PURPOSE: Currently, single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SLC) is gradually being expanded. However, its operative time and complications are reportedly variable according to the surgeon's expertise and experience. In order to overcome these problems, we introduced surgical methods using a 2 mm sized auxiliary device (NELIS, Korea) in cholecystectomy. METHODS: Between March 2010 and October 2010, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 53 patients for non-inflammatory gallbladder stones or gallbladder polyps based on the computed tomography findings. Fourteen of 53 consecutive patients underwent SLC and others underwent CLC. The patient's clinical characteristics and operative results were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Comparison of clinical characteristics between SLC and CLC groups indicated that the SLC group included younger patients (p=0.008), however other characteristics (sex, mean body index, and previous abdominal operation history) were not significantly different. Operative outcomesparameters including the intensity of postoperative pain, rate of wound complication, and postoperative hospital stay did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. Operative time of the SLC group was longer than that of the CLC group (p=0.002). However, the operative time was decreased according to the increasing SLC cases. By 3 months, patients in the SLC group reported significantly better cosmesis (p=0.036). CONCLUSION: SLC with an auxiliary device (2 mm, Hold port, NELIS) is technically feasible and might be an alternative method for obtaining a critical view of safety and cosmetic results.
Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Pain, Postoperative ; Polyps ; Retrospective Studies ; Wounds and Injuries

A 41-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for self-audible wheezing sound and dyspnea. On past history, she has been suffered from chest discomfort, and treated recurrently by other hospitals. But, there was no symptomatic improvement. A stridor and mixed wheezing sound was auscultated on whole lung field. PFT revealed fixed type or variable intra- & extra-thoracic air way obstructive pattern. By bronchoscopy & bronchogram, we found web-like structure on the distal trachea. A bronchoplasty was performed and the post-operative PFT showed slight improvement & she had no more complaints.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Respiratory Sounds ; Thorax ; Trachea ; Tracheal Stenosis*

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of subpulmonary effusion is thought to be somewhat difficut more than pulmonary effusion. Clinical course and pathophysiology are thought to be different from typical pulmonary effusion. This study was done for increasing high suspicious index and early diagnosis of subpulmonary effusion. METHOD: Among the patients at dept. of chest medicine, National Medical Center from January 1990 to Dec. 1993, 232 cases of typical pulmonary effusion and 42 cases of subpulmonary effusion were studied. RESULT: 1) The ratio of subpulmonary effusion and typical pulmonary effusion was about 1:5 2) Male to Female ratio was 1:1 in both effusion. 3) Rt. side pleural and subpleural effusion were slightly predominant. 4) Subjective symptoms are chest pain, cough and exertional dyspnea. There is no difference between subpulmonary and typical pulmonary effusion. 5) Duration of symptom was slightly longer in subpulmonary effusion. 6) The most common cases of pleural effusion is tuberculosis in both subpulmonary & typical pulmonary effusion. Non-specific pleuritis was more common in subpulmonary effusion. 7) Pleural effusion was recurred about one fifth in both subpulmonary & pulmonary effusion. CONCLUSION: We studied clinical course and laboratory findings between subpulmonary & pulmonary effusion. However there are no definite difference between subpulmonary & pulmonary effusion. Duration of symptom was slightly longer in subpulmonary effusion. Most common cause was tuberculosis. Non specific pleuritis was more prevalent in subpulmonary effusion.
Chest Pain ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleurisy ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis

Granular cell tumor(myoblastoma) of the bronchus is an uncommon benign tumor that causes pulmonary complications due to obstruction of the airways. The tumor as origianally described by Abrikossoff was considered to be muscular origin, but currently neural derivation is favored. We report a case of granular cell tumor of bronchus of 27-year-old female patient with recurrent pneumonia that is confirmed by bronchoscopic biopsy, and review the liturature.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Bronchi* ; Female ; Granular Cell Tumor* ; Humans ; Pneumonia

