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.
Head*

Additional a case of ectopic kidney with a literatural review was presented. Right kidney was located at the level of 4th lumbal spine and shortening of the right ureter. Left one was normal.
Kidney* ; Spine ; Ureter

Pityriasis rosea is sometimes accompanied with considerable pruritus. Ultraviolet B irradiation is reported to be beneficial in relieving pruritus. The purpose was to evaluate the effect of UVB phototherapy on severe pruritus of pityriasis rosea. Nine patients with severe pruritus had UVB irradiation three times a week Five patients became symptom free and three showed a marked improvement. One dropped out. UVB phototherapy could be an effective modality for relieving pruritus in pityriasis rosea.
Humans ; Phototherapy* ; Pityriasis Rosea* ; Pityriasis* ; Pruritus*

No abstract available.
Pancreas*

Five cases of tennis elbow seen during the time period from Jaunary 1983 to January 1985 had operative treatment. Of the five clinical cases, four elbows in three patients were treated with Nirschl and Pettrone operation. This operative technique included exposure of the extensor carpi radialis brevis, excision of the identified lesion, and repair. The following results were obtained. 1. Correct analysis of the patient's emotional stability was essential prior to undertaking surgical procedure for tennis elbow. 2. The results of Nirschl and Pettrone operation were graded as excellent in three elbows and fair in one.
Elbow ; Humans ; Mortuary Practice ; Tennis Elbow ; Tennis

No abstract available.

Between May, 1984 and October, 1986, twenty patients were treated at Han-Ra Hospital of JejuCity and Chung-Ang University Hospital of Seoul with immediate internal fixation with or without bone graft of open fractures of the long bones within three days. Fractured bones were ten tibiae, six femurs, three humeri and one radius and ulna. The injuries were classified on the basis of extent of soft tissue injury as defined by Gustilo and Anderson and consisted of four TypeI injuries, five Type II injuries and eleven Type III injuries. All wounds were closed primarily and radiological follow up was qhecked every month till union occurred. The complications included two deep infections, one non-union and one amputation. This study demonstrates that immediate internal fixation with bone graft when necessary is a beneficial method of treatment of open fractures of the long bones if copious irrigation, adequate debridement and skillful internal fixation technique are given golden period after injury. The results were related to the severity of the initial soft tissue injury and surgical technique and the period of union was not related to the individual bone. Autogenous bone grafting at the time of immediate internal fixation in comminuted or segmental fractures in which interfragmental compression cannot be obtained is recommended.
Amputation ; Bone Transplantation ; Debridement ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Open ; Humans ; Methods ; Radius ; Seoul ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Tibia ; Transplants ; Ulna ; Wounds and Injuries

Notch stenosis had been thought to be related with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possible relationship between notch stenosis and ACL injury. We measured the notch seen on the axial section in MRI at popliteal groove. We have retrospectively analyzed 116 cases of knee MRI. All cases were divided into three groups ; Group I were fifty six normal knee. Group II were thirty knee with contact ACL injuries. Group III were thirty knee with non contact ACL injuries. The result were as follows; 1. Statistically significant difference was found in the notch width index (NWI) between group I and group III but no significant differences was found in the NWI between group I and group II. 2. Statistically significant correlation to non-contact ACL injuries was found in the NWI at both anterior and posterior outlet of the notch. 3. An unique shape of the notch was found in the majority of group III.There seemed to be an obvious relationship between notch stenosis and non-contact ACL injuries.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies

The efficacy and side effects associated with anticancer drugs have attracted an extensive research focus. Onconephrology is an evolving field of nephrology that deals with the study of kidney diseases in cancer patients. Most renal diseases in cancer patients are unique, and management of renal disease can be challenging especially in the presence of continuing use of the nephrotoxic drugs. Cisplatin is one of the most important chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of various malignancies, such as head, neck, ovarian, and cervical cancers. The major limitation in the clinical use of cisplatin is its tendency to induce adverse effects, such as nephrotoxicity. Recently, plant-derived phytochemicals have emerged as novel agents providing protection against cisplatin-induced renal cytotoxicity. Owing to the diversity of phytochemicals, they cover a wide spectrum of therapeutic indications in cancer and inflammation and have been a productive source of lead compounds for the development of novel medications. Of these agents, the effectiveness of triterpenoids, isolated from various medicinal plants, against cisplatin-induced renal cytotoxicity has been reported most frequently compared to other phytochemicals. Triterpenes are one of the most numerous and diverse groups of plant natural products. Triterpenes ameliorate cisplatin-induced renal damage through multiple pathways by inhibiting reactive oxygen species, inflammation, down-regulation of the MAPK, apoptosis, and NF-κB signaling pathways and upregulation of Nrf2-mediated antioxidant defense mechanisms. Here, we reviewed recent findings on the natural compounds with protective potential in cisplatin-induced renal cytotoxicity, provided an overview of the protective effects and mechanisms that have been identified to date, and discussed strategies to reduce renal cytotoxicity induced by anticancer drugs.