Influence of head and neck position on cuff position and oropharyngeal sealing pressure with the laryngeal mask airway in children

We studied how head and neck position affect the cuff positionand oropharyngeal sealing pressures of the laryngeal mask airways(LMAs) in children. We studied 39 non-paralyzed healthy childrenaged 1.5–8.0 yr, weighing 10.3–27.0 kg, managedwith size 2 or 2.5 LMAs during elective surgery. Head and neckmovements did not adversely affect airway patency in 97% ofpatients. One child developed apparent airway obstruction withhead and neck flexion, which was relieved in the neutral position.Oropharyngeal sealing pressure was significantly greater duringneck flexion compared with the neutral position (P<0.02).Fibreoptic examination revealed that the epiglottis covereda larger area of the LMA aperture during neck flexion, comparedwith the neutral position (P<0.02). Br J Anaesth 2001; 86: 122–4     

Optimum Treatment Strategy for Superficial Esophageal Cancer: Endoscopic Mucosal Resection versus Radical Esophagectomy

This study was designed to determine the optimum treatment for a superficial esophageal cancer involving the mucosal or submucosal layer of the esophagus. The subjects were 150 patients with a superficial esophageal cancer who underwent endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or esophagectomy in Kurume University Hospital from 1981 to 1997. The mortality and morbidity rates, survival rate, and recurrence rate were retrospectively compared for (1) 35 patients who underwent EMR and 37 patients who underwent esophagectomy for a mucosal esophageal cancer and (2) 45 patients who underwent extended radical esophagectomy and 33 patients who underwent less radical esophagectomy for a submucosal esophageal cancer. Among the 72 patients with a mucosal cancer, lymph node metastasis/recurrence was observed in only one (1%); whereas of 78 patients with a submucosal cancer it was observed in 30 (38%). Among patients with a mucosal cancer the mortality and morbidity rates after EMR were lower than for those after esophagectomy. The survival rate after EMR was the same as that after esophagectomy. No recurrence was observed after either treatment modality. Among the patients with a submucosal cancer, the survival rate was higher and the recurrence rate lower after extended radical esophagectomy; than after less radical esophagectomy; the mortality and morbidity rates after extended radical esophagectomy were the same as those after less radical esophagectomy. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the treatment modality (EMR versus esophagectomy) did not influence the survival of patients with a mucosal esophageal cancer, whereas it strongly influenced the survival of patients with a submucosal esophageal cancer. We concluded that EMR was the mainstay of treatment for a mucosal esophageal cancer, and extended radical esophagectomy was the mainstay of treatment for a submucosal esophageal cancer.     

Persistent subclinical rejection associated with nodular B-cell infiltrates in a renal transplant recipient

Abstract:  Recently, B-cell infiltrates in acute rejection grafts have attracted interest as an indicator of refractory rejection. Here, we report a case of deceased donor renal transplantation in a Japanese recipient operated overseas in which the recipient suffered from persistent tubulointerstitial rejection episodes associated with B-cell infiltrates. A 59-yr-old man with end-stage renal disease caused by immunoglobulin A nephropathy underwent deceased donor renal transplantation overseas in December 2005. The initial post-operative course was uneventful. The patient was referred to our hospital one month after transplantation. He maintained stable renal function throughout the follow-up period. The maintenance immunosuppressive regimen consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and methylprednisolone. His serum creatinine concentration remained around 1.0 mg/dL, with no evidence of proteinuria. However, a discrepancy was detected between the renal function and the pathological findings. The pathology showed subclinical tubulointerstitial rejection with nodular B-cell infiltrates refractory to aggressive antirejection therapy. A steroid pulse and 15-deoxyspergualin were ineffective and the patient developed interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy by one yr after the transplantation, with persistent tubulitis and B-cell infiltrates. We treated the refractory rejection with B-cell infiltrates with a single 200 mg/body dose of rituximab and obtained an improvement. The pathological findings after administering rituximab consisted of mild tubulitis classified as Banff borderline, and elimination of the nodular B-cell infiltrates. At present, 20 months after renal transplantation, the patient continues to maintain stable renal function, with a good serum creatinine concentration (0.87 mg/dL).     

