Purpose: Recently, we developed allele-discriminating priming system (ADPS) technology. This method increases the sensitivity of conventional quantitative polymerase chain reaction up to 100 folds, with limit of detection, 0.01%, with reinforced specificity. This prospective study aimed to develop and validate the accuracy of ADPS epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) Mutation Test Kit using clinical specimens. Materials and Methods: In total 189 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissues resected from patients with non–small cell lung cancer were used to perform a comparative evaluation of the ADPS EGFR Mutation Test Kit versus the cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2, which is the current gold standard. When the two methods had inconsistent results, next-generation sequencing–based CancerSCAN was utilized as a referee. Results: The overall agreement of the two methods was 97.4% (93.9%-99.1%); the positive percent agreement, 95.0% (88.7%-98.4%); and the negative percent agreement, 100.0% (95.9%-100.0%). EGFR mutations were detected at a frequency of 50.3% using the ADPS EGFR Mutation Test Kit and 52.9% using the cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2. There were 10 discrepant mutation calls between the two methods. CancerSCAN reproduced eight ADPS results. In two cases, mutant allele fraction was ultra-low at 0.02% and 0.06%, which are significantly below the limit of detection of the cobas assay and CancerSCAN. Based on the EGFR genotyping by ADPS, the treatment options could be switched in five patients. Conclusion The highly sensitive and specific ADPS EGFR Mutation Test Kit would be useful in detecting the patients who have lung cancer with EGFR mutation, and can benefit from the EGFR targeted therapy.

Purpose: This multi-center, retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the long-term survival in patients who underwent surgical resection for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and to identify the benefit of adjuvant therapy following surgery. Materials and Methods: The data of 213 patients who underwent surgical resection for SCLC at four institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy or an incomplete resection were excluded. Results: The mean patient age was 65.29±8.93 years, and 184 patients (86.4%) were male. Lobectomies and pneumonectomies were performed in 173 patients (81.2%), and 198 (93%) underwent systematic mediastinal lymph node dissections. Overall, 170 patients (79.8%) underwent adjuvant chemotherapy, 42 (19.7%) underwent radiotherapy to the mediastinum, and 23 (10.8%) underwent prophylactic cranial irradiation. The median follow-up period was 31.08 months (interquartile range, 13.79 to 64.52 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival were 53.4% and 46.9%, respectively. The 5-year OS significantly improved after adjuvant chemotherapy in all patients (57.4% vs. 40.3%, p=0.007), and the survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy was significant in patients with negative node pathology (70.8% vs. 39.7%, p=0.004). Adjuvant radiotherapy did not affect the 5-year OS (54.6% vs. 48.5%, p=0.458). Age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.032; p=0.017), node metastasis (HR, 2.190; p < 0.001), and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 0.558; p=0.019) were associated with OS. Conclusion Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection in patients with SCLC improved the OS, though adjuvant radiotherapy to the mediastinum did not improve the survival or decrease the locoregional recurrence rate.

Background/Aims: We examined the efficacy and safety of tegoprazan as a part of first-line triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, controlled, multicenter study was performed to evaluate whether tegoprazan (50 mg)-based triple therapy (TPZ) was noninferior to lansoprazole (30 mg)-based triple therapy (LPZ) (with amoxicillin 1 g and clarithromycin 500 mg; all administered twice daily for 7 days) for treating H. pylori. The primary endpoint was the H. pylori eradication rate. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 genotype, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amoxicillin and clarithromycin, and underlying gastric diseases. Results: In total, 350 H. pylori-positive patients were randomly allocated to the TPZ or LPZ group. The H. pylori eradication rates in the TPZ and LPZ groups were 62.86% (110/175) and 60.57% (106/175) in an intention-to-treat analysis and 69.33% (104/150) and 67.33% (101/150) in a per-protocol analysis (non-inferiority test, p=0.009 and p=0.013), respectively. Subgroup analyses according to MICs or CYP2C19 did not show remarkable differences in eradication rate. Both first-line triple therapies were well-tolerated with no notable differences. Conclusions TPZ is as effective as proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy and is as safe as first-line H. pylori eradication therapy but does not overcome the clarithromycin resistance of H. pylori in Korea

