OBJECTIVES: We aimed to develop a common health information exchange (HIE) platform that can provide integrated services for implementing the HIE infrastructure in addition to guidelines for participating in an HIE network in South Korea. METHODS: By exploiting the Health Level 7 (HL7) Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Cross-enterprise Document Sharing-b (XDS.b) profile, we defined the architectural model, exchanging data items and their standardization, messaging standards, and privacy and security guidelines, for a secure, nationwide, interoperable HIE. We then developed a service-oriented common HIE platform to minimize the effort and difficulty of fulfilling the standard requirements for participating in the HIE network. The common platform supports open application program interfaces (APIs) for implementing a document registry, a document repository, a document consumer, and a master patient index. It could also be used for testing environments for the implementation of standard requirements. RESULTS: As the initial phase of implementing a nationwide HIE network in South Korea, we built a regional network for workers' compensation (WC) hospitals and their collaborating clinics to share referral and care record summaries to ensure the continuity of care for industrially injured workers, using the common HIE platform and verifying the feasibility of our technologies. CONCLUSIONS: We expect to expand the HIE network on a national scale with rapid support for implementing HL7 and IHE standards in South Korea.
Computer Security ; Computer Systems ; Continuity of Patient Care ; Delivery of Health Care ; Electronic Health Records ; Health Level Seven ; Humans ; Information Services* ; Korea ; Privacy ; Referral and Consultation ; Workers' Compensation

Multiple primary lung cancer is classified into a synchronous primary lung cancer or a metachronous primary lung cancer. Both are rarely encountered disease entities. We report our surgical experience of each one case of synchronous and metachronous primary lung cancer.
Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung*

BACKGROUND: Although pedobarographic measurement is increasingly used for clinical and research purposes, relatively few published studies have investigated normative data. This study examined pedobarographic findings in young healthy adults with regard to sex-related differences and correlations among measurement indices. METHODS: Twenty young healthy adults (mean age, 22.4 years; standard deviation, 1.2 years; and 10 males and 10 females) were included. Weight bearing anteroposterior (AP) and lateral foot radiographs were taken, and dynamic pedobarographic data during treadmill walking and maximum ankle dorsiflexion were obtained. AP talo-first metatarsal angle, naviculocuboid overlap, lateral talo-first metatarsal angle, and plantar soft tissue thickness were measured on foot radiographs. Pedobarographic data including peak pressure and pressure-time integral were measured on five plantar segments: medial forefoot (MFF), lateral forefoot (LFF), medial midfoot (MMF), lateral midfoot (LMF), and heel. RESULTS: Male and female subjects significantly differed in body mass index (BMI, p < 0.001), AP talo-first metatarsal angle (p = 0.018), soft tissue thickness under the metatarsal head (p = 0.040) and calcaneal tuberosity (p < 0.001), maximum dorsiflexion during stance phase (p = 0.041), peak pressure on the MFF (p = 0.005) and LFF (p = 0.004), and pressure-time integral on the MFF (p = 0.018) and heel (p = 0.001). BMI was significantly correlated with soft tissue thickness under the metatarsal head (r = 0.521, p = 0.018) and calcaneal tuberosity (r = 0.585, p = 0.007), peak pressure on the MFF (r = 0.601, p = 0.005) and LFF (r = 0.487, p = 0.029), pressure-time integral on the heel (r = 0.552, p = 0.012), and total pressure-time integral (r = 0.755, p < 0.001). Maximum dorsiflexion demonstrated significant negative correlations with pressure-time integral on the MFF (r = −0.595, p = 0.007) and total pressure-time integral (r = −0.492, p = 0.032). Pressure-time integral varus/valgus index was significantly correlated with pressuretime integral forefoot/heel index (r = 0.472, p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Sex-related differences in pedobarographic examination were observed, which could provide useful information in setting appropriate treatment goals and obtaining appropriate control data. The effects of subtalar motion in distributing plantar pressure should be investigated in a future study.
Adult* ; Ankle ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Foot ; Head ; Heel ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones ; Sex Characteristics* ; Walking ; Weight-Bearing

