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Background@#Delayed emergence after general anesthesia may significantly affect a patient’s condition. We present the case of a patient who experienced prolonged delayed recovery of consciousness, language, and motor response due to catatonia after eight hours of total elbow arthroplasty under general anesthesia.Case: A 68-year-old woman with neuropsychiatric disorders and Parkinson’s disease did not respond adequately during recovery after more than eight hours of general anesthesia. Following the operation, the patient was semi-comatose and appeared to have nonconvulsive status epilepticus upon awakening from anesthesia. However, subsequent examinations did not reveal any organic causes. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with catatonia, treated, and discharged following gradual improvement. @*Conclusions@#Although rare, patients taking psychiatric drugs for an extended period may experience delayed emergence after prolonged general anesthesia without identifiable causes. Catatonia should be considered in the differential diagnoses of these patients.
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Background@#COVID-19 and delayed hip surgery are well-known risk factors for thromboembolism in elderly patients.Case: We report the case of an 88-year-old female patient with COVID-19 and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) who underwent delayed hip surgery 21 days after the injury. Heparinization and inferior vena cava filters were used to treat and prevent PTE. Transesophageal echocardiography and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) sheaths were inserted as a precaution in case of emergencies during surgery; the procedure was performed without any specific event. @*Conclusions@#COVID-19-infected patients suffering from a hip fracture have a high risk of thromboembolism, and therefore, require utmost attention for appropriate evaluation and prevention.
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Background@#Patient safety is a crucial indicator of health care quality. It is necessary to check the subjective perception of patient safety from the patient’s point of view as a consumer of healthcare services. To identify patients’ experiences of safety and the themes that constitute the patients’ feeling of safety during hospitalization. @*Methods@#A qualitative study, comprising five focus group discussions (seven people each), was conducted in South Korea between May and July 2018. Patients who were hospitalized for at least three days within one year were included. Researchers analyzed the transcribed script, and a content analysis was performed to describe patients’ hospitalized experiences of safety. @*Results@#A total of 35 patients with an average age of 45.4 years participated in the study, and had experience of hospitalization for up to 32 days. The findings revealed four core themes and 14 sub-themes. Patients wanted to take initiative in controlling his/her reception of information and wanted healthcare providers to make the patient feel safe. Patients felt safe when hospitals provided unstinted and generous support. Also, public sentiment about national healthcare and safety made an effect on patient safety sentiment. @*Conclusion@#Patients felt safe during hospitalization not only because of the explanation, attitude, and professionalism of the healthcare providers but also because of the support, system, and procedure of the medical institution. Healthcare providers and medical institutions should strive to narrow the gap in patient safety awareness factors through activities with patients. Furthermore, the government and society should make an effort to create a safe medical environment and social atmosphere.
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Local anesthetics systemic toxicity (LAST) is a grave complication of regional anesthesia that usually occurs immediately after local anesthetics injection. Here, we report on rare late-onset toxicity cases after supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks. Case: Two patients underwent surgery for radius fractures. We used lidocaine 100 mg and ropivacaine 150 mg for blocking and infused dexmedetomidine for intraoperative sedation. The 63-year-old male patient’s blood pressure dropped to 87/60 mmHg after 3 h 15 min after blocking. Ventricular fibrillation occurred 10 min later. After five defibrillations, electrocardiography showed ventricular tachycardia that was normalized through one cardioversion. The 54-year-old female patient’s heart rate decreased to 35 beats/min 2 h 30 min after blocking. Her vital signs returned to normal after administering atropine, ephedrine, epinephrine, and lipid emulsion. Conclusions: Physicians should remember that LAST may occur long after local anesthetic injection and be aware of factors that may adversely affect the course of LAST.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease that mainly affects the joints and systemic organs, such as the skin, eyes, heart, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs. In particular, among various pulmonary involvements, interstitial lung disease (ILD) is closely related to the selection of anti-rheumatic drugs and the long-term prognosis of patients with RA. Although the exact pathogenesis of RA-ILD is not well defined, several mechanistic pathways, similar to those of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, have been elucidated recently. Conversely, RA-related autoantibodies, including anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, are detectable in circulation and in the lungs, even in the absence of articular symptoms. RA-ILD can also predate years before the occurrence of joint symptoms. This evidence supports the fact that local dysregulated mucosal immunity in the lung causes systemic autoimmunity, resulting in clinically evident polyarthritis of RA. Because the early diagnosis of RA-ILD is important, imaging tests, such as computed tomography and pulmonary function tests, are being used for early diagnosis, but there is no clear guideline for the early diagnosis of RA-ILD and selection of optimal disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs for the treatment of patients with RA with ILD. In addition, the efficacy of nintedanib, a new anti-fibrotic agent, for RA-ILD treatment, has been investigated recently.This review collectively discusses the basic and clinical aspects, such as pathogenesis, animal models, diagnosis, and treatment, of RA-ILD.