Objective: : Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) has been widely used during spine surgery to reduce or prevent neurologic deficits, however, its application to the surgical management for cervical myelopathy remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the success rate of IONM in patients with cervical myelopathy and to investigate the factors associated with successful baseline monitoring and the effect of increasing the stimulation intensity by focusing on motor evoked potentials (MEPs). Methods: : The data of 88 patients who underwent surgery for cervical myelopathy with IONM between January 2016 and June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The success rate of baseline MEP monitoring at the initial stimulation of 400 V was investigated. In unmonitorable cases, the stimulation intensity was increased to 999 V, and the success rate final MEP monitoring was reinvestigated. In addition, factors related to the success rate of baseline MEP monitoring were investigated using independent t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, chi-squared test, and Fisher’s exact probability test for statistical analysis. The factors included age, sex, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, smoking history, symptom duration, Torg-Pavlov ratio, space available for the cord (SAC), cord compression ratio (CCR), intramedullary increased signal intensity (SI) on magnetic resonance imaging, SI length, SI ratio, the Medical Research Council (MRC) grade, the preoperative modified Nurick grade and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score. Results: : The overall success rate for reliable MEP response was 52.3% after increasing the stimulation intensity. No complications were observed to be associated with increased intensity. The factors related to the success rate of final MEP monitoring were found to be SAC (p<0.001), CCR (p<0.001), MRC grade (p<0.001), preoperative modified Nurick grade (p<0.001), and JOA score (p<0.001). The cut-off score for successful MEP monitoring was 5.67 mm for SAC, 47.33% for the CCR, 3 points for MRC grade, 2 points for the modified Nurick grade, and 12 points for the JOA score. Conclusion : Increasing the stimulation intensity could significantly improve the success rate of baseline MEP monitoring for unmonitorable cases at the initial stimulation in cervical myelopathy. In particular, the SAC, CCR, MRC grade, preoperative Nurick grade and JOA score may be considered as the more important related factors associated with the success rate of MEP monitoring. Therefore, the degree of preoperative neurological functional deficits and the presence of spinal cord compression on imaging could be used as new detailed criteria for the application of IONM in patients with cervical myelopathy.

Background/Aims: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second-most common primary liver malignancy, arising from the peripheral intrahepatic bile duct epithelium. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) may be involved in the development of ICC. We explored the prognostic value of hepatitis virus infection, as well as other prognostic factors affecting survival in patients with ICC. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients diagnosed with ICC between August 2005 and December 2018 at Konkuk University Medical Center. We identified a total of 131 patients with ICC. Overall survival rates of patients with and without hepatitis were determined. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to estimate factors influencing survival outcomes. Results: A total of 17.6% (23/131) of patients were positive for HBV or HCV. Hepatitis B positive ICC patients were significantly younger with higher albumin and higher α-fetoprotein than those without hepatitis viral infections. The median survival of hepatitis-positive and hepatitis-negative groups was 280 and 213 days, respectively. Survival rates were not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.279). Multivariate analyses indicated that lower serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) (p < 0.001), lower T stage (p = 0.042), the absence of lymph-node metastasis (p = 0.043), and receiving curative surgery (p = 0.033) were independent predictors of better outcomes. Conclusions While hepatitis influenced a number of clinical features in ICC patients, it did not affect survival rate. Prognostic factors influencing survival outcomes with ICC were CA 19-9 level, T stage, the presence of lymph node metastasis, and curative surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients on dialysis undergoing surgery belong to a high-risk group. Only a few studies have evaluated the outcome of major thoracic surgical procedures in dialysis patients. We evaluated the outcomes of pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients on hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: Between 2008 and 2013, seven patients on HD underwent pulmonary resection for NSCLC at our institution. We retrospectively reviewed their surgical outcomes and prognoses. RESULTS: The median duration of HD before surgery was 55.0 months. Five patients underwent lobectomy and two patients underwent wedge resection. Postoperative morbidity occurred in three patients, including pulmonary edema combined with pneumonia, cerebral infarction, and delirium. There were no instances of in-hospital mortality, although one patient died of intracranial bleeding 15 days after discharge. During follow-up, three patients (one patient with pathologic stage IIB NSCLC and two patients with pathologic stage IIIA NSCLC) experienced recurrence and died as a result of the progression of the cancer, while the remaining three patients (with pathologic stage I NSCLC) are alive with no evidence of disease. CONCLUSION: Surgery for NSCLC in HD patients can be performed with acceptable perioperative morbidity. Good medium-term survival in patients with pathologic stage I NSCLC can also be expected. Pulmonary resection seems to be the proper treatment option for dialysis patients with stage I NSCLC.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Delirium ; Dialysis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Edema ; Pulmonary Surgical Procedures ; Recurrence ; Renal Dialysis* ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thoracic Surgical Procedures

