• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.sup2
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• pp.19-28
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• 2008

Chronic abdominal pain, defined as long-lasting intermittent or constant abdominal pain, is a common pediatric problem encountered by primary care physicians and medical subspecialists. Chronic abdominal pain in children is usually functional, i.e., without objective evidence of an underlying organic disorder. Functional abdominal pain is categorized as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain, abdominal migraine, and aerophagia according to the Rome II criteria for pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders. There is insufficient evidence to state that the nature of abdominal pain or the presence of associated symptoms can discriminate between functional and organic disorders. The presence of alarming symptoms or signs, such as weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, persistent fever, and chronic severe diarrhea, is associated with a higher prevalence of organic disease. Most children with chronic abdominal pain are unlikely to require diagnostic testing; such children often need pharmacologic and behavioral therapy.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.248-253
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of band ligation and injection sclerotherapy in the endoscopic treatment of children with variceal bleeding. Methods: The study population included 55 children, all of whom were treated at the time of endoscopic diagnosis of esophageal varices at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, between January 1994 and January 2011. The primary outcomes included initial success rates and duration of hemostasis after endoscopic management (band ligation vs. injectionsclerotherapy). Results: The mean age was $6.7{\pm}5.2$ years and the mean follow-up time was $5.4{\pm}3.7$ years. The most common cause of esophageal varices was biliary atresia. Of 55 children with acute variceal bleeding, 39 had band ligation and 16 had injection sclerotherapy. No differences between groups were observed in terms of the size, location, and presence of red color sign. The success rates of band ligation and sclerotherapy in the control of acute bleeding episodes were 89.7% and 87.5%. The mean duration of hemostasis after endoscopic intervention was $13.2{\pm}25.1$ months. After one year, 19 of 39 patients (48.7%) treated with band ligation and 7 of 16 patients (43.8%) with injection sclerotherapy had experienced rebleeding episodes. Complications after the procedures were observed in 10.3% and 18.8% of children treated with band ligation and injection sclerotherapy. Conclusion: The results of our current study suggest that band ligation and injection sclerotherapy are equally efficient treatments for the control of acute variceal bleeding and prevention of rebleeding.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.146-148
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• 2008

Phytolacca americana poisoning is a benign plant intoxication that causes gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Other signs and symptoms include diaphoresis, salivation, visual disturbance, and seizures or mental changes. We report two cases of patients who experienced confusion and abdominal pain, vomiting, and hematemesis after oral ingestion of pokeweed. A 60-year-old female with confusion and a 67-year-old female with abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea were admitted to the emergency department after pokeweed poisoning. After supportive treatment of hydration and gastrointestinal medication, the two patients showed full recovery within 24 h and were discharged from the hospital.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.66-76
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• 2023

Endoscopy is an important noninvasive procedure for patients with gastrointestinal problems. However, surgical techniques are shifting to laparoscopic surgery, and changes in endoscopic findings after laparoscopic surgery differ from those after previous surgical methods. Postoperative endoscopic findings differ from normal anatomical structures, and findings reportedly vary depending on the type of surgical technique. Therefore, we aimed to summarize the surgical and endoscopic findings for each surgical method from the surgeon's point of view. The causes of gastric emptying delay, bleeding, afferent loop syndrome, or anastomosis leakage occurring after gastric cancer surgery can be identified via upper gastrointestinal endoscopy that is relatively less invasive than the surgical method. Regarding postoperative anastomosis leakage, endoscopy can directly evaluate the degree of leakage at the anastomosis site more accurately than computed tomography and enable immediate intervention. As endoscopy is less invasive than the surgical method, patients can be evaluated and treated more safely. However, coordination between the surgeon and the endoscopist is necessary to perform the procedures effectively. Therefore, reviewing the changes in surgical and endoscopic findings is important.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

