Corrigendum: Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

[This corrects the article on p. 151 in vol. 30, PMID: 37476674.].

Small Bowel Variceal Bleeding in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis Treated with Transarterial Embolization: Case Series.

Small bowel variceal bleeding is a rare cause of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, with clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic incidental findings to life-threatening conditions. The diagnosis and management of small bowel bleeding are challenging because of the localization of the lesion and the difficulty of the procedure. Trans-arterial embolization (TAE) is a secure and straightforward method for treating ectopic varices. On the other hand, there have been limited local studies on the outcomes of TAE for patients with small bowel variceal hemorrhage. This paper reports patients diagnosed with small bowel variceal bleeding and treated with TAE.

Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

We aimed to develop evidence-based recommendations for treating axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) in Korea. The development committee was constructed, key clinical questions were determined, and the evidence was searched through online databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, KoreaMed, and Kmbase. Systematic literature reviews were conducted, quality of evidence was determined, and draft recommendations were formulated according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations methodology. Recommendations that reached 80% consensus among a voting panel were finalized. Three principles and 21 recommendations were determined. Recommendations 1 and 2 pertain to treatment strategies, regular disease status assessment, and rheumatologist-steered multidisciplinary management. Recommendations 3 and 4 strongly recommend patient education, exercise, and smoking cessation. Recommendations 5-12 address pharmacological treatment of active disease using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, sulfasalazine, biologics, and Janus kinase inhibitors. Recommendations 13-16 address treatment in stable disease. We suggest against spa and acupuncture as therapies (Recommendation 17). Recommendations 18 and 19 pertain to total hip arthroplasty and spinal surgery. Monitoring of comorbidities and drug toxicities are recommended (Recommendations 20 and 21). Recommendations for axSpA treatment in a Korean context were developed based on comprehensive clinical questions and evidence. These are intended to guide best practice in the treatment of axSpA.

Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

We aimed to develop evidence-based recommendations for treating axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) in Korea. The development committee was constructed, key clinical questions were determined, and the evidence was searched through online databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, KoreaMed, and KMbase. Systematic literature reviews were conducted, quality of evidence was determined, and draft recommendations were formulated according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations methodology. Recommendations that reached 80% consensus among a voting panel were finalized. Three principles and 21 recommendations were determined. Recommendations 1 and 2 pertain to treatment strategies, regular disease status assessment, and rheumatologist-steered multidisciplinary management. Recommendations 3 and 4 strongly recommend patient education, exercise, and smoking cessation. Recommendations 5~12 address pharmacological treatment of active disease using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, sulfasalazine, biologics, and Janus kinase inhibitors. Recommendations 13~16 address treatment in stable disease. We suggest against spa and acupuncture as therapies (Recommendation 17). Recommendations 18 and 19 pertain to total hip arthroplasty and spinal surgery. Monitoring of comorbidities and drug toxicities are recommended (Recommendations 20 and 21). Recommendations for axSpA treatment in a Korean context were developed based on comprehensive clinical questions and evidence. These are intended to guide best practice in the treatment of axSpA.

Analysis and management of pathogens isolated from patients with complicated facial lacerations and abrasions.

Plastic surgeons commonly encounter patients with facial lacerations and/or abrasions in the emergency room. If they are properly treated, facial wounds generally heal well without complications. However, infection can sometimes cause delayed wound healing. We performed wound culture for the early detection of infection and to promote the healing of infected facial wounds. We included 5033 patients with facial wounds who visited the emergency room of Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital between January 2018 and February 2021. Among them, 104 patients underwent wound culture. We analysed the pathogens isolated and the patients' age, sex, wound site, mechanism of injury, wound healing time, time from injury to culture, time to culture results, and dressing methods used. Pathogens were isolated in slightly less than half of the patients (38.46%); among them, Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common (47.5%). Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated in six (15%) patients. Patients with complicated wounds had a longer mean wound healing time (10.83 ± 5.91 days) than those with non-complicated wounds (6.06 ± 1.68 days). Wound culture of complicated facial wounds resulted in the isolation of various types of pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungi. We recommend the use of wound culture for early detection of infection to prevent delayed wound healing.

