Combined Western-Korean medicine treatments were given to a 67-year-old woman with late onset seizures who underwent surgical drainage of a subdural hematoma. Clonazepam and herbal medicine was prescribed. Acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, chuna, and physical therapy were also performed. The frequency and intensity of seizures was assessed using the Chalfont Seizure Severity Scale. The seizure index score improved from 25 at admission to 0 at discharge. Pain in the right upper extremity reduced from 10 to 0 on the visual analogue scale and muscle strength increased from Grade 3 to 5 in Medical Research Council Scale for the Manual Muscle Test. At the time of hospitalization, the manual muscle strength tests for the affected shoulder, elbow, wrist, and grip strength were 30%, 60%, 10%, 5%, respectively, which improved almost 100% by discharge. Further studies using combined Western-Korean medicine for seizures after strokes are necessary to determine the most effective treatment.

There were 26 Bell’s palsy cases at the Jecheon Hospital of Korean medicine, Semyung University from February 1, 2019, to February 28, 2021 reviewed. One group (A group) was treated with Bamboo salt pharmacopuncture and cervi cornu parvum pharmacopuncture (CC) pharmacopuncture in the paralyzed side of the face, and the other (B group) group was treated with Soyum pharmacopuncture, and hominis placenta (HP) pharmacopuncture. Amid a paucity of studies that have used bamboo salt and CC pharmacopuncture to treat Bell’s palsy, this study aimed to demonstrate possibility of treatment effect on Bell’s palsy. In addition, this study was to see if the effect of determine a change in pharmacopuncture was changed according to the progress of Bell’s palsy symptoms was effective. Bell’s palsy was improved in each group. Altough there were no significant differences in improvement between two groups, Bamboo salt pharmacopuncture and CC pharmacopuncture could be expected to be effective on the paralyzed face. Furthermore, it is effective to switch pharmacopuncture according to the progress of Bell’s palsy.

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Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization has been known as a predictor of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired MRSA infections. We performed this study to survey the nasal colonization of MRSA among the patients admitted to an ICU and analyze risk factors associated with the colonization. Methods: A retrospective 1：1 matched case-control study was conducted with patients admitted to the ICU from March to December 2010 at Samsung Changwon Hospital. Results: A total of 602 patients among 846 patients admitted to the ICU during the study period were evaluated. The prevalence of nasal MRSA colonization was 67 (11.1%) of 602. Other factors, including underlying renal disease (odds ratio [OR]=12.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.60-42.54; P<0.001), MRSA infection within the previous 3 months (OR=7.43, 95% CI 1.31-42.05; P=0.023), nursing home resident within the previous 1 month (OR=6.25, 95% CI 1.82-21.53; P=0.004), surgical procedure within the previous 1 month (OR=5.93, 95% CI 1.86-18.85; P=0.003), and current use of nasogastric tube (OR=4.98, 95% CI 1.84-13.45; P=0.002) were independently associated with nasal MRSA colonization in patients admitted to ICU. Conclusion: A significant number of patients admitted to the ICU in a secondary hospital were colonized with MRSA. The present study showed the possible impact of the presence of a nasogastric tube on the nasal colonization by MRSA. More effective infection control procedures must be developed for patients with nasogastric tube use.