Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of an educational program utilizing virtual reality (VR) on learning immersion and satisfaction and intention to use VR for performing various techniques among dental hygiene students. The study also intended to assess the adverse effects of using VR devices and analyze the intention to use VR to comprehensively evaluate the educational benefits of VR. Methods: A 31-item survey was conducted with 64 dental hygiene students who took the “Oral Radiology Practice” course from March to June 2024. Data were analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient using IBM SPSS Statistics 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA), analysis of variance, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient using IBM SPSS Statistics 24.0. Results: Immersion was positively correlated with satisfaction with the VR device (r=0.746) and negatively correlated with satisfaction with learning (r=–0.785) and intention to use VR (r=–0.779). The positive correlation between satisfaction with learning and intention to use VR was very strong (r=0.965). Immersion had a strong negative correlation with satisfaction with learning (r=–0.804) and intention to use VR (r=–0.801). Conclusion Learners exhibited low immersion; however, their satisfaction with learning and intention to use VR were relatively high. These results suggest that, despite the limitations in immersion due to the technical constraints of VR practice, its practicality and effectiveness positively influenced satisfaction with learning. Rather than using VR training alone, applying a blended learning model appears to yield more effective educational outcomes.

Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

This study aimed to establish infection control strategies for preventing the spread of scabies within a single institution by analyzing the epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with scabies. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study. The electronic medical records of 430 patients diagnosed with scabies at the dermatology outpatient department of Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were used to collect data on their characteristics. The subjects were divided into three groups: patients, family of confirmed patients, and healthcare workers. General and epidemiological characteristics were analyzed. Results: The average age was 60.89 ± 22.39 years. The number of days from symptom onset to diagnosis was unknown in many cases (65.3%), although the average was 63.42 ± 64.18 days. Repeated visits after treatment were observed in 193 patients (67.5%), 38 family members of confirmed patients (55.1%), and 35 healthcare workers (46.7%), showing a statistically significant difference (p = .002). The most common place of residence before the visit was home (56.2%), and the most common suspected origin of contagion was the home (38.3%), and the most common category of the suspected contagious person was family (49.6%). Conclusion: Cases of scabies were disproportionately common in women and older adults. The interval from symptom onset to diagnosis was long, and about half of the cases involved itching but no skin lesions. More than one-thirds of cases did not revisit for a follow-up after 2 weeks. In the overall results, unlike previous studies, factors related to home and family were frequently observed as epidemiological characteristics.

This study aimed to derive insights into professional self-concept, teamwork, and job satisfaction among emergency department (ED) nurses and to prepare basic data for improving job satisfaction among ED nurses. Methods: The study was conducted between October 2023 and April 2024 at two certified tertiary hospitals and one general hospital in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, among 124 ED nurses. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0, and the analysis included descriptive statistics, the t-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. Results: The factors affecting job satisfaction in ED nurses were professional self-concept (β = .66, p < .001), teamwork (β = .17, p = .003), and ED work satisfaction (β = .17, p = .003), and the overall explanatory power of the model was 67.7%. Conclusion: This study makes a significant contribution by demonstrating that professional self-concept and teamwork can increase job satisfaction in ED nurses. Therefore, as a strategy to increase job satisfaction through improving ED nurses’ professional self-concept and teamwork, effort should be made to apply team simulation programs that provide education and self-improvement opportunities for frequent diseases and situations encountered in the ED, and to communicate effectively about patient treatment strategies.

Purpose: To evaluate the compatibility and usability of test results obtained from the IDRA and Keratograph 5M in clinical settings by comparing their performance in patients with dry eye disease. Methods: From December 27 to 30, 2022, a study was conducted on 30 patients diagnosed with dry eye utilizing both the Keratograph 5M and IDRA devices. The parameters compared and analyzed included lipid layer thickness, tear meniscus height, tear film break-up time, and meibography. A paired t-test was used for statistical comparison. The lipid layer thickness in the Keratograph 5M was graded on a scale from 0 to 4 based on thickness. Results: No significant differences were found between the two devices in tear film break-up time, tear meniscus height, and meibography (p = 0.148, 0.072, 0.124, respectively). However, the tear lipid layer thickness measured by IDRA showed a proportional relationship with the grade assigned by the Keratograph 5M (Kendall R = 0.217, p = 0.037; Spearman R = 0.260, p = 0.045). Conclusions The IDRA device offers the advantage of performing multiple dry eye tests; simultaneously, thereby saving time compared to the Keratograph 5M. Both devices can be used compatibly with IDRA particularly advantageous for providing a numerical value for tear lipid layer thickness which enhances the convenience of dry eye diagnosis and treatment.

Obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal anomaly (OHVIRA) syndrome is a rare Müllerian duct anomaly, commonly characterized by uterus didelphys, obstructed hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal agenesis. While these are the three most common genitourinary anomalies in OHVIRA syndrome, a spectrum of urogenital anomalies can be present. Knowledge of this spectrum is crucial for proper patient management and treatment planning. In this case series, we report on five patients with OHVIRA syndrome, each presenting with a urogenital anomaly other than the typical renal agenesis or uterus didelphys. We highlight the gynecological complications encountered, which clinicians and radiologists should be aware of.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.