Met-RANTES ameliorates fibrous airway obliteration and decreases ERK expression in a murine model of bronchiolitis obliterans.

OBJECTIVES: Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is the main cause of late mortality among long-term survivors of lung transplantation. Chemokine-chemokine receptor (CCR) interaction and subsequent recruitment of infiltrating cells to the graft are early events in the development of chronic rejection of transplanted lungs. The present study investigated whether blockade of chemokine receptors CCR1 and CCR5 with Met-regulated-on-activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES), an amino-terminal modified derivative of RANTES/CCL5, affects the development of BO in murine model and we sought to determine the expression of RANTES/CCL5 and their relationship with extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Materials and Methods: BALB/c mouse tracheas were heterotopically transplanted into C57Black6 recipients and treated for 21 days with either Met-RANTES at 20 microg/day or vehicle. Animals were killed at 21 days after transplantation for histologic examination of ERK expression. RESULTS: RANTES/CCL5 was highly expressed in allografts compare to isografts. Met-RANTES treatment ameliorated fibrous airway obliteration in a mouse model of BO and decreased ERK expression. CONCLUSION: Blockade of chemokine receptors by Met-RANTES ameliorated airway obliteration and decreased ERK expression. These findings suggest that chemokine receptors CCR1 and CCR5 play significant roles in the development of chronic rejection and ERK may be a new molecular target for chronic rejection.     

Case of jugular foramen schwannoma associated with tuberous sclerosis

We report a case of jugular foramen schwannoma associated with tuberous sclerosis. A 28-year-old female with tuberous sclerosis presented to Hikone Municipal Hospital with subacute onset of somnolence, ataxic gait and frequent vomiting. Her tuberous sclerosis was diagnosed at the age of 9, when she developed hydrocephalus caused by subependymal giant cell astrocytoma near the foramen of Monro, which was treated by surgical resection and VP shunt placement followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Brain MR images revealed a 3 cm enhancing mass extending from the left jugular foramen to the cerebellopontine cistern, accompanied by perifocal edema of the brain stem and cerebellar hemisphere. The tumor was partially removed via suboccipital craniotomy and histologically diagnosed as a schwannoma. After surgery her symptoms promptly improved and 4 months later she underwent additional stereotactic radiosurgery. No tumor regrowth has been observed at 94 months. Intracranial schwannoma complicating tuberous sclerosis is very rare. Only one other case has been reported in the literature.     

Surgical outcomes of partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: A joint study by the Japanese Society of Renal Cancer

OBJECTIVE: A joint study was undertaken by the Japanese Society of Renal Cancer to investigate the present status of partial nephrectomy in Japan and to speculate about what may be the indications for partial nephrectomy in patients with renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: Data were tabulated for 469 patients from participating medical institutions and various clinical factors were investigated with regard to disease progression (local recurrence and distant metastasis). RESULTS: Disease progression was observed in 21 patients (4.5%). No significant relation to disease progression was observed for sex, laterality, tumor histology, grade and tumor size. Although patients with solitary tumors displayed excellent prognosis irrespective of tumor diameter, patients with multiple tumors displayed a high likelihood of disease progression. Patients older than 77 years old and patients with imperative indication were found to have a poorer prognosis. CONCLUSION: In patients with solitary tumors, partial nephrectomy can be actively performed, even if the patient displays elective indications and the tumor is >4 cm in diameter. In patients displaying multiple tumors with imperative indications, the decision whether to perform partial nephrectomy should be made by the patients and their physicians after considering the impact on curability and the quality of life.     