Anabolic Agents ; Biology ; Bone Matrix ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Line ; Negotiating ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis

Aggrecans ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Regeneration ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Collagen ; Dental Implants ; Durapatite ; Electrons ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Gene Expression ; Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteocalcin ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Titanium

Lymphangioma is a developmental anomaly that is known to occur in the neck and axilla, and only rarely in the mediastinum, retroperitoneum, groin and pelvis. An isolated chest wall lymphangioma is a rare benign neoplasm. In case of large sized lymphangioma, surgical excision is preferably recommended as the treatment of choice. We operated on a three-year old female for excision of chest wall. In pathologic diagnosis, it diagnosed the mass as chest wall lymphangioma.
Axilla ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Groin ; Humans ; Lymphangioma ; Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Pelvis ; Thoracic Wall* ; Thorax*

Lymphangioma is a developmental anomaly that is known to occur in the neck and axilla, and only rarely in the mediastinum, retroperitoneum, groin and pelvis. An isolated chest wall lymphangioma is a rare benign neoplasm. In case of large sized lymphangioma, surgical excision is preferably recommended as the treatment of choice. We operated on a three-year old female for excision of chest wall. In pathologic diagnosis, it diagnosed the mass as chest wall lymphangioma.
Axilla ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Groin ; Humans ; Lymphangioma ; Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Pelvis ; Thoracic Wall* ; Thorax*

Accessory mitral valve tissue is a very rare congenital cardiac malformation and it is an uncommon cause of left Ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO). The pathogenetic mechanism of subaortic obstruction is thought to be systolic ballooning of the abnormal valve tissue into LVOT. We are reporting a case of an accessory mitral valve tissue that was associated with LVOTO, and this was completely relieved after trans-aortic surgical excision of the accessory tissue.
Mitral Valve

BACKGROUND: Pathologic confirmation is needed to diagnose various forms of interstitial lung diseases. We wanted to find out how much the thoracic surgical lung biopsies will be needed for definite diagnosis of interstitial lung diseases. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 17 patients underwent surgical lung biopsy in the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Gyeongsang National University Hospital from June 1995 to November 2002. Chart review and telephone questionnaire were done for retrospective study. RESULT: Mean age was 49+/-22 years. Age ranged from 1 to 70 years. Dyspnea was the most common complaint. They were referred for definite differClinical Evaluation of Instrumental ential diagnosis from pediatrics and internal medicine. Biopsy methods were thoracotomy in 11 cases, and thoracoscopy in 6 cases. Pathologic confirmation was possible in 11 cases (65%). According to the pathologic reports, treatment plans were changed in 13 cases (76%). CONCLUSION: Surgical lung biopsy was effective method in differentiating diagnosis of the interstitial lung disease. There was no mortality during operation. It is important that undiagnosed fibrous lung disease should be recommanded the lung biopsy for planning patient's treatment.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial* ; Mortality ; Pediatrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Retrospective Studies ; Telephone ; Thoracoscopy ; Thoracotomy

The conventional surgery method of thrombectomy of venous thrombi from the deep veins of the lower extremity was the use of Forgarty balloon catheter. The catheter is inconvenient due to the presence of the balloon and prohibiting venous valves within the venous trees. With the use of a stone-forceps(Fig. 1), thrombi within iliofemoral vein could be easily removed without the obstacle of the valves because the instrument keeps valves open. This instrument is also useful in monitoring the back-flow from the iliac vein. Thrombi within the veins below the level of inguinal incision are removed successfully only by effective manual compression of the calf and thigh muscles. I recommend operating on the iliac vein first rather than the lower venous tree.
Catheters ; Iliac Vein ; Lower Extremity* ; Muscles ; Thigh ; Thrombectomy ; Veins* ; Venous Thrombosis ; Venous Valves