Pulmonary sequestration associated with asymptomatic aspergillosis.

Intralobar pulmonary sequestration associated with asymptomatic aspergillosis is a rare case. We describe the case of a 65-year-old woman with intrapulmonary sequestration, anomalous systemic arterial supply to the left lower lobe and aspergillosis who underwent left lower lobectomy and ligation of an anomalous artery by Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Pathological examination showed the parenchymal distortion and chronic inflammation. Aspergillus were found in the cyst. VATS lobectomy for intralobar pulmonary sequestration is a safe and valid procedure.     

Bleeding from foveolar hyperplasia developing on a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach

A 52‐year‐old Japanese woman who presented with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding underwent a proximal gastrectomy for a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with a foveolar hyperplasia at the apex of the tumor, 4.5 cm in size, located in the upper body of the stomach. Although GIST are often asymptomatic and are found only incidentally, clinical symptoms such as bleeding, abdominal pain, or obstruction, occasionally lead to a premorbid diagnosis. When submucosal tumors present GI bleeding, the source of the bleeding usually is an ulceration of the mucosa over the tumor. However, in the present study, it was thought that the bleeding originated from the region of foveolar hyperplasia.     

Rapid Progression of Native Renal Artery Fibromuscular Dysplasia Following Kidney Donation

Fibromuscular dysplasia is the second commonest anatomical abnormality apart from multiple renal arteries in the potential live donors. Pretransplant evaluation of the donors may include an angiography to evaluate the renal arteries, and failure to recognize renal arterial stenosis, particularly fibromuscular dysplasia, by noninvasive methods may eventually lead to hypertension and ischemic renal failure. We report a case of fibromuscular dysplasia that was undetected by computed tomographic angiography prior to donation. One year after kidney donation, it rapidly progressed to severe symptomatic stenosis with hypertension and acute renal failure. Following renal artery angioplasty, her blood pressure normalized over a period of 2 weeks without any need for antihypertensive medications and the serum creatinine returned to her baseline. The acceptability of renal donors with fibromuscular dysplasia depends on the age, race and the availability of the other suitable donors. Mild fibromuscular dysplasia in a normotensive potential renal donor cannot be considered a benign condition. Such donors need regular follow-up postdonation for timely detection and treatment.     

Retroperitoneal primary mucinous adenocarcinoma with a mural nodule of anaplastic tumor: a case report and literature review.

A 38-year-old female presented with a lower abdominal mass. During the operation the mass was found to be retroperitoneal and was excised. Gross examination revealed a mucin-containing cystic lesion with a mural nodule. On microscopic examination, the cystic areas were lined by an invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma and the nodule was composed of an anaplastic sarcomatoid tumor that was immunoreactive for cytokeratin. This present case is the 21st example of a retroperitoneal primary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma and the fourth with a mural nodule. Three of four cases with a mural nodule, including our case, had a rapidly fatal outcome.     

Enhanced hippocampal neurodegeneration after traumatic or kainate excitotoxicity in GFAP-null mice.

Astrocytes perform a variety of functions in the adult central nervous system. Recent evidence suggests that the upregulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocyte-specific intermediate filament component, is a biological marker of neurotoxicity after cerebral injury. We herein compared the response to traumatic brain injury or kainic acid (KA)-induced neurotoxicity in GFAP knockout (GFAP-KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. Seventy-two hours after injury, all GFAP-KO mice showed hippocampal CA3 neurodegeneration, whereas WT mice did not show neurodegeneration. Seventy-two hours after KA administration, GFAP-KO mice were more susceptible to KA-induced seizures and had an increased number of pyknotic damaged CA3 neurons than did WT mice. These results indicate that GFAP plays a crucial role in pyramidal neuronal survival after injury or KA-induced neurotoxicity.     

