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In certain circumstances, invasive procedures such as creation of a surgical airway, insertion of a chest drain, intraosseous puncture, or amputation in the field are necessary. These invasive procedures can save lives. However, emergency medical service teams cannot perform such procedures according to the law in Korea. The upper arm of a 29-year-old male patient was stuck in a huge machine and the emergency medical service team could not rescue the patient. A doctor-car team was dispatched to the scene and the team performed the filed amputation to extricate the patient. He was brought to the trauma center immediately and underwent formal above-elbow amputation. Here we describe a case of field amputation to rescue a patient through a “doctor car” system, along with a literature review.

Penetrating neck injuries are a surgical challenge. In particular, penetrating neck injuries associated with carotid artery injuries have a high mortality rate. Overt external hemorrhage is unanimously considered as an indication for surgical exploration. The authors present a case of successful surgical management for a penetrating common carotid artery injury using a Pruitt-F3 Carotid Shunt (LeMaitre Vascular Inc., Burlington, MA, USA) in a 60-year-old male patient who was transferred to the level 1 trauma center due to a metal fragment piercing his neck while working. Active pulsatile bleeding was observed from the 3-cm-long external wound on the anterior neck in zone II. Emergent neck exploration showed near-total transection of the left common carotid artery just below the carotid bifurcation. After a Pruitt-F3 Carotid Shunt was applied to the injured carotid artery as a temporary vascular shunt, artificial graft interposition was performed for the injured common carotid artery. The patient experienced cerebral infarction as a complication caused by ischemia-reperfusion of the common carotid artery but was discharged in a suitable state for rehabilitation therapy.

There are many reasons for solitary kidney. Congenital causes include renal agenesis and dysplasia. Acquired causes include nephrectomy performed for reasons including traumatic kidney injury, disease (e.g., renal cell carcinoma), and donation for kidney transplantation. According to the European Association of Urology, the World Society of Emergency Surgery, and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma guidelines, it is important to preserve the remaining renal function as much as possible when a solitary kidney patient has suffered a traumatic kidney injury. The authors present a case of kidney preservation in a solitary kidney patient with a traumatic grade IV renal injury through non-operative management involving superselective renal artery angioembolization.

Purpose Trauma is the top cause of death in people under 45 years of age. Deaths from severe trauma can have a negative economic impact due to the loss of people belonging to socio-economically active age groups. Therefore, efforts to reduce the mortality rate of trauma patients are essential. The purpose of this study was to investigate preventable mortality in trauma patients and to identify factors and healthcare-related challenges affecting mortality. Ultimately, these findings will help to improve the quality of trauma care. Methods We analyzed the deaths of 411 severe trauma patients who presented to Gachon University Gil Hospital regional trauma center in South Korea from January 2015 to December 2017, using an expert panel review. Results The preventable death rate of trauma patients treated at the Gachon University Gil Hospital regional trauma center was 8.0%. Of these, definitely preventable deaths comprised 0.5% and potentially preventable deaths 7.5%. The leading cause of death in trauma patients was traumatic brain injury. Treatment errors most commonly occurred in the intensive care unit (ICU). The most frequent management error was delayed treatment of bleeding. Conclusions Most errors in the treatment of trauma patients occurred in early stages of the treatment process and in the ICU. By identifying the main causes of preventable death and errors during the course of treatment, our research will help to reduce the preventable death rate. Appropriate trauma care systems and ongoing education are also needed to reduce preventable deaths from trauma.

Purpose Traumatic pancreatic injuries are rare, but their diagnosis and management are challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate and report our experiences with the management of pancreatic injuries. Methods We identified all adult patients (age >15) with pancreatic injuries from our trauma registry over a 7-year period. Data related to patients’ demographics, diagnoses, operative information, complications, and hospital course were abstracted from the registry and medical records. Results A total of 45 patients were evaluated. Most patients had blunt trauma (89%) and 21 patients (47%) had pancreatic injuries of grade 3 or higher. Twenty-eight patients (62%) underwent laparotomy and 17 (38%) received nonoperative management (NOM). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 24% (n=11), and only one patient died after NOM (due to a severe traumatic brain injury). Twenty-two patients (79%) underwent emergency laparotomy and six (21%) underwent delayed laparotomy. A drainage procedure was performed in 12 patients (43%), and pancreatectomy was performed in 16 patients (57%) (distal pancreatectomy [DP], n=8; DP with spleen preservation, n=5; pancreaticoduodenectomy, n=2; total pancreatectomy, n=1). Fourteen (31%) pancreas-specific complications occurred, and all complications were successfully managed without surgery. Solid organ injuries (n=14) were the most common type of associated abdominal injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale ≥3). Conclusions For traumatic pancreatic injuries, an appropriate treatment method should be considered after evaluation of the accompanying injury and the patient’s hemodynamic status. NOM can be performed without mortality in appropriately selected cases.

