Background and Objectives: Post-thyroidectomy hematoma is reported in about 0.7%- 2.1% of patients who underwent thyroidectomy. A drain is frequently placed after surgery to prevent swelling and hematoma. This study aims to compare clinical differences and postoperative complications depending on the presence or absence of a drain, and to identify the factors affecting hematoma after thyroidectomy.Subjects and Method This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent conventional thyroidectomy from March 2019 to Jun 2023. We examined patient’s age, gender, underlying diseases, use of antithrombotic drug, surgery type, thyroid volume, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications (hematoma and vocal cord palsy) by examining medical records. Results: Of 587 patients enrolled in the study, the drain was placed in 369 (62.9%) patients, and not in 218 (37.1%) patients. The mean age, incidence of hypertension and Grave’s disease comorbidity, antithrombotic drug use, number of patients who underwent neck dissection, thyroid volume, operating time, and length of hospital stay were significantly higher in the drain placed group (p<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the ratio of vocal cord palsy and hematoma occurrence between the two groups. In logistic regression analysis, diabetes, the use of antithrombotic drugs, neck dissection, and larger thyroid volume were identified as risk factors for the occurrence of hematoma (p<0.05). Conclusion Surgeons tended to place the drain in patients with high bleeding tendency after thyroidectomy, but there was no difference in the incidence of hematoma according to drain placement. Rather, patients’ length of hospital stay increased due to the placement of drain.

Background and Objectives: Post-thyroidectomy hematoma is reported in about 0.7%- 2.1% of patients who underwent thyroidectomy. A drain is frequently placed after surgery to prevent swelling and hematoma. This study aims to compare clinical differences and postoperative complications depending on the presence or absence of a drain, and to identify the factors affecting hematoma after thyroidectomy.Subjects and Method This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent conventional thyroidectomy from March 2019 to Jun 2023. We examined patient’s age, gender, underlying diseases, use of antithrombotic drug, surgery type, thyroid volume, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications (hematoma and vocal cord palsy) by examining medical records. Results: Of 587 patients enrolled in the study, the drain was placed in 369 (62.9%) patients, and not in 218 (37.1%) patients. The mean age, incidence of hypertension and Grave’s disease comorbidity, antithrombotic drug use, number of patients who underwent neck dissection, thyroid volume, operating time, and length of hospital stay were significantly higher in the drain placed group (p<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the ratio of vocal cord palsy and hematoma occurrence between the two groups. In logistic regression analysis, diabetes, the use of antithrombotic drugs, neck dissection, and larger thyroid volume were identified as risk factors for the occurrence of hematoma (p<0.05). Conclusion Surgeons tended to place the drain in patients with high bleeding tendency after thyroidectomy, but there was no difference in the incidence of hematoma according to drain placement. Rather, patients’ length of hospital stay increased due to the placement of drain.

Background and Objectives: Post-thyroidectomy hematoma is reported in about 0.7%- 2.1% of patients who underwent thyroidectomy. A drain is frequently placed after surgery to prevent swelling and hematoma. This study aims to compare clinical differences and postoperative complications depending on the presence or absence of a drain, and to identify the factors affecting hematoma after thyroidectomy.Subjects and Method This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent conventional thyroidectomy from March 2019 to Jun 2023. We examined patient’s age, gender, underlying diseases, use of antithrombotic drug, surgery type, thyroid volume, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications (hematoma and vocal cord palsy) by examining medical records. Results: Of 587 patients enrolled in the study, the drain was placed in 369 (62.9%) patients, and not in 218 (37.1%) patients. The mean age, incidence of hypertension and Grave’s disease comorbidity, antithrombotic drug use, number of patients who underwent neck dissection, thyroid volume, operating time, and length of hospital stay were significantly higher in the drain placed group (p<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the ratio of vocal cord palsy and hematoma occurrence between the two groups. In logistic regression analysis, diabetes, the use of antithrombotic drugs, neck dissection, and larger thyroid volume were identified as risk factors for the occurrence of hematoma (p<0.05). Conclusion Surgeons tended to place the drain in patients with high bleeding tendency after thyroidectomy, but there was no difference in the incidence of hematoma according to drain placement. Rather, patients’ length of hospital stay increased due to the placement of drain.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by chronic joint degeneration, particularly prevalent in the aging population.Current therapeutic options to address the symptoms of pain and reduced mobility provide limited relief and carry a significant risk of adverse effects. Thus, there is a need to explore non-invasive alternative therapies to manage OA symptoms while preventing disease progression and promoting joint tissue regeneration. This review examined studies conducted in the last 10 years to determine the potential of light-based therapy, particularly focusing on three key aspects: pain management and improvement of articular function; use of complementary light therapy; and stimulation of articular cartilage repair. Various studies have investigated the efficacy of phototherapy, particularly low-level laser therapy, in alleviating pain, improving functionality, and enhancing articular cartilage repair in OA patients. Efforts have also been made to investigate the regenerative potential of phototherapy in stimulating articular cartilage repair. Despite promising findings, several challenges remain, including the lack of standardized testing methods for evaluating the efficacy of laser therapy on OA joints and the need for further research to bridge the gap between early-stage OA in humans and the advanced stages of the disease. Nonetheless, laser therapy presents a non-invasive, well-tolerated treatment option with potential benefits for individuals with OA. Further research is warranted to optimize treatment protocols and explore potential synergistic effects with other interventions.