The small bowel is the most difficult intestinal segment to examine. Radiologic tests are mostly insensitive and double-balloon enteroscopy is unsuitable for the younger child. Capsule endoscopy is a novel wireless method of investigation of the small bowel. The primary indications for capsule endoscopy include evaluation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, small bowel Crohn's disease, and polyposis syndromes. Capsule endoscopy offers an accurate and effective means of investigating the small bowel in children. Capsule retention is a potential complication of capsule endoscopy. This review provides the indications, safety, and limitations of wireless capsule endoscopy in children.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.164-171
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• 2009

Purpose: The number of patients who take warfarin is growing and so is the number of complications. Hemorrhage is the major complication, but the clinical characteristics and outcomes have not been determined for Korean patients. Therefore, we tried to evaluate the characteristics of the patients with hemorrhagic complications after taking warfarin as anticoagulation therapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients who visited the emergency room with bleeding complications after taking warfarin anticoagulation at the out-patient clinic for 1 year from 1 st January 2008. We compared between two groups (the major hemorrhage group vs. the minor hemorrhage group) according to the clinical criteria, the unstable vital signs that required blood transfusion, transfusion more than 2 units of blood, the need for further laboratory follow-up, the need for interventional treatment and the development of critical complications or death due to bleeding. Results: There were 150 patients who met the criteria and had acute hemorrhagic complications (the major group: 90 patients and the minor group: 60 patients). In the major hemorrhage group, the frequent sites of bleeding were the gastro-intestinal system (40 patients), lung (14 patients) and intracranium (7 patients). At the emergency room, the major group showed a higher initial INR of the activated prothrombin time than did the minor group (p=0.02). The bleeding sites of the fatal cases were the gastro-intestinal system (3 patients), lung (3 patients) and intracranium (3 patients), but the percentage of fatality was the highest for intracranium bleeding. Conclusion: In the major hemorrhage group, gastrointestinal bleeding was the most frequent complication and fatality was the highest for intracranium bleeding. An initially higher INR showed a greater risk of major bleeding, but not more fatalities.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.675-681
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• 2001

Objectives : It was designed for making theoretical base about the relation of the Spleen, Stomach and the liver which could be used in clinic. Methods : Including Huang Di Nei Jing(黃帝內經), the 22 kinds of books written about the relation of the Spleen, Stomach and the Liver, and 2 kinds of papers were referenced. They were divided and studied according to physiology, pathology, meridian system and treatment. This study is focused on internal organ theory. Conclusion 1. In physiology, the Liver has the function of smoothing and regulating the flow of vital energy(Ki), while the Spleen is in charge of digestion and transportation. 2. In pathology, there can be informed disharmony of the Spleen, Stomach and the Liver, blood deficiency in the Liver and Spleen, jaundice, and bleeding etc. 3. In meridian system, the junction points of Spleen Meridian and Liver Meridian are Liv14, SP6, SP12, SP13. 4. In treatment, 1) If there is disharmony of the Liver and Spleen, the Liver must be soothed and the function of Spleen invigorated. 2) If there is disharmony of the Liver and Stomach, the Liver must be soothed and the function of Stomach invigorated.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the benefits of routine pre-endoscopy coagulation screening tests and platelet counts in Korean children. Methods: Between March 2004 and December 2009, children who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy for the evaluation of various gastrointestinal symptoms were included. All of the subjects included in the study also underwent routine coagulation screening and platelet count determinations prior to endoscopy and biopsy. The clinical records and laboratory tests were retrospectively reviewed in all patients. Results: One hundred sixty-two of 1,476 (11%) patients who underwent endoscopy had abnormal results on pre-screening coagulation tests. Fourteen patients underwent coagulation factor assays due to abnormal clotting results in consecutive tests or due to clinical evidence of a bleeding tendency. Seven patients were diagnosed with factor XII deficiency, one patient was diagnosed with von Willebrand disease, one patient had von Willebrand disease and factor XII deficiency, and one patient was presumed to have mild hemophilia. The remaining 4 patients had normal results with the factor assays. The results of platelet counts were normal with the exception of 1 patient. No patient had significant bleeding during the endoscopic procedures, despite abnormal pre-endoscopic coagulation tests. Conclusion: Routine coagulation screening tests and platelet counts revealed abnormal results in some patients. Most of the patients with abnormal clotting were shown to have a factor XII deficiency, which had no significant associated bleeding tendencies; the other patients were diagnosed with hemophilia or von Willebrand disease. Therefore, although abnormal pre-endoscopic coagulation is not always related to significant bleeding complications, pre-endoscopic coagulation screening may be useful in some children in predicting the risk of bleeding tendency during endoscopic procedures.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2003

