Publications by authors named "Hong R Kim"

Plastics play a crucial role in modern industries; however, their resistance to natural degradation contributes to environmental pollution, and microplastics pose a health threat. The hydrophobic nature of microplastics poses a considerable challenge, rendering them resistant to dissolving in water. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the microbial biodegradation capabilities of polystyrene in solid and liquid states.

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Objective: Minimally invasive repair using robotic systems has been accepted as an attractive alternative in the surgical repair of atrial septal defects (ASDs). Clear exposure of the entire rim of the ASD is often hindered during a robotic approach. Here, we describe an approach using vertical right atriotomy along the interatrial groove that may enhance the exposure of the ASD.

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Objectives: To analyse the impact of mild renal dysfunction on the prognosis of patients undergoing valve surgery.

Methods: A total of 6210 consecutive patients (3238 women; mean age 59.2 ± 12.

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Digital therapeutics (DTx) are emerging as a transformative innovation in healthcare offering evidence-based digital interventions for the treatment, management, and prevention of various diseases and disorders. In Korea, DTx have gained significant attention as potential solutions to the increasing burden of chronic diseases and mental health conditions. However, the Korean DTx market faces several challenges that hinder its widespread adoption and integration into the national healthcare system.

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Purpose: The number of elderly patients with trauma is increasing; therefore, precise models are necessary to estimate the mortality risk of elderly patients with trauma for informed clinical decision-making. This study aimed to develop machine learning based predictive models that predict 30-day mortality in severely injured elderly patients with trauma and to compare the predictive performance of various machine learning models.

Methods: This study targeted patients aged ≥65 years with an Injury Severity Score of ≥15 who visited the regional trauma center at Chungbuk National University Hospital between 2016 and 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • Supratentorial and infratentorial epidural hematoma (SIEDH) is a rare but serious complication that can occur after a traumatic brain injury.
  • Current literature on SIEDH is limited, with only a handful of small studies available.
  • The report discusses three cases treated at the authors' institution, highlighting the importance of quick diagnosis and various surgical methods used for effective management.
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  • This study analyzed trauma patients at a single center in Korea, comparing characteristics and outcomes across different age groups (18-64, 65-79, and 80+).
  • The results showed distinct injury mechanisms: traffic accidents were most common in younger patients, while older patients primarily sustained injuries from slipping.
  • Factors influencing mortality included age, injury severity, and specific treatment interventions, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches to trauma care for elderly patients due to their higher mortality rates.
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Background: This study aimed to validate the Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score (GTOS) for predicting mortality associated with trauma in older Korean adults and compare the GTOS with the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS).

Methods: This study included patients aged ≥65 years who visited the Chungbuk National University Hospital Regional Trauma Center between January 2016 and December 2022. We used receiver operating characteristic curves and calibration plots to assess the discrimination and calibration of the scoring systems.

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Objectives: The optimal technique for repairing posterior mitral valve leaflet prolapse remains undetermined. We aimed to compare leaflet resection and neochordae implantation in patients undergoing mitral valve repair for posterior leaflet prolapse, focusing on transmitral pressure gradient and recurrence of mitral regurgitation.

Methods: We enrolled patients undergoing mitral valve repair using either leaflet resection or neochordae implantation for single-segment prolapse of posterior mitral valve leaflet between 2000 and 2021 at our institution.

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Objective: Open arch repair is perceived as a challenging, high-risk procedure, with a barrier against the use of a minimally invasive approach. We aimed to present a mini-access total arch replacement performed by stratified approaches and to evaluate perioperative outcomes to contribute to the body of evidence.

Methods: We evaluated 40 consecutive patients (aged 69.

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Environmental pollution caused by the excessive use of plastics has resulted in the inflow of microplastics into the human body. However, the effects of microplastics on the human gut microbiota still need to be better understood. To determine whether plastic-degrading bacteria exist in the human gut, we collected the feces of six human individuals, did enrichment cultures and screened for bacterial species with a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or polypropylene (PP)-degrading activity using a micro-spray method.

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  • This study compared postoperative outcomes of cardiac surgery between solid-organ transplant recipients and nontransplant patients, analyzing data from 78 transplant recipients and 312 matched nontransplant patients.
  • There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality rates, though transplant recipients had higher overall mortality after five years compared to nontransplant patients, while cardiac deaths were similar for both groups.
  • The findings suggest that cardiac surgery can be performed safely in solid-organ transplant recipients, with postoperative cardiovascular outcomes comparable to those in nontransplant patients.
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Background: This study compared the outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients aged 50 to 70 years based on the type of prosthetic valve used.

