Atypical Shone's Complex Diagnosed at 70 Years Old: Presenting with Double-orifice Mitral Valve,Bicuspid Aortic Valve,and Aortic Coarctation

Atypical Shone''s complex is a rare congenital anomaly involving a left-sided obstructive lesion of two or three cardiovascular levels. A 70-year-old man with dyspnea on exertion was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis (AS) with a bicuspid valve, complicated by severe aortic coarctation (CoA) and a double-orifice mitral valve. He underwent surgery for AS and CoA in one session. It is important to search for complicated malformations, even in cases of bicuspid aortic valve found in old age.     

Effects of tranexamic acid on coagulofibrinolytic markers during the early stage of severe trauma: A propensity score–matched analysis

Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces the risk of bleeding trauma death without altering the need for blood transfusion. We examined the effects of TXA on coagulation and fibrinolysis dynamics and the volume of transfusion during the early stage of trauma. This subanalysis of a prospective multicenter study of severe trauma included 276 patients divided into propensity score–matched groups with and without TXA administration. The effects of TXA on coagulation and fibrinolysis markers immediately at (time point 0) and 3 hours after (time point 3) arrival at the emergency department were investigated. The transfusion volume was determined at 24 hours after admission. TXA was administered to the patients within 3 hours (median, 64 minutes) after injury. Significant reductions in fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products and D-dimer levels from time points 0 to 3 in the TXA group compared with the non-TXA group were confirmed, with no marked differences noted in the 24-hour transfusion volumes between the 2 groups. Continuously increased levels of soluble fibrin, a marker of thrombin generation, from time points 0 to 3 and high levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, a marker of inhibition of fibrinolysis, at time point 3 were observed in both groups. TXA inhibited fibrin(ogen)olysis during the early stage of severe trauma, although this was not associated with a reduction in the transfusion volume. Other confounders affecting the dynamics of fibrinolysis and transfusion requirement need to be clarified.     

Successful Surgical and Endovascular Multidisciplinary Therapy for Mid-aortic Syndrome with Complicated Atherosclerotic Comorbidities in an Older Patient

Mid-aortic syndrome (MAS) is a rare vascular disorder that causes refractory hypertension. A 76-year-old woman was hospitalized for acute heart failure (HF) with drug-resistant hypertension; other comorbidities included epigastric artery rupture, old myocardial infarction, an intraventricular thrombus, and a cerebral artery aneurysm. Angiography revealed severe narrowing of the descending aorta, which led to the diagnosis of MAS. Although intensive medical treatment improved her HF, optimal blood pressure (BP) could not be achieved. Percutaneous coronary intervention and surgical bypass for diseased aorta was then performed in two stages, resulting in the achievement of optimal BP and alleviation of HF.     

Absolute lymphocyte count and C-reactive protein-albumin ratio can predict prognosis and adverse events in patients with recurrent esophageal cancer treated with nivolumab therapy

Predicting the prognosis and adverse events (AEs) of nivolumab therapy for recurrent esophageal cancer is very important. The present study investigated whether a simple blood biochemical examination could be used to predict prognosis and AEs following nivolumab treatment for relapse of esophageal cancer. A total of 41 patients who received nivolumab treatment for recurrent esophageal cancer after esophagectomy were analyzed. The absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and C-reactive protein-albumin ratio (CAR) were assessed at the time of nivolumab induction as indices that can be calculated by blood biochemical examinations alone. Median values were 1,015 for ALC, 3.401 for NLR, 242.6 for PLR, 0.458 for MLR and 0.119 for CAR, and patients were divided into two groups according to values. A high ALC, low NLR, low PLR, low MLR and low CAR were associated with a better response to nivolumab. In addition, patients with the aforementioned indices, with the exception of low PLR, or better response were more likely to develop AEs in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, a high ALC [odds ratio (OR): 4.857, P=0.043] and low CAR (OR: 9.099, P=0.004) were identified as independent risk factors for AEs. Survival analysis revealed that overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) rates after nivolumab treatment differed significantly between the high and low groups of ALC, NLR, PLR, MLR and CAR. The multivariate analysis identified a low ALC [hazard ratio (HR): 3.710, P=0.003] and high CAR (HR: 2.953, P=0.007) as independent poor prognostic factors of PFS. In conclusion, ALC and CAR have potential as biomarkers for outcomes of recurrent esophageal cancer following nivolumab treatment.     

Spinal cord ischemia after endovascular aortic repair versus open surgical repair for descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurism

Purpose

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) an emerging less invasive alternative to surgery, is now being increasingly employed, but spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is still a threat with this procedure. Delayed paraplegia has been frequently observed after TEVAR, suggesting there may be different courses of SCI between TEVAR and the conventional open surgical repair (OSR) of thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysms. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the risk factors for and the course of SCI after TEVAR and OSR.

Methods

We studied a series of 414 OSR and 94 TEVAR patients prospectively. Postoperative motor function, sensory disturbance, and bladder disturbance were assessed daily to evaluate the course of SCI. Previously reported risk factors for SCI were investigated.

Results

Spinal cord ischemia occurred in 6 patients (6.4 %) in the TEVAR group, and in 18 patients (4.3 %) in the OSR group, resulting in no significant difference (p = 0.401). A greater percentage of patients (n = 4, 66.7 %) with SCI in the TEVAR group had a delayed onset, compared with 16.7 % (n = 3) in the OSR group (p = 0.038). The rate of recovery of walking function after SCI and the incidence of sensory disturbance and bladder dysfunction was similar in the two groups. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that, in the TEVAR group, the stent length of aortic coverage was a significant risk factor for SCI.

