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Purpose@#In this study, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based microsatellite instability (MSI) testing was comprehensively analyzed and compared with immunohistochemistry (IHC) for mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression in patients with gastric cancer (GC). @*Materials and Methods@#In 5,676 GC cases, PCR-based MSI testing using five microsatellites (BAT-26, BAT-25, D5S346, D2S123, and D17S250) and IHC for MLH1 were performed. Reevaluation of MSI testing/MLH1 IHC and additional IHC for MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 were performed in discordant/indeterminate cases. @*Results@#Of the 5,676 cases, microsatellite stable (MSS)/MSI-low and intact MLH1 were observed in 5,082 cases (89.5%), whereas MSI-high (MSI-H) and loss of MLH1 expression were observed in 502 cases (8.8%). We re-evaluated the remaining 92 cases (1.6%) with a discordant/ indeterminate status. Re-evaluation showed 1) 37 concordant cases (0.7%) (18 and 19 cases of MSI-H/MMR-deficient (dMMR) and MSS/MMR-proficient (pMMR), respectively), 2) 6 discordant cases (0.1%) (3 cases each of MSI-H/pMMR and MSS/dMMR), 3) 14 MSI indeterminate cases (0.2%) (1 case of dMMR and 13 cases of pMMR), and 4) 35 IHC indeterminate cases (0.6%) (22 and 13 cases of MSI-H and MSS, respectively). Finally, MSI-H or dMMR was observed in 549 cases (9.7%), of which 47 (0.8%) were additionally confirmed as MSI-H or dMMR by reevaluation. Sensitivity was 99.3% for MSI testing and 95.4% for MMR IHC. @*Conclusions@#Considering the low incidence of MSI-H or dMMR, discordant/indeterminate results were occasionally identified in GCs, in which case complementary testing is required.These findings could help improve the accuracy of MSI/MMR testing in daily practice.
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Background and Objectives@#The digits-in-noise (DIN) test was developed as a simple and time-efficient hearing-in-noise test worldwide. The Korean version of the DIN (K-DIN) test was previously validated for both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing the outcomes of the K-DIN test further by analyzing the threshold (representing detection ability) and slope (representing test difficulty) parameters for the psychometric curve fit. @*Subjects and Methods@#In total, 35 young adults with normal hearing participated in the K-DIN test under the following four experimental conditions: 1) background noise (digit-shaped vs. pink noise); 2) gender of the speaker (male vs. female); 3) ear side (right vs. left); and 4) digit presentation levels (55, 65, 75, and 85 dB). The digits were presented using the method of constant stimuli procedure. Participant responses to the stimulus trials were used to fit a psychometric function, and the threshold and slope parameters were estimated according to pre-determined criteria. The accuracy of fit performance was determined using the root-mean-square error calculation. @*Results@#The listener’s digit detection ability (threshold) was slightly better with pink noise than with digit-shaped noise, with similar test difficulties (slopes) across the digits. Gender and the tested ear side influenced neither the detection ability nor the task difficulty. Additionally, lower presentation levels (55 and 65 dB) elicited better thresholds than the higher presentation levels (75 and 85 dB); however, the test difficulty varied slightly across the presentation levels. @*Conclusions@#The K-DIN test can be influenced by stimulus factors. Continued research is warranted to understand the accuracy and reliability of the test better, especially for its use as a promising clinical measure.
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Lamotrigine and aripiprazole have shown efficacy as augmentation agents of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To date, the efficacy of lamotrigine/aripiprazole augmentation has not been reported in OCD treatment. Herein, we report the case of a 37-year-old male with severe OCD and comorbid depression whose symptoms markedly improved after low-dose lamotrigine/aripiprazole augmentation to clomipramine.Our report suggests that early glutamatergic/antipsychotic augmentation contributes to rapid remission of OCD symptoms.
