No abstract available.
Free Tissue Flaps* ; Maxilla*

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to find whether there is any effect on shortening the length of stay of long term patients due to issuing of hospitalization sheets by emergency department. METHODS: For the investigation, 27,948 patients who resided in hospitals over 6 hours from 2006 to 2007 were chosen as the subjects. The main materials for the investigation were various time variables according to the medical records. For the verification of each factor, Student's t-test and Pearson' correlation coefficient were used. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference in regard to length of stay (p<0.01). The departments related to internal medicine showed that they required longer times in every aspect compared to those of non-internal medicine. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.01) in regard to the time of patients' length of stay and the time of issuing sheets for hospitalization according to the numbers of related department. However, there was no meaningful difference in regard to the waiting time for hospitalization. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, in the cases of long term patients who stayed over 6 hours in 2007 when the random sheets for hospitalization were issued by emergency department, the length of stay was significantly reduced. It was found that the time was more increased in the departments of internal medicine than the departments of noninternal medicine and when the related sub departments increased.
Emergencies ; Emergency Medicine ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records

Background/Aims: Although mucosal healing (MH) is acknowledged as the treatment target in the treat-to-target era, there are limitations on repeated endoscopic examinations, especially in pediatric patients. We aimed to investigate whether fecal calprotectin (FC) could serve as a surrogate marker for the assessment of MH in pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) who have achieved sustained clinical remission (CR) while treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study included pediatric CD patients who had sustained a CR for at least 6 months with anti-TNF agents and who simultaneously underwent ileocolonoscopy and FC tests during follow-up. MH was defined as the absence of any ulcer on ileocolonoscopy. Results: A total of 131 patients were included in this study. MH was observed in 87 patients (66.7%). The FC level was significantly lower in patients with MH than in those without MH (median 49.0 mg/kg vs 599.0 mg/kg; p<0.001). According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, FC was the only factor associated with MH (odds ratio, 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52 to 0.73; p<0.001). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cutoff value for FC for the association with MH was <140 mg/kg (area under the curve 0.890, 95% CI 0.829 to 0.951, sensitivity 78.2%, specificity 88.6%, p<0.001). Conclusions FC was associated with MH in pediatric patients with CD who had achieved a sustained CR for at least 6 months with anti-TNF agents. In these patients, FC can be used to stratify patients and guide decisions regarding ileocolonoscopy in the treat-to-target era.

Abscess ; Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Classification ; Colonic Diseases ; Crohn Disease ; Diagnosis ; Europe ; Fistula ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Phenotype ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Thyroid dysfunction (TD) is more likely to occur in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and is particularly associated with interferon (IFN) treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, outcomes, and risk factors for TD during pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) combined therapy in patients with CHC. METHODS: A total of 242 euthyroid patients with CHC treated with PEG-IFN/RBV were included. Thyroid function and autoantibodies were measured at baseline, and virologic response and thyroid function were assessed every 3 months during therapy. RESULTS: TD developed in 67 patients (27.7%) during the PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. The types of TD were subclinical hypothyroidism (50.7%), hypothyroidism (14.9%), thyroiditis (11.9%), subclinical hyperthyroidism (10.4%), and hyperthyroidism (10.4%). Most of the patients with TD recovered spontaneously; however, seven patients (10.4%) needed thyroid treatment. The sustained virological response rate was higher in patients with TD than those without (65.7% vs. 49.1%, p = 0.02). Baseline thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations (odds ratio [OR], 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.96 to 8.77; p < 0.001), presence of the thyroid peroxidase antibody (OR, 8.81; 95% CI, 1.74 to 44.6; p = 0.009), and PEG-IFNalpha-2b (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.43 to 6.39; p = 0.004) were independent risk factors for the development of TD. CONCLUSIONS: TD developed in 27.7% of patients with CHC during PEG-IFN/RBV treatment, and 10.4% of these patients needed thyroid treatment. TD is associated with a favorable virologic response to PEG-IFN/RBV. Assessment of TSH and thyroid autoantibodies at baseline and close monitoring of thyroid function during PEG-IFN/RBV therapy are necessary for early detection and management of IFN-induced TD.
Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents/*adverse effects ; Autoantibodies/blood ; Biomarkers/blood ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Interferon-alpha/*adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/*adverse effects ; Recombinant Proteins/adverse effects ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin/*adverse effects ; Thyroid Diseases/*chemically induced/diagnosis/epidemiology/immunology/physiopathology ; Thyroid Gland/*drug effects/immunology/physiopathology ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Molecular genetic analysis is the main approach used for prenatal diagnosis of hemophilia A and B. However, in certain cases, such analysis is uninformative. In such situations, direct measurement of fetal coagulation factor levels is still the best option, and it may be the only option in some cases. This study was conducted to determine the normal ranges of midtrimester cord blood factor VIII (FVIII) and IX (FIX) in a Korean population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six FVIII samples and 29 FIX samples were assayed in fetal cord blood acquired by ultrasound-guided cordocentesis. Sampling was conducted during gestational ages of 19-24 weeks. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviations for FVIII and FIX activity were 45.5±30.5% and 19.9±12.2%, respectively. Ranges for FVIII and FIX were 1.5-125.0% and 6.0-52.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed the normal ranges and lowest level of factor VIII and factor IX in non-affected normal fetus by fetal cord blood sampling during the mid-trimester in a Korea population. The factor assay of the fetal cord blood is invasive but feasible and provides important basic data related to hemophilia.
Blood Coagulation Factors ; Cordocentesis ; Factor IX ; Factor VIII* ; Female ; Fetal Blood* ; Fetus* ; Gestational Age ; Hemophilia A* ; Humans ; Korea ; Molecular Biology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Reference Values

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate the findings and diagnostic accuracy of MDCT for diagnosing occlusive acute myocardial infarction in rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Myocardial infarction was induced in 14 rabbits. MDCT was performed in the early and delay phases at 1 minute and 6 minutes, respectively, after intravenous contrast injection. The rabbits were sacrificed after scanning. The cardiac specimens were sliced and then stained with triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). The agreement in the transmural extent of infarction between the MDCT scans and the TTC-stained specimens were analyzed by using kappa values. RESULTS: Acute myocardial infarction was found in 9 of 14 rabbits on the TTC-stained specimens and MDCT. The infarcted myocardium was demonstrated as a low-attenuation area on the early phase and as a central low-attenuation area with rim-like enhancement along the endocardial and pericardial sides of the myocardial wall on the delay phase. There was excellent agreement in the scores of the transmural extent of myocardial infarction between the TTC-stained specimens and the early phase scan (kappa value = 0.882, p = 0.000), and there was fair to good agreement between the TTC-stained specimens and the delay phase scan (kappa value = 0.439, p = 0.000). Microscopic examination of the cardiac specimens revealed necrosis of myocardial cells in the central portion and granulation tissue along the endocardial and pericardial sides of the necrotic myocardium. CONCLUSION: 16 slice MDCT scan was useful for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. The early phase scan was more accurate than the delay phase scan for evaluating the transmural extent of myocardial infarction. Histopathologic examination suggested that the low-attenuation area on the delay phase might correspond to necrotic myocardium and the enhanced area might correspond to granulation tissue.
Diagnosis ; Granulation Tissue ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardium ; Necrosis ; Rabbits* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate the findings and diagnostic accuracy of MDCT for diagnosing occlusive acute myocardial infarction in rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Myocardial infarction was induced in 14 rabbits. MDCT was performed in the early and delay phases at 1 minute and 6 minutes, respectively, after intravenous contrast injection. The rabbits were sacrificed after scanning. The cardiac specimens were sliced and then stained with triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). The agreement in the transmural extent of infarction between the MDCT scans and the TTC-stained specimens were analyzed by using kappa values. RESULTS: Acute myocardial infarction was found in 9 of 14 rabbits on the TTC-stained specimens and MDCT. The infarcted myocardium was demonstrated as a low-attenuation area on the early phase and as a central low-attenuation area with rim-like enhancement along the endocardial and pericardial sides of the myocardial wall on the delay phase. There was excellent agreement in the scores of the transmural extent of myocardial infarction between the TTC-stained specimens and the early phase scan (kappa value = 0.882, p = 0.000), and there was fair to good agreement between the TTC-stained specimens and the delay phase scan (kappa value = 0.439, p = 0.000). Microscopic examination of the cardiac specimens revealed necrosis of myocardial cells in the central portion and granulation tissue along the endocardial and pericardial sides of the necrotic myocardium. CONCLUSION: 16 slice MDCT scan was useful for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. The early phase scan was more accurate than the delay phase scan for evaluating the transmural extent of myocardial infarction. Histopathologic examination suggested that the low-attenuation area on the delay phase might correspond to necrotic myocardium and the enhanced area might correspond to granulation tissue.
Diagnosis ; Granulation Tissue ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardium ; Necrosis ; Rabbits* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

Children have a natural tendency to explore objects with their mouths; this can result in the swallowing of foreign objects. Most ingested foreign bodies pass uneventfully through the gastrointestinal tract. However, some foreign bodies cause obstruction or perforation of the gastrointestinal tract, requiring surgical intervention. Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract may be associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. The most common sites of intestinal foreign body perforation are the ileocecal and rectosigmoid regions. Foreign body perforation of the duodenum is relatively uncommon. We report the first Korean case of duodenal perforation by an ingested 8-cm lollipop stick. Lollipops are popular with the children and fairly accessible to them, as most parents are not aware of their potential harm. Pediatric clinicians should be aware of the risks associated with lollipop stick ingestion. Our report also describes the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic diagnosis and management of pediatric patients with peritonitis induced by the ingestion of foreign bodies.
Child ; Deglutition ; Duodenum ; Eating ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Parents ; Peritonitis

The ideal method of wound closure should be simple, rapid, inexpensive, painless, and bactericidal, and should achieve optimal cosmetic results. Tissue adhesives offer many of these characteristics. Until recently, the only commercially available tissue adhesive was 2-butylcyanoacrylate. A new tissue adhesive, 2-octylcyanoacrylate (Dermabond(R)), offers several advantages over 2-butylcyanoacrylate. It is more pliable and less brittle. To compare a new tissue adhesive, 2-octylcyanoacrylate, with standard wound closure techniques for the repair of open wound, two groups of each 20 rats were studied. Two groups were similar for demographic and clinical characteristics. Photographs taken at three months were rated by seven plastic surgeons blinded to the method of closure. There was no difference between two groups for appearance or complication. In conclusion, wound treated with Dermabond(R) and standard wound closure techniques have similar cosmetic results 3 months later, and Dermabond(R) is a faster method of wound repair that has cosmetic results similar to the use of sutures.
Animals ; Rats* ; Sutures ; Tissue Adhesives ; Wound Closure Techniques* ; Wounds and Injuries*