Rigid Bronchoscopy for Post-tuberculosis Tracheobronchial Stenosis

The healing process of tracheobronchial tuberculosis (TB) results in tracheobronchial fibrosis causing airway stenosis in 11% to 42% of patients. In Korea, where pulmonary TB is still prevalent, post-TB tracheobronchial stenosis (PTTS) is one of the main causes of benign airway stenosis causing progressive dyspnea, hypoxemia, and often life-threatening respiratory insufficiency. The development of rigid bronchoscopy replaced surgical management 30 years ago, and nowadays PTTS is mainly managed by bronchoscopic intervention in Korea. Similar to pulmonary TB, tracheobronchial TB is treated with combination of anti-TB medications. The indication of rigid bronchoscopy is more than American Thoracic Society (ATS) grade 3 dyspnea in PTTS patients. First, the narrowed airway is dilated by multiple techniques including ballooning, laser resection, and bougienation under general anesthesia. Then, most of the patients need silicone stenting to maintain the patency of dilated airway; 1.5 to 2 years after indwelling, the stent could be removed, this has shown a 70% success rate. Acute complications without mortality develop in less than 10% of patients. Subgroup analysis showed successful removal of the stent was significantly associated with male sex, young age, good baseline lung function and absence of complete one lobe collapse. In conclusion, rigid bronchoscopy could be applied to PTTS patients with acceptable efficacy and tolerable safety

Discretionary Accounting for Loss Reserves in the Korean Property-Casualty Insurance Industry

This study examines whether property-casualty insurance companies exercise accounting discretion when reporting the claim loss reserves, in response to their financial strength. Specifically, we test if there is evidence of directional overstatement or understatement in the original loss reserves, in relation to financial strength measured by several financial ratios and rating scores for each company prepared by the insurance regulatory bodys financial scores. The study period includes fiscal years 1993 through 1995, and takes measurements of reserve error after two years of loss development. Empirical results provide statistical evidence of a tendency for financially weak insurers to understate the value of claim loss reserves while financially strong insurers tend toward overvaluation of the reserves

Mammalian multipotent stem cells and compositions, methods of preparation and methods of administration thereof

This invention provides methods for preparing novel mammalian multipotent stem cells (MSCs), compositions thereof, and methods of preparing and administering the cells

Mammalian multipotent stem cells and compositions, methods of preparation and methods of administration thereof

This invention provides methods for preparing novel mammalian multipotent stem cells (MSCs), compositions thereof, and methods of preparing and administering the cells

Guideline of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences for Assessing Respiratory Impairment

The presently used impairment rating guidelines in Korea do not accurately reflect the injury in various lung diseases. Therefore, they need to be made more objective and quantitative with new measurements, using indicators to more precisely represent impairment in the major respiratory diseases. We develop a respiratory impairment rating guideline to ensure that the same grade or impairment rating would be obtained regardless of surgeons who determinate it. Specialists in respiratory medicine and thoracic surgeons determined the impairment grades. Moreover, the impairment should be irreversible for more than 6 months. The impairment rating depends on the level of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume 1 second, diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide, arterial oxygen pressure, and arterial carbon dioxide pressure. The degree of whole body impairment is defined by each grade: first 81-95%, second 66-80%, third 51-65%, fourth 36-50%, and fifth 21-35%. In conclusion, we develop a respiratory impairment rating guideline for Koreans. Any qualified specialist can easily use it and judge objective scoring

Recurrent Pulmonary Capillary Hemangioma: Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced CT and Histopathologic Findings

We report the dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and histopathologic findings of a rare case of recurrent pulmonary capillary hemangiomas. The findings consisted of peripheral nodular enhancement at the early arterial phase and a subsequent "central filling-in" enhancement pattern on the delayed scans, which was identical to the well-known enhancement pattern of hemangiomas of the liver. Although there was no evidence of histological malignancy, pulmonary capillary hemangiomas manifested as multiple nodular lesions and showed postoperative recurrence