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Abstract Introduction Morbidly obese patients occasionally have respiratory problems owing to hypoventilation. Airway pressure release ventilation is one of the ventilation settings often used for respiratory management of acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, previous reports indicating that airway pressure release ventilation may become a therapeutic measure as ventilator management in morbid obesity with respiratory failure is limited. We report a case of markedly improved oxygenation in a morbidly obese patient after airway pressure release ventilation application. Case report A 50s-year-old Asian man (body mass index 41 kg/m2) presented with breathing difficulties. The patient had respiratory failure with a PaO2/FIO2 ratio of approximately 100 and severe atelectasis in the left lung, and ventilator management was initiated. Although the patient was managed on a conventional ventilate mode, oxygenation did not improve. On day 11, we changed the ventilation setting to airway pressure release ventilation, which showed marked improvement in oxygenation with a PaO2/FIO2 ratio of approximately 300. We could reduce sedative medication and apply respiratory rehabilitation. The patient was weaned from the ventilator on day 29 and transferred to another hospital for further rehabilitation on day 31. Conclusion Airway pressure release ventilation ventilator management in morbidly obese patients may contribute to improving oxygenation and become one of the direct therapeutic measures in the early stage of critical care.

We aimed to investigate the differences in renal function between patients who underwent single inner-layer renorrhaphy (SILR) or double-layer renorrhaphy (DLR) among those with renal tumors who underwent robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). This retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted between November 2018 and October 2023 at two institutions and included patients who underwent RAPN. In total, 93 eligible patients who underwent RAPN were analyzed. Preoperative renal function and prevalence of chronic kidney disease were not significantly different between the two groups. Although urinary leakage was observed in three patients (5.9%) in the SILR group, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding surgical outcomes (p = 0.249). Serum creatinine levels after RAPN were significantly lower in the SILR group than in the DLR group on postoperative days 1 and 365 following RAPN (p = 0.04). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was significantly lower in the DLR group than in the SILR group only on postoperative day 1; however, there was no significant difference between the two groups thereafter. Multivariate analysis showed that the method of renorrhaphy was not a predictor for maintaining renal function after RAPN even though it was associated with eGFR on postoperative day 1.

Abstract The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and predictors of nocturnal polyuria (NP) in Japanese patients. This multicentral, observational study enrolled patients with the chief complaint of nocturia at 17 Japanese institutions between January 2018 and December 2022. The frequency of daily voiding and volume of urination were evaluated using bladder diaries. NP was diagnosed in patients with an NP index of > 33%. The primary endpoint was NP prevalence in patients with nocturia. The secondary endpoints were the prevalence of NP according to sex and age and the identification of factors predicting NP. This study analyzed 875 eligible patients. NP was present in 590 (67.4%) patients, with prevalence rates of 66.6% and 70.0% in men and women, respectively. Age ≥ 78 years, body mass index (BMI)

A 58-year-old woman with bronchiectasis presented with massive hemoptysis and severe respiratory failure, which required long-term extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with continuous heparin infusion. Bronchial artery embolization using hydrogel coils, which provide a greater volume occlusion than bare platinum coils, was performed; hemoptysis stopped and she fully recovered. No recanalization was observed on follow-up computed tomography angiography 2 months postbronchial artery embolization, and there had been no recurrence of bleeding at the time of this report (at least 6 months). Although continuous anticoagulation during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation might hinder complete vessel occlusion by metallic coils or induce early recanalization (because the homeostatic mechanism of coils depends on the patient's coagulability), our experience showed that bronchial artery embolization using hydrogel coils was effective and safe. Additionally, this case presents a successful example of anticoagulation management for patients with hemoptysis on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation who undergo bronchial artery embolization using coils.

Abstract Background Uterine rupture is a major cause of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) that requires surgery. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is also helpful for PPH. However, the effectiveness of REBOA in PPH with cardiac arrest is unknown. Case Presentation A 40‐year‐old woman developed hemorrhagic shock due to uterine rupture after an induced delivery. She developed cardiac arrest, but was rescued by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), REBOA, a hysterectomy, and pelvic gauze packing. The hemodynamics were too unstable to move to the operating room. Then we initiated the CPR assisted with REBOA and decided to activate massive transfusion and perform laparotomy in the emergency room. She was finally discharged home without neurological sequelae. Conclusion Our damage control strategy, including REBOA‐assisted CPR, contributed to saving the life of a patient with a life‐threatening PPH.

