• Membrane Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2024

Chronic kidney disease leads to many people getting diagnosed with end stage renal disease. This disease is treated by hemodialysis which is the process by which blood is cleaned by a membrane and dialyzer. The membrane for hemodialysis is an important first step of this process as it is responsible for selectively removing impure elements from the blood. Although there are membranes made up of different polymers that are used, they have various disadvantages including hemocompatibility and low selectivity. To combat this, various studies have used a mixture of different polymers to change pore size, increase hemocompatibility and increase selectivity. It was seen that in all the studies conducted, a mixed membrane has greater advantages.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.426-432
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• 2013

Background: Heart transplantation has become a widely accepted surgical option for end-stage heart failure in Korea since its first success in 1992. We reviewed early postoperative complications and mortality in 239 patients who underwent heart transplantation using bicaval technique in Asan Medical Center. Methods: Between January 1999 and December 2011, a total of 247 patients aged over 17 received heart transplantation using bicaval technique in Asan Medical Center. After excluding four patients with concomitant kidney transplantation and four with heart-lung transplantation, 239 patients were enrolled in this study. We evaluated their early postoperative complications and mortality. Postoperative complications included primary graft failure, cerebrovascular accident, mediastinal bleeding, renal failure, low cardiac output syndrome requiring intra-aortic balloon pump or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation insertion, pericardial effusion, and inguinal lymphocele. Follow-up was 100% complete with a mean follow-up duration of $58.4{\pm}43.6$ months. Results: Early death occurred in three patients (1.3%). The most common complications were pericardial effusion (61.5%) followed by arrhythmia (41.8%) and mediastinal bleeding (8.4%). Among the patients complicated with pericardial effusion, only 13 (5.4%) required window operation. The incidence of other significant complications was less than 5%: stroke (1.3%), low cardiac output syndrome (2.5%), renal failure requiring renal replacement (3.8%), sternal wound infection (2.0%), and inguinal lymphocele (4.6%). Most of complications did not result in the extended length of hospital stay except mediastinal bleeding (p=0.034). Conclusion: Heart transplantation is a widely accepted option of surgical treatment for end-stage heart failure with good early outcomes and relatively low catastrophic complications.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.287-295
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• 2018

Purpose: The surgical outcomes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer were inferior compared with those of non-ESRD patients. This study aimed to evaluate the short- and long-term surgical outcomes of ESRD patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) and open gastrectomy (OG) for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Between 2004 and 2014, 38 patients (OG: 21 patients, LG: 17 patients) with ESRD underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Comparisons were made based on the clinicopathological characteristics, surgical outcomes, and long-term survival rates. Results: No significant differences were noted in the clinicopathological characteristics of either group. LG patients had lower estimated blood loss volumes than OG patients (LG vs. OG: 94 vs. 275 mL, P=0.005). The operation time and postoperative hospital stay were similar in both the groups. The postoperative morbidity for LG and OG patients was 41.1% and 33.3%, respectively (P=0.873). No significant difference was observed in the long-term overall survival rates between the 2 groups (5-year overall survival, LG vs. OG: 82.4% vs. 64.7%, P=0.947). Conclusions: In ESRD patients, LG yielded non-inferior short- and long-term surgical outcomes compared to OG. Laparoscopic procedures might be safely adopted for ESRD patients who can benefit from the advantages of minimally invasive surgery.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2015

