• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 2007

Biliary atresia (BA) is an uncommon neonatal surgical disease that has a fatal outcome if not properly treated. The survival rates of the patients with native liver after Kasai's operation in countries outside Japan are not so good. We reviewed the results of 22 cases of biliary atresia treated in Kosin University Hospital between October 1987 and March 2001. There were 13 males and 9 females aged from 21 to 106 days (mean 52 days). There were 3 cases of Type I (13.6%), and 3 of Type II (13.6%), and 16 Type III (72.7%). The operative methods were resection of the common bile duct remnant and cyst followed by Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in 3 cases for Type I BA; Kasai I in 15 cases, Kasai II in 1 case, and Ueda's operation in 3 cases for Types II and III BA. There was no death within the first 30 days after operation. We were able to follow 21 of the 22 patients (95.4%) for more than 5 years. The actual 5 year survival rate (YSR) was 40.9%. One Type I case received a living-related liver transplantation at 6 years of age because of the multiple intrahepatic stones and liver cirrhosis. Five YSR after biliostomy group (Kasai II and Ueda op.) was 75 % (3/4) while that of Kasai I was 20% (3/15). One case had no bile duct in the resected fibrotic plaque on microscopic review and died 8 months after Kasai I operation, would have been a strong candidate for early liver transplantation. From the above result, our conclusions are as follows; (1) early liver transplantation should be considered for cases of no bile duct after pathologic examination of the resected specimen, (2) measures to prevent postoperative cholangitis and prevention of postoperative liver cirrhosis are needed, (3) liver transplantation program should be available for failed cases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.7
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• pp.775-779
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• 2008

Vallecular cyst is an uncommon but potentially dangerous condition causing stridor and has been associated with sudden airway obstruction resulting in death due to its anatomical location in neonates. It may also present with various degrees of feeding problems resulting in failure to thrive. When a vallecular cyst is suspected clinically, endoscopic laryngoscopy is necessary to visualize it. Other conditions leading to neonatal stridor such as laryngomalacia and other laryngotracheal abnormalities should be ruled out. Marsupialization with a $CO_2$ laser is the most effective and safest treatment to prevent recurrence. We report a case of a 1-month-old male infant with a vallecular cyst synchronous with gastroesophageal reflux, and failure to thrive. He was referred to our hospital because of hoarseness, inspiratory stridor, feeding-cyanosis, chest retraction and failure to thrive. Diagnostic workup revealed a cyst at the tongue base, suggesting a vallecular cyst. The cyst was removed by laryngomicrosurgery with $CO_2$ laser. After the surgery, the symptoms improved and the body weight increased steadily. We report a successfully treated case of neonatal vallecular cyst with symptoms of upper respiratory obstruction, gastroesophageal reflux, and failure to thrive.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 1999

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Tc-99m DTPA diuretic renal scans in children with dilated upper urinary tract. Materials and Methods: We reviewed diuretic renal scans of 14 pediatric patients (age range: 3 days to 4 years) with unilateral hydronephrosis diagnosed by ultrasonography. Diuretic renal scan was done using Tc-99m DTPA and standardized protocol. In 3 neonates, diuretic renal scans were performed within 1 week and 3-7 months after birth. Results: Six patients required Pyeloplasty and eight were managed conservatively. All 6 patients requiring Pyeloplasty were diagnosed as having ureteropelvic junction obstruction in the diuretic renal scan. In these 6 patients, post-operative renal scans at 3-12 months after surgery were converted to nonobstructive pattern in 5 and a nonfunctioning pattern in 1. In 3 patients who underwent diuretic renal scan within 1 week after birth, nonobstructive patterns of initial scan were converted to obstructive patterns in the follow-up scan. However, all patients with nonobstructive diuretic renal scans performed after the neonatal period did well on serial ultrasonography and showed favorable clinical outcome without progression to obstruction. Conclusion: Tc-99m DTPA diuretic renal scan with standardized protocol is useful in assessing suspected ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children as an initial diagnostic or post-operative follow-up modality. Nonobstructive or indeterminate scan results in the neonatal period requires follow-up scan to monitor development of the obstructive pattern.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.177-225
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• 2011

