South Korea has experienced difficulty in controlling the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during the early stages of the outbreak. South Korea remains passionately determined to protect Koreans against COVID-19 and through trial and error hopes to improve the strategies used to limit the outbreak. Here, we review how COVID-19 spread and what prevention strategies were implemented during the early stages of the outbreak in South Korea. We investigated online newspapers published in South Korea from 21 January 2020 to 20 March 2020, and reviewed academic medical articles related to COVID-19. Additionally, we acquired data on COVID-19 cases through the official website for COVID-19 in South Korea. To date, numerous measures have been applied by the government and the medical community during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak including the reporting of methods for diagnostic testing, patient classification, the introduction of drive-through screening centers, COVID-19 preventive measures, implementation of government policies for the shortage of face masks, and entry restrictions. Here, we present data from the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and measures to prevent its spread in South Korea. We believe that sharing the experience of South Korea during the COVID-19 outbreak can help other countries to implement strategies to prevent its rapid transmission.

Rationale: Massive retropharyngeal hematoma secondary to a minor blunt trauma is rare and easy to be missed in emergency settings due to the absence of visible tissue injury, especially in young patients. However, missing this pathology is dangerous and can result in airway obstruction and even death. Therefore, an effective diagnostic strategy must be developed and thoroughly performed to minimize missed retropharyngeal hematoma. Patient concerns: A 49-year-old man with a brief cervical hyperextension secondary to a minor collision presented with mild respiratory discomfort. No externally visible injuries were found; however, dyspnea was persistent and aggravating. Diagnosis: Lateral neck X-ray, neck computed tomography, and spine magnetic resonance imaging revealed a huge retropharyngeal hematoma obstructing the upper airway, without any severe fracture or ligament injury. Interventions: An emergent orotracheal intubation followed by imaging studies was performed to resolve the aggravating dyspnea. Neck exploration surgery was immediately performed for rapid absorption of the hematoma, bleeding control, and identification of the reason of the pathology. Outcomes: The surgery was successful, and the patient was discharged without any postoperative sequelae on the 30 th postoperative day. Conclusion: Retropharyngeal hematoma that develops in young patients without visible injuries or severe symptoms after a minor trauma can easily go undetected. Although most hematomas under observation resolve spontaneously, the retropharyngeal hematomas missed at initial assessment may result in critical complications. High level of suspicion, repeated neck CT, and thorough tertiary survey in emergency rooms are helpful in avoiding missed life-threatening retropharyngeal hematoma.

Myositis ossificans (MO) can compress peripheral nerves and cause neuropathy. We herein describe a patient with ulnar neuropathy caused by MO at the medial elbow. A 28-year-old man with a drowsy mentality and multiple organ damage following a traffic accident was admitted to our hospital. After 3 weeks of postoperative care, the patient’s mental status recovered. However, he complained of severe sharp pain in his left medial forearm and fourth and fifth fingers. He exhibited weak fifth finger abduction and wrist adduction. Severe elbow joint pain was elicited during range-of-motion testing of his left elbow. Ultrasound also showed an edematous, enlarged, hypoechoic ulnar nerve lying above the MO, and the MO outwardly displaced the ulnar nerve. Elbow radiographic examination, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed MO development and compression of the left ulnar nerve. The patient underwent surgery; the following day, his left medial forearm pain completely disappeared with slight improvement in the motor weakness of fifth finger abduction. Ultrasound is a useful tool to easily evaluate the presence of MO and compression of peripheral nerves caused by MO.

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