A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Parallel-Group Trial on the Effects of Temporary Methotrexate Discontinuation for One Week Versus Two Weeks on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: This clinical trial was conducted to investigate whether discontinuing methotrexate (MTX) for 1 week after seasonal influenza vaccination is noninferior to discontinuing for 2 weeks after vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In this multicenter, prospective, randomized, parallel-group noninferiority trial, RA patients receiving a stable dose of MTX were randomly assigned at a ratio of 1:1 to discontinue MTX for 1 week or for 2 weeks after they received the quadrivalent 2021-2022 seasonal influenza vaccine containing H1N1, H3N2, B/Yamagata, and B/Victoria strains. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients with a satisfactory vaccine response, which was defined as ≥4-fold increase in antibody titers, as determined with the hemagglutination inhibition assay, against ≥2 of the 4 vaccine strains at 4 weeks after vaccination. RESULTS: The modified intent-to-treat population included 90 patients in the 1-week MTX hold group and 88 patients in the 2-week MTX hold group. The mean ± SD MTX doses were 12.6 ± 3.4 mg/week in the 1-week MTX hold group and 12.9 ± 3.3 mg/week in the 2-week MTX hold group. The proportion of satisfactory vaccine responses did not differ between the groups (68.9% versus 75.0%; P = 0.364). The rate of seroprotection and the fold increase in antibody titers for each of the 4 influenza antigens were similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: A temporary discontinuation of MTX for 1 week after vaccination was noninferior to a discontinuation of MTX for 2 weeks after vaccination, regarding induction of a satisfactory vaccine response to a seasonal influenza vaccine in patients with RA receiving a stable dose of MTX.

Effect of sedation using Ketamine for primary closure of pediatric facial laceration.

Pediatric lacerations are frequently encountered by plastic surgeons in the emergency room. Since pediatric patients cannot cooperate due to the anxiety and pain occurring during the suture procedure, sedation is induced. Since commonly used drugs inducing shallow sedation such as chloral hydrates are insufficient to perform procedures, the need or deep sedation has been increased. In our experience, inducing sedation with ketamine is safe and allows for accurate procedures. A total of 106 pediatric patients aged between 3 months to 5 years who visited the emergency room between August 2020 and January 2021 were included in this study. Of the 106 patients, 54 were sedated using ketamine, and the remaining 52 patients who did not cooperate were operated under local anesthesia, and these were set as the control group. The patients were intravenously injected with ketamine 1.5-2.0 mg/kg ketamine while monitoring the blood oxygen saturation, end-tidal CO2, and other vital signs. The patients were discharged as a complete awakening was confirmed by physicians. The number of patients who received sedation induced by ketamine was 54 and the number of patients who underwent the procedure without sedation was 52. The mean induction time of a single injection was 35.3 ± 11.3 minutes, and that of additional injection was 253.5 ±â€…54.1 minute. The total procedure time of the ketamine group was 20.3 ±â€…11.85 minutes, and that of the nonketamine group was 19.31 ±â€…10.50 minutes (P = .454). No statistically significant differences were found between the 2 groups. The need for sedation during the suture procedure in an emergenc9y room has been arising not only for reducing pain and anxiety, but also for safe and accurate procedures and scar minimization. Based on the parental satisfaction and the safety of the procedure, using ketamine is more effective than other drugs and should be used more actively.

Sound localization in patients with a unilateral hearing aid: Discordance between the right and left ears.

Objectives: Patients with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) have difficulty in recognizing the direction of a sound. Previous studies have shown that hearing aids (HAs) could improve the directional perception of sound. In this study, we analyzed the results of sound localization tests in patients using a unilateral HA. Methods: All patients with UHL who had performed sound localization tests since 2018 were included in this study. Sound localization tests, functional gain tests, and the speech discrimination scores (SDSs) were analyzed. The tests were obtained at 1-, 3-, and 6-month after fitting the HA. Results: Of the 32 patients with UHL, 13 were right-sided and 19 were left-sided. After 6 months of using a HA, the results of the sound localization test were significantly better in patients with right than left UHL (percent correct [PCT], 61.9 ± 24.0% vs. 37.9 ± 24.6%, p = .011; mean absolute error (MAE), 41.4 ± 23.9° vs. 65.5 ± 28.6°, p = .018; root-mean-square error (RMS), 25.8 ± 17.6° vs. 48.8 ± 24.5°, p = .007]. The aided SDSs were not different between the two groups (78.7 ± 16.5% vs. 77.2 ± 18.5%, p = .825). Conclusion: The side of the hearing loss could have a substantial effect on sound localization in UHL patients using a HA. Sound localization test results should be interpreted with the consideration of this discordance. Level of Evidence: 4.

