The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of breathing exercises performed using panflutes in elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery.

The study design was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized pre-post test. The study included 24 patients in both the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group completed a daily breathing exercise regimen using panflutes for 30minutes after meals, whereas the control group was provided standard preoperative education, including breathing exercises using incentive spirometers. After the exercise regimen, breathing exercise compliance, pulmonary infections, and life satisfaction were measured in both groups, and the data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN program.

The compliance rate of breathing exercises was significantly higher in the experimental group. The experimental group presented no pulmonary infections in the later period, whereas the control group presented higher pulmonary infection rates in the same period. In addition, the life satisfaction score in the experimental group significantly increased.

The breathing exercise program using panflutes for elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery enhanced their breathing exercise compliance and their daily life satisfaction in addition to reducing their pulmonary infection rates.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of preoperative pain control education on the pain control barrier, postoperative pain and pain control satisfaction in gynecological patients.

The study was a quasi-experimental research design. There were 58 subjects who were admitted for gynecological surgery to D University Hospital in B city. Pain control education was provided individually to the experimental group one day before their operation day for 20 minutes with the ‘ Pain Control Guide Book’ in the patient's admission room. The education book was made by researchers based on pain management references and patient interviews. For assessing the pain control barrier, a simplified version of Barriers Questionnaire was used, postoperative pain was assessed on a numeric scale(0-10) and satisfaction of pain control was assessed by one question.

The pain control barrier(F=15.828, p<.001) and the post pain score of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group. In addition, pain control satisfaction of the experimental group(t=3.612, p<.001) was higher than the control group's.

With the above results, preoperative pain control education could be an effective nursing intervention for pain control of surgical patients.

This study was done to evaluate the combination effects of capsicum plaster at the Korean hand acupuncture points K-D2 with prophylactic antiemetic on Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV).

An experimental research design (a randomized, a double-blinded, and a placebo-control procedure) was used. The participants were female patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopy; the control group (n=34) received intravenous prophylactic ramosetron 0.3mg, while the experimental group (n=34) had Korean Hand Therapy additionally. In the experimental group, capsicum plaster was applied at K-D2 of both 2nd and 4th fingers by means of Korean Hand Therapy for a period of 30 minutes before the induction of anesthesia and removed 8 hours after the laparoscopy.

The occurrence of nausea, nausea intensity and need for rescue with antiemetic in the experimental group was significantly less than in the control group 2 hours after surgery.

Results of the study show capsicum plaster at K-D2 is an effective method for reducing PONV in spite of the low occurrence of PONV because of the prophylactic antiemetic medication.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of ondansetron combined with dexamethasone on Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV) and pain with ondansetron alone in patients with laparoscopy assisted vaginal hysterectomy under general anesthesia.

Data were collected from April 1 through September 30, 2005 using a double blind method. Ondansetron 4 mg and dexamethasone 10 mg were administered to the experimental group (25 patients), and ondansetron 4 mg only to the control group (25 patients). The medications were administered through an intravenous line at the beginning peritoneum suture. PONV by Index of Nausea Vomiting and Retching (INVR), nausea by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and pain (VAS) were assessed at postoperative 1 hr, 3 hr, 6 hr, 24 hr, and 48 hr. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni methods.

The experimental group that received ondansetron combined with dexamethasone had less PONV (p=.048), and nausea (p=.012) than control group that received ondansetron alone. However, there was no difference in pain (p=.557) between the patients in the two groups.

We conclude that the administration of ondansetron combined with dexamethasone is more effective than the administration of ondansetron alone to reduce PONV in patients with laparoscopic hysterectomy.

This study was performed to evaluate the pre-emptive analgesic effects of a small dose of intravenous ketamine on postoperative pain in patients undergoing a hysterectomy.

Sixty patients undergoing a hystrectomy under general anesthesia were randomly allocated to 2 groups. The experimental group(30 patients) received 0.3mg/kg of ketamine after induction of anesthesia, approximately 5 min prior to surgery, but the control group(30 patients)did not receive ketamine. Data was collected in a double-blind manner from April 1st, to October 30th, 2004. Postoperatively, the patients used a patient-controlled analgesia(PCA) pump. Blood pressure, pulse rate, pain, anxiety, count of times pressing the PCA button, administeration of additional analgesics and side effects of ketamine were measured at 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours and 24 hours after the operation.

There were no statistical differences in blood pressure, pulse rate, pain and anxiety between the experimental and control groups. There were statistical differences in blood pressure, pulse rate, pain and anxiety during the 24 hours postoperatively. In the experimental group, the number of times pressing the PCA button and administering additional analgesic drugs were significantly lower than those of the control group.

A 0.3 mg/kg dose of ketamine given at approximately 5 min before surgery resulted in decreasing the number of times pressing the PCA and the administration of additional analgesics.