BACKGROUND: Conservative treatment is performed for isolated anterior wall of the maxillary sinus fractures, in many cases when the fracture is clinically not severe and asymptomatic. Despite the absence of symptoms, complications such as sinusitis, rhinitis, and chronic purulent secretion may develop; therefore, successful reduction is required. We attempted to reduce the risk of complications using an alternative technique: reduction of the fracture with two urinary balloon catheters inserted through the maxillary ostium and fixation using fibrin glue, which minimizes the damage to the bony fragments and sinus mucosa. METHODS: In this study, 38 patients who were diagnosed with an isolated anterior wall of the maxillary sinus fracture at our hospital between January 2014 and January 2017 were enrolled. The fracture site was exposed via the Caldwell-Luc approach followed by reduction through the insertion of two urinary balloon catheters using a nasal endoscope and fixation with fibrin glue. The sex, cause of fracture, physical examination, and presence of complications were examined and patient's medical records and facial bone computed tomography scans were analyzed. RESULTS: Radiological evaluation showed that there was no evidence of collapsed reduction fragments. Although some patients had remaining symptoms of hypoesthesia (15%; 3 patients), there were no complications such as infection, rhinitis, sinusitis, and chronic purulent secretion at the surgical site. CONCLUSION: In this study, we present an alternative surgical technique using two urinary balloon catheters and fibrin glue for the successful reconstruction of an isolated anterior wall of the maxillary sinus fracture. This technique enables precise restoration with a reduced risk of complications.
Catheters* ; Endoscopes ; Facial Bones ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive* ; Fibrin* ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Medical Records ; Mucous Membrane ; Physical Examination ; Rhinitis ; Sinusitis

PURPOSE: Mistletoe extract was widely used for cancer treatment as complementary or alternative therapy in European area from early twenty century. It is currently used as alternative anti-cancer remedy by piecemeal in domestic medical group, however, the anti-cancer mechanism of mistletoe extract was not known precisely until now. In this study the effect of mistletoe extract on gastric cancer was studied vis cell line experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SNU719 gastric cancer cell line was used, and ABNOBAviscum-Q and ABNOBAviscum-F were treated to cells as mistletoe extract, or 5-FU and cisplatin were used with mistletoe extract. The cell viability and cell death rate were estimated by CCK-8 assay kit and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay kit in each. Caspase 3 assay kit was used to measure caspase 3 activity. The protein expression amounts of Bcl2, p53, and PTEN were estimated through Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The co-treatments of mistletoe extract Q/F and 5-FU/cisplatin decreased lesser cell viability than only mistletoe treat. Caspase 3 activity was increased 4~6 times in co-treatment of mistletoe extracts and 5-FU than control. Bcl2 protein expression was reduced by mistletoe extracts or anti-cancer drugs, further more, the co-treatment of mistletoe extracts and 5-FU/cisplatin diminished more the expression than only mistletoe treatment. Mistletoe extracts did not affect the protein expressions of p53 and PTEN. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the anti-cancer mechanism of mistletoe extracts was made by caspase 3 activation and lowered Bcl2 expression, and this apoptosis inducing mechanism was independent to p53.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; Cisplatin ; Fluorouracil ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Mistletoe ; Sincalide ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The results for treatment of fistula-in-ano have much improved, along with the development of anatomical knowledge, classification, and operative techniques, during last several decades. The authors retrospectively reviewed the results for treatment of fistula-in-ano, especially complex fistulas, during the last 11 years. METHODS: A retrospective study of fistula-in-ano was performed for 229 patients who had been operated on in St. Benedict Hospital between January 1988 and December 1998. Complex fistulas (IIH, III & IV) were analyzed separately. RESULTS: The most common type was IILs (92 cases, 40.2%), and the most common horseshoe type was IIIBc (5 cases, 2.2%). The average hospital stay was 11.5 days for all fistula-in-ano types, but 15.1 days for complex fistulas. Non-specific inflammation (209 cases, 91.3%) was the most common pathologic finding. Various operative procedures were used : fistulotomy (80 cases, 34.9%), fistulectomy (74 cases, 32.3%), coring out fistulectomy (63 cases, 27.5%), seton technique (11 cases, 4.8%), and muscle-filling technique (1 case, 0.4%). There was no difference in the recurrence rate among the operative types. Various procedures were tried for complex fistulas, but the sphincter-preserving fistulectomy by Takano seemed to have a low recurrence rate and a short postoperative course. However, because of the small number of cases, this difference in recurrence rate and postoperative course was not statistically significant. The overall postoperative complication rate was 7%: anal infection (4 cases, 1.7%), anal bleeding (3 cases, 1.3%), and urinary retention (2 cases, 0.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The operations for most of the fistulae, IH, IL & IIL, were simple and uneventful. However, the operations for complex fistulae were complicated and more skill was required. We have thought Takano's operation to be a good curative procedure with less postoperative deformity and shortened postoperative course. However this research couldn't prove that with statistical significance, probably because of the insufficient number of patients. If further cases are collected and continuous follow-up is done, then a better result can be expected.
Classification ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fistula ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Length of Stay ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies* ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Urinary Retention

