• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.2
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• pp.347-358
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• 2021

Acute trauma is a common cause of mortality in individuals aged < 40 years. As organ preservation has become important in treating trauma patients, the treatment is shifting from surgical management to non-operative management. A multidisciplinary team approach, including interventional radiology (IR), is essential for the optimal management of trauma patients, as IR plays an important role in injury evaluation and management. IR also contributes significantly to achieving the best clinical outcomes in critically ill trauma patients. This pictorial essay aims to present and summarize various interventional treatments in trauma patients requiring critical care.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.101-104
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• 2018

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy caused by focal compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. However, many patients with CTS, who are diagnosed clinically and confirmed with electrophysiological studies, complain of the sensory symptoms extends to the ulnar nerve territory. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a dysfunction in sensory fibers of the ulnar nerve was present or not in hands with CTS patients who had extramedian spread of sensory symptoms over the hand. We retrospectively analyzed the recording of the subjects who were diagnosed with CTS within a one-year-period of time. After exclusions, 136 hands recordings of 87 patient were included. We compared the results of median and ulnar nerve sensory conduction studies between normal hands and hands with CTS. We did not detect statistically significant difference on all parameters of ulnar nerve sensory conduction studies between the normal hands and the hands with CTS. The parameters of the obtained in median nerve sensory conduction studies were statistically different between the healthy control and CTS patients. The hands with CTS showed similar rate of ulnar sensory conduction abnormalities compared with the normal hands. In conclusion, our study showed that none of the parameters in ulnar sensory nerve conduction studies differ between two groups. Accordingly, our study revealed that ulnar nerve involvement does not contribute in CTS patients underlying the spread of paresthesia extends to the ulnar nerve territory.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.23-26
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• 2018

The most common surgical repair method for fingertip injuries are replantation, flap coverage, and skin graft. In fingertip injury cases, acellular dermal matrix (ADM) is generally used in a two-stage operation. In the present case, only ADM was used in a 67-year-old male patient with a right fifth fingertip injury. The patient was undergoing chemotherapy after surgery for colon cancer, preventing prolonged hospitalization. In addition, wound healing was likely to be problematic. As a typical surgical method might have been difficult to apply in such a patient, we performed a one-stage operation, using only ADM on the injured area. Postoperative followup for 3 months showed good wound healing. Accordingly, we report a successful treatment outcome using ADM alone for a fingertip injury.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.56-60
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• 2021

In recent decades, tissue engineering advances have led to more skin substitutes becoming available. Acellular dermal matrix, initially developed for use in the treatment of full-thickness burns, is made by removing the cellular components from the dermis collected from donated bodies or animals. This class of scaffold is used to replace skin and soft tissue deficiencies in a variety of fields, including breast reconstruction, abdominal wall reconstruction, and burn treatment. Herein, we provide a detailed review of the clinical applications of acellular dermal matrix.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-14
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• 2024

Excess of pyridoxine, in contrast to other nutrients, may result in neuropathy. Case reports are sparse, and little is known about the clinical and electrophysiological findings. Eight patients with pyridoxine-induced neuropathy were investigated, and a review of the literature was undertaken. Nerve conduction studies showed axonal sensory or sensorimotor polyneuropathy. And the blood levels of vitamin B6 were markedly elevated. After discontinuation of vitamin supplements, all patients showed no significant improvement in clinical and electrophysiological findings. Supplementation with pyridoxine at doses greater than 50 mg/day for extended durations may be harmful and should be discouraged.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.79-89
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• 2022

Whereas systolic blood pressure (SBP) continuously rises with age, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) gradually decreases after the age of 55 years. Therefore, hypertension in the elderly shows the pattern of isolated systolic hypertension. There is evidence on the benefits of controlling blood pressure (BP) in elderly patients with hypertension. The BP lowering effect has also been demonstrated in patients over 80 years of age with hypertension. The BP threshold for the initiation of antihypertensive drug treatment for older adults with hypertension is gradually decreasing. The antihypertensive treatment is recommended if, despite therapeutic lifestyle modifications, SBP ≥140 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg in those aged 65-79 years old, and SBP ≥140-160 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg in those aged ≥80 years old. Although there is no consensus on the target BP for older adults with hypertension, a target SBP of <130-140 mmHg and DBP of <80-90 mmHg are recommended. In older adults over 80 years of age with hypertension, the target SBP is <140-150 mmHg. When the dose of antihypertensive drugs is increased to reach the target SBP, DBP may decrease to less than 70 mmHg, but it should not be <60 mmHg. Thiazide diuretics, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers can be selected as the first-line drug for older adults with hypertension. Beta-blockers may be selected in case of compelling indications.

• The Korean Journal of Medicine
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• v.99 no.3
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• pp.149-157
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Carbapenems are recommended for treating bacteremia caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E). However, this has resulted in a significant rise in the utilization of carbapenems in cases of ESBL-E infection. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients with ESBL-E bacteremia treated with non-carbapenem antimicrobials. Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study of a cohort of patients with documented ESBL-E bacteremia from January 2021 to December 2021. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they received non-carbapenem or carbapenem therapy. The rates of treatment failure, 30-day mortality and microbiologic failure, and the durations of hospitalization and of antimicrobial therapy were compared between the two groups. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and phenotypic identification of ESBL-E were performed using the Vitek 2 system. Results: Of 118 patients with ESBL-E bacteremia, 54 received non-carbapenem drugs (non-carbapenem group [NCG]) and 64 received carbapenems (carbapenem group [CG]). Treatment failure at 30 days occurred in 16.7% of the patients in the NCG and in 18.8% in the CG (p = 0.65). The 30-day mortality rate was 14.8% in the NCG and 17.2% in the CG (p = 0.63). Extra-urinary tract infection and prior antimicrobial therapy within 30 days were risk factors for treatment failure in patients with ESBL-E bacteremia. The clinical outcomes did not differ significantly between the two groups, challenging the prevailing preference for carbapenems in the treatment of ESBL-E bacteremia. Conclusions: Non-carbapenem antimicrobials such as piperacillin/tazobactam are recommended for patients with mild ESBL-E bacteremia in South Korea.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.61-63
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• 2019

Streptococcus sp. strain NM belonging to Firmicutes was isolated from head and neck cancer patients. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of strain NM with a size of approximately 1.90 Mbp and a mean G+C content of 39.3%. The draft genome included 1,845 coding sequences, and 12 ribosomal RNA and 58 transfer RNA genes. In the draft genome, genes involved in the antimicrobial resistance, hemolysis and defense system have been identified.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2023

The demand for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is rapidly increasing worldwide. The most common indication for TKA is osteoarthritis (OA); however, some patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) also undergo TKA. This study aimed to investigate the effects of RA on TKA. Our findings revealed that patients with RA underwent TKA at a younger age than did patients with OA. However, contrary to the findings of pre-21st century studies, the average age of TKA among patients with RA was not significantly different from that of patients with OA. Additionally, patients with RA had a 1.5-fold higher risk of undergoing TKA. Although not statistically significant, patients with RA had a higher revision TKA rate, a shorter time until revision TKA, and underwent more revision TKAs due to infections than did patients with OA. An analysis of factors that affect revision TKA revealed that the risk of revision increased if the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels were increased at the time of TKA. This study showed that patients with RA have a slightly higher risk of undergoing TKA than did patients with OA. Furthermore, the presence of inflammation at the time of TKA increases the risk of revision; therefore, inflammation should be adequately controlled before performing TKA.

• Mood & Emotion
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.109-122
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• 2018

Objectives : The objective of this study was to revise the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP) 2014: Children and Adolescents. Methods : We performed the survey, using a questionnaire comprising 22 questions according to each situation, in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Results : First-line pharmacotherapeutic strategies for manic episode in children with bipolar disorder were a combination of mood stabilizer (MS) and an atypical antipsychotics (AAP), monotherapy with an AAP, risperidone, and aripiprazole. Aripiprazole was selected as first-line medication for depressive episode in children with bipolar disorder, and aripiprazole, and risperidone were selected as first-line at high-risk children. First-line pharmacotherapeutic strategies for manic episode in adolescents were a combination of MS and an AAP, monotherapy with an AAP valproate, lithium, risperidone (Treatment of Choice, TOC), aripiprazole, and quetiapine. First-line pharmacotherapeutic strategies for depressive episode in adolescents, were a combination of an atypical antipsychotics and lamotrigine, valproate, aripiprazole (TOC), risperidone, and quetiapine. For depressive episodes in adolescents at high risk for bipolar disorder, valproate, aripiprazole (TOC), and risperidone were selected as first-line medication. Conclusion : We expect that the present KMAP-BP 2018-children and adolescents, is useful for clinicians to treat children and adolescents with bipolar disorder.