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Background@#In Korea, the safety culture is led by national policy. How the policy ensures a patient safety culture needs to be investigated. This study aimed to examine the way in which physicians and nurses regard, understand, or interpret the patient safety-related policy in the hospital setting. @*Methods@#In this qualitative study, we conducted four focus group interviews (FGIs) with 25 physicians and nurses from tertiary and general hospitals in South Korea. FGIs data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which was conducted in an inductive and interpretative way. @*Results@#Three themes were identified. The healthcare providers recognized its benefits in the forms of knowledge, information and training at least although the policy implemented by the law forcibly and temporarily. The second theme was about the interaction of the policy and the Korean context of healthcare, which makes a “turning point” in the safety culture.The final theme was about some strains and conflicts resulting from patient safety policy. @*Conclusion@#To provide a patient safety culture, it is necessary to develop a plan to improve the voluntary participation of healthcare professionals and their commitment to safety.Hospitals should provide more resources and support for healthcare professionals.
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Background@#Postoperative pain control after the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) is essential, but there is a controversy about a better analgesic method between epidural and intravenous (IV) analgesia. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the effect of epidural versus IV analgesia following MIRPE. @*Methods@#We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register, and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) dated up to 31st May 2021. The primary outcome was the area under the curve (AUC) of the weighted mean visual analog scale (VAS) after MIRPE. The secondary outcomes were postoperative nausea, operation time, total operating room time, and postoperative length of hospital stay. @*Results@#Four RCTs involving 243 patients were finally included in this meta-analysis. The AUC of the weighted mean VAS was 343.62 in the epidural group and 375.24 in the IV group. The epidural group showed lower VAS than the IV group at 12 to 48 h after the surgery. Postoperative nausea, operation time and length of hospital stay was not different between two groups. The epidural group had a significantly longer total operating room time due to epidural catheter insertion time. @*Conclusions@#Epidural analgesia after the MIRPE had a better analgesic effect than IV analgesia. However, IV analgesia may also be a viable option, and physicians should wisely choose analgesic modalities after MIRPE.
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Objective@#Tacrolimus, a macrolide immunosuppressant, is approved in Korea for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus nephritis (LN) and myasthenia gravis (MG). We report three prospective post-marketing surveillance studies of tacrolimus conducted in South Korea in these indications. @*Methods@#Studies were conducted according to South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety requirements. Patients were followed up for the duration of the study (up to 4 years) or until treatment discontinuation. Occurrence and likely relationship with tacrolimus of adverse events (AEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs; defined as AEs where causal relationship to tacrolimus could not be excluded) and serious AEs were recorded. Association of AEs with demographic and medical factors was evaluated by multivariable analysis. @*Results@#The studies included 740 (RA), 307 (LN) and 104 (MG) patients. The incidence of AEs was 12.7% in RA (64.2% of AEs potentially related to tacrolimus), 20.9% (37.8% potentially related) in LN and 29.8% (56.8% potentially related) in MG. The incidence of ADRs was 8.4%, 9.8% and 20.2%, respectively. Serious AEs were reported in 0.7%, 7.2% and 8.7%, respectively. The most common AEs were abdominal pain (RA), pharyngitis (LN) and diarrhea (MG). Unexpected AEs occurred in 3.5% of patients with RA, 2.9% in LN and 8.7% in MG; no pattern of unexpected AEs was apparent. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that patients with comorbidity had higher probability of experiencing an AE in RA and MG studies. @*Conclusion@#The incidence of AEs and the safety profile of tacrolimus in each indication was consistent with previous reports.
