An esophageal cancer case unresectable due to tuberculous fibrosing mediastinitis: report of a case

We present a case of esophageal carcinoma in which esophagectomy was not possible because of tuberculous fibrosing mediastinitis. A 77-year-old man was diagnosed with carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus and admitted to our hospital. Chest radiography on admission revealed no abnormality except pleural thickening of the pulmonary apices, suggesting a history of subclinical infection of tuberculous pleurisy. The patient underwent surgery with a curative intent. Thoracotomy revealed that the mediastinum had been replaced with dense fibrous tissues and was widely encased with laminar calcification. Esophagectomy was not performed because it was considered impossible to do so safely. Although diagnosis of fibrous mediastinitis was not made preoperatively, review of the preoperative computed tomographic scans revealed proliferation of mediastinal soft tissues that were associated with patchy and laminar calcifications. Tuberculous fibrosing mediastinitis is an uncommon but clinically important disease for physicians who are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer.     

CT结肠成像在老年人结直肠癌诊断中的价值

目的 评估CT结肠成像(CT colonography，CTC)在老年人结直肠癌诊断中的价值。方法 对纤维结肠镜和钡灌肠诊断为结直肠癌的患者行CTC检查，评价CTC对老年人结直肠癌的检出情况及患者对它的耐受性。结果 CTC成功检出30例患者的结直肠癌，准确性100％，并且有助于对肿瘤的浸润情况和肠道外转移进行全面评估。患者对CTC的耐受性明显高于纤维结肠镜和钡灌肠检查。30例行CTC和纤维结肠镜检查的患者耐受性分别为83．3％和63．3％。在16例行全部3种检查的患者中，耐受性分别为87．5％，68．8％，56．3％。结论 CTC技术在老年人结直肠癌的诊断中是一种安全有效的方法，并且可以全面的评价全结肠和腹腔内情况。CTC可以与纤维结肠镜互补来诊断结直肠癌，并可作为高龄、高危人群的普查方法。     

A case of neurofibroma located in the retroperitoneum involving the uncinate process of the pancreas

A case of solitary neurofibroma in the retroperitoneum involving the uncinate process of the pancreas, which has been reported in only one case in Japan and less than 20 cases in the world literature, is described. A 57-year-old male complained of back pain and microhematuria. Plain and enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) indicated an 8 × 6 cm hypovasular tumor located in the uncinate process. We initially assumed it to be a cancer of the pancreas. His physical examination and blood chemistry result were normal. Various diagnostic imaging methods however, disclosed a rare type of tumor. The tumor was resected by pancreaticoduodenectomy and histological examination revealed it to be neurofibroma.     

Femoral artery catheterization complications: A study of 503 consecutive patients

This report describes a prospective randomized trial of 503 patients who underwent a cardiac catheterization or interventional procedure at a single institution. In an effort to study femoral complications postprocedure, we evaluated three methods of femoral artery hemostasis as well as 38 variables that were felt to potentially relate to local complications. Only a marginally significant relationship between the hemostasis method and complication rate was found. The factors that contributed to femoral artery complications were: restarting heparin postsheath removal, number of procedures done during one hospitalization, noncompliance of the patient with bedrest after the procedure, number of arterial punctures to initiate the procedure, and preprocedure treatment with corticosteroids.     

Coronary artery and abdominal aortic calcification are associated with cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis The goals of this study were to determine whether coronary calcium is associated with the presence of clinical cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes and if the measurement of abdominal aortic calcium may have an independent or added benefit as a surrogate marker for clinical vascular disease.Methods A cross-sectional study of subjects with type 2 diabetes enrolled in seven medical centres in the USA participating in a Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study of glycaemic control. Enrolled subjects included 309 veterans over 40 years of age with type 2 diabetes, with or without stable cardiovascular disease, who had inadequate glycaemic control (HbA₁c>7.5%) on oral agents and/or insulin. The study assessed lifestyle behaviours, standard cardiovascular risk factors and coronary artery and abdominal aorta calcification by electron beam computed tomography.Results Subjects with coronary artery or abdominal aorta calcification present had a strikingly higher prevalence of peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease and all combined cardiovascular disease. Prevalence of each condition increased from 5- to 13-fold with increasing quintiles of coronary artery calcification and from 2- to 3-fold with increasing abdominal aorta calcification. These associations persisted after adjustment for lifestyle behaviours and standard cardiovascular risk factors.Conclusions/interpretation These results support the notion that vascular calcium in type 2 diabetes provides additional information beyond that of standard risk factors in identifying the presence of cardiovascular disease. Subclinical measures of atherosclerosis such as arterial calcification may help more precisely stratify these individuals and alert healthcare providers to those individuals who have particularly accelerated atherosclerosis.     

