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Biomedical subjects

H Watanabe

Publications and source records attributed to H Watanabe.

At least 1,099 records · Page 61Linked to original sources

[Development of a blood cardioplegia delivery system for children].

We have developed a blood cardioplegia delivery system for children. Essential points of a delivery system in pediatric cardiac surgery are (1) a small amount of priming volume of a delivery system, and (2) slow, steady infusion of a cardioplegic solution. We changed a heat exchanger to a smaller one for reduction of priming volume, and changed a roller pump tube to a smaller one for slow, steady infusion. Thus, priming volume of a delivery system has reduced from 180 to 100 ml, and we can infuse a cardioplegic solution at a steady rate less than 10 ml/min. Our clinical experience with this system suggests that this blood cardioplegia delivery system is useful for pediatric cardiac surgery.

Blood↗

Video thoracoscopic resection of neurogenic tumor in a superior-posterior mediastinum: three case reports.

Neurogenic tumors of the thorax can originate in any neurogenic structure within the chest. Surgical resection is considered the primary treatment of such tumors and usually is performed through a thoracotomy. Recently, using a new approach, we applied the technique of video thoracoscopic surgery to resection a posterior mediastinal tumor. In this paper, we report three patients with superior-posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors in which the approach to the tumor is technically difficult. Cases 1 and 2 were a 26-year-old man and a 50-year-old asymptomatic man, respectively, and case 3 was a 45-year-old asymptomatic woman. The sizes of the three tumors were 3.0 x 2.5 x 1.8 cm (case 1), 6.0 x 4.0 x 2.0 cm (case 2), and 3.0 x 2.0 x 2.0 cm (case 3). In one case (case 2), minithoracotomy was added to video thoracoscopic surgery for adhesion to the spinal artery and intraspinal extension. A standard thoracotomy was avoided in all three cases. All patients had uncomplicated postoperative courses. Video thoracoscopic resection of a neurogenic tumor in the superior-posterior mediastinum may be a safe and useful approach with improved cosmetic results.

Adult↗

[Clinical results of combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin (pvb) for advanced testicular cancer: evaluation of risk criteria].

Between 1982 and 1991, 24 patients with advanced testicular germ cell tumor were treated by combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin (PVB). Based on short-term efficacy of the PVB regimen and long-term prognosis in our patients, we evaluated 4 risk criteria proposed by Indiana University, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Clinical staging were IIA in 8 patients, IIB in 8, IIIA in 1, IIIB in 5 and IIIC in 2. Metastases included retroperitoneal lymph node in 20 cases (> 5 cm in 10), lung in 6, bone and liver in each 1. Complete response (CR) was obtained in 12 (50%) patients and partial response (PR) in 9 (38%). According to the stage and metastatic site, CR was achieved in 75%, 38% and 38%of the stage IIA, IIB and III tumors, respectively, and in 60% and 50% of retroperitoneal and pulmonary metastases, respectively. However, neither CR nor PR was recognized for live and bone metastases. Prognosis was assessed with a mean followup period of 88.5 months. Although all 12 patients with CR were alive, 4 of the 9 with PR and all patients on whom the drug was ineffective died of cancer. Accuracy in predicting prognosis was 82%, 75%, 74%, and 63% using the MSKCC, Indiana, NCI and EORTC risk criteria, respectively.

Adolescent↗

[A case of permanent pacemaker implantation in neonate using steroid-eluting myocardial pacing leads].

A 0-day-old infant with symptomatic congenital atrioventricular block diagnosed by fetal echocardiography was successfully treated with the pacemaker implantation. Two steroid-eluting myocardial electrodes were fixed on the wall of the right ventricle. Steroid-eluting myocardial electrode is smaller than the others, stab-in and screw-in leads, so even in neonate we were able to place the leads by the subxyphoid approach. The postoperative thresholds were excellent.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial↗

[Clinical efficacy in pediatrics sinusitis infections of cefditoren pivoxil granule therapy and its in vitro antibacterial activity against clinically isolated strains].

