Clinical Characteristics of Acute Appendicitis in Pregnancy: 10-Year Experience at a Single Institution in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of non-obstetric surgical disease in pregnant women. The diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis during pregnancy are very important because it can cause life-threatening morbidity to the fetus and mother. We evaluated the clinical characteristics of acute appendicitis in pregnant women. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a medical database that included patients who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis at our hospital from January 2013 through December 2022. We compared non-pregnant women of reproductive age with pregnant women. We classified the pregnant women according to gestational age. RESULT: A total of 828 patients were reproductive-aged women between 15 and 44 years old. There were 759 non-pregnant patients and 69 pregnant patients. ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status classes were significantly higher and hospital stays were significantly longer in the pregnant group. There was no significant intergroup difference in terms of the proportions of complicated appendicitis, extended surgery, or complications. When the enrolled pregnant women were divided into three subgroups according to gestational age, the mean operation time was longest in the third-trimester subgroup. There were no differences among the subgroups in terms of the proportions of complicated appendicitis, extended surgery, or complications, nor were there differences among the subgroups in terms of laboratory findings. Preterm labor and stillbirth occurred in two pregnant women with complicated appendicitis in the second trimester. CONCLUSION: Immediate surgical treatment should be strongly considered in pregnant women with appendicitis. Efforts for more accurate diagnosis are needed for pregnant women with appendicitis.

Initial Experience of Robot-Assisted Transabdominal Preperitoneal (TAPP) Inguinal Hernia Repair by a Single Surgeon in South Korea.

Background and Objectives: Inguinal hernia is a common surgical disease. Traditional open herniorrhaphy has been replaced by laparoscopic herniorrhaphy. Nowadays, many attempts at robotic herniorrhaphy have been reported in western countries, but there have been no reports in South Korea. The purpose of this study is to report our initial experience with robotic inguinal hernia surgery, compared to laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the clinical data from 100 patients who received inguinal hernia surgery in our hospital from November 2020 to June 2022. Fifty patients underwent laparoscopic surgery, and 50 patients underwent robotic surgery using the da Vinci Xi system. All hernia surgeries were performed by a single surgeon using the transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) method. Results: The mean operation time and hospital stay were not statistically different. On the first postoperative day, the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score was significantly lower in the robotic surgery group (2.9 ± 0.5 versus 2.5 ± 0.7, p = 0.015). Cumulative sum analysis revealed an approximately 12-case learning curve for robotic-assisted TAPP hernia surgery. Conclusions: Robotic-assisted TAPP inguinal hernia surgery is technically acceptable to surgeons who have performed laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery, and the learning curve is relatively short. It is thought to be a good step toward learning other robot-assisted operations.

Pediatric Adenocarcinoma in Korea: A Multicenter Study.

PURPOSE: Adenocarcinoma is an extremely rare malignancy in the pediatric population. Research regarding pediatric adenocarcinoma is very rare in Korea. This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of pediatric adenocarcinomas of various primary organ sites in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pediatric patients under 18 years, diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of various sites between January 1995 and December 2016, were included. We retrospectively reviewed patient and tumor characteristics and calculated survival estimates, reported as 5-year survival rate and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Of 80 patients (median age, 15 years; range, 10 to 17 years), 37 (46.3%) were men, and 24 (30%) had a family history of cancer or underlying disease relevant to malignancy. The cancer locations were the colon and rectum (n=32), ovaries (n=18), stomach (n=15), lung (n=4), small bowel (n=1), and other sites (n=10). Totally, 54.8% patients (42/77) had stage 3 or 4 disease. The median follow-up period was 2.0 years (range, 0 to 20.4). The 5-year overall survival estimate for all patients, and for those with stomach, colorectal, ovarian, and other cancer sites were 57.9%±11.5%, 58.2%±25.7%, 41.5%±18.2%, 87.5%±16.2%, and 64.0%±34.4%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate differed significantly between categories of adenocarcinomas into gastrointestinal (GI) (44.7%) and non-GI adenocarcinomas (78.8%) (p=0.007). The 5-year survival rate also differed significantly according to carcinoembryonic antigen level (69.3% in < 3 ng/mL, 23.8% in > 3 ng/mL; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In pediatric patients, adenocarcinomas arise from various organs and are often diagnosed at advanced stages. Large, prospective studies for their accurate clinical characteristics and prognostic factors are needed.

