• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.141-154
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• 1999

Premature birth is the single largest cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity nonanomalous infants in developing countries. Advances in neonatal care have lead to increase survival and reduced short and long term morbidity for preterm infants, but the rate of preter birth has actually increased. This review provides recent multifactorial approaches to treatme and prevention of preterm birth.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.4 s.28
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• pp.528-541
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• 1989

The purpose of this study was to identify and measure the economic costs and benefits due to smoking in Korea. Cigarette smoking is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In addition to the health risks of smoking, there are important economic consequences. A complete assessment of the economics of smoking requires evaluation of various health, economic, and intangible parameters, including benefits as well as costs of both the production and consumption of tobacco. In this article we focus on costs resulting from the health effects of smoking (expenditures for medical care and the value of productive output lost to morbidity, and premature mortality among smokers), since economic benefits from tobacco industry is offset by expenditures for purchasing tobacco. Two distinct methodologies will be applied to measure the economic costs of smoking cigarette, the human capital and willingness-to-pay approaches. This article used the former method. In 1985, total economic losses due to smoking was estimated as 505.7 billion won, which was composed of morbidity losses 64.9 billion won mortality losses 429.1 billion won and indirect costs 11.7 billion won.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.256-264
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• 2013

Background: Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) remains a challenge, especially in cases of multiple valve surgery. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of native valve IE and compared the outcomes of single valve surgery with those of multiple valve surgery. Materials and Methods: From 1997 to 2011, 90 patients underwent surgery for native valve IE; 67 patients with single valve surgery (single valve group) and 23 patients with multiple valve surgery (multiple valve group). The mean follow-up duration was $73.1{\pm}47.4$ months. Results: The surgical mortality in the total cohort was 4.4%. The overall survival (p=0.913) and valve-related event-free survival (p=0.204) did not differ between the two groups. The independent predictor of postoperative complications was New York Heart Association class (p=0.001). Multiple valve surgery was not a significant predictor of surgical mortality (p=0.225) or late mortality (p=0.936). Uncontrolled infection, urgent or emergency surgery, and postoperative complications were identified as independent predictors of valve-related morbidity, excluding multiple valve surgery (p=0.072). Conclusion: In native valve IE, multiple valve surgery as a factor was not an independent predictor of mortality and morbidity. The number of surgically corrected valves in native IE seems to be unrelated to perioperative and long-term outcomes.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2017

Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) is performed worldwide, but significant risks are associated with conversion to on-pump surgery. Therefore, we evaluated the composite outcomes between an OPCAB group and a conversion group. Methods: From January 2008 to December 2012, 100 consecutive patients underwent OPCAB at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, of whom 84 underwent OPCAB without adverse events (OPCAB group), and 16 were converted to on-pump surgery (conversion group). Early morbidity, early and long-term mortality, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) were the primary and long-term composite endpoints. Results: The mean follow-up period was $55{\pm}26months$, with 93% of the patients completing follow-up. The composite outcomes in the OPCAB and conversion groups were as follows: early morbidity, 2.3% versus 12.5%; early mortality, 4.7% versus 0%; long-term mortality, 14.3% versus 25.0%; and MACCEs, 14.3% versus 18.8%, respectively. No composite endpoints showed statistically significant differences. Preoperative acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was identified as an independent risk factor for conversion (p=0.025). Conclusion: The conversion group showed no statistically significant differences in early mortality and morbidity, MACCEs, or long-term mortality compared with the OPCAB group. The preoperative diagnosis of AMI was associated with an increased number of conversions to on-pump surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.234-239
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• 2008

Objective : There are a few reports on the complications of surgery for epilepsy. We surveyed our data to present complications of epilepsy surgeries from the neurosurgeon's point of view and compare our results with other previous reports. Methods : A total of 179 surgical procedures for intractable epilepsy (41 diagnostic, 138 therapeutic) were performed in 92 consecutive patients (10 adults, 82 children) during the last 9.2 years (February. 1997-April. 2006). Their medical records and radiological findings were reviewed to identify and analyze the surgical complications. Results : The diagnostic procedures encompassed various combinations of subdural grid, subdural strips, and depth electrodes. Four minor transient complications developed in 41 diagnostic procedures (4/41=9.8%). A total of 138 therapeutic procedures included 28 anterior temporal lobectomies, 21 other lobectomies, 6 lesionectomies, 21 topectomies, 13 callosotomies, 20 vagus nerve stimulations, 13 multiple subpial transections, and 16 hemispherectomies. Twenty-six complications developed in therapeutic procedures (26/138=18.8%). Out of the 26 complications, 21 complications were transient and reversible (minor; 21/138=15.2%), and 5 were serious complications (major; 5/138=3.6%). Five major complications were one visual field defect, two mortality cases and two vegetative states. There were 2 additional mortality cases which were not related to the surgery itself. Conclusion : Our results indicate that complication rate was higher than previous other reports in minor complications and was comparable in major complications. However, our results show relatively high frequency of mortality cases and severe morbidity case compared to other previous reports. The authors would like to emphasize the importance of acute postoperative care in young pediatric patients as well as meticulous surgical techniques to reduce morbidity and mortality in epilepsy surgery.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.514-524
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• 2016