The following recommendations are presented herein: All trauma patients admitted to the resuscitation room should be constantly (or periodically) monitored for parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature, electrocardiography, Glasgow Coma Scale, and pupil ref lex (1C). Chest AP and pelvic AP should be performed as the standard initial trauma series for severe trauma patients (1B). In patients with severe hemodynamically unstable trauma, it is recommended to perform extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (eFAST) as an initial examination (1B). In hemodynamically stable trauma patients, eFAST can be considered as the initial examination (2B). For the diagnosis of suspected head trauma patients, brain computed tomography (CT) should be performed as an initial examination (1B). Cervical spine CT should be performed as an initial imaging test for patients with suspected cervical spine injury (1C). It is not necessary to perform chest CT as an initial examination in all patients with suspected chest injury, but in cases of suspected vascular injury in patients with thoracic or high-energy damage due to the mechanism of injury, chest CT can be considered for patients in a hemodynamically stable condition (2B). CT of the abdomen is recommended for patients suspected of abdominal trauma with stable vital signs (1B). CT of the abdomen should be considered for suspected pelvic trauma patients with stable vital signs (2B). Whole-body CT can be considered in patients with suspicion of severe trauma with stable vital signs (2B). Magnetic resonance imaging can be considered in hemodynamically stable trauma patients with suspected spinal cord injuries (2B).

Purpose: There is increasing evidence in the literature regarding resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) globally, but few cases have been reported in Korea. We aimed to describe our experience of successful Zone III REBOA and to discuss its algorithm, techniques, and related complications. Methods: We reviewed consecutive cases who survived from hypovolemic shock after Zone III REBOA placement for 4 years. We reviewed patients’ baseline characteristics, physiological status, procedural data, and outcomes. Results: REBOA was performed in 44 patients during the study period, including 10 patients (22.7%) who underwent Zone III REBOA, of whom seven (70%) survived. Only one patient was injured by a penetrating mechanism and survived after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. All patients underwent interventions to stop bleeding immediately after REBOA placement. Conclusions: This case series suggests that Zone III REBOA is a safe and feasible procedure that could be applied to traumatic shock patients with normal FAST findings who receive a chest X-ray examination at the initial resuscitation.

Purpose: Immediate post-laparotomy hypotension (PLH) is a precipitous drop in blood pressure caused by a sudden release of abdominal tamponade after laparotomy in cases of severe hemoperitoneum. The effect of laparotomy on blood pressure in patients with significant hemoperitoneum is unknown. Methods: In total, 163 patients underwent laparotomy for trauma from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. Exclusion criteria included the following: negative laparotomy, only a hollow viscous injury, and hemoperitoneum

Purpose: Accurate and appropriate prehospital field triage is essential for a trauma system. The Korean trauma system (established in 2014) uses the trauma field triage algorithm of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This study evaluated the suitability of the CDC field triage criteria for major trauma cases (injury severity score >15) in Korea. Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated trauma patients who presented at the authors’ regional trauma center from January 1 to May 7, 2017. The undertriage and overtriage rates of each CDC field triage step were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was evaluated for each step. Results: Among the 1,009 enrolled patients, 168 (16.7%) had major trauma. The undertriage/overtriage rates of each step (steps I, II, III, and IV) of CDC field triage were 9.2%/47.4%, 6.3%/50.8%, 4.5%/59.4%, and 5.3%/78.9%, respectively. The AUC values of each CDC triage step were 0.722, 0.783, 0.791, and 0.615, respectively. The AUC values of the separate components of each step (physiologic criteria, anatomic criteria, mechanism- of-injury criteria, and special considerations) were 0.722, 0.648, 0.647, and 0.456, respectively. Conclusions: The CDC field triage system is acceptable, but not ideal, for Korean trauma care. If we follow the protocol, it would be preferable to omit step IV. The Korean Triage and Acuity Scale may be a good indicator for in-hospital triage. However, a new triage protocol that is simple to estimate on-scene while having good performance should be developed.