Usefulness of Percutaneous Puncture in Insertion of Totally Implantable Venous Access Devices in Pediatric Patients.

PURPOSE: Totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) are commonly used in pediatrics for the administration of chemotherapy, antibiotics, or parenteral nutrition. TIVADs can be implanted using various techniques, including surgical cutdown (SC) and percutaneous puncture (PP). Recently, percutaneous TIVAD became popular in adults, but studies comparing between PP and SC group in pediatric patients are rare. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected and analyzed retrospectively from 23 patients who underwent TIVAD at a single institution between January 2013 and December 2015. We examined the clinical characteristics, insertion techniques, and clinical outcome. We divided the patients into 2 groups and compared PP with ultrasonography and SC using the insertion technique. We compared success rate, procedural time, and the patency rate between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Eleven TIVADS were inserted using PP, and 12 TIVADs were inserted using SC. No statistically significant difference in characteristics was found between the 2 groups. The procedural time in the PP group was shorter than that in the SC group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.685). During follow-up, 1 patient in the SC group had an occlusion, and 1 patient in the PP group had an infection. CONCLUSION: PP of the internal jugular vein with ultrasonography appears to be the method of choice for TIVAD insertion owing to its similar success rate in terms of implantation and complication rate to that in SC, with shorter procedural times in pediatric patients.

Functional and morphological evolution of remnant pancreas after resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Functional and morphological evolution of remnant pancreas after resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma is investigated.The medical records of 45 patients who had undergone radical resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma from March 2010 to September 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 34 patients in the pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) group and 10 patients in the distal pancreatectomy (DP) group. One patient received total pancreatectomy. The endocrine function was measured using the glucose tolerance index (GTI), which was derived by dividing daily maximum serum glucose fluctuation by daily minimum glucose. Remnant pancreas volume (RPV) was estimated by considering pancreas body and tail as a column, and head as an ellipsoid, respectively. The pancreatic atrophic index (PAI) was defined as the ratio of pancreatic duct width to total pancreas width. Representative indices of each patient were compared before and after resection up to 2 years postoperatively.The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of GTI for diagnosing DM was 0.823 (95% confidence interval, 0.699-0.948, P < .001). Overall, GTI increased on postoperative day 1 (POD#1, mean ±â€Šstandard deviation, 1.79 ±â€Š1.40 vs preoperative, 1.02 ±â€Š1.41; P = .001), and then decreased by day 7 (0.89 ±â€Š1.16 vs POD#1, P < .001). In the PD group, the GTI on POD#14 became lower than preoperative (0.51 ±â€Š0.38 vs 0.96 ±â€Š1.37; P = .03). PAI in the PD group was significantly lower at 1 month postoperatively (0.22 ±â€Š0.12 vs preoperative, 0.38 ±â€Š0.18; P < .001). In the PD group, RPV was significantly lower at 1 month postoperatively (25.3 ±â€Š18.3 cm vs preoperative, 32.4 ±â€Š20.1 cm; P = .02), due to the resolution of pancreatic duct dilatation. RPV of the DP group showed no significant change. GTI was negatively related to RPV preoperatively (r = -0.317, P = .04), but this correlation disappeared postoperatively (r = -0.044, P = .62).Pancreatic endocrine functional deterioration in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients may in part be due to pancreatic duct obstruction and dilatation caused by the tumor. After resection, this proportion of endocrine insufficiency is corrected.

Platelet count evolution as a predictor of outcome after splenectomy for immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Splenectomy is the definitive second-line therapy for refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and has a reported response rate of 50-80%. Medical attention should be reconsidered when there is no evidence of accessory spleen in refractory ITP patients after splenectomy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether platelet count evolution differs between patients with a successful or unsuccessful result after splenectomy for ITP. Archived records of 104 consecutive patients that underwent splenectomy for ITP were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups (failures and successes) using a final follow-up platelet count of 100,000/µL as a cut-off. Platelet count evolutions in these two groups were compared using the Student's t test. Successes and failures were found to have significantly different platelet counts from two days postoperatively (P = 0.016). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.630 (95% confidence interval, 0.518-0.741, P = 0.030), and when a cut-off value of 100,000/µL was used, sensitivity and specificity were 68.2 and 51.2%, respectively. To obtain positive and negative predictive values exceeding 50%, additional platelet counts were required at one week and one month after splenectomy. We propose a protocol for ITP follow-up after splenectomy.

