Ultrasound-guided subcostal approach of transversus abdominis plane block compared with wound infiltration for postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a commonly performed operation under ambulatory setting, significant postoperative pain is still a major concern. The ultrasound-guided subcostal approach of transversus abdominis plane (sTAP) blocks and wound infiltration (WI) are both widely practiced techniques to reduce postoperative pain in patients undergoing LC. Although these methods have been shown to relieve postoperative pain effectively, the relative analgesic efficacy between ultrasound-guided sTAP blocks and WI is not well known.

The arousal effect of sugammadex reversal of neuromuscular blockade differs with anesthetic depth in propofol-remifentanil anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial.

Sugammadex reverses neuromuscular blockade by encapsulating steroidal neuromuscular blockers; therefore, it does not pharmacologically affect sedation levels. However, some clinicians avoid using it because of sudden unwanted acting out or patient arousal. Previous studies suggested sugammadex-induced awakening, but frontal muscle contraction after sugammadex administration compromised reliability of results obtained from EEG-based anesthesia depth monitoring tools like bispectral index (BIS).

Output Current and Efficacy of Pulsed Radiofrequency of the Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglion in Patients With Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Prospective, Double-blind, Randomized Pilot Study.

Background: Lumbar radicular pain (LRP) is a common but challenging clinical symptom. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), a neuromodulation technique that uses short pulses of radiofrequency current, is effective in treating various pain disorders. However, few studies have been conducted on the effects of PRF and its modifying parameters.

Comparison of efficacy according to voltage of pulsed radiofrequency treatment to lumbar dorsal root ganglion in patient with lumbar radiculopathy: Pilot study.

Background: Lumbar radicular pain (LRP) is a common symptom, but a challenging clinical problem. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is a more recently developed technique that uses short pulses of radiofrequency current with intervals of longer pauses to prevent temperature from rising to the level of permanent tissue damage and has been advocated in treatment of such patients. But there were no comparative studies on the analgesic effects according to output voltage during PRF in patients with LRP.

The impact of driving pressure on postoperative pulmonary complication in patients with different respiratory spirometry.

Risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) have not been determined according to preoperative respiratory spirometry. Thus, we aimed to find contributors for PPC in patients with restrictive or normal spirometric pattern. We analyzed 654 patients (379 with normal and 275 with restrictive spirometric pattern).

Second-generation laryngeal mask airway as an alternative to endotracheal tube in prolonged laparoscopic abdominal surgery: a comparative analysis of intraoperative gas exchanges.

Introduction: Laryngeal mask airway (LMA), which is used in difficult airway maintenance conditions during emergencies, is rarely used in prolonged surgery despite its advantages over endotracheal tube (ETT). In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of intraoperative gas exchanges between second-generation LMA and ETT during prolonged laparoscopic abdominal surgery.

Methods: Prolonged surgery was defined as a surgery lasting more than 2 h.

Second generation laryngeal mask airway during laparoscopic living liver donor hepatectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

The second-generation laryngeal mask airway (LMA) provides a higher sealing pressure than classical LMA and can insert the gastric drainage tube. We investigated the difference in respiratory variables according to the use of second-generation LMA and endotracheal tube (ETT) in laparoscopic living liver donor hepatectomy (LLDH). In this single-blind randomized controlled trial, intraoperative arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure at 2 h after the airway devices insertion (PCO2h) was compared as a primary outcome.

The efficacy of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block after mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction with a tissue expander: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: We aimed to investigate the analgesic efficacy of an erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) with a tissue expander.

Methods: Adult women undergoing IBR with a tissue expander after mastectomy were randomly assigned to either intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) alone (group P) or IV-PCA plus ESPB (group E). The primary outcome was the total amount of opioid consumption during 24 hours postoperatively between the two groups.

Comparison of Pulmonary Gas Exchange During Kidney Transplantation: Second-Generation Laryngeal Mask Airway vs Endotracheal Tube.

Introduction: We evaluated whether second-generation laryngeal mask airway (LMA) could provide an adequate pulmonary gas exchange during prolonged abdominal surgery compared to endotracheal tube (ETT) using propensity score matching.

Methods: Of the 257 recipients who underwent living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT), the LMA group and ETT group were matched: 87 of 101 recipients who inserted second-generation LMA were matched with 87 of 156 recipients who inserted ETT. Arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO) and ratio of arterial partial pressure of oxygen to fractional inspired oxygen (PFR) and intraoperative ventilator parameters were compared between the 2 groups.

Intraoperative Anesthetic Management of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease to Decrease the Risk of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications after Abdominal Surgery.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit airflow limitation and suboptimal lung function, and they are at high risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). We aimed to determine the factors that would decrease PPC risk in patients with COPD. We retrospectively analyzed 419 patients with COPD who were registered in our institutional PPC database and had undergone an abdominal surgery under general anesthesia.