We investigated the clinical efficacy in pediatrics sinusitis infections of cefditoren pivoxil granule therapy and its in vitro antibacterial activity against clinically isolated strains. The results are summarized as follows. The specimens from 343 patients were cultured and 595 strains of bacteria were isolated and identified. Oral doses of 3 and 5 mg/kg of CDTR-PI were clinically effective at high percentages, 85.1% and 89.5%, respectively, of treated patients. CDTR-PI at 3 mg/kg orally was clinically effective in 80.8% of patients with PCG intermediate S. pneumoniae (PISP) infections, 80.0% of those with PCG susceptible S. pneumoniae (PSSP) infections, 81.8% of those with H. influenzae infections and 78.3% of those with M. (B.) catarrhalis infections among the infections by major causative agents. The frequent isolates included S. pneumoniae accounting for 33.1%, H. influenzae accounting for 32.1%, M. (B.) catarrhalis accounting for 17.6% and S. pyogenes accounting 3.7% of all the isolates. PISP accounted for 16.1% of all the isolates and for 49.8% of the isolates of S. pneumoniae, and were isolated from 28.6% of the 343 patients. The isolation of PISP was frequent from children of 4 and under especially, and especially frequent from those below age 2. Of the isolates of S. pneumoniae, the biotype frequencies among PSSP were in the order of type I > type II > type III, while those among PISP were in the order of type I < type II with none of type III. Bacteriologically, an eradication rate of 89.4% was achieved with 3 mg/kg and 93.5% with 5 mg/kg of CDTR-PI.

Administration, Oral↗

[A case of ovarian fibrosarcoma].

We report a case of ovarian fibrosarcoma, one of the least common gynecological tumors. The tumor was a well-circumscribed mass extending from the pelvis to the lower abdomen. The greater part of the tumor was composed of fluid consisting of hemorrhage, degeneration and necrosis. This appeared as a very high-intensity area on T2-weighted MR images. There were also solid portions in the tumor that were shown as enhanced lesions on contrast-enhanced CT. It should be noted that fibrosarcoma can appear as an area of high intensity on T2-weighted MR images, although it belongs to the fibroma-thecoma group.

Female↗

Suicide by self-stabbing in the city of Tokyo--a review of accumulated data from 1976 to 1995.

Accumulated data of suicide by self-stabbing in the city of Tokyo (population: approx. 8.1 million. 1994) between 1976 and 1995 was reviewed. The overall numbers of suicides for each year were similar (min.: 1178, max.: 1620, 1346.9 on average), while the annual number of unusual death cases increased gradually (5399 in 1976 to 9226 in 1995). The annual number of suicides by self-stabbing fluctuated irregularly, but was generally low (2.3-4.7%) among modes of suicide. A significant difference was observed between the sex ratio in suicidal self-stabbing and that for all suicide; the male/female ratio is higher in suicidal self-stabbing than in suicides overall. The majority of fatally wounded body sites were in the neck, chest, abdomen, wrists and forearms. Marked differences according to sex were observed in terms of the implements employed for self-stabbing; craft knives, swords and recreational knives, fragments of glass, carpenter's tools and surgical knives were used almost exclusively by men, while more than 80% of women used kitchen knives or razors. No influence of psychiatric history on suicide by self-stabbing was proved.

Adolescent↗

[Mycetoma-forming pulmonary nocardiosis and endobronchial polypoid lesion].

A 46-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for evaluation of a dense infiltrative shadow in the right middle lung field. Bronchoscopic examination revealed a polypoid lesion in the right middle-lobe bronchus (Bb11(5)). Examination of a biopsy specimen showed a lump with many Nocardia asteroides bacteria. The response to chemotherapy, which included sulfomethoxazole, was poor, and therefore a right middle lobectomy was done. Three mycetomas were found inside the ectatic bronchi in the S5 area. Pulmonary Nocardia mycetoma is rare.

Bronchi↗

[Necessity of cervical lymph node dissection by retrospective analysis of submucosal cancer in mid-thoracic esophagus].

The frequency and distribution of metastatic lymph node of submucosal cancer (sm) located in mid-thoracic esophagus were investigated retrospectively to evaluate the significance of cervical lymph node dissection, so-called "radical neck dissection". In the further investigations of lymph node dissection in sm cancer located only in mid-thoracic esophagus, cervical lymph node metastasis was found only in 2 cases of 19 mid-thoracic esophageal sm cancer, which were both at paraesophageal area, resectable from the thoracic approach. Comparison of the survival cases receiving esophagectomy for sm cancer located in mid- and lower esophagus, with cervical lymph node dissection (n = 26) and without (n = 16) showed no significant differences. Therefore cervical lymph node dissection can be omitted in cases of mid-thoracic esophageal sm cancer.

Contraindications↗

[A familial case of postural reflex disorder presenting high intensity area mainly in the globus pallidus on T1-weighted cerebral MRI without clear liver damage].

