• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.203-211
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• 2015

Trichloroacetonitrile is used as an intermediate in insecticides, pesticides, and dyes. In Korea alone, over 10 tons are used annually. Its oral and dermal toxicity is classified as category 3 according to the globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals, and it is designated a toxic substance by the Ministry of Environment in Korea. There are no available inhalation toxicity data on trichloroacetonitrile. Thus, the present study performed inhalation tests to provide data for hazard and risk assessments. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to trichloroacetonitrile at concentrations of 4, 16, or 64 ppm for 6 hour per day 5 days per week for 13 weeks in a repeated study. As a result, salivation, shortness of breath, and wheezing were observed, and their body weights decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in the 16 and 64 ppm groups. All the rats in 64 ppm group were dead or moribund within 4 weeks of the exposure. Some significant changes were observed in blood hematology and serum biochemistry (e.g., prothrombin time, ratio of albumin and globulin, blood urea nitrogen, and triglycerides), but the values were within normal physiological ranges. The major target organs of trichloroacetonitrile were the nasal cavity, trachea, and lungs. The rats exposed to 16 ppm showed moderate histopathological changes in the transitional epithelium and olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity. Nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) and respiratory epithelium were also changed. Respiratory lesions were common in the dead rats that had been exposed to the 64 ppm concentration. The dead animals also showed loss of cilia in the trachea, pneumonitis in the lung, and epithelial hyperplasia in the bronchi and bronchioles. In conclusion, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was estimated to be 4 ppm. The main target organs of trichloroacetonitrile were the nasal cavity, trachea, and lungs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.62 no.11
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• pp.422-427
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• 2019

Background: Polyomavirus BK (BKV) infection is an important cause of graft loss in kidney transplant patients. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical findings and risk factors for BKV in pediatric patients after kidney transplantation. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 31 pediatric kidney transplant recipients from January 2002 to December 2017. Two patients received 2 transplantations during the study period, and each transplant was analyzed independently. Total number of cases is 33 cases with 31 patients. BKV infection was confirmed from blood samples via periodic quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: The mean age at kidney transplantation was 11.0±4.7 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 2.7:1. Three patients had a past medical history of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation for solid tumors. Nine patients (27.3%) developed BKV infection. The median period from kidney transplantation to BKV detection in blood was 5.6 months. There was no statistically significant difference in estimated glomerular filtration rate between patients with and those without BKV infection. Among 9 patients with BKV viremia, 7 were treated by reducing their immunosuppressant dose, and BKV was cleared in 6 of these 7 patients. In the other 2 BKV-positive patients, viremia improved without immunosuppressant reduction. Conclusion: BKV infection is common in children with kidney transplantation and might not have affected short-term renal function in our patient sample due to early immunosuppressant reduction at the time of BKV detection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2529-2532
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• 2013

Background: Pelvic exenteration is a procedure which includes enbloc resection of pelvic organs followed by surgical reconstruction. Aims include both cure and palliation but data for pelvic exenteration in Thailand are very limited. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate characteristics of patients, operative procedure outcomes and complications. Materials and Methods: This retrospective review covered all of the charts of exenteration patients during January 2002 to December 2011. Baseline characteristic of the patients were collected as well as details of clinical results. Results: A total of 13 cases of pelvic exenteration were included. Most underwent total pelvic exenteration (9 cases) and the remainder posterior and anterior exenteration. Their primary cancers were ovarian, cervical and vulva. Mean operative time was 532 minutes (SD 160.2, range 270-750) and estimated blood loss was 2830 ml (1850, 1000-8000). Mean tumor size was 7.33 cm (3.75, 4-15). Mean hospital stay was 35.2 days (29.8, 13-109). The most common post operative complication was urinary tract infection. Overall disease free survival with a negative surgical margin was significantly better than in positive surgical margin patients (p=0.014). Conclusions: Surgical margin was the most significant prognostic factor for disease free survival, in line with earlier studies.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 1999

Pediatric laparoscopic splenectomy has been gradually accepted as the surgical management of a various splenic disorders, particularly in hematologic diseases. We report our experience with 16 patients who underwent this procedure because of hematologic disorders during the past 3 and a half years at the Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University Medical College. The mean age was 10 years(range 6-16 years) and the mean spleen weight was 210 gm(range 85-500 g). The indication for splenectomy were hereditary spherocytosis(6 cases), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(8 cases), autoimmune hemolytic anemia(1 case), and idiopathic splenomegaly(1 case). All splenectomies were performed safely with mean estimated blood loss of 233 ml. Mean operative time and mean postoperative hospital stay were 157 min and 4.5 days, respectively. Postoperative pain, medication was needed in 3 cases, just one injection in immediate postoperative period. Diet was started on the second or third postoperative day. In conclusion, laparoscopic splenectomy in pediatric patients is a safe procedure, offering a small of abdominal scar, much less pain, a shorter hospital stay and car the lower postoperative morbidity.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.255-260
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• 2022

