Clinical study on ureteritis observed in contrast-enhanced computed tomography in the emergency department.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the causes and clinical and laboratory features of patients with ureteritis observed on intravenous contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic computed tomography (APCT) conducted in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: All APCTs conducted in the ED from November 2017 to November 2020 were investigated for the presence of ureteritis. The incidence of ureteritis, presumed cause of ureteritis, and clinical as well as laboratory features of patients with ureteritis were retrospectively analyzed.

Clinical investigation on acute pyelonephritis without pyuria: a retrospective observational study.

Backgruound: The current guidelines for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis (APN) recommend that APN be diagnosed based on the clinical features and the presence of pyuria. However, we observed that some of the patients who are diagnosed with APN do not have characteristic clinical features or pyuria at the initial examination. We performed this study to investigate the characteristics of APN without pyuria.

Molecular and functional characterization of detrusor PDGFRα positive cells in spinal cord injury-induced detrusor overactivity.

Volume accommodation occurs via a novel mechanism involving interstitial cells in detrusor muscles. The interstitial cells in the bladder are PDGFRα, and they restrain the excitability of smooth muscle at low levels and prevents the development of transient contractions (TCs). A common clinical manifestation of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced bladder dysfunction is detrusor overactivity (DO).

Utility of a Modified Oropharyngeal Airway for Performing Tracheal Intubation Using a Fiberoptic Bronchoscope and Video Stylet: A Randomized Crossover Trial Using a Manikin.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess if a modified airway (MA), developed by the authors, would act as a guide and improve the performance of intubation when used with a video stylet (VS) or fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) for endotracheal intubation.

Methods: This randomized crossover simulation study using manikins was conducted with 36 novice operators. Time to complete intubation, time to see the glottis, and success rate of intubation of each device were measured and compared with or without use of MA.

Proximal hyper-intense vessel sign on initial FLAIR MRI in hyper-acute middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke: a retrospective observational study.

Background: A hyper-intense vessel sign on fluid attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging (FHV) represents slow blood flow in the cerebral arteries.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between the proximal FHV (pFHV) on initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the status of the culprit vessel (stenosis, obstruction) in hyper-acute strokes affecting the territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA).

Material And Methods: The study participants consisted of 105 patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute MCA infarction within 4.

Chronic Gastritis Is Associated with a Decreased High-Density Lipid Level: Histological Features of Gastritis Based on the Updated Sydney System.

Chronic gastritis could activate a systemic inflammatory response that could result in adverse lipid profiles. To determine the severity of chronic gastritis, (HP), mononuclear cell (lymphocytes and plasma cells), and neutrophil scores were assessed on the basis of the updated Sydney system (USS), which is widely used for histological grading. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between gastric histological features and lipid profile levels.

Characteristics of blood tests in patients with acute cerebral infarction who developed symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after intravenous administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator.

Objective: Patients suspected as having acute ischemic stroke usually undergo blood tests, including coagulation-related indexes, because thrombocytopenia and coagulopathy are contraindications for recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) administration. We aimed to identify blood test indexes associated with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) in patients with acute ischemic stroke who received intravenous rtPA.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke who were treated with intravenous rtPA at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Seoul between February 2008 and January 2018.

Manikin study showed that counting inflation breaths out loud improved the speed of resuming chest compressions during two-person paediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Aim: We investigated whether counting inflation breaths out loud during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) led to an earlier resumption of chest compressions.

Methods: In this randomised controlled manikin simulation study, conducted from February 2015 to April 2015, 32 fourth-year Korean medical students, equally divided into study and control groups, performed 10 cycles of 15:2 CPR while administering inflation breaths using a bag mask. The first study participant counted the number of inflation breaths out loud, and the second study participant was told to perform chest compressions as soon as they heard their colleague say two.

Differential diagnoses of magnetic resonance imaging for suspected acute appendicitis in pregnant patients.

Background: Accurate and timely diagnosis of acute surgical disease in pregnant patient is challenging. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most accurate modality to diagnose acute appendicitis in pregnant patients, it is often used as a last resort because of high cost and long scan time. We performed this study to analyze differential diagnoses of appendix MRI and to investigate if there are any blood tests that can predict surgical condition in pregnant patients.

Effect of metronome rates on the quality of bag-mask ventilation during metronome-guided 30:2 cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A randomized simulation study.

Background: Metronome guidance is a feasible and effective feedback technique to improve the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The rate of the metronome should be set between 100 to 120 ticks/minute and the speed of ventilation may have crucial effect on the quality of ventilation. We compared three different metronome rates (100, 110, 120 ticks/minute) to investigate its effect on the quality of ventilation during metronome-guided 30:2 CPR.

Hematologic parameters to predict negative cerebrospinal fluid examination results among neurologically intact patients who underwent lumbar puncture on suspicion of central nervous system infection.

Objective: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination is mandatory whenever central nervous system (CNS) infection is suspected. However, pleocytosis is not detected in a substantial number of suspected patients who undergo CSF examination. This study aimed to identify parameters that can aid in predicting negative CSF examination results (defined as a white blood cell count of <5 cells/high-power field).

Comparison of the GlideRite to the conventional malleable stylet for endotracheal intubation by the Macintosh laryngoscope: a simulation study using manikins.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of the GlideRite stylet with the conventional malleable stylet (CMS) in endotracheal intubation (ETI) by the Macintosh laryngoscope.

Methods: This study is a randomized, crossover, simulation study. Participants performed ETI using both the GlideRite stylet and the CMS in a normal airway model and a tongue edema model (simulated difficult airway resulting in lower percentage of glottic opening [POGO]).