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Objectives@#. Sigmoid sinus resurfacing (SS-R) is one of the most effective surgical treatments for patients with pulsatile tinnitus (PT) originating from anatomical variants of the vascular walls in the temporal bone. This study aimed to provide updated information on the clinical outcomes of SS-R and evaluate the efficacy of the water occlusion test (WOT) as an additional diagnostic modality. @*Methods@#. We retrospectively reviewed medical records including tinnitus questionnaires, temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT) scans, audiologic tests, and preoperative WOT results from patients who underwent SS-R. @*Results@#. In total, 26 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 44 years, and the mean symptom duration was 3 months. Fourteen patients (53.8%) were completely cured, seven (26.9%) significantly improved, and five (19.2%) remained stable. The mean visual analog scale loudness score decreased from 5.26 to 1.34 (P<0.001) and the mean Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score also improved from 50.23 to 5.5 (P<0.001) after SS-R surgery. In 10 patients with discrepancies between the preoperative TBCT and intraoperative findings, WOT showed a significant additive effect in predicting surgical outcomes. No patients experienced severe intraoperative or postoperative complications during the entire follow-up period. @*Conclusion@#. SS-R provides significant symptom improvement in patients with sigmoid sinus dehiscence who had a positive WOT without other sigmoid sinus variants. A combined diagnostic approach with TBCT, WOT, and intraoperative findings is crucial for achieving better surgical outcomes in patients with PT caused by sigmoid sinus variants.
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Objectives@#The aim of this study was to determine the most effective treatment approach by comparing the impacts of various otolith reduction techniques in patients with apogeotropic lateral semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (LC-BPPV). @*Methods@#We performed a multicenter randomized prospective study from January to December 2015, involving 72 consecutive patients with apogeotropic LC-BPPV. The patients were divided into three treatment groups: therapeutic head-shaking (group A), the Gufoni-Appiani maneuver (group B), and the cupulolith repositioning maneuver (CuRM; group C). Each group underwent evaluation and treatment up to the fourth week. Treatment success was defined as the disappearance of positional vertigo and nystagmus. @*Results@#This study included 72 patients (49 male and 23 female), with a mean (±standard deviation) age of 55.4±13.5 years. The mean duration of vertigo experienced prior to treatment was 3.9±4.4 days. The mean latency and duration of nystagmus were 2.7±3.0 seconds and 47.9±15.8 seconds, respectively. The overall treatment frequency was 2.0±0.9. The number of treatments differed significantly among the three groups (P0.05). However, CuRM was the only method with a 100% treatment success rate. @*Conclusion@#While no clear difference was observed among the three treatments for LC-BPPV, CuRM was found to be superior to the other approaches in the long term.
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Purpose@#The starting time for probiotic supplementation in preterm infants after birth varies widely. This study aimed to investigate the optimal time for initiating probiotics to reduce adverse outcomes in preterm or very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. @*Methods@#Medical records of preterm infants born at a gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks or VLBW infants in 2011–2020 were reviewed respectively. The infants who received Saccharomyces boulardii probiotics within 7 days of birth were grouped into an early introduction (EI) group, and those who received supplemented probiotics after 7 days of birth were part of the late introduction (LI) group. Clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups and analyzed statistically. @*Results@#A total of 370 infants were included. The mean GA (29.1 weeks vs. 31.2 weeks, p<0.001) and birth weight (1,235.9 g vs. 1491.4 g, p<0.001) were lower in the LI group (n=223) than in the EI group. The multivariate analysis indicated that factors affecting the LI of probiotics were GA at birth (odds ratio [OR], 1.52; p<0.001) and the enteral nutrition start day (OR, 1.47; p<0.001). The late probiotic introduction was associated with a risk of late-onset sepsis (OR, 2.85; p=0.020), delayed full enteral nutrition (OR, 5.44; p<0.001), and extrauterine growth restriction (OR, 1.67; p=0.033) on multivariate analyses after adjusting for GA. @*Conclusion@#Early supplementation of probiotics within a week after birth may reduce adverse outcomes among preterm or VLBW infants.
