• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.80-97
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to identify and describe a process of sexual adjustment of individuals with spinal cord injury: and to describe and explore positive and negative influences on the adjustment process. This qualitative study was conducted with 10 Korean individuals with spinal cord injury who had been physically disabled for more than one year. Data were collected and analysed at a same time using grounded theory method. Major categories of this study showed a process how the individuals with spinal cord injury adjust to their individual life as sexual beings. The process included and individual responses to the behavioral efforts including and . Initially physical aspects of sexuality seemed to be affected by spinal cord injuries. The changed physical aspects then influenced other aspects of their sexual life. Life satisfaction of each individual as a sexual being revealed as very subjective. It could be defined according to how the individual approved their sexual life no matter what and how much behavioral effort the person had done. In this study 3 types of sexual adjustment aspects were explored: 'Active adjustment' 'Passive adjustment' 'Maladjustment'. There were negative and positive factors influencing the adjustment process of individuals with spinal cord injury. Those factors might come from themselves, from families, or from social situations. Findings of this study suggested that sexual life of individuals with spinal cord injury should not be understood as a physical or behavioral matter. It was a combination of physical, psychological and social aspects of life. Therefore, appropriate rehabilitation programs for the sexual adjustment of individuals with spinal cord injury need to concern heterogeneous life values of them and obtain individualized services for each individual at a different stage of the sexual adjustment process.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.247-257
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• 2002

By process of treatment for a case which diagnosed as spinal cord injury due to spinal arterio-venous malformation and admitted from the 19th, April, 2001 to the 15th, October, 2001, the results are as follows. Methods : The treatment of patient who is diagnosed as spinal cord injury due to spinal arterio-venous malformation by walking abreast of several kinds of oriental medical treatment with rehabilitative therapy. Results : The treatment was taken to the patient upgraded Frankel scale B to D and Cord motor index 61point to 88point.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2001

Spinal cord injury patients need rehabilitation after the acute stage. They should be cared for at home to decrease hospitalization. Home care nurses play an important role in making spinal cord injury patients who have physical. and psychosocial problems do their best. For effective care, home care nurses need standardized nursing intervention protocols for spinal cord injury patients, but they are rarely developed. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop home care nursing protocols, based on NIC, that are applicable to spinal cord injury patients at home. Forty home care nursing charts of spinal cord injury patients registered in a home care nursing agency from July 1st, 1994 to August 31st, 1999 in S city were analyzed. Fifteen home care nurses participated in this study as a user validity validation group, The results of this study are as follows. 1. Fifteen nursing diagnoses were classified through the frequency analysis of home care nursing charts and previous literature for 40 spinal cord injury patients: altered urinary elimination, constipation, high risk for impaired skin integrity, chronic pain, impaired skin integrity, impaired social interaction, knowledge deficit, bowel incontinence, high risk for injury, altered role performance, care giver role strain, impaired physical mobility, sexual dysfunction, dysreflexia, and ineffective breathing pattern. 2. Based on validation by experts and user validities, 93 nursing interventions which were above ICV(Index of Content Validity) .80 were chosen. 3. Nursing intervention protocols which showed above ICV .80 were developed.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2019

Spinal cord contusion injury is one of the most serious nervous system disorders, characterized by high morbidity and disability. To mimic spinal cord contusion in humans, various animal models of spinal contusion injury have been developed. These models have been developed in rats, mice, and monkeys. However, most of these models are developed using rats. Two types of animal models, i.e. bilateral contusion injury and unilateral contusion injury models, are developed using either a weight drop method or impactor method. In the weight drop method, a specific weight or a rod, having a specific weight and diameter, is dropped from a specific height on to the exposed spinal cord. Low intensity injury is produced by dropping a 5 g weight from a height of 8 cm, moderate injury by dropping 10 g weight from a height of 12.5-25 mm, and high intensity injury by dropping a 25 g weight from a height of 50 mm. In the impactor method, injury is produced through an impactor by delivering a specific force to the exposed spinal cord area. Mild injury is produced by delivering $100{\pm}5kdyn$ of force, moderate injury by delivering $200{\pm}10kdyn$ of force, and severe injury by delivering $300{\pm}10kdyn$ of force. The contusion injury produces a significant development of locomotor dysfunction, which is generally evident from the $0-14^{th}$ day of surgery and is at its peak after the $28-56^{th}$ day. The present review discusses different animal models of spinal contusion injury.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.151-158
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• 2007

The failure of injured axons to regenerate in the mature central nervous system (CNS) has devastating consequences for victims of spinal cord injury (SCI). Traditional strategies to treat spinal cord injured people by using drug therapy and assisting devices that can not help them to recover fully various vital functions of the spinal cord. Many researches have been focused on accomplishing re-growth and reconnection of the severed axons in the injured region. Using cell transplantation to promote neural survival or growth has had modest success in allowing injured neurons to re-grow through the area of the lesion. Strategies for successful regeneration will require tissue engineering approach. In order to persuade sufficient axons to regenerate across the lesion to bring back substantial neurological function, it is necessary to construct an efficient biocompatible bridge (cell-free or implanted with different cell lines as hybrid implant) through the injured area over which axons can grow. Therefore, in this paper, spinal cord and its injury, different strategies to help regeneration of an injured spinal cord are reviewed. In addition, different aspects of designing a biocompatible bridge and its applications and challenges surrounding these issues are also addressed. This knowledge is very important for the development and optimalization of therapies to repair the injured spinal cord.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.70-80
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• 2015