Verdicts related to major medical litigation given by the Seoul Central District Court, the Seoul High Court and the Supreme Court in 2010 were analyzed. It's shown that in cases of the medical negligence regarding the occurrence of neonatal cerebral palsy, the plaintiff claims were dismissed using criteria proposed by associations of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics in US, and thereof the burden of plaintiffs to prove the medical negligence has increased. In addition, in case of that the expected survival period of infants gets longer, payments for treatment and nursing after survival period determined by judges are made and it was judged to compensate it as a periodical indemnity. In case for the explanation obligation the most frequently mentioned in the medical litigation, in addition to cases of invoking the existing theory of explanation obligation, verdicts to mention the instructions of theory regarding instruction explanation obligation and the possibility of compensation for damages on property are given. Particularly, in cases for a liability of reparation by exaggerating the effects and not disclosing the risks related to treatment with stem cells, even if the treatment not approved by Food and Drug Administration is in violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, it's not illegal as violation in Pharmaceutical Affairs Law itself. But there is a certain verdict to present the possibility of an extension of the theory of explanation obligation by acknowledging the liability of reparation caused by illegal acts with no explanations of effects and risks of treatment with stem cell by doctors and pharmaceutical companies. In an incident in which a mental patient fell and died through the opened door of the roof at the hospital, a liability of reparation was acknowledged due to defects in structure installation management and this verdict drew an attention since the overall management responsibility about patients including structures was acknowledged to the hospital besides the obligations on medical practice. In case of the verdict without giving the opportunity to state the opinion with respect to the main legal issues, the responsibility of the court was emphasized since the court did not fulfill the explanation obligations. There were some cases in which payments for nursing and caring to a patient in vegetative state during the plastic surgery was admitted. However, in dental-related incidents, the proportion of cases in which plaintiff won was low since the difficulty of proving may be reflected. In the area of administrative litigation, unlike the existing position regarding arbitrary medical charge cover collected from patients in hospital, the verdict to admit the legitimacy of collection of medical treatment was given and attracted the attention of people. Verdict in which the expression related to medical advertisement was not exaggerated disposed the original verdict and pointed out the problem of excessive regulations on medical advertisement. The effort to analyze the trend of verdicts of court through reviewing the decisions and to organize should be continued, but the full decision should be disclosed as a base, and people and systems to enable the all time monitoring should be prepared.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.316-323
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• 2023

Objective : Owing to advances in critical care treatment, the overall survival rate of preterm infants born at a gestational age (GA) <32 weeks has consistently improved. However, the incidence of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) has persisted, and there are few reports on in-hospital morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate trends surrounding in-hospital morbidity and mortality of preterm infants with severe IVH over a 14-year period. Methods : This single-center retrospective study included 620 infants born at a GA <32 weeks, admitted between January 2007 and December 2020. After applying exclusion criteria, 596 patients were included in this study. Infants were grouped based on the most severe IVH grade documented on brain ultrasonography during their admission, with grades 3 and 4 defined as severe. We compared in-hospital mortality and clinical outcomes of preterm infants with severe IVH for two time periods : 2007-2013 (phase I) and 2014-2020 (phase II). Baseline characteristics of infants who died and survived during hospitalization were analyzed. Results : A total of 54 infants (9.0%) were diagnosed with severe IVH over a 14-year period; overall in-hospital mortality rate was 29.6%. Late in-hospital mortality rate (>7 days after birth) for infants with severe IVH significantly improved over time, decreasing from 39.1% in phase I to 14.3% in phase II (p=0.043). A history of hypotension treated with vasoactive medication within 1 week after birth (adjusted odds ratio, 7.39; p=0.025) was found to be an independent risk factor for mortality. When comparing major morbidities of surviving infants, those in phase II were significantly more likely to have undergone surgery for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (29.2% vs. 0.0%; p=0.027). Additionally, rates of late-onset sepsis (45.8% vs. 14.3%; p=0.049) and central nervous system infection (25.0% vs. 0.0%; p=0.049) were significantly higher in phase II survivors than in phase I survivors. Conclusion : In-hospital mortality in preterm infants with severe IVH decreased over the last decade, whereas major neonatal morbidities increased, particularly surgical NEC and sepsis. This study suggests the importance of multidisciplinary specialized medical and surgical neonatal intensive care in preterm infants with severe IVH.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.152-158
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• 2023