Angioleiomyoma is a benign myogenic tumor that may develop wherever smooth muscle is present. It occurs commonly in the uterus, skin, and gastrointestinal tract and is rare within the nasal cavity, but only three of 24 reported cases of sinonasal leiomyoma may have originated from the nasal septum. Treatment of choice for these neoplasms is surgical excision. We present one case of nasal septal angioleiomyoma arising from the nasal septum with symptoms of nasal obstruction and epistaxis, which were successfully removed by endoscopic surgery.
Angiomyoma* ; Epistaxis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Leiomyoma ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Obstruction ; Nasal Septum* ; Skin ; Uterus

Background/Aims: Several clinical factors have been used to predict the response for concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT); however, these factors are insufficient for prognostic predictions. We investigated clinical factors to assess whether they could be used to predict the response to CCRT and the survival of patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: Patients with esophageal cancer underwent CCRT from January 2005 to December 2015. Response to CCRT was classified as progressive disease (PD), stationary disease (SD), partial remission (PR), or complete remission (CR). Factors to predict the response to CCRT and patient survival were subsequently investigated. Results: A total of 535 esophageal cancer patients underwent CCRT. Four hundred ninety-three patients were followed up, and patient outcomes were investigated. In the adjusted analysis, patients with advanced stage disease (relative risk [RR], 0.28 in stage III and 0.12 in stage IV compared to stage I), poor performance status, circumferential involvement (RR, 0.61), and male sex (RR, 0.31) were less likely to achieve CR. Advanced stage disease (hazard ratio [HR], 1.71 in stage III/IV), poor CCRT response (HR, 2.82 in PR, 4.47 in SD, 4.77 in PD compared to CR), and poor performance status (HR, 1.38 in ECOG 2–4) were found to increase mortality. Conclusions Advanced stage disease, poor performance status, male sex, and circumferential involvement were independent predictive factors for a poor response to CCRT. Advanced stage, poor performance status, and poor CCRT response were independent factors for decreased survival.

Purpose: Since 2012, acetaminophen can be accessed easily not only at pharmacies but also at convenience stores. The relationship between the easy access of acetaminophen and the risk of poisoning has been controversial. Several studies also reported different results regarding the risk of acetaminophen poisoning after access to acetaminophen was relaxed. This study examined the long-term effects on the risk of acetaminophen poisoning after easy access to acetaminophen was implemented. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of an emergency department (ED)-based in-depth Injury Surveillance Cohort by the Korea Center for Disease Control and prevention from 2011 to 2018. Poisoning cases were selected from the Cohort, and the incidence of acetaminophen poisoning and the characteristics of the cases of acetaminophen poisoning were analyzed. The purchase path and the amount of ingestion in acetaminophen poisoning were sub-analyzed from data of six EDs. Results: Of 57,326 poisoning cases, 4.0% (2,272 cases) were acetaminophen poisoning. Of 2,272 cases of acetaminophen poisoning, 42.8% (974 cases) required in-patient care after ED management. Two hundred and sixty-four of these 964 cases required intensive care. The rates of cases that required in-patient treatment and the rates of cases that required intensive care increased from 29.4% in 2011 to 48.1% in 2018, and from 3.1% in 2011 to 15.2% in 2018, respectively (p<0.001, p<0.001). In the poisoning group with in-depth toxic surveillance (n=15,908), the incidence and proportion of acetaminophen (AAP) poisoning increased from 55 cases per year to 187 cases per year and 4.9% to 6.1%, respectively (p=0.009, p<0.001, respectively). The most common age group of acetaminophen poisoning was teenagers, which is different from the most common age group of other pharmaceutical agents: the middle age group of 40-49 years (p<0.001). Of 15,908 in-depth toxic surveillance patients, 693 patients had AAP poisoning, of whom 377 cases (54.2%) purchased acetaminophen from a non-pharmacy. The proportions of the purchase path from non-pharmacy were 41.4% at 2011-12 and 56.4% (2013-18) (p=0.004). The amount of acetaminophen ingestion was 13.5±14.3 g at 2011-12 and 13.9±15.1 g at 2013-18 (p=0.794). Conclusion Although the incidence of acetaminophen poisoning did not increase remarkably in the short term after the implementation of the new regulation, the incidence of acetaminophen poisoning has increased slightly during the study period of 2017-18. In addition, the proportion of the purchase path from non-pharmacies has increased since the emergence of new regulations for the easy access of acetaminophen in 2012. The incidence of acetaminophen poisoning might have been affected after the increasing accessibility of acetaminophen in convenience stores. Continuous control of acetaminophen poisoning is required. Furthermore, the prevention of acetaminophen poisoning should be focused on teenagers with specialized school education programs.

