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Biomedical subjects

M Ando

Publications and source records attributed to M Ando.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources

Sarcoidosis presenting as bilateral hydronephrosis.

We report an unusual case of sarcoidosis associated with bilateral hydronephrosis. The patient was a 53-year-old Japanese woman who presented with dysuria and urinary incontinence. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed bilateral hydronephrosis caused by a retroperitoneal mass, surrounded by enlarged retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Histological examination of the mass demonstrated noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas involving the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Corticosteroid therapy led to complete resolution of the retroperitoneal mass and hydronephrosis. This case emphasizes that sarcoidosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of a retroperitoneal mass.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Carotid artery disease in patients with retinal artery occlusion.

Embolization from the carotid bifurcation has been proposed as the most common cause of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) and branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO). The purpose of this study was to evaluate carotid artery disease in patients with CRAO and BRAO. Using carotid ultrasonography, 17 patients (13 males, 4 females, mean age 68.7 +/- 7.1 years) with CRAO and BRAO were examined for stenotic findings and plaque morphology (homogeneous or heterogeneous) within 7 days after onset. The internal carotid artery (ICA) ipsilateral to the affected side showed a significantly higher incidence of severe carotid stenosis as compared to the non-affected side. The occurrence of heterogeneous plaques in the ICA did not differ between the affected and the non-important affected side. We suspect that severe carotid stenosis in addition to heterogeneous plaques plays an important role in retinal artery occlusion.

Aged↗

Crohn's disease associated with colo-bronchial fistula.

An 18-year-old female patient with Crohn's disease presented with left lower lobe pneumonia and pleural effusion which were resistant to treatment with antibiotics. Colo-bronchial fistula had not been recognized until she coughed up yellow sputa with feculent odor and developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. This type of fistula is a rare complication of Crohn's disease, but the present case certainly alerts physicians to search for a fistula between the bronchus and gastrointestinal tract when encountering patients with Crohn's disease accompanied by antibiotic-resistant chronic pneumonia.

Adolescent↗

[Effect of weight of feature and frequency on recognition of butterfly patterns].

Three experiments are reported which deal with the nature of categorization of natural objects. Stimulus materials were schematic butterfly patterns. Systematic transformations were given to the original pattern to make stimulus instance. In Experiment 1, subjects were given a recognition memory task with recognition ratings. Recognition ratings were found to be related to family resemblance score (FRS: the sum of feature frequency in the category) rather than to transformation or subjective similarity to the original. In Experiment 2, subjects were given the recognition memory task while the FRS was kept constant. Weight of each feature affected recognition ratings differently, when FRS was kept constant. In Experiment 3, subjects were given the same task as in Experiment 2 while the FRS and the component frequency of each feature were kept constant. Again each feature affected recognition ratings differently. These findings suggest that both the frequency and weight of feature itself affect recognition ratings.

Adult↗

Effects of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analogue on the function of the isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum.

An adverse effect of the administration of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) analogue is impotence. The effects of LH-RH analogue injection on the function of the rabbit corpus cavernosum were investigated. Eighteen male rabbits were divided into three groups, i.e., LH-RH analogue injection, castration, and sham-operated control groups. After measurement of serum testosterone, the LH-RH analogue (1.5 mg/kg leuprolide acetate) was injected once in the LH-RH group, castration in the castrated group, and sham surgery in the control group. Four weeks later, the rabbits were maintained in the same circumstance and serum testosterone was measured once a week. Four weeks after preparation, all rabbits were used for in vitro experiments. At one week the serum testosterone level of the LH-RH and castrated groups decreased significantly from that in the sham-operated control group, which was sustained for the next 3 weeks. Although contractile strength of the corporal tissue taken from the castrated group was weakened in response to phenylephrine and KCl, corporal contractile strength of the LH-RH group was not. Under precontraction with 200 microM phenylephrine relaxation of the corpus cavernosum in response to field stimulation and sodium nitroprusside significantly decreased in both the LH-RH and castrated groups. However, there were no differences in the maximal relaxations induced by ATP and bethanechol between the three groups. In conclusion, the LH-RH analogue impaired the relaxation of the corpus cavernosum induced by field stimulation and sodium nitroprusside as much as castration did. Although the corporal contraction to phenylephrine and KCl was decreased by castration, it was not altered by the LH-RH analogue.