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Objectives@#Suspending bisphosphonates (BPs) to reduce the risk and severity of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) remains controversial. In this study, we quantitatively evaluated the clinical significance of BP suspension before surgery in osteoporosis patients with MRONJ. @*Materials and Methods@#We analyzed 24 osteoporosis patients with MRONJ who were treated from 2012 to 2020 at Seoul National University Dental Hospital and compared the treatment outcomes of those who suspended BPs with those who did not. The number of surgical interventions, follow-up panoramic radiographs for relative bone density measurement, and laboratory blood tests including white blood cells, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, absolute neutrophil count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and alkaline phosphatase were analyzed. ANOVA, Student’s t-test, and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare results. Fisher’s exact test was used to discover the association between treatment outcome and BP suspension, and Pearson’s correlation test was used to measure the statistical relationship between the changes in serum inflammatory markers. @*Results@#The number of interventions was significantly higher in the non-drug suspension group due to recurrence (P<0.05). The relative bone density in patients who suspended BPs was significantly different over time (P<0.05), with the highest density at one-year follow-up. Fisher’s exact test shows an association between successful treatment outcomes and BP suspension. The alkaline phosphatase and erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels decreased significantly in the BP-suspended group, and a positive correlation was found between these elevated markers. @*Conclusion@#A significant increase in bone density throughout follow-up and a lower number of interventions were found in the BP suspension group compared to the non-drug suspension group. Also, BP suspension decreased inflammatory markers in the serum after surgery, resulting in good treatment outcomes. BP suspension is a prognostic factor for MRONJ and should be implemented before surgery.
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Objective@#This study investigated the influence of psychosocial factors on medical students’ quality of life (QOL). @*Methods@#A total of 408 medical students participated in this study. We collected data on participants’ sociodemographic details, symptoms of depression and Internet addiction, self-esteem, social support, and QOL. QOL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Abbreviated form, which has four domains (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment). A stepwise multiple linear regression model was constructed to identify factors’ independent impact on QOL. @*Results@#Higher levels of depression and Internet addiction were associated with lower scores in all domains of QOL, whereas higher levels of self-esteem and social support were associated with higher scores. Being in third-year versus first-year was associated with higher scores in the physical health and environment domains. Living alone or in dormitories, low or middle socioeconomic status, and insufficient or moderate pocket money were associated with lower scores in the environment domain. Additionally, female students displayed significantly lower scores for physical health, psychological health, and environment than male students, but not for social relationships. There were significant differences in certain domains of QOL due to sociodemographic factors. @*Conclusion@#This study demonstrates the psychosocial factors influencing medical students’ QOL. Educational strategies focusing on strengthening self-esteem and social support as well as preventing depression and Internet addiction may contribute to improving medical students’ QOL.
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Objectives@#The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hazardous drinking (HD) and its association with sociodemographic factors, smoking, social anxiety, self-esteem, and ego-resiliency in medical students. @*Methods@#A total of 408 medical students were included in this study. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire, and HD was assessed by Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). The HD and non-HD group were defined using the AUDIT score 10 for male and 6 for female as a cut-off, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to examine the impact of sociodemographic factors, smoking, social anxiety, self-esteem, and ego-resiliency on HD. @*Results@#A total of 192 participants (47.1%) were identified as having HD. Frequency of smoking and the severity of social anxiety were significantly higher in HD group than non-HD group. Meanwhile, the levels of self-esteem and egoresiliency were significantly lower than HD group than non-HD group. In multiple logistic regression, smoking was associated with a higher risk of HD, whereas ego-resiliency and age were associated with a lower risk of HD. Compared to the high level of subjective socioeconomic status, both middle and low level were associated with a lower risk of HD. @*Conclusions@#HD among medical students was quite common and associated with smoking, ego-resiliency, age, and level of subjective socioeconomic status. Strong efforts to improve smoking cessation and ego-resiliency, as well as education for HD in medical schools, is needed to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol.
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Objectives@#As medical history before surgery is often based on patient reporting, there is the possibility that patients intentionally hide underlying diseases or that dentists cannot recognize abnormal health states. Therefore, more professional and reliable treatment processes are needed under the Korean dental specialist system. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the necessity of a preoperative blood testing routine prior to office-based surgery under local anesthesia. @*Patients and Methods@#Preoperative blood lab data for 5,022 patients from January 2018 to December 2019 were assembled. Study participants were those who underwent extraction or implant surgery under local anesthesia at Seoul National University Dental Hospital. Preoperative blood tests included complete blood count (CBC), blood chemistry, serum electrolyte, serology, and blood coagulation data. Values outside of the normal range were considered an “abnormality,” and the percentage of abnormalities among the total number of patients was calculated. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of underlying disease. The rates of abnormalities in the blood tests were compared between groups. Chi-square tests were performed to compare data from the two groups, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. @*Results@#The percentages of males and females in the study were 48.0% and 52.0%, respectively. Of all patients, 17.0% (Group B) reported known systemic disease, while 83.0% (Group A) reported no specific medical history. There were significant differences between Groups A and B in CBC, coagulation panel, electrolytes, and chemistry panel (P<0.05). In Group A, the results of blood tests that required a change in procedure were identified even though the proportion was very small. @*Conclusion@#Preoperative blood tests for office-based surgery can detect underlying medical conditions that are difficult to identify from patient history alone and can prevent unexpected sequelae. In addition, such tests can result in a more professional treatment process and build patient confidence in the dentist.
