PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of the use of external breast prostheses among breast cancer survivors in Korea. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted, using focus groups. Data were collected from breast cancer survivors who were patients of C women's hospital in Seoul, Korea. Data were analyzed using content analysis in order to identify significant themes. RESULTS: Participants included forty breast cancer survivors who had mastectomy as a surgical treatment. Four themes emerged from the collected data were: 1) concern over the high price of external breast prosthesis, 2) irregular use of external breast prosthesis, 3) unsatisfied with mastectomy bra, and 4) wanting to hide or not to talk about using breast prosthesis openly. CONCLUSION: Since most participants reported irregular use and negative experiences related to external breast prosthesis or mastectomy bra use, healthcare workers should allow more time for proper fitting and counseling and consulting with breast cancer survivors. In addition, health care providers as well as family and friends should keep in mind that cancer survivors need support that can help them cope by using positive reframing. Furthermore, improvements in the coverage of costs and services are needed for these women. This would be helpful for breast prosthesis users.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Counseling ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Focus Groups ; Friends ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Korea ; Mastectomy ; Phosphatidylethanolamines ; Prostheses and Implants ; Survivors

No abstract available.
Carcinoma in Situ* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of different isolation policies in reducing the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in hospital in-patients. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated the effectiveness of an isolation policy on transmission of MRSA in the 745-beds hospital. First period, all patients with MRSA (March - July 2000) were not isolated Second period, strict isolation policies were performed (August 2000 - January 2002). All patients with MRSA were isolated in separated room, hand hygiene using alcohol handrub, gowning and g1oving, apply of MRSA notice sticker, criteria in isolation remove, separated disinfection and wastement. Third period, semi strict isolation policies were performed (February 2002 - August 2005). Some patients with MRSA were isolated in separated room and others were admitted in general ward for bed shortage. Only some practices were performed in hand washing and separated disinfection in general ward. RESULTS: The rates of MRSA nosocomial infection per patients during 1st, 2nd, and 3rd surveillance were reported 0.56, 0.23, and 0.42 (P<0.05). Patient-days rate of MRSA nosocomial infection during 1st, 2nd, and 3rd surveillance were reported 0.62, 0.27, and 0.38 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: With many different isolation policies, it was possible to reduce nosocomial infection of MRSA. In this study, strict isolation policies (2nd period) were the most effective practices in reducing MRSA infection.
Cross Infection ; Disinfection ; Hand Disinfection ; Hand Hygiene ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infection Control ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Patients' Rooms ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: The study was done to compare effects of two endotracheal tube (ET tube) fixation methods (rotated fixation versus conventional) on unplanned extubation and skin integrity for orally intubated patients in intensive care units. METHODS: The research design was a non-equivalent control group with repeated measures design. Participants were 80 patients; 40 participants assigned to each group. ET tube for the experimental participants fixed with rotated method every morning. Unplanned extubation was assessed by bedside nurses using the unplanned extubation report form. Oral mucosa and facial skin integrity were assessed using oral assessment guide and facial skin integrity assessment guide at day 3, 7, 10 and 14. RESULTS: There was no difference in the unplanned extubation rate between the two groups. Oral mucosa impairment scores for the rotated fixation method were significantly lower at day 7 (p=.044), 10 (p=.048) and day 14 (p=.037). Also facial skin integrity impairment scores for the same group were significantly lower at day 7 (p=.010), 10 (p=.003), and 14 (p=.002). CONCLUSION: Results of the study suggest that the rotated fixation method is effective for these patients, to prevent impairment of oral mucosa and facial skin integrity. Further research is needed to prevent unplanned extubation.
Adult ; Aged ; Airway Extubation ; Face/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; *Intubation, Intratracheal ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa/*pathology ; Respiration, Artificial ; Severity of Illness Index

This clinical observation was made on 6206 newborn delivered at Ewha Womans University Hospital in 1973~1977 to figure out any relations between Apgar score and problems such as maternal age, birth weight, labor duration, gestational period, SPRM, delivery type, meconium were stained baby, mortality. The reults were summarized as followings: 1) Percentage distribution of Apgar score for 6206 newborns was 2.7% for score 0~3, 7.9% for score 4~6, 89.4% for score 7~10. 2) There was a trend to lower score in the newborns in the less or more than the full term of gestation. (38~42wks) 3) There was declining to lower score in the newborns of prolonged labor. (24hr) 4) There was no significant difference between maternal age and Apgar score. 5) There was a trend to lower scores in the newborns of meconium staning, prolonged membrane rupture, not received antenatal care. 6) Apgar score was greatly influenced by the modes of the deliveries : orderly lowered : spontaneous vertex & vaccum delivery, c-section, and breech delivery. 7) Death rate within 3 days of hospitalization after birth was 1.5% of all new born.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Maternal Age ; Meconium ; Membranes ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Rupture

