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Using the "periodic confirmation sheet" employed in the safety management procedure of thalidomide drugs, we looked at whether patients' knowledge of compliance with the procedure varies depending on the length of the gap between confirmations. In 31 centers, 215 participants were male patients and female patients who might be pregnant participants. Subjects have treated a group of patients who used periodic confirmation slips at the standard confirmation interval and a group of patients who increase the confirmation interval to 4 or 6 months, the % of respondents that correctly answered each of all six questions in questions 1-6 on the second comprehension questionnaire, excluding question 7 to confirm behavior change, was 87.0%. Comparing the percentage of correct answers to all questions the first time and the second time, no pregnancy cases were observed and there was no decline in the percentage of accurate responses after the second attempt for either group. One cannot judge changes in behavior. The mixed-effect model also additionally demonstrated non-inferiority in the patient group with the extended confirmation interval (a difference of -6.7% in the proportion of correct answers on the comprehension test (95%CI: -20.3-7.0%)), thus it appears that going forward, both male patients and female patients of potential pregnancy should complete the periodic confirmation form once every 4 or 6 months.

Purpose: X-ray CT examinations are required not only in routine medical examinations but also in various situations such as emergency medical care. Although medical staff may be exposed to radiation when assisting patients, the distribution of air-absorbed doses in the CT examination room when using a special protective shield for CT has not been clarified. Here, we measured air-absorbed doses at several points simultaneously to clarify the distribution of these doses and the effect of a special protective shield for CT in reducing them., Method: A human phantom was imaged with an X-ray CT system. The absorbed dose in the air dose profile distribution was measured with an OSL dosimeter in the presence and absence of a special protective shield for CT., Results: The highest air absorbed doses of 4.27 mGy were at 0 cm in the horizontal direction, 120 cm in the vertical direction, and 50 cm in the body axis direction. The largest reduction in air absorbed dose following installation of the special protective shield for CT was 91.7%, obtained at 0 cm in the horizontal direction, 150 cm in the vertical direction, and 50 cm in the body axis direction., Conclusion: A 91.7% reduction in air-absorbed dose was o directly behind the special protective shield for CT. The reduction in air-absorbed dose was 65.8% at the location of a gap between the special protective shield for CT and gantry.

Anatomical knowledge of target structures is essential in stereotactic functional neurosurgery. Thus, we created a three-dimensional(3D)atlas comprising frozen sections and histologically stained slides prepared from cadaveric brains. Herein, we describe the anatomical information of stereotactic functional neurosurgery targets gained from our atlas. The subthalamic nucleus(STN)was found to be clearly enclosed by neural fibers with high neuronal density. Based on our 3D models, the mean penetration length of deep brain stimulation leading into the STN was 6.6 mm. The globus pallidus was found to be clearly divided into the grobus pallidus externus(GPe)and internus(GPi)by its neural fibers, and the optic tract was located below the GPi. Although the thalamic lateral nuclear group(ventrooralis, ventrontermedius, and ventrocaudalis)could not be identified from either macroscopic frozen sections or MR images, these structures were clearly discernible from each other based on cell architecture(cell size and cell density)when viewed under a microscope. In contrast, distinguishing ventral and dorsal nuclei in humans is difficult. In addition to the main targets of the basal ganglia, we also investigated the anatomy of other targets in detail(posterior subthalamic area, pedunclopontine nucleus, nucleus accumbens, and nucleus basalis of Meynert). Overall, this anatomical knowledge from the atlas helps functional neurosurgeons interpret intraoperative microelectrode recording and MRI more precisely, helping facilitate more accurate surgeries.

Some reports have shown that the prognosis of recurrent lung metastases after resection of pancreatic cancer is better than that for other organs. We report on 2 cases of long‒term survival after lung resection for lung metastases from pancreatic cancer. Case 1: A 73‒year‒old man underwent distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic body cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy of S‒1 was administered for 6 months. At 3 years after surgery, 2 small metastatic nodules were detected in the right lung, and the patient underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobectomy. At 5 years and 9 months after the initial surgery, he is alive without recurrence. Case 2: An 81‒year‒old woman underwent pylorus‒preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic head cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy of S‒1 was administered for 4 months. At 1 year and 9 months after surgery, a metastatic nodule was detected in the left upper lung, and the patient underwent thoracoscopic left upper lobectomy. At 4 years and 6 months after initial surgery, radiation therapy was performed for localized bone metastasis. At 5 years and 1 month after the initial surgery, she is alive without other recurrences. In conclusion, recurrent lung metastases of pancreatic cancer with a small number of metastases may result in long‒term survival following resection.

A 52-year-old woman presented to a clinic in late August with exacerbated fatigue and dyspnea on exertion for several months. Then, she was referred and admitted to our hospital in late September. Her chest CT showed bilateral diffuse centrilobular micronodules. In her detailed clinical history, she had kept budgerigars indoors for 15 years. These findings suggested she had a bird-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis (BRHP). By a site environmental investigation, 40 budgerigars were kept in a single breeding room and there were large amounts of droppings on the floor. Serum specific antibody for bird antigens and an environmental provocation test were positive. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed lymphocytosis and a low CD4/CD8 ratio. Trans-bronchial lung biopsy showed lymphocytic infiltration of the alveolar wall and interlobular septa. After antigen avoidance as hospitalization, her symptoms and abnormal shadow improved. From these results, the patient was diagnosed as an acute BRHP.BRHP often presents a chronic onset. This case was diagnosed as an acute type despite the 15-years of budgerigars breeding. Increased exposure of antigens due to lack of cleaning after several days' antigen avoidance was suspected with one of the causes of acute onset.