A 56-year-old woman was admitted because of chronic postural reflex disorder. A cerebral MRI revealed symmetrical high intensity area mainly in the globus pallidus on T1-weighted image. The symptom became manifested as gait disturbance from the age of 2 and gradually progressed. Her condition has, however, remained stable since the age of 26. The only sign of parkinsonism was akinesia. There was clear retropulsion but cerebellar ataxia was minimal, and dystonia was negligible. She had no dementia. Her parents were cousins and similar symptoms and high intensity area were found in one of her sisters. Routine liver function tests were normal, with only ICG elevated. Serum copper and ceruloplasmin were normal. A hereditary factor was suspected. There are no similar cases reported in the literature, thus we thought it worth reporting.

Female↗

[A case of antiphospholipid syndrome associated with myasthenia gravis].

We report a 40-year-old Japanese woman with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) associated with myasthenia gravis (MG). She had a history of miscarriage at the age of 27 followed by pulmonary embolism 3 weeks later. At the age of 40, she developed diplopia, bilateral ptosis and easy fatigability. Serum anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody and tensilon test were positive. She was diagnosed as having MG. The laboratory test revealed mild thrombocytopenia, prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and positive findings for both beta 2-glycoprotein I-dependent anticardiolipin antibody and lupus anticoagulant. She fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of APS, but did not the criteria proposed by American Rheumatism Association for SLE. An extended total thymectomy was performed after administration of oral prednisolone and low-dose aspirin. This is a patient who had APS associated with MGs: both are known to result from autoimmune abnormality. The clinical and laboratory manifestations of APS were ameliorated after removal of the thymus, suggesting that thymectomy alleviates APS symptoms.

Adult↗

Hypocomplementaemic urticarial vasculitis associated with Jaccoud's syndrome.

We report a 33-year-old Japanese man diagnosed as having hypocomplementaemic urticarial vasculitis at the age of 21, who subsequently developed Jaccoud's syndrome. Although Jaccoud's syndrome has been most frequently seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, an association with other diseases has occasionally been described. Jaccoud's syndrome clinically shows joint deformities similar to rheumatoid arthritis, and needs to be differentiated from it. Patients with hypocomplementaemic urticarial vasculitis may develop Jaccoud's syndrome.

Adult↗

[A comparison of ultrasonography and cerebral angiography for the evaluation of extracranial carotid stenosis].

To investigate the usefulness of extracranial carotid ultrasonography for atherosclerotic plaque, we performed carotid ultrasonography and cerebral angiography (CAG) and classified the severity of the stenosis into 6 scores. We filmed 2-4 images (anterior, lateral, right anterior oblique and left anterior oblique views) for each vessel on CAG. There were 104 cases (169 vessels) with suspected or definite cerebrovascular disease. Both scores agreed in 67.5% of cases. In cases with over 50% stenosis on CAG, the scores agreed in 19 of 20 cases. But in cases with 50% or less stenosis on CAG, the scores agreed in only 95 of 149 cases. In most cases where scores were different, scores for ultrasonography were higher than those for angiography. The inconsistency of scores was attributed to eccentric plaque of early carotid atherosclerosis, uniform thickening of the intima-media complex and remodeling of the vessels. We filmed 4 images for 39 vessels to elevate CAG sensitivity for carotid stenosis. The results based on 4 images did not differ significantly from those based on 2 images. Carotid remodeling, or vessel enlargement in relation to the plaque area, was seen in 2 cases. Ultrasonography, which provided real-time information about both lumen and vessel wall characteristics, was necessary to make the diagnosis of carotid remodeling.

Aged↗

Anti-endothelial cell antibodies in the sera of patients with mixed connective tissue disease--the clinical significance.

To determine the clinical significance of anti-endothelial cell antibodies in mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), we measured the titers of antibodies to both untreated and cytokine-treated endothelial cells (EC) in the sera of the MCTD patients by means of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The mean titer of antibodies to untreated EC (aEC) in the sera of the MCTD patients was significantly higher than that for the healthy subjects. The mean titer of antibody to EC treated with IFN gamma, IL1 (aIL1-EC) or TNF alpha (aTNF-EC) was significantly higher than that of aEC in the sera of the MCTD patients with proteinuria, and the mean titer of aTNF-EC was significantly higher than that of aEC in the sea of the MCTD patients with pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, the mean titers of aIL1-EC and aTNF-EC in the sera of the MCTD patients with pulmonary fibrosis were significantly higher than those of aIL1-EC and aTNF-EC in the sera of the MCTD patients without pulmonary fibrosis. These results suggest that antibodies to cytokine-treated EC may play a more important role in the manifestation of renal or pulmonary lesions in MCTD patients than aEC.

Antibodies↗