Purpose: Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare but progressive cholangiopathy and the leading cause of pediatric liver transplantation worldwide. The Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons (KAPS) has conducted three national surveys (2001, 2011, and 2023) to assess long-term trends in the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of BA. This study provides a comparative analysis of the 2nd and 3rd national surveys, with reference to selected findings from the 1st survey. Methods: This study included 453 patients from the 3rd national survey (2011–2021) and 435 patients from the 2nd survey (2001–2010), all of whom underwent Kasai portoenterostomy. Data were collected via electronic case report forms from pediatric surgical centers nationwide. Comparisons were made regarding demographics, clinical features, diagnostic patterns, operative details, follow-up outcomes, and survival. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to evaluate long-term survival. Results: The mean number of BA patients per year remained stable between surveys (43.5 in the 2nd, 41.18 in the 3rd), though centralization of care increased, with 61.5% of cases managed by two major institutions in the 3rd survey. The median age at surgery decreased, and the use of preoperative imaging (especially magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography) increased. The 10-year native liver survival rate declined from 59.8% to 53.7%, while overall 10-year survival improved slightly (92.9% to 93.2%). Postoperative complications, such as cholangitis and liver failure, persisted but were better categorized. The 3rd survey also reported improved mortality (4.9%) and reduced follow-up loss (11.5%) compared to the 2nd survey. Conclusion While overall survival after Kasai operation has remained high and even improved, native liver survival has slightly declined. The findings reflect earlier diagnosis, more consistent diagnostic imaging, and increasing centralization of care. These trends underscore the importance of long-term nationwide data collection in guiding future strategies for BA management in Korea.

Background: COVID-19 and delayed hip surgery are well-known risk factors for thromboembolism in elderly patients.Case: We report the case of an 88-year-old female patient with COVID-19 and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) who underwent delayed hip surgery 21 days after the injury. Heparinization and inferior vena cava filters were used to treat and prevent PTE. Transesophageal echocardiography and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) sheaths were inserted as a precaution in case of emergencies during surgery; the procedure was performed without any specific event. Conclusions COVID-19-infected patients suffering from a hip fracture have a high risk of thromboembolism, and therefore, require utmost attention for appropriate evaluation and prevention.

Background: Although competency-based education (CBE) is becoming a popular form of medical education, it has not been used to train residents. Recently, the Korean Society of Anesthesiologists completed a pilot implementation and evaluation of a CBE program.This study aims to outline the experience. Methods: The chief training faculty from each hospital took a one-hour online course about CBE. Emails on the seven core competencies and their evaluation were sent ahead of a pilot core competency evaluation (CCE) to residents and faculty. The pilot CCE took place in late 2021, followed by a survey. Results: A total of 68 out of 84 hospitals participated in the pilot CCE. The survey response rate was 55.9% (38/68) for chief training faculty, 10.2% (91/888) for training faculty, and 30.2% (206/683) for residents. More than half of the training faculty thought that CCE was necessary for the education of residents. Residents’ and training faculty’s responses about CCE were generally positive, although their understanding of CCE criteria was low. More than 80% of the hospitals had a defibrillator and cardiopulmonary resuscitation manikin while the rarest piece of equipment was an ultrasound vessel model. Only defibrillators were used in more than half of the hospitals. Thoughts about CCE were related to various factors, such as length of employment, location of hospitals, and the number of residents per grade. Conclusions This study’s results may be helpful in improving resident education quality to meet the expectations of both teaching faculty and residents while establishing CBE.

Background: Delayed emergence after general anesthesia may significantly affect a patient’s condition. We present the case of a patient who experienced prolonged delayed recovery of consciousness, language, and motor response due to catatonia after eight hours of total elbow arthroplasty under general anesthesia.Case: A 68-year-old woman with neuropsychiatric disorders and Parkinson’s disease did not respond adequately during recovery after more than eight hours of general anesthesia. Following the operation, the patient was semi-comatose and appeared to have nonconvulsive status epilepticus upon awakening from anesthesia. However, subsequent examinations did not reveal any organic causes. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with catatonia, treated, and discharged following gradual improvement. Conclusions Although rare, patients taking psychiatric drugs for an extended period may experience delayed emergence after prolonged general anesthesia without identifiable causes. Catatonia should be considered in the differential diagnoses of these patients.

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is widely used to diagnose lung cancer. Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) can enhance patient comfort and procedural conditions during EBUS. EBUS under MAC is usually safe but can lead to various complications. Case: A 34-year-old male who had increased sputum for two months showed an enlarged paratracheal lymph node and planned for lymph node biopsy by EBUS. During EBUS under MAC, an unexpected oxygen saturation decline required intervention. After intubation, copious frothy fluid was suctioned from the bronchi, and oxygenation was recovered. A narrowed trachea and the EBUS bronchoscope might have resulted in upper airway obstruction, and suction performed under these conditions might have caused pulmonary edema. The patient received non-invasive ventilation and high-flow nasal cannula and recovered without complications. Conclusions: When there is an expected risk of upper airway obstruction during EBUS, careful preoperative evaluation and preparation are essential to prevent negative pressure pulmonary edema.

Background: Several biomarkers are measured in the interstitial fluid (IF) obtained from suction blisters that are used by dermatologists. As abnormal lipid levels can cause health problems, several studies have investigated the composition and distribution of lipids and lipoproteins in IF. However, to date, no study has focused on examining lipid profiles in the postprandial state. Objective: This study aimed to compare postprandial changes in serum lipid profiles and IF obtained from suction blisters and investigated their correlation. Methods: Fasting and postprandial levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides were measured in paired serum samples. IF was obtained from suction blisters from 20 healthy men using enzymatic-colorimetric methods. Results: The IF/serum ratios of TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C remained unchanged postoperatively. Postprandial levels of HDL-C and LDL-C decreased in the serum but not in IF. In both fasting and postprandial states, TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C levels in the serum were positively correlated with those in the IF. Conclusion The results of this study showed that lipoprotein cholesterol levels measured from suction blister fluids could be used as a biomarker to predict their serum levels regardless of food intake. Therefore, suction blister fluid sampling can be considered as a method to monitor serum lipid concentrations.

Local anesthetics systemic toxicity (LAST) is a grave complication of regional anesthesia that usually occurs immediately after local anesthetics injection. Here, we report on rare late-onset toxicity cases after supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks. Case: Two patients underwent surgery for radius fractures. We used lidocaine 100 mg and ropivacaine 150 mg for blocking and infused dexmedetomidine for intraoperative sedation. The 63-year-old male patient’s blood pressure dropped to 87/60 mmHg after 3 h 15 min after blocking. Ventricular fibrillation occurred 10 min later. After five defibrillations, electrocardiography showed ventricular tachycardia that was normalized through one cardioversion. The 54-year-old female patient’s heart rate decreased to 35 beats/min 2 h 30 min after blocking. Her vital signs returned to normal after administering atropine, ephedrine, epinephrine, and lipid emulsion. Conclusions: Physicians should remember that LAST may occur long after local anesthetic injection and be aware of factors that may adversely affect the course of LAST.

Background: Giant lip hemangioma is a rare disease that may cause difficulty in preoxygenation and ventilation when using face masks and intubation during general anesthesia induction.Case: A laparoscopic cholecystectomy was planned for a 77-year-old woman. The patient had a giant lower lip hemangioma that was 12 x 5 x 5 cm, which made preoxygenation and ventilation through a face mask impossible and put her at risk of hemangioma rupture. We preoxygenated her through a high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC). Following propofol and succinylcholine administration, we intubated the patient with a video laryngoscope without desaturation, hemangioma rupture, or CO2 retention. Conclusions HFNC is a useful tool when difficult intubation is expected in patients who have problems using conventional face masks.