• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.61-70
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• 2019

Objective : Corpectomy of the first lumbar vertebra (L1) for the management of different L1 pathologies can be performed using either an anterior or posterior approach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a retroperitoneal extrapleural approach through the twelfth rib for performing L1 corpectomy. Methods : Thirty consecutive patients underwent L1 corpectomy between 2010 and 2016. The retroperitoneal extrapleural approach through the 12th rib was used in all cases to perform single-stage anterior L1 corpectomy, reconstruction and anterior instrumentation, except for in two recurrent cases in which posterior fixation was added. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for pain intensity measurement and ASIA impairment scale for neurological assessment. The mean follow-up period was 14.5 months. Results : The sample included 18 males and 12 females, and the mean age was 40.3 years. Twenty patients (67%) had sensory or motor deficits before the surgery. The pathologies encountered included traumatic fracture in 12 cases, osteoporotic fracture in four cases, tumor in eight cases and spinal infection in the remaining six cases. The surgeries were performed from the left side, except in two cases. There was significant improvement of back pain and radicular pain as recorded by VAS. One patient exhibited postoperative neurological deterioration due to bone graft dislodgement. All patients with deficits at least partially improved after the surgery. During the follow-up, no hardware failures or losses of correction were detected. Conclusion : The retroperitoneal extrapleural approach through the 12th rib is a feasible approach for L1 corpectomy that can combine adequate decompression of the dural sac with effective biomechanical restoration of the compromised anterior loadbearing column. It is associated with less pulmonary complication, no need for chest tube, no abdominal distention and rapid recovery compared with other approaches.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.125-130
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• 2019

Background: To compare the outcomes of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in comparison to open thoracic surgery in pediatric patients suffering from empyema. Methods: A prospective study was carried out in 80 patients referred to the Department of Pediatric Surgery between 2015 and 2018. The patients were randomly divided into thoracotomy and VATS groups (groups I and II, respectively). Forty patients were in the thoracotomy group (16 males [40%], 24 females [60%]; average age, $5.77{\pm}4.08years$) and 40 patients were in the VATS group (18 males [45%], 22 females [55%]; average age, $6.27{\pm}3.67years$). There were no significant differences in age (p=0.61) or sex (p=0.26). Routine preliminary workups for all patients were ordered, and the patients were followed up for 90 days at regular intervals. Results: The average length of hospital stay ($16.28{\pm}7.83days$ vs. $15.83{\pm}9.44days$, p=0.04) and the duration of treatment needed for pain relief (10 days vs. 5 days, p=0.004) were longer in the thoracotomy group than in the VATS group. Thoracotomy patients had surgical wound infections in 27.3% of cases, whereas no cases of infection were reported in the VATS group (p=0.04). Conclusion: Our results indicate that VATS was not only less invasive than thoracotomy, but also showed promising results, such as an earlier discharge from the hospital and fewer postoperative complications.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.3-9
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• 2021

Background For an attractive and natural tip contour in Asian rhinoplasty, insertion of a nasal implant and reinforcement of the cartilaginous framework are essential. However, scar contracture, which often results from augmentation with implant insertion and inadequate soft tissue coverage of the framework, is one of the most common causes of alar retraction. This study reports a novel method of redraping soft tissue along the alar rim to prevent alar retraction in Asians. Methods Twenty young Asian men who underwent primary rhinoplasty with septoplasty were retrospectively reviewed. After the usual rhinoplasty procedures, alar rim redraping was conducted for the soft tissue along the transcolumellar and bilateral infracartilaginous incisions. The longest axis of the nostril (a) and the height of the nostril from that axis (b) were measured in anterior-posterior and lateral views. The preoperative and postoperative ratios (b/a) were analyzed using the paired t-test. Results All 20 patients showed natural contours of the nasal tip, nostrils, and alae after a mean follow-up of 53.6 weeks (range, 52-60 weeks). The ratio of the nostril axes significantly decreased postoperatively in all patients except one, by an average of 11.08%±6.52% in the anterior-posterior view and 17.74%±8.49% in the lateral view (P<0.01). There were no complications, including asymmetry, contracture, subdermal plexus injury, flap congestion, or infection. Conclusions A quantitative analysis of alar retraction by evaluating the ratio of nostril axes showed that alar rim redraping is a simple and effective adjuvant technique for preventing alar retraction in rhinoplasty for young Asian men.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.6-13
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• 2023

