Background/Aims: The ballooning time in endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of the ballooning time comparing an immediate balloon deflation method with a conventional ballooning time of > 45 seconds. Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2010, 126 patients with bile duct stones treated with EPLBD and endoscopic sphincterotomy were divided according to the ballooning time: the immediate deflation group (n=56) and the conventional inflation group (ballooning time 45s to < 60s) (n=70). Results: The overall success rate and the success rate of the first attempt of ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography) were 96.4% (54/56) and 80.4% (45/56) in the immediate group and 97.1% (68/70) and 77.1% (54/70) in the conventional inflation group. There were no statistically significant differences in the overall success and the first attempt of ERCP success rate (p=0.99, p=0.66). The frequency of mechanical lithotripsy was 0% in the immediate deflation group and 7.1% in the conventional inflation group (p=0.065). Complications occurred in 3.6% (2/56) patients in the immediate deflation group and 8.6% (4/70) patients in the conventional inflation group (p=0.298). Conclusions: The ballooning time in EPLBD does not affect the outcomes of the treatment for bile duct stones. And the feasibility of the immediate deflation method in EPLBD is acceptable.

This study was conducted to apply a horticultural therapy program to childhood cancer patients, to analyze their psychosocial changes and thus to examine its possibility as a way to manage the recovery of childhood cancer patients. This study was conducted on patients who were diagnosed with childhood cancer, and they were divided into the experimental group (8 patients who visited H association offices located in 3 cities and participated in the horticultural program) and the control group (5 patients who did not participate in the program). The homogeneity between the two groups before conducting the program was compared, and there was no statistically significant difference, which proved that the two groups were homogeneous. After conducting the program, the score of social immaturity, one of the sub-categories of problem behaviors, of the experimental group was statistically significantly lower than that of the control group (p=.019). Changes before and after the program within the groups were compared, and the somatization score (p=.039) of the experimental group (p=.039) after the program was 1.13, down from 2.13 before the program. The social immaturity score (p=.017) of the experimental group after the program was 1.00, down from 2.63 before the program, and the attention problem score (p=.026) of the group after the program was 1.25, down from 2.50 before the program. The total problem behavior score (p=.034) of the experimental group after the program was 9.63, down from 18.50 before the program, showing a statistically significant decrease. The cumulative subjective mood score (p=.000) of the experimental group throughout the entire sessions after the program was 7.82, up from 6.99 before the program, showing a statistically significant increase. Therefore, it can be concluded that the horticultural therapy program developed based on the ‘relaxationsocial support-cognitive behavior’ strategy was effective to reduce the negative psychosocial state of childhood cancer patients.