Transmural penetration of sigmoid colon and rectum by retained surgical sponge after hysterectomy.

Gossypiboma is a surgical sponge that is retained in the body after the operation. A 39-year-old female presented with vague lower abdominal pain, fever, and rectal discharge 15 mo after hysterectomy. The sponge remaining in the abdomen had no radiopaque marker. Therefore a series of radiographic evaluations was fruitless. The surgical sponge was found in the rectosigmoid colon on colonoscopy. The sponge penetrated the sigmoid colon and rectum transmurally, forming an opening on both sides. The patient underwent low anterior resection and was discharged without postoperative complications.

Can Pre-Retrieval Computed Tomography Predict the Difficult Removal of an Implementing an Inferior Vena Cava Filter?

PURPOSE: Implementing an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is a relatively safe procedure but potential negative long-term effects. The complications for filter retrieval have been noted. We examined filter characteristics on pre-retrieval computed tomography (CT) that were associated with complicated retrieval (CR) of IVC filters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of IVC filter retrievals between January 2008 and June 2014 was performed to identify patients who had undergone a pre-retrieval CT for IVC filter retrieval. CR was defined as the use of nonstandard techniques, procedural time over 30 min, filter fractures, filter tip incorporation into the IVC wall, and retrieval failure. Pre-retrieval CT images were evaluated for tilt angle in the mediolateral and anteroposterior directions, tip embedding into the IVC wall, degree of filter strut perforation, and distance of the filter tip from the nearest renal vein. RESULTS: Of seventy-six patients, twenty-four patients (31.6%) with CRs and 56 patients (73.7%) with non-CR were evaluated for pre-retrieval CT. For IVC filter retrieval with a dwelling time of over 45 days, a tilt of over 15 degrees, the appearance of tip embedding and grade 2 perforation were associated with CR on multivariate analysis. However, for IVC filter retrievals with a dwelling time of less than 45 days, there were no factors associated with CR. CONCLUSION: Pre-retrieval CTs may be more effective for IVC filters with a dwelling time of over 45 days. Therefore, a pre-retrieval CT may be helpful in predicting CR of IVC filters with long dwelling times.

Midterm Outcome of Femoral Artery Stenting and Factors Affecting Patency.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early and midterm results of superficial femoral artery (SFA) stenting with self-expanding nitinol stents and to identify the factors affecting patency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SFA stenting was performed in 165 limbs of 117 patients from January 2009 to December 2013. Patients were followed-up for the first occurrence of occlusion or stenosis based on computed tomography and duplex scan results and a decrease in ankle brachial index of >15%. RESULTS: During the follow-up period (mean, 15.3±3.2 months), no early thrombotic reocclusions occurred within 30 days, but in-stent restenosis developed in 78 limbs. The primary patency rates at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months were 78%, 66%, 42%, and 22%, respectively, and the secondary patency rates were 85%, 72%, 58%, and 58%, respectively. TASC II C or D lesions, stent length >8 cm, number of patent tibial arteries and diabetes were significantly associated with reintervention. CONCLUSION: The midterm results of stenting for SFA occlusive disease were disappointing because the primary and secondary patency rates at two years were 22% and 58%, respectively. Reintervention after SFA stenting remains a major problem, particularly in patients with diabetes mellitus or long TASC II C or D lesions.

One Year Experience of Iliac Bifurcated Device for Aortoiliac Aneurysm in a Korean Single Center.

One of the predominant methods for preserving the internal iliac artery (IIA) in aortoiliac aneurysms is to use an iliac bifurcated device (IBD). However, there are a few limitations to the use of IBD in Korea. Our study aims to present the technical aspects of these devices, and to provide a mid-term analysis of IBD. Since 2013, 4 IBDs were used in 4 patients, with a mean follow-up of 14 months (range, 6-22 months). A 100% technical success rate was achieved without mortality and morbidity in our cases. The mean procedural time was 176 min (range, 145-240 min), and the mean contrast dose used was 184 mL (range, 135-220 mL). Type I or III endoleaks and postoperative expansion of the aneurysms weren't observed. Our cases demonstrates that IBD is a relatively safe repair method of aortoiliac aneurysms with preservation of the IIAs. However, a longer follow-up is needed to review the midterm results.