Objective: To find out clinical features and long-term outcomes of idiopathic childhood nephrotic syndrome(NS) patients with late steroid resistance(LSR)/late steroid sensitiveness(LSS). Patients and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 480 patients diagnosed with idiopathic childhood NS at Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital from 1990 to 2013. Twenty-four patients whose responsiveness to steroids changed over a minimum 2 year follow-up period (2-17.5 years) were investigated. All patients had undergone a renal biopsy. Results: Among 480 nephrotic children, 428 (89%) were sensitive to the first steroid course. Of those who initially responded, 11 (2.5%) developed resistance to steroid therapy after relapses. LSR mostly developed between 1 month and 1 year after the initial episode. Six patients showed a minimal change and five showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Nine (82%) responded to cyclosporine or methylprednisolone pulse therapy. Of these, two had no further relapse, whereas the other seven experienced several relapses that ranged in length from 1.1 to 13.9 years. Three of the nine who initially responded to immunosuppression went on to experience several changes in steroid responsiveness. Two (18%) with resistance to immunosuppressants, including steroids, eventually progressed to end stage renal disease. Among the 52 patients (11%) who were initially steroid resistant, 13 (23%) were converted to steroid sensitive at relapses. Among these, 9 showed minimal change and 4 showed FSGS. Two had no further relapse and the other 11 responded to steroids on subsequent relapses ranging in length from 1.3 to 9.4 years. All these patients have had no further changes in steroid responsiveness with normal renal function. Conclusions: In this study, 2.5% of initial steroid responders and 25% of initial steroid non-responders changed their responsiveness to steroids at subsequent relapses. Eighteen percent of LSR patients developed end stage renal disease. All of the LSS patients showed preserved normal renal function. Responsiveness to immunosuppressants seemed to be the most important factor determining longterm outcomes in LSR/LSS patients.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2000

Purpose : The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. It is ole of tile most common cause of acute renal failure in children but few reports are available in Korea. Thus we investigated the 23 patients diagnosed as HUS during last 14 years. Method : We retrospectively investigated the etiologic factor, clinical manifestations laboratory findings, treatment modalities, and final outcomes of the patients. Then patients were divided into two groups according to outcome, md comparison was performed. Group A(8) comprised patients who progressed to end-stage renal disease or expired. Group B(15) comprised patients who completely recovered after dialysis treatment. Result The number of patients aged less than 4 years were 17; between 5 and 10 were 4 and more than 10 were 2. The gende ratio was M:F=2 : 1. The etiologic factors were as follows: acute gastroenteritis in 14 patients including 4 bloody diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection in 7 patients, and 1 patient with herbal mediation. The overall mortality rate was 22$\%$: 2 patients died of US complications, 2 patients died of sepsis, and 1 patient died of pulmonary hemorrhage. Group A (Hb 4.8${\pm}$1.2 g/dL) showed lower value in hemoglobin than group B (Hb 6.3${\pm}$1.7 g/dL) during hospital stay (P< 0.05), And the time interval between tile disease onset and dialysis treatment was significantly longer in group A ($11.9{\pm}9.1\;days\;vs\;2.8{\pm}2.1\;days$) (P< 0.05). Conclusion : Overall mortality rate was 22$\%$. Low hemoglobin value and the prolonged time interval between the disease onset and dialysis treatment were related with poor prognosis. So early diagnosis and appropriate intensive care including dialysis treatment is essential to achieve better outcome in children.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.485-489
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• 2015

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage failure of the kidney, but the efficacy of currently available strategies for the prevention of DN remains unsatisfactory. In this study, we investigated the effects of free anthraquinones (FARs) extract, which was extracted from the rhubarb and purified by macroporous resin DM130 with gradient mixtures of ethanol/water as the lelution solvents, in high glucose-cultured glomerular mesangial cells (MCs). The cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay, the levels of TGF-${\beta}1$, CTGF, ColIV and FN proteins in the supernatant of MCs were measured by ELISA assays, and the mRNA levels of these four genes were detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that the increased proliferation of MCs, the mRNA levels and protein expression of TGF-${\beta}1$, CTGF, ColIV and FN induced by high glucose were inhibited after the treatment with the FARs extract. This indicated that FARs extract could inhibit cell proliferation and the expression of main extracellular matrix induced by high glucose in MCs. The FARs extract exhibited potential values for prophylaxis and therapy of DN.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.521-527
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• 2002