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Objectives@#Surgical extraction of maxillary third molars is routine in departments devoted to oral and maxillofacial surgery. Because maxillary third molars are anatomically adjacent to the maxillary sinus, complications such as oroantral fistula and maxillary sinusitis can occur. Here we explore the factors that can cause radiographic postoperative swelling of the maxillary sinus mucosa after surgical extraction. @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective study reviewed the clinical records and radiographs of patients who underwent maxillary third-molar extraction. Preoperative panoramas, Waters views, and cone-beam computed tomography were performed for all patients. The patients were divided into two groups; those with and those without swelling of the sinus mucosa swelling or air-fluid level in a postoperative Waters view. We analyzed the age and sex of patients, vertical position, angulation, number of roots, and relation to the maxillary sinus between groups. Statistical analysis used logistic regression and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. @*Results@#A total of 91 patients with 153 maxillary third molars were enrolled in the study. Variables significantly related to swelling of the maxillary sinus mucosa after surgical extraction were the age and the distance between the palatal cementoenamel junction (CEJ) and the maxillary sinus floor (P<0.05). Results of the analysis show that the relationship between the CEJ and sinus floor was likely to affect postoperative swelling of the maxillary sinus mucosa. @*Conclusion@#Maxillary third molars are anatomically adjacent to the maxillary sinus and require careful handling when the maxillary sinus is pneumatized to the CEJ of teeth.
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Background and Objectives@#The canal wall down mastoidectomy brings changes in the anatomy of the external auditory canal (EAC), causing potential problems, such as accumulated crust, vertigo attacks, and difficulties in wearing hearing aids (HAs). The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of mastoidoplasty using the demineralized bone matrix (DBM) to obliterate the mastoidectomized cavity and reconstruct EAC.Subjects and Method Medical records of patients with chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma who received mastoidoplasty using DBM by a single surgeon at Seoul St. Mary’s hospital between 2014 and 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. @*Results@#A total of 27 patients were included in this study. None of the patients showed any recurrence of cavity problem, wound infection, or any other complications during their followup period of 13.07±37 months. The average air and bone conduction hearing level of pure tone audiometry showed no significant change after surgery (p=0.50, p=0.54, respectively). Five patients indicated for hearing rehabilitation could adopt canal type HAs after surgery; six patients used completely-in-the canal type HAs, and one patient used in-the-canal type HAs. None of the patients using HAs complained of acoustic feedback or any other problem in wearing HAs. @*Conclusion@#Mastoidoplasty using DBM seems to be a very safe and effective surgical procedure that shows functionally acceptable EAC for hearing rehabilitation with canal type HAs and demonstrates no specific complication.
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A retained surgical drain in the operation site is a rare complication that may cause clinical problems and result in medical disputes.The discovery of a retained drain is most often reported after abdominal and pelvis surgery but drain migration in the prevertebral space after anterior cervical spine surgery has not been reported. This paper reports a case of drain retained and migrated into the thorax level following anterior cervical spine surgery with a review of the relevant literature.
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Objectives@#While the reliability of immediate implant placement in the maxillary molar has been discussed, its significance is questionable. There have been no guidelines for case selection and surgical technique for successful treatment outcomes of immediate maxillary molar implants. Therefore, in this study, we classified alveolar bone height and socket morphology of the maxillary molar to establish guidelines for immediate implant placement. @*Materials and Methods@#From 2011 to 2019, we retrospectively analyzed 106 patients with 148 immediate implants at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Seoul National University Dental Hospital. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and patient characteristics and treatment results were evaluated clinically and radiologically. @*Results@#A total of 29 tapered, sand-blasted, large-grit, and acid-etched (SLA) surfaces of implants were placed in 26 patients. The mean patient age was 64.88 years. Two implants failed and were reinstalled, resulting in a 93.10% survival rate. Fluctuating marginal bone level changes indicating bone regeneration and bone loss were observed in the first year following installation and remained stable after one year of prosthesis loading, with an average bone loss of 0.01±0.01 mm on the distal side and 0.03±0.03 mm on the mesial side. @*Conclusion@#This clinical study demonstrated the significance of immediate implant placement in maxillary molars as a reliable treatment with a high survival rate using tapered SLA implants. With an accurate approach to immediate implantation, surgical intervention and treatment time can be reduced, resulting in patient satisfaction and comfort.