Telomerase is an enzyme that maintains telomeres and prevents telomere shortening, and may be linked with cellular proliferation or the aging process. The purpose was to examine telomerase activity in human chorionic villi from early and term normal pregnancies, and to analyze the correlation of telomerase activity (TA) with MIB-1 & bcl-2. A total of 37 placentae were obtained from 16 early and 21 term pregnancies. TA was assayed by telomeric repeat amplification protocol, and immunohistochemical staining was performed for MIB-1 & bcl-2 expression. TA & MIB-1 expression were strong in early placenta, but bcl-2 was highly expressed in term placentae. Thirteen (81.25%) of 16 early placentae showed TA, but only 2 (9.52%) of 21 term placentae expressed TA (p<0.01). MIB-1 was observed in nuclei of cytotrophoblast, and the expression rate was 16.09% in early placentae and 2.87% in term placentae (p<0.01). bcl-2 was observed only in the cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblast. Term placenta demonstrated stronger expression of bcl-2 compared to early placentae (p<0.05). These findings suggest that TA, MIB-1 & bcl-2 expression are critically regulated over the course of gestation: cytotrophoblast, main cells of early chorionic villi, may be a common source of telomerase and proliferative activity. The TA showed good correlation with cellular proliferative activity. Syncytiotrophoblast, may be a main source of bcl-2 expression which is stronger in the term placentae.
Aging ; Cell Proliferation ; Chorion* ; Chorionic Villi* ; Cytoplasm ; Humans* ; Placenta ; Pregnancy* ; Telomerase* ; Telomere ; Telomere Shortening ; Trophoblasts

In contrast to younger patients, geriatric patients are generally considered to be a poor risk for anesthesia and surgery and greater care should be taken in anesthetic management, because many have chronic systemic diseases in addition to a decrease in physiologic function. To evaluate geriatric anesthetic experiences, we received clinical records of 1,062 patients aged over 65 out of 21,656 surgical cases performed at Korea University Hye-Wha Hospital from January 1980 to December 1986. The cases were analysed according to age, sex, department, preoperative physical status, anesthetic techniques and agents, duration of anesthesia, operation site, length of hospital stay, laboratory data(Chest X-ray, EKG), associated diseases, postoperative complications and mortality. The results are as follows: 1) Of the 1,062 geriatric surgical patients, 516 cases(48.6%) were 65~69 years of age. 2) The number of geriatric surgical cases was 1,062 of which 672(63.3%) were male and 390(36.7%) were female. 3) Most surgical cases were general surgery(401 cases, 37.8%). 4) The rate of elective and emergency surgery was 78.0%(829 cases) and 22.0%(233 cases), respectively. The ratio of insurance patients (737 cases, 69.4%) versus noninsurance patients(325 cases, 30.6%) was approximately 2:1. 5) The number of general anesthesia cases was 777 (73.2%), spinal anesthesia 244( 23.0%), epidural anesthesia, 21(.20%), and brachial plexus block, 5( 0.5%). The anesthetics were thalamonal and meperidine hydrochloride(238 cases, 22.4%), halothane(204 cases, 19.2%) and tetracaine(244 cases, 23.0%). 6) The duraion of anesthesia was within 1hour in 88 cases( 8.3%), 1~2 hours in 421 cases(39.6%), and 2~3 hours in 291 cases(27.4%). 7) The number of lower abdominal surgery cases was 497 (46.8%) and the number of upper abdominal surgery cases was 188(17.7%). 8) Preoperative laboratory findings were as follows: The findings of preoperative chest X-rays revealed that 219 cases(21.4%) were within normal mits. 182 cases(17.8%) had hypertensive heart, and 208 cases(20.4%) had atherosclerosis. The EKG, which was done on 90.8% of the patients, revealed that 333 cases (34.5%) were within normal limits, 77 cases(8.0%) showed left ventricular hypertrophy, 65 cases(6.7%) showed sinus bradycardia, and 27 cases(2.8%) showed myocardial ischemia. 9) Hypertension(88cases, 49.4%) was the most commonly associated disease. 10) The total number of postoperative complication cases was 73(6.9%). Seventeen cases showed wound infection and delayed skin closure, 19 cases showed pneumonia, and 7 cases showed atelectasis. 11) The total number of postoperative deaths was 18 cases(1.7%).
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Anesthetics ; Atherosclerosis ; Brachial Plexus ; Bradycardia ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Insurance ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Meperidine ; Mortality ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pneumonia ; Postoperative Complications ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Skin ; Thorax ; Wound Infection

