OBJECTIVE: To compare surgical outcomes of patients with myoma after robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy and laparoscopic myomectomy. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 15 robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy (RLM) patients and 30 laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) patients at Jeju National University Hospital in Jeju between July 2009 and July 2012. Clinical features and surgical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Surgical time was longer among RLM patinets (185.7 min vs 114.4 min). Patients undergoing robot-assisted myomectomy had a bigger size of the largest myoma, and bigger average size of the myomas. When adjusted for myoma size and number, no significant differences were noted between robotic (RLM: 24.5 min/cm) vs laparoscopic (LM: 21.5 min/cm) groups for mean operating time/total diameter. Blood loss (1.7 g/dl vs 1.95 g/dl), transfusion (0% vs 6.6%) were both no significant differences between the robotic and laparoscopic groups. CONCLUSION: When adjusted for myoma size and number, short-term outcomes were similar after robotic and laparoscopic myomectomy. Robot-assisted myomectomy is considered reliable procedure.
Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Myoma ; Operative Time ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Lung* ; Thorax*

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the current status of communication about death and confidence levels concerning death-related issues among Korean adults.METHODS: A survey was conducted to ascertain the frequency of death related communication, factors promoting and impeding such communication, and confidence levels concerning death-related issues. Data of 112 participants who completed the survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi square test, and multiple logistic regression.RESULTS: More than half of the participants (52.7%–84.0%) appeared to have infrequent (never/at least one) conversations about death or death-related issues. Owing to socio-cultural aspects, death-related communication was considered a taboo or an unpleasant topic of conversation. Additionally, indifference toward death inhibited people from communicating; however, personal experiences of death or morbidity and favorable social contexts promoted communication. Overall, the confidence levels concerning death-related issues was low. Only 17.9%–32.2% of the participants were confident/very confident about their preferences concerning death-related issues. The more people talked about death, the more likely they were to develop a confident attitude toward death-related issues (odds ratio, 3.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.37–8.69).CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that communication about death is being withheld among Koreans, and this could possibly lower their level of confidence regarding death-related issues. To achieve death with dignity, a ‘death culture’ needs to be promoted alongside legislation and infrastructure.
Adult ; Advance Care Planning ; Attitude to Death ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Personal Autonomy ; Right to Die ; Taboo ; Terminal Care

Dysphagia is a major disability in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Unlike typical motor symptoms, dysphagia is relatively unresponsive to dopaminergic drugs. However, occasionally, swallowing difficulties are much improved by dopaminergic agonists and significantly affected by on/off periods. In such cases, it is difficult to assess the severity of dysphagia accurately if swallowing function evaluation is performed without considering the wearing-off phenomenon in patients with PD. Here, we report a case of dysphagia in a female patient with Parkinson’s disease that was severely affected by the wearing-off phenomenon in response to prolonged use of levodopa. The patient presented with severe oral phase delay with choking symptoms during fluid intake. A videofluoroscopic swallow study performed during an ‘off-period’ showed massive aspiration with severely impaired swallowing function.However, when swallowing evaluation was performed during the ‘on-period’, almost no abnormal function was observed. After adopting an on/off period-tailored diet prescription, sufficient nutrition was possible without aspiration. Consideration of the wearing-off phenomenon is essential when evaluating swallowing function in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Patient-specific swallowing evaluations and diet prescriptions are needed to establish optimal therapeutic strategies.

BACKGROUND: Lumbosacral transforaminal epidural injection (TFEI) is an effective treatment for spinal disease. However, TFEI may have several types of complications, some of which can be attributed to intravascular injection. We reviewed studies to compare the intravascular injection rate among different needle types. METHODS: We searched the literature for articles on the intravascular injection rate among different needle types used in TFEI. The search was performed using PubMed, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science. RESULTS: A total of six studies comprising 2359 patients were identified. Compared with the Quincke needle, the Whitacre needle reduced the intravascular injection rate (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = [0.44–0.73], P < 0.001). However, compared with the Quincke needle, the Chiba needle did not reduce the intravascular injection rate (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = [0.44–1.45], P = 0.46). In one study, the intravascular injection rate using a blunt-tip needle was lower than that using a sharp needle. In another study, the Whitacre and the blunt-tip needle have similar intravascular injection rates, while, the catheter-extension needle showed a reduced intravascular injection rate. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that the Whitacre needle reduced the intravascular injection rate as compared with the Quincke needle, but failed to establish that the Chiba needle can decrease the intravascular injection rate in TFEI. Moreover, the blunt-tip needle can reduce the intravascular injection rate compared with the Quincke needle, and the catheter-extension needle can reduce the intravascular injection rate compared with the Whitacre and the blunt-tip needle.
Anesthesia, Epidural ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Needles ; Spinal Diseases