Primary synovial sarcoma of the spermatic cord is quite rare and has not been reported in Japanese literature. We report a case of primary synovial sarcoma of the spermatic cord and localized dissemination of the tumor in a patient who experienced recurrence of intra-abdominal bleeding 7 years after curative resection of the primary lesion. A 70-year-old man was admitted with disturbance on urination and lower abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed two lesions:a 10-cm intrapelvic tumor with hemorrhage and a 4-cm tumor adjacent to the bladder. Curative excision of the tumors was performed. Histological examination revealed that the larger lesion was a primary tumor of the spermatic cord with proliferation of spindle cells in cellular fascicles in a monotonous pattern, which was compatible with histologic findings of monophasic fibrous synovial sarcoma. The smaller lesion was a disseminated tumor. The diagnosis of synovial sarcoma was confirmed by the detection of a SS18 (SYT) -SSX1 fusion gene. After discharge, the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy, including ifosfamide and doxorubicin. No recurrence was evident thereafter. Seven years after the operation, the patient experienced sudden abdominal pain and swelling and was transferred to our hospital. CT showed a 17-cm tumor with massive hemorrhage in the omental bursa. Through catheterization of the superior mesenteric artery, bleeding from a branch of the dorsal pancreatic artery was identified. Because of the difficulty of catheterizing the bleeding branch, he underwent emergency resection of the tumor and partial resection of the colon. Histologic examination and genetic testing revealed that the tumor was a recurrence of the synovial sarcoma. After discharge, the patient received treatment with gemcitabine and docetaxel. However, 7 months after the second surgery, intraperitoneal manifestations recurred. The patient died 14 months after the second resection. This case suggests that curative surgical resection of the primary synovial sarcoma of the spermatic cord contributes to prolonged survival. However, because the recurrence rate of synovial sarcoma is high, multidisciplinary treatment, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, might be necessary.

A 69-year-old woman with a hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)was followed-up for type B chronic hepatitis and underwent partial hepatectomy(S6)at our hospital. Afterwards, she underwent radiofrequency ablation(RFA)therapy twice because of intrahepatic recurrence. Seven months after the first hepatectomy, a left adrenalectomy was performed for a left adrenal metastasis. Seventeen months after the first hepatectomy, a splenectomy was performed for a splenic metastasis. Forty-three months after the first hepatectomy, a second hepatectomy was performed for intrahepatic recurrence, and a right adrenalectomy was performed for an adrenal metastasis. Sixty-eight months after the first hepatectomy, an abdominal CT revealed a growing solitary lesion in the ascending colon, which was diagnosed as a peritoneal metastasis. The peritoneal dissemination was removed because there were no other extrahepatic or intrahepatic recurrences. Histologically, the resected specimen was diagnosed as a peritoneal metastasis from a HCC. The patient survived, and there were no recurrences for 6 months after the operation. We report this case of a peritoneal metastasis from a HCC after surgery with a review of the literature.

A 42-year-old man complaining of left back pain was admitted to our hospital. The hepatis B and C surface antigens were negative. The serum levels of tumor markers were within the reference ranges. Abdominal ultrasound revealed an 8 cm-sized, primarily round and hyperechoic mass in the left lateral segment. Contrast-echo showed non-uniform enhancement in the arterial phase and uniform enhancement in the portal phase. This mass did not indicate"wash-out"on contrast- enhanced CT. It showed hypointensity in the hepatobiliary phase on MRI. The definitive diagnosis could not be obtained, and the patient was suspected with malignancy, such as hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Therefore, left hemi-hepatectomy was performed for the diagnostic treatment. Based on the immunochemical staining results, he was diagnosed with angiomyolipoma( AML). AML is composed of fat, blood vessels, and smooth muscles. It is regarded as a tumor of perivascular epithelioid cell tumor(PEComa). Early venous return and adipose tissues in the tumor were the distinctive features of this tumor. The preoperative diagnosis of AML without any fatty component as in this case is very difficult.

This study was designed to clarify the relation between the pressure resistance of an angiographical tube and the amount of contrast medium injected under a connected microcatheter used for interventional radiology (IVR). We investigated the injection pressure and the expansion rate at the center of the tube during contrast enhancement by setting the power injector to 1200 PSI pressure, with 2.0 ml/s injection speed, 10 ml injection volume, 5.0 s injection time, and 0 s rise time for tubes with different pressure resistance performance (low or high). Then we examined the amount of contrast medium material discharged from the microcatheter. The low-pressure resistant tube (less than 140 PSI) injection pressure exceeded the pressure performance. The expansion rate increased to 49%, presenting a risk of rupture. The injection pressure of the high-pressure resistant tube (less than 1200 PSI) was within the pressure-resistance performance. The expansion rate increased to 38%. However, when the contrast medium discharge amount contributing to the image was measured within the injection time under the condition of 10 ml injection for 5.0 s, the former was 2.3 ml and the latter was 4.2 ml. The entire amount was not discharged during the injection period. It became apparent that it is discharged in drips after some time. Results show that the tube expansion caused retention of the contrast medium inside, which decreases the actual amount of the injected contrast medium. From the results, we infer the possibility of preventing reduction of the injected contrast medium amount attributable to expansion.