Aim The nationwide impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic on major trauma in Japan is unknown. The nationwide registry‐based data of the Japanese Trauma Data Bank were analyzed to elucidate the impact of COVID‐19 on the epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes of major trauma patients. Methods Among patients transported directly from the injury site by ambulance with an Injury Severity Score of ≥16, we compared patients managed from April to December in 2019 to those managed from April to December in 2020. Results In total, 9792 patients were included in this study (2019, n = 5194; 2020, n = 4598). There were no significant differences in age or sex, but there were significant differences between 2019 and 2020 in the rates of “self‐injury (suicide)”, “motor vehicle accident”, “fall from height”, “fall down”, and “fall to the ground”, which are factors associated with patient age. Injury severity in 2019 and 2020 did not differ to a statistically significant extent, but the rate of major spinal injury increased. The time of prehospital care significantly increased in 2020 compared to 2019. There was no noticeable change in hospital treatment or in‐hospital mortality between 2019 and 2020. Conclusion This study suggests that the COVID‐19 pandemic might have altered the injuries of major trauma; however, medical services for major trauma were well supplied in Japan in 2020.

Arterial access is essential in the resuscitation of trauma and hemorrhagic shock patients and can be effectively used for rapid endovascular treatment such as resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) and interventional radiology (IVR), continuous invasive hemodynamic monitoring, and frequent blood tests. In the REBOA procedure, obtaining arterial access is the first and most critical step. Arterial access can be obtained in three ways: (1) blind/landmark technique, (2) ultrasound-guided technique or (3) surgical cutdown technique. Regardless of which technique is chosen, it is crucial to recognize external landmarks before implementing any technique. In ultrasound-guided puncture, there are two types of techniques: short-axis puncture and long-axis puncture. There are two methods for actual puncture: the single-wall puncture method and the double-wall puncture method. In cases of hemorrhagic shock, the double-wall puncture method is advantageous when it is necessary to obtain arterial access quickly and reliably. The cutdown technique is useful when the femoral artery cannot be identified through ultrasound guidance or cannot be punctured for a long time owing to puncture-induced hematoma or obesity. This technique should be used without hesitation if it is evaluated to be more rapid and reliable than an ultrasound-guided puncture.

Numerous complications have been reported regarding the use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA). Complications can be broadly classified into the following six categories: arterial access-related, REBOA catheter insertion-related, balloon positioning-related, balloon inflation-related, balloon deflation-related, and sheath placement and removal-related. REBOA operators must be knowledgeable about these possible complications and their management, along with its utility. A strong commitment to using REBOA safely and complication-free is essential to the skillful use of REBOA.

In traumatic hemorrhagic shock, there are situations where rapid aortic occlusion is required. In such cases, the best aortic occlusion should be determined based on the situation. Therefore, it is essential to understand the various types of aortic occlusion, their characteristics, and their indications. However, aortic occlusion is not hemostasis but temporary proximal control of arterial bleeding; definitive hemostasis should not be delayed even if blood pressure is elevated after aortic occlusion. We describe the indications, characteristics and implementation of each aortic occlusion and the comparison between resuscitative thoracotomy with aortic cross-clamp (RTACC) and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA). It is not necessary to discuss the superiority or inferiority of RTACC and REBOA. The appropriate determination of a combination of these tactics will increase the range of strategies and tactics.

Many blunt trauma injuries have multiple bleeding points and are accompanied by coagulopathy. In contrast, in a non-traumatic injury, the patient often demonstrates a single bleeding site that is rarely accompanied by coagulopathy. Thus, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is considered more effective in non-traumatic cases than in traumatic cases. In addition, in non-traumatic cases, REBOA may be used for central blood flow control during definitive hemostasis and prevention of expected massive bleeding. In such cases, REBOA should be used carefully to avoid complications. We describe the indications for and uses of REBOA in non-traumatic cases based on existing evidence.

In trauma bays, resuscitation as a bridge to definitive hemorrhage control to avoid cardiac arrest is challenging. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a resuscitation procedure for refractory hemorrhagic shock. The REBOA procedure itself is simple compared to other endovascular procedures, such as angioembolization or stent graft placement. However, adequate REBOA implementation requires a complete understanding of its potential risks and simulation training. We should be aware that REBOA is not a hemostatic device, but a bridge to definitive hemorrhage control; furthermore, it is not a magical device that can improve the critical situation in trauma resuscitation. For appropriate use, we herein describe the indication of REBOA in trauma resuscitation based on existing evidence.