Purpose: In a retrospective study for the pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation in the past 6 years at Samsung Medical Center, the clinical features of 5 patients with posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) were analyzed. Methods: Between June 1996 and June 2002, 41 pediatric patients underwent liver transplantation. Seven of them died in the postoperative period. Thirty-five including one patient who died of PTLD were finally reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: high risk group, EBV naive recipients of EBV-positive grafts; low risk group, the patients other than those in high risk group. The authors reviewed age at operation, immunosuppressive agent, postoperative duration until diagnosis, postoperative duration until EBV seroconversion, presence of treatment against rejection, and presenting symptoms of PTLD. Results: Five of 41 patients (12.2%) developed PTLD. All of them belonged to high risk group, and the incidence of PTLD in high risk group was 31.3% (5/16). The mean age at operation was 10.8 months old and the mean duration between operation and diagnosis for PTLD was 9.8 months. Primary EBV infection developed after a median of 6 months after transplantation. One patient was diagnosed as laryngeal and gastrointestinal PTLD and the other four, gastrointestinal PTLD. The following symptoms and signs were seen in the patients: anemia (100%), hypoalbuminemia (100%), fever (80%), diarrhea (80%), gastrointestinal bleeding (80%), and anorexia (60%). Conclusion: PTLD is one of the major complications after pediatric liver transplantation, especially in the group of high-risk recipients. Anemia, hypoalbuminemia, fever, diarrhea and gastrointestinal bleeding were features that are characteristic of PTLD. The common features of PTLD development were: (i) EBV-positive donors placed into EBV naive recipients, (ii) primary EBV infection about 6 months after transplantation, (iii) young age, about 1 year old at operation, and (iv) the requirement for intensive posttransplant immunosuppression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7831-7836
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• 2015

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to assess the general knowledge of CRC in individuals living in Rasht, Iran, using a population-based cross-sectional telephone survey. Materials and Methods: A total of 1557 participants between 18 and 80 years of age were interviewed using random sampling from the telephone directory. Knowledge of risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention of CRC was assessed using a validated questionnaire. Results: The mean knowledge level of the 1,557 respondents (average age 46 y) was $13.5{\pm}4.29$ (maximum possible score = 26), and 46.4% (722/1,557) of the subjects achieved grades lower than the mean score. The mean scores for knowledge of symptoms and risk factors were $3.97{\pm}1.83$ (range: 0-7) and $5.17{\pm}1.65$ (range: 0-9), respectively. Older age, higher education, and employment were significantly associated with better scores for recognition of risk factors and warning symptoms. The majority of subjects correctly identified weight loss (70.2%; 1,093/1,557) and rectal bleeding (63.3%; 986/1,557) as symptoms of CRC, and that smoking (85.9%; 1,337/1,557) and a low-fiber diet (73.4%; 1,143/1,557) were risk factors. Approximately half of the subjects noted increasing age, genetic background and fried food as other risk factors. A considerable number (54.8%; 853/1,557) identified colonoscopy as a screening method for detecting CRC in asymptomatic patients. However, a third of the subjects in the target group for screening (${\geq}50y$) were not interested in undergoing screening, primarily due to a lack of symptoms. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the knowledge of CRC is poor among the public, and therefore greater attempts should be made to increase awareness. Public education emphasizing the risk factors and symptoms of CRC, as well as the importance of regular screening regardless of the presence of symptoms, may help to reduce CRC morbidity and mortality.