Background: Device-related infection frequently becomes a serious problem after deep brain stimulation(DBS)surgery and DBS device removal is usually the only effective treatment option. In this study, we examined risk factors for infection related to DBS devices at our institution., Methods: We retrospectively investigated 80 DBS surgeries performed between March 2009 and September 2017 at our institution. We examined the relationship between DBS device-related infection and the following items:duration of electrode placement surgery, total number of tracks of microelectrode recordings(MER), period between surgeries, highest body temperature until implantable pulse generator(IPG)implantation, and patient background characteristics., Results: Four(5.0%)patients developed device-related infection after DBS surgery. Three of them required device removal, whereas one improved following antibiotic treatment alone. We did not identify any specific trend or risk factor for infection., Discussion: We perform DBS surgery in two stages. Patients were implanted with an IPG 2-3 days after electrode placement until August 2016, and at 6-8 days starting in September 2016. All cases of infection developed before September 2016, and no cases of infection have occurred since September 2016. We believe that lengthy surgical electrode placement affects the general status of patients and performing surgery before stabilization might confer a risk of infection., Conclusion: Device-related infection after DBS surgery does not seem to be associated with any risk factors. However, a shorter period between two-staged surgeries might affect infection rates.

Benedikt syndrome is caused by a rare type of brain damage to the red nucleus and nearby locations. Clinically, it presents as ipsilateral oculomotor palsy and specific contralateral involuntary movement. These involuntary movements may affect activities of daily living(ADLs)in affected patients. We treated a case of Benedikt syndrome associated with neck clipping of a ruptured basilar-superior cerebellar artery aneurysm. A 66-year-old female patient was admitted to our department with headache. Initial computed tomography imaging and angiography showed subarachnoid hemorrhage and left basilar-superior cerebellar artery aneurysm. We performed neck clipping of the aneurysm. Immediately after the surgery, left oculomotor nerve palsy occurred. Right involuntary movement gradually developed from the fifth day after the surgery. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)showed an infarction around the left red nucleus. This specific involuntary movement significantly impaired the ADLs of the patient and persisted for two months. From three months after the surgery, it gradually improved. One and a half years after the surgery, the ADLs of the patient improved notably. It is important to preserve perforators in the treatment of distal basilar artery aneurysm. However, while ischemia of the red nucleus(e.g., due to perforator damage)may cause specific involuntary movements, they could recover spontaneously after a period of months.

A 69-year-old female with left atrial tumor was refered to our hospital for surgical treatment. The tumor was attached to the interatrial septum and resected completely. Histopathological analysis confirmed a myxoma with ossification(mature bone). These findings may support the hypothesis that the undifferentiated mesenchymal cells are the origin of cardiac myxoma.

A 47-year old man presented to our hospital with a 6-month history of malaise, cough and dyspnea on exertion. Laboratory testing revealed the severe hyponatremia. A chest X-ray showed bilateral diffuse micronodules. Anti-Trichosporon asahii antibody and environmental provocation test were positive. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed lymphocytosis and low CD4/8 ratio. The specimens obtained by transbronchial lung biopsy revealed alveolitis. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed as having summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis (SHP). The patient was treated with antigen avoidance and oral corticosteroid. The hyponatremia caused by syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) was treated with normal saline and water restriction. Serum sodium level was improved with treatment of SHP, which suggested the relevance between SHP and SIADH.

We report two family members, a 64-year-old woman (patient 1) and her 37-year-old son (patient 2) diagnosed with summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis (SHP). Both patients had high serum titers of anti-Trichosporon asahii antibody. The patients lived in the same house and worked in the same barbershop. Patient 1 was diagnosed with SHP in the summer, and she reacted positively to the provocation test at the work place, but not in the house. Patient 2 was diagnosed with SHP in the winter. Generally, SHP develops and is diagnosed in the summer. The home environment is responsible for most cases of familial SHP. Therefore, our cases of familial SHP are unusual and may suggest that the clinical characteristics of SHP have changed, due to alterations in social and environmental conditions.

Recently, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is used worldwide, highly accurate verification of the location using image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) has become critical. However, the use of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to ascertain the location each time raises concerns about its influence on radiotherapy dosage and increased radiation exposure. The purpose of this study was to measure the absorbed dose using nine kilovoltage (kV) devices and two megavoltage (MV) devices (total 11 devices) at eight facilities, compare the absorbed dose among the devices, and assess the characteristics of the respective devices to ensure optimal clinical operation. For the measurement of the absorbed dose, a farmer-type ionization chamber dosimeter, calibrated using a 60 Co and an IMRT dose verification phantom manufactured from water-equivalent material RW3, was used to measure the absorbed dose at nine points in the phantom for two regions, the pelvic and cephalic region. The average absorbed dose of the pelvic region was 3.09±0.21 cGy in kV-CBCT (OBI), 1.16±0.16 cGy in kV-CBCT (XVI), 5.64±1.48 cGy in MV-CBCT (4 MV), and 6.33±1.54 cGy in MV-CBCT (6 MV). The average absorbed dose of the cephalic region was 0.38±0.03 cGy in kV-CBCT (OBI), 0.23±0.06 cGy in kV-CBCT (XVI), 4.02±0.72 cGy in MV-CBCT (4 MV), and 4.46±0.77 cGy in MV-CBCT (6 MV). There was a difference in the absorbed dose at the measured points as well as in the dose distribution in the phantom cross section. No major difference was observed in the absorbed dose among identical devices, but a difference was identified among the devices installed at multiple facilities. Therefore, the angle of rotation should be paid attention to when CBCT is taken, and the image-taking conditions should be determined. In addition, it is important to handle the devices only after ascertaining the absorbed dose of each device.