Abstract Background There is a paucity of information for predicting patient outcomes other than the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) renal injury scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the patient characteristics and outcomes of patients with blunt renal trauma using a nationwide database in Japan. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB) from 2004 to 2018. We identified patients with blunt renal trauma by AIS codes converted to AAST grades. We evaluated trends in patient characteristics and management and assessed factors associated with mortality and nephrectomy using a multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results We identified 3550 patients with blunt renal trauma. Their median age was 43 years and 74.2% were male. Nephrectomy was performed in 3.8%, and the overall mortality rate was 9.5%. We found increasing trends in age and emergency abdominal angiography and decreasing trends in nephrectomy and mortality over the 15-year period. The following factors were associated with mortality: age ≥ 65 years (adjusted OR 3.36); pedestrian accident (adjusted OR 1.94); fall from height (adjusted OR 1.91); shock on arrival (adjusted OR 4.02); concomitant injuries to the head/neck (adjusted OR 3.14), pelvis/lower-extremity (adjusted OR 1.59), liver (adjusted OR 1.68), spleen (adjusted OR 1.45), and gastrointestinal tract (adjusted OR 1.90); AAST grades III–V (adjusted ORs 1.42, 2.16, and 5.55); and emergency abdominal angiography (adjusted OR 0.70). The following factors were associated with nephrectomy: shock on arrival (adjusted OR 1.98), concomitant injuries to the thorax (adjusted OR 0.46) and spleen (adjusted OR 2.07), AAST grades III, IV, and V (adjusted ORs 18.40, 113.89, and 468.17), and emergency abdominal angiography (adjusted OR 0.28). Conclusions We demonstrated that the AAST grade and emergency angiography were associated with mortality and nephrectomy in blunt renal trauma in the Japanese population.

BackgroundEarly surveillance to prevent the spread of influenza is a major public health concern. If there is an association of influenza epidemics with mobile app data, it may be possible to forecast influenza earlier and more easily. ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the relationship between seasonal influenza and the frequency of mobile app use among children in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study that was performed over a three-year period from January 2017 to December 2019. Using a linear regression model, we calculated the R2 value of the regression model to evaluate the relationship between the number of “fever” events selected in the mobile app and the number of influenza patients ≤14 years of age. We conducted three-fold cross-validation using data from two years as the training data set and the data of the remaining year as the test data set to evaluate the validity of the regression model. And we calculated Spearman correlation coefficients between the calculated number of influenza patients estimated using the regression model and the number of influenza patients, limited to the period from December to April when influenza is prevalent in Japan. ResultsWe included 29,392 mobile app users. The R2 value for the linear regression model was 0.944, and the adjusted R2 value was 0.915. The mean Spearman correlation coefficient for the three regression models was 0.804. During the influenza season (December–April), the Spearman correlation coefficient between the number of influenza patients and the calculated number estimated using the linear regression model was 0.946 (P

Aim To assess relationships between abdominal angiography and outcomes in adults with blunt liver injuries. Methods A retrospective observational study carried out from January 2004 to December 2018. Adult blunt‐trauma patients with AAST grade Ⅲ–Ⅴ were analyzed with in‐hospital mortality as the primary outcome using propensity‐score‐(PS) matching to seek associations with abdominal angiography findings. Results A total of 1,821 patients were included, of which 854 had available abdominal angiography data (AA+) and 967 did not (AA−). From these, 562 patients were selected from each group by propensity score matching. In‐hospital mortality was found to be lower in the AA+ than in the AA− group (15.1% [87/562] versus 25.4% [143/562]; odds ratio 0.544, 95% confidence interval 0.398–0.739). Conclusion Abdominal angiography is shown to be of benefit for adult patients with blunt liver injury in terms of their lower in‐hospital mortality.