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a common cause of skin and soft tissue infections. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin-producing strain of SA has been discovered worldwide and is known to cause serious infections. However, reports of neonatal infections caused by PVL-positive SA are rare. Here, we report a case of severe skin and soft tissue infection caused by PVL-positive SA in a 7-day-old neonate. The patient was admitted to the emergency room with a history of fever for one day, tenderness, and sensation of buttocks heating. The infant presented with fever, tachycardia, poor general health, progressive tenderness, and edema of the buttocks on the day of admission. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed necrotizing fasciitis involving the skin, soft tissue, and muscles. Specimens drained from the buttock lesions confirmed the presence of PVL-positive methicillin-resistant SA (MRSA), and there was no bacteremia. She recovered after one month of intravenous antibiotics and surgical drainages. One month after discharge, she was rehospitalized for otitis externa and was infected with MRSA again. Considering the PVL-positive strain, the patient was treated with intravenous linezolid and dressing. The patient underwent decolonization therapy in a 0.5% chlorhexidine bath and recovered completely without sequelae. This case suggests that aggressive drainage and antibiotic treatment are essential for PVL-producing MRSA infections, and additional decolonization is needed to prevent recurrence and community spread.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2001

Membership qualifications and recognition of the subspecialty training programs by the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons(KAPS) have been determined by criteria based on the number of neonatal and total pediatric surgical cases registered, since 1989 (Index cases). The numbers are based on a survey of the 14 founding members of the society by Jung et al. in 1987. The current survey is to review the present status of the index cases from 1997 to 1999 among 36 members of the KAPS. Two surveys were undertaken for this study. In the first survey, cases were collected by the registration form, composed of neonatal(N), important pediatric surgical cases (I), tumor and other similar operations(T) and other common pediatric surgical cases(O). Thirty members responded. and the result was discussed at the Topic Discussion section of the 15th Annual Congress of KAPS, 2000. The second survey analyzed additive data, proposed during discussion at the Congress. Twenty-three members responded. This report is the analysis of the both surveys. The average numbers of the cases/year/surgeon of N, I, T, O and total were 19.5, 51.8, 9.5, 77.1 and 356.5. respectively. The number of index cases(N+I+T)/year/surgeon was 80.8. The ratio of (N+I+T)/total cases was 0.3. Seventeen of 30 members have more than 20 cases of N per year. Twelve members have more than 150 cases, and 13 do more than 100 cases of I per year. Fourteen members have more than 10 cases of T per year. Nineteen and 10 members experienced more than 150 and 100 of index cases(N+I+T) per year. A new list of the index cases and coding system are proposed for the future regular update.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.154-157
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• 2015

Plastibell is one of the three most common devices used for neonatal circumcision in the United States, with a complication rate as low as 1.8%. The Plastibell circumcision device is commonly used under local anesthesia for religious circumcision in male neonates, because of cosmetic reasons and ease of use. Occasionally, instead of falling off, the device may get buried under the skin along the shaft of the penis, thereby obstructing the normal flow of urine. Furthermore, the foreskin of neonates is highly vascularized, and hence, hemorrhage and infection are possible when the skin is cut. Necrosis of penile skin, followed by urethral obstruction and renal failure, is a serious surgical mishap requiring immediate corrective surgery and medical attention. We report a case of fulminant urosepsis, acute renal failure, and pyelonephritis in a 4-day-old male neonate secondary to impaction of a Plastibell circumcision device. Immediate medical management was initiated with fluid resuscitation and mechanical ventilation; thereby correcting life threatening complications. Pediatricians and Emergency Department physicians should be cognizant of the complications from Plastibell circumcision device in order to institute appropriate and timely management in neonates.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.501-506
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• 2013

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are most susceptible to oxidative stress in the brain. However, the cause of differences in susceptibility to oxidative stress between OPCs and mature oligodendrocytes (mOLs) remains unclear. Recently, we identified in vivo that ${\alpha}B$-crystallin (aBC) is expressed in mOLs but not in OPCs. Therefore, we examined in the present study whether aBC expression could affect cell survival under oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide using primary cultures of OPCs and mOLs from neonatal rat brains. Expression of aBC was greater in mOLs than in OPCs, and the survival rate of mOLs was significantly higher than that of OPCs under oxidative stress. Suppression of aBC by siRNA transfection resulted in a decrease in the survival rate of mOLs under oxidative stress. These data suggest that higher susceptibility of OPCs than mOLs to oxidative stress is due, at least in part, to low levels of aBC expression.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.106-110
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• 2014

Congenital thoracic ectopic kidney is a very rare developmental disorder and the rarest type of ectopic kidney. This condition is usually asymptomatic and detected incidentally on routine chest radiography. Most cases of thoracic ectopic kidney develop in adulthood and during the neonatal period, and congenital thoracic ectopic kidney rarely develops in children. Most patients are asymptomatic, and the treatment depends on the diagnosis. Herein, we report a rare case of ectopic thoracic kidney associated with a diaphragmatic hernia in a 15-month-old male infant, who presented with periodic severe irritability. The thoracic ectopic kidney was detected as a mass in the right base of the chest on routine chest radiography.