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The biocompatibility and durability of implant fixtures are major concerns for dentists and patients. Mechanical complications of the implant include abutment screw loosening, screw fracture, loss of implant prostheses, and implant fracture. This case report aims to describe management of a case of fixture damage that occurred after screw fracture in a tissue level, internal connection implant and microscopic evaluation of the fractured fixture. A trephine bur was used to remove the fixture, and the socket was grafted using allogeneic bone material. The failed implant was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), which revealed a fractured fixture with both normal and irregular bone patterns. The SEM and EDS results give an enlightenment of the failed fixture surface micromorphology with microfracture and contaminated chemical compositions. Noticeably, the significantly high level of gold (Au) on the implant surface and the trace amounts of Au and titanium (Ti) in the bone tissue were recorded, which might have resulted from instability and micro-movement of the implant-abutment connection over an extended period of time. Further study with larger number of patient and different types of implants is needed for further conclusion.
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Background@#Although almost all interventional pulmonologists agree that rigid bronchoscopy is irreplaceable in the field of interventional pulmonology, less is known about the types of diseases that the procedure is used for and what difficulties the operators face during the procedure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate what diseases rigid bronchoscopy is used for, whether it is widely used, and what challenges the operators face in Korea. @*Methods@#We enrolled 14 hospitals in this retrospective cohort of patients who underwent rigid bronchoscopy between 2003 and 2020. An online survey was conducted with 14 operators to investigate the difficulties associated with the procedure. @*Results@#While the number of new patients at Samsung Medical Center (SMC) increased from 189 in 2003–2005 to 468 in 2018–2020, that of other institutions increased from 0 to 238.The proportion of SMC patients in the total started at 100% and steadily decreased to 59.2%.The proportion of malignancy as the indication for the procedure steadily increased from 29.1% to 43.0%, whereas post-tuberculous stenosis (25.4% to 12.9%) and post-intubation stenosis (19.0% to 10.9%) steadily decreased (all P for trends < 0.001). In the online survey, half of the respondents stated that over the past year they performed less than one procedure per month. The fewer the procedures performed within the last year, the more likely collaboration with other departments was viewed as a recent obstacle (Spearman correlation coefficient, r s = −0.740, P = 0.003) and recent administrative difficulties were encountered (r s = −0.616, P = 0.019). @*Conclusion@#This study demonstrated that the number of patients undergoing rigid bronchoscopy has been increasing, especially among cancer patients. For this procedure to be used more widely, it will be important for beginners to systematically learn about the procedure itself as well as to achieve multidisciplinary consultation.
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Background@#Swallowing of foreign bodies (FBs) is the most common indication of therapeutic endoscopy in children. Endoscopic removal may be necessary depending on the type of FB, age of the child, and location of the FB. We attempted to analyze the characteristics of each device used for the endoscopic removal of FBs in children. @*Methods@#Medical records of the patient’s age, sex, weight, type, location, size, shape, type of device used for endoscopic removal, and endoscopic time were retrospectively collected. @*Results@#A total of 424 FB removal procedures were analyzed. The average age of the patients at the time of FB removal was 4.1 ± 3.7 years. Coins were the most common FBs (192, 45.3%). The most common locations of the FBs were the esophagus (45.7%) and the stomach (48.3%), respectively. For a total of 371 cases, forceps were used in 96 cases (25.9%) for esophageal FBs and in 25 cases for gastric FBs (6.7%), while nets were used in 250 cases (67.4%) for gastric FBs retrieval; the average durations of the procedures were 7.2 ± 7.4 minutes, 8.5 ± 7.2 minutes, and 5.7 ± 7.3 minutes, respectively (P = 0.003). The procedure time was significantly shorter, in the group of patients with low body weights, when nets were used than when forceps were used to remove gastric FBs (P = 0.001). @*Conclusion@#The endoscopic procedure duration, in low-weight children, was shorter when retrieval nets were used than that with forceps.