INTRODUCTION: Bone regeneration of cystic defects of the jaws after a cyst treatment requires lengthy healing periods. Generally, the bony changes are observed periodically through a visual radiographic reading as well as by the clinical opinion and radiographic images (panorama, periapical view), but it is difficult to compare the objective bony changes using only the radiographic density. In addition, it is difficult to observe minute bony changes through a visual radiographic reading, which can lead to a subjective judgment. This study exmined the bone density after the enucleation of a jaw cyst by fractal analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients with a cystic lesion on the jaw were assessed. Panoramic radiographs were taken preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after cyst enucleation. The images were analyzed by fractal analysis. RESULTS: The mean fractal dimensions increased immediately after surgery and 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The postoperative 6 and 12 months fractal dimension was similar to the controls. CONCLUSION: Fractal analysis was used to overcome the limit of a subjective reading during an assessment of bone regeneration after cyst enucleation.
Bone Density ; Bone Regeneration ; Fractals ; Humans ; Jaw ; Jaw Cysts ; Judgment

Background/Aims: Although a management fee for hospitalist service was established in Korea, the number of hospitalists required for the system to run remains outmatched. Methods: In January 2020 and February 2022, before and after the establishment of the hospitalist fee system respectively, cross-sectional online surveys were conducted among internal medicine board-certified hospitalists. Results: There were 59 and 64 respondents in the 2020 and 2022 surveys, respectively. The percentage of respondents who cited financial benefits as a motive for becoming a hospitalist was higher in the 2022 survey than in the 2020 survey (34.4% vs. 10.2%; p = 0.001). The annual salary of respondents was also higher in the 2022 survey than in the 2020 survey (mean, 182.9 vs. 163.0 million in South Korean Won; p = 0.006). A total of 81.3% of the respondents were willing to continue a hospitalist career in the 2022 survey. In multivariate regression analysis, the possibility of being appointed as a professor was found to be an independent predictive factor of continuing a hospitalist career (odds ratio, 4.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–14.75; p = 0.037). Conclusions Since the establishment of the hospitalist fee system, monetary compensation has improved for hospitalists. The possibility of being appointed as a professor could predict long-term work as hospitalists.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence and clinical features of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Korea. METHODS: Web-based (www.armd-nova.or.kr) registration was conducted for AMD patients aged 50 or more who were newly diagnosed by retinal specialists in Korea from August 20, 2005 to August 20, 2006. Patient data including ophthalmologic examination, fundus photography, fluorescein angiogram and/or indocyanin green angiogram (ICG), past medical history, behavioral habit, combined systemic diseases were up-loaded. RESULTS: Among finally enrolled 1,141 newly diagnosed AMD patients, 690 patients (60.5%) were male and 451 patients (39.5%) were female. The average age of AMD patients was 69.7+/-8.0. Early AMD was observed in 190 patients and 951 patients had late AMD. Classic choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) was observed in 18.6% of exudative AMD patients and 63.4 % had occult CNVM. Subfoveal CNVM was observed in 80.4% of the patients with CNVM. Among the 580 exudative AMD eyes that performed indocyanin green angiography (ICG), 184 eyes (31.7%) had polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and 36 eyes (6.2%) showed retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). Age, male gender, smoking, diabetes and hypertension significantly increased the risk of the AMD among Koreans. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the low rate of participation by retinal specialists, definite incidence of AMD was not obtainable. However, the estimated 1-year AMD incidence in the Pusan area of Korea is at least 0.4%. In contrast to Western people, 31.7% of exudative AMD cases were revealed to be PCV and 6.2% were revealed to be RAP. This discrepancy between ethnic groups should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment modality selection of Korean AMD patients.
Aged ; Angiography ; Choroid ; Ethnic Groups ; Eye ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Korea ; Macular Degeneration ; Male ; Membranes ; Photography ; Retinaldehyde ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Specialization