The Hemodialysis system is the device for the patients who have suffered from end stage renal failure as the kidney which removes the waste products in a human body. The existing hemodialysis is based on a 8-bit micro-controller and it is not a touch-screen type but a manual type. This paper is focused on hemodialysis system based on high control and expension embedded system. The whole system consists of main control unit and sub control unit(dialysis control unit, blood control unit, monitoring control unit, networking unit). The dialysis control unit, blood control unit, monitoring control unit are processed by 3 microcontrollers and network unit is for monitoring a renal failure patient's condition. For the evaluation of the system performance, the saline was pured into blood unit and then water removal rate, conductivity and temperature of hemodialysis liquid were measured 10 times in an each state suing the UF pump in the fluid unit varing the quantity of saline to 1000cc, 2000cc, 3000cc and 4000cc. As a result, the rates of water removal are 98.6% in condition of 000cc saline, 96.9% in 2000cc, 98.9% in 3000cc and 98.3% in 4000cc. The conductivities of hemodialysis liquid are 99.6% in the first to third condition and 99.7% in the forth condition. The temperatures of hemodialysis liquid are 99.8% in the first to third condition and 99.6% in th forth condition.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.102-105
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• 2012

Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG) has become an important cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). First delineated from other proteinuric glomerular lesions in the 1980s, CG is now recognized as a common, distinct pattern of proliferative parenchymal injury that portends a rapid loss of renal function and poor responses to empirical therapy. The first cases in the literature trace back to human-immunodeficiency-virus(HIV)-negative patients who underwent biopsy in 1979. A 45-year-old male patient complained of hematuria and proteinuria eight years ago. He showed an abrupt serum creatinine increase from 1.75 to 2.65 mg/dL in the last preceding months. Afterwards, his serum creatinine progressively increased up to 6.82 mg/dL. Moreover, his 24 h urine protein level was determined to have reached 6,171 mg/day, as opposed to 670 mg/day a year earlier. Consequently, renal biopsy was performed, and its result showed collapsing glomerulopathy, compatible with the diagnosis. He has undergone continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis as renal replacement therapy. Thus, it is reported herein that a patient clinically diagnosed with chronic kidney disease eight years ago showed a sudden renal-function decrease and was clinicopathologically diagnosed with collapsing glomerulopathy based on the results of his renal biopsy.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.118-125
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• 2007

Wegener's granulomatosis(WG) is a necrotizing granulomatous small vessel vasculitis with a clinical predilection for involvement of the upper airways, lungs and kidneys. The disease usually manifests in adults between 25 and 50 years of age, but it can also rarely occur-in childhood with some features different from those of adults. WG may be easily overlooked in young patients by misinterpretion of the symptoms as caused by an infectious disease of the respiratory tract. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of the disease may cause more rapid progression of the glomerulonephritis to end stage renal disease. We report a boy who was diagnosed with WG with involvement of multiple organs at 13 years of age.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.135-139
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• 2014

Purpose: Adult Korean patients on chronic dialysis have a 9-year survival rate of 50%, with cardiovascular problems being the most significant cause of death. The 2011 annual report of the North American Pediatric Renal Trials and Collaborative Studies group reported 3-year survival rates of 93.4% and relatively poorer survival in younger patients. Methods: In this study, we have reviewed data from Korean Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease Registry from 2002 to 2010 to assess survival rates and causes of death in Korean children on chronic dialysis. Results: The overall estimated patient survival rates were 98.4%, 94.4%, and 92.1% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. No significant difference was observed in survival rates between patients on peritoneal dialysis and those on hemodialysis. Patients for whom dialysis was initiated before 2 years of age (n=40) had significantly lower survival rates than those for whom dialysis was initiated at 6-11 years of age (n=140). In all, 26 patients had died; the mortality rate was 19.9 per 1,000 patient years. The most common causes of death were infections and comorbidities such as malignancy and central nervous system (CNS) or liver diseases. Conclusion: The outcomes observed in this study were better than those observed in adults and comparable to those observed in pediatric studies in other countries. To improve the outcomes of children on chronic dialysis, it is necessary to prevent dialysis-related complications such as infection, congestive heart failure, or CNS hemorrhage and best control treatable comorbidities.