Significant adverse reactions to long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists for the treatment of central precocious puberty and early onset puberty.

PURPOSE: Long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) are commonly used to treat central precocious puberty (CPP) in Korea. Although rare, there have been reports on the characteristic of adverse reactions of GnRHa in CPP among the Korean population. This study was intended to report on our clinical experience regarding significant adverse reactions to long-acting GnRHa in CPP and early onset puberty and to evaluate the prevalence rate of serious side effects. METHODS: This retrospective study included children with CPP and early onset puberty, who were administered monthly with long-acting GnRHa (leuprolide acetate, triptorelin acetate) at the outpatient clinic of Department of Pediatrics, at Inha University Hospital, between January 2011 and December 2013. We analyzed the clinical characteristics of patients who experienced significant adverse reactions and evaluated the prevalence rate. RESULTS: Six serious side effects (0.9%) were observed among total of 621 CPP and early onset puberty children with GnRHa therapy. The number of sterile abscess formation was four in three patients (4 events of 621). Anaphylaxis occurred in only one patient, and unilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) in another one patient. Anaphylaxis occurred after the 6th administration of the monthly depot triptorelin acetate. Unilateral SCFE developed in GnRHa therapy. CONCLUSION: Sterile abscess formation occurred in 0.6% of CPP and early onset puberty patients from the administration of a monthly depot GnRHa therapy. The occurrences of anaphylaxis and SCFE are extremely rare, but can have serious implications on patients. Clinicians should be aware of these potential adverse effects related to GnRHa therapy in CPP.

Relining technique for continuous sac enlargement and modular disconnection secondary to endotension after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair.

Endotension is an unpredictable late complication of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). This case report will discuss the successful treatment of enlarged aneurysmal sac due to endotension using the relining technique. An 81-year-old male complained of nondecreasing huge aneurysm sac. He had undergone EVAR for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm 7 years prior and no endoleak was found through follow-up. Initially computed tomography-guided sac aspiration was tried, but in vain, Relining using the double barrel technique and tubular endograft for modular diconnection, which was unexpectedly found in the original endograft, were performed sucessfully. During follow-up after the relining procedure, the size of aneurysm sac continued to decrease in size. The relining technique is effective mothod for treating endotension.

Preliminary results of binding pancreaticojejunostomy.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The post-operative complications and clinical course of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) largely depend on the pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ). Several methods of PJ are in clinical use. We analyzed the early results of binding pancreaticojejunostomy (BPJ), a technique reported by SY Peng. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical results of patients who received BPJ in Inha University Hospital from 2006 to 2011. 21 BPJs were performed with Peng's method. The definition of postoperative pancreatic fistula (PF) was a high amylase content (>3 times the upper normal serum value) of the drain fluid (of any measurable volume), at any time on or after the 3rd post-operative day. The pancreatic fistula was graded according to the International Study Group for Pancreatic Fistula (ISGPF) guidelines. RESULTS: Of the 21 patients who received BPJ, 11 were male. The median age was 61.2 years. PD surgery included 4 cases of Whipple's procedures and 17 cases of pylorus-preserving PD. According to the post-operative course, 16 patients recovered well with no evidence of PF. A total of 5 patients (23.8%), including 3 grade A PFs and 2 grade C PFs, suffered from a pancreatic fistula. 3 patients with grade A PF recovered with conservative management. CONCLUSIONS: The BPJ appears to be a relatively safe procedure based on this preliminary study, but further study is needed to validate its safety.

Extended distal pancreatectomy for advanced pancreatic neck cancer.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: We investigated the clinical application of extended distal pancreatectomy in patients with pancreatic neck cancer accompanied by distal pancreatic atrophy. In this study, we have emphasized on the technical aspects of using the linear stapling device for a bulky target organ. METHODS: From March 2010 to September 2013, 46 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, who underwent pancreatic resection with radical intent at our institute, were reviewed retrospectively. Among them, three patients (6.5%) underwent extended distal pancreatectomy. A linear stapling device and vise-grip locking pliers were used for en bloc resection of the distal pancreas, first duodenal portion, and distal common bile duct. The results were compared with those after standard pancreatectomy. RESULTS: All three patients presented with jaundice, and the ratio of pancreatic duct to parenchymal thickness of the pancreatic body was greater than 0.5. Grade A pancreatic fistula developed in all of the cases, but none of these fistulae were lethal. Pathological staging was T3N1M0 in all of the patients. The postoperative daily serum glucose fluctuations and insulin requirements were comparable to those in patients who received pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy. At the last follow-up, two patients were alive with liver metastasis at 4 and 10 months postoperatively, respectively, and one patient died of liver metastasis at 5 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: While the prognosis of advanced pancreatic neck adenocarcinoma is still dismal, extended distal pancreatectomy is a valid treatment option, especially when there is atrophy of the distal pancreas. Also, the procedure is technically feasible, and further refinement is necessary to improve patient survival.

