• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2015

Purpose: To investigate the long-term prognosis of patients with Kawasaki disease in Korea, and discuss the need for long-term follow-up. Methods: The subjects were 48 patients among 354 who had been hospitalized due to Kawasaki disease, and who consented to echocardiography and exercise challenge testing. The mean duration from the onset of disease to follow-up testing after rehospitalization was 11.6 years (8.2-17.0). Patients without coronary artery aneurysms at the initial presentation of the disease were classified in group 1, and patients with small aneurysms were in group 2. Test abnormalities and differences between the two groups were analyzed. Result: There were no significant differences in the results of follow-up echocardiography and exercise challenge testing between the two groups. Although no abnormal findings were noted at follow-up in most patients, a 9-year-old boy in group 2 showed coronary artery dilation. The exercise test indicated normal results in both groups, and echocardiography results were also normal in 100% of cases in group 1 and 93.3% of cases in group 2. Conclusions: As some patients with coronary aneurysms showed coronary artery dilation, we believe that long-term follow-up may be selectively required in patients with coronary artery complications.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2005

Purpose: Critical pathways (CP), also known as clinical pathways, are management plans that display goals for patients and have led to improved outcomes for many disease entities. This study was aimed at developing a critical pathway for the surgical treatment of gastric cancer patients and evaluating its usefulness. Materials and Methods: A CP was developed and implemented by a team of surgeons, nurses, nutritionists, and administrative officials. Among the 117 patients who received curative gastrectomies for gastric cancer at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, between October 2003 and August 2004, 26 patients were treated according to the CP. We evaluated its usefulness by comparing the clinical characterisctics, postoperative progress, hospital stays, and costs between the CP and the non-CP groups. Patient satisfaction was also surveyed with questionnaires. Results: Of the initial 26 patients in the CP group, two were excluded from the final evaluation; one patient had a duodenal stump leakage, and the other had a gastric stasis postoperatively. In 8 patients, protocol violation occurred; six patients refused to be discharged on the $7^{th}$ postoperative day, one patient who had an gastric staisis postoperatively stayed for 2 additional days, and one patient who needed ICU care stayed for 4 additional days. The drop-out rate was $7.7\%$ (2/26), and the variance rate was $30.8\%$ (8/26). The mean hospital stay was 11.3 days ($10\~15$ days) for the CP group compared with 17.5 days ($9\∼68$ days) for the non-CP group, resulting in a difference of about 6 days (P<0.05). The mean hospital stays after surgery were 10.3 days ($7\∼68$ days) and 8.3 days ($7\∼12$ days) for the non-CP and the CP groups, respectively, but the difference was statistically not significant (P>0.05). The mean charge during the hospital stay was higher in the non-CP group ( $\\$ 6,292,200) than in the CP group ( $\\$ 4,863,685). The charge per hospital day was higher in the CP group ( $\\$ 430,414) than in the non-CP group ( $\\$ 359,554). Patient satisfaction was higher in the CP group than in the non-CP group. Conclusion: By developing and applying a critical pathway in the surgical treatment of stomach cancer patients, we could reduce the length of hospital stay as well as the cost. A multi-centered prospective study to establish a standard treatment pathway and to demonstrate its effectiveness is needed in the future.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 1998

Aortic aneurysm has poor prognosis and high mortality, but the incidence of aortic aneurysm is in increasing state. From July, 1986 to July, 1996, we operated on 25 patients with aortic aneurysm and analysed the clinical results and relations between the duration from symptoms onset to operation(Sx-Op), the duration from admission to operation(Adm-Op), preoperative blood pressure, preoperative heart rate and postoperative mortality, retrospectively. The patients were classified as dissecting aneurysm(10 cases), abdominal aortic aneurysm(9 cases), Marfan's syndrome(3 cases), descending thoracic aortic aneurysm(3 cases). The operative technique were graft interposition in 17 cases, Bentall's operation in 4 cases, aneurysm bypass in 2 cases, and wrapping of aorta in 2 cases. Seven patients died of several causes, bleeding in 5 cases, acute renal failure in 1 case and respiratory failure in another one case. Before 1992, the early stage of operation, 6 mortality among 14 operated patients occurred, and after then 1 mortality among 11 operated patients occurred. Eighteen survivors were followed up from 1 to 118 months(mean 50.6 months), and total follow up was 911 patient-months. During the follow up period one patient died of melena 30 months after operation. The other patients did not complain chest pain or dyspnea. The surgical mortality was improved in the late period, and the major cause of death was intraoperative or postoperative bleeding. The Sx-Op duration, the Adm-Op duration, preoperative blood pressure and preoperative heart rate were proven to have no statistical relations with postoperative mortality.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1993.05a
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• pp.101-101
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• 1993

