No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Pulmonary Embolism*

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) has more advantages than conventional common bile duct surgery, but the use of this route for stone removal and biliary drainage remains controversial. The goal of this study was to investigate the usefulness of LCBDE in patients who had been failed in the endoscopic stone extraction. METHODS: From November 2005 to August 2008, 52 patients underwent LCBDE due to failure of endoscopic stone extraction in Chungnam National University Hospital. Clinical data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Duodenal diverticulum (23 cases, 44.2%) was the most common cause in failure of endoscopic stone extraction and large common bile duct stone 12 cases (23.1%), previous upper gastrointestinal operation 10 cases (19.2%) were followed. Twenty four patients did not have preoperative biliary drainage, such as PTBD, ENBD, PTGBD. Forty-five patients (86.5%) of the 52 participating patients underwent LCBDE successfully, but 7 cases resulted in open surgery for the following reasons: 3 cases of severe intraabdominal adhesions, 3 cases of stone impaction in ampulla portion, and 1 case of a remnant stone. External biliary drainage was performed in 41 cases with T-tube (31 cases, 68.9%), PTBD (7 cases, 15.6%), ENBD (3 cases, 6.7%). The stone clearance of LCBDE was 95.6%. Remnant stone weredetected in 2 cases (4.4%) and removed with choledochoscope via external biliary drain. Postoperative complications happened in 5 cases (9.5%). Procedure related complications happened in 2 cases (3.8%). CONCLUSION: LCBDE is useful technique in patients with failed endoscopic stone extraction, and biliary drainage may be necessary for detection and removal of latent remnant CBD stones.
Common Bile Duct ; Dioxolanes ; Diverticulum ; Drainage ; Fluorocarbons ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications

BACKGROUND: Hypothermia (< 36°C) is common during arthroscopic shoulder surgery. It is known that 30 to 60 minutes of prewarming can prevent perioperative hypothermia by decreasing body heat redistribution. However, the effect of short-term prewarming (less than 30 minutes) on body temperature in such surgery has not been reported yet. Therefore, the aim of this prospective study was to investigate the effect of short-term prewarming for less than 30 minutes using forced-air warming device on body temperature during interscalene brachial plexus block (ISBPB) procedure in arthroscopic shoulder surgery before general anesthesia. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery to receive either cotton blanket (not pre-warmed, group C, n = 26) or forced-air warming device (pre-warmed, group F, n = 26). Temperature was recorded every 15 minutes from entering the operating room until leaving post-anesthetic care unit (PACU). Shivering and thermal comfort scale were evaluated during their stay in the PACU. RESULTS: There were significant differences in body temperature between group C and group F from 30 minutes after induction of general anesthesia to 30 minutes after arrival in the PACU (P < 0.05). The median duration of prewarming in group F was 14 min (range: 9-23 min). There was no significant difference in thermal comfort scale or shivering between the two groups in PACU. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that short-term prewarming using a forced-air warming device during ISBPB in arthroscopic shoulder surgery had beneficial effect on perioperative hypothermia.
Anesthesia, General ; Body Temperature* ; Brachial Plexus Block ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Operating Rooms ; Prospective Studies ; Shivering ; Shoulder*

BACKGROUND: Hypothermia (< 36°C) is common during arthroscopic shoulder surgery. It is known that 30 to 60 minutes of prewarming can prevent perioperative hypothermia by decreasing body heat redistribution. However, the effect of short-term prewarming (less than 30 minutes) on body temperature in such surgery has not been reported yet. Therefore, the aim of this prospective study was to investigate the effect of short-term prewarming for less than 30 minutes using forced-air warming device on body temperature during interscalene brachial plexus block (ISBPB) procedure in arthroscopic shoulder surgery before general anesthesia. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery to receive either cotton blanket (not pre-warmed, group C, n = 26) or forced-air warming device (pre-warmed, group F, n = 26). Temperature was recorded every 15 minutes from entering the operating room until leaving post-anesthetic care unit (PACU). Shivering and thermal comfort scale were evaluated during their stay in the PACU. RESULTS: There were significant differences in body temperature between group C and group F from 30 minutes after induction of general anesthesia to 30 minutes after arrival in the PACU (P < 0.05). The median duration of prewarming in group F was 14 min (range: 9-23 min). There was no significant difference in thermal comfort scale or shivering between the two groups in PACU. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that short-term prewarming using a forced-air warming device during ISBPB in arthroscopic shoulder surgery had beneficial effect on perioperative hypothermia.
Anesthesia, General ; Body Temperature* ; Brachial Plexus Block ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Operating Rooms ; Prospective Studies ; Shivering ; Shoulder*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cognitive reserve is important for the individual susceptibility to dementia. Among the various determinants of cognitive reserve, the number of years of formal education would be of prime importance. We performed this study to explore its contribution to the clinical characteristics of dementia. METHODS: We included consecutive mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia patients (clinical dementia rating, CDR=0.5 or 1) who visited our memory clinic and were older than 70 years at the evaluation from October 2013 to September 2015. According to the number of years of education, the corresponding subjects was grouped into two extreme educational groups, low education (illiterate or partially illiterate, LE, n=43) vs. high education (more than 9 years of education, HE, n=34). Among these patients, we compared various demographic, neuropsychological and neuroimaging characteristics. RESULTS: The groups were comparable in terms of age, frequency of hypertension and diabetes, and CDR and its sum of box. However, female gender was more frequent in the LE group (p=0.000). Also this group showed a more depressive mood on the geriatric depression scale (p=0.007). The raw scores on Korean Version of Mini-Mental State Examination and well-validated neuropsychological tests were lower in the LE group. However, the cognitive performance was found to be more preserved in the LE group than in the HE group when assessed using the z-score in certain specified tests on univariate and multivariate analyses (p<0.05). The Schelten's grade of medial temporal atrophy was similar between the two educational groups. Also, the degree of combined ischemic burden did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We identified that the prevalence of depressive mood and the extent of decline from the corresponding norm in a particular neuropsychological performance differ according to the educational level of mild AD patients.
Aged* ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Atrophy ; Cognitive Reserve ; Dementia* ; Depression ; Education ; Literacy ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Memory ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neuroimaging ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Prevalence