Methods: We compared patients who underwent mechanical AVR to those who underwent bioprosthetic AVR at our institution between January 2000 and March 2019. Competing risk analysis and the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method based on propensity score were employed for comparisons.

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Article Synopsis
  • Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (AVR) is being considered as a safer alternative to redo surgical AVR due to its higher risks, particularly when dealing with failed prostheses.
  • A study involving 324 patients from 2010 to 2021 found an overall operative mortality rate of 4.6%, which dropped to 2.5% when excluding those with endocarditis.
  • Key risk factors for operative mortality identified were the presence of endocarditis, longer cardiopulmonary bypass time, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), indicating that patients without endocarditis and acceptable LVEF have good outcomes with redo AVR.
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Background: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are widely employed as a therapeutic option for end-stage heart failure. We evaluated the outcomes associated with centrifugal-flow LVAD implantation, comparing 2 device models: the Heartmate 3 (HM3) and the Heartware Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD).

Methods: Data were collected from patients who underwent LVAD implantation between June 1, 2015 and December 31, 2022.

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Few cases of injuries caused by wild boars have been reported in the literature. Here, we present the case of a 64-year-old male patient who was attacked by a wild boar. The patient had a laceration to the right forehead and a penetrating wound in the area before the right auricle.

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Traumatic portal vein injury is rare, but the associated mortality rate ranges from 50% to 70%. The management of this injury is difficult and remains controversial. In this case report, we describe the successful endovascular treatment of an obstruction that developed following the surgical repair of a traumatic portal vein injury.

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Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of aortic valve replacement (AVR) using bovine pericardial and porcine bioprostheses, utilizing a nationwide administrative claims database.

Methods: Adult patients (age ≥40 years) who underwent bioprosthetic AVR, without other valve replacements, between 2003 and 2018 were identified from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and valve-related events, including the incidence of reoperation, endocarditis, systemic thromboembolism, and major bleeding.

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  • Acute kidney injury (AKI) is prevalent among trauma patients, negatively impacting outcomes, thus early prediction is crucial for effective treatment in intensive care settings.
  • A study comparing machine learning (ML) techniques and logistic regression in predicting AKI involved 400 patients with torso injuries; it found significant independent risk factors including age, intestinal injury, and fluid balance.
  • The machine learning model outperformed logistic regression in terms of recall and F1 score, highlighting its potential for better prediction of AKI among trauma patients.
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Objectives: Paraplegia is a distressing complication after open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair, and revascularization of T8-L2-level segmental arteries is considered pivotal to prevent paraplegia. We employed 3-dimensional (3D) printing to efficiently revascularize segmental/visceral arteries and prospectively evaluated its safety and efficacy.

Methods: From January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022, we prospectively enrolled patients of extent I, II, or III TAAA repair.

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In this work, we investigated the effect of hole transporting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) interfacing with Mn-doped CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate on the photoemission of upconverted hot electrons under weak continuous wave photoexcitation in a vacuum. Among the various factors that can influence the photoemission of the upconverted hot electrons, we studied the role of PEDOT:PSS in facilitating the hole transfer from QDs and altering the energy of photoemitted hot electrons. Compared to hot electrons emitted from QDs deposited directly on the ITO substrate, the addition of the PEDOT:PSS layer between the QD and ITO layers increased the energy of the photoemitted hot electrons.

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Plastic, a polymer synthesized from petrochemicals, is used worldwide. However, natural degradation of plastic is difficult, causing environmental pollution, with microplastics posing a serious threat to human health. In this study, we aimed to use a new screening method based on the oxidation-reduction indicator, 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol, to isolate a polyethylene-degrading bacterium, , from insect larvae.

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Objectives: Comparisons of long-term clinical outcomes of mitral valve replacement (MVR) between bovine pericardial and porcine bioprostheses are conflicting, with limited research in large-scale real-world clinical settings. This study examined clinical outcomes in MVR according to bioprosthesis type using a national administrative claims database.

Methods: This study included adult patients undergoing bioprosthetic MVR between 2003 and 2018 using administrative health care data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

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