Analysis on the Determinants of Therapeutic Materials Expenditure in National Health Insurance / 보건행정학회지

BACKGROUND: The use of therapeutic materials based on new health technology has increased in recent years in the field of medicine, raising concerns for medical practitioners regarding increased spending on the new therapeutic materials amid the rapid population ageing and increase of chronic diseases in Korea. While therapeutic materials have significant importance in the health care system, they have not been given appropriate attention in the academic world of Korea. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that affect the growth of expenditure on therapeutic materials and to derive implications for an effective management considering the diversity of therapeutic materials. METHODS: Using the claims data of the National Health Insurance Services, specific utilization patterns of groups of therapeutic materials in the middle classification level of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service from 2007 to 2014 were analyzed. Four categories (J5083: drug eluting coronary stent, D0302: nonmetallic anchor, K6014: gauze, K6023: gauze) that exhibit unique patterns with respect to price and volume were selected. Then, decomposition analysis was performed to identify the largest contributor to the spending growth by dividing the products into existing, new, and abandoned products for the period between 2010 and 2013. RESULTS: The effect of new products had larger impact on spending growth than the effect of core items in drug eluting coronary stent (J5083) and nonmetallic anchor (D0302). In addition, existing products in general included items priced relatively lower when compared with another item manufactured by the same company. In the gauze category, however, existing products had the largest impact on expenditure and the effect of volume was greater than that in other categories. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that appropriate management measures classified by the characteristics of therapeutic materials are required for therapeutic materials pricing and reassessment in Korea.

Comparison of Image Quality between Swept-Source and Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography According to Ocular Media Opacity

PURPOSE: To compare the image quality between swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), especially in eyes with media opacity. METHODS: Forty eyes without media opacity and 60 eyes with media opacity (30 eyes with cataract, 20 eyes with vitreous opacity, and 10 eyes with corneal opacity) were included in this study. SD-OCT and SS-OCT 6 x 6 macular scans were taken by a single operator. For image quality analysis, a total of 200 OCT images were subjectively graded by two trained retina specialists and measured quantitatively using the image quality factor (QF) built into the OCT devices. RESULTS: Compared to conventional SD-OCT, SS-OCT had statistically significantly better subjective and objective grades in the normal group, as well as each of the media opacity groups (p-value < 0.001). In both the subjective and objective grades, there was no significant difference according to the types of media opacity (QF: p = 0.188, subject grading scale [SGS]: p = 0.635) and the degree of media opacity (Group I: 20 < or = QF < 50, Group II: 0 < or = QF < 20; QF: p = 0.088, SGS: p = 0.051) in the superiority of image quality of SS-OCT to SD-OCT. CONCLUSIONS: In this media opacity patient population, swept-source OCT is a superior diagnostic tool when compared with SD-OCT in both objective and subjective assessments, even in the ocular media opacity. This result may be useful in diagnosis and progression detection of retinal disease in media opacity eyes.

A clinical study on the trocar-guided mesh repair system for pelvic organ prolapse surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the complication and recurrence rates in patients undergoing trocar-guided mesh implant for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) treatment. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed based on the medical records of patients who had undergone mesh implant by one surgeon from May 2006 to August 2013 at the Presbyterian Medical Center in Korea. We evaluated perioperative complications such as bladder injury, mesh exposure, urinary symptoms, infections, and chronic pelvic pain. Recurrence was defined as a POP-quantification system stage ≥II or any symptomatic prolapse. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients were evaluated, and the mean age of patients was 65.4±7.2 years. Stage ≥III POP-quantification Ba was noted in 61 patients (91%). Intraoperative complications included three cases of bladder injury (4.5%). The mean follow-up period was 44.1±7.9 months. Postoperative complications occurred in seven women (10.5%): four cases of urinary symptoms (6%), two cases of infections (3%), and one case of chronic pelvic pain (1.5%). Mesh exposure did not occur (0%). Prolapse recurrence was reported in five patients (7.5%). CONCLUSION: Based on our operational result, the trocar-guided mesh implant seems to provide safe and effective outcomes.

Adult-Onset Asthma and Periocular Xanthogranuloma in a 75-Year-Old Man

PURPOSE: Adult xanthogranulomatous disease of the orbit including adult-onset asthma and periocular xanthogranuloma is rare. To the best of the author's knowledge, adult-onset asthma and periocular xanthogranuloma have not been previously reported in Korea. CASE SUMMARY: A 75-year-old man presented with a 15-year history of progressive bilateral yellowish eyelid mass. He had a history of adult-onset asthma diagnosed 13 years ago. On ocular examination, there were firm yellowish bilateral eyelid masses and ptosis markedly on the right eye. Exophthalmos was noted in the right eye. There were exotropia, hypertropia, and gaze restriction of the right eye. Orbit magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an ill-defined bilateral infiltrative orbital mass extending to the lid, lacrimal gland, and sinuses. A right orbital mass extended to the posterior orbit. Enlargement of extraocular muscles was also noted in the right eye. Left upper eyelid mass debulking surgery was performed. A combination therapy of azathioprine and prednisolone was started. Mass debulking surgeries of the right upper and lower eyelids were performed. CONCLUSIONS: Adult-onset asthma and periocular xanthogranuloma is known as a refractory disease. Combination therapy with azathioprine and steroid therapy with mass debulking surgery is a good treatment option for adult-onset asthma and periocular xanthogranuloma.

