Supracondylar fracture of femur is not well suited to internal fixation. A wide canal, thin cortex, comminution and compound wound make open reduction difficult. And the associated injuries, such as popliteal artery rupture are not infrequent. Some authors reported the favorable results with open reduction and rigid internal fixation. But still we have had failure cases with loosening or breakage of plate and screws, infection, post-operative joint stiffness and non-union etc. The present paper reports the result of surgically treated supracondylar fracture. From March 1982 to February 1989 25 patients who were treaed at Department of Orthopedic Surgery, St. Vincent Hospital were analysed. The results obtained as follows:l. Age distribution was between 29 and 74 years of age, and the ratio between males and females was 1.8:1. The most common of injury was traffic accident. 2. According to Neer's classification, there were 5 patients of type I, 7 patients of type II
Accidents, Traffic ; Age Distribution ; Amputation ; Classification ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Femur ; Fractures, Open ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Leg ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Osteoarthritis ; Patella ; Popliteal Artery ; Rupture ; Tibia ; Wounds and Injuries

This study aims to propose the implementation of innovative payment models in Korea in order to promote the financial sustainability of the national health insurance system by reviewing the current status of the payment system in Korea and examining other countries’ experiences with various innovative payment models. Korea primarily uses a fee-for-service payment system and additionally uses various payment systems such as case payment, per diem, and pay-for-performance. However, each payment system has its limitations. Many OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries have pointed out the limitations of existing payment systems and have been attempting various innovative payment models (e.g., add-on payment, bundled payment, and population-based payment). Therefore, it is essential for Korea to consider innovative payment models, such as a mixed payment model that takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of each payment system, and to design and pilot these models.This process requires stakeholders to work together to build a social consensus on the implementation of innovative payment systems and to refine legal and systematic aspects, develop an integrated health information system, and establish dedicated organizations and committees. These efforts towards innovative payment models will contribute to developing a sustainable health insurance system that ensures the public’s health and well-being in Korea.

The fee-for-service system is used as the main payment system for health care providers in Korea. It has been argued that it can't reflect differences in the medical practice costs across regions because the fee schedule is calculated based on the average cost. So, some researchers and providers have disputed that there is need for adopting geographic practice cost index (GPCI) used in the United States for the Medicare program for the elderly to the fee-for-service payment system. This study performed to identify whether the difference in the practice costs among regions exists or not and to examine the feasibility of applying GPCI to Korea payment system. For this purpose, we calculated modified-GPCI and examined considerations to introduce GPCI in Korea. First we identified available data to calculate GPCI. Second, we made applicable GPCI equations to Korea payment system and computed it based on four types of regions (metropolitan, urban, suburban, and rural). We also categorize the regions based on the availability of the medical resources and the capability of utilizing them. As a result, we found that there wasn't any significant difference in the GPCI by regional types in general, but the indices of rural areas (0.91–0.98) was relatively low compared to the indices of other regions (0.96–1.07). Considering the need to use GPCI floor, the pros and cons of using GPCI, and the concern of the regional imbalance of resources, the introduction of GPCI needs to be carefully considered.
Aged ; Fee Schedules ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Korea ; Medicare ; Relative Value Scales ; United States

Hamartoma is a very rare congenital tumor. A few cases of hamartomatous pol yps in the stomach were reported. Most of harrurtomatous polyps in the stomach occur in patients of polyposis coli. We have experienced four cases of gastric hamartomatous polyps without polyposis coli. There are some differences between previously reported cases and ours. In our casee, the distribution of age is from fourth to ninth decade, men and women ratio is 1: 1. The number of polyps are one in three cases and two in one case. The size of polyps is from 5mm to 12 mm. The location of polyps are various, but most common in antrum. We have experienced four cases which were different from previously reported ones and report them with a brief review of literatures.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Male ; Polyps* ; Stomach