Serum Procalcitonin: An Independent Predictor of Clinical Outcome in Health Care-Associated Pneumonia.

Background: Early prediction of the clinical outcomes for health care-associated pneumonia (HCAP) patients is challenging.

Objectives: This is the first study to evaluate procalcitonin (PCT) as a predictor of outcomes in HCAP patients.

Methods: We conducted an observational study based on data for HCAP patients prospectively collected between 2011 and 2014.

Video laryngoscopy vs. direct laryngoscopy: Which should be chosen for endotracheal intubation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation? A prospective randomized controlled study of experienced intubators.

Aim: This study compared endotracheal intubation (ETI) performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) between direct laryngoscopy (DL) and video laryngoscopy (VL) (GlideScope(®)) by experienced intubators (>50 successful ETIs).

Methods: This was a prospective randomized controlled study conducted in an emergency department between 2011 and 2013. Intubators who used DL or VL were randomly allocated to ETI during CPR.

Diffusion-weighted imaging-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery mismatch is associated with better neurologic response to intravenous thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients.

Objective: To investigate differences in the effect of intravenous (IV) thrombolysis regarding the mismatch of diffusion-weighted imaging-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (DWI-FLAIR) among acute ischemic stroke patients who visited the emergency department (ED) within 3 hours from the onset of symptoms.

Methods: Among ED patients presenting with an acute ischemic stroke between January 2011 and May 2013 at a tertiary hospital, those who underwent magnetic resonance imaging before IV thrombolytic therapy were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into DWI-FLAIR mismatch and match groups.

Effects of combination therapy of docetaxel with selenium on the human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7.

Purpose: The anticancer property and cytoprotective role of selenium in chemotherapy have been reported. However, the combination effects of selenium on chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer have not yet been clearly defined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined effects of selenium on chemotherapy using docetaxel on breast cancer cell lines.

A vertical two-thumb technique is superior to the two-thumb encircling technique for infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Aim: The two-thumb encircling (TTE) technique often results in suboptimal cardiac compression and does not meet the requirements of current resuscitation guidelines. We compared this technique with the vertical two-thumb (VTT) technique, our novel modification of the TTE technique.

Methods: This was a prospective randomised crossover simulation study of out-of-hospital infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Utility of the Pentax-AWS in performing tracheal intubation while wearing chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear personal protective equipment: a randomised crossover trial using a manikin.

Introduction: Following a chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear (CBRN) incident, prompt establishment of an advanced airway is required for patients with respiratory failure within the warm zone, while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Previous studies reported that intubation attempts were prolonged, and incidence of esophageal intubation was increased with conventional Macintosh laryngoscope (McL), while wearing CBRN-PPE. Pentax-AWS (AWS), a recently introduced portable video laryngoscope, was compared with the McL to test its utility for tracheal intubation while wearing CBRN-PPE.

Tracheal intubation during chest compressions performed by qualified emergency physicians unfamiliar with the Pentax-Airwayscope.

Objective: Experienced emergency physicians were recruited and a randomized crossover trial was conducted to compare the performance of the Pentax-Airwayscope (AWS) video-laryngoscope with the Macintosh laryngoscope (McL) for tracheal intubation during continuous chest compressions under three different scenarios: (1) normal airway, (2) limited neck mobility, and (3) tongue edema.

Methods: Thirty-six experienced emergency physicians performed intubations on a manikin in each of three scenarios. The sequences of scenarios and intubating devices were randomized.

Safety and clinical efficacy of laparoscopic appendectomy for pregnant women with acute appendicitis.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) during pregnancy by comparing the operative and obstetric outcomes of patients who during pregnancy underwent LA performed by an expert gynaecologic laparoscopist (LA group) with those patients who underwent an open appendectomy (OA) by a general surgeon (OA group).

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, we evaluated all patients consecutively who had undergone appendectomy for acute appendicitis during pregnancy from January 2000 to December 2010. Twenty-eight patients underwent OA and 15 were treated by LA.

Conventional blood tests in predicting influenza A (H1N1) rapidly.

Purpose: Although real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions (rRT-PCR) are gold standard for the diagnosis of influenza A (H1N1), the results can be delayed up to several days, which is problematic during a pandemic. Because of this limitation of rRT-PCR, clinicians have often had to set a treatment plan that was solely based on clinical suspicion. We investigated the hematological and biochemical factors that are associated with rRT-PCR results, in order to help clinicians deal with acute febrile patients during influenza pandemics.

Tracheal intubation during chest compressions using Pentax-AWS(®), GlideScope (®), and Macintosh laryngoscope: a randomized crossover trial using a mannequin.

Background: A randomized crossover trial was conducted to compare the performance of two videolaryngoscopes (Pentax-AWS(®), GlideScope(®)) with the Macintosh laryngoscope for tracheal intubation during continuous chest compressions on a mannequin.

Methods: Thirty-two inexperienced junior interns performed tracheal intubations on an advanced life support simulator with either a normal or difficult airway scenario. The sequence of intubating devices and airway difficulty were randomized.

Immediate laparoscopic nontransvesical repair without omental interposition for vesicovaginal fistula developing after total abdominal hysterectomy.

Background And Objective: We conducted this study to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of immediate laparoscopic nontransvesical repair without omental interposition for vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) developing after total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), which causes not only social and economic misery for the patient but also considerable stress to the physicians who perform the surgery.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 5 women who underwent immediate laparoscopic nontransvesical repair without omental interposition for VVFs, developing after TAH from October 2007 to March 2009. In terms of laparoscopic procedure, cystoscopy was performed to confirm the location of fistula and ureteral openings, initially.