Animals↗

[Endobronchial treatments made possible by extracorporeal lung assist in a patient in status asthmaticus refractory to mechanical ventilation].

A 19-year-old endotracheally intubated women was admitted to our hospital in severe status asthmaticus that was not relieved by inhalation of beta 2-agonists or by epinephrine, aminophylline, or corticosteroids. A chest radiography revealed pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. Pressure-limited mechanical ventilation at a peak airway pressure of 20--30 cmH2O failed to ventilate the lungs, and caused a left pneumothorax and atelectasis. Extracorporeal lung assist (ECLA) was begun and enabled repeated suctioning through a fiberoptic bronchoscope for more than a minute with no serious complications. During ECLA aerosol therapy with a large dose of a beta 2-agonist (procatherol 0.15 mg) increased the tidal volume with no adverse effects. Atelectatic areas of the lungs re-expanded, pulmonary function improved, and ECLA was stopped 86 hours after it had been started. We suggest that, although it is highly invasive, ECLA can be useful in patients with status asthmaticus refractory to mechanical ventilation, and can allow endobronchial suctioning to be done safely.

Adolescent↗

[Review of results after surgery for pulmonary embolism].

The results of direct pulmonary embolectomy in 20 cases of pulmonary embolism treated in our facility from 1982 to May, 1995 was analyzed. The ages of the patients ranged from 25 to 72 years (mean: 46 years). The male-to-female ratio was 12:8. The 20 cases were divided into three groups based on the type of pulmonary embolism: Group I (4 cases of acute massive pulmonary thrombo-embolism). Group II (12 cases of chronic pulmonary thrombo-embolism) and Group III (4 cases of tumor embolism). In Group I, 2 patients developed shock and 2 developed severe right heart failure. Emergency thrombectomy using cardiopulmonary bypass succeeded in saving the lives of 3 patients in this group. In Group II, the preoperative NYHA grade was II in 1 case, III in 9 cases, and IV in 2 cases. The preoperative systolic pressure of the pulmonary artery ranged from 24 to 90 mmHg (mean: 74 mmHg). Surgery through a thoracotomy was carried out on 7 cases (on the right side in 4 cases on the left in 3 cases). Of these 7 patients, 2 died of heart failure and respiratory failure because thromboendarterectomy was inadequate. In another 2 patients, symptoms improved enough to allow them to resume their previous lives. The other three patients showed no change in their symptoms after surgery, but they could be discharged. The remaining 5 patients in Group II underwent surgery through the median approach. Deep hypothermia with circulatory arrest was used in the latter 4 of these 5 patients during surgery. 3 patients died during the perioperative period because adequate thromboendarterectomy was not possible and because their preoperative condition was very poor. 2 patients who were able to be performed adequate thromboendarterectomy showed good postoperative courses. Of the 4 patients in Group III, one patient survived 11 months after surgery, but the other 3 died during the preoperative period because very little embolus could be removed. These results allow us to conclude that the lives of patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism can be saved by early detection and prompt surgery, but that management of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism involves difficulties in selecting surgical cases and in performing thromboendarterectomy.

Adult↗

[Dysphagia following lateral medullary infarction].

We studied 10 patients with lateral medullary infarction. Six patients had severe dysphagia from the onset, and needed tube feeding or intravenous hyperalimentation. Three of these 6 patients resolved dysphagia within 3.5 months. Pharyngoesophagography showed aspiration and pooling in the pharynx in other three patients who showed persisting dysphagia for more than 6 months. The cause of dysphagia was not unilateral paralysis of the pharynx and the larynx. Because there were decreased functions of elevation of the larynx, closure of the vocal cord and the pharyngeal movement, the dysphagia of our patients may be due to disturbance of the neurogenic swallowing control. Persistent dysphagia was associated with anterolateral extension of the infarction in the medulla. Two patients with laryngectomy and permanent tracheostomy were able to be discharged to home. We conclude that surgical treatment is a choice in patients with dysphagia which persists for more than 6 months.

Aged↗

[Epidemiologic survey of pleural plaques among inhabitants of Matsubase exposed to asbestos].