A 46-year-old woman with cervical disc herniation underwent C4-6 laminoplasty and C4-5 foraminotomy under general anesthesia. The patient complained of the tongue deviation toward the right after surgery. She underwent several examinations and was diag- nosed as right hypoglossal nerve palsy caused by peripheral nerve disorder. It was considered that the main damage was the external branch of hypoglossal nerve which was likely to occur as a complication of compression because of the location. The cause of hypoglossal nerve palsy was assumed to be possibly direct compression of the hypoglossal nerve by the tracheal tube. In prone position surgery, it is important to take care of pressure to the tongue because the intraoral space tends to be reduced by edema of the face and neck.

A 45-year-old woman diagnosed with immunoglobu- lin A (IgA) deficiency during blood donation and undiagnosed with anti-IgA antibodies possession underwent emergency total abdominal hysterectomy due to bleeding from the uterus. The patient needed washed red blood cell (RBC) transfusion to avoid severe reaction to blood transfusion. However, Kitakyushu's Blood Center could not supply adequate RBCs immedi- ately because it was a holiday. The patient her rela- tives, and medical staff decided to use 4 units of trans- fused unwashed RBC to increase-her hemoglobin level from 5.4 to 6.5 g - d1- before anesthesia. We prepared an autologous blood collection device and started anes- thesia. Intraoperatively, 155 g bleeding was noted, and the patient was discharged uneventfully. Selective IgA deficiency is the most common primary hypogamma- globulinemia and is less frequent in the Japanese than in Caucasians. Up to 40% of patients with IgA defi- ciency had anti-IgA antibodies that can cause anaphy- lactic reactions to IgA in transfused blood. Blood cen- ters usually maintain a list of IgA-deficient blood donors to prepare compatible blood components. Wash- ing can remove>99% IgA in blood components that may prevent anaphylaxis. Blood transfusion in the present case might have generated anti-IgA antibodies. The patient would need washed RBCs in a subsequent operation.

Indications for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) have historically been decided after morphological evaluation using coronary angiography (CAG). Recently, the importance of physiological evaluation has been recognized using either myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) or fractional flow reserve (FFR). The results of the recent COURAGE trial showed that PCI did not improve mortality rates in medically optimized patients with stable CAD. However, a nuclear sub-study of that trial in which participants underwent MPI before and after PCI+ optimal medical therapy (OMT), found a greater reduction in ischemia compared with OMT alone. Moreover, the unadjusted risk for death or myocardial infarction in patients with ischemia reduction was lower. In contrast, the FAME study indicated that FFR-guided PCI improved the outcomes of patients with multi-vessel CAD compared with angiography-guided PCI. The FAME II study also indicated the validity of FFR-guided PCI. Thus, FFR evaluation of ischemia is becoming more popular worldwide from the viewpoint of intervention. Both MPI and FFR reflect physiological ischemia, but their findings do not necessarily match up. One reason is that MPI reflects myocardial ischemia whereas FFR reflects coronary artery ischemia. Thus, cardiologists regard the findings of these modalities conflicting when considering practicality and diagnostic accuracy. This article compares the features of MPI and FFR and discusses an appropriate strategy with which to evaluate CAD.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is one of the most commonly inherited neuromuscular diseases causing progressive muscle weakness; contracture; deformity in the feet, legs, and hands; and impairments of ambulation and handgrip. Reduced physical ability can be attributed not only to the disease but also to physical deconditioning. Previously, most physicians in the field of rehabilitation were anxious about the hypothesis of overwork weakness in CMT, and did not conduct intensive exercise programs for patients with CMT. However, recent studies have reported that progressive resistance strengthening programs for lower extremities are feasible, safe, beneficial, and improve exercise intolerance and undue fatigue in patients with CMT. Although the improvement in exercise tolerance may be partly due to the reversal of deconditioning effect of related sedentary lifestyle, progressive resistance training and physical fitness can improve walking function, activities of daily living, and subjective perception of pain and fatigue in patients with CMT. To increase the daily physical function, some studies described the potential benefits of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs); however, no control study supported it. So far, the training programs on CMT have been dependent on the exercise programs for able-bodied individuals. To increase the effects of rehabilitation, optimal programs that combine the training protocol and AFO strategies will have to be designed for patients with CMT.

A 77-year-old woman with a 15-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was admitted to our hospital because of a wet cough that persisted for 1 month. The patient had been taking methotrexate (MTX) and adalimumab (ADA) for the past 3 years, and disease activity of RA was low. Discontinuation of ADA and MTX and treatment with oral levofloxacin were not effective. On admission, laboratory examinations showed eosinophilia (2539/μL), elevated serum total immunoglobulin E (538.0 IU/ml) and Aspergillus-specific immunoglobulin E levels, and Aspergillus fumigatus serum precipitins. A chest radiograph revealed multiple bilateral pulmonary shadows, and computed tomography revealed multiple consolidations. Bronchoscopic examination showed mucous plugs. Pathological examination revealed diffuse infiltration of eosinophils and fungus in the plugs. These findings led to the diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). A combination of prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg/day) and itraconazole (200 mg/day) was administered. After 3 months, the pulmonary consolidations resolved. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ABPA in a patient with RA treated with ADA. If patients treated with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs present with eosinophilia and pulmonary consolidations, clinicians should consider ABPA in the differential diagnosis.

