Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasonography- and fluoroscopy-guided transvaginal catheter drainage for pelvic fluid collection. Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective study included nine female patients who underwent transvaginal drainage for pelvic fluid collection unsuitable for transabdominal access between October 2016 and January 2023. The study analyzed patient symptoms and signs, ultrasonography and CT findings, transvaginal approach details, and technical and clinical outcomes, including complications. Catheters of size 7 or 8.5-Fr, with or without an endocavitary needle guide were used for the puncture. Results: Pelvic fluid collections were primarily post-operative (n = 7) or from patients with primary tubo-ovarian abscesses (n = 2). All patients achieved technical success, defined as the successful insertion of the drainage catheter at the site of target fluid collection, and clinical success, defined as the improvement of symptoms with catheter removal within 1 week. In seven cases, the procedure was assisted by an endocavitary needle guide. The median catheter indwelling period was 2 days, with two minor complications: accidental catheter removal and urinary bladder puncture, both of which were managed without further complications. Conclusion Ultrasonography- and fluoroscopy-guided transvaginal drainage are effective and safe methods for managing pelvic fluid collections that are unsuitable for a transabdominal approach.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasonography- and fluoroscopy-guided transvaginal catheter drainage for pelvic fluid collection. Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective study included nine female patients who underwent transvaginal drainage for pelvic fluid collection unsuitable for transabdominal access between October 2016 and January 2023. The study analyzed patient symptoms and signs, ultrasonography and CT findings, transvaginal approach details, and technical and clinical outcomes, including complications. Catheters of size 7 or 8.5-Fr, with or without an endocavitary needle guide were used for the puncture. Results: Pelvic fluid collections were primarily post-operative (n = 7) or from patients with primary tubo-ovarian abscesses (n = 2). All patients achieved technical success, defined as the successful insertion of the drainage catheter at the site of target fluid collection, and clinical success, defined as the improvement of symptoms with catheter removal within 1 week. In seven cases, the procedure was assisted by an endocavitary needle guide. The median catheter indwelling period was 2 days, with two minor complications: accidental catheter removal and urinary bladder puncture, both of which were managed without further complications. Conclusion Ultrasonography- and fluoroscopy-guided transvaginal drainage are effective and safe methods for managing pelvic fluid collections that are unsuitable for a transabdominal approach.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasonography- and fluoroscopy-guided transvaginal catheter drainage for pelvic fluid collection. Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective study included nine female patients who underwent transvaginal drainage for pelvic fluid collection unsuitable for transabdominal access between October 2016 and January 2023. The study analyzed patient symptoms and signs, ultrasonography and CT findings, transvaginal approach details, and technical and clinical outcomes, including complications. Catheters of size 7 or 8.5-Fr, with or without an endocavitary needle guide were used for the puncture. Results: Pelvic fluid collections were primarily post-operative (n = 7) or from patients with primary tubo-ovarian abscesses (n = 2). All patients achieved technical success, defined as the successful insertion of the drainage catheter at the site of target fluid collection, and clinical success, defined as the improvement of symptoms with catheter removal within 1 week. In seven cases, the procedure was assisted by an endocavitary needle guide. The median catheter indwelling period was 2 days, with two minor complications: accidental catheter removal and urinary bladder puncture, both of which were managed without further complications. Conclusion Ultrasonography- and fluoroscopy-guided transvaginal drainage are effective and safe methods for managing pelvic fluid collections that are unsuitable for a transabdominal approach.

The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) has collected nationwide registry data on clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment since 1996. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea and assess changes in breast cancer statistics for 2021 using data from the KBCS registry and the Korean Central Cancer Registry. In 2021, 34,628 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The median age of women diagnosed with breast cancer was 53.4 years, with the highest incidence occurring in the 40–49 age group. The most common molecular subtype was hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, accounting for 69.1% of cases, while HER2-positive subtypes comprised 19.3%. During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the national breast cancer screening rate declined. However, the incidence of early-stage breast cancer (stages 0 and I) continued to increase, accounting for 65.6% of newly diagnosed cases in 2021. Our results showed that the overall survival rate for patients with breast cancer has improved, primarily due to a rise in early-stage diagnoses and advancements in treatment.

The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) has collected nationwide registry data on clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment since 1996. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea and assess changes in breast cancer statistics for 2021 using data from the KBCS registry and the Korean Central Cancer Registry. In 2021, 34,628 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The median age of women diagnosed with breast cancer was 53.4 years, with the highest incidence occurring in the 40–49 age group. The most common molecular subtype was hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, accounting for 69.1% of cases, while HER2-positive subtypes comprised 19.3%. During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the national breast cancer screening rate declined. However, the incidence of early-stage breast cancer (stages 0 and I) continued to increase, accounting for 65.6% of newly diagnosed cases in 2021. Our results showed that the overall survival rate for patients with breast cancer has improved, primarily due to a rise in early-stage diagnoses and advancements in treatment.

