Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks occur in hospitals in many parts of the world. In hospital settings, the possibility of airborne transmission needs to be investigated thoroughly. Materials and Methods: There was a nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19 in a hematologic ward in a tertiary hospital, Seoul, Korea. We found 11 patients and guardians with COVID-19 through vigorous contact tracing and closed-circuit television monitoring. We found one patient who probably had acquired COVID-19 through airborne-transmission. We performed airflow investigation with simulation software, whole-genome sequencing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Results: Of the nine individuals with COVID-19 who had been in the hematologic ward, six stayed in one multi-patient room (Room 36), and other three stayed in different rooms (Room 1, 34, 35). Guardian in room 35 was close contact to cases in room 36, and patient in room 34 used the shared bathroom for teeth brushing 40 minutes after index used.Airflow simulation revealed that air was spread from the bathroom to the adjacent room 1 while patient in room 1 did not used the shared bathroom. Airflow was associated with poor ventilation in shared bathroom due to dysfunctioning air-exhaust, grill on the door of shared bathroom and the unintended negative pressure of adjacent room. Conclusion Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the hematologic ward occurred rapidly in the multi-patient room and shared bathroom settings. In addition, there was a case of possible airborne transmission due to unexpected airflow.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks occur in hospitals in many parts of the world. In hospital settings, the possibility of airborne transmission needs to be investigated thoroughly. Materials and Methods: There was a nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19 in a hematologic ward in a tertiary hospital, Seoul, Korea. We found 11 patients and guardians with COVID-19 through vigorous contact tracing and closed-circuit television monitoring. We found one patient who probably had acquired COVID-19 through airborne-transmission. We performed airflow investigation with simulation software, whole-genome sequencing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Results: Of the nine individuals with COVID-19 who had been in the hematologic ward, six stayed in one multi-patient room (Room 36), and other three stayed in different rooms (Room 1, 34, 35). Guardian in room 35 was close contact to cases in room 36, and patient in room 34 used the shared bathroom for teeth brushing 40 minutes after index used.Airflow simulation revealed that air was spread from the bathroom to the adjacent room 1 while patient in room 1 did not used the shared bathroom. Airflow was associated with poor ventilation in shared bathroom due to dysfunctioning air-exhaust, grill on the door of shared bathroom and the unintended negative pressure of adjacent room. Conclusion Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the hematologic ward occurred rapidly in the multi-patient room and shared bathroom settings. In addition, there was a case of possible airborne transmission due to unexpected airflow.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is ongoing, the number of individuals to be tested for COVID-19 is rapidly increasing. For safe and efficient screening for COVID-19, drive-through (DT) screening centers have been designed and implemented in Korea. Herein, we present the overall concept, advantages, and limitations of the COVID-19 DT screening centers. The steps of the DT centers include registration, examination, specimen collection, and instructions. The entire service takes about 10 minutes for one testee without leaving his or her cars. Increased testing capacity over 100 tests per day and prevention of cross-infection between testees in the waiting space are the major advantages, while protection of staff from the outdoor atmosphere is challenging. It could be implemented in other countries to cope with the global COVID-19 outbreak and transformed according to their own situations.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is ongoing, the number of individuals to be tested for COVID-19 is rapidly increasing. For safe and efficient screening for COVID-19, drive-through (DT) screening centers have been designed and implemented in Korea. Herein, we present the overall concept, advantages, and limitations of the COVID-19 DT screening centers. The steps of the DT centers include registration, examination, specimen collection, and instructions. The entire service takes about 10 minutes for one testee without leaving his or her cars. Increased testing capacity over 100 tests per day and prevention of cross-infection between testees in the waiting space are the major advantages, while protection of staff from the outdoor atmosphere is challenging. It could be implemented in other countries to cope with the global COVID-19 outbreak and transformed according to their own situations.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the epidemiologic features of the confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital, where the outbreak first began, in order to identify lessons relevant for the prevention and control of future outbreaks. METHODS: The patients' clinical symptoms and test results were collected from their medical records. The caregivers of patients were identified by phone calls. RESULTS: After patient zero (case #1) was admitted to Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital (May 15-May 17), an outbreak occurred, with 36 cases between May 18 and June 4, 2015. Six patients died (fatality rate, 16.7%). Twenty-six cases occurred in the first-generation, and 10 in the second-generation. The median incubation period was five days, while the median period from symptom onset to death was 12.5 days. While the total attack rate was 3.9%, the attack rate among inpatients was 7.6%, and the inpatients on the eighth floor, where patient zero was hospitalized, had an 18.6% attack rate. In contrast, caregivers and medical staff showed attack rates of 3.3% and 1.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The attack rates were higher than those of the previous outbreaks in other countries. The outbreak spread beyond Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital when four of the patients were moved to other hospitals without appropriate quarantine. The best method of preventing future outbreaks is to overcome the vulnerabilities observed in this outbreak, such as ward crowding, patient migration without appropriate data sharing, and the lack of an initial broad quarantine.
Caregivers ; Cross Infection ; Crowding ; Disease Outbreaks ; Epidemiology ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Information Dissemination ; Inpatients ; Korea* ; Medical Records ; Medical Staff ; Middle East ; Quarantine