The neck laceration is one of the most dangerous & emergent condition which is encounted by the otolaryngologist in emergency room. For the purpose of rapid & adequate management, we analyzed the clinical datum of 28 patients who visited our emergency room & were managed by the otolaryngologist from Jan.1987 to Mar.1993. The incidence was the highest in drunken males of third & forth decades who arrived at emergency room in night, especially AM 2:00. The most common cause & injured site were stabbing by broken glasses & Lt. submandibular area. Most patients were recovered by primary suture without any complications.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.380-391
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• 2010

Purpose : Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the main pathogens causing lower respiratory infections (LRI) in young children, usually of limited severity. However, in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients, one of the high-risk groups for RSV infection, RSV can cause serious illnesses and fatal results. To elucidate the effects of RSV infection in CHD patients, we observed RSV infection cases among CHD patients and non-CHD patients. Methods : On admission of 343 LRI patients over 3 years, 77 cases of RSV infection were detected by the RSV antigen rapid test of nasopharyngeal secretion. We compared RSV infection cases among groups of CHD and non-CHD patients. Results : During the winter season, RSV caused 20-0% of LRI admissions in children. In patients with completely repaired simple left to right (L-R) shunt diseases such as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus, RSV infections required short admission days similar to non-CHD patients. In patients with repaired CHD other than simple L-R shunt CHD, for whom some significant hemodynamic problems remained, RSV infection required long admission days with severe clinical course. In children with unrepaired CHD, RSV infection mostly occurred in early infant age, with long admission days. RSV infections within a month after cardiac surgery also required long admission days and severe clinical course. Conclusion : To avoid the tragedic outcome of severe RSV infection in the CHD patients, efforts to find the subgroups of CHD patients at high risk to RSV infection are needed, and effective preventive treatment should be applied.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.523-526
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• 2003

A 44-year-old man had been admitted for dyspnea on exertion and abdominal distension. The echocardiography revealed abnormal mass in right atrium and tricuspid valve stenosis with right ventricular obliteration. The operation was performed with mass removal, enlargement of tricuspid valve opening, and right ventricular endocardiectormy. And then, atrial septal defect was made due to inadequate right ventricular volume. The patient's symptom was improved and he discharged without events. The endomyocardial fibrosis was diagnosed with microscopic examination. Eighteen months later, the patient was readmitted due to aggravated dyspnea and cyanosis. The right ventricular obliteration was progressed and pulmonary blood flow was severely decreased in follow up echocardiography. Palliative bidirectional cave-pulmonary shunt was performed due to functional single ventricle. The dyspnea and cyanosis was markedly improved. Bidirectional cavo-pulmonary shunt for advanced and isolated right ventricular endomyocardial fibrosis provided effective palliation at early postoperative period, However, long-term follow up is mandatory.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 1994

Nine cases of human infection with Strongyloines stercornlis are reported among patients admitted to the Seoul Paik and Sang-Kye Paik Hospitals, Inje University, from April 1990 to Junuary 1992. The Patients, 7 males and 2 females acted between 50 and 70, either had the history of long term use of steroids for management of arthritis, or were complicated with other chronic diseases such as hypertension, liver diseases, psychotic disorders, and gastrointestinal problems. All of the nine patients revealed rhabditoid larvae of S. stercorolis in fecal examination. A 57-year-old woman who complained of arthritis and abdominal discomfort, was treated with albendazole and mebendazole, and on the 4th and 5th treatment day 220 parasitic adult females were collected from the diarrheal stool. The patient had a long history of administration of steroids for treatment of arthritis, and seems to have suffered from hyperinfection syndrome due to autoinfection with S. stercordis. This is the 3rd report on the recovery of parasitic adult females of S. stercoraLis in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.694-699
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• 1993

Background: After the introduction of more potent antituberculous drugs and the nation-wide tuberculosis management the prevalence rate and mortality rate of pulmonary tuberculosis has been reduced continuously. But we still experienced many patients who succumbed to this disease. So we investigated the causes of treatment failure and death of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis to delineate the problems in the management of these patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records of 55 patients who died of pulmonary tuberculosis in Kyung-Hee University Hospital during the period of Mar. 1979-Feb. 1990. Results: 1) Average duration of illness was $11.9{\pm}10.1$ years. 2) The mortality rate of in-patients with pulmonary tuberculosis was 2.09%. 3) 47.3% of patients had been treated more than twice and the sputum positive rate was 52.7%. 4) Causes of death were acute respiratory failure(56.4%), asphyxia by hemoptysis(14.6%), cor pulmonale(9.1%), tension pneumothotax(7.3%), vital organ involvement(9.1%) and coexisting diseases(3.5%). Conclusion: Many of these patients had long duration of illness, persistant sputum AFB and high incidence of acute respiratory failure as a fatal complication. It seemed that patient's neglect of their disease and inadequate treatment had caused aggravation of tuberculosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.861-870
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• 1997

Background : Though acute respiratory distress(ARDS) often occurs in the early stage of severe acute pancreatitis and significantly contributed to the mortality of the condition, the characteristics of the group who develops ARDS in the patients with acute pancreatitis have not been fully found. The objective of this investigation was to identify predictable factors which distinguish a group who would develop ARDS in the patients with acute pancreatitis. Method : A retrospective analysis of 94 cases in 86 patients who were admitted the Medical Intensive Care Unit with acute pancreatitis was done. ARDS were developed in 13 cases among them (13.8%). The possible clinical factors related to the development were analyzed using univariate analysis and $x^2$-test. Results : The risk of ARDS development was increased in the patients with abonormal findings of chest X-ray at admission compared to the patients with normal chest X-ray (p<0.05). The risk was also increased according to the sevecrity index score in abdominal computed tomography at the time of admission (p<0.05). The higher APACHE III score of the first day of admission, the more risk increment of ARDS development was observed (p<0.01). Patients with more than one points of Murray's lung injury score showed higher risk of ARDS compared to the patients with 0 points of that. The patients with sepsis and the patients with more than three organ dysfunction at admission had 3.5 times and 23.3 times higher risk of the development of ARDS compared to the patients without sepsis and without organ failure in each (p<0.05, p<0.01). Conclusion : The risk of ARDS development would be higher in the acute pancreatitis patients with abnormal chest X-ray, higher CT severity index, higher APACHE III or Murray's lung injury score, accompanying sepsis, and more than three organ failure at admission.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2006

Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is defined as the presence of either an intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) ${\geq}12mmHg$ or an abdominal perfusion pressure (APP = mean arterial pressure - IAP) ${\leq}60mmHg$. Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is defined as the presence of an IAP ${\geq}20mmHg$ together with organ failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of IAH and ACS on the day of admission and the effects of these maladies on the prognosis of critically ill patients in the ICU. Methods: At the day of admission to the ICU, the IAP was recorded by measuring the intravesicular pressure via a Foley catheter. The APACHE II and III scores were checked and SAPS II was also scored during the days the patients were in the ICU. The primary end point was the prevalence of IAH and ACS at the day of admission and the correlation between them with the 28-days mortality rate. The measurement of IAP continued until the 7th day or the day when the patient was transferred to the general ward before 7th day, unless the patient died or a Foley catheter was removed before 7th day. Patients were observed until death or the 28th day. Results: A total of 111 patients were enrolled. At the day of admission, the prevalence of IAH and ACS were 47.7% and 15.3%, respectively and the mean IAP was $15.1{\pm}8.5mmHg$. The rates of IAH for the survivor and the non-survivor groups were 56.5% and 71.4%, respectively, and these were not significantly different (p=0.593). Yet the rates of ACS between these two groups were significantly different (4/62, 6.5% vs. 13/49, 26.5%; Odds Ratio = 5.24, 95% CI = 1.58-17.30, p=0.004). Conclusion: In the present study, the prevalence of IAH was 47.7% and the prevalence of ACS was 15.3% on the day of admission. ACS was associated with a poor outcome for the critically ill patients in the ICU.