No abstract available.
Korea* ; Strikes, Employee*

Since the first report of completely amputated thumb replantation by Tamai in 1965, replantation surgery has been popularized with increasing success rate and improving functional regain. Recently, difficult replantation such as traction avulsion amputation has been challenged and good success rate and function have been reported. We have analized 34 cases of upper extremity and finger replantation in 23 patients, which were performed at the Dept. of Orthopedic surgery. Hyun Dai Hae Seong Hospital, Ulsan, Korea, from June 1982 to January 1986. The results were as follows: 1. Male patients were 22, female was 1, left upper limbs and digits injuries were more prevalent(16: 7), and average age was 25 years old. 2. The most common injury was done by cutting machine. 3. The number of amputations of fingers were almost same in all fingers and most prevalent in zone III(26 cases, Danial classification). 4. Success rate of replantation was 82.4% In cases of less than 6 hrs ischemic time, the rate was 93.4%, and more than 6 hrs ischemic time, rate was 33.3% 5. Performing arterial anastomosis prior to venous anastomosis, can find out main draining vein, and with one vein and one artery anastomosis, can get good results distal to zone IV. 6. Functional results were satisfactory, evaluating by modified. Tamai score, average 87.5. 7. 6 cases of digital replantations distal to sublimis tendon insertion have good results functionally, cosmetically and technically easy (Tamai score 98). 8. 5 cases of traction avulsion amputations needed many additional surgery to restore function, but end results were relatively satisfactory.
Amputation ; Arteries ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Fingers ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Orthopedics ; Replantation ; Tendons ; Thumb ; Traction ; Ulsan ; Upper Extremity ; Veins

The Korean medical establishment has traditionally shown little concern for formal training in medical ethics; only recently have courses in medical ethics been included in the curricula of Korea's medical schools. The importance and effectiveness of such courses is still a matter of some debate. This study attempted to measure the effects of a course in medical ethics on senior medical students. For this study, a discussion based course was designed, which made considerable use of video-taped ethical situations. Students were requested to answer a series of ethics related questions both before and after taking the course. Prior to taking the course, students indicated that treatment refusal, abortion, sex pre-selection, and euthanasia are the most important ethical issues in contemporary medical practice in Korea. However, after taking the course, students modified this list slightly by replacing the issue of euthanasia with that of equal access to health care resources. No significant changes were observed in students' value systems. The students' response to the course was favorable.
Curriculum ; Ethical Theory ; Ethics ; Ethics, Medical* ; Euthanasia ; Health Services Accessibility ; Humans ; Korea ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical* ; Treatment Refusal

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiographic variables such as changes in the ST-T segment, and increased QT interval have been found to predict the occurrence of myocardial ischemia. But disadvantages of most of these variables have poor reproducibility and require analysis of all ECG leads. If electrocardiographic T axis properly predicts myocardial ischemia, it can be used as a useful marker for diagnosing myocardial ischemia in primary practice. METHODS: We selected 147 persons, who visited the emergency room or an outpatient clinic because of chest pain, in whom coronary angiography was performod. We reviewed their medical records. Electrocardiographic T axis was classified as normal, borderline and abnormal T axis. We identified the relation between cardiovascular risk factors and electrocardiographic T axis, and also, the relation between ischemic electrocardiographic variables and T axis. We examined the relation between coronary angiographic results and electrocardiographic T axis. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of electrocardiographic T axis was 26.7% and 86.9%, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 81.8% and 35.1%, respectively. The proportion of hypertension was 41.2% in normal T axis group, 65.5% in borderline T axis group, and 34.4% in abnormal T axis group, which was statistically significant (P=0.032). The relation between coronary angiographic results and electrocardiographic T axis was not statistically significant. The subjects with abnormal T axis were associated with ST depression (P=0.016). CONCLUSION: The T axis abnormality was not useful for screening myocardial ischemia, but it was useful to rule out other diseases due to its high specificity.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Depression ; Diagnosis* ; Electrocardiography* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mass Screening ; Medical Records ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU) is a rare syndrome of unknown etiology involving the kidney and the eye. This is the first case report of TINU in Korea. The diagnosis of TINU was confirmed in a 15-year-old girl on the basis of pathologically proven tubulointerstital nephritis and bilateral uveitis. Although the renal symptoms disappeared spontaneously, uveitis showed only partial response to topical steroid treatment and persisted for more than 11 months. TINU should be included in the differential diagnosis of tubulointerstitial nephritis of unknown etiology.
Adolescent ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Nephritis ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Uveitis*