Purpose: To determine the incidence and risk factors of postoperative infection after cranioplasty in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: Data of 289 adult patients who underwent cranioplasty after TBI at a single regional trauma center between year 2018 and 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Patient characteristics and various procedural variables, such as interval between craniectomy and cranioplasty, estimated blood loss, laterality and materials of the bone flap, and duration and classification of perioperative antibiotics usage were analyzed. Results: Postoperative infection occurred in 17 patients (5.9%). Onset time of infectious symptom ranged from 9 days to 174 days (median, 24 days) after cranioplasty. The most common cultured organism was Staphylococcus aureus (47.1%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.6%) and Enterococcus faecalis (17.6%). Patients with postoperative infection were more likely to have diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 6.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92-25.21; P=0.003), lower body mass index (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66-0.98; P=0.029), and shorter duration of perioperative antibiotics (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71-0.98; P=0.026). Conclusions: For TBI patients with diabetes, poor nutritional status should be managed cautiously for increased risk of infection after cranioplasty. Further studies and discussions are needed to determine an appropriate antibiotics protocol in cranioplasty.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.39-45
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• 2022

This study was undertaken to assess the potential of body mass index (BMI) as a risk factor for massive hemorrhage (MH) after cesarean section (CS) in patients with placenta previa. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent CS for placenta previa between January 2010 and December 2018. MH was defined as an estimated blood loss ≥2,000 mL during surgery. Clinical characteristics, including BMI, were compared between the groups with and without MH. Subsequently, multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent risk factors for MH. A total of 189 patients were included in this study. MH was observed in 28 patients (14.8%). According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis results, the risk factors independently associated with MH were BMI at delivery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.35; P=0.012), placenta accrete (aOR, 24.55; 95% CI, 2.75-219.02; P=0.004), and total previa degree (aOR, 9.86; 95% CI, 2.71-35.96; P=0.001). The study findings showed that maternal obesity, namely a higher BMI at delivery, was an independent risk factor for MH after CS in patients with placenta previa. Close attention should be paid to the potential risk of hemorrhage associated with maternal obesity as well as the well-known risk factors of placenta accreta and total previa degree.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to analyze the results of the combined and posterior approaches for treating thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures and to find an adequate method of treatment. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 46 patients with unstable thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures who had been surgically treated. All cases were divided into two groups based on the operation method used. Eleven patients had undergone the combined approach, while 35 patients had undergone the posterior approach. Radiological and clinical evaluations were performed before surgery, after surgery, and at the final follow-up. Results: The stenotic ratios of the area occupied by the retropulsed bony fragments to the estimated area of the original spinal canal were 68.2% and 45.6% for the combined and the posterior approaches, respectively. No significant differences in the neurological improvement or the corrected state of the sagittal index were noted, but the patients who had been treated with the combined approach group had better results than those who had been treated with the posterior approach group in terms of correction and maintenance of the sagittal index. The average kyphosis corrections at the final follow-up were 15.3 degrees for the patients in the combined approach group and 10.0 degrees for those in the posterior approach group. Surgical time and estimated blood loss were all significantly higher for patients in the combined approach group. Conclusion: The combined and the posterior approaches showed similar results in the improvements of the neurologic state and the corrected state of the sagittal index. However, use of the combined approach is recommended for patients with severe kyphosis and with severe canal encroachment.

• Kosin Medical Journal
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2018

Objectives: We designed the study to compare the oncologic and renal function outcomes of off-clamp, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (OCLPN) and conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (HCLPN) for renal tumors. Methods: Between March 2008 and July 2015, 114 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) of a renal neoplasm were studied. We performed LPN without hilar clamp on 40 patients (OCLPN, Group 1), and conventional LPN with hilar control and renorrhaphy on another 40 patients (HCLPN, Group 2). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of each patient's age, sex, R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score (RNS), operation time, complications, hospitalization period, tumor size, positive resection margin, histologic classification of tumor, pathologic stage, Fuhrman grade, estimated blood loss (EBL), warm ischemic time (WIT), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) before and one year after surgery. Results: There were no significant differences in age, sex, preoperative eGFR, EBL, surgical (anesthesia) time, and tumor size between the two groups. The mean eGFR was not significantly different between the OCLPN and HCLPN groups 1 month (95 and $86.2mL/min/1.73m^2$, respectively; P = 0.106), 6 months (92.9 and $83.6mL/min/1.73m^2$, respectively; P = 0.151) and 12 months (93.8 and $84.7mL/min/1.73m^2$, respectively; P = 0.077) postoperatively. The change in eGFR after one year was 3.9% in the OCLPN group and -7.9% in the HCLPN group. Conclusions: OCLPN was superior to HCLPN in preserving renal function one year after surgery, and there was no statistically significant difference in tumor treatment results.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.78-82
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• 2001

