Background: s/Aims: Reported incidence of extrahepatic bile duct cancer is higher in Asians than in Western populations. Korea, in particular, is one of the countries with the highest incidence rates of extrahepatic bile duct cancer in the world. Although research and innovative therapeutic modalities for extrahepatic bile duct cancer are emerging, clinical guidelines are currently unavailable in Korea. The Korean Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery in collaboration with related societies (Korean Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery Society, Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology, Korean Society of Medical Oncology, Korean Society of Radiation Oncology, Korean Society of Pathologists, and Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine) decided to establish clinical guideline for extrahepatic bile duct cancer in June 2021. Methods: Contents of the guidelines were developed through subgroup meetings for each key question and a preliminary draft was finalized through a Clinical Guidelines Committee workshop. Results: In November 2021, the finalized draft was presented for public scrutiny during a formal hearing. Conclusions The extrahepatic guideline committee believed that this guideline could be helpful in the treatment of patients.

Purpose: This single-arm phase II trial investigate the efficacy and safety of S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes were enrolled. Patients received S-1 (40-60 mg depending on patient’s body surface area, twice a day, day 1-14) and oxaliplatin (130 mg/m2, day 1) in 3 weeks cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor 1.1. Secondary endpoints included time-to-progression (TTP), duration-of-response (DoR), overall survival (OS), and adverse events. Results: A total of 87 patients were enrolled from 11 institutions in Korea. Hormone receptor was positive in 54 (62.1%) patients and six (6.9%) had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive disease. Forty-eight patients (85.1%) had visceral metastasis and 74 (55.2%) had more than three sites of metastases. The ORR of SOX regimen was 38.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 26.9 to 50.0) with a median TTP of 6.0 months (95% CI, 5.1 to 6.9). Median DoR and OS were 10.3 months (95% CI, 5.5 to 15.1) and 19.4 (95% CI, not estimated) months, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was reported in 28 patients (32.1%) and thrombocytopenia was observed in 23 patients (26.6%). Conclusion This phase II study showed that SOX regimen is a reasonable option in metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes.

Purpose: To evaluated the efficacy and safety of gelatinized Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for eugonadal patients with late onset hypogonadism symptoms (LOH). Materials and Methods: Participants were instructed to receive 1,000 mg of Maca or placebo, two pills at a time, three times per day for 12 weeks before food intake. To evaluate the efficacy of the drug, Aging Males’ Symptoms scale (AMS), Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Males (ADAM), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires, serologic tests (total testosterone and free testosterone, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride), body weight, and waist circumference were assessed at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. Results: A total of 80 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to Maca treated group (n=41) or the placebo group (n=39). AMS, IIEF, and IPSS were significantly (p<0.05) improved in Maca treated group than in the placebo group. ADAM positive rate was also significantly (p<0.0001) decreased in Maca treated group. Conclusions Maca may be considered an effective and safe treatment for eugonadal patients with late onset hypogonadism symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To assess intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of a new point shear wave elastography technique (pSWE, S-Shearwave, Samsung Medison) and compare its accuracy in assessing liver stiffness (LS) with an established pSWE technique (Virtual Touch Quantification, VTQ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients were enrolled in this Institutional Review Board-approved prospective study. LS values were measured by VTQ on an Acuson S2000 system (Siemens Healthineer) and S-Shearwave on an RS-80A (Samsung Medison) in the same session, followed by two further S-Shearwave sessions for inter- and intra-observer variation at 8-hour intervals. The technical success rate (SR) and reliability of the measurements of both pSWE techniques were compared. The intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of S-Shearwave was determined by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). LS values were measured by both methods of pSWE. The diagnostic performance in severe fibrosis (F ≥ 3) and cirrhosis (F = 4) was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristics curve analysis and the Obuchowski measure with the LS values of transient elastography as the referenced standard. RESULTS: The VTQ (100%, 33/33) and S-Shearwave (96.9%, 32/33) techniques did not display a significant difference in technical SR (p = 0.63) or reliability of LS measurements (96.9%, 32/33; 93.9%, 30/32, respectively, p = 0.61). The inter- and intra-observer agreement for LS measurements using the S-Shearwave technique was excellent (ICC = 0.98 and 0.99, respectively). The mean LS values of both pSWE techniques were not significantly different and exhibited a good correlation (r = 0.78). To detect F ≥ 3 and F = 4, VTQ and S-Shearwave showed comparable diagnostic accuracy as indicated by the following outcomes: areas under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) = 0.87 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.70–0.96), 0.89 for VTQ (95% CI 0.74–0.97), respectively; and AUROC = 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–0.94), 0.94 (95% CI 0.80–0.99) for S-Shearwave (p > 0.48), respectively. The Obuchowski measures were similarly high for S-Shearwave and VTQ (0.94 vs. 0.95). CONCLUSION: S-Shearwave shows excellent inter- and intra-observer agreement and diagnostic effectiveness comparable to VTQ in detecting LS.
Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver* ; Observer Variation ; Prospective Studies* ; ROC Curve