PURPOSE: To identify neonatal characteristics associated with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) who required early operations and to introduce preoperative interventions to delay definitive operations until stabilized. METHODS: A retrospective review of dataset was performed from January 2000 to December 2011 for neonates admitted to NICU at Asan Medical Center with prenatally diagnosed CCAM. Variable prenatal and postnatal factors were compared for those who required early operations to those asymptomatic neonates who required elective operations at later age. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were enrolled and patients were divided into 2 groups according to time of operation. Median time of surgery for group 1 (n=12, 20%) and group 2 (n=48, 80%) was 5.5 days and 504 days, respectively. Maternal characteristics including age, parity, preterm labor, oligohydramnios were similar in between two groups. Factors associated with early operation included prenatal history of polyhydramnios (OR 23, P=0.001), who had undergone fetal interventions (OR 47, P=0.001), low 1 and 5 minute Apgar scores and increasing fetal fluid-filled cystic sizes (OR 26, P=0.013). Of those 3 neonates who required preoperative interventions to decrease air-filled cysts to relieve initial respiratory symptoms were successful and all underwent for definitive operations during NICU hospitalizations. All survived. CONCLUSION: Most neonates with CCAM undergo elective operations during infancy. However, about 20% neonates with polyhydramnios, fetal intervention, increasing fetal cystic mass and born with low Apgar scores required early operations for whom prenatal and postnatal interventions prior to definitive surgery can improve survival rate.
Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of Lung, Congenital ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Oligohydramnios ; Parity ; Polyhydramnios ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: The frontal sinuses are a pair of triangularly shaped, air-filled chambers lined by mucoperiosteum and located between the inner and outer tables of the frontal bone. Until recently, our understanding of gender variations in craniofacial anatomy has been chiefly built upon anthropometric studies, which typically employ facial surface measurements or plain film radiography. The aim of this study i to determine the sizes of the frontal sinus in both sexes in Koreans. METHODS: 95 Korean subjects who underwent maxillofacial 3-Dimensional computed tomography(CT) between January 2009 and December 2009 were enrolled. Frontal sinus dimensions and forehead measurements were taken at midline and at 10, 20, and 30mm to the left and right of midline using sagittal, coronal, and axial images. The data was analyzed for significant differences between measurements made at the selected points in the frontal sinus, for left to right variations, for gender variations, and for racial differences. RESULTS: The mean thickness of the anterior table ranged from 2.31 to 3.23mm. Mean anteroposterior depth of the frontal sinus ranged from 7.38 to 9.45mm and did not vary significantly at any distance from midline. Frontal sinus height was greatest at midline(mean=29.24mm) and progressively lessened at lateral distances. Mean total width at the level of the supraorbital ridge was 53.66mm. For all measurements, no significant left to right variation was noted. Comparing the sexes, males were found to have greater dimensions in most frontal sinus measurements, though these differences were only found to be significant at or close to midline. The male forehead was marked by more acute nasofrontal angle(133.3degrees versus 141.6degrees) and a steeper posterior forehead inclination(14.9degrees versus 7.7degrees). CONCLUSION: Using CT imaging, forehead and frontal sinus dimensions have been described. Generally, males had larger overall frontal sinus dimensions. And Korean had similar sized frontal sinus to Caucasian in height and width. But in AP distance Korean had lesser measurement. The result of this study may be helpful in the comprehension of normal size of frontal sinus in Korean.
Comprehension ; Forehead ; Frontal Bone ; Frontal Sinus ; Humans ; Male

PURPOSE: Cellulose is a natural substance from plants or bacteria. It is known that bacterial synthesized cellulose has an effect of wound healing. The aim of this study is to show the effect of bacterial synthesized cellulose from citrus on wound healing. METHODS: Three full-thickness skin defects were made on the back of Sprague-Dawley rats. Three wounds were treated by vaseline gauze(Group V), Algisite M(R)(Group A) and bacterial synthesized cellulose from citrus(Group C) was used for dressing on skin defect on rats. We analyzed the gross, histological and biochemistry finding. RESULTS: Group C showed more decrease of wound size compared to Group V(33% versus 7.2#) after 14 days. The histologic findings revealed Group C and Group A preceed the process of wound healing rather than Group V(More rapid collagen deposition and neovascularization and reduced inflammation). Also, the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and transforming growth factor(TGF)-beta1 were increased in the Group C and Group A compared with the Group V in 7 days. VEGF and TGF-beta1 expression were decreased in the Group C and Group A in 14 days, however Group V was not decreased at 14 day because of delayed wound healing process. CONCLUSION: Bacterial synthesized cellulose from citrus affects wound healing by reducing the inflammatory stage. And stimulates wound contracture by the deposition of extracellular matrix, thus preventing the formation of chronic wounds.
Animals ; Bacteria ; Bandages ; Biochemistry ; Cellulose ; Citrus ; Collagen ; Contracture ; Extracellular Matrix ; Petrolatum ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: Many descriptions of the digital arterial anatomy including skin territory of the finger have been published. Relatively few studies on venous architecture of the finger have been performed in this area, in part, attributable to the technical difficulties encountered in dissecting small vessels. The purpose of this study is to present the precise microsurgical anatomy of the vein related to the digital artery and venae comitantes of the components. METHODS: Arterial and venous anatomy of their relation to the fingers were examined in 38 specimens of two fresh cadavers and 36 clinical cases. All specimens were evaluated grossly, surgical microscopically, or/and light microscopically to observe the three & two-dimensional structure of the artery and joining vein, evidence of the venae comitantes, and venous valve. RESULTS: No longitudinal venae comitantes along the digital artery were found in any specimens. The size of the venae comitantes of each digital artery was much smaller than other vein, but always existed any level of digital artery. One or two venae comitantes in the digital artery ran spiral, oblique, helical, fibrillar, or irregular branched shape. The authors also found the vein of the finger, that had bicuspid valves, but not in venae comitantes. CONCLUSION: Recently, venous outflow problem rather than arterial circulation is the most common cause tissue failure after microvascular surgery in the hand. Sometimes, if it is not recognized early, there is an increased risk of tissue damage and loss. The authors concluded that this study presents a useful knowledge for the characterization of the venous structure and evidence for venae comitantes like a venule in the digital artery at varying levels of the finger.
Arteries ; Cadaver ; Fingers ; Hand ; Light ; Microsurgery ; Mitral Valve ; Skin ; Veins ; Venous Valves ; Venules