Here, we report three cases of moyamoya disease with a history of Kawasaki disease. A 33-year-old man was found to have stenotic lesions of the internal carotid arteries(ICAs)on both sides at a nearby hospital where he visited complaining of headache and lisping. He had received immunoglobulin therapy for Kawasaki disease at the ages of 1, 2, and 6 years. MRI showed only a chronic ischemic lesion in the white matter. Angiography showed occlusion at the terminal portion of the ICAs on both sides. He was diagnosed with moyamoya disease, but as he had no symptoms and preserved cerebral blood flow (CBF), he was kept under observation. An 8-year-old boy was diagnosed with moyamoya disease and underwent right encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis at a nearby hospital. He had received immunoglobulin therapy for Kawasaki disease at the age of 1 year. His ischemic symptoms worsened. Although MRI detected no apparent ischemic lesion, angiography revealed severe stenosis at the terminal portions of the ICAs on both sides, and 123I-IMP SPECT showed CBF impairment. Bilateral direct bypass was performed. His father was subsequently also diagnosed with moyamoya disease. A 4-year-old girl with epilepsy was diagnosed with moyamoya disease at a nearby hospital. She had been treated with aspirin for Kawasaki disease at the age of 1 year. MRI detected no remarkable ischemic lesions, but angiography revealed mild stenosis at the terminal portions of the ICAs on both sides. Five months later, her ischemic symptoms were worsening with progressing stenotic lesions, and she underwent bilateral direct bypass.

Background: It is recommended to avoid overinflation of the bronchial cuff, leading to ischemic pressure damages to the respiratory mucosa and bronchial rupture. We investigated the minimum bronchial cuff pressure of 35 Fr double lumen tubes (DLTs) during one lung ventilation using a capnometer., Methods: We studied 50 patients who were scheduled to undergo thoracic surgery. General anesthesia was induced and the patients were intubated with 35 Fr left DLT. With a fiberoptic bronchoscope, the DLT was positioned appropriately. The bronchial cuff was inflated first with air 3-3.5 ml. Lung isolation was confirmed by auscultation. Measurements were performed with the patient in the lateral position. Ventilating one lung isolatedly for 5 minutes, we confirmed non ventilated condition with a capnometer displaying flat line. The bronchial cuff was deflated 0.5-ml steps just before displaying the respiratory pattern by the capnogram. The bronchial cuff pressure and volume were recorded at this point, Results: The minimum pressures of bronchial cuff (volume) for one lung ventilation are for male 5.46 ± 0.6 cmH2O (2.33?0.1 ml) and for female 1.5?0.5 cmH20 (1.09 ± 0.3 ml). These values are smaller than the recommended value (< 25 cmH2O). There was no case in which the collapse of the operated lung was insufficient., Conclusions: In this study, the bronchial pressure higher than 12 cmH2O was not necessary for one lung ventilation. If high intracuff pressure is necessary to seal the bronchus, there are possibilities of the incompatibility of the size of DLT and the herniation of the bronchial cuff to the proximal side. The method of confirmation of OLV using a capnometer can display the non ventilated condition on the monitor objectively. We can thus decrease troubles during operations.

Introduction: We commonly use data obtained prior to cervical lymph node biopsy for the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma. Based on such data, we can confirm whether a biopsy should be performed in some cases. Currently, the parameters used to indicate a presurgery examination prior to biopsy have been very few. So, we retrospectively analyzed cases of cervical lymph node biopsy. Moreover, we examined the usefulness of clinicobiological data obtained prior to cervical lymph node biopsy to evaluate various factors related to the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma., Methods: This study included 77 patients for whom the initial diagnostic impression was malignant lymphoma before surgery. Of the 77 cases, 40 were diagnosed as having malignant lymphoma and 37 were diagnosed as having non-malignant lymphoma. We performed a case-controlled study to evaluate the differences in clinicobiological data between malignant and non-malignant lymphoma in terms of the following parameters: (1) age, (2) sex, (3) number of white blood cells, (4) white blood cell lymphocyte count, (5) percentage of white blood cell lymphocytes, (6) percentage of eosinophils (%), (7) percentage of monocytes (%), (8) atypical lymphocytes (%), (9) hemoglobin level, (10) lactate dehydrogenase level, (11) C-reactive protein level, (12) soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) level, and (13) cytological findings. We used multivariate and univariate analyses to study the data statistically., Results: The following 5 factors were found to be significant in a Wilcoxon t-test for malignant lymphoma: percentage of white blood cell lymphocytes, sIL-2R level, age, white blood cell lymphocyte count, and cytological findings; these factors were also significant when examined using a Pearson χ2 test. The other factors did not differ significantly between the malignant and non-malignant lymphomas. The percentage of white blood cell lymphocytes and the cytological findings were identified as significant independent factors for the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma in a multivariate analysis, whereas the other factors were not found to be significant., Conclusion: Based on the results of the univariate and multivariate analyses performed in the present study, the decline in the percentage of white blood cell lymphocytes and the cytological findings obtained prior to cervical lymph node biopsy are significant indicators of malignant lymphoma.

A 49-year-old female patient with a symptom of dysphagia underwent endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) of the upper gastrointestinal tract, which incidentally revealed a tumor compressing the esophagus from outside. Transthoracic echocardiography performed after EUS showed a giant tumor in the left atrium. The tumor, measuring 75×68×43 mm, weighing 105 g was successfully removed, and pathologically diagnosed as myxoma. Her symptom disappeared completely. When performing clinical studies, it is important to pay every attention not to miss any abnormal findings beyond the scope of targeted areas. We also mentioned an ambiguity of the term," giant" regarding the size and weight of myxoma.