A high prevalence of pleural plaques (41.5%, 148/357) was found during a mass screening for lung cancer in Matsubase town in 1988. The inhabitants of this town were carefully studied each year from 1988 to 1993. The vast majority (81.2%) of inhabitants over the age of 20 years underwent chest roentgenography at least once during this period. Pleural plaques were detected by CT in 938 subjects, which is 17.3% of those studied and 4.1% of the total population. A total of 89 had an occupational history of asbestos exposure, 64 (71.9%) of whom had pleural plaques. However, these subjects with occupational exposure accounted for only 6.8% of the 938 subjects, and therefore most of the pleural plaques seemed to have been caused by general environmental exposure. The incidence of plaques was greater in older subjects: among those in the seventh decade of life it was more than eight times higher than among those in the fourth decade of life. Anthophyllite was detected in the main asbestos mill. The concentrations of asbestos fibers in the air and water near the old asbestos mills and factories were not high. The death rates and the adjusted mortality rates due to lung cancer in Matsubase were lower than in surrounding towns and lower than in Kumamoto prefecture as a whole. These results indicate that there is now no environmental contamination by asbestos fibers in Matsubase town. No cases of malignant mesothelioma have been confirmed in this town during the past 17 years.

Adult↗

Diagnosis of middle cerebral artery occlusion with transcranial color-coded real-time sonography.

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of transcranial color-coded real-time sonography in detecting occlusion of the horizontal portion of the middle cerebral artery. METHODS: Using transcranial color-coded real-time sonography, we measured the end-diastolic flow velocity with incident angle correction and the side-to-side ratio of the end-diastolic flow velocity (the end-diastolic ratio) in both middle cerebral arteries in 44 patients with or without occlusive disease. Cerebral angiography was carried out in all patients before or within 1 week after sonography. The subjects included 4 patients with unilateral stenosis of the extracranial internal carotid artery > or = 75%; ICS group), 6 with unilateral occlusion of the extracranial internal carotid (ICO group), 6 with occlusion of the horizontal portion of the middle cerebral artery (M1 group), and 28 without stenotic (< 75%) lesions in the internal carotid artery (control group). RESULTS: In the control group, the end-diastolic flow velocity was 40.4 +/- 16.8 cm/s (mean +/- SD) and the end-diastolic ratio was 1.28 +/- 0.27. In the ICS and ICO groups, the end-diastolic flow velocities on the affected side and the end-diastolic ratios were 33.4 +/- 9.0 cm/s and 1.35 +/- 0.24, and 29.6 +/- 10.2 cm/s and 1.67 +/- 0.58, respectively. In the M1 group, the end-diastolic flow velocity (16.7 +/- 4.29 cm/s) on the occluded side was significantly lower than that in the other groups. The end-diastolic ratio (3.53 +/- 1.47) in the M1 group was significantly higher than that in the other groups. CONCLUSION: The M1 group could be easily distinguished from the other groups on the basis of the end-diastolic ratio. Measurement of the end-diastolic flow velocity and the end-diastolic ratios in the middle cerebral artery by means of transcranial color-coded real-time sonography may help to identify an occlusion in the horizontal portion of the middle cerebral artery.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗

[Bronchobiliary fistula].

A 57-year-old woman with congenital syphilis had a productive cough, fever, cholecystolithiasis, and paralytic ileus. She had a 30-year history of recurrent bronchitis accompanied by yellowish serous sputum. A chest radiograph showed bilateral infiltrates resulting from aspiration pneumonia, and a reduction in volume of the right middle and right lower lobes. After recovering from paralytic ileus, she still had fever and biliptysis. Bronchoscopy revealed bile filling the right basal bronchi. Emergency laparotomy and throacotomy revealed a gall stone, splenomegaly, marked atrophy of the right lobe of the liver, and adhesion between the right pleura and the diaphragm. A T-tube cholangiogram showed that the right hepatic duct communicated with the right basal bronchus. Despite ligation of the right hepatic duct, biliptysis continued. The patient died due to rapidly progressing hepatorenal failure. Syphilis gummosa due to congenital syphilis was suspected as a cause of the bronchobiliary fistula, but was not confirmed pathologically. The surgical specimen showed only nonspecific fibrosis with calcification. Bronchobiliary fistula is rare in Japan; we know of only 6 other reported cases.

Biliary Fistula↗

[A case of cerebral infarction due to dissection in a branch of the middle cerebral artery].