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to measure the effects of emergency department (ED) expansion at a tertiary hospital on overall ED length of stay (LOS). METHODS: This study was a before and after study using data from a tertiary medical center in Seoul, a large metropolis. We used electronic medical records and administrative databases obtained from the ED. The control period (before expansion) was defined as from January 1 to April 31, 2016. The study period (after expansion) was defined as from May 1 to August 31, 2016. The number of ED beds increased from 42 to 74 after the expansion. After adjusting individual characteristics and institutional characteristics, multivariate regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the effects of expansion on overall ED LOS. RESULTS: A total of 45,632 patients visited the emergency medical center: 20,592 patients before and 25,040 after the expansion. Although the absolute number of patients increased, the portion of medical patients, portion of non-referral patients, and ambulatory patients decreased during the study period (all p<0.001). Average visit number increased from 170.2 (standard deviation [SD], 27.3) to 203.6 (SD, 21.3) (p<0.001). The overall ED LOS increased from 332.2 (SD, 473.4) to 391.0 minutes (SD, 649.5). After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that ED expansion was associated with an increase in ED LOS by 75.8 minutes (95% confidence interval, 63.5 to 88.2). CONCLUSION: We found that the ED expansion was associated with a significant increase in ED LOS.
Crowding ; Electronic Health Records ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hospital Administration ; Humans ; Length of Stay* ; Overall ; Seoul ; Tertiary Care Centers*

Fungal peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients is hard to treat without catheter removal and shows higher mortality. Although Candida species is the most common pathogen of fungal peritonitis, there are few reports about Trichosporon inkin induced peritonitis. The authors report the first case of Trichosporon induced peritonitis identified by 18S rRNA sequencing. A 52-year-old male presented to emergency room due to generalized abdominal pain. He had been on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for 3 years because of end stage renal disease caused by diabetic kidney disease. Dialysate white blood cell count was 800/mL3 with 77% of neutrophils and culture showed Trichosporon inkin via Vitek II system. With removal of catheter and treatment of antifungal agent, the patient was fully recovered and stable on hemodialysis. In case of immunocompromised dialysis patients, uncommon fungal pathogens should be taken into considerations.
Abdominal Pain ; Candida ; Catheters ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Dialysis ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neutrophils ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Peritonitis ; Renal Dialysis ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S ; Trichosporon

The publisher wishes to apologize for incorrectly displaying the author (Jung-Ho Han) name. We correct his name from Jung-Ho Han to Joung-Ho Han.

Pancreaticopleural fistula is an uncommon complication of chronic pancreatitis. We report a case of pancreaticopleural fistula that was presented with right-sided hemothorax. A 49-year-old male with a history of chronic alcoholism was presented with a month of dyspnea. A chest radiography showed a right-sided massive pleural effusion with old-blood-colored fluids and amylase levels of 1,020 IU/L. On the chest computerized tomography (CT), there was pleural effusion and a well-defined tract from the posterior mediastinum to the pseudocyst in the tail of the pancreas. Even with conservative treatment with closed thoracostomy, octreotide and gabexate mesilate, he developed hemothorax. Abdominal CT revealed an increase of the hemorrhagic pancreatic pseudocyst. Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and external drainage of the pancreaticopleural fistula on the posterior mediasternum were performed. The patient had an uneventful course and was discharged on the 27th postoperative day. Management of pancreaticopleural fistula is multimodal included medication, endoscopic stenting and surgery. Surgery in pancreaticopleural fistula might be beneficial in selective cases.
Alcoholism ; Amylases ; Drainage ; Dyspnea ; Fistula ; Gabexate ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Octreotide ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Pleural Effusion ; Splenectomy ; Stents ; Thoracostomy ; Thorax

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study assessed the antibiotic resistance organisms isolated from the blood and bile of acute cholangitis and evaluated risk factors associated with them and their impact on clinical outcomes. METHODS: The identities and antibiotic resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from 433 cases of acute cholangitis from 346 patients were analyzed. Risk factors and the outcomes of patients infected with them were assessed. RESULTS: Microorganisms were isolated from 266 of 419 blood cultures and 256 of 260 bile cultures. Isolates from bile and blood were identical in 71% of the cases. A total of 20 extended spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producers and 4 carbapenemase-producing organisms were isolated from blood, and 34 ESBL-producers and 13 carbapenemase-producers were isolated from bile. Sixty-four (14.8%) cases were infected with any one of these bacteria isolated from blood or bile. Risk factors associated with them in blood were nosocomial infection and prior biliary intervention. In bile, indwelling biliary device was a risk factor associated with them. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were associated with mortality, independent of other prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: ESBL or carbapenemase-producing bacteria were frequently isolated in acute cholangitis patients especially with prior biliary intervention and nosocomial infection. Isolation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was an independent risk factor of mortality.
Bacteria ; Bacterial Proteins ; beta-Lactamases ; Bile ; Cholangitis ; Cross Infection ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Humans ; Risk Factors