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been found to cause life-threatening respiratory failure, which can progress to irreversible lung damage. Lung transplantation can be a life-saving treatment in patients with terminal lung disease (e.g., acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by infection). This study aimed to present the clinical course and results after initial lung transplantation in patients with severe COVID-19 who did not recover even with optimal medical care. Methods: From August 2019 to February 2022, this study enrolled 10 patients with COVID-19 (5 men; median age, 55.7 years) who underwent lung transplantation at a single center in Korea. All patients' characteristics, clinical pathway, overall survival, complications, and operative data were collected and analyzed. Results: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or an oxygenator in a right ventricular assist device circuit was applied to 90% of the patients, and the median length of extracorporeal life support before operation was 48.5 days. There were no cases of mortality after a median follow-up of 372.8 days (interquartile range, 262.25-489 days). The major complications included the requirement for postoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in 2 cases (20%), re-transplantation in 1 case (10%), and re-exploration due to bleeding in 2 cases (20%). During the follow-up period, 3 out of 10 patients died. Conclusion: Excellent early outcomes were observed for patients who underwent lung transplantation. Thus, lung transplantation can be an effective and feasible treatment for patients with end-stage lung disease caused by COVID-19.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.346-352
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• 2023

Background: A significant proportion of cardiac surgery intensive care unit (CSICU) patients require long-term ventilation, necessitating tracheostomy placement. The goal of this study was to evaluate the long-term postoperative outcomes and complications associated with percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) in CSICU patients. Methods: All patients undergoing PDT after cardiac, thoracic, or vascular operations in the CSICU between January 1, 2013 and January 1, 2021 were identified. They were evaluated for mortality, decannulation time, and complications including bleeding, infection, and need for surgical intervention. Multivariable regression models were used to identify predictors of early decannulation and the complication rate. Results: Ninety-three patients were identified for this study (70 [75.3%] male and 23 [24.7%] female). Furthermore, 18.3% of patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 21.5% had history of stroke, 7.5% had end-stage renal disease, 33.3% had diabetes, and 59.1% were current smokers. The mean time from PDT to decannulation was 39 days. Roughly one-fifth (20.4%) of patients were on dual antiplatelet therapy and 81.7% had anticoagulation restarted 8 hours post-tracheostomy. Eight complications were noted, including 5 instances of bleeding requiring packing and 1 case of mediastinitis. There were no significant predictors of decannulation prior to discharge. Only COPD was identified as a negative predictor of decannulation at any point in time (hazard ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.95; p=0.04). Conclusion: Percutaneous tracheostomy is a safe and viable alternative to surgical tracheostomy in cardiac surgery ICU patients. Patients who undergo PDT have a relatively short duration of tracheostomy and do not have major post-procedural complications.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제65권3호
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• pp.479-488
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• 2022

Objective : The surgical management of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) caused by petrous apex meningioma (PAM) is still a challenge because of the lesion's deep location and the surrounding complex structures. The authors describe the intradural anterior transpetrosal approach (ATPA) and its effect on the treatment of TN secondary to PAM. Methods : A retrospective analysis of 15 patients with TN secondary to PAM who underwent surgery via the intradural ATPA was conducted. The key techniques, which included drilling off the petrosal apex (PA) and opening the upper wall of Meckel's cave (MC), are described in detail. Results : Total removal of the tumor and complete pain relief (Barrow Neurological Institute I) were achieved in all 15 patients without significant morbidity. Five patients developed new facial numbness postoperatively, which disappeared within three months after surgery. The postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed temporal lobe swelling in three patients, but no clinical symptoms. One patient had cerebrospinal fluid leakage and was managed with bed rest and temporary lumbar drainage. One patient had an intracranial infection and was treated with antibiotics. By the last follow up, no patients had pain relapse or/and tumor recurrence. It is worth noting that the vascular compression at the root of the trigeminal nerve was found in one patient during the operation. Conclusion : Our experience suggests that drilling off the PA and opening the upper wall of the MC are key elements for a good outcome of the treatment of TN secondary to PAM. The intradural ATPA has the advantages for both tumor resection and pain relief.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.94-102
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• 2024