BackgroundWhen children suffer sudden illness or injury, many parents wonder whether they should go to the hospital immediately or call an ambulance. In 2015, we developed a mobile app that allows parents or guardians to determine the urgency of their child’s condition or call an ambulance and that indicates available hospitals and clinics when their child is suddenly sick or injured by simple selection of the child’s chief complaints and symptoms. However, the effectiveness of medical apps used by the general public has not been well evaluated. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to clarify the use profile of this mobile app based on data usage in the app. MethodsThis study was a descriptive epidemiological study with a 4-year study period running from January 2016 to December 2019. We included cases in which the app was used either by the children themselves or by their parents and other guardians. Cases in which the app was downloaded but never actually used were excluded from this study. Continuous variables are presented as median and IQR, and categorical variables are presented as actual number and percentages. ResultsThe app was used during the study period for 59,375 children whose median age was 1 year (IQR 0-3 years). The app was used for 33,874 (57.05%) infants, 16,228 (27.33%) toddlers, 8102 (13.65%) elementary school students, and 1117 (1.88%) junior high school students, with 54 (0.09%) having an unknown status. Furthermore, 31,519 (53.08%) were male and 27,329 (46.03%) were female, with sex being unknown for 527 (0.89%) children. “Sickness” was chosen for 49,101 (78.51%) patients, and “injury, poisoning, foreign, substances and others” was chosen for 13,441 (21.49%). For “sickness,” “fever” was the most commonly selected option (22,773, 36.41%), followed by “cough” (4054, 6.48%), and “nausea/vomiting” (3528, 5.64%), whereas for “injury, poisoning, foreign substances and others,” “head and neck injury” was the most commonly selected option (3887, 6.22%), followed by “face and extremities injury” (1493, 2.39%) and “injury and foreign substances in eyes” (1255, 2.01%). ConclusionsThis study clarified the profile of use of a self-triage app for pediatric emergency patients in Japan.

Aim Effective courses are essential for highly invasive procedures such as resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta. However, the coronavirus disease pandemic has forced the postponement of on‐site educational courses due to transmission concerns. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of Web‐based education in highly invasive procedures. To address this knowledge gap, this study aimed to investigate whether knowledge acquisition and confidence after the Web‐based course are different from those acquired after the on‐site course, using pre‐ and postcourse test scores. Methods The increase in scores before and after the course was compared between the on‐site and Web‐based courses. The questions reflected knowledge about seven different topics in the course modules. In addition, participants were asked about their self‐rated confidence about three topics before and after the course. Results Thirty learners completed the on‐site course, and 21 learners completed the Web‐based course. Forty‐seven learners completed both the precourse and postcourse tests. In both courses, the difference between the precourse and postcourse test scores showed a statistically significant increase in knowledge (on‐site course: increased score, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.8 to 2.8; Web‐based course: increased score, 1.6, 95% confidence interval, 0.5 to 2.5). However, the difference was not statistically significant in the self‐rated confidence scores about “sheath and catheter removal” among learners of the Web‐based course. Conclusion Knowledge increased significantly in both the on‐site and Web‐based courses. However, the Web‐based course might not be sufficient to give learners confidence in the procedures.

Aim Self‐inflicted injury, as one reason to visit the emergency department, is an important issue in emergency medicine around the world. However, the impact of changes in social systems, such as medical reimbursement revision, on ambulance transport for self‐inflicted injury remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of medical reimbursement revision on the emergency transport of self‐inflicted injury patients using nationwide ambulance records. Methods This was a retrospective observational study from April 2012 to March 2016. We analyzed nationwide ambulance records in Japan, and included self‐inflicted injury, drug poisoning, and drug overdose patients transported to hospitals by ambulance. The primary outcome of this study was age‐adjusted number of self‐inflicted injury patients transported by ambulance in each month per 1 million standard populations. To assess the impact of the medical reimbursement revision in 2014, we calculated the R2, regression coefficients and 95% confidence interval (CI) using interrupted time series analysis. Results This study included 148,873 patients. The R2 for the interrupted time series model was 0.821. The regression coefficient for the time trend before the medical reimbursement revision was 0.167 (95% CI, 0.090 to 0.244; p