Evaluation of the Cortical Vitreous Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography in Normal Eyes

PURPOSE: To observe the shape of posterior vitreous spaces using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) in normal eyes. METHODS: The posterior vitreous of 80 eyes of 80 volunteers without ocular disease was imaged. The DRI OCT-1 Atlantis (Topcon, Oakland, NJ, USA) was used to acquire scans of the posterior vitreous over an 18 × 18-mm2 area using the 12-mm horizontal line scan protocol. The size of the premacularis bursa was measured by the aliper function of the OCT. RESULTS: A boat-shape bursa was found in most cases. The prevalence of detected bursa fell with further increases in the extent of posterior vitreous detachment. The mean width of the bursa premacularis was 7,679.1 µm and the mean depth was 471.4 µm. CONCLUSIONS: Deep range imaging optical coherence tomography will provide improvement for in vivo anatomic characterization of the cortical vitreous, and allow better visualization of the dimensions of the bursa premacularis.

Evaluation of the Cortical Vitreous Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography in Normal Eyes

PURPOSE: To observe the shape of posterior vitreous spaces using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) in normal eyes. METHODS: The posterior vitreous of 80 eyes of 80 volunteers without ocular disease was imaged. The DRI OCT-1 Atlantis (Topcon, Oakland, NJ, USA) was used to acquire scans of the posterior vitreous over an 18 × 18-mm2 area using the 12-mm horizontal line scan protocol. The size of the premacularis bursa was measured by the aliper function of the OCT. RESULTS: A boat-shape bursa was found in most cases. The prevalence of detected bursa fell with further increases in the extent of posterior vitreous detachment. The mean width of the bursa premacularis was 7,679.1 µm and the mean depth was 471.4 µm. CONCLUSIONS: Deep range imaging optical coherence tomography will provide improvement for in vivo anatomic characterization of the cortical vitreous, and allow better visualization of the dimensions of the bursa premacularis.

Macular Choroidal Thickness and Volume Measured by Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography in Healthy Korean Children

PURPOSE: To evaluate the thickness and volume of the choroid in healthy Korean children using swept-source optical coherence tomography. METHODS: We examined 80 eyes of 40 healthy children and teenagers ( or =18 years) and compared adult measurements with the findings in children. RESULTS: The mean age of the children and teenagers was 9.47 +/- 3.80 (4 to 17) vs. 55.04 +/- 12.63 years (36 to 70 years) in the adult group (p < 0.001, Student's t-test). Regarding the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study subfields, the inner temporal subfield was the thickest (247.96 microm). The inner and outer nasal choroid were thinner (p = 0.004, p = 0.002, respectively) than the surrounding areas. The mean choroidal volumes of the inner and outer nasal areas were smaller (p = 0.004, p = 0.003, respectively) than those of all the other areas in each circle. Among the nine subfields, all areas in the children, except the outer nasal subfield, were thicker than those in adults (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that age, axial length, and refractive error correlated with subfoveal choroidal thickness (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall macular choroidal thickness and volume in children and teenagers were significantly greater than in adults. The nasal choroid was significantly thinner than the surrounding areas. The pediatric subfoveal choroid is prone to thinning with increasing age, axial length, and refractive error. These differences should be considered when choroidal thickness is evaluated in children with chorioretinal diseases.

Lacrimal Intrasaccal Cyst

No abstract available.

The Effect of Pattern Scan Laser Photocoagulation on Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Optic Nerve Morphology in Diabetic Retinopathy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of pattern scan laser (PASCAL) photocoagulation on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, central macular thickness (CMT), and optic nerve morphology in patients with diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Subjects included 35 eyes for the PASCAL group and 49 eyes for a control group. Peripapillary RNFL thickness, cup-disc area ratio and CMT were measured before PASCAL photocoagulation and at 2 and 6 months after PASCAL photocoagulation in the PASCAL or control groups. RESULTS: The average RNFL thickness had increased by 0.84 microm two months after and decreased by 0.4 microm six months after PASCAL photocoagulation compared to baseline, but these changes were not significant (p = 0.83, 0.39). The cup-disc area ratio was unchanged after PASCAL photocoagulation. CMT increased by 18.11 microm (p = 0.048) at two months compared to baseline thickness, and partially recovered to 11.82 microm (p = 0.11) at six months in the PASCAL group. CONCLUSIONS: PASCAL photocoagulation may not cause significant change in the peripapillary RNFL thickness, CMT, and optic nerve morphology in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