PURPOSE: We investigated the efficacy of transurethral injection of Macroplastique bulking agent (Uroplasty) for male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after prostate surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective review included men with SUI treated by transurethral injection for symptoms resulting from prostate surgery. Patients were evaluated at 1 month and 6 months after injection by determining the number of pads used per day and changes in incontinence symptoms. Treatment success was defined as use of 1 pad or fewer per day combined with subjective symptom improvement. RESULTS: The study population comprised 30 men with a mean age of 66.1+/-5.3 years. Of the 30 patients, 24 (80.0%) underwent prostate cancer surgery and the remaining 6 (20.0%) underwent surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The preinjection pad number was 2.9+/-1.9 pads per day. After injection treatment, the mean follow-up period was 9.3+/-12.7 months and the success rate was 43% (13/30) at 1 month and 32% (6/19) at 6 months. Injection was more likely to result in a successful outcome in patients with no preinjection radiation treatment history and higher abdominal leak point pressure (ALPP) than in those with a previous history of radiation treatment and lower ALPP, although this result was not statistically significant. Acute urinary retention occurred in 5 patients (17%). CONCLUSIONS: Transurethral Macroplastique injection treatment is a relatively non-invasive treatment method for male SUI with a success rate of 43% at 1 month and 32% at 6 months. Patients with a higher ALPP and no previous history of radiation therapy may experience better treatment outcomes.
Dimethylpolysiloxanes ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Urethra ; Urinary Incontinence ; Urinary Retention

Pediatric urolithiasis is a relatively rare disease that can have lifelong consequences. The management of pediatric urolithiasis should be individualized with careful consideration of the patients' small body sizes, delicate tissues, needs for general anesthesia with every procedure, and risks of long-term complications. Miniaturization of urological instruments has made the treatment of distal ureteral stones by ureteroscopy in children more common, but there are few reports of the ureteroscopic removal of large upper ureteral stones in infants. We present a case of a 10-month-old female who simultaneously underwent ureteroscopic surgery and endoscopic Deflux(R) injection for treatment of a 22x10 mm unilateral upper ureteral stone and bilateral vesicoureteral reflux. We also review the current treatment options for pediatric urolithiasis.
Anesthesia, General ; Body Size ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Miniaturization ; Rare Diseases ; Ureter ; Ureteroscopy ; Urolithiasis ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

This study aimed to investigate pressure changes of renal pelvis and histological change of kidneys in a surgically induced sterile rabbit vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) model. Five rabbits served as a control group, 7 as the sham-operated group, and 8 served as the VUR group. Three weeks later, urodynamic studies were performed, and histological examinations evaluated degree of inflammation, fibrosis, and tubular damage in the kidneys. At a low infusion rate, renal pelvic pressure in the VUR group was stable until late filling phase and then increased slightly. At a high infusion rate, the renal pelvic pressures of the sham-operated and control groups were stable until late filling phase and then increased slightly, whereas the renal pelvic pressure in the VUR group steadily increased from mid filling phase. Focal thinning of the tubular epithelium and interstitial widening were observed in certain cortical areas of refluxing kidneys, without inflammatory cell infiltration. Obvious changes in the mean diameters of distal tubules and extracellular matrix volume fractions were observed in two highly refluxing kidneys. High pressure reflux with bladder instability may result in renal cortical changes.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Kidney/pathology/physiopathology ; Rabbits ; Urinary Bladder/pathology/physiopathology ; Urodynamics ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux/etiology/*pathology/*physiopathology

Although prostatic calculi are common, complications are fortunately rare. Here, we report a case of prostatic calculi causing urethral obstruction. A 66-year-old man presented with severe voiding difficulty and urge incontinence. He was found to have multiple large prostatic calculi obstructing the prostatic urethra as well as several bladder calculi. Attempts at endoscopic removal were unsuccessful, which resulted in an iatrogenic urethral diverticulum due to fragmented calculi. The residual calculi and diverticulum were removed successfully by open surgery.
Aged ; Calculi ; Diverticulum ; Humans ; Prostate ; Urethra ; Urethral Obstruction ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Calculi ; Urinary Incontinence, Urge

Sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma is a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis. We experienced a case of sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis with extremely aggressive clinical behavior. An 81-year-old woman underwent a laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy to remove a 4.5x3.1 cm sized localized left renal pelvis mass. The mass was pathologically confirmed as a sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma. Although the operation was successful, the patient died 2 months postoperatively with widely metastatic disease.
Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Pelvis ; Prognosis