Limitation of Psychiatric Intervention for Suicidal Drug Intoxication Patients in Emergency Room

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine the factors hindering psychiatric intervention for suicide attempters in the emergency room (ER). METHODS: Participants were 299 patients aged 18 years or older admitted to the ER for suicidal drug overdose between July 2012 and June 2014. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had received psychiatric treatment in the ER. Medical histories and follow-up treatments were determined by examining patients' medical records and through phone surveys, and were then compared using χ2-test and Fisher's exact test. In addition, the rate of satisfaction of the treatment group and the reasons for their dissatisfaction were also determined. RESULTS: The treatment and non-treatment groups comprised 135 (45%) and 164 patients (55%), respectively. Factors influencing participation in psychiatric intervention were previous history of suicide attempts (p=0.004), history of psychiatric disorder (p<0.001), time of day (p=0.039), and day of the week (p=0.040) of arrival in the ER. Whether or not the patient received follow-up psychiatric treatment was not significantly relevant (p=0.300). Of the 82 patients who participated in the treatment satisfaction survey, 50.2% reported being unsatisfied, mainly because of unfriendly medical personnel (36.6%), discomfort regarding other people's perceptions (24.4%), and cursory care (14.6%). CONCLUSION: To raise the participation rate of psychiatric consult, cooperation with psychiatry at night and on weekends is required, and incorporation of patients without previous history of suicidal attempt or other psychiatric disorder is important. Resolution of complaints toward psychiatric consult in suicide attempt survivors is also required.

Limitation of Psychiatric Intervention for Suicidal Drug Intoxication Patients in Emergency Room

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine the factors hindering psychiatric intervention for suicide attempters in the emergency room (ER). METHODS: Participants were 299 patients aged 18 years or older admitted to the ER for suicidal drug overdose between July 2012 and June 2014. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had received psychiatric treatment in the ER. Medical histories and follow-up treatments were determined by examining patients' medical records and through phone surveys, and were then compared using χ2-test and Fisher's exact test. In addition, the rate of satisfaction of the treatment group and the reasons for their dissatisfaction were also determined. RESULTS: The treatment and non-treatment groups comprised 135 (45%) and 164 patients (55%), respectively. Factors influencing participation in psychiatric intervention were previous history of suicide attempts (p=0.004), history of psychiatric disorder (p<0.001), time of day (p=0.039), and day of the week (p=0.040) of arrival in the ER. Whether or not the patient received follow-up psychiatric treatment was not significantly relevant (p=0.300). Of the 82 patients who participated in the treatment satisfaction survey, 50.2% reported being unsatisfied, mainly because of unfriendly medical personnel (36.6%), discomfort regarding other people's perceptions (24.4%), and cursory care (14.6%). CONCLUSION: To raise the participation rate of psychiatric consult, cooperation with psychiatry at night and on weekends is required, and incorporation of patients without previous history of suicidal attempt or other psychiatric disorder is important. Resolution of complaints toward psychiatric consult in suicide attempt survivors is also required.

The Prognostic Factors For Alcoholic Ketoacidosis

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the prognostic factors for patients suffering with alcoholic ketoacidosis. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated and categorized 55 alcoholic ketoacidosis patients into two groups: the survivors (group 1) and non-survivors (group 2). We compared the general characteristics and the laboratory results, including the arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA) and the complications of the two groups, and we assessed the severity of the between the two groups by using the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score and the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS). RESULTS: There were 50 male patients (90%) and 5 female patients (10%). On laboratory testing, the levels of arterial HCO3-, total protein, albumin and serum glucose were significantly lower in group 2 than that in group 1. The levels of total bilirubin and BUN (blood urea nitrogen), the PT (prothrombin time) and the aPTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) were significantly higher in group 2 than that in group 1. Serial ABGA follow-up showed that unimproved ABGA results meant a poor prognosis. The SAPS was significantly higher for group 2 than that for group 1 (p<0.001) but the APACHE II was not significantly different. The incidence of hepatic encephalopathy, hepatic failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were higher in group 2 than that in group 1. The total bilirubin, arterial HCO3- and albumin were found to be significant prognostic factors by logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The poor prognostic factors for alcoholic ketoacidosis were low levels of arterial HCO3-, impaired hepatic function, the incidence of ARDS and unimproved ABGA results.

