PURPOSE: During the high-stake examinations such as OSCE (Objective structured clinical examination) or CPX (clinical performance exam), test security is generally accepted as a major concern for test validity. This study was conducted to investigate the effect on examinee' s scores of repeated, serial administrations of essentially the same standardized patient (SP) -based performance exam. METHODS: A performance-based examination using eight SP cases was administered to 123 senior medical students at Hanyang University School of Medicine. Students were randomly assigned to one of 16 groups of 8 students each. Three groups were tested serially each day, requiring 5 days for the complete administration of the examination. We compared the mean scores of the five groups of the examinees tested on different days with ANOVA and linear trends with multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: For both checklist scores and written scores during the interstation work, the mean scores of the first day groups were significantly lower compared to subsequent groups. And, there were slight linear trends in the scores over the five days. Scores related to case-specific history taking, information sharing, and clinical courtesy were significantly affected by the sharing of information between students. Scores related to patient satisfaction, physical exam, and physician-patient interaction were not influenced by the same pattern of behaviour. CONCLUSION: Test security may be violated during SP-based performance exams even though the checklists are not accessible to the examinees. It would be desirable for the test-givers to prepare alternative forms of cases for maintaining the validity of SP-based performance exams.
Checklist ; Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Information Dissemination ; Patient Satisfaction ; Students, Medical

No Abstract Available.
Hyperpigmentation*

No abstract available.
Durapatite* ; Dust* ; Rabbits* ; Transplants*

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is one of the most lethal form of mediastinitis originating from an oropharyngeal infection. It requires an early and aggressive sugical treatment, but the operative approach and optimal form of mediastinal drainage remains controversial. We report a case of DNM in a 45-year-old male who underwent right cervicomediastinotomy to drain the deep neck space, upper mediastinum and anterior mediastinal drainage was accomplished through a subxiphoid approach. After this procedure, he steadily improved and was dischrged on hospital day 36. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Drainage ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinitis* ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Neck

BACKGROUND: There are many rating scales for assessment of geriatrics. But each of these scales were not sufficient to evaluate comprehensive geriatric assessment, physical and psychologic efforts for care. METHODS: We developed new scales to comprehensive geriatric assessment for care of geriatric patients. The Geriatrics Physical Support Scale(GPSS) evaluates physical effort consists of 10 areas and the Geriatrics Global Support Scale(GGSS) evaluates general condition of patients consist of 6 areas. Eighty probable and possible AD patients received the Clinical Dementia Rating Rating Scale(CDR), Korearn version of Mini-Mental State Examination(K-MMSE), Barthel Activity of Daily Living Index(B-ADL) GPSS, GGSS. We tested internal consistency, correlation among dementia rating scales. RESULTS: The GPSS correlated to CDR -0.63(p<0.01), B-ADL -0.90(p<0.01) and the GGSS correlated to CDR -0.60(p<0.01), B-ADL -0.75(p<0.01). The internal consistency were 0.69(GGSS), 0.92(GPSS). CONCLUSION: The Geriatrics Global Support Scale evaluate general condition of patients and the Geriatrics Physical Support Scale evaluate physical efforts needed for care of geriatric patients. These scales an also brief and easy rating scales to grade degree of caregiver`s burden.
Dementia ; Geriatric Assessment ; Geriatrics* ; Humans ; Physical Exertion ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Weights and Measures

Pneumatic retinopexy is a new procedure that is effective in treating the uncomplicated cases of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. The procedure of pneumatic retinopexy is composed of cryotherapy(photocoagulation), intraocular gas injection and postoperative positioning. The advantages of this procedure are less tissue damage, no hospitalization, reduced expense and minimal complication. For these reasons, this procedure has become popular retinal detachment surgeons. Peports of associated complications are still limited. The authors experienced one case of choroidal detachment after intraocular gas(SF6 gas) injection in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in pseudophakic eye.
Choroid* ; Hospitalization ; Retinal Detachment

No abstract available.
Multiple Organ Failure* ; Sepsis*

While the invention of computers has caused the rapid development of technology and civilization, the marriage of computers with mobile technology has continued to greatly change our daily lives in every aspect. We use smartphones to tell the time instead of watches, and we utilize mobile applications (apps) to communicate by emailing, messaging and social networking, to take, edit and share photos and videos, to navigate, to conduct commercial transactions, and to perform many other everyday routines. Similarly, in the medical field, there are apps that provide medical and drug information, medical practice guidelines, continuing medical education, and many other services. In this article, several selected mobile apps are briefly reviewed from a personal point of view on their utility in daily medical practice.
Cellular Phone ; Civilization ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; Electronic Mail ; Humans ; Inventions ; Marriage ; Mobile Applications*

Purpose: We hereby would like to compare on the basis of the initial 12 hips and latter 18 hips by analyzing the initial results of the minimal incision total hip arthroplasty of 30 hips we experienced. Materials and Methods: For the period of December 2004 through June 2005, we performed the total hip arthroplasty with minimal incision in 10cm or shorter using the posterolateral approach on 25 patients (30 hips) whose BMI(body mass index) is 30 or lower. We compared by analyzing results of the initial 12 cases and 18 latter cases. Results: The average BMI was 23.7. There weren`t statistically meaningful differences the change in the hemoglobin value of pre-op and post-op, necessity of blood transfusion, position of component, and the Harris hip score 6 weeks after operation. But, the average initial operation time of 124 minutes was remarkably reduced to 65 minutes in average in the latter operation and the length of a skin incision was reduced from the average 9.2 cm in the initial operation to an average of 8.1cm in the latter operation. There wasn't the malposition of acetabular cup and femoral stem. Conclusion: Although we need more statistical data through more cases and the analysis of long-term results, we think that, to surgeons with much experience in the conventional total hip arthroplasty, the total hip anthroplasty using minimal incision for patients with BMI of 30 or below would be a useful approach having the advantage in a cosmetic aspect.
Acetabulum ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Blood Transfusion ; Hip ; Humans ; Learning Curve* ; Learning* ; Skin

No abstract available.
Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor*