Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic, disabling, and functional bowel disorder that significantly affects social functioning and reduces quality of life and increases social costs. The Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility published clinical practice guidelines on the management of IBS based on a systematic review of the literature in 2017, and planned to revise these guidelines in light of new evidence on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of IBS. The current revised version of the guidelines is consistent with the previous version and targets adults diagnosed with or suspected of having IBS. These guidelines were developed using a combination of de novo and adaptation methods, with analyses of existing guidelines and discussions within the committee, leading to the identification of key clinical questions. Finally, the guidelines consisted of 22 recommendations, including 3 concerning the definition and risk factors of IBS, 4 regarding diagnostic modalities and strategies, 2 regarding general management, and 13 regarding medical treatment. For each statement, the advantages, disadvantages, and precautions were thoroughly detailed. The modified Delphi method was used to achieve expert consensus to adopt the core recommendations of the guidelines. These guidelines serve as a reference for clinicians (including primary care physicians, general healthcare providers, medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals) and patients, helping them to make informed decisions regarding IBS management.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the differences in patency between helical interwoven nitinol stents and balloon angioplasty in patients with arteriovenous graft (AVG) malfunction caused by venous anastomosis stenosis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent helical interwoven nitinol stent placement (n = 15) or balloon angioplasty (n = 25) between January 2016 and September 2021. The primary and secondary patency rates were compared between the two groups. Results: Dialysis was possible post-intervention in all patients who showed no specific complications, including stent fracture. The average primary patency of the stent placement group was longer than that of the balloon angioplasty group but did not differ significantly (8.5 vs. 6.3 months, p = 0.319). The mean secondary patency period was 17.6 months in the stent placement group, which was shorter than that in the balloon angioplasty group (18.8 months); however, this difference was also not statistically significant (p = 0.660). Conclusion Helical interwoven nitinol stents could maintain patency in patients with AVG malfunction caused by venous anastomosis stenosis, but they did not improve patency compared to balloon angioplasty.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic, disabling, and functional bowel disorder that significantly affects social functioning and reduces quality of life and increases social costs. The Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility published clinical practice guidelines on the management of IBS based on a systematic review of the literature in 2017, and planned to revise these guidelines in light of new evidence on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of IBS. The current revised version of the guidelines is consistent with the previous version and targets adults diagnosed with or suspected of having IBS. These guidelines were developed using a combination of de novo and adaptation methods, with analyses of existing guidelines and discussions within the committee, leading to the identification of key clinical questions. Finally, the guidelines consisted of 22 recommendations, including 3 concerning the definition and risk factors of IBS, 4 regarding diagnostic modalities and strategies, 2 regarding general management, and 13 regarding medical treatment. For each statement, the advantages, disadvantages, and precautions were thoroughly detailed. The modified Delphi method was used to achieve expert consensus to adopt the core recommendations of the guidelines. These guidelines serve as a reference for clinicians (including primary care physicians, general healthcare providers, medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals) and patients, helping them to make informed decisions regarding IBS management.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the differences in patency between helical interwoven nitinol stents and balloon angioplasty in patients with arteriovenous graft (AVG) malfunction caused by venous anastomosis stenosis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent helical interwoven nitinol stent placement (n = 15) or balloon angioplasty (n = 25) between January 2016 and September 2021. The primary and secondary patency rates were compared between the two groups. Results: Dialysis was possible post-intervention in all patients who showed no specific complications, including stent fracture. The average primary patency of the stent placement group was longer than that of the balloon angioplasty group but did not differ significantly (8.5 vs. 6.3 months, p = 0.319). The mean secondary patency period was 17.6 months in the stent placement group, which was shorter than that in the balloon angioplasty group (18.8 months); however, this difference was also not statistically significant (p = 0.660). Conclusion Helical interwoven nitinol stents could maintain patency in patients with AVG malfunction caused by venous anastomosis stenosis, but they did not improve patency compared to balloon angioplasty.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic, disabling, and functional bowel disorder that significantly affects social functioning and reduces quality of life and increases social costs. The Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility published clinical practice guidelines on the management of IBS based on a systematic review of the literature in 2017, and planned to revise these guidelines in light of new evidence on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of IBS. The current revised version of the guidelines is consistent with the previous version and targets adults diagnosed with or suspected of having IBS. These guidelines were developed using a combination of de novo and adaptation methods, with analyses of existing guidelines and discussions within the committee, leading to the identification of key clinical questions. Finally, the guidelines consisted of 22 recommendations, including 3 concerning the definition and risk factors of IBS, 4 regarding diagnostic modalities and strategies, 2 regarding general management, and 13 regarding medical treatment. For each statement, the advantages, disadvantages, and precautions were thoroughly detailed. The modified Delphi method was used to achieve expert consensus to adopt the core recommendations of the guidelines. These guidelines serve as a reference for clinicians (including primary care physicians, general healthcare providers, medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals) and patients, helping them to make informed decisions regarding IBS management.

Purpose: The study aimed to compare the differences in patency between helical interwoven nitinol stents and balloon angioplasty in patients with arteriovenous graft (AVG) malfunction caused by venous anastomosis stenosis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent helical interwoven nitinol stent placement (n = 15) or balloon angioplasty (n = 25) between January 2016 and September 2021. The primary and secondary patency rates were compared between the two groups. Results: Dialysis was possible post-intervention in all patients who showed no specific complications, including stent fracture. The average primary patency of the stent placement group was longer than that of the balloon angioplasty group but did not differ significantly (8.5 vs. 6.3 months, p = 0.319). The mean secondary patency period was 17.6 months in the stent placement group, which was shorter than that in the balloon angioplasty group (18.8 months); however, this difference was also not statistically significant (p = 0.660). Conclusion Helical interwoven nitinol stents could maintain patency in patients with AVG malfunction caused by venous anastomosis stenosis, but they did not improve patency compared to balloon angioplasty.

Acupuncture is increasingly being used in Asian countries and is generally considered a relatively safe procedure. However, adverse events have been reported consistently. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of acupuncture-related complications and should actively treat serious cases. We report a case of an acupuncture-induced large abscess in the retroperitoneal cavity and thigh muscles treated with percutaneous catheter drainage, surgical incision, and drainage.

Primary aldosteronism is a group of disorders in which the autonomous secretion of aldosterone is associated with hypertension and hypokalemia. It is crucial to determine the laterality of aldosterone hypersecretion because treatment options differ accordingly. Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is considered the most reliable method for assessing the laterality of primary aldosteronism. This procedure is often technically challenging because of the small size and varied locations of the adrenal veins. A better understanding of anatomical variations and careful review of imaging studies would improve sampling success. This report presents three cases of anatomical variations encountered during AVS.

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.