Massive transfusion (MT) is traditionally defined as transfusion of more than 10 units of red blood cells (RBCs) within the first 24 h after admission. The aim of this study is to analyze the trend of MT in regional trauma center including ratio of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and packed RBC.Retrospective data were driven from 2014 to 2016. A total of 185 patients who received more than 10 packed RBC units within the first 24 h after admission were included in the study. We analyzed transfusion requirements for each time interval 4 h and 24 h after admission. Moreover, we compared transfusion characteristics between survival and non-survival group, between high FFP: RBC group (≥1: 2) and low FFP: RBC group (1: 2), and between the first half and latter half period.There was a trend for improvement in the FFP: RBC ratio after applying the MT protocol. The FFP: RBC ratio increased from 1: 1.7 to 1: 1.4 within 24 h after arrival. The time to first transfusion was shortened (137-106 min). Mortality was lower in high FFP: RBC group than that of low FFP: RBC group.In our study, the MT protocol improved the FFP: RBC ratio. A higher FFP: RBC ratio also led to an improvement in the mortality rate in MT patients.

Background: Nonoperative management for hemodynamically stable splenic injury has been accepted as appropriate treatment. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the changes in management and clinical outcomes of splenic injury by introducing a protocol for splenic injury at a newly established regional trauma center. Methods: From January 2005 to December 2016, we reviewed the outcomes of all 257 patients who sustained blunt trauma to the spleen at the first regional trauma center in South Korea. This 11-year period was divided into two intervals, before 1 January 2014 (period I, n = 189 patients) and after 1 January 2014 (period II, n = 68 patients), when the trauma center was established and a formal management protocol was followed for patients with blunt traumatic splenic injuries. Results: The proportion of emergency operations performed for patients with more serious (grades 3–5) splenic injuries was lower in period II than in period I (29% vs 22%, respectively, p Conclusion: After establishing a regional trauma center and introducing a protocol for the management of blunt splenic injuries, the rates of non-operative management and splenic salvage improved significantly. The reasons for this may be multifactorial, being related to the early involvement of a trauma surgeon, expansion of angiographic facilities and resources, and the introduction and application of a protocol for managing blunt splenic injury.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the outcomes of patients with hemodynamically unstable pelvic bone fractures changed after the introduction of a protocol including extraperitoneal pelvic packing (EPP) and the establishment of a trauma center. We analyzed data of adult patients (≥ 18 years old) with hemodynamically unstable pelvic bone fractures who visited a single trauma center from February 2009 to October 2016. In July 2014, a new protocol for pelvic fractures was implemented, and a trauma center was established. Therefore, patient outcomes were compared by period (period I: pre-protocol vs. period II: post-protocol). Seventy-nine patients with hemodynamically unstable pelvic bone fractures were recruited. The time to angiographic embolization after arrival at the emergency room decreased significantly in period II when compared to period I (182.9 vs. 268.9 min, respectively, p

Background: The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scoring system and the Sequential Organ Failure As sessment (SOFA) scoring system are widely used for critically ill patients. We evaluated whether APACHE II score and SOFA score pre dict the outcome for trauma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed trauma patients admitted to the ICU in a single trauma center between January 2014 and December 2015. The APACHE II score was figured out based on the data acquired from the first 24 hours of admission; the SOFA score was evaluated based on the first 3 days in the ICU. A total of 241 patients were available for analysis. Injury Severity score, APACHE II score, and SOFA score were evaluated. Results: The overall survival rate was 83.4%. The non-survival group had a significantly high APACHE II score (24.1 ± 8.1 vs. 12.3 ± 7.2, P < 0.001) and SOFA score (7.7 ± 1.7 vs. 4.3 ± 1.9, P < 0.001) at admission. SOFA score had the highest areas under the curve (0.904). During the first 3 days, SOFA score remained high in the non-survival group. In the non-survival group, cardiovascular system, neuro logical system, renal system, and coagulation system scores were significantly higher. Conclusions: In ICU trauma patients, both SOFA and APACHE II scores were good predictors of outcome, with the SOFA score being the most effective. In trauma ICU patients, the trauma scoring system should be complemented, recognizing that multi-organ failure is an important factor for mortality.

