• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.243-248
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• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate the technical feasibility and oncologic safety, we assessed the short-term and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic resection of the small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumors smaller than 5 cm by comparing those of open surgery by subgroup analysis based on tumor size. Materials and Methods: From November 1993 to January 2011, 41 laparoscopic resections were performed among the 95 patients who underwent resection of small intestine ${\leq}10$ cm in diameter. The clinicopathologic features, perioperative outcomes, recurrences and survival of these patients were reviewed. Results: The postoperative morbidity rates were comparable between the 2 groups. Laparoscopic surgery group showed significantly shorter operative time (P=0.004) and duration of postoperative hospital stay (P<0.001) than open surgery group and it was more apparent in the smaller tumor size group. There were no difference in 5-year survival for the laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery groups (P=0.163), and in 5-year recurrence-free survival (P=0.262). The subgroup analysis by 5 cm in tumor size also shows no remarkable differences in 5-year survival and recurrence-free survival. Conclusions: Laparoscopic resection for small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumors of size less than 10 cm has favorable short-term postoperative outcomes, while achieving comparable oncologic results compared with open surgery. Thus, laparoscopic approach can be recommended as a treatment modality for patients with small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumors less than 10 cm in diameter.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.47-73
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• 2006

Objectives: This study aims to identify gaps between knowledge regarding migration and the spread of HIV/AIDS, to improve understanding of migrants with HIV/AIDS and their human rights, and to make suggestions for Korean policy makers to reform laws and policies towards granting migrants with HIV/AIDS more human rights and access to treatment and care. Methods: This study is based on an extensive literature review, questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews from randomly selected 8 countries from 5 different continents: Japan from Asia; Australia from Oceania; Finland, Germany, Ireland and United Kingdom(UK) from Europe; and Canada and United States of America(USA) in North America. Results: This study has found that Korea has a discriminating policy regarding HIV/AIDS and foreigners. Classifying HIV/AIDS into a legal communicable disease, it requires a presentation of HIV/AIDS test results from foreigners wanting a long-term stay before entering. In principle, foreigners with HIV/AIDS cannot either enter or stay in Korea. If they are known infected with HIV/AIDS by any reason, they became to face an immediate deportation regardless of their sojourn statuses and purposes. Conclusion: With the results, this study suggests three reasons why Korean government needs to change the current HIV/AIDS policy on foreigners: 1) HIV-related travel restrictions have no public health justification, 2) its strict HIV/AIDS policy on foreigners could result in restriction on the mobility and migration of its people by the other countries, inversely, and 3) it needs to meet international guidelines and to observe conventions that international organizations suggest to maintain its status as a member of the international society.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2008

Objective: Postoperative delirium (POD) is characterized by an acute change in cognitive function and can result in longer hospital stays, higher morbidity rates, and more frequent discharges to long-term care facilities. In this study, we investigated the incidence and risk factors of POD in 224 patients older than 70 years of age, who had undergone a neurosurgical operation in the last two years. Methods: Data related to preoperative factors (male gender, >70 years, previous dementia or delirium, alcohol abuse, serum levels of sodium, potassium and glucose, and co-morbidities), perioperative factors (type of surgery and anesthesia, and duration of surgery) and postoperative data (length of stay in recovery room, severity of pain and use of opioid analgesics) were retrospectively collected and statistically analyzed. Results: POD appeared in 48 patients (21.4%) by postoperative day 3. When we excluded 26 patients with previous dementia or delirium, 17 spontaneously recovered by postoperative day 14, while 5 patients recovered by postoperative 2 months with medication, among 22 patients with newly developed POD. The univariate risk factors for POD included previously dementic or delirious patients, abnormal preoperative serum glucose level, pre-existent diabetes, the use of local anesthesia for the operation, longer operation time (>3.2 hr) or recovery room stay (>90 mini, and severe pain (VAS>6.8) requiring opioid treatment (p<0.05). Backward regression analysis revealed that previously dementic patients with diabetes, the operation being performed under local anesthesia, and severe postoperative pain treated with opioids were independent risk factors for POD. Conclusion: Our study shows that control of blood glucose levels and management of pain during local anesthesia and in the immediate postoperative period can reduce unexpected POD and help preventing unexpected medicolegal problems and economic burdens.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.136-148
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• 2013

