Background: Although respiratory tract infection is one of the most important factors triggering acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD), limited data are available to suggest an epidemiologic pattern of microbiology in South Korea. Methods: A multicenter observational study was conducted between January 2015 and December 2018 across 28 hospitals in South Korea. Adult patients with moderate-to-severe acute exacerbations of COPD were eligible to participate in the present study. The participants underwent all conventional tests to identify etiology of microbial pathogenesis. The primary outcome was the percentage of different microbiological pathogens causing AE-COPD. A comparative microbiological analysis of the patients with overlapping asthma–COPD (ACO) and pure COPD was performed. Results: We included 1,186 patients with AE-COPD. Patients with pure COPD constituted 87.9% and those with ACO accounted for 12.1%. Nearly half of the patients used an inhaled corticosteroid-containing regimen and one-fifth used systemic corticosteroids. Respiratory pathogens were found in 55.3% of all such patients. Bacteria and viruses were detected in 33% and 33.2%, respectively. Bacterial and viral coinfections were found in 10.9%. The most frequently detected bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.8%), and the most frequently detected virus was influenza A (10.4%). Multiple bacterial infections were more likely to appear in ACO than in pure COPD (8.3% vs. 3.6%, p=0.016). Conclusion Distinct microbiological patterns were identified in patients with moderate-to-severe AE-COPD in South Korea. These findings may improve evidence-based management of patients with AE-COPD and represent the basis for further studies investigating infectious pathogens in patients with COPD.

PURPOSE: Obesity is considered an epidemic worldwide. Nonsurgical treatment such as dietary, physical and pharmacological therapies have limited success and thus, bariatric surgery is the ultimate option. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a bariatric procedure, which is a restrictive and malabsorptive procedure simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to develop surgical rat models of bariatric surgery and analyze the effect of gastric bypass on body weight, ghrelin and polypeptide YY(3-36) (PYY(3-36)) changes in rats. METHODS: RYGB, sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and sham operation were performed in diet-induced obese rats and compared to obese control and normal control rats. RESULTS: In RYGB group, 20.7+/-8.56% of weight loss was achieved on postoperative day 18 and maintained thereafter. This outcome was significant compared to SG (8.8+/-1.82%) and sham operated (6.2+/-2.45%) groups. When pre- and postoperative ghrelin levels were compared, there was a significant decrease in RYGB group (P<0.028); nonetheless, there was no difference in SG and sham operated groups. When pre- and postoperative PYY(3-36) levels were compared, there was a significant increase in RYGB (P<0.028), SG (P<0.031) and sham operated (P<0.031) groups. CONCLUSION: We developed surgical rat models of RYGB and SG. Those rats that underwent RYGB lost significant body weight and maintained the weight thereafter. The decrease in ghrelin and increase in PYY(3-36) may be associated with loss of appetite and delay in intestinal transit time with subsequent weight loss maintenance. In the future, this rat model would serve as a tool for further study on endocrine regulation of obesity.
Animals ; Appetite ; Bariatric Surgery ; Body Weight ; Gastrectomy ; Gastric Bypass ; Ghrelin ; Models, Animal ; Obesity ; Peptide YY ; Rats ; Salicylamides ; Weight Loss

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has proved to be safe and effective, worldwide. The perigastric technique was once the most frequent method of band placement, but posterior prolapse was a problem. The introduction of the pars flaccida technique has considerably reduced the incidence of this complication, and, currently, this technique is the most utilized method and recommended by most bariatric surgeons. However, LAGB with pars flaccida technique has rare complications such as band slippage and gastric pouch dilatation in 2~5% of patients. We have experienced 2 band replacement cases for band slippage and pouch dilatation each happening about 1 and 2 years after LAGB.
Bariatric Surgery ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prolapse

Obesity is one of the most significant causes of GERD. Nissen fundoplication is a surgical procedure that's performed world widely for treating patients with GERD and a hiatal hernia and who are intractable to medical therapy. However, Nissen fundoplication may have technical difficulties in morbidly obese patients due to the huge perigastric, intraabdominal fat tissue and hepatomegaly. During the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (LRYGB) procedure, the stomach was divided into the gastric pouch and the remnant stomach by vertiacally stapling at the angle of His. The posterior gastric wall and hiatus were easily exposed even when there was huge deposits of perigatric and intraabdominal fat tissue. We report here on a case of concomitant hiatal hernia repair with LRYGB in a morbidly obese patient.
Fundoplication ; Gastric Bypass ; Gastric Stump ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Hepatomegaly ; Hernia, Hiatal ; Humans ; Obesity ; Obesity, Morbid ; Stomach

PURPOSE: Obesity has become a global epidemic disease, and bariatric surgery is now being increasingly performed in Korea as well as in western countries. Bariatric surgery has been performed in Korea since 2003. However, there is no data on cases of Korean bariatric surgery regarding the weight loss as well as the factors associated with the surgical outcome. METHODS: 120 total cases of bariatric surgery [LRYGB=48, LAGB=72] were done at St. Mary's Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the series of bariatric cases and we analyzed the surgical outcome, the complications and the clinical factors associated with the surgical outcomes. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, BMI and pre-existing comorbidities for both procedures. The percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) of the LRYGB at 6, 12 and 24 months was 63.8%, 73.7% and 87.5%, respectively, and the %EWL of the LAGB was 33.4%, 44.7% and 43.8%, respectively. Factors such age and gender were not associated with the surgical outcome. Yet the initial BMI tended to affect the surgical outcome. CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicate that LRYGB and LAGB are technically feasible and safe procedures. Both are quite satisfactory and promising procedures for loosing a significant amount of weight.
Bariatric Surgery ; Comorbidity ; Korea ; Obesity ; Obesity, Morbid ; Retrospective Studies ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: Although the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is relatively low in Korean population, the number is increasing. The aim of this study is to analyze our experience with laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From Sep. 2003 to Mar. 2008, 31 adult Korean patients diagnosed with GERD underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. A 360degrees fundoplication was carried out in all patients. RESULTS: There were 19 males and 12 females with an average age of 46.8 +/- 17.0 years. Typical symptoms were present in 15 (48%) of patients, and atypical symptoms in 16 (51.6%). Both typical and atypical symptoms were present in 4 of patients (12.9%). Preoperative studies showed hiatal hernias in 13 patients (41.9%), Barrett's esophagus in 10 (32.3%), and reflux esophagitis in 18 (58.1%). Mean DeMeester score was 17.4 +/- 16.7, mean operative time 206.1 +/- 47.8 min and mean hospital stay 5.2 +/- 2.1 days. Perioperative complications occurred in 5 patients (16.1%), including gastric perforation, subcutaneous emphysema, atelectasis, and prolonged ileus. Gastroesophageal junction stenoses with subsequent endoscopic balloon dilations were required in 5 patients (16.1%). After surgery, symptoms were completely controlled in 17 patients (54.8%), partially improved in 12 patients (38.7%) and not controlled in 2 patients (6.5%). CONCLUSION: In our series, 93.5% of patients had either complete or partial remission of symptom after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Atypical symptoms were more predominant in our Korean patients. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is an efficacious method of controlling symptoms of GERD, even for those who have atypical symptoms.
Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; *Fundoplication ; Gastroesophageal Reflux/ethnology/*surgery ; Humans ; Korea ; *Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Satisfaction ; Prevalence ; Treatment Outcome

Although cerebral thromboembolic disease is a rare extraintestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis, it is one of the major causes of death in patients with the disease. A 29-year-old man who had a 7-year history of ulcerative colitis was admitted to our hospital complaining of nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and colicky abdominal pain. Fourteen days after admission, he developed sudden-onset left pure motor hemiplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography revealed an infarction involving the right temporo-occipital hemisphere and diffuse middle cerebral artery territory. Neck computed tomography angiography showed no evidence of cervical carotid or vertebral artery abnormalities, and transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms revealed no evidence of thrombi. Factor V was elevated to 176% (normal 50~150%) and protein S antigen had decreased to 57% (normal 60~150%). He was managed with antiplatelet agents and a total proctocolectomy.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Angiography ; Cause of Death ; Cerebral Infarction ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Diarrhea ; Factor V ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Nausea ; Neck ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Protein S ; Thromboembolism ; Ulcer ; Vertebral Artery ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical course and pregnancy outcome according to operative management of appendictis in the Department of Surgery. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of pregnant patients who went through a convential appendectomy and a laparoscopic appendectomy at the Department of Surgery, Catholic University of Korea St. Mary's Hospital, from May 1995 to June 2006. RESULTS: The incidence of acute appendicitis during pregnancy was the highest at the 2nd trimester and at ages from 25 to 30 years. The laparoscopic appendectomy was shorter than the open appendectomy in hospital stay and decreased leukocytosis faster in the first postoperative day, except in cases of perforated appendicitis, but the operation times were similar. There was a significant difference in gestational age at delivery between perforated appendicitis and suppurative. We found one fetal anomaly, but it was not related to either the appendicitis or the operation method. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that a laparoscopic appendectomy was better than an open appendectomy for recovery and was safe in pregnant appendicitis patients at any gestational age. However, follow up and investigation in a larger population is needed to get more accurate results.
Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Leukocytosis ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome

Laparoscopic surgery describes the performance of surgical procedure with the assistance of a video camera and several other instruments. It is now being used in all surgical fields and especially operations for gastrointestinal diseases adopting a laparoscopic procedure in a relatively short period of time. Many benefits of minimally invasive surgery had been proved. With improvement in equipments, instrumentations, and surgical skills, it would be growing and be able to be approached for a more complex procedure. This paper briefly reviews the history, current status, and future of laparoscopic surgery.
Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Laparoscopy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical features of acute hepatitis A in Seoul and Gyeonggi province during the recent 2 years. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 222 patients who were diagnosed as acute hepatitis A between August 2005 and March 2007 at the Konkuk University Hospital and Korea University, Ansan Hospital. The clinical manifestation, serological tests, and image findings were analyzed. RESULTS: Median age of the patients was 28.1 years and the age groups of highest incidence were the second and third decade. The frequent symptoms were anorexia (66.4%), fatigue (49.2%), fever (47.7%), and abdominal discomfort (42.5%). Fourteen cases (6.3%) showed renal insufficiency, and hemodialysis was performed in one. Cholestatic hepatitis in 2 cases, relapsing hepatitis in 4 cases and prolonged hepatitis in 13 cases were observed. However, there was no case of fulminant hepatitis or death. The underlying diseases including chronic hepatitis B, diabetes mellitus and thyroid disorder did not affect the disease severity of hepatitis A. IgM anti-HAV was not detected initially in 6.7% of the patients. Anti-HEV (IgM) was detected simultaneously in 3 of 150 patients. CONCULSIONS: The age of patients with acute hepatitis A has been increased in the recent years. Most patients recovered uneventfully. However, unusual patterns of severe hepatitis and renal insufficiency occurred in considerable number of cases. Follow-up serologic test for IgM anti-HAV is needed in seronegative cases with hepatitis A
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hepatitis A/*diagnosis/immunology ; Hepatitis A Antibodies/metabolism ; Hepatitis A Virus, Human/immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serologic Tests ; Suburban Population