Differential expression of podoplanin in metastatic lymph node is associated with extranodal extension in oropharyngeal cancer.

This study aimed to investigate the spatial distribution and clinical significance of podoplanin expression in the metastatic lymph nodes of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs). The immunohistochemical podoplanin expression in the metastatic lymph nodes was evaluated in the pathologic specimens of 47 consecutive OPSCC patients. Clinicopathologic factors, including podoplanin expression and extranodal extension (ENE) status, were analyzed. Podoplanin was significantly expressed in the perinodal stroma (p = 0.001), and the average score of podoplanin was higher (p = 0.008) in ENE-positive lymph nodes than ENE-negative lymph nodes, although intranodal podoplanin expression did not differ significantly between the groups. Multivariable analysis revealed perinodal podoplanin expression as an independent marker of ENE in all the patients and the human papilloma virus (HPV)-positive group (p = 0.007 and p = 0.018, respectively). Podoplanin is differentially expressed in the metastatic lymph nodes in OPSCC, and its expression in perinodal stroma is associated with ENE, suggesting that podoplanin can be used clinically as a diagnostic biomarker.

Identification of differentially expressed genes and pathways for risk stratification in HPV-associated cancers governing different anatomical sites.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the major cause of cervical cancer (CC) etiology; its contribution to head and neck cancer (HNC) incidence is steadily increasing. As individual patients' response to the treatment of HPV-associated cancer is variable, there is a pressing need for the identification of biomarkers for risk stratification that can help determine the intensity of treatment. METHODS: We have previously reported a novel prognostic and predictive indicator (HPPI) scoring system in HPV-associated cancers regardless of anatomical location by analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. In the present study, we comprehensively investigated the association of group-specific expression patterns of common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between high- and low-risk groups in HPV-associated CC and HNC, identifying molecular biomarkers and pathways for risk stratification. RESULTS: Among the 174 identified DEGs, the expression of genes associated with extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction pathway (ITGA5, ITGB1, LAMB1, and LAMC1) was increased in high-risk groups in both HPV-associated CC and HNC, while the expression of genes associated with T-cell immunity (CD3D, CD3E, CD8B, LCK, and ZAP70) was decreased and vice versa. The individual genes showed significant prognostic impact on HPV-associated cancers but not on HPV-negative cancers. The expression levels of identified genes were similar between HPV-negative and HPV-associated high-risk groups with distinct expression patterns only in HPV-associated low-risk groups. Each group of genes showed negative correlations and distinct patterns of immune cell infiltration in tumor microenvironments. CONCLUSIONS: These results allowed us to identify molecular biomarkers and pathways for risk stratification in HPV-associated cancers regardless of anatomical location. The identified targets were found to be selectively working in only HPV-associated cancers and not in HPV-negative cancers, indicating the possibility of selective targets governing HPV-infective tumor microenvironments.

A Case of Macrophage Activation Syndrome During the Treatment of Adult-onset Still's Disease With Tocilizumab.

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a fatal complication of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). Although anti-cytokine agents have been recommended for refractory AOSD or complicated with MAS, MAS cases have been rarely reported during anti-cytokine treatment. Herein, we describe the first AOSD case complicated with MAS during the treatment with tocilizumab in Korea. Two years after tocilizumab maintenance therapy, high fever and hypertransaminasemia recurred. MAS was diagnosed based on hyperferritinemia, elevated soluble IL-2 receptor levels, and the presence of hemophagocytic histiocytes in the bone marrow. However, she had normal white blood cell counts and acute phase reactant levels. High-dose glucocorticoid and anakinra therapies were not effective, but her disease improved with etoposide. This case shows that tocilizumab may not prevent MAS development and can modify clinical features making it challenging to diagnose. Cytotoxic therapy such as etoposide may be required in MAS cases that develop during anti-cytokine therapy.