The Bio-Climatic impact Assessment System, BioCAS was utilized to produce analysis maps of daily maximum perceived temperature ($PT_{max}$) and excess mortality ($r_{EM}$) over the entire Seoul area on a heat wave event. The spatial resolution was 25 m and the Aug. 5, 2012 was the selected heat event date. The analyzed results were evaluated by comparing with observed health impact data - mortality and morbidity - during heat waves in 2004-2013 and 2006-2011,respectively. They were aggregated for 25 districts in Seoul. Spatial resolution of the comparison was equalized to district to match the lower data resolution of mortality and morbidity. Spatial maximum, minimum, average, and total of $PT_{max}$ and $r_{EM}$ were generated and correlated to the health impact data of mortality and morbidity. Correlation results show that the spatial averages of $PT_{max}$ and $r_{EM}$ were not able to explain the observed health impact. Instead, spatial minimum and maximum of $PT_{max}$ were correlated with mortality (r=0.53) and morbidity (r=0.42),respectively. Spatial maximum of $PT_{max}$, determined by building density, affected increasing morbidity at daytime by heat-related diseases such as sunstroke, whereas spatial minimum, determined by vegetation, affected decreasing mortality at nighttime by reducing heat stress. On the other hand, spatial maximum of $r_{EM}$ was correlated with morbidity (r=0.52) but not with mortality. It may have been affected by the limit of district-level irregularity such as difference in base-line heat vulnerability due to the age structure of the population. Areal distribution of the heat impact by local building and vegetation, such as spatial maximum and minimum, was more important than spatial mean. Such high resolution analyses are able to produce quantitative results in health impact and can also be used for economic analyses of localized urban development.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.9 s.254
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• pp.616-621
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• 2005

Background: In the resection of lung cancer, pneumonectomy occupied $20 {\~}35\%$ of all resections, and significantly high operative mortality is reported in right pneumonectomy ($10{\~}25\%$). The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of morbidity, operative mortality and factors affecting operative mortality after pneumonectomy. Material and Method: This study recruited the database which performed pneumonectomy for lung cancer in Korea Cancer Center Hospital from Aug 1987 to Apr 2002. Result: Total of 386 pneumonectomies were peformed in that period. Sidedness were left in 238, right in 148; and the procedures were standard resection in 207, and extended resection in 179. Morbidity occurred in 115 cases ($29.8\%$, 115/386). Mortality occurred in 12 cases ($3.1\%$, 12 in 386). This mortality rate was similar to that of lobectomy ($2.1\%$, 13 in 613) during the same period. Morbidity consisted of 42 hoarseness, 17 (9) pneumonia and ARDS, 8 empyema, 5 (1) broncho-pleural fistula, 5 reoperation for bleeding, 5 (1) arrhythmia, 1 (1) pulmonary edema, and 25 others (The number in the parenthesis is the number of mortality case for that morbidity). Several factors affecting the operative mortality were evaluated. At first, extended procedure ($3.3\%$, 6 in 179) affected the operative mortality similar to the standard procedure ($2.9\%$, 6 in 207)(p=0.812). Second, the rate of operative mortality in an elderly group over 60 years ($5.5\%$, 10 in 182) was significantly higher than the younger group under 60 years ($1\%$, 2 in 204)(p=0.016). Third, sidedness of resection affects to operative mortality. Right pneumonectomy ($6.8\%$, 10 in 148) showed higher operative mortality than that of left pneumonectomy ($0.8\%$, 2 in 238)(p=0.002). The group over 60 years showed higher incidence of respiratory morbidity ($11.0\%$, 20 in 182) than that of the group under 60 years ($3.4\%$, 7 in 204)(p=0.005). Right pneumonectomy also showed significantly higher incidence ($11.5\%$, 17 in 148) than that of left pneumonectomy ($4.2\%$, 10 in 238)(p=0.008). Conclusion: Age and sidedness of pneumonectomy were the risk factors of operative mortality and respiratory complications, Therefore, careful selection of patients and more attention perioperatively were demanded in right pneumonectomy. However, because the operative mortality is acceptable, pneumonectomy could be done safely if the pneumonectomy is necessary for curative resection of lung cancer.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2007