PURPOSE: Despite extensive study, the use of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) vary considerably. The decision of which of these options to choose is complex and depends on both clinical and molecular variables as well as the availability and histocompatability of donor stem cells. So far there is no clear explanation on whether the expression of myeloperoxidase (MPO) relates to the prognosis of AML. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the prognostic significance of the MPO expression in the 140 patients with diagnosed AML treated at a single institution. RESULTS: In our study, MPO expression was associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and transplant was beneficial to overcome a negative prognostic effect of MPO-negative at diagnosis based upon the result that the DFS in patients received transplants are not significant between the MPO-positive group and MPO-negative group although DFS in all patients was different according to MPO expression. CONCLUSION: MPO expression at diagnosis helps to choose therapy for each AML patient and can differentiate AML patients who need transplantation.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cytarabine/therapeutic use ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Idarubicin/therapeutic use ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy/*enzymology/mortality/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peroxidase/*metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the peak torque of shoulder according to the size of the rotator cuff tear. METHOD: With 26 patients of unilateral rotator cuff tear, we measured the concentric isokinetic peak torque of shoulder, using Con-Trex isokinetic dynamometer (CMV AG, Deubendorf, Switzerland). We measured flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, external rotation, and internal rotation torques and calculated the peak toque ratio of flexion/ extension, abduction/adduction and external rotation/internal rotation. Before the test, we injected 1% lidocaine to the subacromial bursa to minimize the error that can be caused by pain. The difference of peak torque according to the size of tear was compared. RESULTS: Comparing the peak torque between affected and sound side, significant difference in flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation were shown, but there were no difference in peak torque's ratio in flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and internal rotation/external rotation. When we compared the peak torque according to the tear size, it didn't show significant difference and also there were no difference of peak torque's ratio in flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, internal rotation/external rotation. CONCLUSION: When we measured the shoulder's strength of rotator cuff tear, peak torque decreased in all motion. But the peak torque's loss and peak torque's ratio is not related with size of tear.
Humans ; Lidocaine ; Muscle Strength ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder ; Torque

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetic patients. METHOD: Electrodiagnostic study was performed to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome and polyneuropathy in 266 (male 151, female 115) diabetic patients. General charateristics, diabetes related factors, anthropometric factors were compared between non-carpal tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome groups to identify the risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome. RESULTS: Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetic patients was 16.2 % (43 subjects). Female, farming, wrist depth width ratio (>or=0.7) were associated with carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetic patients. In right hand, odds ratio was 12.82 (95% confidence interval: 2.97~55.3) in female, 5.15 (95% confidence interval: 1.17~22.7) in farming, 28.53 (95% confidence interval: 1.80~451.1) in wrist depth width ratio (>or=0.7). The similar results were also observed in left hand. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that occupation, sex, and anthropometric factor like wrist shape were more associated with carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetic patients than diabetes mellitus itself.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Occupations ; Odds Ratio ; Polyneuropathies ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors* ; Wrist

PURPOSE: Although guidelines indicate that routine dissection of the central lymph nodes in patients with thyroid carcinoma should include the right para-oesophageal lymph nodes (RPELNs), located between the right recurrent laryngeal nerve and the cervical oesophagus and posterior to the former, RPELN dissection is often omitted due to high risk of injuries to the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the right inferior parathyroid gland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively identified all patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection, including the RPELNs, between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 at the Thyroid Cancer Center of Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. RESULTS: Of 5556 patients, 148 were positive for RPELN metastasis; of the latter, 91 had primary tumours greater than 1 cm (p<0.001). Extrathyroidal extension by the primary tumour (81.8%; p<0.001), bilaterality, and multifocality were more common in patients with than without RPELN metastasis; however, there were no significant differences in age and sex between groups. A total of 95.9% of patients with RPELN metastasis had central node (except right para-oesophageal lymph node) metastasis, and the incidence of lateral neck node metastasis was significantly higher in patients with than without RPELN metastasis (63.5% vs. 14.3%, p<0.001). Forty-one patients underwent mediastinal dissection, with 11 patients confirmed as having mediastinal lymph node metastasis with RPELN metastasis on pathological examination. CONCLUSION: RPELN metastasis is significantly associated with lateral neck and mediastinal lymph node metastasis.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma/pathology/*surgery ; Carcinoma, Papillary/pathology/*surgery ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*secondary/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; *Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes/pathology/*surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve/pathology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology/*surgery ; *Thyroidectomy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Decitabine, a DNA hypomethylating agent, was recently approved for use in Korea for older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are not candidates for standard chemotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the role of decitabine as a first-line treatment for older adults with AML. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with AML who received at least one course of decitabine (20 mg/m²/d intravenously for 5 days every 4 weeks) as a first-line therapy at Severance Hospital were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 73.5 years. The longest follow-up duration was 502 days. A total of 113 cycles of treatment were given to 24 patients, and the median number of cycles was four (range, 1–14). Thirteen patients dropped out because of death, no or loss of response, patient refusal, or transfer to another hospital. Twenty-one (87.5%) and 12 (50%) patients completed the second and fourth cycles, respectively, and responses to treatment were evaluated in 17. A complete response (CR) or CR with incomplete blood-count recovery was achieved in six (35.3%) patients, and the estimated median overall survival was 502 days. Ten patients developed grade >2 hematologic or non-hematologic toxicities. In univariate analysis, bone marrow blasts, lactate dehydrogenase, serum ferritin level, and bone marrow iron were significantly associated with response to decitabine. CONCLUSION: Five-day decitabine treatment showed acceptable efficacy in older patients with AML who are unfit for conventional chemotherapy, with a CR rate 35.3% and about a median overall survival of 18 months.
Aged ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Azacitidine/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/*drug therapy/mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Remission Induction ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome