OBJECTIVE: This study examined the clinical effects of discharge against medical advice (DAMA) on suicide reattempts and clarified the risk factors related to DAMA. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of Chungbuk National University Hospital from 2015 to 2017. The medical records of suicide attempters from the National Emergency Department Information System were reviewed. The primary outcome was the ED revisit rate. The characteristics of the patients associated with DAMA were also examined. RESULTS: Among 889 eligible suicide attempters, 328 patients (36.9%) were reported to have DAMA at least once during the study period. Patients who were discharged against medical advice were more likely to reattempt suicide compared to normal disposition patients (11.0% vs. 3.7%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.002; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.71–5.28). The independent risk factors for DAMA were age≤60 (AOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.20–2.59), female (AOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.09–1.91), ED visit at night time (AOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03–1.92), and ED discharge at night time (AOR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.06–1.85). CONCLUSION: Patients who were discharged against medical advice revisited the ED more after suicide attempts. Public efforts will be needed for patients who are discharged against medical advice considering those risk factors.
Chungcheongbuk-do ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Medical Records ; Observational Study ; Odds Ratio ; Patient Discharge ; Risk Factors ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted

Wegener's granulomatosis is a rare disease that pathologically causes necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis in the arterioles and venules and it can invade the whole body. In addition, it is difficult to distinguish between a nontuberculous mycobacteria infection that shows manifestations of granuloma and Wegener's granulomatosis. There has been no reported on a patient who had the 2 abovementioned two diseases at the same time. A 69 year old male patient had Wegener's granulomatosis that had invaded the prostate. He also had a scrotal swelling and back pain. He had manifestations of granulomatous infection on the scrotum and spine biopsies. However, there was no clinical evidence of Wegener's granulomatosis. As a result, we examined him for other diseases that can cause a granuloma. Consequently, he was also diagnosed as suffering with a nontuberculous mycobacteria infection. We report here on this case and we review the relevant medical literature.
Arterioles ; Back Pain ; Biopsy ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Male ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Prostate ; Rare Diseases ; Scrotum ; Spine ; Stress, Psychological ; Vasculitis ; Venules ; Wegener Granulomatosis

PURPOSE: We wanted to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of overactive bladder(OAB) in Korean children who were 5-13 years of age, according to the definition of OAB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomly selected cross-sectional study was conducted on 26 kindergartens and 27 elementary schools nationwide in Korea. There were 19,240 children; a parent was asked to complete the questionnaires, which included items about OAB and the children's voiding and defecating habits. OAB was defined as urgency with or without urge incontinence, and usually with an increased daytime frequency and nocturia(ICCS 2006, group A) or an increased daytime frequency(>8 times/day) and/or urge urinary incontinence with or without urgency (group B); its prevalence and associated factors were investigated. RESULTS: The response rate for the questionnaires was 85.84%. The overall prevalence of OAB was 16.59%(group A) and 18.79%(group B). For groups A and B, the prevalence of OAB decreased with age from 22.89% to 12.16% and from 40.44% to 9.60%, respectively(p=0.0001). The overall rate of wet and dry OAB was 26.97% and 73.03%, respectively. Compared to the normal group, the children with OAB had a higher prevalence of nocturnal enuresis(NE), constipation, fecal incontinence, a history of urinary tract infection and delayed bladder control in both groups A and B(p<0.05). The rate of increased daytime frequency and urge incontinence were 3.69% and 2.31%(p=0.009), and 26.97% and 14.78%(p=0.0001) in group A and for the non-OAB children, respectively; their prevalence in group A decreased with age from 5.04% to 3.06% and from 45.74% to 18.50%, respectively(p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of OAB in group A for Korean children 5-13 years of age was similar to that in group B. However, the range of prevalence in group B was much more variable than that in group A. NE, constipation, fecal incontinence, a history of urinary tract infection and delayed bladder control may be risk factors for OAB in children.
Child ; Constipation ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fecal Incontinence ; Humans ; Korea ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive ; Urinary Incontinence ; Urinary Incontinence, Urge ; Urinary Tract Infections

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical parameters and complications between standard and tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomies (PCNL). The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy, safety and morbidity of a tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 102 patients, who underwent a PCNL at our institution by one surgeon, were enrolled in this study. Of the 102 patients, 30 underwent a standard PCNL between January 2001 and July 2002, and 72 underwent a tubeless PCNL between July 2002 and March 2005. All the PCNL were performed using a balloon tract dilator and 30Fr. working sheath. In the standard PCNL group, a 12Fr. nephrostomy tube was inserted. In the tubeless PCNL group, no nephrostomy tube was inserted, with the skin sutured onto the site of the nephrostomy. The stone volume, operating time, amount of blood loss, complications and hospital stay were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in stone volumes, decrease in postoperative 1 day hemoglobin, transfusion rates and complication rates between the two groups. However, the postoperative hemoglobin (p=0.05) and hospital stay (p=0.001) were significantly less in the tubeless compared to the standard PCNL group. CONCLUSIONS: The tubeless PCNL was associated with no more bleeding or complications than the standard PCNL. Tubeless PCNL is a recommendable procedure in percutaneous renal stone surgery.
Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous* ; Skin

PURPOSE: We wanted to study the precise anatomical location of the branches of the pelvic plexus from the sacral root to the cavernous nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed microdissection on the pelvises from 4 male formalin fixed cadavers under a Zeiss surgical microscope and we traced the location of the branches of the pelvic plexus at a magnification of 6x. RESULTS: The configuration of the pelvic plexus was an irregular diamond shape rather than rectangular. It was located retroperitoneally on the lateral wall of the rectum 8.2 to 11.5cm from the anal verge. Its midpoint was located 2.0 to 2.5cm from the seminal vesicle posterosuperiorly. A prominent neurovascular bundle (NVB) was located on the posterolateral portion of the apex and the mid portion of the prostate. The pelvic splanchnic nerve (PSN) joined the NVB at a point distal and inferior to the bladder-prostate (BP) junction. The PSN components joined the NVB in a spray-like distribution at multiple levels distal to the BP junction. The distance from the membranous urethra to the NVB was 0.5 to 1.2cm. We also found multiple tiny branches on the anterolateral aspect of the prostate apex. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to the usual concept, the NVB was much wider above the mid portion of the prostrate and it supplied multiple tiny branches on the anterolateral aspect of the prostate. The PSN branches arose from the more posteroinferior area of the pelvic plexus. Therefore, we recommend a more anterior dissection of the lateral pelvic fascia for nerve sparing radical prostatectomy. If surgeons plan a nerve graft after radical prostatectomy, they should consider this neuroanatomy for obtaining a successful outcome.
Cadaver ; Diamond ; Fascia ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Hypogastric Plexus* ; Male ; Microdissection ; Neuroanatomy ; Pelvis ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Rectum ; Seminal Vesicles ; Splanchnic Nerves ; Transplants ; Urethra

PURPOSE: The prognostic factors for superficial bladder tumor that affect tumor recurrence and progression have been studied for many years. They are stage, grade, size, multiplicity, microvessel invasion and etc. This study was performed to evaluate the influence of the tumor configuration on predicting its progression and recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 128 patients who initially presented with superficial bladder tumor (pTis, pTa and pT1) were retrospectively analyzed according to many factors such as stage, grade, size, multiplicity, microvessel invasion and tumor configuration for tumor progression and recurrence after primary transurethral resection. RESULTS: 48 patients (37.5%) experienced recurrent disease and 20 patients (15.6%) had progressive disease. The absence of stalk and microvessel invasion were the statistically significant factors for recurrence. Only microvessel invasion was a significant prognostic factor for progression. CONCLUSIONS: Only two factors, i.e., the absence of tumor stalk and microvessel invasion, were significant prognostic factors for tumor recurrence. Only microvessel invasion was a significant prognostic factor for tumor progression. When tumors are microvessel invasion positive without stalk after primary transurethral resection, these patients might then benefit from being treated with a more aggressive therapeutic modality.
Humans ; Microvessels ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

PURPOSE: Antegrade ureteral stenting was attempted in cases where cystoscopic retrograde ureteral stenting had been unsuccessful in the alleviation of a ureteral rupture, stricture or obstruction. Attempts were made to evaluate the clinical outcomes and technical issues of antegrade ureteral stenting in ureteral obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1998 and 2003, antegrade ureteral stenting was attempted in 15 patients. Here, the results were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 15 patients, the retrograde ureteral stenting failed in 13. The causes of the ureteral obstructions were urological and nonurological malignancies in 12 patients, genitourinary tuberculosis in 2 and endoscopic ureteral trauma in 1. RESULTS: Thirteen of the 15 patients were successfully stented using the antegrade methods. One cervical cancer patient was stented using a pull-through technique. Four out of 6 patients with radiologically completely obstructed ureters were stented successfully. The ureteral stents were removed in two patients where the causes of the ureteral obstructions were relieved. Seven patients were successfully stented for the relief of obstructive renal failure, and all showed rapid decreases in their serum creatinine level and/or improvements on imaging studies. Five patients were successfully stented for the relief a ureteral obstruction, and all showed improvements on imaging studies. Changes of the ureteral stents were performed by cystoscopy in four patients. CONCLUSIONS: Antegrade ureteral stenting is an alternative technique for the alleviation of a ureteral obstruction should retrograde ureteral stenting not be possible. An antegrade ureteral stenting trail is recommended, even in the case of a radiologically complete obstruction on an antegrade ureterogram. Antegrade ureteral stenting is one of the choices for the alleviation of a ureteral obstruction unless the patient has an intravesical obstruction and the inability to move.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Creatinine ; Cystoscopy ; Humans ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Stents* ; Tuberculosis ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Obstruction* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Solvent containing 2-bromopropane has been widely used as a detergent in the electronic industries. The long-term toxic effects of this chemical on spermatogenesis were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All eight employees (mean age 33 years) who were exposed to the solvent underwent semen analysis, hormonal tests, and testicular biopsies 2 to 3 months after cessation of the exposure. The patients' semen quality had been followed at regular intervals for 1 year as long as the results remained abnormal. We monitored the long-term outcome of 3 patients whose semen remained abnormal during 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: All patients had decreased sperm counts, with azoospermia being found in one patient. Six patients showed abnormal histologic findings such as atrophy of the seminiferous tubules, thickening of the basement membrane, and hyperplasia of Leydig cells. Of 8 patients, 5 (mean age 37.3 years) showed complete recovery of semen quality during the year after exposure ceased. These patients initially had sperm numbers more than 75 104/mL and a normal serum concentration of FSH. Of 3 patients with abnormal serum FSH and sperm numbers below 3,000/mL, 2 recovered normal sperm numbers at 18th and 24th months after cessation of exposure. Their ages and initial serum FSH concentration were 29 and 26 years and 19.6 and 74.7 mIU/mL, respectively. One patient (37 years old) with relatively normal testicular histology and a serum FSH concentration of 23.7 mIU/mL still had abnormal findings at the last semen analysis, performed 6 years after cessation of exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Solvent containing 2-bromopropane can impair spermatogenesis. This process may be reversed by avoidance of the exposure to this chemical substance. However, an abnormally elevated serum FSH concentration after exposure is an ominous sign for recovery of semen quality.
Atrophy ; Azoospermia ; Basement Membrane ; Biopsy ; Detergents ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Leydig Cells ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Sperm Count ; Spermatogenesis*

PURPOSE: Normal ranges for serum prostate specific antigen(PSA) differ among racial groups and by age. We sought to establish the relation between serum PSA concentration and age in a health care center Korea and to compare the vales with those of other races and other domestic health care centers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1997 and December 1998, a total of 2908 Korean men aged 40 to 79 years without clinical evidence of prostate cancer who were examined for serum PSA at Kangnung Hospital using the Tandem assay (Hybritech). Descriptive statistics, including the median value and 95th percentiles of the distribution of serum PSA concentrations, were calculated for 10-year age groups from age 40 through 79. RESULTS: The serum PSA concentration correlated directly with age (p<0.001) using the 95th percentile of PSA. The normal age-specific reference ranges were 0.3 to 2.20 ng/ml for 40-49years, 0.3 to 2.30 ng/ml for 50-59 years, 0.3 to 3.50 ng/ml for 60-69 years, and 0.2 to 5.80 ng/ml for 70-79 years. CONCLUSION: Age-specific reference ranges for serum PSA concentration may be lower for Korean men than for other races. Thus, it would be appropriate to apply different age-specific reference ranges for Koreans.
Continental Population Groups ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Reference Values*

PURPOSE: We studied 250 men who are over 50 years of age to evaluate the feature of benign prostatic hyperplasia and its impact on quality of life in rural areas of the Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred fifty men participated in this study. Urinalysis, urine culture, uroflowmetry, digital rectal examination and serum PSA were examined on all the participants. Transrectal ultrasonography(TRUS) were performed in 234 men. RESULTS: Of these 250 men, symptom prevalence was 78.71%. The age distributions of 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and > or =80 years of age were 91, 111, 43 and 5 men respectively(mean 62.4). The mean prostatic volumes for 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and > or =80 years of age group were 27.33cm3, 29.95cm3, 28.89cm3 and 33.55cm3. Of these, its volume difference was not statistically significant. Of 250 men, mildly symptomatic group(IPSS< or =7) was 22.5%, moderately symptomatic group(8< or =IPSS< or =19) 43%, and severely symptomatic group(IPSS> or =20) 34.5%. Severely symptomatic group showed higher mean age(p=0.0478), lower maximal flow rate(MFR)(p=0.024) and average flow rate(AFR)(p=0.003). Mildly symptomatic group showed smaller prostatic volume(p=0.013). Mean quality of life score for mildly, moderately, and severely symptomatic group were 2.09, 3.50, and 4.51 points, the score of which showed statistical difference(p<0.001). On comparison between the group of MFR<15ml/sec and the group of MFR> or =15ml/sec, statistical difference for the mean age (p<0.001), voided volume (p<0.001), QOL (p=0.02) and symptom score (p=0.002) was found. But no difference was found in prostatic volume(p=0.261). MFR, AFR and voided volume did not show significant correlation with prostatic volume. But serum PSA level was strongly correlated with prostatic volume. The AFR was a greatest determinant to symptom score in multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The symptom prevalence in rural areas of the Korea is not any less than that of western society. This study shows that it too has a great impact on the quality of life in rural Korea. The prostatic volume itself had no significance on symptom score nor uroflowmetric parameters. The uroflowmetric parameter such as MFR is more important in evaluating symptomatic patients than prostatic volume itself.
Age Distribution ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Gangwon-do* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Quality of Life* ; Ultrasonography ; Urinalysis