BACKGROUND: Korea is expected to become an ultra-aged society, in which the elderly population will account for more than 20% of the total population, after 2025. Thus, the social costs due to osteoporotic fractures are expected to increase. Therefore, this study aimed to measure disability weights (DWs) of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures in Korea. METHODS: The scenarios were developed to standardize the severity of 6 health statuses: osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures including wrist, hip, post-hip, vertebral, and post-vertebral fracture. The values for these 6 health statuses were sought via a person trade-off (PTO) approach. We measured the value by PTO and we calculated it to DW of 6 health statuses. Three clinical expertise panels of 33 experts were established, and face-to-face interviews were conducted from July to December 2017. RESULTS: The distribution of DW varied by panel. DWs ranged from 0.5 (Osteoporosis) to 0.857 (Hip fracture) for Panel 1, 0.091 (Osteoporosis) to 0.5 (Hip fracture) for Panel 2, and 0.091 (Osteoporosis) to 0.726 (Hip fracture) for Panel 3. The final values for the 6 health statuses obtained by pooling all data from 3 panels ranged from 0.286 (Osteoporosis) to 0.750 (Hip fracture). There was no significant difference in rankings for the 6 health statuses among the 3 panels. CONCLUSIONS: Comparing the DW of osteoporotic fracture in this study with other diseases in previous studies, it is predicted that osteoporotic fractures, especially hip fractures, will have a considerable burden of disease.
Aged ; Hip ; Hip Fractures ; Humans ; Korea ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; Weights and Measures ; Wrist

In patients with early colorectal cancer, intraoperative localization of the target lesion is troublesome. Several strategies have also been studied for the preoperative localization of colorectal tumors. These include CT colonography, endoscopic metal clipping, endoscopic tattooing, and intraoperative colonoscopy. On the other hand, preoperative tattooing can lead to technical failure for effective tattooing or result in intraperitoneal complications. To minimize these adverse events, several studies performed tattooing with the patient's blood.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of single-port laparoscopic surgery (SLS) for appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (AMN) when compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS). Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent surgery for AMN between July 2014 and June 2020 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Patient demographics, surgical data, pathology, hospital stay, postoperative morbidity, and follow-up data were extracted from electronic records for analysis. Results: We enrolled 18 patients who underwent SLS and 22 who underwent CLS. The SLS group included patients who underwent partial cecectomy (14 patients), ileocecectomy (3 patients), and right hemicolectomy (1 patient). The CLS group included patients who underwent appendectomy (4 patients), partial cecectomy (11 patients), ileocecectomy (5 patients), and right hemicolectomy (2 patients). Operation type was not significantly different between groups (P = 0.213). No patient required open surgery in the SLS group in contrast to the CLS group (13.6%; P = 0.238). The operative time tended to be shorter in the SLS group than the CLS group (median [interquartile range]: 52.5 minutes [40–65.2 minutes] and 60 minutes [40–120 minutes], respectively; P = 0.251). Morbidity was 5.5% in the SLS group and 9.0% in the CLS group (P = 0.692). Surgical margins were clear in all cases. The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 2.0 and 4.0 days in the SLS and CLS groups, respectively (P = 0.013). No recurrence occurred in either group during follow-up. Conclusion This study indicates that SLS is a safe and feasible surgical approach for AMN.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of single-port laparoscopic surgery (SLS) for appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (AMN) when compared with conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS). Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent surgery for AMN between July 2014 and June 2020 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Patient demographics, surgical data, pathology, hospital stay, postoperative morbidity, and follow-up data were extracted from electronic records for analysis. Results: We enrolled 18 patients who underwent SLS and 22 who underwent CLS. The SLS group included patients who underwent partial cecectomy (14 patients), ileocecectomy (3 patients), and right hemicolectomy (1 patient). The CLS group included patients who underwent appendectomy (4 patients), partial cecectomy (11 patients), ileocecectomy (5 patients), and right hemicolectomy (2 patients). Operation type was not significantly different between groups (P = 0.213). No patient required open surgery in the SLS group in contrast to the CLS group (13.6%; P = 0.238). The operative time tended to be shorter in the SLS group than the CLS group (median [interquartile range]: 52.5 minutes [40–65.2 minutes] and 60 minutes [40–120 minutes], respectively; P = 0.251). Morbidity was 5.5% in the SLS group and 9.0% in the CLS group (P = 0.692). Surgical margins were clear in all cases. The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 2.0 and 4.0 days in the SLS and CLS groups, respectively (P = 0.013). No recurrence occurred in either group during follow-up. Conclusion This study indicates that SLS is a safe and feasible surgical approach for AMN.

The Korean government initiated a plan to designate and establish Regional Trauma Centers to reduce the preventable trauma death rate to <20% so as to be on par with advanced countries by 2020. This initiative was undertaken because the reported preventable trauma death rate was close to 40% in South Korea from 1997 to 2009. This review aimed to provide an overview of these Regional Trauma Centers and discuss further development of the trauma care system to assess its performance. As of September 2021, 15 Regional Trauma Centers had been established through a metropolitan-based designation process. Each center has been equipped with Level-I facilities. These Regional Trauma Centers have had 2 positive effects; namely, an increase in the number of severely injured patients attending these centers and a decrease in the national preventable trauma death rate from 30.5% in 2015 to 19.9% in 2017. The establishment of Regional Trauma Centers can lead to improved performance, maximal efficiency, and reduction of preventable deaths in trauma patients.They can also play a key role in prehospital triage and transportation in the trauma care system.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the shear bond strength of 3D printing denture base resin according to surface treatment of artificial teeth. Materials and methods: 3D printing denture base resin was fabricated as specimens using 3D printer. The experimental group divided the surface treatment of artificial teeth into five groups according to the application of sandblasting and primer (n=10). Shear bond strengths between denture base and artificial teeth were measured by universal testing machine. All measurements were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Turkey test (α=.05). Fracture mode of each specimen was analyzed. Microscopic evaluation was conducted by using a scanning electron microscope. Results: Unsurfaced treated group represented the lowest value. The primer groups had significantly higher result values (P<.05). Most specimens of the primer groups had cohesive failure. Conclusion In 3D printing denture base resin group, mechanical and chemical surface treatment of artificial teeth has increased the shear bond strength. Therefore, if dentures are produced using 3D printing, proper mechanical and chemical treatment of artificial teeth is necessary for adhesion of dentures and artificial teeth.

Purpose: It is important to discover predictive factors that can identify rectal cancer patients who will respond well to neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) to develop management strategies, preserve sphincter and avoid overtreatment. This study explored clinical factors that would predict the adequacy of nonradical management after CCRT in patients with middle or low rectal cancer. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 447 patients with middle or low rectal cancer who were treated with curative surgery after neoadjuvant CCRT between January 2010 and December 2019. The good response group comprised patients with stages ypT0–1N0 on resection after CCRT; the remaining patients were included in the poor response group. Results: Of 447 patients (mean age, 60.37 ± 11.85 years), 108 (24.2%) had ypT0–1N0 (71.3% with ypT0N0, 4.6% with ypTisN0, and 24.1% with ypT1N0). Overall, 19 patients with cT1–2 (50.0% vs. 21.8% with cT3–4, P < 0.001), 22 with well-differentiated tumors (51.2% vs. 21.3% with moderately/poorly differentiated tumors, P < 0.001), 16 with fungating tumors (47.1% vs.22.3% with other types, P = 0.001), and 66 with anterior/posterior circumference direction (28.9% vs. 19.2% with lateral/ encircling direction, P = 0.016) had stage ypT0–1N0. On multivariable analysis, cT1–2 (P = 0.021) and well-differentiated tumor (P = 0.001) were independent predictors of ypT0–1N0. Fungating tumors were not significantly associated with ypT0– 1N0 (P = 0.054). Conclusion Stage cT1–2 and well differentiation are predictors of ypT0–1N0, while fungating tumors could be considered clinically meaningful, possibly identifying candidates for nonradical treatment post-CCRT.

Purpose: Anal wounds following hemorrhoidectomy can lead to severe pain and postoperative bleeding, impacting patient recovery and quality of life. Hyaluronic acid (HA) stimulates tissue regeneration and wound healing by accelerating cell migration and proliferation. This study aimed to investigate the differences in wound healing rate and completeness of recovery of perianal wounds topically treated with HA-soaked cotton in a murine model. Methods: Forty-eight 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats with perianal wounds created using a biopsy punch were divided into 2 groups: simple dressing with gauze (control) and topical HA-soaked cotton. A single application of HA-soaked cotton was administered after surgery. Wound healing rate and completeness of recovery were evaluated by measuring the healed area and conducting histological analyses. Results: The HA-cotton group exhibited a shorter complete wound healing duration compared to the control group (13.9 days vs. 16.4 days, P = 0.031). Differences in wound healing area between the 2 groups were greatest on postoperative day 2 (51.6% vs. 28.8%, P < 0.001). The HA-cotton group exhibited fewer cases of granulation tissue (2 vs. 5) or redness (0 vs.3) upon complete wound healing. Histologically, the HA-cotton group showed accelerated reepithelialization, rapid shift to lymphocyte-dominant inflammation, enhanced fibroblast proliferation, and increased collagen deposition compared to the control group. Conclusion Herein, topical application of HA-soaked cotton on perianal wounds in rats resulted in accelerated wound healing, particularly in the initial stages, and improved completeness of recovery, underscoring the potential of the topical application of HA-soaked cotton on hemorrhoidectomy wounds in human patients to improve wound healing.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that can involve the entire gastrointestinal tract. Several studies indicate that Crohn's patients with long disease duration have an increased risk of small bowel or colorectal cancer. In Korea, only a few cases of Crohn's disease-related small bowel or colorectal cancer have been reported. Here, we described 3 cases of colorectal cancer and 2 cases of small bowel cancer in patients with Crohn's disease. Among 5 patients, 3 had Crohn's disease-related lower gastrointestinal malignancy and the other 2 had sporadic lower gastrointestinal malignancies. Since the diagnosis of Crohn's disease-related lower gastrointestinal malignancy tends to be delayed, the development of malignancy should be considered in patients with long duration of Crohn's disease if patients have refractory symptoms despite intensive medical treatment. Surgical consultation should not be delayed.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Crohn Disease ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Ileal Neoplasms ; Jejunal Neoplasms ; Korea

Purpose: This study was performed to compare the oncologic outcomes between nonradical management and total mesorectal excision in good responders after chemoradiotherapy. Methods: We analyzed 75 patients, who underwent 14 watch-and-wait, 30 local excision, and 31 total mesorectal excision, in ycT0–1N0M0 based on magnetic resonance imaging after chemoradiotherapy for advanced mid-to-low rectal cancer in 3 referral hospitals. The nonradical management group underwent surveillance with additional sigmoidoscopy and rectal magnetic resonance imaging every 3–6 months within the first 2 years. Results: Nonradical management group had more low-lying tumors (P < 0.001) and less lymph node metastasis based on magnetic resonance imaging (P = 0.004). However, cT stage, ycT, and ycN stage were not different between the 2 groups. With a median follow-up period of 64.7 months, the 5-year locoregional failure rate was higher in the nonradical management group than in the total mesorectal excision group (16.7% vs. 0%, P = 0.013). However, the 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates of the nonradical management and total mesorectal excision groups were not different (95.2% vs. 93.5%, P = 0.467; 76.4% vs. 83.6%, P = 0.665; respectively). Conclusion This study shows that nonradical management for ycT0–1N0 mid-to-low rectal cancer may be an alternative treatment to total mesorectal excision under proper surveillance and management for oncologic events.