Purpose: Two years have passed since a level I trauma center was officially opened in the Gacheon Gil Hospital, South Korea. We analyzed 2014 and 2015 registered patient data from the Korean Trauma Data Base (KTDB) to identify trends in trauma patient care and factors that influence the quality of trauma care at the Gacheon Gil trauma center. Methods: Data was extracted from the KTDB included patient age, sex, systolic blood pressure at emergency room arrival, revised trauma score, injury severity score, trauma injury severity score, transfusion amount, and the cause of death was analyzed. Results: A total of 3269 trauma patients were admitted to our trauma center in 2014 and 3225 in 2015. Demographics and mechanism of injury were not significantly different between years. The severity of trauma injury was decreased in 2015 although the mortality rate was slightly increased. This requires further analysis. Conclusion: The aim of this study was to determine the general status and trends in trauma incidence and management outcomes for the Incheon area. We noted no significant changes in trauma status from 2014 to 2015. We need to collect and review trauma patient data over a long period in order to elucidate trauma incidence and management trends in the trauma field. Finally, studies using trauma patient data will indicate appropriate quality control factors for trauma care and help to improve the quality of trauma management.

Purpose Local anesthetics can decrease postoperative pain after appendectomy. This study sought to verify the efficacy of bupivacaine on postoperative pain and analgesics use after single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA). Methods Between March 2014 and October 2015, 68 patients with appendicitis agreed to participate in this study. After general anesthesia, patients were randomized to bupivacaine or control (normal saline) groups. The assigned drugs were infiltrated into subcutaneous tissue and deep into anterior rectus fascia. Postoperative analgesics use and pain scores were recorded using visual analogue scale (VAS) by investigators at 1, 8, and 24 hours and on day 7. All surgeons, investigators and patients were blinded to group allocation. Results Thirty patients were allocated into the control group and 37 patients into bupivacaine group (one patient withdrew consent before starting anesthesia). Seven from the control group and 4 from the bupivacaine group were excluded. Thus, 23 patients in the control group and 33 in the bupivacaine group completed the study. Preoperative demographics and operative findings were similar. Postoperative pain and analgesics use were not different between the 2 groups. Subgroup analysis determined that VAS pain score at 24 hours was significantly lower in the bupivacaine group (2.1) than in the control group (3.8, P = 0.007) when surgery exceeded 40 minutes. During immediate postoperative period, bupivacaine group needed less opioids (9.1 mg) than control (10.4 mg). Conclusion Bupivacaine did not decrease pain and analgesics use. When surgery exceeded 40 minutes, bupivacaine use might be associated with less pain and less analgesics use.

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare systemic vascular disorder characterized by multiple venous malformations involving many organs. BRBNS can occur in various organs, but the most frequently involved organs are the skin and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI lesions of BRBNS can cause acute or chronic bleeding, and treatment is challenging. Herein, we report a case of GI BRBNS that was successfully treated with a combination of intraoperative endoscopy and radical resection.

An intra-abdominal bronchogenic cyst (BC) is a very rare congenital anomaly caused by abnormal budding of the developing tracheobronchial tree. Intra-abdominal BCs are reported as retroperitoneal masses in most cases, many of which are located on the left side of the midline, the perigastric area, the left adrenal gland, or the superior body of the pancreas. Intra-abdominal BCs are frequently misdiagnosed due to the rarity, location, and variable cystic content. We report five patients with intra-abdominal BCs who underwent surgery in a single institution.

Background. The authors report their experience with single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy (SLS) and compare postoperative outcomes of conventional multiport laparoscopic splenectomy (MLS) with SLS in patients with spleen sizes ≤15cm. Methods. Demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative data were analyzed retrospectively and compared between patients who underwent MLS from June 20, 2006, to July 9, 2009 (MLS group, 18 patients) and those who underwent SLS from July 28, 2009, to November 2, 2010 (SLS group, 16 patients). Results. Blood loss was significantly greater in the SLS group than in the MLS group (206.25 ± 142.45 vs 111.11 ± 99.58 mL, respectively; P = .047). The Numeric Pain Rating Scale in the SLS group was significantly lower than in the MLS group (3.81 ± 0.91 vs 4.56 ± 1.29, respectively; P = .041). There were no significant differences between the groups for other variables. Conclusions. SLS is a feasible method with good cosmetic benefit and equivalent clinical outcomes as compared with MLS.