Background : The coronal incision is versatile surgical approach to upper and middle region of the facial skeletal including the zygomatic arch. The advantages of coronal approach are minimal injury of facial tissue including facial nerve and satisfactory cosmetic result by hidden scar at hair. But wide exposure of scalp, its disadvantages are operation time and massive blood loss. Methods : Thirty patients undergoing elective surgery were divided 3 groups. Group I used only coronal approach, group II used coronal with subciliary approach and group III used coronal with subciliary and intraoral approach. And then retrospected of the preoperative, postoperative red blood cell count, hemoglobin(Hb), hematocrit, transfused red blood cell units and platelet cell units, and the amount of infused crystalloids and colloids, and postoperative hemovac count was estimated. Results: 1. Red blood cell count were decreased in all groups at immediated postoperation and decreased in all group of postoperative first day and decreased in group I, II but increased group III of postoperative third day. 2. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were decreased in all group at immediated postoperation and decreased in all group of postoperative first day and decreased in group I, II., but increased group III postoperative third day. 3. Platelet was decreased in all group at immediated postoperation, and decreased in group II, III but increased in group I of postoperative first day and decreased in group I but increased group II, III of postoperative third day. 4. Mean postoperative hemovac mean drainage group I of first day is $48.63{\pm}21.12ml$ and second day is $23.92{\pm}19.53ml$ and third day is $7.82{\pm}5.32ml$ and group II of first day $60.45{\pm}22.65ml$ and second day is $22.14{\pm}13.21ml$ and third day is $7.32{\pm}6.25ml$. III group of first day $58.16{\pm}10.13ml$ and second day is $21.27{\pm}11.72ml$ and third day is $7.13{\pm}4.90ml$. 5. Infusion of group I is mean PRC $1.08{\pm}0.91$ pint, FFP $1.03{\pm}0.75$ pint, crystalloid $2562.23{\pm}1345.53ml$ and group II is mean PRC $1.05{\pm}0.89$ pint, FFP $1.71{\pm}0.78$, crystalloid $2650.47{\pm}1096.36ml$ and group III is mean PRC $1.79{\pm}1.45$ pint, crystalloid $3295.43{\pm}1472.432ml$.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.86-93
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• 2003

Background : The SCL began screening of newborns and high risk group blood spots with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in April 2001. Our goal was to determine approximate prevalence of metabolic disorders, optimization of decision criteria for estimation of preventive effect with early diagnosis. This report describes the ongoing effort to identify more than 30 metabolic disorders by MS/MS in South Korea. Methods : Blood spot was collected from day 2 to 30 (mostly from day 2 to 10) after birth for newborn. Blood spot of high risk group was from the pediatric patients in NICU, developmental delay, mental retardation, strong family history of metabolic disorders. One punch (3.2 mm ID) of dried blood spots was extracted with $150{\mu}L$ of methanol containing isotopically labelled amino acids (AA) and acylcarnitines (AC) internal standards. Butanolic HCl was added and incubated at $65^{\circ}C$ for 15 min. The butylated extract was introduced into the inlet of MS/MS. Neutral loss of m/z 102 and parent ion mode of m/z 85 were set for the analyses of AA and AC, respectively. Diagnosis was confirmed by repeating acylcarnitine profile, urine organic acid and plasma amino acid analysis, direct enzyme assay, or molecular testing. Results : Approximately 31,000 neonates and children were screened and the estimated prevalence (newborn/high risk group), sensitivity, specificity and recall rate amounted to 1:2384/1:2066, 96.55%, 99.98%, and 0.73%, respectively. Confirmed 28 (0.09%) multiple metabolic disorders (newborn/high risk) were as follows; 13 amino acid disorders [classical PKU (3/4), BH4 deficient-hyperphenylalaninemia (0/1), Citrullinemia (1/0), Homocystinuria (0/2), Hypermethioninemia (0/1), Tyrosinemia (1/0)], 8 organic acidurias [Propionic aciduria (2/1), Methylmalonic aciduria (0/1), Isovaleric aciduria (1/1), 3-methylcrotonylglycineuria (1/0), Glutaric aciduria type1 (1/0)], 7 fatty acid oxidation disorders [LCHAD def. (2/2), Mitochondrial TFP def. (0/1), VLCAD def. (1/0), LC3KT def. (0/1). Conclnsion : The relatively normal development of 10 patients with metabolic disorders among newborns (except for the expired) demonstrates the usefulness of newborn screening by MS/MS for early diagnosis and medical intervention. However, close coordination between the MS/MS screening laboratory and the metabolic clinic/biochmical geneticists is needed to determine proper decision of screening parameters, confirmation diagnosis, follow-up scheme and additional tests.