To identify the factors influencing the charges per case of acute appendicitis and normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (NSVD), the personal data-base files and hospital-characteristics-reporting data files of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation were analyzed. One hundred and twenty-nine institutions were selected. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The differences of charges per case with respect to hospital ownership, location, and equipment levels were statistically significant. 2. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that bed capacity was the most significant variable in both diseases. 3. Ownership was significant variable in acute appendicitis. In NSVD, ownership and hospital equipment level were statistically significant. In conclusion, bed capacity was statistically the most significant variable in the analysis of charges per case. And we thought that the results of this study would influence the policy of the hospital bed supply.
Appendicitis* ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; Equipment and Supplies, Hospital ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Ownership

No abstract available.
Antigens, Surface*

A new medical delivery system which regulated outpatient department(OPD) use from tertiary care hospitals was adopted in 1989. Under the new system, patients using tertiary care hospital OPD without referral slip from clinics or hospital could not get any insuranced benefit for the services received from the tertiary care hospital. This study was conducted to evaluate the Patient Referral System(PRS) with respect to health care expenditures and utilization. Two data sets were used in this study. One was monthly data set(from January 1986 to December 1992)from the Annual Report of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation(KMIC). The other was monthly joint data set composed of personal data of which 10% were selected randomly with their utilization data of KMIC from January 1988 to December 1992. The data were analyzed by time-series intervention model of SAS-ETS. The results of this study were as follows: 1. There was no statistically significant changes in per capita expenditures following PRS. 2. Utilization episodes per capita was increased statistically significantly after implementation of PRS. The use of clinics and hospitals increased significantly, whereas in tertiary care hospitals the use decreased significantly immediately after implementation of PRS and increased afterwards. 3. Follow-up visits per episode were decreased statistically significantly after implementation of PRS. The decrease of follow-up visits per episode were remarkable in clinics and hospitals, whereas in tertiary care hospitals it was increased significantly after implementation of PRS. 4. There was no statistically significant changes in prescribing days per episode following PRS. Futhermore, clinics and hospitals showed a statistically significant decrease in prescribing days per episode, whereas in tertiary care hospital it shower statistically significant increase after implementation of PRS. 5. Except high income class, the use of tertiary care hospitals showed statistically significant decrease after implementation of PRS. The degree of decrease in the use of tertiary card hospitals was inversely proportional to income. These results suggest that the PRS policy was not efficient because per capita expenditures did not decrease, and was not effective because utilization episodes per capita, follow-up visits per episode, and prescribing days per episode were not predictable and failed to show proper utilization. It was somewhat positive that utilization episodes per capita were decreased temporarily in tertiary card hospitals. And PRS policy was not appropriate because utilization episodes per capita was different among income groups. In conclusion, the PRS should be revised for initial goal attainment of cost containment and proper health care utilization.
Cost Control ; Dataset ; Delivery of Health Care ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Expenditures* ; Humans ; Insurance ; Joints ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Referral and Consultation* ; Tertiary Healthcare

BACKGROUND:Metronome guidance is a feasible and effective feedback technique to improve the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The rate of the metronome should be set between 100 to 120 ticks/minute and the speed of ventilation may have crucial effect on the quality of ventilation. We compared three different metronome rates (100, 110, 120 ticks/minute) to investigate its effect on the quality of ventilation during metronome-guided 30:2 CPR. METHODS:This is a prospective, randomized, crossover observational study using a RespiTrainer?r. To simulate 30 chest compressions, one investigator counted from 1 to 30 in cadence with the metronome rate (1 count for every 1 tick), and the participant performed 2 consecutive ventilations immediately following the counting of 30. Thirty physicians performed 5 sets of 2 consecutive (total 10) bag-mask ventilations for each metronome rate. Participants were instructed to squeeze the bag over 2 ticks (1.0 to 1.2 seconds depending on the rate of metronome) and deflate the bag over 2 ticks. The sequence of three different metronome rates was randomized. RESULTS:Mean tidal volume significantly decreased as the metronome rate was increased from 110 ticks/minute to 120 ticks/minute (343±84 mL vs. 294±90 mL, P=0.004). Peak airway pressure significantly increased as metronome rate increased from 100 ticks/minute to 110 ticks/minute (18.7 vs. 21.6 mmHg, P=0.006). CONCLUSION:In metronome-guided 30:2 CPR, a higher metronome rate may adversely affect the quality of bag-mask ventilations. In cases of cardiac arrest where adequate ventilation support is necessary, 100 ticks/minute may be better than 110 or 120 ticks/minute to deliver adequate tidal volume during audio tone guided 30:2 CPR.

