Background: s/Aims: Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been used to assess surgery quality, educate, and evaluate surgical performance using video recordings in the minimally invasive surgery era. Much attention has been paid to automating surgical workflow analysis from surgical videos for an effective evaluation to achieve the assessment and evaluation. This study aimed to design a deep learning model to automatically identify surgical phases using laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos and automatically assess the accuracy of recognizing surgical phases. Methods: One hundred and twenty cholecystectomy videos from a public dataset (Cholec80) and 40 laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos recorded between July 2022 and December 2022 at a single institution were collected. These datasets were split into training and testing datasets for the AI model at a 2:1 ratio. Test scenarios were constructed according to structural characteristics of the trained model. No pre- or post-processing of input data or inference output was performed to accurately analyze the effect of the label on model training. Results: A total of 98,234 frames were extracted from 40 cases as test data. The overall accuracy of the model was 91.2%. The most accurate phase was Calot’s triangle dissection (F1 score: 0.9421), whereas the least accurate phase was clipping and cutting (F1 score:0.7761). Conclusions Our AI model identified phases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a high accuracy.

Background: s/Aims: Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been used to assess surgery quality, educate, and evaluate surgical performance using video recordings in the minimally invasive surgery era. Much attention has been paid to automating surgical workflow analysis from surgical videos for an effective evaluation to achieve the assessment and evaluation. This study aimed to design a deep learning model to automatically identify surgical phases using laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos and automatically assess the accuracy of recognizing surgical phases. Methods: One hundred and twenty cholecystectomy videos from a public dataset (Cholec80) and 40 laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos recorded between July 2022 and December 2022 at a single institution were collected. These datasets were split into training and testing datasets for the AI model at a 2:1 ratio. Test scenarios were constructed according to structural characteristics of the trained model. No pre- or post-processing of input data or inference output was performed to accurately analyze the effect of the label on model training. Results: A total of 98,234 frames were extracted from 40 cases as test data. The overall accuracy of the model was 91.2%. The most accurate phase was Calot’s triangle dissection (F1 score: 0.9421), whereas the least accurate phase was clipping and cutting (F1 score:0.7761). Conclusions Our AI model identified phases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a high accuracy.

Background: s/Aims: Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been used to assess surgery quality, educate, and evaluate surgical performance using video recordings in the minimally invasive surgery era. Much attention has been paid to automating surgical workflow analysis from surgical videos for an effective evaluation to achieve the assessment and evaluation. This study aimed to design a deep learning model to automatically identify surgical phases using laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos and automatically assess the accuracy of recognizing surgical phases. Methods: One hundred and twenty cholecystectomy videos from a public dataset (Cholec80) and 40 laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos recorded between July 2022 and December 2022 at a single institution were collected. These datasets were split into training and testing datasets for the AI model at a 2:1 ratio. Test scenarios were constructed according to structural characteristics of the trained model. No pre- or post-processing of input data or inference output was performed to accurately analyze the effect of the label on model training. Results: A total of 98,234 frames were extracted from 40 cases as test data. The overall accuracy of the model was 91.2%. The most accurate phase was Calot’s triangle dissection (F1 score: 0.9421), whereas the least accurate phase was clipping and cutting (F1 score:0.7761). Conclusions Our AI model identified phases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a high accuracy.

This case report presents the long-term radiographic outcomes of a novel approach for simultaneous lateral augmentation and implant surgery. A 60-year-old male patient who required tooth extraction of the maxillary central and lateral incisors due to trauma visited the clinic. After tooth extraction, severe horizontal and vertical deficiencies occurred owing to atrophy of the alveolar ridge, and a simultaneous guided bone regeneration (GBR) procedure was planned along with the installation of two implants. In the present case, a modification of the conventional ‘sandwich technique’ was used by placing the mixture of autogenous bone chips and xenografts at the outermost layer to maximize the osteogenic potential at the coronal part of augmentation while applying solely xenografts at the inner layer. To enhance volumetric stability, an autogenous block of periosteum harvested from the maxillary tuberosity was incorporated between the two layers. Cone-beam computed tomography was performed at baseline and 3 years after the surgery to compare radiographic outcomes. Dehiscence after fixture installation was successfully observed at the re-entry of the surgery site. Three years after the surgery, average horizontal bone gains of 6.11 mm and 4.12 mm were observed in the maxillary central and lateral incisor areas, respectively. Healthy peri-implant mucosa and well maintained marginal bone levels were observed 8 years after the surgery, meeting the criteria for implant success. The findings of this case suggest that a substantial amount of horizontal bone gain can be obtained with a layered approach using autogenous bone materials and xenografts, highlighting the advantages of incorporating autogenous blocks into the simultaneous GBR procedure.

Background: Chronic cough is a common symptom encountered by healthcare practitioners.The global prevalence of chronic cough is 9.6%, with a female predominance. The aim of our study is to reveal the sex differences in prevalence and severity of chronic cough in South Korea, stratified by age and etiology. Methods: This study included adult patients with chronic cough who were recruited from 19 respiratory centers in South Korea. Patients completed the cough numeric rating scale (NRS) and COugh Assessment Test (COAT) questionnaire to assess the severity and multidimensional impact of cough. Results: Among the 625 patients, 419 (67.0%) were females, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.03. The mean age was 49.4 years, and the median duration of cough was 12 weeks. The mean NRS and COAT scores were 5.5 ± 1.8 and 9.5 ± 3.6, respectively. Female patients were older (45.3 ± 15.4 vs. 51.6 ± 15.2, P < 0.001) and more likely to have asthma/cough variant asthma (CVA) (26.7% vs. 40.8%, P = 0.001) than male patients. There was no difference in the duration or severity of cough between sexes, regardless of the cause. The male-tofemale ratio was lower for upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), asthma/CVA, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but not for eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) or unexplained cough. The mean age of female patients was higher in UACS and asthma/CVA, but not in EB, GERD, or unexplained cough. The majority (24.2%) fell within the age category of 50s. The proportion of females with cough increased with age, with a significant rise in the 50s, 60s, and 70–89 age groups. The severity of cough decreased in the 50s, 60s, and 70–89 age groups, with no significant sex differences within the same age group. Conclusion The sex disparities in prevalence and severity of cough varied significantly depending on the age category and etiology. Understanding the specific sex-based difference could enhance comprehension of cough-related pathophysiology and treatment strategies.

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events and metabolic disturbances. The triglyceride-glucose index (TyGI), a novel surrogate marker of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, is associated with CAC in the general population and in patients with diabetes. This study investigated the association between the TyGI and CAC progression in patients with CKD, which is unknown. Methods: A total of 1,154 patients with CKD (grades 1–5; age, 52.8 ± 11.9 years; male, 688 [59.6%]) were enrolled from the KNOWCKD (KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease). The TyGI was calculated as follows: ln (fasting triglycerides × fasting glucose/2). Patients were classified into tertiles (low, intermediate, high) based on the TyGI. The primary outcome was annualized percentage change in CAC score [(percent change in CAC score + 1)12/follow-up months – 1] of ≥15%, defined as CAC progression. Results: During the 4-year follow-up, the percentage of patients with CAC progression increased across TyGI groups (28.6%, 37.5%, and 46.2% in low, intermediate, and high groups, respectively; p < 0.001). A high TyGI was associated with an increased risk of CAC progression (odds ratio [OR], 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–3.88; p = 0.02) compared to the low group. Moreover, a 1-point increase in the TyGI was related to increased risk of CAC progression (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.06–1.76; p = 0.02) after adjustment. Conclusion: A high TyGI may be a useful predictor of CAC progression in CKD.

Gastritis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa. It is very common and has various classification systems such as the updated Sydney system. As there is a lot of evidence that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with the development of gastric cancer and that gastric cancer can be prevented by eradication, H. pylori gastritis has been emphasized recently. The incidence rate of gastric cancer in Korea is the highest in the world, and due to the spread of screening endoscopy, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia are commonly diagnosed in the general population. However, there have been no clinical guidelines developed in Korea for these lesions. Therefore, this clinical guideline has been developed by the Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research for important topics that are frequently encountered in clinical situations related to gastritis. Evidence-based guidelines were developed through systematic review and de novo processes, and eight recommendations were made for eight key questions. This guideline needs to be periodically revised according to the needs of clinical practice or as important evidence about this issue is published in the future.

Background: The optimal level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) to prevent adverse clinical outcomes is unknown in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: We analyzed 707 patients with CKD G1-G5 without kidney replacement therapy and T2DM from the KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD), a nationwide prospective cohort study. The main predictor was time-varying HbA1c level at each visit. The primary outcome was a composite of development of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) or all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included the individual endpoint of MACEs, all-cause mortality, and CKD progression. CKD progression was defined as a ≥50% decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline or the onset of end-stage kidney disease. Results: During a median follow-up of 4.8 years, the primary outcome occurred in 129 (18.2%) patients. In time-varying Cox model, the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for the primary outcome were 1.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 2.49) and 1.99 (95% CI, 1.24 to 3.19) for HbA1c levels of 7.0%–7.9% and ≥8.0%, respectively, compared with <7.0%. Additional analysis of baseline HbA1c levels yielded a similar graded association. In secondary outcome analyses, the aHRs for the corresponding HbA1c categories were 2.17 (95% CI, 1.20 to 3.95) and 2.26 (95% CI, 1.17 to 4.37) for MACE, and 1.36 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.72) and 2.08 (95% CI, 1.06 to 4.05) for all-cause mortality. However, the risk of CKD progression did not differ between the three groups. Conclusion This study showed that higher HbA1c levels were associated with an increased risk of MACE and mortality in patients with CKD and T2DM.

Objective: : Surgical site infection is the most detrimental complication following cranioplasty. In other surgical fields, intrawound vancomycin powder application has been introduced to prevent surgical site infection and is widely used based on results in multiple studies. This study evaluated the effect of intrawound vancomycin powder in cranioplasty compared with the conventional method without topical antibiotics. Methods: : This retrospective study included 580 patients with skull defects who underwent cranioplasty between August 1, 1998 and December 31, 2021. The conventional method was used in 475 (81.9%; conventional group) and vancomycin powder (1 g) was applied on the dura mater and bone flap in 105 patients (18.1%; vancomycin powder group). Surgical site infection was defined as infection of the incision, organ, or space that occurred after cranioplasty. Surgical site infection within 1-year surveillance period was compared between the conventional and vancomycin powder groups with logistic regression analysis. Penalized likelihood estimation method was used in logistic regression to deal with zero events. All local and systemic adverse events associated with topical vancomycin application were also evaluated. Results: : Surgical site infection occurred in 31 patients (5.3%) and all were observed in the conventional group. The median time between cranioplasty and detection of surgical site infection was 13 days (range, 4–333). Staphylococci were the most common organisms and identified in 25 (80.6%) of 31 cases with surgical site infections. The surgical site infection rate in the vancomycin powder group (0/105, 0.0%) was significantly lower than that in the conventional group (31/475, 6.5%; crude odds ratio [OR], 0.067; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.006–0.762; adjusted OR, 0.068; 95% CI, 0.006–0.731; p=0.026). No adverse events associated with intrawound vancomycin powder were observed during the follow-up. Conclusion : Intrawound vancomycin powder effectively prevented surgical site infections following cranioplasty without local or systemic adverse events. Our results suggest that intrawound vancomycin powder is an effective and safe strategy for patients undergoing cranioplasty.

Objective: Anxious depression is associated with greater chronicity, higher severity of symptoms, more severe functional impairment, and poor response to drug treatment. However, evidence for first-choice antidepressants in patients with anxious depression is limited. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of escitalopram, desvenlafaxine, and vortioxetine in the acute treatment of anxious depression. Methods: Patients (n = 124) with major depressive disorder and high levels of anxiety were randomly assigned to an escitalopram treatment group (n = 42), desvenlafaxine treatment group (n = 40), or vortioxetine treatment group (n = 42) in a 6-week randomized rater-blinded head-to-head comparative trial. Changes in overall depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), respectively. Results: Patients demonstrated similar baseline-to-endpoint improvement in scores and similar response and remission rates for HAMD and HAMA. Analysis of the individual HAMD items revealed that desvenlafaxine significantly reduced anxiety somatic scores (p= 0.013) and hypochondriasis scores (p = 0.014) compared to escitalopram. With respect to the individual HAMA items, desvenlafaxine treatment showed significantly lower scores for respiratory symptoms (p = 0.013) than escitalopram treatment and cardiovascular symptoms (p = 0.005) than vortioxetine treatment. The treatments were well tolerated, with no significant differences. Conclusion Our results indicated no significant differences in the efficacy and tolerability of escitalopram, desvenlafaxine, and vortioxetine in this subtype of patients with anxious depression during the acute phase of treatment.