Early management for traumatic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in traumatically injured patients.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical features of posttraumatic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (t-BPPV) in traumatically injured patients, investigating the effectiveness of the early diagnosis and management including canalith repositioning procedures (CRPs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The subjects of the present study were 74 patients who were hospitalized in the Trauma Center, Ajou University Hospital. We investigated the relationship between injury mechanisms and t-BPPV. Patients with t-BPPV were categorized into mild (typical BPPV) and severe (bilateral, recurrent, or persistent) types. RESULTS: Of the 74 patients, 41 were diagnosed with t-BPPV. Nineteen were mild and 22 were severe types. 'A fall' (36%) and 'pedestrian car accident' (32%) were common as the injury mechanisms provoking severe t-BPPV. In the severe t-BPPV group, they were hospitalized longer (as median value, 20 days in the severe group vs. 10 days in the mild group, P = 0.004), stayed longer in intensive care unit (3 days vs. 0 days, P = 0.016), and needed more days until the BPPV management (13.5 days vs. 6 days, P = 0.021). Major trauma (the Injury Severity Score >15) patients had a longer time to implementation of the first CRPs (10 days in major trauma and 3 days in minor trauma patients, P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Severity of trauma and longer duration of ICU treatment were factors delaying BPPV management. This delay could negatively affect the progress of t-BPPV. Diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers including CRPs should be performed as early as possible, even in severely injured patients.

Changes in general and central fatness are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma: A Korean nationwide longitudinal study.

We investigated the impact of short-term changes in general and central fatness on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a large, population-based cohort. We screened 7 221 479 subjects who underwent health examinations provided by the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea in 2009 and 2011. In total, 6 789 472 subjects were included in the final analysis. General fatness was defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 , and central fatness was defined as a waist circumference (WC) ≥90 cm in men and ≥85 cm in women. Subjects were classified according to the change in body fatness between 2009 and 2011, as follows: (a) persistent no fatness as no fatness in both 2009 and 2011, (b) reversed fatness as fatness in 2009, but no fatness in 2011, (c) incident fatness as no fatness in 2009, but fatness in 2011 or (d) persistent fatness as fatness in both 2009 and 2011. During a median 6.4-year follow-up, we documented 9952 HCC cases. Compared to subjects with a persistent no general fatness, the risk of HCC significantly increased in those with incident (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.20) and persistent (aHR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.23-1.34) general fatness. Compared to subjects with persistent no central fatness, those with incident and persistent central fatness showed a significantly increased risk of HCC (aHR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.11-1.27 and aHR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.26-1.40, respectively). Taken together, these findings indicate the importance of strategies for preventing and reversing body fatness to reduce the incidence of HCC.

Biocompatible All-in-One Adhesive Needle-Free Cup Patch for Enhancing Transdermal Drug Delivery.

Patch-type drug delivery has garnered increased attention as an attractive alternative to the existing drug delivery techniques. Thus far, needle phobia and efficient drug delivery remain huge challenges. To address the issue of needle phobia and enhance drug delivery, we developed a needle-free and self-adhesive microcup patch that can be loaded with an ultrathin salmon DNA (SDNA) drug carrier film. This physically integrated system can facilitate efficient skin penetration of drugs loaded into the microcup patch. The system consists of three main components, namely, a cup that acts as a drug reservoir, an adhesive system that attaches the patch to the skin, and physical stimulants that can be used to increase the efficiency of drug delivery. In addition, an ultrathin SDNA/drug film allows the retention of the drug in the cup and its efficient release by dissolution in the presence of moisture. This latter feature has been validated using gelatin as a skin mimic. The cup design itself has been validated by comparing its deformation and displacement with those of a cylindrical structure. Integration of the self-adhesive microcup patch with both ultrasonic waves and an electric current allows the model drug to penetrate the stratum corneum of the skin barrier and the whole epidermis, thereby enhancing transdermal drug delivery and reducing skin irritation. This system can be used as a wearable biomedical device for efficient transdermal and needle-free drug delivery.