Carcinosarcomas of the uterine cervix are extremely rare. Cervical carcinosarcoma can be characterized by having two different origins: the Mullerian ducts and the mesonephric duct remnants. A 53-year-old Korean woman was admitted to the hospital because of pelvic mass detected on computed tomography scan done at private clinic. A Radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingooophorectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy was carried out upon a diagnosis of stage IB2 cervical sarcoma. Immunohistochemically, the epithelial component was positive for pancytokeratin and estrogen receptor, but negative for CD 10 and carletinin. The mesenchymal component was positive for vimentin. The histopathologic diagnosis was a carcinosarcoma of the uterine cervix arising from Mullerian ducts. She underwent chemotherapy. She developed systemic recurrence seven months after operation and died of disease. The origin of cervical carcinosarcoma needs to be verified and immunohistochemical studies using mesonephric marker (CD 10, carletinin, and estrogen receptor) is helpful.
Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinosarcoma* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Middle Aged ; Mullerian Ducts* ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma ; Vimentin ; Wolffian Ducts

Malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMMT) arising from female internal genitalia is rare with the uterine corpus being the most prevalently affected site. It is even more rare when it occurs on both uterus and ovary at the same time. We describe a case of synchronized occurrence of MMMT on ovary and uterine adenosarcoma with review of literature.
Adenosarcoma ; Female ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Ovary ; Uterine Neoplasms ; Uterus

Hot flush (hot flush or facial flush) is the most frequent symptom experienced by women of peri-menopausal age. It may appear on women or even men after surgery or chemotherapy. Hot flush is one of the biggest reason for women to undergo hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It also crucially affects various aspects of life quality such as occupation, social life, daily routine and health awareness. The most effective and fundamental remedy for hot flush is HRT. However, a few women is not responsive to HRT and investigation to elucidate other causes of hot flush is warranted, especially in elderly. The contraindications such as breast cancer mandates other modality of treatment. Variety of treatment for hot flush other than HRT will be discussed herein.
Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Occupations ; Quality of Life

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a global public health concern owing to its increasing prevalence and socioeconomic burden. However, few studies have assessed the economic impact of atopic dermatitis in Korea. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a cost analysis of atopic dermatitis and evaluated its economic impacts on individual annual disease burden, quality of life, and changes in medical expenses with respect to changes in health related-quality of life. METHODS: The cost analysis of atopic dermatitis was performed by reviewing the home accounting records of 32 patients. The economic impact of the disease was evaluated by analyzing questionnaires. To handle uncertainties, we compared the results with the data released by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Board on medical costs claimed by healthcare facilities. RESULTS: The direct cost of atopic dermatitis per patient during the 3-month study period was 541,280 Korean won (KRW), and expenditures on other atopic dermatitis-related products were 120,313 KRW. The extrapolated annual direct cost (including expenditures on other atopic dermatitis-related products) per patient was 2,646,372 KRW. The estimated annual indirect cost was 1,507,068 KRW. Thus, the annual cost of illness of atopic dermatitis (i.e., direct+indirect costs) was estimated to be 4,153,440 KRW. CONCLUSION: The annual total social cost of atopic dermatitis on a national level is estimated to be 5.8 trillion KRW.
Cost of Illness ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background: Recently, active surveillance (AS) has been introduced as an alternative to early surgery (ES) for the management of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), because of its indolent features and low mortality. However, its cost effects have not been determined and the findings of current studies differ, according to each country’s medical system. Methods: A Markov model was constructed to compare the cost-effectiveness of AS and ES, based on a reference case of a 40-year-old patient diagnosed with PTMC. Costs and transition probabilities were derived from previous clinical studies in Korean populations, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and net monetary benefit (NMB) were calculated. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set at USD 100,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to address the uncertainties in the model’s variables. Results: From the base scenario, the cumulative costs and effectiveness were both higher in ES than AS. The ICER for ES, compared with AS, was USD 6,619.86/QALY, lower than the set WTP. The NMB difference between AS and ES increased across the stages (USD 5,980 at the first stage and USD 159,667 at the last stage). The ICER increased along with decreasing age and increasing cost of surgery. The higher the ES utility score and the lower that of AS, the more cost-effective ES, with WTP set at USD 30,000. Conclusion In the current Korean medical system, ES is more cost-effective than AS. ES is more cost-effective as it is diagnosed at young age and followed-up for a long time.