BackgroundReplacing traditional surveillance with syndromic surveillance is one of the major interests in public health. However, it is unclear whether the number of influenza patients is associated with the number of telephone triages in Japan.MethodsThis retrospective, observational study was conducted over the six-year period between January 2012 to December 2017. We used the dataset of a telephone triage service in Osaka, Japan and the data on influenza patients published from the Information Center of Infectious Disease in Osaka prefecture. Using a linear regression model, we calculated Spearman's rank-order coefficient and R2 of the regression model to assess the relationship between the number of telephone triages for fever and the number of influenza patients in Osaka. Furthermore, we calculated Spearman's rank-order coefficient and R2 between the predicted weekly number of influenza patients from the linear regression model and the actual weekly number of influenza patients for influenza outbreak season (December-April).ResultsThere were 465,971 patients with influenza, and the number of telephone triages for fever was 420,928 among 1,065,628 total telephone triages during the study period. Our analysis showed that the Spearman rank-order coefficient was 0.932, and R2 and adjusted R2 were 0.869 and 0.842, respectively. The Spearman rank-order coefficient was 0.923 (PConclusionWe revealed a positive relationship in this population between the number of influenza patients and the number of telephone triages for fever.

Pelvic lymphoceles are an infrequent complication after pelvic surgery and develop shortly after the surgery in most cases. We experienced a case of delayed infection of a lymphocele 6 months after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and pelvic lymphadenectomy. In this case, antimicrobial chemotherapy and percutaneous drainage were effective, and there was no recurrence of the disease. Most urologists do not recognize that infected lymphoceles can develop a long time after surgery; thus, infected lymphoceles should be kept in mind in patients with nonspecific infectious symptoms, regardless of the length of time after surgery.

The patient in this case report was an 88-year-old male. Acute upper airway obstruction by food led to transient cardiac arrest, and negative pressure pulmonary hemorrhage (NPPH) occurred 1 hour after the foreign body obstruction. Using venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome resulting from NPPH, his respiratory state was recovered and hemoptysis stopped. NPPH is a life-threatening disease, the rapid recognition of which is required to initiate appropriate therapy. Although active hemorrhage might be a contraindication for ECMO, our experience showed this to be an effective treatment option. Moreover, our experience suggests that the application of ECMO to elderly patients should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

We report the imaging findings of a patient with adrenocortical carcinoma who showed pelvic tumor thrombosis extending from sacral bone metastasis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated extensive intraluminal filling defects in the pelvic veins. A lytic lesion in the sacrum was also noted and continuity between the sacral lesion and the filling defect in the branch of pelvic veins was indicated. The filling defects showed increased uptake on positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose and single-photon emission computed tomography with 131I-iodomethylnorcholesterol, and fusion images with computed tomography aided the localization of the increased uptake areas. Multimodality imaging may be beneficial for the characterization and localization of lesions in patients suspected of having metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma.

Background: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) performed by emergency physicians has been gaining acceptance as a less invasive technique than resuscitative thoracotomy.Objective: To evaluate access-related complications and duration of occlusions during REBOA.Methods: Patients with haemorrhagic shock requiring REBOA, from 18 hospitals in Japan, included in the DIRECT-IABO Registry were studied. REBOA-related characteristics were compared between non-survivors and survivors at 24 hours. 24-Hour survivors were categorised into groups with small (≤8 Fr), large (≥9 Fr) or unusual sheaths (oversized or multiple) to assess the relationship between the sheath size and complications. Haemodynamic response, occlusion duration and outcomes were compared between groups with partial and complete REBOA.Results: Between August 2011 and December 2015, 142 adults undergoing REBOA were analysed. REBOA procedures were predominantly (94%) performed by emergency medicine (EM) physicians. The median duration of the small sheath (n=53) was 19 hours compared with 7.5 hours for the larger sheaths (P=0.025). Smaller sheaths were more likely to be removed using external manual compression (96% vs 45%, P<0.001). One case of a common femoral artery thrombus (large group) and two cases of amputation (unusual group) were identified. Partial REBOA was carried out in more cases (n=78) and resulted in a better haemodynamic response than complete REBOA (improvement in haemodynamics, 92% vs 70%, P=0.004; achievement of stability, 78% vs 51%, P=0.007) and allowed longer occlusion duration (median 58 vs 33 min, P=0.041). No statistically significant difference in 24-hour or 30-day survival was found between partial and complete REBOA.Conclusion: In Japan, EM physicians undertake the majority of REBOA procedures. Smaller sheaths appear to have fewer complications despite relatively prolonged placement and require external compression on removal. Although REBOA is a rarely performed procedure, partial REBOA, which may extend the occlusion duration without a reduction in survival, is used more commonly in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]