Upper eyelid reconstruction using a combination of a nasal septal chondromucosal graft and a Fricke flap: a case report.

Sebaceous carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm that usually arises in the sebaceous glands of the eyelids. Its pathogenesis is unknown; however, irradiation history, immunosuppression, and use of diuretics are known risk factors. The mainstay of treatment for sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid is wide surgical resection with a safety margin of 5 to 6 mm, which often results in full-thickness defects. The reconstruction of a full-thickness defect of the eyelid should be approached using a three-lamella method: a mucosal component replacing the conjunctiva, a cartilage component for the tarsal plate, and a flap or skin graft for the skin of the eyelid. In this case, a fullthickness defect of the upper eyelid was reconstructed after tumor removal using a combination of a nasal septum chondromucosal composite graft and a forehead transposition flap, also known as a "Fricke flap." The flap was designed to include a line of the eyebrow on the lower margin of the flap to replace the eyelash removed during tumor excision. The wound healed completely, without any early or late complications, and the outcome was satisfactory.

Retrospective study of the efficacy of vascularized tissue transfer for treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria-infected wound: Comparison with clean and antibiotic-sensitive bacteria-infected wound.

ABSTRACT: If wounds are infected with bacteria resistant to an empirical antibiotic regimen, effective wound treatment will be delayed. This can delay wound healing and lengthen hospital stays, increasing the costs to patients. Long-term antibiotic use can also result in minor and major complications, such as diarrhea, antibiotic resistance, or life-threatening leukopenia. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria make wound treatment even more difficult. Traditionally, surgeons thought that adequate infection control should be established before soft tissue coverage. However, wounds infected by MDR do not heal well with this traditional method and there are no optimal treatment guidelines for MDR bacteria-contaminated wounds.We reviewed 203 patients who underwent vascularized flap surgery from 2012 to 2019 to cover wounds. Class IV and I wounds were compared according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification. Class IV was further classified as antibiotic-resistant (ARB) and antibiotic-sensitive (ASB) bacteria. Wound size, mode, location, pathogens, healing time, and basic demographics were evaluated. Data were compared using Cramer's V and one-way ANOVA or independent t tests.The average healing time was longer in the ARB (19.7 [range 7-44] days) and ASB (17.9 [range 2-36] days) groups than in the Clean group (16.5 [range 7-28] days). Healing time differed in the 3 groups (P = .036). It was longer in the class IV group than in the class I group (P = .01). However, it was not statistically different between the ARB and ASB groups (P = .164).In our study the difference in healing time was small when vascularized tissue transfer was done in ARB-infected wound compared with ASB-infected and clean wound. It is necessary to perform surgery using vascularized tissue for the infected wound of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Body weight variability and the risk of cardiovascular outcomes in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

We investigated the association between body weight variability and the risks of cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using large-scale, nationwide cohort data. We included 726,736 individuals with NAFLD who underwent a health examination between 2009 and 2010. NAFLD was defined as a fatty liver index ≥ 60, after excluding significant alcohol intake, viral hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis. Body weight variability was assessed using four indices, including variability independent of the mean (VIM). During a median 8.1-year follow-up, we documented 11,358, 14,714, and 22,164 cases of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and all-cause mortality, respectively. Body weight variability was associated with an increased risk of MI, stroke, and mortality after adjusting for confounding variables. The hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence intervals) for the highest quartile, compared with the lowest quartile, of VIM for body weight were 1.15 (1.10-1.20), 1.22 (1.18-1.26), and 1.56 (1.53-1.62) for MI, stroke, and all-cause mortality, respectively. Body weight variability was associated with increased risks of MI, stroke, and all-cause mortality in NAFLD patients. Appropriate interventions to maintain a stable weight could positively affect health outcomes in NAFLD patients.

Usefulness of ultrasonography in determining the surgical excision margin in non-melanocytic skin cancer: A comparative analysis of preoperative ultrasonography and postoperative histopathology.