The exact mechanism of sialolith formation has yet to be determined. Recurrence of sialolithiasis is rare, affecting only 1%-10% of patients. The current study presents a case of recurrent stones that occurred twice on the right submandibular gland 6 months postoperative and 7 months after reoperation in a 48-year-old female patient. The stones were analyzed using histology, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The first stone showed a three-layered structure with a poorly mineralized peripheral multilayered zone, highly mineralized middle layer, and the central nidus. The stones were composed of Ca, C, O, Cu, F, N, P, Si, Zn, and Zr. In TEM, compact bi-layered bacterial cell membrane was found on the peripheral layer and the central nidus of the stone as well as exosomes in the central nidus. The results demonstrated the essential components of sialolith formation, including bacteria, inflammatory exosomes, and exfoliated salivary epithelial cells that cooperatively underwent the pathogenetic progresses of central nidus formation, induction of compact zone calcification of the middle layer, and repeated subsequent deposition in the peripheral multilayer zone. The rapid recurrence could have resulted from residual pieces of a sialolith acting as the nidus of bacterial infection.

• 한국간담췌외과학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.34-41
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• 2024

Backgrounds/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) provides a favorable outcome for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and was launched in Vietnam in 2004. In this study, we evaluated the short-term and long-term outcomes of LT and its risk factors. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed HCC patients who underwent LT at Viet Duc University hospital, Vietnam, from 01/2012-03/2022. The following data were gathered: demographics, virus infection, tumor characteristics, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, Child-Pugh and MELD scores, selection criteria, type of LT, complications, 30-day mortality, and disease-free and overall survival (DFS and OS). Results: Fifty four patients were included, the mean age was 55.39 ± 8.46 years. Nearly 90% had hepatitis B virus-related HCC. The median (interquartile range) AFP level was 16.2 (88.7) ng/mL. The average MELD score was 10.57 ± 5.95; the rate of Child-Pugh A and B were 70.4% and 18.5%, respectively. Nearly 40% of the patients were within Milan criteria, brain-dead donor was 83.3%. Hepatic and portal vein thrombosis occurred in 0% and 1.9%, respectively; hepatic artery thrombosis 1.9%, biliary leakage 5.6%, and postoperative hemorrhage 3.7%. Ninety-day mortality was 5.6%. Five-year DFS and OS were 79.3% and 81.4%, respectively. MELD score and ChildPugh score were predictive factors for DFS and OS (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, Child-Pugh score was the only significant factor (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In Vietnam, LT is an effective therapy for HCC with an acceptable complication rate, mortality rate, and good survival outcomes, and should be further encouraged.

• 한국간담췌외과학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.214-219
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• 2024

Backgrounds/Aims: Open cholecystectomy is becoming obsolete and laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the treatment of choice in gallstone diseases. Difficult gallbladders are encountered whenever there is a frozen calot's triangle, obliterated cystic plate, or both. Rather than converting to open procedure, there has been a growing preference for laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) during difficult gallbladders. This study aimed to assess the advantages, indications, and viability of LSC in difficult gallbladders. Methods: The study included patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy in NIMS Hospital, Jaipur, from January 2021 to January 2023. Data of the patients who underwent LSC for difficult gallbladders included demographics, comorbidities, operative time, conversion to open cholecystectomy, length of hospital stay, and complications. LSC was classified into three types depending on the part of the gallbladder remnant. Results: A total of 728 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Among them, 41 patients (5.6%) were attempted for LSC. However, one patient was converted to an open procedure and the rest 40 underwent LSC. LSC was divided into 3 types, 4 patients underwent LSC type I, 34 patients underwent type II, and 2 patients type III. The average operating time and postoperative length of hospital stay were 86.2 minutes and 2.1 days, respectively. Two patients had surgical site infection. No patient had a bile leak and none required intensive care unit care. Conclusions: LSC is a safe and feasible option for use in difficult gallbladders.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.775-785
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• 1999

