Background: Primary hyperhidrosis (PH) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable secretion in the eccrine sweat glands of the craniofacial region, armpits, hands, and feet. Sympathicotomy is the most effective treatment for severe PH; however, compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) remains the most devastating postoperative complication. The purpose of the present study was to suggest a new sympathicotomy method for PH to prevent severe CH. Methods: From March 2014 to December 2018, a total of 212 patients were included in the study. R2 (53 cases) sympathicotomy for craniofacial hyperhidrosis and R3 (79 cases) or R4 (80 cases) sympathicotomy for palmar hyperhidrosis using the thoracoscopic technique were performed, respectively. Sympathicotomy was performed using two different methods (conventional 145 cases and new 67 cases). Expanded sympathicotomy was performed as the new method (67 cases), which was divided into two groups (partialand full-expanded sympathicotomy). Operative effectiveness was evaluated by a reduction in percentage of post-operative sweating compared with pre-operative sweating and groups were divided into complete and incomplete sweat reduction characteristics. Complete sweat reduction was defined as sweat reduction ≥80% compared with preoperative sweating. The degrees of CH were classified as negligible, mild bothering (tolerable), and severe bothering (intolerable). Data on preoperative subject characteristics, disease status, operative technique, and postoperative outcomes were gathered using medical records and telephone surveys. Results: According to sympathicotomy techniques, the conventional procedure (non-expanded sympathicotomy) was performed in 145 cases and the new expanded sympathicotomy procedure was performed in 67 cases (partial-expanded sympathicotomy 28 cases; full-expanded sympathicotomy 39 cases). Craniofacial hyperhidrosis was significantly more prevalent in the older group and in female patients (P<0.001 and P=0.007, respectively). Sympathicotomy was significantly more effective in palmar hyperhidrosis than craniofacial hyperhidrosis (P<0.001). CH was significantly more severe in craniofacial hyperhidrosis than palmar hyperhidrosis after sympathicotomy (P<0.001). In craniofacial hyperhidrosis, there was no significant difference in sweat reduction and CH between conventional and the expanded sympathicotomy techniques (P=0.177 and P=0.474, respectively). In palmar hyperhidrosis, there was no significant difference in sweat reduction between the conventional and the expanded sympathicotomy (P=0.178), however, degree of CH in the conventional technique was significantly more severe than in the expanded technique (P=0.001).Regarding comparison between partial-and full-expanded sympathicotomy, there was no significant difference in sweat reduction between partial-, and full-expanded sympathicotomy; however, CH was significantly more severe in partial-expanded sympathicotomy (craniofacial hyperhidrosis P=0.006; palmar hyperhidrosis P<0.001). Irrespective of hyperhidrosis types,...

We examined the usefulness of the modified single-patch technique for the surgical management of complete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD). Sixty-one patients undergoing total correction for complete AVSD from January 1997 to December 2006 were classified to the modified single-patch technique group (18 patients) and the classical one-/two-patch technique group (43 patients). The surgical outcomes of the modified single-patch technique were compared with those of the classical-patch technique. Aortic cross-clamp time was shorter in the modified single-patch technique group (110.8+/-27.5 min vs. 134.4+/-42.5 min, P=0.03). During the follow-up period, two patients required reoperation for atrioventricular valve dysfunction in the modified single-patch technique group vs. three patients in the classical-patch technique group (P=0.63). One late death occurred in the modified single-patch technique and two late deaths in the classical-patch technique group (P=0.90). There was no significant difference in surgical outcomes between the two groups. And the modified single-patch technique has the advantage of relative simplicity and shorter ischemic time, and thus it is thought to be a feasible surgical option for the repair of complete AVSD.

Background: Although recurrence is included in surgical indications, there is no definitive guideline for managing recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) according to characteristics of recurrence, such as the type [primary SP (PSP) or secondary SP (SSP)] and recurrence-free interval (RFI). Actually, some patients with early cessation of air leak after closed thoracostomy tubes, a long RFI, or medical comorbidities are often managed conservatively without surgery. However, the validity of this management is unclear. The aims of the present study are to analyze treatment outcomes for recurrent SP according to the type of SP and RFI, and to check the validity of conservative treatment for patients according to type of SP and RFI. Methods: We included 1,250 consecutive cases (624 right sided and 626 left side cases for the first episode) who were hospitalized and treated from January 2012 to June 2018. To investigate recurrence according to treatment modality (surgical or conservative treatment), we estimated RFI in each group during the observation period. RFI was measured from the completion of treatment to recurrence or last follow-up. We divided patients into two groups [the early (EG) and the late (LG) recurrence group] according to 1-year. Recurrence was defined as a subsequent episode of an ipsilateral SP, while a contralateral SP was regarded as an independent case in the present study. RFI between subgroups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test. A P value less than 0.05 (two-sided) was regarded as statistically significant.Results: Recurrence occurred in 47 cases after surgical intervention for the first episode (585 cases).Recurrence occurred in 265 cases after conservative treatment for the first episode of SP (665 cases). For the first episode, the surgical group (SG) had a significantly longer RFI than the conservative group (CG), regardless of the type (both, P<0.001). Conservative treatment and surgical intervention for the second episode after conservative treatment for the first episode were performed in 98 and 167 cases, respectively.For the second episode after conservative treatment for the first episode, SG also had a significantly longer RFI than CG, regardless of the types (PSP P<0.001, SSP P=0.031). To check the validity of conservative treatment for patients with a long RFI, we analyzed recurrence by dividing patients into two groups according to one-year RFI. For PSP, the early recurrence group (EG, RFI ≤1 year) had 99 cases and the late recurrent group (LG, RFI >1 year) had 67 cases. SG had a significantly longer RFI than CG in both EG andLG (EG, P<0.001 and LG, P=0.001). In addition, for SSP, there were 67 cases of EG and 32 cases of LG, SG had significantly longer RFIs than CG in EG (P=0.007). However, there was no significant difference in RFI between SG and CG in LG (P=0.748). Conclusions: The present study revealed diversity of management outcomes according to characteristics of recurrence and provides some evidences of the validity of conservative treatme...

Although anticoagulation therapy is the primary treatment for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), it has not been associated with the rapid recanalization of the venous occlusion. Moreover, it is associated with long-term disability due to post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). In contrast, pharmacomechanical endovascular intervention (PMI) results in more rapid clinical improvement in DVT patients, but there are few reports on its long-term outcomes. This retrospective study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of PMI compared to conventional anticoagulation therapy (ACA) for acute and subacute iliofemoral DVT. We reviewed the medical records of 102 patients with iliofemoral DVT. A total of 46 patients for ACA and 56 patients for PMI were enrolled. We analyzed the clinical differences between the PMI and ACA groups by comparing the clinical signs, residual DVT free-rate, and PTS-free rate. There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic characteristics and risk factors except age between the groups (age: ACA, 52.0 ± 18.0 years; PMI, 59.0 ± 17.0 years; P = 0.035). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year residual DVT-free rate (ACA = 84.7%, 71.6%, and 46.0%; PMI = 82.1%, 76.8%, and 76.8%, respectively; P = 0.235) was not significantly different. However, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year PTS-free rate was significantly different (ACA = 93.5%, 74.0%, and 55.7%; PMI = 92.9%, 90.0%, and 90.0%, respectively; P = 0.019). There was no significant difference in the rate of other complications. PMI showed a lower incidence of PTS during the follow-up period. Therefore, PMI should be considered as an effective therapeutic modality for patients with iliofemoral DVT.