Hook plate fixation is a treatment method for the displaced distal clavicle fracture with favorable results regarding bone union and shoulder function, however possible complications include impingement syndromes, subacrormial erosions, acromial fractures, and periprosthetic fractures. In this report, we observed 3 cases of periprosthetic fracture after hook plate fixation. All cases of periprosthetic fractures were initiated at the medial end screw holes. The causes of these periprosthetic fractures appeared to be the off centered fixation of medial end screws near the anterior or posterior cortex which were specific during operations with hook plates with more than 6 holes and the increased stress on the medial end screw by over-reduced or inferiorly reduced position of the distal end of the clavicle by the hook plate.
Clavicle* ; Periprosthetic Fractures* ; Shoulder

Deep cervical space abscess may cause life-threatening complications despite the advent of antibiotics, so early detection and localization of the abscess are essential for management decision. To evaluate the efficacy of utilizing CT scanning in deep cervical space abscess, we retrospectively revieweed CT of 17 patients confirmed by surgery. CT was found tobe very accurate in defining the presence, location, and extent of the abscess along with the demonstration of life-threatening complications such as airway compression and mediastinal extension. In conclusion, CT can play and essential role in guiding surgical approach to deep cervical space abscess.
Abscess* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Dental CT software program can provide reformatted cross-sectional and panoramic images that cannot be obtained with conventional axial & direct coronal CT scan. The purpose of this study is to describe the method of the technique and to identify the precise anatomy of jaw. MATERIALS AND METHODS:We evaluated 13 mandibles & 7 maxillae of 15 subjects without bony disease who were being considered for endosseous dental implants. Reformatted images obtained by the use of bone algorithm performed on GE HiSpeed Advantage CT scanner were retrospectively reviewed for detailed anatomy of RESULTS: Anatomy related to neurovascular bundle(mandibular foramen, inferior alveolar canal, mental foramen, canal for incisive artery, nutrient canal, lingual foramen and mylohyoid groove), muscular insertion(mylohyoid line, superior & inferior genial tubercle and digastric fossa) and other anatomy(submandibular fossa, sublingual fossa, contour of alveolar process, oblique line, retromolar fossa, temporal crest & retromolar triangle) were well delineated in mandible. In maxilla, anatomy related to neurovascular bundle(greater palatine foramen & groove, nasopalatine canal and incisive foramen) and other anatomy(alveolar process, maxillary sinus & nasal fossa) were also well delineated. CONCLUSION: Reformatted images using dental CT software program provided excellent delineation of the jaw anatomy. Therefore, dental CT noftware program can play an important role in the preoperative assessment of mandible and maxilla for dental implants and other surgical conditions.
Alveolar Process ; Arteries ; Dental Implants ; Haversian System ; Jaw* ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Maxillary Sinus ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We have never seen any method to cope basically with complicated situation and problems around medical reimbursement rates here in Korea since 1977 witnessed by the beginning of medical insurance. By the way researchers concerned are beginning to propose some kinds of innovative and detailed ideas to government these days. They are Diagnosis-related group(DRG)and Resource-based relative value scale(RBRVS). In the light of this situation it is so encouraging that our government can come up with that and move. In case of RBRVS research we have already been reaching even to the level of reviewing and revising methodology for its further development after naive pilot study on internal medicine and general surgery last year. However there might be something different conditions between USA and Korea to apply the same Dr. Hsiao's method and it must be vital to check so called 'total work approach' compared with 'intra-service work approach' before expanding to the whole medical fields. According to the 'Intra-service approach', the physician's work is supposed to be divided into three sub-works by the name of intraservice work, pre, and post service work. These sub-works, again should be merged together to be the pre-postwork subset through some statistical methods of the estimation process applied by Dr. Hsiao's methodology in RBRVS development later on. But in this paper that estimation process was not taken because we could have real values for all of those surveyed items related to just one specialty, OB & GY. Instead, we used some statistical comparison procedures relevant to demographic characteristics, reliability & validity and correlation analysis with American RVU(Relative value unit) between the total work and merged total work from intraservice work approach. The unit of analysis was individual physicians of OB & GY and 300 physicians were selected for each approach through statistical sampling method based on national population of OB & GY physicians in korea. And also with the thankful help of Advisory committee under Korean Association of OB & GY, questionnaires were made and mailed to the subjects, two times. As a result there were not any statistically significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two approaches except for the variable 'Response time for the questionnaire', but in other sections of comparisons, response rate, representative values, reliability & validity test, correlation analysis with American RVU, all showed 'Total approach' was not only more rational and statistically meaningful than ,'Intra-service approach' but also had considerable merits. But we are not absolutely sure about this paper's robustness. Because of some limitations, we'd rather like to suggest further researches should be followed. In that sense the first thing would be a research for the influence of doctor's haracteristics, especially 'frequency' on the rating of work and the way to define total work more clearly.
Advisory Committees ; Gynecology* ; Insurance ; Internal Medicine ; Korea ; Obstetrics* ; Pilot Projects ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Total laryngectomy has become a usual treatment for any advanced carcinoma of the larynx, but most patients who have undergone total laryngectomy have shown permanent disability in voice production. To solve this problem, studies of voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy have been done. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have developed an accurate method to measure the vocal tract shape along its length from magnetic resonance images acquired during the sustained phonation of Korean vowels by T-E shunt patients and normal subject. We estimated the accuracy of MRI and also compared the vocal tract spape of the normal and T-E shunt patients by comparing the first three formant frequencies estimated from MRI to those measured directly from speech data of the T-E patients and the normal subject. RESULTS: The length of T-E shunt patient's vocal tract is 17-18.5 cm. T-E shunt patients phonated strained voice. The length of resonant chamber of T-E shunt patients are shorter than that of the normal subject. The vocal tract is shortened during the phonation by T-E shunt patients. In cases of /e/ and /i/, front cavities are constricted while back cavities are shortened. The pseudoglottis of the T-E shunt patients is located at the region 14-15 cm from lip. CONCLUSION: Acoustic characteristics and vocal tract shapes of the T-E shunt patients are relatively similar to those of the normal subject. To achieve normal voice, reconstruction of pharyngeal and superior glottal resonant chamber will be desirable.
Acoustics ; Humans ; Laryngectomy* ; Larynx ; Lip ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Phonation* ; Rehabilitation ; Voice