Purpose: To define the role of robotic gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer, the present systematic review with meta-analysis was performed. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search up to July 2012 was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. All eligible studies comparing robotic gastrectomy versus laparoscopic gastrectomy or open gastrectomy were included. Results: Included in our meta-analysis were seven studies of 1,967 patients that compared robotic (n=404) with open (n=718) or laparoscopic (n=845) gastrectomy. In the complete analysis, a shorter hospital stay was noted with robotic gastrectomy than with open gastrectomy (weighted mean difference: -2.92, 95% confidence interval: -4.94 to -0.89, P=0.005). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in intraoperative blood loss with robotic gastrectomy compared with laparoscopic gastrectomy (weighted mean difference: -35.53, 95% confidence interval: -66.98 to -4.09, P=0.03). These advantages were at the price of a significantly prolonged operative time for both robotic gastrectomy versus laparoscopic gastrectomy (weighted mean difference: 63.70, 95% confidence interval: 44.22 to 83.17, P<0.00001) and robotic gastrectomy versus open gastrectomy (weighted mean difference: 95.83, 95% confidence interval: 54.48 to 137.18, P<0.00001). Analysis of the number of lymph nodes retrieved and overall complication rates revealed that these outcomes did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusions: Robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer reduces intraoperative blood loss and the postoperative hospital length of stay compared with laparoscopic gastrectomy and open gastrectomy at a cost of a longer operating time. Robotic gastrectomy also provides an oncologically adequate lymphadenectomy. Additional high-quality prospective studies are recommended to better evaluate both short and long-term outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.36-41
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• 2009

Background : Controversy exists whether patients with esophageal carcinoma are best managed with classical Ivor Lewis esophagectomy(ILO) as combined thoracic and abdominal approach or transhiatal esophagectomy(THO). The THO approach is known to be superior with respect to operative time, morbidity and mortality, and length of stay, especially at poor pulmonary function patient, but may represent an inferior cancer operation due to inadequate mediastinal clearance compared with ILO. Accordingly, we estimated the THO role at esophageal cancer to compare each operative approach. Material and Method : From January 2002 to December 2007, we performed a retrospective review of all esophagectomies performed at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center; 36 underwent THO, and 11 underwent ILO. Result : There were all men and squamous cell carcinoma but 1 woman at ILO group, 2 women at THO group. There were no significant differences between THO and ILO with age, sex, location of tumor, mean tumor length. There were significant differences at preoperative pulmonary function test(In ILO group, average FEV1 is $2.65{\pm}0.6\;L/min$ and iIn THO group, average FEV1 is $2.07{\pm}0.7\;L/min$). The amount of blood transfusion, hospital stay, leak rates and respiratory complication, hospital mortality rate were not significantly different. Conclusion : There was no significant difference in the post-operative complication, hospital mortality rate, long-term survival of patients of both operative method. THO method had lower mobidity and mortality at poor pulmonary function patient than ILO method. Hence, THO is a valid alternative to ILO for patients with poor general condition or expected post-operative respiratory complication.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.773-778
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• 2002

Surgery remains the main stay in the treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus and the results of surgery for esophageal cancer have improved over the past 10 years. The ideal operation for cancer of the esophagus should have good palliation, low morbidity and mortality, and optimize both long-term function and survival. The two main approaches currently used for surgical treatment of esophageal cancer are: transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) and transhiatal esorhagectomy(THE). The advantages of THE are low morbidity and mortality, short operating time, a short hospital stay and low interference with respiratory physiology The selection criteria for this procedure may differ but there are two situations which could clearly benefit from THE; these are epithelial and superficial submucosal lesions, particularly in cases of multiple lesions, and any resectable tumor at any stage with poor clinical status. I reviewed the selection criteria, surgical procedures, and results of THE in esophageal cancer with the literatures.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5265-5270
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• 2014

Background: In Korea, the National Health Insurance program has initiated various copayment policies over a decade in order to alleviate patient financial burden. This study investigated healthcare spending and utilization in the last 12 months of life among patients who died with lung cancer by various copayment policy windows. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using nationwide lung cancer health insurance claims data from 2002 to 2012. We used descriptive and multivariate methods to compare spending measured by total costs, payer costs, copayments, and utilization (measured by length of stay or outpatient days). Using 1,4417,380 individual health insurance claims (inpatients: 673,122, outpatients: 744,258), we obtained aggregated healthcare spending and utilization of 155,273 individual patient (131,494 inpatient and 103,855 outpatient) records. Results: National spending and utilization is growing, with a significant portion of inpatient healthcare spending and utilization occurring during the end-of-life period. Specifically, inpatients were more likely to have more spending and utilization as they got close to death. As coverage expanded, copayments decreased, but overall costs increased due to increased utilization. The trends were the same in both inpatient and outpatient services. Multivariate analysis confirmed the associations. Conclusions: We found evidence of the higher end of life healthcare spending and utilizations in lung cancer patients occurring as coverage expanded. The practice pattern within a hospital might be influenced by coverage policies. Health policy makers should consider initiating various health policies since these influence the long-term outcomes of service performance and overall healthcare spending and utilization.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.630-637
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• 2000

Backgroud: There are well-known problems in the management of low weight neonates or infants with congenital heart defects. In the past, because of a perceived high risk of operations using cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) in these patients, there was a tendency for staged palliation without the use of CPB. However, the recent trend has been toward early reparative surgery using CPB, with acceptable mortality and good long-term survival. Therefore we reviewed our results of the operations in infants weighing less than 3kg and considered the technical aspect of conducting the CPB including myocardial protection. Material and Method: Between Jan. 1995 and Jul. 1998, 28 infants weighing less than 3kg underwent open heart surgery for many cardiac anomalies with a mean body weight of 2.7kg(range; 1.9-3.0kg) and a mean age of 41days(range; 4-110days). Preoperative management in the intensive care unit was needed in 20 infants and preoperative ventilator support therapy in 11. Total correction was performed in 23 infants and the palliative procedure in 5. Total circulatory arrest was needed in 11 infants(39%). Result: There were seven hospital deaths(25%) caused by myocardial failure(n=3), surgical failure(n=2), multiorgan failure(n=1), and sudden death(n=1). The median duration of hospital stay and intensive care unit stay were 13days(range; 6-93days) and 6days(range; 2-77days) respectively. The follow-up was achieved in 21 patients and showed three cases of late mortality(15%) and a one-year survival rate of 62%. No neurologic complications such as clinical seizure and intracranial bleeding were noticed immediately after surgery and during follow-up. Conclusion: The early and late mortality rate of open heart surgery in our infants weighing less than 3 kg stood relatively high, but the improved outcomes are expected by means of the delicate conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass including myocardial protection as well as the adequate perioperative management. Also, the longer follow-up for the neurologic development and complications are needed in infants undergoing circulatory arrest and continuous low flow CPB.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.249-254
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• 2014

Background: Delirium after cardiac surgery is associated with serious long-term negative outcomes and high costs. The aim of this study is to evaluate neurobehavioral, hemodynamic, and sedative characteristics of dexmedetomidine, compared with the current postoperative sedative protocol (remifentanil) in patients undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: One hundred and forty two eligible patients who underwent cardiac surgery on CPB between April 2012 and March 2013 were randomly divided into two groups. Patients received either dexmedetomidine (range, 0.2 to $0.8\;{\mu}g/kg/hr$; n=67) or remifentanil (range, 1,000 to $2,500\;{\mu}g/hr$, n=75). The primary end point was the prevalence of delirium estimated daily via the confusion assessment method for intensive care. Results: When the delirium incidence was compared with the dexmedetomidine group (6 of 67 patients, 8.96%) and the remifentanil group (17 of 75 patients, 22.67%) it was found to be significantly less in the dexmedetomidine group (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in the extubation time, ICU stay, total hospital stay, and other postoperative complications including hemodynamic side effects. Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests that dexmedetomidine as a postoperative sedative agent is associated with significantly lower rates of delirium after cardiac surgery.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.28-33
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• 2019

Electronic health records (EHRs) enable us to use and re-use electronic data for various multiple purposes, such as public reporting, quality improvement, and patient outcomes research. Current hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) risk assessment instruments have not been specifically developed for intensive care unit (ICU) patients and showed false positive rates in this specific populations. Previous research studies report a number of risk factors; however, it is still not clear what factors influence ICU HAPI in this population. As part of a larger research study, we performed an exploratory analysis by using a large electronic health record data. The aims of this study were to compare characteristics of patients who developed HAPIs during their ICU stay with those who did not, and to determine whether the two groups were different in the aspects of length of ICU stay, discharge disposition, and discharge destinations. We conducted chi-square test and t-test for group comparison. Association was examined by using bivariate analyses. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine correlation between LOS and number of medications. Our findings suggest a number of consistent and potentially modifiable risk factors, such as sedation, feeding tubes, and the number of medications administered. The mortality of the HAPI group was significantly higher than the non-HAPI group in our data. Discharge disposition was significantly different between the groups. 67% of the HAPI group transferred to intermediate or long-term care hospitals whereas 57.7% of the non-HAPI group went home after discharge. Awareness of these risk factors can lead to clinical interventions that can be preventative in the ICU setting.