Background and Aim: Despite improvements of treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the recurrence rate after curative hepatic resection still remains remarkably high. An immediate recurrence of HCC after surgery is frustrating. We tried to clarify risks of immediate postoperative recurrence of HCC; that is, within 4 months after curative hepatic resection. Methods: A total of 167 patients with HCC underwent hepatic resection; 60 had immediate postoperative recurrences (IPR group), and 107 had disease-free survival for more than 5 years (DFS group). Variables were compared between the two groups. Results: Univariate analysis showed the following variables were significant risk factors for immediate postoperative recurrence of HCC: male sex, elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase level, greater amount of blood loss, longer operation time, worse tumor differentiation, higher tumor node metastasis stage, and presence of any of the following: intrahepatic metastasis, tumor-rupture, portal venous invasion, or microvascular invasion. In multivariate analysis, only portal venous invasion was a significant risk factor (odds ratio = 3.2, P = 0.03, standard error = 0.5, Logistic regression analysis). Conclusions: Portal venous invasion may be the most significant risk factor for immediate postoperative recurrence of HCC. However, accurate assessment of this risk factor may require histological examination, limiting its utility as a preoperative predictor. Further research is necessary to definitively identify preoperative predictors.

A 60-year-old female was admitted with epigastric pain lasting a month. Preoperative diagnosis was choledochal cyst with anomalous pancreaticobiliaryductal union (APBDU), C-P type. A papillary mass measuring 2.5 × 1.9 cm was found adjacent to the pancreaticocholedochal junction. Gallbladder (GB) cancer was also observed. Pyloric-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) was performed. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy/radiation therapy on the tumor bed. The gallbladder cancer showed serosal invasion, while the bile duct cancer extended into the pancreas. Although common bile duct (CBD) cancer lesion showed focally positive for p53 and the gallbladder cancer lesion showed negative for p53, the Ki-67 labeling index of the CBD cancer and GB cancer were about 10% and 30%, respectively. Nine months after curative resection, a stricture on the subhepatic colon developed due to adjuvant radiation therapy. Localized peritoneal seedings were incidentally found during a right hemicolectomy. The patient underwent chemotherapy and had no evidence of tumor recurrence for two years after PPPD.

Background and Aims Endoscopic resection for mucosal gastric cancer (MGC) is highly recommended in the absence of lymph node metastasis (LNM). We aimed to clarify the risk factors for LNM in MGC and to investigate the association of LNM with the indication criteria for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed on 3951 patients with MGC who underwent radical gastrectomy at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, Republic of Korea, between September 1994 and September 2010. Results Of the patients with MGC, 101 (2.60%) were positive for LNM. Multivariate analysis, followed by univariate analysis, revealed the following risk factors for LNM in MGC: large tumor size, undifferentiated tumor type, lymphatic invasion, perineural invasion, and associated ulceration in the tumor (hazard ratio 1.25, 7.49, 20.65, 23.45, and 4.07, respectively). Patients without LNM had significantly increased survival and/or recurrence-free survival rates than patients with LNM (188.4/209.8 months vs 169.5/188.0 months; P = .029/.004, respectively). Only 3 of 1065 patients (0.3%) who met the absolute indication criteria for ESD had LNM. Of those who met the expanded indication criteria for ESD, 11 of 2678 patients (0.4%) had LNM. LNM also was found in 2 patients who had a differentiated tumor Conclusion The risk for LNM was very low when patients with MGC met the absolute and/or expanded criteria for endoscopic resection, which meant the indication criteria for ESD was safe and acceptable. However, although the risk for LNM is very low, it should not be considered negligible in endoscopic resection.

In blunt trauma, diaphragmatic injuries are often overlooked. The repair of a diaphragmatic injury is not technically demanding in immediate period. However delayed diagnosis can cause serious complications such as respiratory compromise and incarceration of abdominal organs. Authors report a left diaphragmatic injury accompanied by herniation of stomach.