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Background@#Postoperative pain control after the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) is essential, but there is a controversy about a better analgesic method between epidural and intravenous (IV) analgesia. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the effect of epidural versus IV analgesia following MIRPE. @*Methods@#We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register, and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) dated up to 31st May 2021. The primary outcome was the area under the curve (AUC) of the weighted mean visual analog scale (VAS) after MIRPE. The secondary outcomes were postoperative nausea, operation time, total operating room time, and postoperative length of hospital stay. @*Results@#Four RCTs involving 243 patients were finally included in this meta-analysis. The AUC of the weighted mean VAS was 343.62 in the epidural group and 375.24 in the IV group. The epidural group showed lower VAS than the IV group at 12 to 48 h after the surgery. Postoperative nausea, operation time and length of hospital stay was not different between two groups. The epidural group had a significantly longer total operating room time due to epidural catheter insertion time. @*Conclusions@#Epidural analgesia after the MIRPE had a better analgesic effect than IV analgesia. However, IV analgesia may also be a viable option, and physicians should wisely choose analgesic modalities after MIRPE.
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Objective@#Tacrolimus, a macrolide immunosuppressant, is approved in Korea for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus nephritis (LN) and myasthenia gravis (MG). We report three prospective post-marketing surveillance studies of tacrolimus conducted in South Korea in these indications. @*Methods@#Studies were conducted according to South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety requirements. Patients were followed up for the duration of the study (up to 4 years) or until treatment discontinuation. Occurrence and likely relationship with tacrolimus of adverse events (AEs), adverse drug reactions (ADRs; defined as AEs where causal relationship to tacrolimus could not be excluded) and serious AEs were recorded. Association of AEs with demographic and medical factors was evaluated by multivariable analysis. @*Results@#The studies included 740 (RA), 307 (LN) and 104 (MG) patients. The incidence of AEs was 12.7% in RA (64.2% of AEs potentially related to tacrolimus), 20.9% (37.8% potentially related) in LN and 29.8% (56.8% potentially related) in MG. The incidence of ADRs was 8.4%, 9.8% and 20.2%, respectively. Serious AEs were reported in 0.7%, 7.2% and 8.7%, respectively. The most common AEs were abdominal pain (RA), pharyngitis (LN) and diarrhea (MG). Unexpected AEs occurred in 3.5% of patients with RA, 2.9% in LN and 8.7% in MG; no pattern of unexpected AEs was apparent. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that patients with comorbidity had higher probability of experiencing an AE in RA and MG studies. @*Conclusion@#The incidence of AEs and the safety profile of tacrolimus in each indication was consistent with previous reports.
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Background@#Giant lip hemangioma is a rare disease that may cause difficulty in preoxygenation and ventilation when using face masks and intubation during general anesthesia induction.Case: A laparoscopic cholecystectomy was planned for a 77-year-old woman. The patient had a giant lower lip hemangioma that was 12 x 5 x 5 cm, which made preoxygenation and ventilation through a face mask impossible and put her at risk of hemangioma rupture. We preoxygenated her through a high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC). Following propofol and succinylcholine administration, we intubated the patient with a video laryngoscope without desaturation, hemangioma rupture, or CO2 retention. @*Conclusions@#HFNC is a useful tool when difficult intubation is expected in patients who have problems using conventional face masks.
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There have been several reports of foreign bodies being discovered in the intravenous set. In this case, the patient complained that he found a worm in his intravenous line. It was later confirmed as a long, white fibrin deposit by pathologic examination. This happened even though there was a non-return valve in the intravenous line. Also, since there were few red blood cells in the deposit, it did not look like a blood clot. In cases like this, we suggest that physicians keep this possibility in mind to reassure their patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Analgesia, Patient-Controlled , Erythrocytes , Fibrin , Foreign BodiesABSTRACT
Purpose@#To compare long-term disease-free survival (DFS) between patients receiving tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil (S-1) or capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for gastric cancer (GC). @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective multicenter observational study enrolled 983 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy with consecutive AC with S-1 or CAPOX for stage II or III GC at 27 hospitals in Korea between February 2012 and December 2013. We conducted propensity score matching to reduce selection bias. Long-term oncologic outcomes, including DFS rate over 5 years (over-5yr DFS), were analyzed postoperatively. @*Results@#The median and longest follow-up period were 59.0 and 87.6 months, respectively. DFS rate did not differ between patients who received S-1 and CAPOX for pathologic stage II (P=0.677) and stage III (P=0.899) GC. Moreover, hazard ratio (HR) for recurrence did not differ significantly between S-1 and CAPOX (reference) in stage II (HR, 1.846; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.693–4.919; P=0.220) and stage III (HR, 0.942; 95% CI, 0.664–1.337; P=0.738) GC. After adjustment for significance in multivariate analysis, pT (4 vs. 1) (HR, 11.667; 95% CI, 1.595–85.351; P=0.016), pN stage (0 vs. 3) (HR, 2.788; 95% CI, 1.502–5.174; P=0.001), and completion of planned chemotherapy (HR, 2.213; 95% CI, 1.618–3.028; P<0.001) were determined as independent prognostic factors for DFS. @*Conclusions@#S-1 and CAPOX AC regimens did not show significant difference in over-5yr DFS after curative gastrectomy in patients with stage II or III GC. The pT, pN stage, and completion of planned chemotherapy were prognostic factors for GC recurrence.