Effect of a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue on lung function in lymphangioleiomyomatosis

BACKGROUND: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a multisystem disease occurring primarily in women, is characterized by cystic lung destruction, and kidney and lymphatic tumors, caused by the proliferation of abnormal-appearing cells (ie, LAM cells) with a smooth muscle cell phenotype that express melanoma antigens and are capable of metastasizing. Estrogen receptors are present in LAM cells, and this finding, along with reports of disease progression during pregnancy or following exogenous estrogen administration, suggest the involvement of estrogens in the pathogenesis of LAM. Consequently, antiestrogen therapies have been employed in treatment. The goal of this prospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of triptorelin, a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue, in 11 premenopausal women with LAM. METHODS: Patients were evaluated at baseline and every 3 to 6 months thereafter, for a total of 36 months. Hormonal assays, pulmonary function tests, 6-min walk tests, high-resolution CT scans of the chest, and bone mineral density studies were performed. RESULTS: Gonadal suppression was achieved in all patients. Overall, a significant decline in lung function was observed; two patients underwent lung transplantation 1 year after study enrollment, and another patient was lost to follow-up. Treatment with triptorelin was associated with a decline in bone mineral density. CONCLUSIONS: Triptorelin appears not to prevent a decline in lung function in patients with LAM. Its use, however, may be associated with the loss of bone mineral density.     

Effusive-Constrictive Pericarditis After Pericardiocentesis: Incidence,Associated Findings,and Natural History

Objectives

This study sought to investigate the incidence, associated findings, and natural history of effusive-constrictive pericarditis (ECP) after pericardiocentesis.

纤维支气管镜和CT诊断支气管内膜结核的分析探讨

目的加强对支气管内膜结核早期征象的认识,提高诊治水平。方法收集了经活检和(或)刷栓和(或)痰查结核分枝杆菌检查证实的19例支气管内膜结核病例,分析螺旋CT和纤维支气管镜的检查结果、诊断准确率,比较两者的符合率。结果螺旋CT检查支气管异常发现率89．4%(17/19),确诊率为21．1%(4/19)；纤维支气管镜检查支气管异常发现率100．0%,活检阳性率47．4%(9/19),刷检阳性率36．8%(7/19),纤维支气管镜总阳性率84．2%(16/19)。结论CT对支气管内膜结核有重要诊断价值,但缺乏诊断特异性；纤维支气管镜检查是目前支气管内膜结核临床诊断最有效、最敏感的方法。     

Evaluation of prognostic score based on the Japanese criteria for the severity of acute pancreatitis. Part I. Retrospective study

We used the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare criteria for acute pancreatitis to obtain a “prognosis score” for disease severity in 63 individuals with severe pancreatitis and we assessed the usefulness of these scores. To convert the Japanese criteria into a score, we excluded the CT grade classification, assigned a value of 1 point to the prognostic factors designated , and a value of 0.5 points to the prognostic factors designated , and added the number of points to obtain the “prognosis score”. The results showed a clear difference in prognosis between patients who had scores of 1.5 or less and those whose scores were 2.0 or more. These prognosis scores were useful both in rating the efficacy of treatment and in selecting the method of treatment in the early stage. To confirm the value of these scores, it will be necessary to accumulate more cases prospectively and to conduct additional assessments.