Hamartoma is a very rare congenital tumor. A few cases of hamartomatous pol yps in the stomach were reported. Most of harrurtomatous polyps in the stomach occur in patients of polyposis coli. We have experienced four cases of gastric hamartomatous polyps without polyposis coli. There are some differences between previously reported cases and ours. In our casee, the distribution of age is from fourth to ninth decade, men and women ratio is 1: 1. The number of polyps are one in three cases and two in one case. The size of polyps is from 5mm to 12 mm. The location of polyps are various, but most common in antrum. We have experienced four cases which were different from previously reported ones and report them with a brief review of literatures.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Male ; Polyps* ; Stomach

PURPOSE: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a major neurologic problem and one of the most important perinatal causes of neurological morbidity. Evaluation of the presence, extent, and subsequent evolution of hypoxic-ischemic lesions may be very important. We studied the significance of imaging modality through the analysis of brain MRI findings of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy during neonatal period and comparison with findings of brain ultrasonography. METHODS: We analysed the forty-seven infants retrospectively who were diagnosed as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and underwent brain MRI and ultrasonography from Jan. 1992 to May 1996. RESULTS: 1) The mean gestational age and birth weight of the twenty-seven infants who were premature were 32.8+/-2.08weeks and 1.97+/-0.44kg respectively. The mean gestational age and birth weight of twenty infants who were fullterm were 39.3+/-1.04weeks and 2.98+/- 0.93kg respectively. The primary hypoxic-ischemic insults occurred during antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period. 2) The findings of brain MRI were classified into periventricular leukomalacia, encephalomalacia, basal ganglia lesion, focal parenchymal hemorrhage, ventriculomegaly without other lesion and normal finding. 3) Three infants among twenty-five infants with periventricular leukomalacia, four infants among seven infants with basal ganglia lesion and six infants among seven infants with focal parenchymal hemorrhage were not diagnosed by brain ultrasonography. 4) All of ten infants with encephalomalacia and four infants with ventriculomegaly without other lesion were diagnosed by brain ultrasonography. CONCLUSIONS: MRI can diagnose the hypoxic-ischemic lesions which would not be possible by brain ultrasonography. Therefore MRI is the imaging modality of choice for diagnosis in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. We believe that the benefits of MRI outweigh its somewhat higher cost, lack of portability and monitoring difficulties.
Basal Ganglia ; Birth Weight ; Brain ; Diagnosis ; Encephalomalacia ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a major neurologic problem and one of the most important perinatal causes of neurological morbidity. Evaluation of the presence, extent, and subsequent evolution of hypoxic-ischemic lesions may be very important. We studied the significance of imaging modality through the analysis of brain MRI findings of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy during neonatal period and comparison with findings of brain ultrasonography. METHODS: We analysed the forty-seven infants retrospectively who were diagnosed as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and underwent brain MRI and ultrasonography from Jan. 1992 to May 1996. RESULTS: 1) The mean gestational age and birth weight of the twenty-seven infants who were premature were 32.8+/-2.08weeks and 1.97+/-0.44kg respectively. The mean gestational age and birth weight of twenty infants who were fullterm were 39.3+/-1.04weeks and 2.98+/- 0.93kg respectively. The primary hypoxic-ischemic insults occurred during antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period. 2) The findings of brain MRI were classified into periventricular leukomalacia, encephalomalacia, basal ganglia lesion, focal parenchymal hemorrhage, ventriculomegaly without other lesion and normal finding. 3) Three infants among twenty-five infants with periventricular leukomalacia, four infants among seven infants with basal ganglia lesion and six infants among seven infants with focal parenchymal hemorrhage were not diagnosed by brain ultrasonography. 4) All of ten infants with encephalomalacia and four infants with ventriculomegaly without other lesion were diagnosed by brain ultrasonography. CONCLUSIONS: MRI can diagnose the hypoxic-ischemic lesions which would not be possible by brain ultrasonography. Therefore MRI is the imaging modality of choice for diagnosis in infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. We believe that the benefits of MRI outweigh its somewhat higher cost, lack of portability and monitoring difficulties.
Basal Ganglia ; Birth Weight ; Brain ; Diagnosis ; Encephalomalacia ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to analyze the cost for the denture treatment in accordance with the government's plan to expand the National Health Insurance coverage for dental prothesis from July 1, 2012. METHODS: We developed the draft of classification of the treatment activities based on the existing researches and expert's review and finalized the standard procedures through confirming by Korean Dental Association. We also made the list of input at each stage of treatments. We conducted survey of 100 dental clinics via post from April 4 to May 20 in 2011 and 37 clinics took part in the survey. The unit of cost calculation is the process from the first visit for denture treatment to setting of denture and adjustment. The manufacturing process performed by dental technician was not included in the cost analysis. RESULTS: The process for the complete denture treatment was classified with 10 stages. The partial denture treatment was classified with 8 stages. The treatment time per each denture is about 5.6 hours for complete dentures and about 6.6 hours for partial dentures. The treatment cost were from 591,108 won to 643,913 won for complete denture and from 670,219 won to 738,840 won for partial denture in 2011, depending on the location, type of the clinics and the types of physician's income. CONCLUSION: This study shows the example of cost analysis for the treatment to set the fee schedule. Measures to get representative and accurate information need to be made.
Classification ; Costs and Cost Analysis* ; Dental Clinics* ; Dental Technicians ; Denture, Complete ; Denture, Partial ; Dentures* ; Fee Schedules ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Korea* ; National Health Programs