In the last years, according to the increasing incidence of measles and other viral diseases, it have been needed to study on not only the fundamental epidemiological characteristics of mumps and measles but also judgement on the effectiveness of vaccine that meet our domestic situation. The author carried out questionnaire to obtain epidemiological characteristics and vaccine efficacy of mumps on epidemics of mumps in one primary school in Hwasung-kun, Kyonggi Do from Feb. to July, 1994. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Total students was 556, but 446(78.4%) responded to the questionnaire. Among that 446,130(29. 1%) have suffered from mumps. From 9 to 10 year old students had the high attack rates, especially 10 year olds has the highest(39. 7%). 2. From Feb. 2, 1994, first case was on, to July 6, 1994, the epidemic was continues, and attack rate was higest in May(50. 5%). 3. Among the 130 mumps patients, 5 have suffered from complication(3.8%) : encephalitis 3(2 in male, 1 in female). 4. Vaccination rate was 91%, and as ages were lowered, the rates were higher. 5. Attack rate was higher in group who had time interval after vaccination less than 5 years than total attack rate, and was higher in group who had been vaccined after 5 year old. 6. Attack rate in vaccinated group was 27.3%. 7. Vaccine efficacies, be judged by three methods of analysis according to case definition and vaccination status, were 37.4 39. 2%. 8. Factors that have significantly affected the mumps epidemic were vaccination status and vaccination age.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Encephalitis ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Measles ; Mumps* ; Vaccination ; Virus Diseases ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and usefulness of Lipiodol-percutaneous transhepatic ethanolinjection(L-PEI) and to determine the appropriate concentration of Lipiodol during L-PEI. This was achieved byevalvating CT findings and histopathologic changes according to the concentration of Lipiodol, amount of ethanol,and the time interval after injection into normal rabbit liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This experimental studyinvolved 18 New Zealand rabbits under US guidance. They were divided into five groups according to injectedmaterials; two rabbits with 0.4cc of normal saline(group I), six with 0.4cc of ethanol in the left hepaticlobe(group II), and 0.4cc of Lipiodol in the right hepatic lobe(group III), five rabbits with 5%Lipiodol-ethanol(5% vol. of Lipiodol+95% vol. of ethanol), 0.2cc in the right hepatic lobe, and 0.4cc in theleft(group IV); and five rabbits with 10% Lipiodol-ethanol as per group IV(group V). CT was performed immediately,one week, two weeks, and three-four weeks after injection, and pathologic specimens were obtained on the thirdday(acute phase) and during the third or fourth week(chronic phase) after injection. RESULTS: On CT, intrahepaticlocalization of the L-PEI injection site was well demonstrated as a focal high attenuated area which graduallydecreased in attenuation on follow up CT. The opacification of the inferior vena cava by Lipiodol, the lineardistribution of Lipiodol along portal veins or fissures, and peritoneal leakage were clearly demonstrated ingroups III-V, though the effects gradually disappeared during follow-up CT. There was no remarkable difference ingross CT attenuation between group IV and group V. The main pathologic findings during the acute phase of group IIwere coagulation necrosis surrounded by macrophage, inflammatory reaction, and early periportal and subcapsularfibrosis. The findings in group IV and V were similar to those in group II and additional fat vacuoleaccumulations in the necrotic area were also seen. During the chronic phase of group II, areas of necrosis wereabsent or smaller and were surrounded or replaced by more organized fibrosis, macrophage or multinucleated giantcell infiltration. Periportal, subcapsular fibrosis was also found. In group IV and V, the findings were similarto those of group II, though additional fat vacuoles in fibrotic or necrotic areas, foreign body reaction to fatvacuole, regenerating nodule and calcification were also observed. CONCLUSION: L-PEI is more useful for thedetection by CT of an injection site than PEI alone, and with regard to CT and histopathologic findings, there wasno significant difference between the 5% and 10% Lipiodol-ethanol groups. Compared to PEI, L-PEI provoked nosighificant additional hepatic injury; only fatty change and foreign body reaction were noted. Thus, L-PEI is moreuseful than PEI for the management of HCC.
Animals ; Contrast Media ; Ethanol* ; Ethiodized Oil* ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Liver* ; Macrophages ; Necrosis ; Portal Vein ; Rabbits ; Vacuoles ; Vena Cava, Inferior

OBJECTIVE: To access the pregnancy tendency and delivery in women aged 40 years and older. METHODS: From January 1999 to June 2001, 7882 deliveries were in Gacheon Medical School. Among them we compared 95 cases of pregnant women aged 40 years and older with 94 cases of those aged under 40 years as a control group. RESULTS: The parity was higher in women aged older than 40 years compared to control group. Number of prenatal special studies was higher in women aged older than 40 years (n=82) compared to control group (n=14). In modes of delivery and indications for c/sec, there were no difference in two groups. There were no difference in prenatal complications between two groups. But, number of cases related to placenta previa, myoma and anemia were increased in women aged older than 40 years. In postpartum complications, uterine atony and hysterectomy, postpartum bleeding and placenta accreta were higher in women aged older than 40 years compared to control group. CONCLUSION: For pregnant women aged 40 years and older, a careful approach and appropriate management will be necessary for good pregnant outcome.
Anemia ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Myoma ; Parity ; Placenta Accreta ; Placenta Previa ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Schools, Medical ; Uterine Inertia