Respiratory Protection Effect of Earloop-type KF94 Masks according to the Wearing Method in COVID-19 Pandemic: a Randomized, Open-label Study

Background@#Ear-loop-type Korean Filter 94 masks (KF94 masks, equivalent to the N95 and FFP2) are broadly used in health care settings in Korea for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. @*Methods@#A prospective randomized open-label study was designed to identify differences in the fitting performance between mask wearing methods in three different types of KF94 mask with ear loops between January to March 2021. General-fitting involved wearing an earloop-type KF94 mask, and tight-fitting involved wearing a mask aided by a clip connecting the ear loops. Each of the 30 participants wore three types of masks according to a randomly assigned order in both methods and performed a total of six quantitative fit tests (QNFTs) according to the occupational safety and health administration protocol. @*Results@#All fit factors (FFs) measured by the QNFT were significantly higher for tight-fitting method with the clip in all KF94 masks (P < 0.001). However, the total FFs were very low, with a median (interquartile range) of 6 (3–23) and 29 (9–116) for general-fitting and tight-fitting, respectively. When wearing tightly, the horizontal 3-fold type mask with adjustable ear-loop length had the highest FF, with a median of 125, and the QNFT pass rate (FF ≥ 100) increased significantly from 4 (13%) to 18 (60%). @*Conclusion@#Even with sufficient filter efficiency, ear-loop-type-KF94 masks do not provide adequate protection. However, in relatively low-risk environments, wearing a face-seal adjustable KF94 mask and tight wearing with a clip can improve respiratory protection for healthcare workers.

Respiratory Protection Effect of Earloop-type KF94 Masks according to the Wearing Method in COVID-19 Pandemic: a Randomized, Open-label Study

Background@#Ear-loop-type Korean Filter 94 masks (KF94 masks, equivalent to the N95 and FFP2) are broadly used in health care settings in Korea for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. @*Methods@#A prospective randomized open-label study was designed to identify differences in the fitting performance between mask wearing methods in three different types of KF94 mask with ear loops between January to March 2021. General-fitting involved wearing an earloop-type KF94 mask, and tight-fitting involved wearing a mask aided by a clip connecting the ear loops. Each of the 30 participants wore three types of masks according to a randomly assigned order in both methods and performed a total of six quantitative fit tests (QNFTs) according to the occupational safety and health administration protocol. @*Results@#All fit factors (FFs) measured by the QNFT were significantly higher for tight-fitting method with the clip in all KF94 masks (P < 0.001). However, the total FFs were very low, with a median (interquartile range) of 6 (3–23) and 29 (9–116) for general-fitting and tight-fitting, respectively. When wearing tightly, the horizontal 3-fold type mask with adjustable ear-loop length had the highest FF, with a median of 125, and the QNFT pass rate (FF ≥ 100) increased significantly from 4 (13%) to 18 (60%). @*Conclusion@#Even with sufficient filter efficiency, ear-loop-type-KF94 masks do not provide adequate protection. However, in relatively low-risk environments, wearing a face-seal adjustable KF94 mask and tight wearing with a clip can improve respiratory protection for healthcare workers.

High Ligation for Indirect Inguinal Hernia in Young Adults

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare three methods of hernioplasty: high ligation (HL), tissue repair (TR), and tension free (TF) and to determine the usefulness of high ligation for repair of indirect inguinal hernia in young adults. METHODS: One hundred thirty two patients who were under the age of 25 and who underwent repair of their inguinal hernia between January 2001 and December 2005 were reviewed retrospectively by using their inpatient and outpatient records and phone calls. Sixty seven, 23 and 42 patients underwent HL, TR and TF, respectively. The clinical features that were analyzed included location, type, signs and symptoms, operation method, complications and recurrence. RESULTS: The operation times were (mean+/-SD) 46.2+/-19.1, 56.0+/-11.5, and 61.8+/-14.9 minutes for HL, TR and TF, respectively. For the post-operative complications, there was 1 case of wound infection (1.5%) and 1 case of scrotal hematoma (1.5%) for HL; 1 case of wound infection (4.4%) and 1 case of scrotal swelling (4.4%) for TR; 3 cases of wound infection (7.0%), 2 cases of scrotal swelling (4.7%), 1 cases of intermittent pain (2.3%) and 1 case of scrotal hematoma (2.3%) for TF. Two patients in the HL group had recurrences, but there was no recurrence in the TR and TF groups. CONCLUSION: High ligation hernioplasty in young adults showed a shorter operation time, but there were no differences in the rate of complications between the methods. In the case of recurrence, it can be corrected by performing tissue repair or tension free hernioplasty because the normal anatomy may be preserved even after operation. Therefore, high ligation hernioplasty proved to be a useful method for repair of indirect inguinal hernia in young adults. In contrast, for the recurred or older age patients, tissue repair or tension free hernioplasty may be a more useful method.

Incidental Adenomyoma of Stomach Associated with Early Gastric Cancer

An adenomyoma of the gastrointestinal tract is a rare, benign, tumor-like condition histologically characterized by glandular structures embedded within a smooth muscle stroma. An adenomyoma has been considered to be as an abortive variant of an ectopic pancreas. An ectopic pancreas is defined as the presence of pancreatic tissue that lacks anatomic and vascular continuity with the main body of the pancreas. Common sites of an ectopic pancreas are the stomach, duodenum, and upper jejunum. An adenomyoma may rarely undergo a malignant transformation or cystic dystrophy. Recently, the authors an experienced a case of an incidental adenomyoma of the stomach associated with early gastric carcinoma. We report that case here.

Terminal Ileal Burkitt's Lymphoma in an Adult

A Burkitt's lymphoma is a rare disease belonging to the aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, which usually occurs in children or adolescents. Burkitt's lymphoma was first reported in the medical literature as a jaw sarcoma of East African children, and those of the gastrointestinal tract occurring in adults have rarely been reported in Korea. Herein, we report an unusual case of a primary intestinal Burkitt's lymphoma, presenting with a palpable abdominal mass and abdominal pain, in a 46-year-old man. An ileocecectomy was performed, and the diagnosis confirmed by histological examination.