Reviewing the definition of "elderly"

Conventionally, "elderly" has been defined as a chronological age of 65 years old or older, while those from 65 through 74 years old are referred to as "early elderly" and those over 75 years old as "late elderly." However, the evidence on which this definition is based is unknown. We have attempted to review the definition of elderly by analyzing data from long-term longitudinal epidemiological studies, and clinical and pathological studies that have been accumulated at the Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology. Our recommendation might be a starting point in developing a strategy for a successful society by reviewing the definition of elderly based on comprehensive evidence in all aspects of social, cultural and medical sciences.     

Relation of inflammatory cytokines to atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: It has been observed that a systemic inflammatory response after on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) participates in the pathogenesis of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). In patients undergoing off-pump CABG, it is plausible that inflammation is associated with the development of postoperative AF. The present study examined relation of proinflammatory cytokines, which play an important role in the upstream of inflammatory cascade, to the development of AF after off-pump CABG. METHODS: The present study included 39 patients undergoing off-pump CABG. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8, were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, on anesthetic induction, after sternotomy before anastomoses, at the completion of anastomoses, 3 and 6h thereafter, and on postoperative days (POD) 1-4. C-reactive protein (CRP) was also measured by turbidimetric immunoassay, preoperatively, and on POD 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 13. RESULTS: Eleven patients (28%) developed postoperative AF. Patients with postoperative AF were older (70+/-6.4 years vs 60+/-8.8 years, P=0.001); however, there was no difference in other pre- and perioperative variables. TNF-alpha level did not change during the study period. However, IL-8 and CRP levels significantly increased after the surgery, although there was no significant difference between the two groups. IL-6 level also increased after the surgery with its peak at 6h after the completion of anastomoses. IL-6 levels of 3 and 6h after anastomoses were significantly higher in patients with postoperative AF (360+/-143 pg/ml vs 230+/-94 pg/ml, P=0.0047, 435+/-175 pg/ml vs 247+/-102 pg/ml, P=0.0005, respectively). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the highest quartile of IL-6 level immediately after the surgery (odds ratio 7.63; 95% CI, 1.06-54.9; P=0.04) and age (odds ratio 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.39; P=0.04) independently predict postoperative AF. Furthermore, the maximum level of IL-6 immediately after the surgery significantly correlated to age and intraoperative blood loss (r=0.04, P=0.01, and r=0.47, P=0.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Advanced age was a major risk factor for postoperative AF. Furthermore, inflammatory response induced by surgical trauma was also associated with the development of AF after off-pump CABG.     

Nevus Lipomatosus Cutaneous Superficialis of the Clitoris

BACKGROUND: Nevus lipomatosus cutaneous superficialis (NLCS) is a relatively rare condition. Although NLCS can affect any region of the entire body, no case of NLCS in the clitoris has ever been reported. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of NLCS of the clitoris that presented manifestations that were similar to female pseudohermaphrodism. METHODS: This is a case report and review of the literature. RESULTS: A congenital, soft, skin-colored lesion of the clitoris in a 1-year-old girl resembled female pseudohermaphrodism. It was resected, and the histologic diagnosis was NLCS. Postoperatively, there was no subsequent change in the lesion during the 3-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: We reported a case of congenital solitary NLCS of the clitoris. Although NLCS might be a relatively rare condition, we should consider it in the differential diagnosis of female pseudohermaphrodism.     

Repeat operations in the management of clival chordomas: palliative surgery.

Some chordomas have a very poor prognosis because of their aggressive growth nature, but the efficacy of repeat operations for these cases has not been well documented. This report concerns 3 patients with aggressive chordoma of the clivus, who underwent operations 6 to 12 times over a period of 8 to 17 years because of symptomatic regrowth. Overall mean interval between repeat operations was 18 months with a range from 5 to 57 months and survival times were 9 to19 years after the first surgery. Main symptoms before each operation were diplopia and visual disturbance. Repeat palliative operations by intentional extradural debulking of the tumour to decompress offending neural structures, as well as maximal removal of the tumour, using appropriate skull base approaches, can mitigate progressive symptoms, and may result in better quality and some prolongation of life, although our patients gradually deteriorated neurologically throughout the clinical course.