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Background@#Medical professionals who experience patient safety incidents (PSIs) are vulnerable to emotional pain and other difficulties; such individuals are referred to as “second victims.” This study quantitatively examines the characteristics of physicians’ experiences of PSIs, along with the consequent difficulties and levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and post-traumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) regarding the events. @*Methods@#An anonymous, self-report online survey was administered to physicians. This collected information regarding PSI characteristics (e.g., type, severity of harm) and impact (e.g., sleep disorder, consideration of career change), as well as participants' socio-demographic characteristics. Meanwhile, to quantitatively assess PSI impacts, PTSD and PTED scales were also administered. PSI characteristics and impacts were analyzed using frequency analysis, and the differing effects of indirect and direct PSI experience regarding consequent difficulties were analyzed using chi-square tests. Factors associated with PTSD and PTED scores were identified using linear regression. @*Results@#Of 895 physicians, 24.6% and 24.0% experienced PSI-induced sleep disorder and eating disorder, respectively. Moreover, 38.9% reported being overly cautious in subsequent similar situations, and 12.6% had considered changing jobs or career. Sleep disorder was significantly more common among participants who directly experienced a PSI (32.8%) than among those with indirect experience (15.3%; P < 0.001). Linear regression showed that indirectly involved physicians had a lower mean PTSD score (by 8.44; 95% confidence interval, −12.28 to −4.60) than directly involved physicians. @*Conclusion@#This study found that many physicians experience PSI-induced physical symptoms and behavioral responses, and that the severity of these symptoms varies depending on the type of incident and degree of harm involved. Our findings can provoke more active discussion regarding programs for supporting second victims, and can also encourage the establishing of a system for addressing PSIs that have already occurred, such as through disclosure of PSIs.
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Purpose@#This study aimed to investigate the current status of bariatric and metabolic surgery in Daejeon and Chungcheong province and to describe the early experiences after public medical insurance coverage in 2019. @*Materials and Methods@#Between January 2019 and August 2019, 64 cases of bariatric and metabolic surgery were performed in patients with morbid obesity or uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. We prospectively collected and analyzed data regarding the patients’ demographics and comorbidities, surgical results, and early complications. The patient information before and after the insurance coverage was also compared. @*Results@#The number of surgeries in 9 years has been caught up only in the last 8 months after insurance coverage (58 vs. 64 patients). The mean body mass index was 37.7±5.8 kg/m2 (range, 22.7-52.1 kg/m2). The most frequently performed surgery was sleeve gastrectomy (53 cases, 82.8%), followed by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (9 cases, 14.1%), and adjustable gastric banding (2 cases, 3.1%). Postoperative complications occurred in 6 patients (9.4%), and there was no mortality. The mean operation time (225.3±85.4 vs. 156.1±61.8 min, P＜0.001) and postoperative stay (5.9±4.5 vs. 4.3±2.0 days, P=0.013) after the insurance coverage were significantly shorter than those before the insurance coverage. @*Conclusion@#We could assess the patients who had bariatric and metabolic surgery in Daejeon and Chungcheong province after public medical insurance coverage in 2019.
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The commensal microbiota contributes to the maintenance of immune homeostasis in the human body. Autoimmunity can be aggravated or alleviated by the microbiota, which affects both innate and adaptive immune cells. Many studies have demonstrated the role of gut dysbiosis, the alteration of the gut microbiome, in the development and progression of numerous autoimmune diseases. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease of the connective tissue and is characterized by skin and lung fibrosis, as well as injuries in small arteries. Recent studies have shown variable degrees of dysbiosis in SSc patients and the effect of probiotics on these patients, providing evidence for the potential link between microbiota and SSc. However, further research is needed to elucidate the key microorganisms and the mechanisms through which they affect the pathoimmunological process of SSc. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the association between microbiota and SSc, and discusses the changing perspectives and potential therapy strategies based on the microbiota and its products.