Efficacy and feasibility of laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: For patients with acute cholecystitis, conversion from laparoscopic cholecystectomy to open surgery is not uncommon due to possibilities of serious hemorrhage at the liver bed and bile duct injury. Recent studies reported successful laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and feasibility of such an operation based on the experience of surgeons at our facility. METHODS: In this study, we enrolled 144 patients who had received either laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC), laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), or open cholecystectomy (OC) for acute cholecystitis from January 2004 to December 2009 at the Department of Surgery of our hospital. Their symptoms, signs, operative findings, pathologic results and postoperative results were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: There were 26 patients in the LSC group 80 in the LC group and 38 in the OC group. There were no differences in mean age, sex, and symptoms of acute cholecystitis. The LSC group showed higher CRP levels (p<0.001) and a higher grade according to the Tokyo criteria (p=0.001). The mean operative time was 115.6 minutes and mean blood loss was 158.9 ml without intra-operative or postoperative transfusion. There weren't any bile duct injuries during the operation. No group suffered bile leakage. Drains were removed 3.3 days after the operation in the LC group, the shortest time compared to the other groups (p<0.001). LC and LSC groups demonstrated shorter postoperative hospital days and time to diet resumption than the OC group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: LSC appears to be a safe and effective treatment in cases of severe acute cholecystitis that require consideration of conversion to open surgery.

Spontaneous liver rupture in a patient with peliosis hepatis: a case report.

Peliosis hepatis is a rare pathological entity and may cause fatal hepatic hemorrhage and liver failure. Here, we present a young male patient with aplastic anemia, who had received long-term treatment with oxymetholone. The patient suffered from sudden onset of intra-abdominal hemorrhage with profuse hemoperitoneum. The patient was treated successfully with a right hemihepatectomy and is in good health after 13 postoperative months. We suggest that peliosis hepatis be considered in patients with hepatic parenchymal hematoma, especially in patients under prolonged synthetic anabolic steroid medication. The possibility of a potentially life-threatening complication of massive intra-abdominal bleeding should also be considered.

Risk factors affecting pancreatic fistulas after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

AIM: To analyze the risk factors of pancreatic leakage after pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 172 consecutive patients who had undergone pancreatico-duodenectomy at Inha University Hospital between April 1996 and March 2006. We analyzed the pancreatic fistula rate according to the clinical characteristics, the pathologic and laboratory findings, and the anastomotic methods. RESULTS: The incidence of developing pancreatic fistulas in patients older than 60 years of age was 21.7% (25/115), while the incidence was 8.8% (5/57) for younger patients; the difference was significant (P=0.03). Patients with a dilated pancreatic duct had a lower rate of post-operative pancreatic fistulas than patients with a non-dilated duct (P=0.001). Other factors, including clinical features, anastomotic methods, and pathologic diagnosis, did not show any statistical difference. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that pancreatic fistulas are related to age and a dilated pancreatic duct. The surgeon must take these risk factors into consideration when performing a pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Tc-99m ciprofloxacin imaging in acute cholecystitis.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of a new nuclear imaging Infecton (Tc-99m ciprofloxacin) for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. METHODS: Sixteen patients thought to have acute cholecystitis were included in this study. The diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was made based on clinical symptoms and ultrasonographic and pathologic findings. RESULTS: The 16 patients were composed of 12 acute and 4 chronic cholecystitis patients. Twelve patients with acute cholecystitis were image-positive, including one false-positive. Four patients with chronic cholecystitis were image-negative, of whom three were true-negative. This nuclear imaging had a sensitivity of 91.7%, a specificity of 75%, a positive-predictive value of 91.7%, and a negative-predictive value of 75%. CONCLUSION: Tc-99m ciprofloxacin imaging is easy to perform and applicable for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis.