treatment. RESULTS: In HRV1B-infected HeLa cells, treatment with DEX in a dose-dependent manner, resulted in a cell viability of > 70% indicating that HRV1B viral replication was reduced by DEX treatment. HRV1B infected mice treated with DEX, had evidence of reduced inflammation and a moderate histological score. DEX treatment showed antiviral activity against HRV1B via GCR-dependent autophagy activation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that DEX treatment showed anti-HRV1B activity via GCR-dependent autophagy activation in HeLa cells and HRV1B infected mice. Further investigation assessing the development of topical formulations may enable the development of improved DEX effectiveness.
Animals ; Autophagy* ; Cell Survival ; Chloroquine ; Common Cold ; Dexamethasone* ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Mice ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; Rhinovirus*

Background: It is well known that the prevalence of obesity in Korea is increasing over time, however it is not known how the trends among occupational groups and sex differ in such increasing trends. This study was designed to provide recent trends of obesity among workers in Korea and to identify whether there were differences among occupational groups. Methods: We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Phases I to VI (1998–2015), to analyze trends in the prevalence of obesity in adult Korean workers. Obesity was defined as a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or higher. Occupations were classified into 3 groups: (a) nonmanual workers, (b) service/sales workers, and (c) manual workers. Results: During the period of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Phases I to VI, the prevalence of obesity in male workers increased in all occupations (31.1% to 39.5% in manual workers, 32.3% to 38.2% in service/sales workers, and 25.3% to 39.7% in manual workers). However, female workers did not show any particular tendency toward obesity, except for a significant decrease in the prevalence rate in service/sales workers (30.8% to 23.9%, p for trend = 0.0048). Conclusion The trends of obesity prevalence by sex and occupation were different. For male manual workers, the prevalence rate increased steadily during the data period, while it decreased steadily in female sales/service workers.