A 35-year-old pregnant female with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis underwent emergency cesarean section at 24 weeks of gestation under general anesthesia. The patient had received magnesium sulfate with a diagnosis of pregnancy-induced hypertension since 20 weeks of gestation. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental 3.5 mg x kg(-1) and tracheal intubation was facilitated by administration of rocuronium 1.0 mg x kg(-1). No additional rocuronium was needed during operation. After operation, no twitch was noted on the ulnar nerve TOF monitor. The TOF returned to 4/4 at postoperative 11 hours and the patient was extubated uneventfully. When rocuronium is used to facilitate general endotracheal anesthesia in a patient for emergency cesarean delivery, it is important to recognize that magnesium may prolong neuromuscular block significantly.

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma(SSEH)is a rare condition that typically presents with acute back pain and paraparesis or quadriparesis. However, hemiparesis is a rare initial symptom of SSEH. Here, we report two cases of SSEH presenting with hemiparesis, which were difficult to distinguish from cerebral stroke. In both cases, source images of MR angiography were useful for the diagnosis of SSEH. The first patient was an 84-year-old man who presented with monoparesis in the left lower extremity, without back pain. He was initially misdiagnosed with a cerebral stroke and treated inappropriately with antiplatelet agents. Five days after admission, the correct diagnosis of SSEH was made based on cervical magnetic resonance imaging. Source images of cervical MR angiography also revealed SSEH. He was managed conservatively because of his relatively mild symptoms and stable condition, and his symptoms improved by rehabilitation. The second patient was a 72-year-old woman who presented with right hemiparesis and back pain. Source images of cervical MR angiography revealed a right posterolateral epidural hematoma, and underwent emergency surgical decompression and hematoma removal. We emphasize that SSEH should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients with acute hemiparesis, even though they do not complain of back pain, and that source images of neck MR angiography could be useful for quickly screening for SSEH.

Acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS) is generic name of bleeding disorders caused by acquired decrease of von Willebrand factor. A 25-year-old woman with AvWS underwent emergent cesarean section under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia. Before operation, her APTT was within normal ranges. Platelet count was about 80,000 and factor VIII and von Willebrand factor's activities were 37% and 21%, respectively. Therefore, we administered 10 units of platelet concentrate and 2,000 units of factor VIII concentrate intravenously before the operation. The emergent operation was done without any bleeding complications. Factor VIII concentrate was administered until 11 days after the operation. Epidural catheter was removed just after administration of factor VIII concentrate 3 days after operation. The perioperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged 11 days after the operation. It is important to co-operate with other related departments in managing the perioperative coagulation status in a patient with AvWS.

Superselective intra-arterial concurrent chemoradiotherapy(SIACC)for oral cancer has been favored for its efficacy and ability to not damage organs. SIACC was applied to 13 previously untreated patients with oral cancer for the purpose of avoiding surgical resection of the primary tumor in our hospital from 2007 to 2009. Although a complete response of the primary tumor was achieved in all cases, various adverse events also occurred. All patients experienced leucopenia, and most patients suffered from mucotitis and dry mouth. One patient had dizziness and nausea due to the catheter insertion into the vertebra artery. Although SIACC is an important treatment strategy for oral cancer, careful attention for adverse events should be taken into account during and after treatment.

Shoulder arthroscopy has been performed in beach-chair position. In our hospital, the postoperative complications of the airway were reported in the patients who had undergone the operation in this position (hoarseness: 4 cases, paralysis of recurrent nerve: 2 cases, arytenoids dislocation: 1 case). We assumed that the neck bending during operation causes these complications. We investigated the relationship between the neck position and the intra-cuff pressure of endotrachial tube. The results showed that the neck bending significantly increases the intra-cuff pressure of endotrachial tube. Therefore, we conclude that it is necessary to pay attention to neck position to avoid postoperative complications of the airway in the patients who have the operation in beach-chair position.

Swyer-James syndrome (SJS) shows the constellation of radiographic findings of a small, hyper lucent lung, with an ipsilateral, diminished peripheral vasculature, air trapping, and a lack of peripheral fill on bronchography. We report a case of 70-year-old woman with SJS who underwent pulmonary resection of the normal side lung for lung tumor. Because of this syndrome, we could predict the hypoxia during one-lung ventilation. In fact, about ten minutes after beginning of one-lung ventilation, Sp(O2) decreased from 100% to 90%. As we could not improve the hypoxia in spite of increasing FI(O2), O2 administration to the operating side lung was started. Sp(O2) recovered after O2 administration. For anesthetic management of a patient with SJS in the normal-side-lung, it is essential to prevent the hypoxia during one-lung ventilation.

Purpose: To observe the current situation of tuberculosis and its control measures in hemodialysis facilities in Chiba Prefecture, Japan., Method: Questionnaires on medical dialysis and tuberculosis were sent to hemodialysis facilities in Chiba Prefecture., Results: The questionnaires were answered by 55 of 127 facilities. Of the respondents, 46 (83.6%) were not aware of the recommendation of treatment for latent tuberculosis infections in Japanese patients. Moreover, 30 (54.5%) facilities did not examine patients for tuberculosis prior to the initiation of hemodialysis. Of the 21 facilities that did assess patients for tuberculosis infection, only 5 (23.8%) performed a tuberculin skin test or QuantiFERON TB-2G. Three of the five (60.0%) that were treating tuberculosis by themselves expressed fear or uncertainty about the diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infections. During January 2006 through December 2007, tuberculosis patients were detected in 11 facilities, and the proportion of extrapulmonary tuberculosis among these patients was 52.4%. Seven facilities reported that they took no control measures against tuberculosis., Conclusion: It is important to inform medical dialysis facilities about latent tuberculosis infections, the early diagnosis of tuberculosis, and the combination of nosocomial infection control. It is also important for experts in hemodialysis and tuberculosis to work closely together.

Background: Anticardiolipin antibodies in the autoimmune mechanism can cause vasculitis, leading to hypercoagulability-related thrombosis. We report a case of retinal vein occlusion followed by ischemic optic neuropathy in a young woman with anticardiolipin IgG antibody., Case: A 17-year-old woman with dilatation and tortuosity of the retinal veins and retinal hemorrhage in the superior quadrant of the retina OS. Fluorescein retinal angiography showed a delay of filling time in the upper quadrant of the retina and a 3mm-continuous stain along the superior retinal vein. Laboratory tests were repeatedly positive for anticardiolipin IgG antibodies. Although the retinal hemorrhage disappeared 2 months after subtennon injection of 20 mg triamcinolone acetonide (TA), ischemic optic neuropathy occurred 9 months later., Conclusions: The staining of the vessel wall and the effectiveness of TA suggest that vasculitis may be associated with the pathology of this condition. The presence of anticardiolipin IgG antibodies suggests that autoimmune mechanism is involved in the vasculitis.

Purpose: To examine the clinical problems of died cases with pulmonary tuberculosis., Methods: Clinical findings of 52 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, who had died in our hospital between April 2005 to March 2007, were analyzed., Results: Mean age was 72.3 10.6 years old, 9 cases (17.3 %) were relapsed, and 35 cases (67.3%) had cavity on the chest X-ray. 34 cases (65.4%) were PS4 and none was PS0 or PS1 on admission. Complications were malignancy in 11 cases, diabetes mellitus in 10 cases, and respiratory diseases in 6 cases. 15 cases (28.8%) were treated with drugs including INH, RFP and PZA, 14 cases (26.9%) with drugs including INH and RFP, 16 cases (30.8%) with the other drugs, and 7 cases (13.5%) were not able to be administered any drug. 35 cases (67.3%) died of tuberculosis and 17 cases (32.7%) died of non-tuberculous conditions., Conclusion: Many died cases were under very poor general condition, needed frequent care, had many kind of complications and had difficulty with standard treatment on admission. Tuberculous death were observed highly, but death by complications were observed in many cases. It is necessary to control complications and enlighten society and docters about importance of early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis continuously.

A 79-year-old man with past history of thoracoplasty due to pulmonary tuberculosis visited a general clinic complaining of left back pain and left axillary tumor. As the pus of tumor aspirated was positive for PCR-TB, the patient was diagnosed as pericostal tuberculosis and introduced to our hospital. At first, the operation was considered, but the patient had high risk for the operation because he was old and low body weight and the lesion of tuberculosis in his thorax was very extensive. Anti-tuberculous drugs were administrated and exclusion of pus by needle aspiration was repeated. After starting the treatment, the size of tumor had reduced guradually. Pericostal tuberculosis should be taken into consideration in case of pericostal mass with past history of tuberculosis, and the method of treatment should be decided with considering patient's condition.

A 26-year-old man was admitted to a hospital complaing of continuous high fever and abdominal swelling. As his sputum and ascites culture was positive for acid-fast bacilli and PCR-TB, he was diagnosed as miliary tuberculosis, tuberculous with pleuritis and peritonitis, and transferrd to our hospital. After initiation of treatment with isoniazid, rifampicin (RFP), ethambutol, and pyrazinamide, RFP was suspended because of direct-reacting hyperbilirubinemia. As the liver function recovered after discontinuation of RFP, low dose of RFP was re-administrated and renal dysfunction was observed. The renal dysfunction continued after discontinuation of suspicious drugs including RFP. As renal biopsy revealed interstitial nephritis, prednisolon 20 mg/day was started and renal function recovered quickly. From the clinical course and examination, we considered interstitial nephritis was due to re-administration of RFP and steroid therapy was effective.

Ten years after starting my pediatric career at the Japanese Red Cross Central Hospital (now Japanese Red Cross Medical Center) in Tokyo, I examined on January 5, 1961, a 4 year-3 month old boy, with curious clinical symptom-complex I had never experienced. This patient was a typical Kawasaki disease patient. But at that time I was unable to make a diagnosis. In February 1962, a case of suspected sepsis was referred to me from a neighboring doctor. After admitting the child into the hospital, the patient had a similar clinical course as the previous patient. I realized that there were 2 patients with similar unique clinical symptom complexes that did not exist in any medical reference book. From March to September 1962, I was able to see 5 patients who fell into the same category. In 1967, I published my original article entitled, "Infantile Acute febrile Muco-cutaneous lymph node syndrome: clinical observations of 50 cases".

Purpose: To examine the clinical problem of elderly pulmonary tuberculosis patients., Methods: Clinical findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in elderly patients, who admitted to our hospital from 2001 to 2003, were analyzed in their status, complication, treatment, and prognosis., Results: There were 145 patients, and the early elders from 65 to 74 years old were 67, and the latter elders over 75 years old were 78. Most of the cases were treated by the standard tuberculosis treatment, but in the latter elders, less patients were treated by the short course treatment with PZA than the early elders. The rate of negative conversion of sputum culture was good in both the early and the latter elders who were able to continue treatment. But, the elderly pulmonary tuberculosis patients were severe status and their prognosis was in general not good. The elderly pulmonary tuberculosis patients needed frequent care continuously. Tuberculosis problem should be understood more correctly in the medical and the nursing facilities.