Background and Objectives: Post-thyroidectomy hematoma is reported in about 0.7%- 2.1% of patients who underwent thyroidectomy. A drain is frequently placed after surgery to prevent swelling and hematoma. This study aims to compare clinical differences and postoperative complications depending on the presence or absence of a drain, and to identify the factors affecting hematoma after thyroidectomy.Subjects and Method This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent conventional thyroidectomy from March 2019 to Jun 2023. We examined patient’s age, gender, underlying diseases, use of antithrombotic drug, surgery type, thyroid volume, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications (hematoma and vocal cord palsy) by examining medical records. Results: Of 587 patients enrolled in the study, the drain was placed in 369 (62.9%) patients, and not in 218 (37.1%) patients. The mean age, incidence of hypertension and Grave’s disease comorbidity, antithrombotic drug use, number of patients who underwent neck dissection, thyroid volume, operating time, and length of hospital stay were significantly higher in the drain placed group (p<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the ratio of vocal cord palsy and hematoma occurrence between the two groups. In logistic regression analysis, diabetes, the use of antithrombotic drugs, neck dissection, and larger thyroid volume were identified as risk factors for the occurrence of hematoma (p<0.05). Conclusion Surgeons tended to place the drain in patients with high bleeding tendency after thyroidectomy, but there was no difference in the incidence of hematoma according to drain placement. Rather, patients’ length of hospital stay increased due to the placement of drain.

Background and Objectives: Post-thyroidectomy hematoma is reported in about 0.7%- 2.1% of patients who underwent thyroidectomy. A drain is frequently placed after surgery to prevent swelling and hematoma. This study aims to compare clinical differences and postoperative complications depending on the presence or absence of a drain, and to identify the factors affecting hematoma after thyroidectomy.Subjects and Method This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent conventional thyroidectomy from March 2019 to Jun 2023. We examined patient’s age, gender, underlying diseases, use of antithrombotic drug, surgery type, thyroid volume, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications (hematoma and vocal cord palsy) by examining medical records. Results: Of 587 patients enrolled in the study, the drain was placed in 369 (62.9%) patients, and not in 218 (37.1%) patients. The mean age, incidence of hypertension and Grave’s disease comorbidity, antithrombotic drug use, number of patients who underwent neck dissection, thyroid volume, operating time, and length of hospital stay were significantly higher in the drain placed group (p<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the ratio of vocal cord palsy and hematoma occurrence between the two groups. In logistic regression analysis, diabetes, the use of antithrombotic drugs, neck dissection, and larger thyroid volume were identified as risk factors for the occurrence of hematoma (p<0.05). Conclusion Surgeons tended to place the drain in patients with high bleeding tendency after thyroidectomy, but there was no difference in the incidence of hematoma according to drain placement. Rather, patients’ length of hospital stay increased due to the placement of drain.

Objective: The Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease–Cognition (SCOPA-Cog) was developed to assess cognition in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the SCOPACog (K-SCOPA-Cog). Methods: We enrolled 129 PD patients with movement disorders from 31 clinics in South Korea. The original version of the SCOPA-Cog was translated into Korean using the translation-retranslation method. The test–retest method with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were used to assess reliability. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Korean version (MOCA-K) and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) were used to assess concurrent validity. Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.797, and the ICC was 0.887. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation with the K-MMSE and MOCA-K scores (r = 0.546 and r = 0.683, respectively). Conclusion Our results demonstrate that the K-SCOPA-Cog has good reliability and validity.

Objective: Biliary decompression through bile drainage is a key treatment for common bile duct obstruction with cholangitis. However, the effectiveness of early interventions has not been studied sufficiently in Korea. This study investigated the effectiveness of fast-track biliary decompression. Methods: A group of patients diagnosed with common bile duct obstruction with cholangitis between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019, was reviewed retrospectively. We divided them into two groups: before and after the implementation of fast-track biliary decompression. The following items were analyzed in the two groups: time to intervention, number of hospital days, length of stay in the emergency department, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Results: Between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019, 418 patients were admitted for common bile duct obstruction, and a total of 369 patients were included in this study. Of these, 168 patients visited the hospital prior to implementation of the treatment, and 201 patients visited after implementation. The time to intervention was 6.1 (4.2-11.0) hours in the fast-track group, which was about 9 hours shorter than the other group (P<0.001). There was no statistical difference in the number of hospital days, emergency department length of stay, and ICU admissions (P=0.535, P=0.034, P=0.322). Conclusion The time to intervention was shortened significantly in the fast-track group. However, we did not observe a significant improvement in patient prognosis. It may be possible that the procedure time may need to be shortened for a better prognosis. This should be investigated in future studies.

Objectives: . The relationship of estrogen (the primary female sex hormone) with hearing function has been studied in both humans and animals. However, whether estrogen levels affect hearing remains uncertain. Therefore, in this study, we investigated changes in the vulnerability of hearing to acoustic overexposure in ovariectomized female rats. Methods: . Eighteen 8-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into four groups as follows: sham ovariectomy (OP), OP only, and OP treated with low (10 µg/kg) or high doses (100 µg/kg) of estrogen. Rats in the estrogen replacement groups were given two intraperitoneal injections. Hearing thresholds were measured before noise exposure, and at 1 day and 2 weeks after exposure. Results: . The hearing thresholds of the sham OP and OP-only groups were not significantly different. However, both estrogen groups showed a lower threshold shift than the OP-only group. Histological immunostaining analyses showed that hair cell loss in the 32 kHz region was more severe in the sham OP group than in the OP-only group. Furthermore, there was little or no hair cell loss in either estrogen replacement group and significantly more hair cell loss in the OP-only group. Conclusion . These results suggest that estrogen replacement may reduce the vulnerability of hearing to noise exposure in menopausal women.