OBJECTIVE: This study is a follow-up of a first survey of 200 North Korean defectors who entered South Korea in 2001. The purpose of this study is to examine changes in the current prevalence of partial PTSD and full PTSD after 3 years and to evaluate related factors. METHODS: This study followed up on 151 of the 200 North Korean defectors from our first survey. 20 interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews and assisted defectors in completing a self-report assessment. The traumatic events which participants with chronic PTSD and delayed onset PTSD experienced were then examined. RESULTS: Over the 3 years, the current prevalence rate of partial PTSD was reduced from 31.8% to 5.3%, and the current prevalence rate of full PTSD was reduced from 27.2% to 4.0%. Of particular interest was that 88.8% of those diagnosed with full or partial PTSD in the first survey had recovered after 3 years. CONCLUSION: The current prevalence rate of partial and full PTSD rapidly decreased during 3 years.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*

Sometimes, TRAM flap only is not enough to accomplish symmetric breast reconstruction. Although many secondary procedures have been used to obtain symmetry, only a few studies have been performed to validate the result of fat grafting after TRAM flap breast reconstruction. From January 2004 to July 2008, 96 patients who underwent fat grafting after TRAM breast reconstruction were reviewed. The fat grafting was performed after 6 months following breast reconstruction. Assessments were retrospectively carried out according to the breast reconstruction type, injection volume, injected area, donor site, and complications. Immediate breast reconstruction cases were 92 out of 96 cases, and rest of them was cases of delayed reconstruction. Mean injected volume was 31.7 cc(3-113.5cc). Recipient sites were upper medial and lateral quadrants(85.4%) in 82 cases, upper medial quadrant in 5 cases, all four quadrants in 3 cases and lateral upper quadrant in 2 cases. Any specific complication such as fat embolism, infection, fat necrosis and skin necrosis was not noticed. We obtained a satisfying result in every case without any specific complication. Therefore, fat grafting can be one of the useful options to match the contour of reconstructed breast after TRAM flap reconstruction