Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is associated with severe outcomes. We report a case of acute respiratory failure that required mechanical ventilation and was clinically and pathologically diagnosed as DAH related to exposure to organic dust. A 39-year-old man, who had visited a warehouse to grade beans for purchase, was referred to our hospital for impending respiratory failure. His initial radiographic examinations revealed diffuse bilateral ground-glass opacities in his lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage resulted in progressively bloodier returns, which is characteristic of DAH. He underwent bedside open lung biopsy of his right lower lobe in the intensive care unit. Biopsy results revealed DAH and organization with accumulation of hemosiderin-laden macrophages and a few fibroblastic foci. The patient was treated with empirical antibiotics and high-dose corticosteroids and successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation. DAH might be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute respiratory failure after exposure to organic particles.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biopsy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dust* ; Fibroblasts ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency*

No abstract available.
Facial Pain* ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Organ Transplantation

Over the past few decades, interest in minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) has increased tremendously due to its core principle of minimizing approach-related injury while providing outcomes similar to traditional open spine procedures. With technical and technological advancements, MISS has expanded its utility not only to simple spinal stenosis, but also to complex spinal pathologies such as metastasis, trauma, or adult spinal deformity. In this article, we review the techniques and technology in MISS and discuss the indications, benefits, and limitations of MISS.

A 64-year old woman who underwent lung transplantation and had T-cannula contracted classic scabies from her daughter. The patient was treated with 5% permethrin 10 times and had two consecutive negative follow-up microscopic examinations. However, the patient had recurrent symptoms and diagnosed with recurrent classic scabies 22 days after the last treatment. Unchanged tie string and unapplied topical agent around the T-cannula skin lesion may be reasons for recurrence. Thus, accurate application of topical treatment and changing the tie string of the t-cannula is needed to prevent a recurrence.

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) can involve any organ. The majority of reported cases involve IgG4-RD of the biliary tract or pancreas, while only two cases of pericarditis have been reported. A 58-year-old man visited the outpatient clinic of our institution with a seven-day history of progressive dyspnea. Based on his transthoracic echocardiogram and transesophageal echocardiogram, he was diagnosed with constrictive pericarditis. The histopathology of his pericardiectomy revealed the cause of constrictive pericarditis to be IgG4-RD. Prednisolone (40 mg) was initiated after the pericardiectomy. As the patient's symptoms resolved, he was discharged and followed-up on an outpatient basis. This is the first case report of constrictive pericarditis caused by IgG4-RD in Korea.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Biliary Tract ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins* ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients ; Pancreas ; Pericardiectomy ; Pericarditis ; Pericarditis, Constrictive* ; Prednisolone

It is widely believed that effective communication is critical for the containment of the spread of emerging infectious diseases. Various media outlets and studies have pointed out communication failure as one of the key components that contributed to the wide and rapid spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in South Korea. To address these concerns, we first outline the definitions of risk and crisis communication and why they are important. We then illustrate communication models and guidelines utilized in three organizations (World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UK Public Health England) for health or disaster control. By analyzing the current guidelines for infectious diseases in South Korea and they were actually applied during the Middle East respiratory syndrome situation, we will assess what went wrong and what went right. Finally, we will suggest various measures that will help to ensure similar tragedies do not happen again.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Containment of Biohazards ; Coronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; Disasters ; Korea ; Middle East ; Public Health*

Thoracic splenosis is an autotransplantation of splenic tissue to thorax resulting from splenic and diaphragmatic injury. Thoracic splenosis is usually discovered incidentally on routine thoracic imaging as single or multiple left-sided pleural-based masses without symptoms. Traditionally, patients often undergo an invasive diagnostic procedures including thoracotomy to acquire tissue samples in order to exclude other causes of lung mass. The combination of imaging findings and clinical history make it avoid unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedure to confirm. Therefore, thoracic splenosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of asymptomatic patients with multiple, left-sided pleural-based nodules and previous history of thoracoabdominal injury and splenectomy. Here we report a case of thoracic splenosis diagnosed without invasive procedure.
Autografts ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Splenectomy ; Splenosis* ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to develop a Personality Assessment Scale for Hospital Employees (PAS-HE). Most current personality scales for recruiting employees have focused on evaluating the negative aspects of mental health. The present study sought to develop a Self-Report Questionnaire that assessed not only mental health problems but also positive personality traits and character strengths, as well as capabilities for hospital work. METHODS: Initially, a preliminary item pool was constructed and administered to psychiatry outpatients (n=44), hospital employees (n=217), and normal adults matched to hospital employees (n=217). Using the data from the three groups, the final 250 items for the PAS-HE were selected. Next, using data from 637 normal adults, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and factor structure were examined and age norms were calculated for each of four age groups (18–25, 26–35, 36–45, 46–55 years). RESULTS: The PAS-HE showed moderate to high internal consistency, good temporal stability, and good construct validity. Factor structure and t-score norms (mean=50, SD=10) for each age group were established. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated the reliability and validity of the developed PAS-HE, suggesting that the PAS-HE can be time- and cost-efficient when used for recruitment and human resource management in hospitals.
Adult ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Outpatients ; Personality Assessment* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Weights and Measures

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent prescribed widely to prevent stent thrombosis after coronary or peripheral vascular interventions and for stroke prophylaxis. The side effects of this drug include gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and bleeding. Thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP) is a rare complication of this drug. Here, we report a case of clopidogrel-associated TTP in a patient with cerebral infarction. To our knowledge, it is first reported case of clopidogrel-associated TTP in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Korea ; Nausea ; Purpura ; Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic* ; Stents ; Stroke ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombosis ; Vomiting

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent prescribed widely to prevent stent thrombosis after coronary or peripheral vascular interventions and for stroke prophylaxis. The side effects of this drug include gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and bleeding. Thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP) is a rare complication of this drug. Here, we report a case of clopidogrel-associated TTP in a patient with cerebral infarction. To our knowledge, it is first reported case of clopidogrel-associated TTP in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Korea ; Nausea ; Purpura ; Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic* ; Stents ; Stroke ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombosis ; Vomiting