Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Oct 2020
Incidence and Risk Factors of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Complications after Spinal Fusion Surgery: a Retrospective Cohort Study.
Spinal surgery holds a higher chance of unpredicted postoperative medical complications among orthopedic surgeries. Several studies have analyzed the risk factors for diverse postoperative medical complications, but the majority investigated incidences of each complication qualitatively. Among gastrointestinal complications, reports regarding postoperative ileus were relatively frequent. However, risk factors or incidences of hepatobiliary complications have yet to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of gastrointestinal complications after spinal surgery, quantitatively analyze the risk factors of frequent complications, and to determine cues requiring early approaches. ⋯ Patients on postoperative care after spinal surgery should receive direct attention as soon as possible after manifesting abdominal symptoms. Laboratory and radiologic results must be carefully reviewed, and early consultation to gastroenterologists or general surgeons is recommended to avoid preventable complications.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Oct 2020
Mortality Rate and Major Causes of Death by Gestational Age in Korean Children under 5 Years of Age.
Preterm birth is associated with increased infant mortality. However, it is not clear whether prematurity is associated with mortality after 1 year of age. There is a lack of research on mortality rate and causes of death after infancy in preterm babies in Korea. We aimed to analyze the mortality rates and causes of deaths up to 5 years of age in Korea. ⋯ Low gestational age is associated with not only infant mortality but also child mortality. The major causes of death differed by gestational age in infancy and childhood. For the care of preterm infants, especially those born at < 32 weeks' gestation, particular attention and continuous monitoring are needed in consideration of the major causes of deaths until 5 years of age.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Oct 2020
Incidence and Mortality Rates of Thoracic Aortic Dissection in Korea - Inferred from the Nationwide Health Insurance Claims.
Aortic dissection (AD) is one of the most catastrophic diseases and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to investigate the hospital incidence and mortality rates of thoracic AD in Korea using a nationwide database. ⋯ The incidence of thoracic AD has gradually increased in Korea. The in-hospital mortality in the TASR subgroup decreased over the decade, although the overall mortality of AD patients did not change.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Oct 2020
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Use of Radiology Resources in a Tertiary Hospital.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has escalated to be a global threat to public health. Analysis of the use of radiology resources may render us insight regarding the public health behavior during pandemic. We measured the influence COVID-19 had on the use of radiology resources in terms of the number of examinations performed, and turnaround time for portable radiography. ⋯ The number of examinations decreased during the pandemic, reflecting the tendency of the public to refrain from seeking medical care even in a community of low infection risk. Nevertheless, burden of healthcare providers may not have decreased as much, considering longer turnaround time required for COVID-19 related examinations.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Oct 2020
Lack of Association between Low Cumulative Dose of Hydroxyethyl Starch and Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.
Hydroxyethyl starch (HES, 6% 130/0.4) has been used as a volume expander for the treatment of cerebral hypoperfusion in acute ischemic stroke. Although HES use was associated with renal failure in sepsis or critical illness, it still remains to be elucidated whether HES is linked to renal adverse events in patients with acute ischemic stroke. ⋯ A low cumulative dose of HES was not associated with renal adverse events in patients with acute ischemic stroke.