The prognostic nutritional index and postoperative complications after curative lung cancer resection: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The prognostic nutritional index is a score that represents a patient's immune-nutritional status based on the lymphocyte count and serum albumin concentration. We hypothesized that preoperative prognostic nutritional index is associated with postoperative complications and long-term outcomes after curative resection of lung cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1011 patients with pathologic stage I-III adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma who underwent open thoracotomy for curative resection of lung cancer.

Breast-specific gamma imaging of invasive breast cancer: Clinicopathologic factors affecting detectability and correlation with mammographic findings.

Purpose: To investigate the factors affecting detectability of invasive breast cancers on BSGI.

Material And Methods: We evaluated BSGI, mammography and pathologic reports of 89 patients with invasive breast cancers.

Results: 87.

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): a primer for oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is estimated to be 1-5% of the adult population world-wide, and in Korea, it is reported at 4.5% of men and 3.2% of women (Age 40 to 69 years old).

Central pedicle reduction mammaplasty with a vertical scar: a technical modification.

Background: This study introduces a central pedicle reduction mammaplasty with a vertical scar technique.

Objectives: This study is aimed to create a more conical breast shape and long-lasting better projection by modifying reduction mammaplasty by central pedicle flap.

Method: Preoperative markings were made including the meridian line of breast and the new location of the nipple-areola complex (NAC).

Linear Versus Non-Linear Dose-Response Relationship Between Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Meconium Concentration of Nine Different Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters.

Presence of individual fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium is considered to be a reliable biomarker of prenatal alcohol exposure, and their concentration has been found to be linearly associated with poor postnatal development, supporting the widely extended idea that ethanol is a non-threshold teratogen. However, a growing number of epidemiological studies have consistently found a lack of adverse short- and long-term fetal outcomes at low exposure levels. We therefore aimed to investigate the relationship between the concentration of individual FAEEs and prenatal alcohol exposure in meconium samples collected within the first 6 to 12?h after birth from 182 babies born to abstainer mothers and from 54 babies born to women who self-reported either light or moderate alcohol ingestion in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

Influence of Vitamin C on Urine Dipstick Test Results.

Background: Vitamin C is a strong reducing agent found at high levels in various foods, and it may influence the results of urine strip tests even at an ordinary consumption levels. After oral administration, we measured urine vitamin C levels using urine strips and evaluated whether vitamin C interfered with various test items. The utility of a urine strip with a vitamin C indicator was assessed.

Disease-specific Growth Charts of Marfan Syndrome Patients in Korea.

Patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) presents with primary skeletal manifestations such as tall stature, chest wall abnormality, and scoliosis. These primary skeletal manifestations affect the growth pattern in MFS. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use normal growth charts to evaluate the growth status of MFS.

Efficacy and safety of weekly alendronate plus vitamin D₃ 5600 IU versus weekly alendronate alone in Korean osteoporotic women: 16-week randomized trial.

Vitamin D (vit-D) is essential for bone health, although many osteoporosis patients have low levels of 25-hydroxy-vit-D [25(OH)D]. This randomized, open-label study compared the effects of once weekly alendronate 70 mg containing 5600 IU vit-D₃ (ALN/D5600) to alendronate 70 mg without additional vit-D (ALN) on the percent of patients with vit-D insufficiency [25(OH)D <15 ng/mL, primary endpoint] and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH, secondary endpoint) levels in postmenopausal, osteoporotic Korean women. Neuromuscular function was also measured.

Dose-response and time-response analysis of total fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium as a biomarker of prenatal alcohol exposure.

Objectives: Little is known on how the dose and timing of exposure co-influence the cumulative concentration of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium. The objective of the study was to assess the cumulative concentration of FAEEs in meconium as a biomarker of light, moderate, or heavy prenatal alcohol exposure occurring at either first, second, or third trimesters of pregnancy.

Methods: History of prenatal alcohol exposure was obtained in the 34th week of gestation from 294 pregnant women.

Characterization of phosphatidylethanol blood concentrations for screening alcohol consumption in early pregnancy.

Objective: Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is formed endogenously by the direct action of ethanol, and has a half-life long enough to make it a reliable biomarker of alcohol exposure in early pregnancy. In this study, we aimed to characterize PEth blood concentrations to differentiate different levels of alcohol exposure in pregnant women.

Methods: The study consisted of 305 consecutive pregnant women who had been referred to our hospital for antenatal care.

Fetal and neonatal outcomes in women reporting ingestion of licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) during pregnancy.

Maternal intake of licorice from dietary sources has been associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. We prospectively studied the outcome of 185 singleton pregnancies who took over-the-counter or naturopathic formulations containing licorice during their pregnancy, and 370 age-matched singleton pregnant controls that were not exposed to any potential teratogen. The indication in 56.