BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation (LT) is a complicated procedure with a high incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Previous studies indicate that even transient or mild post-LT AKI can result in critical conditions, including prolonged stays in hospitals and intensive care units and increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and occurrence of AKI in LT recipients. METHODS: Medical data from 203 patients who received LT surgery from January 2010 to August 2016 in a single university hospital setting were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Patients were classified as either underweight (BMI <20 kg/m²) or normal weight (20 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²). Demographic data, anesthetic methods, complications, and perioperative laboratory test values of each patient were assessed. Propensity analyses and logistic regression were performed to evaluate the association between BMI and post-LT AKI. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in occurrence of post-LT AKI between underweight and normal weight patients. The underweight patient group had significantly longer hospital stay compared with the normal weight patient group (P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: BMI classification was neither a positive nor negative predictor of postoperative AKI occurrence. However, patients with lower BMI had significantly longer hospital stay compared with their counterparts. Although our study was limited by its retrospective design, our observations suggest that lower BMI might play a role in post-LT AKI.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Body Mass Index* ; Classification ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies* ; Thinness

Purpose: : This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of the clinical ladder system (CLS) by identifying the perception of the CLS, professional self-concept, self-efficacy, and organizational commitment among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses. Methods: : Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 173 nurses working in 11 ICUs at a tertiary hospital in Seoul. Results: : The perception of the CLS, self-efficacy, and organizational commitment showed significant difference according to the CLS level. As a result of the partial Spearman correlation analysis after adjusting for demographic difference according to CLS (age, marital status, education, and clinical career), CLS positively correlated with the perception of the CLS (r=.16, p=.045), professional self-concept (r=.24, p=.001), and self-efficacy (r=.21, p=.007). On the contrary, organizational commitment negatively correlated with the perception of the CLS (r=-.43, p＜.001) and self-efficacy (r=-.32, p＜.001). Conclusion : The CLS is effective for professional self-concept and self-efficacy. However, specialists 2 nurses, who had high professional self-concept and self-efficacy, showed low level of organizational commitment. Thus, it is necessary to examine the factors of work burden and career plateau that are imposed after promotion and improve experience and planning according to the growth needs. Moreover, regular evaluation of the CLS will require hospital support to ensure that ICU nurses appreciate and actively participate in the support.

No abstract available.
Dyskeratosis Congenita*

BACKGROUND: In both infants and children, increased hormonal and metabolic responses to open heart surgery may be directly related to postoperative complications. Anesthestic management including regional anesthesia can substantially attenuate a perioperative stress response and targeted therapy may improve the outcome. In this study, our objectives were to quantify the extent of pain control, and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of caudal morphine or meperidine. METHODS: Seventy-five pediatric patients undergoing a open heart surgery were randomly assigned to three groups according to receiving morphine (group M, n = 25), or meperidine (group D, n = 25) caudally, and a control group (group C). Caudal morphine 30ng/kg with 0.15% bupivacaine 1 ml/kg or meperidine 2 mg/kg with 0.15% bupivacaine 1 ml/kg was injected after anesthetic induction. Pain score and side effects were evaluated immediate postoperatively, 12, 24, and 48 hr postoperatively in the intensive care unit and consciousness recovery and extubation time were checked. RESULTS: Patients in the groups M and D had significantly lower pain scores than the group C. Recovery and extubation time were shorter in the groups M and D. Incidence of nausea and vomiting was significantly higher in the group M than in the groups D and C. CONCLUSIONS: Caudal morphine and meperidine reduced postoperative pain and facilitated extubation.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Bupivacaine* ; Child ; Consciousness ; Heart* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units ; Meperidine* ; Morphine* ; Nausea ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Complications ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Vomiting

Purpose: : This study aimed to identify the effects of a multifaceted pediatric delirium education program for pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurses on their delirium knowledge, confidence in delirium nursing, and delirium evaluation accuracy. Methods: : This study used a one-group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 50 nurses in two units of the PICU at S General Hospital in Seoul. All participants took a 1-hour lecture with case-based practice for the first two weeks, and received feedback as they applied the program to clinical practice over the next two weeks. Test measures were completed before and after the four week intervention period for all participants. The delirium evaluation accuracy was measured using the Korean version of the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium. Data were analyzed using the chi-square and paired t-tests. Results: : After the Pediatric Delirium Education Program, nurses’ delirium knowledge (x2 =11.65, p =.001), confidence in delirium nursing (t=9.71, p＜.001), and delirium evaluation accuracy (t=6.07, p＜.001) improved significantly. Conclusions : Pediatric delirium education programs for PICU nurses were effective. For active application of the program in clinical practice in the future, various cases of childhood delirium and specific strategies for each subject must be developed. To achieve this, long-term intervention and research for multiple organizations are required.

BACKGROUND: Maintenance of tracheal intubation is associated with use of sedatives, stress due to mechanical ventilation, or respiratory complications. The aim of this study is to compare the incidence of delirium between early and late extubation groups after liver transplantation (LT). METHODS: Medical records from 247 patients who received LT from January 2010 to July 2017 in a single university hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided with 2 groups: Those who underwent early extubation after LT (E group, n = 52) and those who underwent extubation within few hours of intensive care unit (ICU) admission after surgery (C group, n = 195). The patients’ demographic data, perioperative managements and postoperative complications were collected. Early extubation was defined as performing extubation in the operating room after LT. A propensity score matching analysis was performed to reduce the effects of selection bias. RESULTS: Among them, 4/52 (7.69%) in E group and 30/195 (15.38%) in C group occurred postoperative delirium after LT, respectively (P = 0.180). After propensity score matching, there was no difference of the period of hospitalization in ICU (P = 0.961), time to discharge after surgery (P = 0.117) and incidence of delirium between groups (P = 1.000). CONCLUSIONS: Although this study is a retrospective study and limited by the small number of subjects, early extubation does not affect the incidence of delirium after LT. Therefore, further prospective studies on this were needed.
Airway Extubation ; Delirium ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver ; Medical Records ; Operating Rooms ; Postoperative Complications ; Propensity Score ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Selection Bias

Purpose: Driveline infection (DLI) is one of the major adverse events of Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). The purpose of this study was to explore the incidence of DLI according to the driveline dressing methods. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study that investigated the medical records of 75 patients who implanted LVAD from January 2015 to December 2020 at a hospital in Seoul, Korea. Traditionally, sandwich dressing method was applied until October 2019, after which newly winded dressing method was adopted for driveline dressing to LVAD patients. The outcome variables were compared between sandwich dressing method applied group (n=41) and winded dressing method applied group (n=34). The follow-up period for DLI was 1 year. Results: When compared participants’ characteristics, there was no difference between the two groups, except the type of LVAD device. The incidence of DLI was 17.1% in sandwich dressing group, while no infection was found in winded dressing group (p=.011). Conclusion Although there were difference in the LVAD devices, it is considered that winded dressing contributed to the reduction of DLI. Further research on standardized dressing methods was required for DLI prevention in Korea.

Background: There are various reports on the effects of the anesthetic method on neurologic complications. A population-based study was conducted to estimate the effect of anesthetic method on the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients that underwent total hip replacement arthroplasty in South Korea. Methods: The Korean National Health Insurance claims database was used to retrospectively identify and analyze 24,379 cases of total hip replacement arthroplasty, defined as patients having a claim record with the operation code ‘N0711,’ from January 2008 to December 2017. Patients were divided into two groups, a general anesthesia group (n = 9,921) and a regional anesthesia group (n = 14,458). The incidence of delirium was assessed in cases when patients used medications for delirium, such as haloperidol, chlorpromazine, olanzapine, and risperidone. Results: Of the 9,921 patients receiving general anesthesia and 14,458 receiving regional anesthesia, 142 (1.43%) and 209 (0.86%) experienced postoperative delirium after total hip replacement arthroplasty, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.92). In logistic regression analysis, sex (P = 0.038) and patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (P = 0.008) were predictors of postoperative delirium. Conclusions Our results revealed that the anesthetic method was not associated with the incidence of postoperative delirium. In addition, the results suggest that male patients and patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome undergoing total hip replacement arthroplasty carefully managed for postoperative delirium after surgery.

Objectives: Postoperative opioid use and pain are related to postoperative delirium. This study aims to compare the incidence of delirium in patients with and without patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) among liver transplant recipients. Methods: The medical records of 253 patients who received liver transplantation (LT) from January 2010 to July 2017 in a single university hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: the patients who had used PCIA (P group, n = 71) and those who did not use PCIA (C group, n = 182) after LT in intensive care unit (ICU). The patient data were collected, which included demographic data, and details about perioperative management and postoperative complications. Results: There was no difference in the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score between the two groups. Postoperative delirium occurred in 10 / 71 (14.08 %) in the P group and 26 / 182 (14.29 %) in the C group after LT, respectively (P = 0.97). After propensity score matching, no differences were observed in the incidence of delirium (P = 0.359) and the time from surgery to discharge (P = 0.26) between the two groups. Conclusions Patients with PCIA after LT exhibited no relationship with postoperative delirium. Therefore, it is necessary to actively control postoperative pain using PCIA.