As Kelsey stated “Four out of five individuals will have a significant complaint of back painat one time or another in their lives and impairment of the spine are the most frequent cause of time lost from work”., low back pain affects the quality of life for just about everyone, medical and economic impacts of low back pain are enormous. Nevertheless, neither the government not industry has been seriously involved in the study of the cause, prevention, and management of back pain. The purpose of this study was to review and analysis the clinical materials of low back painand draw differences, if any, between discogenic and stenotic low back pain. Three hundreds and fourty nine cases suffering from low back pain and/or sciatic pain, excluded fresh traumatic and inflammatory conditions of the spine, have been admitted and treated at Dept. of orthopaedic surgery, Eul-Ji General Hospital, Dae-Jeon from May, 1981 to April, 1984. They were consisted of H.N.P. (172 cases), Spinal stenosis (61 cases), Spondylolisthesis (42) cases), Degenerative joint Disease of the spine (48 cases), and Others (26 cases). Among them, two hundred and twenty six cases who were followed more than four months were mainly subjectecl to this study.
Back Pain ; Clinical Study ; Hospitals, General ; Intervertebral Disc ; Joint Diseases ; Low Back Pain ; Quality of Life ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis

No abstract available.
Drainage* ; Lung Abscess* ; Lung* ; Pneumothorax* ; Suppuration*

BACKGROUND: The effect of Video Display Terminals(VDT) Syndrome is well documented. The purpose of this study is to examine the difference in systemic subjective symptoms between long term users of computers with that of the general population and to help plan to avoid the risk of developing Video Display Terminal Syndrome. METHOD: Data was collected for this study between August 1996 and February 1997. Two groups consisting of seventy(70) long term computer users(Exposed Subjects) and fifty nine(59) non users (Non Exposed Subjects), were selected for the survey. Data was gathered from the exposed subjects through their response to the survey questionnaire posted on the internet requiring detailed responses concerning ten systemic subjective symptoms that were experienced as a result of the long term exposure to VDT. Data was gathered from the non exposed subjects through written responses to the questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the more significant difference was the experience of ocular symptoms among the exposed group. The exposed group experienced in descending order eleven items of ocular symptoms. Congestion, strain, decreased visual acuity, ocular pain, and dryness. Among seven items of lifestyle, the exposed group characteristically exercised less(P<0.05) and did more home activity (P<0.05), characteristically lead healthier life than the non exposed group. Participation in exercise differed most among the groups. The exposed group participating in moderate exercise scored 517+/-551.6 compared to the non exposed group which exercised very vigorously(p<0.05). In comparison of subjective symptom and life styles per daily exposure time(over 8,10,16 hours daily) there was significant difference between 8 and 10hour exposers only in the stress item(P<0.05). In the exposure group there were less cardiovascular symptoms(P<0.05) due to more art activity(P<0.05), more cardiovascular symptoms and less sleep activity(P<0.001) and more ocular symptoms(P<0.05) due to higher levels of stress. CONCLUSIONS: By exercising, exposers can decrease the respiratory symptoms, and by seeking methods that enable efficient management of work time, the subjects can benefit from the reduced work time, and by seeking methods so that one receive less stress and can resolve them they can reduce their ocular symptoms, sleep problems, cardiovascular symptoms. And in their spare time, the subjects can be recommended to involve in art activity for each person, through PC indirectly. Designing the development of cyber gallery, museum, literature room, concert can reduce the oecur-rence rate of cardiovascular symptoms.
Computer Terminals ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Humans ; Internet ; Life Style* ; Museums ; Visual Acuity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

INTRODUCTION: The phenomenon related to sign & symptom management for end of life of the patients is of interest to researchers in nursing society today. This study was conducted to clarify and to conceptualize the factors of sign & symptom management in end of life care though nurses' perceptions on this phenomena. METHODS: The qualitative study method was used to explore the experienced nurses' perceptions related to sign & symptom management in end of life care. It included a field study carried out in South Korea using in-depth interviews with 30 experienced nurses from three nursing home facilities. RESULTS: This study identified the following categories related to end of life care with sub-categories for each category: (1) nurses' modes in identifying the signs related to patients' end of life, (2) nurses' perceived directions on patients' end of life care, (3) nurses' perceived strategies in end of life care and (4) nurses' perceived barriers in end of life care. CONCLUSION: Through this study, characteristics of the way nurses' provide for patients' end of life care are identified, along with how nursing decisions are made to manage the sign & symptom indicating patients' end of life.
Humans ; Nursing Homes ; Republic of Korea ; Societies, Nursing ; Terminal Care

BACKGROUND: A major pathway leading toward neuronal injury following ischemia-reperfusion of the brain involves elevation of extracellular glutamate and activation of glutamate receptors, with a subsequent increase in intracellular calcium, resulting in a generation of free radicals. Oxygen free radicals cause brain injury following resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Oxyradicals produce strand breakage in DNA, which triggers energy-consuming DNA repair mechanisms and activates the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase(PARS). However, excessive PARS activation leads to energy depletion and exacerbation of neuronal damage in cerebral ischemia. METHODS: We investigated the effect of a potent, free-radical scavenger, N-acetylcysteine(NAC), on hippocampal neuronal death in an asphyxial cardiac arrest model of rats. The effect of NAC on hippocampal neuronal death was studied in 32 rats which were subjected to asphyxial cardiac arrest for 7 minutes, followed by resuscitation. The animals were divided into four group(8 rats in each group) as follows: Group I was saline treated for 3 days, Group II was NAC treated for 3 days, Group III was saline treated for 6 days, and Group IV was NAC treated for 6 days. In the NAC-treated groups, NAC(150 mg/kg) was intravenously injected after return of spontaneous circulation. The coronal sections with hippocampus levels were stained with hematoxylin-eosin(H-E) and PARS antibodies at 3 and 6 days after survival. In addition, the levels of myeloperoxidase(MPO) and malondialdehyde(MDA) were determined in the brains of each group. RESULTS: The results are as follows: 1. MPO and MDA levels were significantly lower in the NAC-treated groups, II and IV, than in the saline-treated groups, I and III. 2. The histologic damage score(HDS), as determined by H-E staining, was significantly lower in the NAC-treated groups, II and IV, than in the saline-treated groups, I and III. 3. In PARS immunohistochemical staining, the HDS was significantly lower in the NAC-treated groups, II and IV, than in the saline-treated groups, I and III. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a free-radical scavenger, N-acetylcysteine, may effectively prevent neuronal damages after reperfusion from asphyxial cardiac arrest in rats. Further studies will be required to examine both the mechanism of the action and the clinical application of NAC in patients with cardiac arrest.
Acetylcysteine* ; Animals ; Antibodies ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Brain Ischemia ; Calcium ; DNA ; DNA Repair ; Free Radicals ; Glutamic Acid ; Heart Arrest* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Oxygen ; Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose ; Rats* ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Resuscitation

No abstract available.
Animals ; Epithelium* ; Gene Expression* ; Laser Capture Microdissection* ; Mice* ; Microarray Analysis* ; Phenobarbital*

The interstitial lung diseases(ILD) comprises a large, heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by derangement of alveolar walls and alveolar capillary unit causing restrictive pulmonary dysfunction and disordered gas exchange. It is rare, especially in children, and the opinions on investigation and treatments are controversial. The classification of adult ILD is applied to that of children. But considering occurrence during the developing state of lung and immune systems, we should be more cautious because the clinical manifestations and prognosis will be different from those of adults. In 1995, Katzenstein named a unique type of ILD, chronic pneumonitis of infancy (CPI) for the first time. CPI is characterized by marked alveolar septal thickening, striking type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, and eosinophilic alveolar exudate containing numerous macrophages. We report a 14 month-old girl, who had continuing respiratory difficulty and cyanosis after upper respiratory infection, could not sustain oxygen saturation and was finally diagnosed as CPI by histologic examination.
Adult ; Capillaries ; Child ; Classification ; Cyanosis ; Eosinophils ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immune System ; Infant ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial* ; Macrophages ; Oxygen ; Pneumocytes ; Pneumonia* ; Prognosis ; Strikes, Employee

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Korean National Health Insurance is based on 'fee for service' system, but recently 7 groups of diseases were forcibly applied to diagnosis related groups (DRG) system. In these 7 group of diseases, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were included in the otorhinolaryngology field. The objective of this research is to estimate the invested medical costs, profit and loss, and improvement points for the disease groups according to DRG and 'fee for service' system. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We investigated 1,377 subjects who underwent tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy based on DRG between January 2011 to December 2013 at our hospital. The profit and loss of medical costs were calculated according to medical record data, medical service fee, and activity based costing (ABC). RESULTS: The total of 1,377 subject comprised of 905 patients younger than 17 years-old and 472 patients older than 18 years-old. A main moderate complication that was not one of the DRG diseases, postoperative bleeding, was only found in 19 patients (1.38%). Profit related to tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy studied for a 3 year-period was higher in the DRG system than in the 'fee for service' system; however, profit was reported as 62.9-67.5% of the actual prime costs. CONCLUSION: DRG system for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy seems to have higher compensation rate than the 'fee for service' system does. However, the system is still insufficient to compare profit with the input medical cost. Furthermore, the present system of disease grouping needs to be improved to reflect actual medical prime costs.
Adenoidectomy* ; Compensation and Redress ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Fees and Charges ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Medical Records ; National Health Programs ; Otolaryngology ; Tonsillectomy*

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the clinical results of iris-fixed phakic intraocular lens (IOL) implantation (Artisan(R) implantation) in patients with high myopia. METHODS: Eighteen eyes of 10 patients underwent Artisan(R) implantation between December 2001 and February 2003 and were followed up for more than 6 months. The study prospectively analyzed the efficacy, safety and predictability of Artisan(R) implantation based on visual acuity and refractive errors. RESULTS: The preoperative mean uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 0.02, and mean spherical equivalent refraction was -9.98D. Postoperative uncorrected vision was more than 0.5 in 83.3% of the eyes at 1 month and in 100% after 3 months. Also it was more than 0.9 in 22.2% of the eyes at 1 month, in 50.0% at 3 months and in 88.9% at 6 months. The spherical equivalent refraction after surgery was within 0.5D of emmetropia in 77.8% of eyes at 1 month, in 94.4% at 3 months and in 100% at 6 months. Also it was within 1.0D of emmetropia in 94.4% at 1 month and in 100% after 3 months. Complications included temporary glare or halo in 3 eyes, transient elevation of intraocular pressure in 1 eye, and decentration of IOL due to incomplete iris-fixation in 1 eye. CONCLUSIONS: Because of its good visual results and rare complications, the Artisan(R) implantation may be an effective surgical procedure for patients who cannot undergo laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).
Emmetropia ; Glare ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Myopia ; Phakic Intraocular Lenses ; Prospective Studies ; Refractive Errors ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To introduce and assess the results of punctoplasty using a radiofrequency surgical unit for punctal stenosis. METHODS: Patients who complained of epiphora, had an intact lacrimal pathway below puncti, and underwent punctoplasty with the Ellman Surgitron F.F.P.F were evaluated in the present study. RESULTS: A total of 19 patients (31 eyes) were included in the study. The average age was 55 years (+/-15.7 years). At the last follow-up visit, 27 eyes (87%) had patent puncti, 1 eye became stenotic again, and 3 eyes were completely obstructed. Twenty-two eyes (71%) showed almost complete disappearance of dye on the fluorescein dye-disappearance test (FDDT). Twenty-five eyes (81%) had symptomatic improvement. No significant complication was reported postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Punctoplasty with a radiofrequency surgical unit is a simple and effective method for punctal stenosis.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Eye ; Fluorescein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases