Background: We investigated the changing patterns of insulin secretion and resistance and risk factors contributing to the development of post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in kidney recipients under tacrolimus-based immunosuppression regimen during 1 year after transplantation. Methods: This was a multicenter prospective cohort study. Of the 168 subjects enrolled in this study, we analyzed a total 87 kidney transplant recipients without diabetes which was assessed by oral glucose tolerance test before transplantation. We evaluated the incidence of PTDM and followed up the index of insulin secretion (insulinogenic index [IGI]) and resistance (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]) at 3, 6, 9 months, and 1 year after transplantation by oral glucose tolerance test and diabetes treatment. We also assessed the risk factors for incident PTDM. Results: PTDM developed in 23 of 87 subjects (26.4%) during 1 year after transplantation. More than half of total PTDM (56.5%) occurred in the first 3 months after transplantation. During 1 year after transplantation, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was increased in both PTDM and no PTDM group. In no PTDM group, the increase in insulin secretory function to overcome insulin resistance was also observed. However, PTDM group showed no increase in insulin secretion function (IGI). Old age, status of prediabetes and episode of acute rejection were significantly associated with the development of PTDM. Conclusion In tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive drugs regimen, impaired insulin secretory function for reduced insulin sensitivity contributed to the development of PTDM than insulin resistance during 1 year after transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Brain death donors may require continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in severe acute renal failure (ARF) during management. To maximize donor organ usage we performed renal transplantation from deceased donors requiring CTTR with informed consent. This single-center study reviewed the clinical outcomes of kidney transplant recipients from extreme marginal donors requiring CRRT. METHODS: Medical records of all patients using a graft from extreme marginal donors who underwent CRRT in Asan Medical Center between June 2007 and September 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Between June 2007 and September 2014, 27 kidneys were transplanted from 19 CRRT donors. Mean donor age was 35.1 years (range; 16~56), male donors were 14 (74%). The causes of brain death included head trauma in 6, hypoxia in 5, stroke in 4, and others in 4. The main causes of CRRT were anuria in 14, electrolyte imbalance or acidosis in 5, and mean duration of donor CRRT was 3.6 days (range; 1~11). Delayed graft function (DGF) developed in 24 (88.9%), but all recovered renal function; they can be free from dialysis 11 days after transplantation. Mean serum creatinine level at 1 month, 1 year, and 5 years was 1.85, 1.26, and 1.31 mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Five-year follow-up data showed that renal transplantation from severe ARF donor has an excellent outcome. Although CRRT donor kidney transplants have a higher rate of DGF, the presence of DGF, unlike other donation after brain death donor kidney transplants, does not portend a worse prognosis.
Acidosis ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Anoxia ; Anuria ; Brain Death ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Creatinine ; Delayed Graft Function ; Dialysis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Male ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplantation ; Transplants

We report a case of a man who developed duodenal bleeding caused by direct hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invasion, which was successfully treated with endoscopic ethanol injection. A 57-year-old man with known HCC was admitted for melena and exertional dyspnea. He had been diagnosed with inoperable HCC a year ago. Urgent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed two widely eroded mucosal lesions with irregularly shaped luminal protruding hard mass on the duodenal bulb. Argon plasma coagulation and Epinephrine injection failed to control bleeding. We injected ethanol via endoscopy to control bleeding two times with 14 cc and 15 cc separately without complication. Follow-up EGD catched a large ulcer with necrotic and sclerotic base but no bleeding evidence was present. He was discharged and he did relatively well during the following periods. In conclusion, Endoscopic ethanol injection can be used as a significantly effective and safe therapeutic tool in gastrointestinal tract bleeding caused by HCC invasion.
Argon Plasma Coagulation ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Dyspnea ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Epinephrine ; Ethanol ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Melena ; Middle Aged ; Phenobarbital ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pancreas transplantation (PT) as the ultimate treatment for insulin-dependent diabetes has been the subject of debate clinically. Marked improvements in patient and graft survival, and decreases in postoperative morbidity have been achieved due to technical refinements, improved immunosuppressants, and better postoperative management. Here, we report our 18-year experience with PT performed at our institute. METHODS: All recipients who underwent deceased donor or living donor PT between July 1992 and December 2009 were included. We reviewed the medical records, including operation records, progress, and laboratory findings during follow-up. Graft and patient survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: In total, 119 cases of pancreas transplantation were performed between July 1992 and December 2009 at our institute. Indications for pancreas transplantation were type I diabetes in 93 (78.2%) patients and type II diabetes in 16 (13.4%) patients. The transplanted pancreas was obtained from a deceased donor in 108 cases (90.8%) and a living donor in 11 cases (9.2%). Median follow-up duration was 39.3 months posttransplantation (range 0~176 months). Overall graft survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 81.6%, 63.4%, and 57.1%, respectively. Following the introduction of tacrolimus as an immunosuppressant in 1999, graft survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 89.1%, 72.9%, and 66.2%, and overall patient survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 93.0%, 86.0%, and 86.%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the quality of life and long-term patient survival, PT is an effective treatment strategy in non-obese diabetic patients requiring insulin regardless of the type of diabetes.
Follow-Up Studies ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Insulin ; Korea ; Living Donors ; Medical Records ; Pancreas ; Pancreas Transplantation ; Quality of Life ; Tacrolimus ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: We introduce a new, simple portable inhalational induction device (PD) that provides co-operative inhalational induction of anaesthesia using N2O and subsequent sevoflurane in the preanaesthetic induction area in children. METHODS: Forty-five children (30 to 94 months old age, <35 kg) who were scheduled to undergo simple operations were assigned randomly to one of three regimens. Patients were encouraged by their parents to inhale N2O followed by sevoflurane (PD N2O-sevo group) or sevoflurane (PD sevo group) using a portable inhalational induction device in the preanaesthetic induction area until they were unable to respond to their names. They were then transferred to the operating room while maintaining inhalation of sevoflurane via the device. The control group underwent conventional inhalational induction in the operating room with the parents in attendance. RESULTS: Patients in the PD N2O-sevo group had a higher co-operative inhalation frequency than the patients in the PD sevo or the control group. Anaesthesia induction in the PD N2O-sevo and the PD sevo groups were faster than in the control group. Parent satisfaction score (0-100) was higher for the PD N2O-sevo group than for the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A new portable inhalational induction device allows faster induction in co-operation with parents present in the preanaesthetic induction area compared to conventional inhalational induction in the unfamiliar operating room with the parents in attendance.
Child ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Methyl Ethers ; Nitrous Oxide ; Operating Rooms ; Parents

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is characterized clinically by a broad spectrum of variable features depending on many factors such as etiology, stage of the disease, and the presence of local complications. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical aspect of CP and to analyze the characteristics according to the history of pancreatitis. METHODS: Eighty nine medical records from the patients who were diagnosed as CP at Korea University Ansan Hospital from January 1997 through December 2007 were reviewed retrospectively. After patients were divided into two groups according to the previous history of pancreatitis: the group I (n=34, no history of pancreatitis) and II (n=43, history of pancreatitis more than once), the clinical characteristics of two groups were compared. RESULTS: The mean age was 50+/-13.2 years and the male to female ratio was 5:1. Alcohol was the cause of CP in 71.9%, and 23.6% had no evident cause. Age (53.4+/-15.5 vs. 46.2+/-11.5, p=0.021), etiology (idiopathic 41.2% vs. 11.6%, p=0.004), and the presence of abdominal pain (73.5% vs. 100%, p=0.030) were significantly different between group I and II. However, in comparison of other factors that reflected the advanced stage of CP such as presence of pancreatic calcification, complications, and Cambridge grade on ERCP, there was no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Since CP which present, as the first manifestation shows much an advanced stage, the method for early diagnosis of CP is particularly needed.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alcoholism/complications ; Child ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/*diagnosis ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/*diagnosis/etiology/ultrasonography ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There is increasing interest in the use of propofol as a sedative agent for colonoscopy. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the synergistic sedation with midazolam combined with low-dose propofol versus that of midazolam alone. METHODS: A total of 56 patients from among those who underwent total colonoscopy between August 2004 and October 2004 were randomly assigned to one of three medication treatment groups. Group A (n=18) received low-dose midazolam (0.03 mg/kg IV) plus propofol, group B (n=19) received high-dose midazolam (0.07 mg/kg IV) plus propofol, and group C (n=19) received high-dose midazolam alone. The patients' vital signs were monitored throughout the course of the study. The recovery time and quality as well as the patients' comfort level were also assessed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics among the treatment groups. There were also no differences in the duration and insertion time of the colonoscopy among the three groups. The patients' comfort level and cardiorespiratory parameters during colonoscopy were similar among the three groups. The sedation efficacy and recovery times were also similar among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam combined with low-dose propofol as a sedative for colonoscopy exhibits similar effects on safety, patient' comfort level and recovery time to those of midazolam alone.
Colonoscopy* ; Conscious Sedation* ; Humans ; Midazolam* ; Propofol* ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND/AIMS: CBD stones (CBDS) are generally thought to originate from the gallbladder. Recently, EUS appears to be the best imaging method for making the diagnosis of CBDS. We conducted this study to evaluate the role of EUS for detecting CBDS in patients with gallbladder stones (GBS) and to determine the parameters for predicting CBDS. METHODS: From April 2003 to March 2005, 117 GBS patients were enrolled. The patients' clinical and laboratory findings and the radiologic findings of US, EUS, CT and ERCP were reviewed. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of EUS for detecting CBDS were evaluated by using ERCP and intraoperative CBD exploration as the gold standard for diagnosing CB. RESULTS: A total 117 patients received EUS and no complications were encountered. After performing ERCP and/or intraoperative exploration, 62 of the patients were examined for determining the presence or absence of CBDS. EUS shows 95% sensitivity and 95% specificity for identifying CBDS. The overall agreement between EUS and ERCP was 94.8%. The patients with CBDS were older than those without CBDS. Fever, jaundice and cholangitis were more prevalent in the patients with CBDS. The results of liver function tests were elevated more frequently in the patients with CBDS (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EUS is an accurate and minimally invasive method for diagnosing CBDS. Evaluating CBD in patients with gallstones is selectively recommended according to clinical and laboratory findings.
Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Choledocholithiasis* ; Diagnosis ; Endosonography* ; Fever ; Gallbladder* ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver Function Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: The demand for suitable organs in the world greatly outweighs the supply of transplantable organs. Perceptions and attitudes of the attending physician to brain death are pivotal for the organ donation process in brain dead donors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of the attending physician on brain death and organ donation in order to promote the organ donation from brain dead donors in Korea. METHODS: Questionnaires were collected from 194 (17.9%) among 1,018 physicians and were analyzed by descriptive statistics. RESULTS: 97.5% (189/194) of respondents have positive attitudes toward organ donation. Although 97.9% (190/194) have experienced donor management, the referral rate was no more than half (96/194, 49.5%). The main barriers against organ donation were lack of knowledge on organ donation and transplantation (60/129, 46.5%), cultural background (27/120, 20.9%) and complexity in the organ donation process (12/129, 9.3%). CONCLUSION: Promotion of organ procurement organization and well trained-education programs are crucial to help attending physicians to understand the organ donation process, and eventually to increase the rate of organ donations in brain dead donors.
Brain Death* ; Brain* ; Humans ; Korea ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Referral and Consultation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tissue and Organ Procurement* ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplantation

A well designed transplant software program with its database is a valuable tool in the management of transplant patients and transplant associated works. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to make the organ transplantation information system associated with Hospital Order Communicating System (OCS) and Korean Networking for Organ Sharing (KONOS) METHODS: We used the Hospital Order Communicating System in Asan Medical Center as a data capture source. Web EDI system was going to be used to connect the Korean Networking for Organ Sharing. RESULTS: Electronic link to Order Communicating System in our hospital can eliminate the necessity of double entry of data and eliminates the manual entry errors while increasing the efficacy of service. Multicentric accessibility to this new software system makes the data entry be easy. This program can capture the necessary data including text, numeric, scanned data at all stages of treatments, from the pretransplant to posttransplant follow-up using data transmission with Order Communicating System. The built-in tools for data analysis and other services can assist the coordinators in performing their daily tasks. Complying with timely reporting demanded by KONOS overburdened the transplant center staff and coordinators. We are already prepared to connect to KONOS reporting system using EDI system, and we are waiting for response of KONOS. CONCLUSION: Even though it was not simple to make the well designed transplant software because it involves several concerns, we were able to make the organ transplant information system linked to OCS successfully. We hope this system can be connected to KONOS in the near future.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hope ; Humans ; Information Systems* ; Organ Transplantation* ; Statistics as Topic ; Transplantation ; Transplants*