Purpose: Recently, trauma is more frequent due to the increases in the population, the number of traffic accident, and the incidence of violence. Especially, abdominal trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. We analyzed the clinical features and the factors associated with morbidity and mortality. Methods: We analyzed 136 patients of abdominal trauma who were admitted at the Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, from January 2003 to June 2005. We analyzed the cause of trauma, the injured organ, combined injuries, mental status, blood pressure, laboratory findings, morbidity, and mortality. The relationships between by variable were assesed by using the independent samples test and the Kruskal?Wallis test. Results: The causes of trauma were traffic accidents (98 cases, 72%), falling accidents (9 cases, 6.6%), violence (6 cases, 4.4%), and stab injuries (6 cases, 4.4%). The injured organs were the small intestines (47 cases, 34.6%), the liver (35 cases, 25.7%), the spleen (26 cases, 19.1%), the mesentery (17 cases, 12.5%), the large intestines (15 cases, 11.0%), the pancreas (14 cases, 10.3%), etc. The most common combined injury was chest injury (53 cases, 39%). Comatose or semicomatose mental status and shock on admission (<60 mmHg in systolic) were related to high mortality (85.7%). In laboratory findings, decreased hemoglobin (<8 g/dL), and platelet count (<$50,000/mm^3$), and increased creatinine level (>1.6 mg/dL) were significant prognostic factors. The incidence of postoperative complications was 40.4%, and frequent complications were wound infection (8.1%) and re-bleeding (8.1%). The overall mortality rate was 18.4%, and most common cause was hypovolemic shock (18 cases, 13.2%), however, there was no statistical difference according to injurd organ. Conclusion: In the multivariate analysis, mental status, hemoglobin, and serum creatinine level were the most significant prognostic factors. When an abdominal trauma patient arrives at the emergency room, a rapid and accurate evaluation of the patient's status and risk factors, and resuscitation, if necessary, have to be performed to lower the morbidity and mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2024

Background: Major pulmonary resection after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiation therapy (nCCRT) is associated with a substantial risk of postoperative complications. This study investigated postoperative complications and associated risk factors to facilitate the selection of suitable surgical candidates following nCCRT in stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with clinical stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC who underwent surgical resection following nCCRT between 1997 and 2013. Perioperative characteristics and clinical factors associated with morbidity and mortality were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 574 patients underwent major lung resection after induction CCRT. Thirty-day and 90-day postoperative mortality occurred in 8 patients (1.4%) and 41 patients (7.1%), respectively. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (n=6, 4.5%) was the primary cause of in-hospital mortality. Morbidity occurred in 199 patients (34.7%). Multivariable analysis identified significant predictors of morbidity, including patient age exceeding 70 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; p=0.04), low body mass index (OR, 2.6; p=0.02), and pneumonectomy (OR, 1.8; p=0.03). Patient age over 70 years (OR, 1.8; p=0.02) and pneumonectomy (OR, 3.26; p<0.01) were independent predictors of mortality in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion: In conclusion, the surgical outcomes following nCCRT are less favorable for individuals aged over 70 years or those undergoing pneumonectomy. Special attention is warranted for these patients due to their heightened risks of respiratory complications. In high-risk patients, such as elderly patients with decreased lung function, alternative treatment options like definitive CCRT should be considered instead of surgical resection.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2014

Purpose: The prevalence of gastric cancer in the elderly is increasing. The purpose of this study was to clarify factors related to morbidity following gastric cancer surgery in elderly patients. Materials and Methods: For this study, data from 411 patients who underwent curative gastrectomies with lymph node dissections between March 2010 and January 2013 were retrospectively studied using a prospectively designed database. Patients were divided into 2 groups (<70 years vs. ${\geq}70$ years). For each group, perioperative factors were analyzed to determine if they were associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality. Results: Comorbidities were more prevalent in the elderly group (${\geq}70$ years). Intraoperative and postoperative transfusions were also more frequently required in the elderly group. There was no significant difference in the number of retrieved lymph nodes between the 2 groups (44.3 vs. 46.6 nodes). In a comparison of the elderly versus non-elderly groups, the postoperative morbidity rates were 22.7% versus 8.9% (P<0.001) and the postoperative mortality rates were 4.2% versus 0% (P=0.002), respectively. Of the possible non-surgical complications, pulmonary problems were predominately found in the elderly group (P<0.001). Surgical complications were evenly distributed between the 2 groups (P=0.463). Postoperative morbidity was significantly associated with older age and postoperative transfusion. Multivariate analysis showed that higher body mass index (BMI) and postoperative transfusion were important factors associated with postoperative complications in the elderly group. Conclusions: Pulmonary complications were frequently problematic in elderly patients. Higher BMI and postoperative transfusion were significant risk factors for postoperative complications in elderly patients with gastric cancer.