연구배경: 내성결핵의 발현으로 인하여 수술요법이 활성화되면서 폐결핵에서 절제술에 대한 표준화된 적응증과 언제 수술을 시행할 것인가 하는 문제가 대두되게 되었다. 그러나, 수술의 이상적 시기는 보고자에 따라 다양하다. 이에 본 연구는 폐결핵 환자에서 폐절제술전 투약 기간과 술후 결과를 서로 비교 분석하여 폐결핵의 수술의 시기를 결정하는데 지표가 되고자 하였다. 방 법: 국립마산결핵병원에서 1993년 1월부터 1997년 12월까지 입원 치료를 받은 환자 중 폐절제술을 시행 받은 69예를 진료기록을 중심으로 조사하였다. 전체 환자군 69 예를 술전 투약 기간에 따라 1개월, 2개월, 3개월, 4개월, 5개월, 6개월, 7개월, 8개월, 9개월, 10개월, 11개월, 12개월의 간격으로 환자군을 분류하고 각군의 술후 합병증 발생율, 술후 치료실패율, 치료종결후 재발율을 $x^2$-test를 이용하여 서로 비교하였고, 수술 직전 객담 AFB 배양 양성이었던 28예를 술전 투약 기간에 따라 상기와 같이 분류하고 각군의 술후 합병증 발생율, 술후 치료실패율, 치료종결후 재발율을 비교하였다. 결 과: 전체 69예 중 남자가 56예, 여자가 13예 이었고 16세에서 63세의 연령분포를 보였다(중앙값 33 세). 술전 내성 약제수는 평균 3.1제였다. 내성의 분포는 다제 내성결핵이 전체의 54%, 약제 내성결핵이 19%, 모든 약제에 감수성인 경우가 7%, 내성검사를 하지 않은 경우와 그 결과를 알 수 없는 경우가 20% 였다. 결핵 치료의 과거력이 한 번도 없었던 예에서 최다 6회의 치료력을 보였고, 술전, 술후 평균 사용약제수는 각각 4.6제, 4.4제였다. 술전 투약 기간은 0.1개월에서 24.8개월까지 다양하게 나타났고, 술후 투약기간은 2.7개월에서 30.2개월까지 나타났고 평균 13개월의 투약기간이 있었다. 수술날짜를 기준으로 술후 추적관찰기간은 평균 30.8개월이었다. 전체 69예 중 술후 치료실패한 경우가 8예로 치료실패율이 11.6%였다. 추적관찰이 가능하였던 59예 중 4예가 재발되어 재발율은 6.8%였다. 전체 환자군을 술전 투약 기간에 따라 나누어 각각의 분류군 마다 치료실패율, 재발율, 합병증 발생율을 비교하였으나 유의한 차이는 없었다. 수술직전 객담 AFB 배양 양성군과 음성군간에 술후 치료실패율, 재발율, 합병증 발생율 등에 차이가 있을 것으로 기대되어 비교해 보았는데, 재발율과 합병증 발생율은 수술직전 객담 배양 양성군과 음성군간에 통계적으로 유의한 차이는 없었으나, 양성군 28예 중 7예(25.0%, p<0.01)의 술후 치료 실패가 있었고, 음성군에서는 41예 중 1예(2.4%)의 치료실패가 발생하여 치료실패율에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 나타났다. 이에 수술직전 객담 AFB 배양 양성군에서 술전 투약 기간에 따라 상기와 같이 각각의 분류군 마다 치료실패율을 통계적으로 비교하였으나 술전 투약 기간에 따른 술후 결과의 유의한 차이는 없었다. 결 론: 상기의 결과를 바탕으로 폐결핵에서 절제술을 시행함에 있어 술전 투약 기간은 술후 치료실패, 재발, 합병증 발생 등의 술후 결과에 크게 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 보인다. 그러나, 상기 결론을 좀더 명확하게 하기 위하여는 더욱더 많은 연구가 필요하리라 생각된다. 또한 술전 환자의 과거 치료력, 내성 약제수, 수술의 적응, 술후 약제의 조합, 술후 투약기간 등에 관하여 앞으로 활발한 연구가 있어야 하겠다.