Subject(s)
Humans , Arteries , Autoimmune Diseases , Autoimmunity , Connective Tissue , Dysbiosis , Fibrosis , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Homeostasis , Human Body , Lung , Microbiota , Probiotics , Scleroderma, Systemic , SkinABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of upper extremity musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases and to identify factors influencing disability among fruit tree farmers in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the 1150 subjects of the Namgaram study, 460 fruit tree farmers completed a questionnaire and underwent clinical evaluations, including physical assessments, laboratory tests, simple radiographic examinations, and magnetic resonance imaging studies of the upper extremities. Disability was assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand outcome measure. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and regression analyses using SPSS Win 24.0. RESULTS: The prevalences of upper extremity MSK diseases were 60.4% for rotator cuff tear, 20.9% for golf elbow, 40.9% for tennis elbow, and 58.0% for hand osteoarthritis. Disability in fruit farmers was associated with female sex (B=−4.47, p<0.001), smoking (B=−4.00, p=0.026), depression (B=2.83, p<0.001), working hours (B=0.96, p=0.001), injuries of the arms (B=10.78, p<0.001) and shoulders (B=6.75, p<0.001), and numbers of upper extremity MSK diseases (B=2.02, p=0.001), with 26.5% of the variance explained (R2=0.265, Durbin-Watson test=1.81, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Fruit tree farmers remain at risk for MSK diseases of the upper extremities. Disability tended to worsen with more MSK diseases. It is necessary to not only educate farmers about prevention strategies, but also to develop an effective management system for agricultural work-related MSK diseases and a surveillance system at the government level for the health problems of farmers.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Arm , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression , Elbow , Farmers , Fruit , Golf , Hand , Korea , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Musculoskeletal Diseases , Osteoarthritis , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Prevalence , Rotator Cuff , Shoulder , Smoke , Smoking , Tears , Tennis Elbow , Trees , Upper ExtremityABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine nurses' perceptions of the disclosure of patient safety incidents (DPSI), which is known to be effective in reducing medical litigation and improving the credibility of medical professionals. METHODS: Three focus group discussions were conducted with 20 nurses using semistructured guidelines. Transcribed content including a record of the progress of the focus group discussions and researchers' notes were analyzed using directed content analysis. RESULTS: Most participants thought that DPSI is necessary because of its effectiveness and for ethical justification. However, participants held varied opinions regarding the primary responsibility of DPSI. Participants agreed on the necessity of explaining the incident and expressing sympathy, apologizing, and promising appropriate compensation that are chief components of DPSI. However, they were concerned that it implies a definitive medical error. A closed organizational culture, fear of deteriorating relationships with patients, and concerns about additional work burdens were suggested as barriers to DPSI. However, the establishment of DPSI guidelines and improving the hospital organization culture were raised as facilitators of DPSI. CONCLUSION: Most nurse participants acknowledged the need for DPSI. To promote DPSI, it is necessary to develop guidelines for DPSI and provide the appropriate training. Improving the hospital organization culture is also critical to facilitate DPSI.
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Humans , Compensation and Redress , Disclosure , Focus Groups , Jurisprudence , Korea , Medical Errors , Organizational Culture , Patient Rights , Patient SafetyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is a controversy about the effect of having a usual source of care on medical expenses. Although many studies have shown lower medical expenses in a group with a usual source of care, some have shown higher medical expenses in such a group. This study aimed to empirically demonstrate the effect of having a usual source of care on medical expenses. METHODS: The participants included those aged 20 years and older who responded to the questionnaire about “having a usual source of care” from the Korean Health Panel Data of 2012, 2013, and 2016 (6,120; 6,593; and 7,598 respectively). Those who responded with “I do not get sick easily” or “I rarely visit medical institutions” as the reasons for not having a usual source of care were excluded. The panel regression with random effects model was performed to analyze the effect of having a usual source of care on medical expenses. RESULTS: The group having a usual source of care spent 20% less on inpatient expenses and 25% less on clinic expenses than the group without a usual source of care. Particularly, the group having a clinic-level usual source of care spent 12% less on total medical expenses, 9% less on outpatient expenses, 35% less on inpatient expenses, and 74% less on hospital expenses, but 29% more on clinic expenses than the group without a usual source of care. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that medical expenses decreased in the group with a usual source of care, especially a clinic-level usual source of care (USC), than in the group without a usual source of care. Encouraging people to have a clinic-level USC can control excessive medical expenses and induce desirable medical care utilization.