A Comparative Study of the Factors Influencing Burden of Primary Family Caregivers according to the Degree of Serious Illness of Elderly Patients Admitted in an Intensive Care Unit / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to compare and examine the factors influencing burden of primary family caregivers according to the severity of illness of elderly patients admitted in an intensive care unit. METHODS: Subjects were the families of elderly patients in intensive care units of K, S and Y hospitals in Seoul. Data were collected from March to October 2007. Subjects were 108 persons over age 65. Data were analyzed by SAS statistics. RESULTS: First, groups 5 and 3 showed higher burden than that of group 4. Second, high correlation was found between stress and burden, stress and anxiety, and burden and anxiety. Third, factors influencing family burden were found to be stress for group 5, stress, anxiety, and monthly income for group 4, and stress and patient age for group 3. CONCLUSION: Specific nursing interventions to decrease the stress of primary family caregivers of serious ill elderly patients in an intensive care unit are needed. Additionally, more effective and systematic activation of a long-term medical insurance system for seriously ill seniors is considered necessary to mediate the burden of primary family caregivers.

Internet Based Multi-institute Prostate Research System: Pilot Experience with a Convenient, Secure and Efficient System / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: The process of transferring data from one medical center to another and sharing the results can be time-consuming and inconvenient. So, we introduce the multi-institutional clinical research that uses the Internet for conducting faster, safer and more convenient research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were prospectively enrolled from 3 remote participating medical centers by means of the Internet. When a patient with BPH came to the hospital, the BPH profile, medications and adverse events were entered into the Internet Based Multi-institute Prostate Research System (IBMPRS). Six investigators were educated on the use of the IBMPRS and we measured the mean data entering time and the user satisfaction. RESULTS: 763 patients with BPH from three institutions were enrolled and their data was collected through the Internet for 1 year. It took an average of 2 minutes 43 seconds to enter the information of one patient. All the investigators were satisfied about the IBMPRS and the system was very stable and safe. CONCLUSIONS: An Internet-based clinical research system has the advantage of being able to instantly share patient information and full-time access to the interim results is available if a large number of institutions participate in the clinical research. Clinical research using the Internet would be an invaluable method that is free to use with easy accessibility, and it could play the role of an excellent secretary on the web.

Laparoscopic Excision of a Retroperitoneal Cystic Lymphangioma Encasing the Renal Vessels / 대한비뇨기과학회지

A 55-year-old woman, with a retroperitoneal cystic mass, incidentally found during evaluation for the cause of right upper quadrant pain, was referred to our hospital from a local clinic. Computed tomography, performed at our hospital, revealed a multilobulated cystic lesion in the right perinephric space, encasing the renal vessels, suggestive of a cystic lymphangioma. A cystic abdominal lymphangioma is a rare tumor in adults, which is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Surgical excision is known as the treatment of choice; however, only three cases of laparoscopic excision have been reported. We report a case of a successful laparoscopic excision of a retroperitoneal cystic lymphangioma encasing the renal vessels of the renal hilum.

A Case of Low-Grade Tubular-Mucinous Renal Neoplasm (LGTMRN) / 대한비뇨기과학회지

A low-grade tubular-mucinous renal neoplasm (LGTMRN) is a recently established renal tumor, which was thought to be of collecting duct origin. A 43-year-old man presented with acute abdominal pain and underwent abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT). The CT scan showed a 5cm sized low contrast attenuated homogeneous renal mass in the mid portion of the left kidney. A left radical nephrectomy was performed and the cut-section revealed a well-demarcated, homogeneous and dark-yellowish mass confined to the renal parenchyme, and a focal hemorrhage was also seen. A histological examination showed predominant tubular growth, with focal intraluminal and stromal mucin depositions and aggregates of foamy histiocytes. No infiltrative growth and significant nuclear atypia were found. These findings were compatible with a low-grade tubular-mucinous renal neoplasm.

Thyroid Disease in Childhood

Diseases of the thyroid gland are manifested by either increase in gland size, alterations in hormonal secretion, or both. Changes in gland size and weight are associated with toxic or nontoxic goiter, adenomas, thyroiditis, or malignancies. Many reports can be found to study thyroid disease, but there is no report of thyroid disease in childhood. So the present studies have surveyed the record of patient with thyroid disorders seen at Severance h spital from 1969 to 1979. The following results were obtained. 1. Among 76 cases, 56 cases were fmeale and theoratio of male and female thyroid disease was 1:3.5. 2. In classification of thyroid diseases according to function, hyperthyroidism was 20 cases(26.3%), euthyroidism 38 cases(50%), and hypothyroidism 18 cases(23.7%). 3. Disease distribution according to age, congenital hypothyroidim comprises about 75% of thyroid disease below 10 year old, and adenoma 42%, hyperthyoidism 27% of thyroid disease from 10 to 18 years old. 4. The most common sign and symptom was goiter(75%) in hyperthyroidim, palpable mass(100%) in euthyroidism, distended abdomen(83.3%) in hypothyroidism. 5. Treatment of thyoid disease was medical treatment(44 cases), surgical treatment(23 cases), and observation(9 cases).

Positive Contrast Orbitography with the aid of Fluoroscopy

Positive contrast orbitography was performed on 5 cases with hypaque under the fluoroscopy using the General Electric television angio-unit. Tumors were outlined in all cases and their size and extent were verified by operation in four of them. All of patients complained of retro-ocular tension and edema of their conjunctiva and eyelids, but about 3 hours later, there were no remained symptoms except hyperemia of their conjunctiva.