The spinal cord is highly complex, consisting of a specialized neural network that comprised both neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Any kind of injury and/or insult to the spinal cord leads to a series of damaging events resulting in motor and/or sensory deficits below the level of injury. As a result, muscle paralysis (or paresis) leading to muscle atrophy or shrinking of the muscle along with changes in muscle fiber type, and contractile properties have been observed. Traditionally, histology had been used as a gold standard to characterize spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced adaptation in spinal cord and skeletal muscle. However, histology measurements is invasive and cannot be used for longitudinal analysis. Therefore, the use of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is promoted to be used as an alternative non-invasive method, which allows the repeated measurements over time and secures the safety against radiation by using radiofrequency pulse. Currently, many of pathological changes and adaptations occurring after SCI can be measured by MRI methods, specifically 3-dimensional MRI with the advanced diffusion tensor imaging technique. Both techniques have shown to be sensitive in measuring morphological and structural changes in skeletal muscle and the spinal cord.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

Purpose: Previous studies have suggested that BDNF has a role in plasticity and survival following spinal cord injury and treadmill exercise increases BDNF levels in the normal brain and spinal cord. We attempted to determine whether swimming exercise improve motor function following experimental contusive spinal cord injury and whether motor outcome is associated with BDNF expression. Methods: Thirty six Sprague-Dawley rats (weight, 250 to 300 g) were divided into control (n=18) and experimental swimming group (n=18). Spinal cord injury was produced using NYU-spinal impactor at the eleven thoracic levels in both groups. Swimming exercise started $7^{th}$ day from SCI operation, lasted 5 min per day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks and then exercise times a day were increased in one number to each week. Motor functional recovery was determined by the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale, modified inclined board plane test, histological findings, H&E and BDNF expression observed at $1^{th}$, $3^{rd}$, $7^{th}$, $14^{th}$, $21^{st}$ and $28^{th}$day after injury. Results: 1. The BBB scores were higher in experimental group than control group at $14^{th}$, $21^{st}$ day (left hind limb) and at $21^{th}$ day (right hind limb) (p<0.05) after injury. 2. The inclined board plane test were significantly greater in experimental group than control group at $7^{th}$ day (p<0.05), $14^{th}$ and $28^{th}$ day (p<0.01) after injury. 3. The BDNF expression was severe revealed in experimental group than control group at $7^{th}$, $14^{th}$ and $28^{th}$ day after injury. Conclusion: This study suggests that swimming applied from the early phase after spinal cord injury be beneficial effects in motor functional recovery.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was designed to evaluate clinical effects of Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue acupuncture treatment to neuropathic pain of patients with spinal cord injury. Methods : The clinical study was carried out 5 cases with spinal cord injury, who had been treated from December, 2008 to November, 2009 in the department of oriental rehabilitation medicine, Dong-Guk university oriental medical hospital. Results : After treating Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue acupuncture, we find out that the VAS(Visual Analog Scale) score was significantly improved after treatment. Conclusions : These result suggest that Hua-Tuo-Jia-Ji-Xue acupuncture were effective to neuropathic pain of spinal cord injury patients.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.129-144
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• 2010

Objective : Traumatic lumbar burst fracture causes significant spinal cord injury. This report is intended to estimate the efficacy using oriental treatment on a patient with lumbar burst fracture and spinal cord injury. Methods : From 21th December, 2009 to 5th February, 2010, 1 female inpatient diagnosed with lumbar burst fracture and spinal cord injury was treated with general oriental medicine therapy : mae-sun therapy ; acupuncture ; moxibustion ; pharmacopuncture ; physical therapy and herbal medication. TUG, SCIMII and VAS were used for evaluation of gait disturbance and pain in both feet. Measurement of self voiding amount and remaining amount through CIC was used for evaluation of neurogenic vesical dysfunction. Results : The patient showed a certain degree of improvement in gait disturbance, pain in both feet and neurogenic vesical dysfunction through above evaluation methods. Conclusion : Oriental treatments such as mae-sun therapy, acupuncture and moxibustion therapy, pharmacopuncture therapy and herbal medication can be effective for spinal cord injury due to traumatic lumbar burst fracture.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.119-131
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was done to explore and to describe, from a phenomenological perspective. the sexual experience of unmarried males with a spinal cord injury. The methodology used in this study was the phenomenological method. Researcher conducted individual in-depth interviews with persons who had a Spinal Cord Injury. Six males were invited to participate in the study. The data were gathered from November 1999 to August 2000. The finding which emerged from this phenomenological study are as follow: 'Confusion state in shocking situation', 'Reflection on past sexual experience', 'Irresistible impulsive sexual desire', 'Psychological conflict caused by suppression of sexual appetite', 'Groping for a solution to sexual desire', 'Recognition of changed sexual function' and 'Confirmation of changed self'. The conclusion of this study are as follow: The sexuality mankind owns is the criteria of original and common difference in the society of mankind through the categorization of male and female into dichotomy. In fact, the mankind as an social animal is the existence by the sexuality, for the sexuality and of the sexuality. The sexuality has the meaning only within the relationship with the others. The sexuality has the meaning only in the inter-relationship and the sexuality itself in it is already the sexual relationship. Therefore, for the better life of the participants with the spinal cord injury, further understanding of the sexuality of the unmarried male with spinal cord injury is required.