Huge retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma: a case report

This is a case report of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma in a 61-year-old woman. She presented with a chief complaint of back pain. Computed tomography showed a left huge retroperitoneal tumor. The tumor was removed with left nephrectomy and left hemi-colectomy. Histological examination demonstrated leiomyosarcoma 26 x 20 x 16 cm in diameter and, 3.84 kg in weight. She died of local recurrence causing ileus 2 months after the surgery. Fifty-four cases of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma including the present case in the Japanese literature are reviewed.     

A new prognostic score for the survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Purpose

Recent studies have shown that the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), which is an inflammation-based prognostic score, is useful as a prognostic index for some cancer cases. The purpose of this study was to create a prognostic scoring system for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) that was more independent and sensitive than the mGPS.

Methods

One hundred sixty-eight patients who had undergone esophagectomy for ESCC were included in the study. The new mGPS (NmGPS) was calculated based on the following cutoff values: CRP >0.75 mg/dL indicated NmGPS 1 or 2, depending on the absence or presence of hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dL); and CRP ≤0.75 mg/dL indicated NmGPS 0. We also performed an analysis based on cutoff values of 0.5 and 0.25 mg/dL for CRP.

Results

Only the NmGPS with a cutoff CRP value of 0.5 mg/dL was able to divide into three independent patient groups in the survival curves. In the multivariate analyses, a NmGPS (CRP cutoff; 0.5 mg/dL) of 2 was a more significant independent prognostic factor (HR 4.437, 95 % CI 2.000–9.844, p = 0.0002) than a mGPS of 2 (HR 2.726, 95 % CI 1.021–7.112, p = 0.0449).

Conclusions

The new prognostic score NmGPS (CRP cutoff; 0.5 mg/dL) was more independent and sensitive than the mGPS for patients with ESCC.     

A Rare Case of Granular Cell Tumor of the Anal Region: Diagnostic Difficulty to Masses in the Anal Area

Granular cell tumor may be located anywhere in the body; however, the gastrointestinal tract is infrequently involved and anal granular cell tumors are extremely rare. We report herein a rare case of granular cell tumor in the anal region. In the current case, a 66-year-old Japanese woman was found to have a polypoid lesion in the anus with hemorrhoids. The mass detected as an anal polypoid lesion with ulceration was resected and diagnosed as granular cell tumor by histologic examination. Granular cell tumor of the anal region is rare, and benign perianal polypoid lesions are relatively uncommon clinical findings. They might present diagnostic challenges to surgeons and pathologists. Awareness of the differential diagnosis of granular cell tumor and careful microscopic examination might allow proper management and diagnosis.Key words: Granular cell tumor, Anal, Polypoid massGranular cell tumor is a relatively rare neoplasm that is firmly identified as a neural lesion due to its close association with nerves and its immunohistochemical characteristics.¹⁻⁵ Granular cell tumors may be located anywhere in the body; however, the gastrointestinal tract is infrequently involved and anal granular cell tumors are extremely rare.³⁻⁸ We report herein a rare case of granular cell tumor in the anal region. The concern with anal tumor is differential diagnosis, since benign mesenchymal anal tumors are relatively rare.^7,8 Thus, an anal polypoid lesion might present diagnostic challenges to surgeons and pathologists.     

Urethra actively opens from the very beginning of micturition: A new concept of urethral function

Transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound was carried out in an adult female and a male volunteer during micturition. Although the male urethra was enclosed by the prostate, its construction and the function were almost identical to the female urethra. The anterior fibromuscular stroma was not a part of the prostate, but was a part of the urethral muscle. The urethra was surrounded by a thick single muscle unit, developed only on the anterior and lateral sides of the urethra. When the participant wished to urinate, the initial motion was not a bladder contraction, but an active opening of the urethral lumen by the muscle unit. The same unit closed the urethra when continence was kept. In conclusion, the main function of the urethra is thought to be not a closure, but an opening to control the entire micturition process, rather than the bladder being primarily responsible for the control of micturition.