Four Years Reports of "Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association" during 2001 to 2005 were evaluated by 18 Editorial Board of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association. We investigated the articles to specific fields and rejection rate etc. by different section chiefs. Although several problems concerning review time duration and rejection guideline issues indicated but generally all reviewer processes proved relatively clear and concise criteria. Through these objective and systematic evaluation processes, "Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association" will develop a good journal.
Evaluation Studies as Topic*

Four Years Reports of "Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association" during 2001 to 2005 were evaluated by 18 Editorial Board of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association. We investigated the articles to specific fields and rejection rate etc. by different section chiefs. Although several problems concerning review time duration and rejection guideline issues indicated but generally all reviewer processes proved relatively clear and concise criteria. Through these objective and systematic evaluation processes, "Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association" will develop a good journal.
Evaluation Studies as Topic*

Two Years Reports of "Journal of Korean Neuropychiatric Association" during 2001 to 2003 were evaluated by 17 Editorial Board of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association. We investigated the articles to specific fields and rejection rate etc. by different section chiefs. Although several problems concerning review time duration and rejection guideline issues indicated but generally all reviewer processes proved relatively clear and concise criteria. Through these objective and systematic evaluation processes, "Journal of Korean Neuropychiatric Association" will develope a good journal.
Evaluation Studies as Topic*

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone antagonists are reported to have beneficial effects on diabetic nephropathy by effective blocking of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. We investigated the renoprotective effect of the selective aldosterone receptor blocker eplerenone, the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor lisinopril, and combined eplerenone and lisinopril treatment in type 2 diabetic rats. METHODS: Animals were divided into six groups as follows: Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat control, OLETF rats treated with a low dose of eplerenone (50 mg/kg/day), OLETF rats treated with a high dose of eplerenone (200 mg/kg/day), OLETF rats treated with lisinopril (10 mg/kg/day), OLETF rats treated with a combination of both drugs (eplerenone 200 mg/kg/day and lisinopril 10 mg/kg/day), and obese non-diabetic Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka rats for 26 weeks. RESULTS: Urinary albumin excretion was significantly lower in the lisinopril group, but not in the eplerenone group. Urinary albumin excretion was decreased in the combination group than in the lisinopril group. Glomerulosclerosis and renal expression of type I and type IV collagen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, transforming growth factor-beta1, connective tissue growth factor, and fibronectin mRNA were markedly decreased in the lisinopril, eplerenone, and combination groups. CONCLUSION: Eplerenone and lisinopril combination showed additional benefits on type 2 diabetic nephropathy compared to monotherapy of each drug.
Aldosterone ; Animals ; Collagen Type IV ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Fibronectins ; Lisinopril ; Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Plasminogen Activators ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF ; Receptors, Mineralocorticoid ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; RNA, Messenger ; Spironolactone