Consideration of Factors associated with Complications and Systemic Symptoms of Snake Bites

PURPOSE: Venomous snakebite is an important medical emergency in Korea, but the factors affecting outcomes are unclear. METHODS: We conducted an 8-year retrospective study of 169 snake bite patients who visited the emergency departments of Keimyung University at Dongsan Medical Center between January, 2000, and December, 2007. Patients were divided by systemic symptoms and complications (group 1) or local symptoms only (group 2). We compared the general characteristics and clinical and laboratory findings of the two groups. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 1.19. The most common systemic symptom was dizziness (7.6%), and the most common complication was rhabdomyolysis (23.6%). Distal bite sites (finger, toe) in group 1 occurred in 20 (35.7%) cases, and proximal (hand, foot, ankle, arm, calf, perianal area) in 36 (64.3%) cases (p<0.05). The median interval from envenomation to hospital visit was 6.0 (0.3-96.0) h in group 1, which was longer than group 2 (p<0.05). Among 33 (19.5%) patients with local effect scores of 9~16, 25 (75.8%) patients had systemic symptoms and complications. The local effect scores and the interval from bite to antivenin treatment in the hospital were significant risk factors for systemic symptoms and complications in logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Snakebite poisoning is an emergency and we must evaluate risk factors to prevent the development of serious complications.

Topography and Morphology of the Medial Pterygoid Muscle for the Surgical Approach of the Mandibular Ramus / 체질인류학회지

It has been known that the medial pterygoid muscle influences the mandibular functions related to mandibular movements. In addition, the muscle bundle of the medial pterygoid muscle influences the stability of a complete denture. Therefore, the topography of this muscle is clinically important. However, researches on the clinical anatomy related to the insertion area, and innervation, of this muscle were rare. Therefore, authors investigated the morphological and topographic characteristics of the medial pterygoid muscle by dissection of 31 Korean cadavers. The following are the results:The middle portion of the medial pterygoid muscle was the longest with the length of 59.4 degrees +/-7.1mm, and upper one third of the total length of the muscle was composed of tendon. When comparing the morphology of the insertion area of the medial pterygoid muscle and the masseter muscle in the mandibular angle region, there was no difference of the length of the insertion from the gonion to the superior margin of the insertion on the ramus. However, the length from gonion to the anterior margin of the insertion on the ramus in the masseter case was twice as long as the medial pterygoid muscle case. Insertion of the medial pterygoid was morphologically classified into six groups based on the insertion pattern and the mylohyoid groove. Type V, which the muscle fibers in the insertion of the medial pterygoid muscle were divided and did not invade the mylohyoid groove, were found the most (26.6%). Most of pterygoid branch of trigeminal nerve entered the medial pterygoid muscle through the posterior one third area or the posterior marginal area. The average length between hamulus and the region where the pterygoid branch of mandibular nerve entered the medial pterygoid muscle was 10.1mm. In conclusion, the anatomical relationship between the medial pterygoid muscle and the surrounding structures will be able to provide useful data for clinical applications.

Location of the Modiolous and the Morphologic Variations of the Risorius and Zygomaticus Major Muscle Related to the Facial Expression in Koreans / 체질인류학회지

Location of the modiolous and morphological variations of the risorius and zygomaticus major muscles are related to the facial expression. The zygomaticus major, levator labii superioris, depressor labii inferioris, depressor anguli oris, risorius, orbicularis oris, buccinator and levator anguli oris muscles insert on the lateral border of the lip, forming the modiolus and mutually associating each other for functioning. The knowledge of the location of the modiolus and surrounding structures are essential to anatomy, prosthodontics, linguistic, physiology and computer simulation based on facial expressions. The authors examined the location of the modiolus, the morphological variations and anatomical relationship of risorius and zygomaticus major muscle to understand the features of the smile of Korean by dissecting 39 cadavers. The location of the modiolus can be showed as three types, according to their height related to the intercheilion horizontal line. Type A that modiolus locate at the intercheilion line was shown in 20 sides (26.0%), type B that modiolus locate above the intercheilion line was shown in 12 sides (15.6%), then type C that modiolus locate under the intercheilion line was shown in 45 sides (58.4%). Most modioli located at 10 ~20 mm lateral to the mouth corner and 0 ~10 mm below the intercheilion line. The risorius muscle was classified into five types by directions of muscle fibers. The depressor anguli oris -risorius type (type I) was observed in 31 sides (40.2%), the platisma -risorius type (type II) was observed in 30 sides (39.0%). Previously, it has been known that zygomaticus major muscle attaches to the modiolus mainly as one bundle. However, the results were clearly shown that two bundles of the zygomaticus major muscle attaches to the modiolus and the position of the mouth edge in 18 sides (23.4%). To sum it up, facial expression is of fundamental importance concerning the morphological variations and these results also can be considered for the facial reconstruction surgery and computer animation department.