PURPOSE: There is little data evaluating the changes of severity of bladder outlet obstruction after 80 W-potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) photoselective laser vaporization prostatectomy (PVP) by pressure-flow study. We evaluated the efficacy of PVP to relieve the obstruction in benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) compared with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective, non-randomized single center study. The inclusion criteria were as follows: Men suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to BPH, age > or =50 years, International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) > or =13, maximum flow rate (Qmax) < or =15 ml/s, and ability to give fully informed consent. Patients with neurogenic cause or detrusor underactivity were excluded. The IPSS, bother score, Qmax, postvoid residual volume (PVR), detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate (PdetQmax), bladder outlet obstruction index (BOOI), and prostate volume were measured before and 6 months after surgery and compared between PVP and TURP. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients (53 in PVP, 14 in TURP) were evaluable. In both groups, the IPSS, bother score, Qmax, and PVR had significantly improved (p<0.05), and there were no differences between the changes in those parameters. PVP could effectively reduce the PdetQmax, prostate volume, and BOOI from baseline (from 68.7+/-23.3 to 40.6+/-11.2 cmH2O, 49.5+/-16.3 to 31.3+/-12.1 ml, 49.8+/-25.6 to 9.8+/-20.7), similar to TURP. There were no differences in postoperative PdetQmax, prostate volume, or BOOI between the two groups. The percentage of patients with BOOI > or =40 was decreased from 64% to 4% in the PVP group and from 86% to 14% in the TURP group. CONCLUSIONS: PVP could reduce the prostate volume effectively and relieve bladder outlet obstruction similar to TURP by the 6-month follow up in men with BPH.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Informed Consent ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Residual Volume ; Stress, Psychological ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction ; Volatilization

Although Cesarean section (CS) itself has contributed to the reduction in maternal and perinatal mortality, an undue rise in the CS rate (CSR) has been issued in Korea as well as globally. The CSR in Korea increased over the past two decades, but has remained at approximately 36% since 2006. Contributing factors associated with the CSR in Korea were an improvement in socio-economic status, a higher maternal age, a rise in multiple pregnancies, and maternal obesity. We found that countries with a no-fault compensation system maintained a lower CSR compared to that in countries with civil action, indicating the close relationship between the CSR and the medico-legal system within a country. The Korean government has implemented strategies including an incentive system relating to the CSR or encouraging vaginal birth after Cesarean to decrease CSR, but such strategies have proved ineffective. To optimize the CSR in Korea, efforts on lowering the maternal childbearing age or reducing maternal obesity are needed at individual level. And from a national view point, reforming health care system, which could encourage the experienced obstetricians to be trained properly and be relieved from legal pressure with deliveries is necessary.
Cesarean Section/*statistics & numerical data/trends ; Data Collection ; Female ; Humans ; *Insurance, Health ; Insurance, Liability ; Maternal Age ; Obesity/epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Multiple/statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Social Class ; Vaginal Birth after Cesarean/*statistics & numerical data/trends