Purpose: Since 2012, acetaminophen can be accessed easily not only at pharmacies but also at convenience stores. The relationship between the easy access of acetaminophen and the risk of poisoning has been controversial. Several studies also reported different results regarding the risk of acetaminophen poisoning after access to acetaminophen was relaxed. This study examined the long-term effects on the risk of acetaminophen poisoning after easy access to acetaminophen was implemented. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of an emergency department (ED)-based in-depth Injury Surveillance Cohort by the Korea Center for Disease Control and prevention from 2011 to 2018. Poisoning cases were selected from the Cohort, and the incidence of acetaminophen poisoning and the characteristics of the cases of acetaminophen poisoning were analyzed. The purchase path and the amount of ingestion in acetaminophen poisoning were sub-analyzed from data of six EDs. Results: Of 57,326 poisoning cases, 4.0% (2,272 cases) were acetaminophen poisoning. Of 2,272 cases of acetaminophen poisoning, 42.8% (974 cases) required in-patient care after ED management. Two hundred and sixty-four of these 964 cases required intensive care. The rates of cases that required in-patient treatment and the rates of cases that required intensive care increased from 29.4% in 2011 to 48.1% in 2018, and from 3.1% in 2011 to 15.2% in 2018, respectively (p<0.001, p<0.001). In the poisoning group with in-depth toxic surveillance (n=15,908), the incidence and proportion of acetaminophen (AAP) poisoning increased from 55 cases per year to 187 cases per year and 4.9% to 6.1%, respectively (p=0.009, p<0.001, respectively). The most common age group of acetaminophen poisoning was teenagers, which is different from the most common age group of other pharmaceutical agents: the middle age group of 40-49 years (p<0.001). Of 15,908 in-depth toxic surveillance patients, 693 patients had AAP poisoning, of whom 377 cases (54.2%) purchased acetaminophen from a non-pharmacy. The proportions of the purchase path from non-pharmacy were 41.4% at 2011-12 and 56.4% (2013-18) (p=0.004). The amount of acetaminophen ingestion was 13.5±14.3 g at 2011-12 and 13.9±15.1 g at 2013-18 (p=0.794). Conclusion Although the incidence of acetaminophen poisoning did not increase remarkably in the short term after the implementation of the new regulation, the incidence of acetaminophen poisoning has increased slightly during the study period of 2017-18. In addition, the proportion of the purchase path from non-pharmacies has increased since the emergence of new regulations for the easy access of acetaminophen in 2012. The incidence of acetaminophen poisoning might have been affected after the increasing accessibility of acetaminophen in convenience stores. Continuous control of acetaminophen poisoning is required. Furthermore, the prevention of acetaminophen poisoning should be focused on teenagers with specialized school education programs.

BACKGROUND: Patients survival after liver transplantation continue to improve, and renal dysfunction is not uncommon complication in the posttransplant setting and influences to prognosis. But this important complication has not been extensively evaluated in Korea. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of renal insufficiency and to identify the risk factors associated with renal insufficiency in long-term survivor over 6 months after liver transplantation at Seoul National University Hospital. METHODS: A retrospective study was done of 62 adult (44 males, 18 females; mean age 45 years, range 16-64) patients surviving more than 6 months (mean 17 months, range 6-63) after liver transplantation in the period of November 1996 to July 2001. Renal function of patients was classified by estimated endogenous creatinine clearance using Cockcroft-Gault formula. Potential risk factors for renal insufficiency were investigated. In addition, in the cases of patient who received mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) with calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) in reduced dosages for presumed CNI-induced nephrotoxicity, the change of renal function was analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The underlying diseases leading to transplantation included HBV-related cirrhosis in 43, hepatoma in 11, HCV-related cirrhosis in 2, alcoholic cirrhosis in 2, Wilson's disease in 1, and biliary atresia in 1 case (s). The immunosuppressive therapy included tacrolimus in 48 cases and cyclosporine in 14 cases combined with prednisolone. In all, 26 patients among study period, received MMF. Of all patients, 8 (13%) kept normal renal function (Ccr> or = 90), 27 (43.5%) developed mild dysfunction (60< or =Ccr< 90), 27 (43.5%) developed moderate dysfunction (30< or =Ccr< 60), and none of these patients developed severe renal dysfunction (Ccr< 30). Compared with control patients (Ccr> 60), renal dysfunction patients (Ccr< 60) had a lower preoperative creatinine clearance (p=0.007) and a lower 3-month creatinine clearance (p=0.032). But there were no differences seen among groups in age, sex, immunosuppresive protocol (tacrolimus vs. cyclosporine), mean tacrolimus serum level, developement of postoperative acute renal failure (ARF), and frequency of ARF among 6 months after transplantation. There was no statistically significant (p=0.057) but some recovery of renal function in the cases of patient who received MMF with low dose CNI. CONCLUSION: Patients who are more than 6 months after liver transplantation have renal dysfunction at a high rate (87%). Patients who develop moderate renal dysfunction have a lower preoperative and 3-month creatinine clearance. For renoprotective effect of MMF with reduced dosage of CNI, long-term randomized controlled studies are warranted.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult* ; Biliary Atresia ; Calcineurin ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Creatinine ; Cyclosporine ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Male ; Prednisolone ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Seoul ; Survivors ; Tacrolimus

PURPOSE: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy has become an important adjunct in the management of rectal cancer. But both systemic toxicity of chemotherapy and local effect of radiation interfere wound healing of intestinal anastomosis and ultimately may lead to anastomotic leak and septic complications. The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal time interval between preoperative chemoradiotherapy and anastmotic construction, and it was evaluated by security of anastomotic construction. METHODS: One hundred and twenty male Sprague Dawley rats weighing approximately 250 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (Control group; n=40, Group 1; n=20, Group 2; n=20, Group 3; n=40). The control group (n=20) underwent anastomotic construction at 1 week after general anesthesia without preoperative chemoradiotherapy. The experimental animals (group 1, 2, 3) received preoperative chemoradiotherapy with 5 daily dose (20 mg/kg) of 5-fluorouracil and single dose of 1500 cGy radiation at the rectosigmoid junction under general anesthesia on the day after last dose of chemotherapy. And group 1~3 subsequently underwent a laparotomy to make anastomotic construction at 1 week (Group 1), 2 weeks (Group 2), and 3 weeks (Group 3; n=20) after completion of chemoradiotherapy. The security of anastomotic construction was determined by bursting pressure, tissue hydroxyproline content, gross and microscopic findings of anastomotic area at the 5th and 10th postoperative day after anastomotic construction. To evaluate systemic toxicity after che-moradiotherapy, serial body weight and alteration of CBC were measured in the control group (n=20) and Group 3 (n=20) without anastomotic construction. RESULTS: At the 5th postoperative day, Mean bursting pressures of the all treated groups were lower than that of the control group (Control group; 88 23 mmHg, Group 1; 49 22 mmHg, Group 2; 56 17 mmHg, Group 3; 78 23 mmHg). The difference was not significant in the group 3 compared with the control group. Body weight decreased in the all treated animals. The mean body weight was lowest on the day 8 after completion of chemoradiotherapy and then it gradually increased. WBC and platelet counts also decreased in the all treated animals. WBC count was lowest on the day 1 and platelet count was lowest on the day 3 after completion of chemoradiotherapy. Mean hydroxyproline contents at the anastomotic sites in the all treated groups were higher than that of the control group, especially in the group 2 and 3. Similar histologic changes were observed in both group 3 and control group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the optimal time interval for safe intestinal anastomosis after preoperative chemoradiotherapy is 3 weeks or later.
Anastomotic Leak ; Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Colon* ; Drug Therapy ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Hydroxyproline ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Platelet Count ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVES: Nicotine is a natural alkaloid and insecticide in tobacco leaves. Green tobacco sickness (GTS) is known as a disease of acute nicotine intoxication among tobacco farmers. Until now, GTS has been recognized globally as a disease that results from nicotine absorption through the skin. However, we assumed that GTS might also result from nicotine inhalation as well as absorption. We aimed to measure the airborne nicotine concentrations in various work environments of Korean tobacco farmers. METHODS: We measured the nicotine concentrations in the tobacco fields, private curing barns, and joint curing barns of farmers from July to October 2010. All sampling and analyses of airborne nicotine were conducted according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health manual of analytic methods. RESULTS: The airborne nicotine concentrations (geometric mean [geometric standard deviation]) in the tobacco field were 83.4 mg/m3 (1.2) in the upper region and 93.3 mg/m3 (1.2) in the lower region. In addition, the nicotine concentration by personal sampling was 150.1 mg/m3. Similarly, the nicotine concentrations in the private curing barn, workers in curing barns, the front yard of the curing barn, and in the joint curing barn were 323.7 mg/m3 (2.0), 121.0 mg/m3 (1.5), 73.7 mg/m3 (1.7), and 610.3 mg/m3 (1.0), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The nicotine concentration in the workplaces of tobacco farmers was very high. Future studies should measure the environmental concentration of nicotine that is inhaled by tobacco farmers.
*Agriculture ; Air Pollutants/*analysis ; *Environmental Monitoring ; Humans ; Nicotine/*analysis ; Occupational Exposure/*analysis ; Tobacco ; Workplace