A 65-year-old man developed left drop hand, dysarthria and emotional incontinence. Brain CT and MRI revealed multiple cerebral infarctions in the cortex and subcortical white matter of the right temporal and parietal lobes which were in the distribution of the right middle cerebral artery. Cerebral angiography disclosed segmental narrowing (string sign) and two pseudoaneurysms in the right angular artery which were diagnosed as dissecting aneurysm of a branch of the middle cerebral artery. In this case, cerebral angiography was more useful than MRI in diagnosis of dissecting aneurysm of a branch of the middle cerebral artery. This was a very rare case of dissecting aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery localized in one of its branches.

Aged↗

[Acute type A aortic dissection after replacement of descending thoracic aorta for type B aortic dissection].

Two cases of acute type A aortic dissection after replacement of descending thoracic aorta for type B dissection were reported. One case involved a 75-year-old male who had hypertension. The second case involved a 33-year-old female with a familial history of thoracic aneurysms. Both patients underwent simultaneous graft replacement of the ascending aorta and total aortic arch using selective perfusion to the brain. Both patients survived the operations, and the postoperative courses were satisfactory. Acute type A dissection after replacement of descending thoracic aorta for type B dissection is rare, and careful and long-term follow-up is needed for the patients.

Acute Disease↗

[Saprophytic pleuritis with Candida parapsilosis].

A 73-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with pneumonia in the right S6 induced by Streptococcus milleri and with left pleural thickening. He had histories of diabetes mellitus for 30 years and pulmonary tuberculosis 35 years ago. The pneumonia resolved completely after administration of ceftazidime and clindamycin for 10 days, but the pleural thickening remained and computed tomography revealed that it was an encapsulated effusion without calcification. An aspirate was turbid yellow with a high concentration of lipids, and consisted of dominant crystals and scattered cells, 80% of which were yeasts and 20% of which were macrophages phagocytizing them. Only Candida parapsilosis developed in culture. The same silent pleural shadow was identified on chest X-ray films obtained over the previous 7 years. The persistent pleuritis was diagnosed as saprophytic infection with C. parapsilosis.

Aged↗

[Pulmonary and endobronchial tuberculosis with subclavian artery-pulmonary artery shunts].

A 77-year-old woman with a productive cough and fever was admitted to the hospital. Pulmonary and endobronchial tuberculosis, pneumonia of the left upper lobe, and stenosis of the left main bronchus were diagnosed. She was given the antimycobacterial drugs isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin, and her condition improved. Two months later, bronchoscopy revealed semilunar-shaped stenosis of the left main bronchus, and auscultation revealed wheezing in the middle-end expiratory phase. A continuous flow murmur (Levine III) was also heard at the left anterior chest wall. Cardiac catheterization with subclavian arteriography revealed two left subclavian-pulmonary shunts. In a case of systemic-pulmonary shunt such as this, the bronchial stenosis could be surgically repaired, but the result would be an increase in dead space. If left untreated, the pulmonary hypertension would progress and symptoms of pulmonary disease would become more severe. Subclavian-pulmonary artery shunt is a very rare complication of pulmonary tuberculosis. Surgical treatment should consist of open bronchoplasty along with lobectomy and removal of the shunt, rather than embolization of the shunt and endoscopic bronchoplasty.

Aged↗

[Diagnosis of superficial-type early carcinoma of the gallbladder by endoscopic ultrasonography--comparison with ultrasonography].

The detectability of superficial-type carcinoma of the gallbladder by ultrasonography (US) and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) were investigated. Eight patients with such carcinoma of the gallbladder were reviewed. They had undergone both US and EUS previous to surgery. The tumor was detected in 3 patients by US, 2 patients with IIa + IIb-type carcinoma and 1 patient with IIa-type carcinoma. Those lesions were visualized as localized thickening of the gallbladder wall or as broad-based tumor. In 2 patients, lesions were not initially detected by US, but were shown by US after the examination by EUS. The tumor was detected by EUS also in 1 case of IIb + IIa-type carcinoma besides those 3 patients mentioned above. All four of these lesions were visualized as broad-based tumor by EUS. It was difficult to detect pure IIb-type or small IIa-type carcinoma even by EUS. In patients with concomitant acute cholecystitis or gallbladder stone, it was difficult to evaluate the abnormal findings of the gallbladder wall.

Aged↗