Background: In patients with coronary artery disease treated with permanent polymercoated drug-eluting stents (DES), the persistent presence of a less biocompatible polymer might delay arterial healing. Thin strut polymer-free DES have the potential to improve clinical outcomes and reduce the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). The purpose of this first-in-human study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of a novel polymer-free DES in patients with de novo coronary lesions. The TIGERevolutioN® stent (CG Bio Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea) consists of a cobalt chromium platform with a strut thickness of 70 μm and a surface treated with titanium dioxide onto which everolimus-eluting stent (EES) is applied abluminally (6 µg/mm of stent length) without utilization of a polymer. Methods: A total of 20 patients were enrolled, with de novo coronary lesions (stable or unstable angina) and > 50% diameter stenosis in a vessel 2.25 to 4.00 mm in diameter and ≤ 40 mm in length for angiographic, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and clinical assessment at 8 months. All patients received DAPT after stent implantation. The primary endpoint was angiographic in-stent late lumen loss (LLL) at 8 months. Results: Twenty patients with 20 lesions were treated with TIGERevolutioN® . At 8 months, in-stent LLL was 0.7 ± 0.4 mm. On OCT, percent area stenosis was 29.2 ± 9.4% and stent strut coverage was complete in all lesions. No adverse cardiovascular event occurred at 8 months. Conclusion The new polymer-free EES was safe and effective with low LLL and excellent strut coverage at 8 months of follow-up.

Background: Water electrospray technology has been developed and extensively studied for its physical properties and potential application as a non-chemical biocide against airborne pathogens. However, there are still concerns regarding the safety and potential toxicity of inhaling water electrospray (WE) particles. To address these potential hazards and offer insights into the impact of WE on humans, we analyzed the immunopathological response to WE by employing an intranasal challenge C57BL/6 mouse model. This analysis aimed to compare the effects of WE with those of sodium hypochlorite (SH), a well-known biocidal agent. Results: The study findings suggest that the WE did not trigger any pathological immune reactions in the intranasal-challenged C57BL/6 mouse model. Mice challenged with WE did not experience body weight loss, and there was no increase in inflammatory cytokine production compared to SH-treated mice. Histopathological analysis revealed that WE did not cause any damage to the lung tissue. In contrast, mice treated with SH exhibited significant lung tissue damage, characterized by the infiltration of neutrophils and eosinophils. Transcriptomic analysis of lung tissue further confirmed the absence of a pathological immune response in mice treated with WE compared to those treated with SH. Upon intranasal challenge with WE, the C57BL/6 mouse model did not show any evidence of immunopathological damage. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that WE is a safe technology for disinfecting airborne pathogens. It demonstrated little to no effect on immune system activation and pathological outcomes in the intranasal challenge C57BL/6 mouse model. These findings not only support the potential use of WE as an effective and safe method for air disinfection but also highlight the value of the intranasal challenge of the C57BL/6 mouse model in providing significant immunopathological insights for assessing the inhalation of novel materials for potential use.

The global resurgence of bed bug infestations, exacerbated by increasing international travel, trade, and insecticide resistance, has significantly impacted Korea. This study identified the bed bug species and performed pyrethroid resistance genotyping of recently resurgent bed bugs in Korea. Thirty-one regional bed bug samples were collected from 5 administrative regions: Gyeonggi-do (n=14), Seoul (n=13), Busan (n=2), Jeonllanam-do (n=1), and Chungcheongbuk-do (n=1). The samples underwent morphological and molecular identification. Twenty-four regional samples (77.4%) were identified as the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus, and the remaining 7 regional samples (22.6%) were identified as the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. The C. hemipterus regional samples carried at least three mutations associated with knockdown resistance (kdr), including 2 super-kdr mutations. The 7 C. lectularius regional samples possessed at least one of the 3 kdr-related mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance. This study confirms that the prevalent bed bug species recently in Korea is C. hemipterus, replacing the previously endemic C. lectularius. Additionally, the rise in bed bug populations with pyrethroid resistance underscores the necessity of introducing alternative insecticides.

The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) has collected nationwide registry data on clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment since 1996. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea and assess changes in breast cancer statistics for 2021 using data from the KBCS registry and the Korean Central Cancer Registry. In 2021, 34,628 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The median age of women diagnosed with breast cancer was 53.4 years, with the highest incidence occurring in the 40–49 age group. The most common molecular subtype was hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, accounting for 69.1% of cases, while HER2-positive subtypes comprised 19.3%. During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the national breast cancer screening rate declined. However, the incidence of early-stage breast cancer (stages 0 and I) continued to increase, accounting for 65.6% of newly diagnosed cases in 2021. Our results showed that the overall survival rate for patients with breast cancer has improved, primarily due to a rise in early-stage diagnoses and advancements in treatment.

Purpose: Clinical outcomes of surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy have not been investigated for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), despite well-established outcomes in borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of patients with LAPC who underwent curative resection following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma between January 2017 and December 2020. Results: Among 1,358 patients, 260 underwent surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Among 356 LAPC patients, 98 (27.5%) and 147 (35.1%) of 418 BRPC patients underwent surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Compared to resectable pancreatic cancer (resectable PC) with upfront surgery, both LAPC and BRPC exhibited higher rates of venous resection (28.6% vs. 49.0% vs. 4.0%), arterial resection (30.6% vs. 6.8% vs. 0.5%) and greater estimated blood loss (260.5 vs. 213.1 vs. 70.4 mL). However, hospital stay, readmission rates, and postoperative pancreatic fistula rates (grade B or C) did not differ significantly between LAPC, BRPC, and resectable PC. Overall and relapse-free survival did not differ significantly between LAPC and BRPC patients. The median overall survival was 37.3 months for LAPC and 37.0 months for BRPC. The median relapse-free survival was 22.7 months for LAPC and 26.0 months for BRPC. Conclusion Overall survival time and postoperative complications in LAPC patients who underwent curative resection following neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed similar results to those of BRPC patients. Further research is needed to identify specific sub-populations of LAPC patients who benefit most from conversion surgery and to minimize postoperative complications.