The Effectiveness of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty in Steroid-Induced Ocular Hypertension

PURPOSE: To report the effectiveness of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in patients with intraocular hypertension refractory to maximum tolerated medical therapy after intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA). CASE SUMMARY: The records of 3 patients with steroid-induced intraocular hypertension that did not respond to maximum tolerated medical therapy were retrospectively reviewed. The patients received SLT instead of filtering surgery or Argon laser trabeculoplasty. The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) of 13.7 mm Hg increased to 30.7 mm Hg within 13 days of IVTA. IOP was uncontrolled despite maximum tolerated medical therapy. Patients underwent SLT 15.3 weeks after IVTA. Mean IOP decreased to 16 +/- 3.0 mm Hg after 1 day, 19.7 +/- 8.0 mm Hg after 1 week, 17 +/- 8.0 mm Hg after 1 month, 12.3 +/- 2.9 mm Hg after 3 months and 12.3 +/- 0.6 mm Hg after 4 to 6 months. The number of IOP lowering drugs were decreased to 1 from 4.3 after 6 months of SLT. CONCLUSIONS: SLT may be effective and safe for the treatment of steroid-induced intraocular hypertension refractory to maximum tolerated medical therapy.

Dacryocystocele in Adult: A Report of Five Cases

PURPOSE: To report the clinical findings and the treatments of patients with dacryocystocele, presenting as an uncommon mass in the medial canthal area of adults. CASE SUMMARY: Five patients, diagnosed with dacryocystocele, complained of epiphora and mucopurulent discharge and were found to have a medial canthal mass. Four of these patients presented with symptoms of acute dacryocystitis. One patient underwent repeated endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (endonasal DCR) with silicone implantation, but the epiphora returned a few months after the treatment. The patient then received external dacryocystorhinostomy (external DCR) with silicone implantation. Two patients experienced recurrence after the first endonasal DCR and, therefore, received repeat endonasal DCR with silicone implantation via a maximum excision of the enlarged lacrimal sac. One patient underwent external DCR with silicone implantation due to acute inflammation with chronic dacryocystitis, and one attempted conservative treatment after refusing any surgical procedure but suffered a relapse. In the surgical cases, no patients experienced recurrence after the final procedure, and they all had a favorable course during the 6 to 14 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Dacryocystocele in adults always requires a surgical procedure. Additional maximum excision of the lateral wall of an enlarged lacrimal sac could be performed to reduce the possibility of recurrence.

Analysis of Various Artifacts Produced by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Based on Macular Pathologies

PURPOSE: To report the frequency, severity and various types of artifacts associated with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) based on macular pathologies. METHODS: Data was collected retrospectively from 116 eyes of 116 subjects. SD-OCT (3D-1000, Topcon Corp., Japan) imaging was performed in 40 healthy eyes, 45 eyes with intraretinal pathology (IRP) and 31 eyes with subretinal pathology (SRP). The scan protocol was 12x6 mm radial scan. The frequency and types of artifacts were investigated in each scan and were analyzed based on macular disease. Additionally, the effect of artifacts on the measurement of macular thickness was studied. RESULTS: Errors occurred in 77 eyes (66.38%). Inner retinal boundary misidentification (IRBM) was the most common error (25.86%), with the frequencies of other types of artifacts being 10.34% for off-center fixation, 15.52% for degraded image and 8.6% for outer retinal boundary misidentification (ORBM). The overall error rate of SD-OCT in the retinal pathology group was much higher than that in the normal group. Macular thickness was underestimated in the IRP group because the outer retinal boundary of the IRP group tended to be misidentified toward the inner retina (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: SD-OCT can frequently cause various types of artifacts in patients with macular disease. When interpreting OCT images, the artifacts of SD-OCT should be considered in order to obtain accurate macular thickness and to prevent erroneous clinical decisions.

Trichilemmal Carcinoma of the Upper Eyelid: A Case Report

We report a very rare case of trichilemmal carcinoma (TLC) involving the upper eyelid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of trichilemmal carcinoma of the upper eyelid in Korea. A 51-year-old man presented to our hospital complaining of a bloody discharge from his left upper eyelid. He had a soft and lobulated mass on the palpebral conjunctiva. An incisional biopsy revealed trabecular growth of tumor cells with clear cytoplasm, prominent nucleoli, frequent mitoses, and foci of trichilemmal keratinization. Immunohistochemically, the lesion was positive for p53 and negative for CD 34. A diagnosis of TLC was made, and total excision of the mass and reconstruction of the eyelid were performed. Trichilemmal carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor, though it appears to be an indolent neoplasm with no metastatic potential. The treatment of choice for trichilemmal carcinoma of the eyelid is complete excision with tumor-free margins due to the locally invasive nature of the lesion.