Purpose: Dislocation is the second most common cause of failure, after implant loosening, in revisional THA (Total hip arthroplasty), and its evaluation and treatment still remain controversial issue. This study was undertaken to evaluate the risk factors after THA using the posterolateral approach and posterior soft tissue repair. Materials and Methods: Between January 1998 and May 2003, 211 consecutive primary total hip replacement arthroplasties using the posterolateral approach and posterior soft tissue repair were performed by the same surgeon. To compare the dislocation groups (6 cases) with the non-dislocation groups (205 cases), we randomized 120 of the non-dislocation cases. The risk factors for hip dislocation were categorized into patient factors and surgical factors. Patient factors included gender, age, preoperative diagnosis, underlying systemic disease, and alcoholic history. Surgical factors included position of the component (acetabular version and inclination, femoral anteversion), leg length discrepancy, and sum of anteversions of the cup and stem. Their parameters were measured on postoperative radiographs. Statistics were performed with Fishe`s Exact test and T test. Results: Dislocations occurred at an overall incidence rate of 2.8% (6/211cases). There were 4 (1.9%) cases of anterior dislocations and 2 (0.9%) cases of posterior dislocations. Dislocations occurred on average at postoperative day 6.1 and all dislocated hips were reduced with the closed method, except for one case that was treated surgically. There was no statistical significance in patient factors between the two groups, except for neurologic disease and alcoholic history. However, the sum of the acetabular and femoral anteversions in the anterior dislocation group was larger than that of the non-dislocation group by approximately 19 degrees. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that by using the posterior approach and repair of soft tissue, the posterior dislocation rate after total hip replacement arthroplasty can be reduced and the sum of the acetabular and femoral anteversions had more influence on dislocations after THAs than did either anteversion alone.
Acetabulum ; Alcoholics ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Diagnosis ; Dislocations ; Hip Dislocation* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg ; Risk Factors*

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: This study was designed to validate the functional evaluation system after surgery of malignant musculoskeletal tumors by ISOLS (International Symposium On Limb Salvage). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The reliability, content and criterion validities of the ISOLS system were investigated using the Nottingham Health Profile, the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short-Form Health survey and the EuroQol instrument to measure the quality of life of patients with malignant musculoskeletal tumors. Forty nine patients were evaluated Osteosarcoma around knee joint was most commonly. Prosthetic reconstruction was performed in 55.1%. RESULTS: In content validity analysis, no social and psychological domains was found in ISOLS and the domains for functions of the lower extremities had a strong Cronbach's coefficient (0.88). ISOLS exhibited strong correlation in criterion validity. Convergent validity was good but the discriminative validity was poor. ISOLS has reliability with a strong correlation with other golden standard outcome measures. CONCLUSION: Overall reliability and validity of the ISOLS system appeared to be acceptable. However, this system may need further development of its appropriate domains to evaluate the quality of life in patients with malignant musculoskeletal tumors.
Extremities ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Lower Extremity ; Musculoskeletal System* ; Osteosarcoma ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Quality of Life* ; Reproducibility of Results

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

Virus-associated immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) can occur following common viruses, but cases of ITP associated with influenza infection has seldom been reported. In this report we describe a previously healthy 5-year-old boy who admitted with fever, flu-like symptoms and a few bruises on both legs. Severe thrombocytopenia were found. Bone marrow aspirates and biopsy showed no abnormalities and results of coagulation tests were all in normal limit. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was positive for influenza B infection. The patient fully recovered with intravenous immunoglobulins and steroid therapy.
Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Child, Preschool ; Contusions ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Influenza B virus* ; Influenza, Human* ; Leg ; Male ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Thrombocytopenia

Posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome is a clinical radiographic syndrome of many causative factors. Sudden onset headache, vomiting, altered mental status, blurred vision and seizures are main symptoms shown in posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome. In addition, it typically shows radiological findings of edema in the white matter of posterior cerebrum, being in commonly bilateral but asymmetric. We report a case of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) presenting as posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy syndrome. Immediate control of hypertension resulted in rapid and complete neurological recovery.
Cerebrum ; Edema ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Headache ; Hypertension ; Leukoencephalopathies* ; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome ; Seizures ; Streptococcal Infections ; Vomiting