We report a case of biventricular noncompaction in whom magnetic resonance imaging revealed prominent trabeculations in the right ventricle as in the left ventricle. A 58-year-old man was referred to our hospital complaining of appetite loss and leg edema. Chest radiography showed cardiomegaly without pulmonary congestion. The diagnosis was right ventricular heart failure with congestive liver causing elevated liver enzyme. Transthoracic echocardiography showed prominent trabeculations and deep recesses in the inferolateral wall and apex of the left ventricle with the end-diastolic dimension of 64mm and ejection fraction of 29%. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated right ventricular noncompaction which remained unclear on echocardiography. Prominent trabeculations in the dilated right ventricle were confirmed by right ventriculography. The ejection fraction was 23%.

We reported two cases of intracranial skull base chondroma and discussed the differential diagnosis and the treatment strategies. The first case was a 39-year-old male who presented with left exophtalmos, visual loss and oculomotor disturbance. MRI showed a huge tumor occupying the bilateral cavernous sinus. Partial removal of the tumor was performed through the left orbitozygomatic subtemporal approach. The second case was a 54-year-old male who presented with left hemiparesis. MRI showed a brain stem infarction with a huge tumor located at the right middle fossa. Partial removal was performed through the right orbitozygomatic subtemporal approach. In these two cases, the histopathological diagnosis of the tumors was benign chondroma and the size of residual tumors have not changed for one year without any additional therapy. Although preoperative definite diagnosis for skull base chondromas is difficult, strategies for diagnosis and treatment without any complication are essential. In our cases, chondromas showed low uptake in PET images, which might be useful for differentiation between chondromas and chordomas. The current popular surgical approach for parasellar tumors is transcranial such as the orbitozygomatic subtemporal approach. In surgical removal of skull base chondromas, it is advisable to try to confirm the diagnosis preoperatively with characteristic image findings and to consider the best approach in each case to decompress the involved nerves without any complications.

Tuberculosis is seen in every part of the body, but sternoclavicular joint tuberculosis is rare. We report a case of tuberculosis of the sternoclavicular joint in 70-year-old woman having complained of the right sternoclavicular joint swelling. She had a previous history of pulmonary tuberculosis, and visited her doctor for right sternoclavicular joint swelling on February 2006. A chest CT scan showed a low density area with destructive osseous changes in the right sternoclavicular joint. Definite diagnosis could not be done by twice needle biopsy, but we diagnosed her as tuberculosis of the sternoclavicular joint based on the clinical course and the findings of the examination. As her condition did not improve after 3 months treatment with anti-tuberculous drugs, we conducted therapeutic surgical procedure. Definite diagnosis of sternoclavicular joint tuberculosis was made on the basis of the presence of mycobacteria in the histological specimen and PCR-TB positive result. We kept the wound opened and continued administration of anti-tuberculous drugs, and her condition does not deteriorate. Tuberculosis should be considered in case of a patient with arthritis and previous history of tuberculosis, even if it is seen in rare location. Diagnostic and therapeutic surgical procedure should be taken into consideration, if there is no improvement of the condition after a diagnosis of bone and joint tuberculosis, and the administration of chemotherapy for tuberculosis.

Objectives: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and QRS duration have been reported as independent predictors for cardiac events in patients with heart failure. The present study investigated the relationships between BNP and QRS duration to assess the prognostic value in patients with heart failure., Methods: We prospectively examined 93 patients presenting to our emergency department with heart failure between April 2000 and April 2003 (age 69 +/- 13 years, 53 males, 40 females). BNP level and QRS duration were measured after treatment for heart failure. The efficacy end point was the composite incidence of sudden death, death for progressive heart failure, or readmission for worsening heart failure., Results: During the mean follow-up period of 720 +/- 470 days, cardiac events occurred in 35 patients (sudden death in 6, death for progressive heart failure in 9, and readmission for worsening heart failure in 20). BNP level was almost equally higher in the three groups with cardiac events (mean +/- SEM; sudden death: 348 +/- 128 pg/ml, death for progressive heart failure: 390 +/- 97 pg/ml, readmission for worsening heart failure: 354 +/- 79 pg/ml) than in patients without cardiac events (213 +/- 34 pg/ml). In contrast, QRS duration was exclusively prolonged in patients with sudden death(mean +/- SEM, 125 +/- 10 msec) compared with the remaining three groups (death for progressive heart failure: 100 +/- 5 msec, readmission for worsening heart failure: 103 +/- 4 msec, no cardiac events: 108 +/- 3 msec). No relationship was found between BNP level and QRS duration in all patients with heart failure (Spearman r = 0.13, p = 0.22)., Conclusions: Increased BNP level was associated with poor prognosis irrespective of mode of cardiac events, and prolonged QRS duration was related to sudden death in our cohort with heart failure. The combination of BNP level and QRS duration may have adjunctive value in predicting the prognosis in patients with heart failure.

TS-1 is an antitumor drug including 5-chloro-2,4 dihydroxypyridine (CDHP), which inhibits dihydriopyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) activity selectively in metabolism of 5-FU. However, TS-1 therapy tends to increase adverse events for patients with impaired renal function due to excessively high blood concentration of 5-FU, because CDHP is mainly excreted into the urine. In a 67-year-old male with advanced gastric cancer, renal dysfunction occurred during TS-1 administration as its adverse event. We studied the pharmacokinetics of 5-FU, which were analyzed on the T1/2 value and the AUC (0-infinity) of 5-FU with a single and consecutive TS-1 administration, and estimated an optimal TS-1 administration regimen for this patient. The regimen is 60 mg/body/day given in one divided dose for 28 days consecutively followed by 14 days rest. This regimen enabled a continuation of TS-1 treatment for the patient. In conclusion, individual dose adjustment using pharmacokinetic study of 5-FU might be beneficial to patients with impaired renal function.