Despite improvements of treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the recurrence rate after curative hepatic resection still remains remarkably high. An immediate recurrence of HCC after surgery is frustrating. We tried to clarify risks of immediate postoperative recurrence of HCC; that is, within 4 months after curative hepatic resection.A total of 167 patients with HCC underwent hepatic resection; 60 had immediate postoperative recurrences (IPR group), and 107 had disease-free survival for more than 5 years (DFS group). Variables were compared between the two groups.Univariate analysis showed the following variables were significant risk factors for immediate postoperative recurrence of HCC: male sex, elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase level, greater amount of blood loss, longer operation time, worse tumor differentiation, higher tumor node metastasis stage, and presence of any of the following: intrahepatic metastasis, tumor-rupture, portal venous invasion, or microvascular invasion. In multivariate analysis, only portal venous invasion was a significant risk factor (odds ratio=3.2, P=0.03, standard error=0.5, Logistic regression analysis).Portal venous invasion may be the most significant risk factor for immediate postoperative recurrence of HCC. However, accurate assessment of this risk factor may require histological examination, limiting its utility as a preoperative predictor. Further research is necessary to definitively identify preoperative predictors.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during pregnancy is a very rare condition and is believed to have a worse prognosis than HCC in non-pregnant women. We evaluated the prognosis and the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for HCC in pregnant women. We retrospectively analyzed 4 cases in our hospital and 44 cases described in the medical literature since 1957; we also compared the cases reported before 1995 and those reported during/after 1995. The overall 6-month and 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates in the patients reported in the literature were 50, 29.5, 18.2, and 13.6%, respectively (n = 44). The mean ages at diagnosis before and during/after 1995 were 31.4 ± 7.2 and 28.9 ± 4.4 years, respectively (P = 0.113). The following characteristics were significantly more common in the later group: fewer pregnancies; the absence of advanced signs or symptoms; receipt of therapy; tendency to undergo surgery; and higher 6-month and 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates. The median survivals of the groups before and during/after 1995 were 18 and 25.5 months, respectively (P

Purpose: Surgical site infection (SSI) after open abdominal surgery is still a frequently reported nosocomial infection. To reduce the incidence of SSI, triclosan-coated sutures with antiseptic activity (Vicryl Plus) were developed. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of Vicryl Plus on SSI after gastric cancer surgery via midline laparotomy. Methods: A total of 916 patients who underwent gastric cancer surgery at Samsung Medical Center between December 2009 and September 2011 were prospectively collected. We examined the occurrence of SSI (primary endpoint), assessments of wound healing (secondary endpoint). They were evaluated postoperatively on days 3, 7, and 30. Results: Of the 916 patients, 122 were excluded postoperatively by screening (out of the study protocol, adverse events, etc.). The remaining 794 patients were enrolled and monitored postoperatively. The cumulative SSI incidence was 11 cases (1.39%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77?2.50) on day 30. Seromas were most frequently detected in wound healing assessments, with a cumulative incidence of 147 cases (18.51%; 95% CI, 15.98?21.39) on day 30. Conclusion: The use of triclosan-coated sutures (Vicryl Plus) for abdominal wall closure can reduce the number of SSIs in gastric cancer surgery.

Purpose: To elucidate the characteristic gene transcription profiles among various hepatic ischemia conditions, immediately transcribed genes and the degree of ischemic injury were compared among total ischemia (TI), intermittent clamping (IC), and ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into control (C, sham-operated), TI (ischemia for 90 minutes), IC (ischemia for 15 minutes and reperfusion for 5 minutes, repeated six times), and IPC (ischemia for 15 minutes, reperfusion for 5 minutes, and ischemia again for 90 minutes) groups. A cDNA microarray analysis was performed using hepatic tissues obtained by partial hepatectomy after occluding hepatic inflow. Results: The cDNA microarray revealed the following: interleukin (IL)-1β expression was 2-fold greater in the TI group than in the C group. In the IC group, IL-1α/β expression increased by 2.5-fold, and Na＋/K＋ ATPase β1 expression decreased by 2.4-fold. In the IPC group, interferon regulatory factor-1, osteoprotegerin, and retinoblastoma-1 expression increased by approximately 2-fold compared to that in the C group, but the expression of Na＋/K＋ ATPase β1 decreased 3-fold. Conclusion: The current findings revealed characteristic gene expression profiles under various ischemic conditions. However, additional studies are needed to clarify the mechanism of protection against IPC.

Appendiceal bleeding is a kind of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. For treatment, it is essential to identify the location of the lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding. Appendiceal bleeding has some diagnostic difficultie. It is a very rare condition, and colonoscopy shows only the appendiceal orfice. Recently, multidetector computed tomography has increasingly been used in the diagnostic evaluation of most vascular diseases. Herein, we report the case of an appendiceal bleeding diagnosed by using abdominal multidetector computed tomography, and we present a the literature.