ABSTRACT: Skin cancer diagnoses are rising due to increasing ultraviolet ray exposure and an aging population. The complete surgical excision of skin cancer, including a normal tissue, has been the widely performed and determining the adequate safety margin is essential. In this study, we compared the preoperative thickness and width of skin cancer by ultrasonography with the measurements by histopathologic findings.A total of 211 patients were enrolled in this study and ultrasonography was performed on 30 patients. The width (long and short axis) and thickness of the skin cancers were measured using electronic calipers of ultrasonographic calipers preoperatively and microscope postoperatively.The skin cancers were basal cell carcinoma (n = 17), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 10), Merkel cell carcinoma (n = 1), mucinous carcinoma (n = 1), and sebaceous carcinoma (n = 1). The mean width (long and short axis) and thickness of the cancers measured by ultrasonography was 1.25 (0.76) cm, 0.96 (0.65) cm, and 0.37 (0.28) cm. The measurements by histopathology was 1.24 (0.84) cm, 0.95 (0.65) cm, and 0.27 (0.24) cm. Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient between measurements by ultrasonography and histopathology was as follows: long axis, r = 0.733, P < .001; short axis, r = 0.671, P < .001; thickness, r = 0.740, P < .001. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between measurements by ultrasonography and histopathology was as follows: long axis, r = 0.865, P < .001; short axis, r = 0.829, P < .001; thickness, r = 0.842, P < .001. The difference in mean thickness between the total excised tissue and the skin cancer was 0.29 (0.43) cm (range 0.05-0.40 cm) in basal cell carcinoma and 0.56 (0.58) cm (range 0.05-2.22 cm) in squamous cell carcinoma.Ultrasonography can accurately measure the width and thickness of skin cancer and predict the safety margins of the wide excision. Preoperative ultrasonography is a good diagnostic tool for surgical planning. Additional studies with larger populations are needed to quantify the range of vertical safety margins.

Breast reconstruction after complications following breast augmentation with massive filler injections.

INTRODUCTION: Breast filler injections are less commonly used due to their associated complications, such as pain and foreign body reactions. Yet, these fillers are often administered illegally, resulting in aesthetic or life-threatening complications. These are treated by removing the foreign material, and the breasts are reconstructed using silicone implants or autologous tissue/fat injection. PATIENT CONCERNS: Case 1. A 45-year-old woman with polyacrylamide gel injections in both breasts visited our clinic for breast pain and tenderness. Grade I ptosis was observed in each breast, without skin necrosis and discoloration. Case 2. A 51-year-old woman, with unknown breast filler injections, visited our clinic for painful masses. Intraoperatively, massive amounts of foreign material had severely infiltrated the nearby tissues; thus, an immediate breast reconstruction could not be performed. Three months later, severe deformities including shrinkage and irregular breast skin surfaces were observed. DIAGNOSIS: Case 1. Multiple cystic lesions, fluid collection in the retromammary spaces, and diffuse infiltration were observed on mammography, computed tomography, and ultrasonography. Case 2. Multiple cystic lesions, calcified areas, and diffuse infiltrations in the axillae and retromammary spaces were observed on mammography, computed tomography, and ultrasonography. INTERVENTIONS: Case 1. The foreign material was removed and the breasts were reconstructed using silicone implants into subpectoral pocket with acellular dermal matrices (Alloderm, Lipocell Corporation). Case 2. A delayed reconstruction was undertaken using silicone implants covered by latissimus dorsi muscle flaps, 3 months after the foreign material removal. OUTCOMES: Case 1. The foreign material was removed and there were no complications such as foreign body reaction, capsular contracture. Ptosis was corrected and both breasts were symmetric with proper projection. Case 2. Residual foreign material was removed and there were no complications such capsular contracture, implant malposition. CONCLUSION: Massive injections of foreign materials into the breast can cause severe infiltration and associated foreign body reactions. By a near-complete removal of the foreign materials and breast reconstruction using silicone implants, we achieved satisfactory results, without complications such as wound disruption, capsular contracture, and implant malposition.