BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify predictive factors for preventive behaviors of falls in elderly inpatients. METHODS: Data on 200 elderly inpatients at one university hospital were collected. Descriptive analysis, independent t-test, analysis of variance, and stepwise multiple regression analysis were done to analyze the data. RESULTS: The high risk group, scoring higher than 5.0 in the degree of self-awareness of fall risk, scored low in knowledge about falls while subjects with activity limitations and not using hearing aids scored significantly high in the same area. Subjects with no training regarding falls and the high risk group scored low in fall efficacy while subjects with activity limitations and using hearing aids scored significantly high in the same area. The degree of self-awareness of fall risk, knowledge about falls, and fall efficacy were significant factors affecting fall prevention activities. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that self-awareness of the risk of falls, knowledge about falls, and fall efficacy are significant factors in preventing falls. These factors should be considered when developing nursing assessment tools and intervention programs for elderly inpatients.
Accidental Falls ; Aged ; Hearing Aids ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Nursing Assessment

No abstract available.
Ligaments* ; Sutures*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Brain* ; Cats* ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to develop and apply the critical pathway to the orbital wall fracture patients and to elucidate its effect. METHODS: Critical pathway(CP) sheet and questionnaire were developed by a team approach. Critical pathway was applied to 7 orbital wall fracture patients (CP group) from April 2006 to September 2006. Length of hospitalization and cost for hospitalization of CP group were compared to those of the 10 patients who had same disease entities and treated by conventional regimen(control group). RESULTS: Length of hospitalization in the CP group (7.20 day) were insignificantly shorter than that of control group(8.71 day). Mean cost for hospitalization of the CP group(776,398 won) were insignificantly lower than that of control group(1,028,531 won). The patients satisfaction for the explanation regarding operation procedure, therapeutic operation fee, length of hospitalization and medical personnel were all affirmative. CONCLUSION: Critical pathway that we developed for orbital wall fracture definitely improved the quality of treatment. Furthermore, other critical pathways should be developed for another facial trauma patients.
Critical Pathways* ; Fees and Charges ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Orbit* ; Orbital Fractures ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A 4-year-old girl developed acute motor, sensory impairment, lower abdominal pain and urinary dysfunction after URI. In acute stage of disease, MRI showed diffuse spinal cord swelling and high signal intensity on T2WI below T2 body level. The patient did not improved and one month later, follow-up MRI showed diffuse spinal cord atrophy and syrinx formation as sequelae of ATM on T1WI below T9 level. To our knowledge, this is the first case showing the sequelae of acute transverse myelitis seen in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Atrophy* ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelitis, Transverse* ; Spinal Cord*

PURPOSE: Asymptomatic urinary retention in the post-partum period is a relatively common problem. We investigated prospectively the incidence and the various risk factors associated with asymptomatic urinary retention in post-partum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Feb. 1999 to Apr. 1999, all pregnant women who visited our hospital for delivery were evaluated. Among them 103 women who had undergone vaginal delivery were evaluated, Exclusion criteria were cesarean section, incidental catheter indwelling during delivery, and symptomatic urinary retention. Residual urine volume was measured using BladderScanTM BVI 2500(Diagnostic Ultrasound co.) within 10 minutes after first voiding in immediate post-partum period. Asymptomatic urinary retention was defined as residual urine volume over 150ml. Pre-partal urinary symptoms and various obstetric parameters were evaluated in asymptomatic urinary retention group and normal group as control. Asymptomatic urinary retention group were followed up daily to monitor their post-void residual urine volume. RESULTS: The incidence of asymptomatic urinary retention after vaginal delivery was 13.6%. Factors associated with asymptomatic urinary retention included second stage of labor, episiotomy, and instrumental delivery. There was no relationship between pre-partal lower urinary tract symptoms and post-partal asymptomatic urinary retention. In patients with asymptomatic urinary retention, catheterization was done for removing residual urine and thus preventing progression of further distension. Post-void residual volume was normalized within 3 days in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic post-partum urinary retention is a self-limiting phenomenon associated with various traumatic events during hard labor such as prolonged labor, episiotomy, instrumental delivery. Close observation of voiding patterns in patients with risk factors is needed to prevent myogenic failure associated with unrecognized asymptomatic post-partum urinary retention.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Cesarean Section ; Episiotomy ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prospective Studies* ; Residual Volume ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Retention*

The steering committee of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences Guideline for Physical Impairment was fully aware of the social processes of disability evaluation from the beginning and thus, developed a series of strategies to examine and incorporate social property of the evaluation into the evaluation guide. Although those strategies could not be implemented to full extent because of lack of budget and time, we believe it worthwhile to share those in this paper as an example of general framework for developing disability evaluation. A series of strategies will be introduced and discussed that views the evaluation process as social per se, and propose a scheme that is designed to obtain growing legitimacy starting from core experts to expanded experts to general public. Also preliminary analyses on surveys of public attitude and experts' opinion with regard to the relative importance of each possible disability revealed the following three facts: 1) Public had difficulty weighing relative importance of many impairments. 2) Regarding some impairments including complex regional pain syndrome many doctors had varied opinions. 3) Public attitude did not always consistent with doctor's opinion. All these findings strongly suggest the need for developing strategies to draw consensus for legitimate and effective evaluation.
Academies and Institutes ; *Consensus ; *Disability Evaluation ; Expert Testimony ; Humans ; Korea ; *Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Public Opinion ; Public Policy ; Social Support

Authors performed the immunohistochemical study with avidin biotin-peroxi- dase complex staining on the nail unit of the human fetus for determining the presence of keratin and prekeratin. Seven fetuses, ranging from 12 to 27 weeks in age, were examined. In all cases, the keratin and prekeratin were found in the epidermis of nail units, but not found in stratum corneum and nail plate. Keratin was located predominantly in suprabasal cells whereas prekeratin was located diffusely in the epidermis. Interestingly keratin and prekeratin were found as early as 12 week-old gestational period. There was no significant difference in presence of keratin and prekeratin.
Avidin ; Epidermis ; Fetus ; Humans*

Kallmann syndrome is characterized by hypogonadotropic hypogonadism resulting from insufficient release of GnRH and associated with anosmia or hyposmia. We experienced two cases of Kallmann syndrome with abnormal brain MRI findings(olfactory bulb aplasia) & secondary sexual dysfunction.
Brain ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Hypogonadism ; Kallmann Syndrome* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Olfaction Disorders

Kallmann syndrome is characterized by hypogonadotropic hypogonadism resulting from insufficient release of GnRH and associated with anosmia or hyposmia. We experienced two cases of Kallmann syndrome with abnormal brain MRI findings(olfactory bulb aplasia) & secondary sexual dysfunction.
Brain ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Hypogonadism ; Kallmann Syndrome* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Olfaction Disorders