Mechanical power (MP) has been reported to be associated with clinical outcomes. Because the original MP equation is derived from paralyzed patients under volume-controlled ventilation, its application in practice could be limited in patients receiving pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). Recently, a simplified equation for patients under PCV was developed. We investigated the association between MP and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of Korean data from the Fourth International Study of Mechanical Ventilation. We extracted data of patients under PCV on day 1 and calculated MP using the following simplified equation: MPPCV = 0.098 ∙ respiratory rate ∙ tidal volume ∙ (ΔPinsp + positive end-expiratory pressure), where ΔPinsp is the change in airway pressure during inspiration. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors and then compared. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine association between MPPCV and ICU mortality. The interaction of MPPCV and use of neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) was also analyzed. Results: A total of 125 patients was eligible for final analysis, of whom 38 died in the ICU. MPPCV was higher in non-survivors (17.6 vs. 26.3 J/min, P<0.001). In logistic regression analysis, only MPPCV was significantly associated with ICU mortality (odds ratio, 1.090; 95% confidence interval, 1.029–1.155; P=0.003). There was no significant effect of the interaction between MPPCV and use of NMBA on ICU mortality (P=0.579). Conclusions: MPPCV is associated with ICU mortality in patients mechanically ventilated with PCV mode, regardless of NMBA use.

Mechanical power (MP) has been reported to be associated with clinical outcomes. Because the original MP equation is derived from paralyzed patients under volume-controlled ventilation, its application in practice could be limited in patients receiving pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). Recently, a simplified equation for patients under PCV was developed. We investigated the association between MP and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of Korean data from the Fourth International Study of Mechanical Ventilation. We extracted data of patients under PCV on day 1 and calculated MP using the following simplified equation: MPPCV = 0.098 ∙ respiratory rate ∙ tidal volume ∙ (ΔPinsp + positive end-expiratory pressure), where ΔPinsp is the change in airway pressure during inspiration. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors and then compared. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine association between MPPCV and ICU mortality. The interaction of MPPCV and use of neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) was also analyzed. Results: A total of 125 patients was eligible for final analysis, of whom 38 died in the ICU. MPPCV was higher in non-survivors (17.6 vs. 26.3 J/min, P<0.001). In logistic regression analysis, only MPPCV was significantly associated with ICU mortality (odds ratio, 1.090; 95% confidence interval, 1.029–1.155; P=0.003). There was no significant effect of the interaction between MPPCV and use of NMBA on ICU mortality (P=0.579). Conclusions: MPPCV is associated with ICU mortality in patients mechanically ventilated with PCV mode, regardless of NMBA use.

Mechanical power (MP) has been reported to be associated with clinical outcomes. Because the original MP equation is derived from paralyzed patients under volume-controlled ventilation, its application in practice could be limited in patients receiving pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). Recently, a simplified equation for patients under PCV was developed. We investigated the association between MP and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of Korean data from the Fourth International Study of Mechanical Ventilation. We extracted data of patients under PCV on day 1 and calculated MP using the following simplified equation: MPPCV = 0.098 ∙ respiratory rate ∙ tidal volume ∙ (ΔPinsp + positive end-expiratory pressure), where ΔPinsp is the change in airway pressure during inspiration. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors and then compared. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine association between MPPCV and ICU mortality. The interaction of MPPCV and use of neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) was also analyzed. Results: A total of 125 patients was eligible for final analysis, of whom 38 died in the ICU. MPPCV was higher in non-survivors (17.6 vs. 26.3 J/min, P<0.001). In logistic regression analysis, only MPPCV was significantly associated with ICU mortality (odds ratio, 1.090; 95% confidence interval, 1.029–1.155; P=0.003). There was no significant effect of the interaction between MPPCV and use of NMBA on ICU mortality (P=0.579). Conclusions: MPPCV is associated with ICU mortality in patients mechanically ventilated with PCV mode, regardless of NMBA use.

Mechanical power (MP) has been reported to be associated with clinical outcomes. Because the original MP equation is derived from paralyzed patients under volume-controlled ventilation, its application in practice could be limited in patients receiving pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). Recently, a simplified equation for patients under PCV was developed. We investigated the association between MP and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of Korean data from the Fourth International Study of Mechanical Ventilation. We extracted data of patients under PCV on day 1 and calculated MP using the following simplified equation: MPPCV = 0.098 ∙ respiratory rate ∙ tidal volume ∙ (ΔPinsp + positive end-expiratory pressure), where ΔPinsp is the change in airway pressure during inspiration. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors and then compared. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine association between MPPCV and ICU mortality. The interaction of MPPCV and use of neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) was also analyzed. Results: A total of 125 patients was eligible for final analysis, of whom 38 died in the ICU. MPPCV was higher in non-survivors (17.6 vs. 26.3 J/min, P<0.001). In logistic regression analysis, only MPPCV was significantly associated with ICU mortality (odds ratio, 1.090; 95% confidence interval, 1.029–1.155; P=0.003). There was no significant effect of the interaction between MPPCV and use of NMBA on ICU mortality (P=0.579). Conclusions: MPPCV is associated with ICU mortality in patients mechanically ventilated with PCV mode, regardless of NMBA use.

Penetrating wounds to the face are cosmetically devastating and can be life-threatening. If the foreign body causing the penetrating wound is a piece of wood, small remnants might be left behind after the initial treatment. A 33-year-old male patient presented to the emergency center after a piece of lumber pierced his face as a passenger in a traffic accident. The patient’s vital signs were stable, and emergency surgery was performed to remove the foreign body and repair the soft tissue. No noteworthy complications were seen after open reduction and internal fixation of the facial bone fractures. Seven months after the accident, the patient underwent scar revision along with full-thickness skin grafting for post-traumatic scars. After the surgery, pus-like discharge which was not previously present was observed, and the graft did not take well. A residual foreign body, which was the cause of graft failure, was found on computed tomography and the remaining foreign body was removed through revision surgery. The patient is receiving outpatient follow-up without any complications 6 months after surgery. This case demonstrates the importance of performing a careful evaluation to avoid missing a residual foreign body, especially if it is of wooden nature.

Background: Lipomas are common benign tumors of mesenchymal origin that are composed of mature adipocytes. Giant lipomas have a diameter ≥ 10 cm in one or more dimensions or weigh at least 1,000 g. The surgical excision of a giant lipoma requires extensive dissection, increasing the risk of a seroma, which can cause surgical site complications such as wound infection and necrosis. Sclerotherapy with Abnobaviscum (Viscum album extract) is a relatively new technique used to reduce malignant pleural effusion. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of prophylactic sclerotherapy using Abnobaviscum to decrease seroma after giant lipoma excision. Methods: We conducted a retrospective medical record review of patients who underwent surgical excision for giant lipoma of the neck from January 2019 to December 2022. Sclerotherapy was performed on the first postoperative day in patients who consented to the procedure, and Abnobaviscum was instilled through the existing Hemovac drain. We compared the clinical course between those who underwent postoperative sclerotherapy and those who did not. Results: Among the 30 patients who underwent giant lipoma excision, we applied sclerotherapy with Abnobaviscum to 15 patients. The average time from surgery to Hemovac removal was statistically shorter in patients who underwent sclerotherapy (p= 0.004). Furthermore, seroma formation was significantly reduced in patients receiving sclerotherapy (p= 0.003). Conclusion In patients undergoing giant lipoma excision, sclerotherapy using Abnobaviscum helps reduce postoperative seroma formation during the initial postoperative period. It can be an excellent method to reduce complications related to seroma and attenuate patients’ postoperative burden.

Background: Midfacial fractures frequently involve the maxillary sinus, leading to maxillary sinus pathology. We aimed to examine the incidence and contributing factors of maxillary sinus pathology in patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for midfacial fractures. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent ORIF for midfacial fractures at our department over the past 10 years. The incidence of maxillary sinus pathology was identified clinically and/or by computed tomography findings. Factors that significantly influenced the groups with and without maxillary sinus pathology were examined. Results: The incidence of maxillary sinus pathology in patients who underwent ORIF for midfacial fractures was found to be 11.27%, with sinusitis being the most common pathology. Maxillary sinus pathology was significantly associated with the presence of a blowout fracture involving both the medial and the inferior orbital walls. Factors such as sex, age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, inflammatory disease, follow-up period, use of absorbable plates, and use of titanium plates did not have a significant impact on the development of maxillary sinus pathology. Conclusion The incidence of maxillary sinus pathology in patients who underwent ORIF for midfacial fractures was relatively low, and in most cases, it resolved without the need for specific treatment. Consequently, there may not be a significant need for concern regarding postoperative maxillary sinus pathology.

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an infrequently occurring neoplasm most commonly observed in the pleura, but it can develop in the head and neck region in occasional cases. However, no reports have described SFT in the temporalis muscle. Herein, we present the first known case of SFT in the temporalis muscle. A 47-year-old man complained of a painless palpable mass on his right temple. Facial enhanced computed tomography identified a 4.0× 2.9× 1.4 cm mass presenting as a vascular tumor in the right temporalis muscle under the zygomatic arch. The mass was excised from the right temporalis muscle under general anesthesia. A histopathologic examination revealed that the mass was an SFT. No complications occurred after surgery, including functional disability or sensory loss. The patient was followed up for 3 months without complications. Although SFT in extrapulmonary regions is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of masses that occur in the temporal area.

Plexiform neurofibroma (PN) is an uncommon benign tumor, usually associated with neurofibromatosis type 1. As most PNs involve the craniomaxillofacial region, PN of the colon is very rare. Here we present a case of PN involving the sigmoid colon. A 43-year-old male patient presented to the outpatient clinic for the evaluation of an incidentally discovered sigmoid colon mass. A colonoscopic biopsy was performed for the mass, and the result revealed neuronal proliferation. The patient visited the outpatient clinic a year later with symptoms of abdominal pain and stool caliber change. Biopsy was repeated for the sigmoid colon mass, and the results showed mucosal Schwann cell proliferation and S-100 immunostaining positivity. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed for further evaluation, and neurofibroma or schwannoma was suspected based on the imaging studies. For an accurate diagnosis, the patient underwent surgery to remove the sigmoid colon mass. The final diagnosis of the mass was confirmed as PN. We hereby report a rare case of PN involving the sigmoid colon that could not be diagnosed before surgery.

Objectives: This article explores the secondary use provisions of the European Health Data Space (EHDS), proposed by the European Commission in May 2022, and offers policy recommendations for South Korea. Methods: The authors analyzed the texts of the EHDS proposal and other documents published by the European Union, as well as surveyed the relevant literature. Results: The EHDS proposal seeks to create new patient rights over electronic health data collected and used for primary care; and establish a data sharing system for the re-use of electronic health data for secondary purposes, including research, the provision of personalized healthcare, and developing healthcare artificial intelligence (AI) applications. These provisions envisage requiring both private and public data holders to share certain types of electronic health data on a mandatory basis with third parties. New government bodies, called health data access bodies, would review data access applications and issue data permits. Conclusions The overarching aim of the EHDS proposal is to make electronic health data, which are currently held in the hands of a small number of organizations, available for re-use by third parties to stimulate innovation and research. While it will be very challenging for South Korea to adopt a similar scheme and require private entities to share their proprietary data with third parties, the South Korean government should consider making at least health data collected through publicly funded research more readily available for secondary use.