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Purpose@#Universal screening for Lynch syndrome (LS) refers to routine tumor testing for microsatellite instability (MSI) among all patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite its widespread adoption, real-world data on the yield is lacking in Korean population. We studied the yield of adopting universal screening for LS in comparison with pedigree-based screening in a tertiary center. @*Materials and Methods@#CRC patients from 2007-2018 were reviewed. Family histories were obtained and were evaluated for hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) using Amsterdam II criteria. Tumor testing for MSI began in 2007 and genetic testing was offered using all available clinicopathologic data. Yield of genetic testing for LS was compared for each approach and step. @*Results@#Of the 5,520 patients, tumor testing was performed in 4,701 patients (85.2%) and family histories were obtained from 4,241 patients (76.8%). Hereditary CRC (LS or HNPCC) was present in 69 patients (1.3%). MSI-high was present in 6.9%, and 25 patients had confirmed LS. Genetic testing was performed in 41.2% (47/114) of MSI-high patients, out of which 40.4% (19/47) were diagnosed with LS. There were six additional LS patients found outside of tumor testing. For pedigree-based screening, Amsterdam II criteria diagnosed 55 patients with HNPCC. Fifteen of these patients underwent genetic testing, and 11 (73.3%) were diagnosed with LS. Two patients without prior family history were diagnosed with LS and relied solely on tumor testing results. @*Conclusion@#Despite widespread adoption of routine tumor testing for MSI, this is not a fail-safe approach to screen all LS patients. Obtaining a thorough family history in combination with universal screening provides a more comprehensive ‘universal’ screening method for LS.
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Background and Objectives@#Although the digit-in-noise (DIN) test is simple and quick, little is known about its key factors. This study explored the considerable components of the DIN test through a systematic review and meta-analysis. @*Materials and Methods@#After six electronic journal databases were screened, 14 studies were selected. For the meta-analysis, standardized mean difference was used to calculate effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals. @*Results@#The overall result of the meta-analysis showed an effect size of 2.224. In a subgroup analysis, the patient’s hearing status was found to have the highest effect size, meaning that the DIN test was significantly sensitive to screen for hearing loss. In terms of the length of the presenting digits, triple digits had lower speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) than single or pairs of digits. Among the types of background noise, speech-spectrum noise provided lower SRTs than multi-talker babbling. Regarding language variance, the DIN test showed better performance in the patient’s native language(s) than in other languages. @*Conclusions@#When uniformly developed and well validated, the DIN test can be a universal tool for hearing screening.
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Background/Aims@#Percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) is used for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary diseases in patients with failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, particularly those with surgically altered anatomy. However, few studies are available on the clinical use of Spyglass DS direct visualization system (SpyDS)-assisted PTCS. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of SpyDS-assisted PTCS in patients with surgically altered anatomy, particularly those with a Roux-en-Y reconstruction. @*Methods@#Thirteen patients (six women, median age 71.4 years [range, 53 to 83 years]) with surgically altered anatomy (four Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomies, seven Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomies, and two Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomies) who underwent SpyDS-assisted PTCS between January 2019 and August 2020 were included and the data was acquired by retrospectively reviewing electronic medical record. @*Results@#A total of 19 SpyDS-assisted PTCS procedures were performed in the 13 patients: eight had bile-duct stones, and five had biliary strictures. All SpyDS-assisted PTCS procedures were successfully performed. The total procedure time was 42.42±18.0 minutes (mean±standard deviation). Bile duct clearance was achieved in all bile duct stone cases after a median of 2 (range, 1 to 3) procedures. In the five biliary stricture cases, the results of SpyBite forceps-guided targeted biopsy were consistent with adenocarcinoma (100% accuracy). The median hospitalization duration was 20 days (range, 14 to 30 days). No procedure-related morbidity or mortality occurred. @*Conclusions@#SpyDS-assisted PTCS may be a safe, feasible, and effective procedure for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary diseases in patients with surgically altered anatomy, particularly in those with the Roux-en-Y reconstruction requiring a percutaneous approach. However, our findings need to be validated in further studies.