BACKGROUND: Shoichi Kokubun introduced his successful experience with local anesthetic injection at the occipital insertion of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in K-point syndrome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of K-point injection and investigate factors affecting treatment results. METHODS: K-point injection was performed in 58 patients with K-point syndrome at Yeungnam University Medical Center. The syndrome was associated with cervical whiplash injury in 10 patients and was of nonspecific origin in the rest. One milliliter of 2% lidocaine mixed with 1 milliliter of dexamethasone was injected in 50 patients and 2 milliliters of 1% lidocaine alone in the rest. Initially, the severity of local tenderness at the K-point and other tender points was examined and the degree of immediate pain relief effect was assessed within 1 hour after injection. Early effect within 1 month after the injection and current effect were evaluated in 27 patients using a modified Kim's questionnaire with regard to the duration of improvement, degree of improvement in pain and daily living activities, and satisfaction. RESULTS: Of the total 58 patients, 44 (75.8%) apparently had immediate pain relief after K-point injection. The only factor associated with successful immediate pain relief was the whiplash injury associated with traffic accident (TA). The early pain control effect was associated with the immediate effect. The current effect was associated with the early effect alone. Satisfaction with the K-point injection was related to early successful pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: K-point injection would be useful for early pain relief in nonspecific neck pain syndrome so called K-point syndrome, but not for current pain relief. Especially, it was very effective for early pain control in the whiplash injury associated with TA.
Academic Medical Centers ; Accidents, Traffic ; Activities of Daily Living ; Dexamethasone ; Fibromyalgia ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Neck Pain* ; Neck* ; Whiplash Injuries

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective exploratory imaging study. PURPOSE: To investigate the significance of the coronal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using Proset technique to detect the hidden zone in patients with mid-zone stenosis by comparing with conventional axial and sagittal MRI and to explore the morphologic characteristic patterns of the mid-zone stenosis. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Despite advancements in diagnostic modalities such as computed tomography and MRI, stenotic lesions under the pedicle and pars interarticularis, also called the mid-zone, are still difficult to definitely detect with the conventional axial and sagittal MRI due to its inherited anatomical peculiarity. METHODS: Of 180 patients scheduled to undergo selective nerve root block, 20 patients with mid-zone stenosis were analyzed using MRI. Characteristic group patterns were also explored morphologically by comparing MRI views of each group after verifying statistical differences between them. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify morphological characteristic groups based on three-dimensional radiologic grade for stenosis at all three zones. RESULTS: At the mid-zone, the stenosis of grade 2 or more was found in 14 cases in the coronal image,13 cases in the sagittal image, and 9 cases in the axial image (p<0.05). Especially, mid-zone stenosis was not detected in six of 20 cases at the axial images. At the entrance and exit-zone, coronal image was also associated with more accurate detection of hidden zone compared to other views such as axial and sagittal images. After repeated statistical verification, the morphological patterns of hidden zone were classified into 5 groups: 6 cases in group I; 1 case in group II; 4 cases in group III; 7 cases in group IV; and 2 cases in group V. CONCLUSIONS: Coronal MRI using the Proset technique more accurately detected hidden zone of the mid-zone stenosis compared to conventional axial and sagittal images.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine*

PURPOSE: This study is to identify preoperative cautions for revision of infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by understanding the differences in hematologic and hemodynamic changes between primary TKA and revision of infected TKA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 40 patients in each of the two groups: one group with patients who underwent TKA and the other group with patients who underwent revision of infected TKA. All patients matched for age and body mass index. The following data were compared between the groups: changes in blood pressure, variations in hemoglobin level, amount of postoperative blood loss and transfused blood, incidence of blood transfusion, white blood cell (WBC) count, albumin level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and liver enzyme level. RESULTS: The hemoglobin levels, transfusion rate, and the amount of blood loss were significantly higher in the revision group (p=0.012). In both groups, CRP reached the highest level on the 3rd postoperative day but it was normalized 2 weeks postoperatively; however, the revision TKA group showed a greater tendency to normalization (p=0.029). There were significant differences between the groups in ESR, WBC, blood pressure, and changes in liver enzyme levels. CONCLUSIONS: Revision of infected TKA results in greater hemodynamic variations than primary TKA. Therefore, more efforts should be made to identify pre- and postoperative hemodynamic changes and hematologic status.
Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Sedimentation ; Blood Transfusion ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Hematology ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Knee ; Leukocytes ; Liver ; Postoperative Hemorrhage

No abstract available.

Stress fractures typically result from repeated abnormal mechanical loading to the bones. In particular, multiple stress fractures may occur in patients with systemic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, or osteoarthritis. Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV), a nucleotide analogue of adenosine monophosphate, very rarely causes severe hypophosphatemia when using a low dosage of 10 mg daily for treatment of chronic hepatitis B. To the best of our knowledge, in English literature, this is the first report of multiple stress fractures in a chronic hepatitis B patient who has been treated with a low dosage of ADV. We think it is important to consider that use of ADV in a patient with chronic hepatitis B could be a risk factor for stress fractures.
Adenosine Monophosphate ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Fractures, Stress* ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Humans ; Hypophosphatemia ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoporosis ; Risk Factors