Conclusion

The incidence of SCI was similar in the OSR and TEVAR groups, but delayed SCI occurred more frequently in the TEVAR group. Except for the delayed onset of SCI, SCI showed a similar course of recovery in the two groups.     

Natural course of the minimally symptomatic nonoperated hip in patients with bilateral hip dysplasia treated with contralateral rotational acetabular osteotomy

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the natural course of the minimally symptomatic nonoperated hip in patients with preosteoarthritis or early osteoarthritis in bilaterally dysplastic hips. Methods The material consisted of 61 patients with bilaterally dysplastic hips who underwent rotational acetabular osteotomy in their symptomatic hip and nonoperative treatment in their asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic hip. The average follow-up was 10.1 years (range 7.0–15.6 years), and the average age at the time of surgery was 38.2 years (range 20–58 years). All patients were divided into two groups by joint congruity of the nonoperated hip at surgery with rotational acetabular osteotomy. Results On radiographic assessment, 1 of the 35 preosteoarthritis hips had developed early osteoarthritis, and 6 of the 26 early osteoarthritis hips had progressed to advanced osteoarthritis. The Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis for the whole group of nonoperated hips, with radiographic progression of osteoarthritis as the endpoint, predicted a 10-year survival rate of 83.7% (95% confidence interval 70%–98%). Significant differences were observed in the radiographic stage (pre- and early osteoarthritis group, P = 0.015) and joint congruity (good and fair group, P = 0.005). Conclusions If the contralateral nonoperated hip has good joint congruity, minimal symptoms, and no or little radiographic change in patients with pre- or early osteoarthritis and bilateral acetabular dysplasia, the probability of radiographic progression is low.     

Increased urinary excretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in proteinuric renal diseases

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine that is produced mainly by tubular epithelial cells in kidney and contributes to renal interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. More recently, we have demonstrated that urinary MCP-1 excretion is increased in proportion to the degree of albuminuria (proteinuria) and positively correlated with urinary N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Based on these findings, we have suggested that heavy proteinuria, itself, probably aggravates renal tubular damage and accelerates the disease progression in diabetic nephropathy by increasing the MCP-1 expression in renal tubuli. In the present study, to evaluate whether urinary MCP-1 excretion is increased in the proteinuric states not only in diabetic nephropathy but also in other renal diseases, we examined urinary MCP-1 levels in IgA nephropathy patients with macroalbuminuria (IgAN group; n = 6), and compared the results with the data obtained from type 2 diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy (DN group; n = 23) and those without diabetic nephropathy (non-DN group; n = 27). Urinary MCP-1 excretion levels in non-DN, DN, IgAN groups were 157.2 (52.8-378.5), 346.1 (147.0-1276.7), and 274.4 (162.2-994.5) ng/g creatinine, median (range), respectively. Expectedly, urinary MCP-1 and NAG excretion levels in DN and IgAN groups were significantly elevated as compared with non-DN group. Therefore, we suggest that MCP-1 expression in renal tubuli is enhanced in proteinuric states,irrespective of the types of renal disease, and that increased MCP-1 expression probably contributes to renal tubular damage in proteinuric states.     

Late massive hemoptysis after transbronchial biopsy of hamartoma: an involvement of pulmonary artery and vein.

Pulmonary hamartoma is a common benign neoplasm that is usually asymptomatic and that arises in the periphery of the lung. However, when the tumor is growing without showing characteristic findings of hamartoma, such as involving calcification, fat density, and chondromatous contents in chest X-rays or computed tomography, the diagnosis is sometimes that problematic and definitive histological diagnosis should be established. We herein report a case with a massive hemoptysis 10 days after a successful transbronchial biopsy. A 69-year-old man who underwent mitral valve plasty 6 years earlier presented a left lung shadow during a routine chest X-ray. The shadow was seen to be growing by a series of chest X-rays. A week after warfarin had been stopped, a bronchoscopic biopsy was performed. No bronchial hemorrhage was observed during the procedure, and warfarin was not restarted. The patient began noticing bloody sputa once or twice a day, and 10 days after the biopsy, 400 mL of hemoptysis was suddenly disgorged. An emergency left upper lobectomy of the lung was performed, and the hemoptysis soon disappeared postoperatively. The patient is well without respiratory symptoms 36 months after the surgery.     

The effects of arginine and selective inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor on pathophysiology of sepsis in a CLP model

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is an arginine-deficient state and is associated with overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). It has been indicated that low plasma levels of arginine are related to high mortality rates in sepsis. Arginine, however, is also known to be a precursor of NO. Therefore, administration of arginine in septic patients remains controversial. We examined the effects of co-administration of arginine and aminoguanidine, a selective iNOS inhibitor, on sepsis, using rat models. METHOD: Sepsis was induced in rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Effects of separate and combined administration of arginine and aminoguanidine were investigated by comparing plasma levels of arginine, expressions of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and HO-2 in liver and lung, and nitrite + nitrate (NOx) excretion in urine, as well as neuroendocrine responses in urine in the early phase of sepsis. Seven-day survival rates were also examined. RESULTS: A combination of arginine and aminoguanidine recovered the plasma level of arginine at 6 h post-CLP, decreased expression of HO-1 in liver and lung at 24 h post-CLP, decreased urinary excretion of epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and 17-hydroxycorticosteroid in the first 24 h post-CLP, and increased 7-d survival. CONCLUSION: It is demonstrated that administration of arginine together with the selective iNOS inhibitor in the early phase of sepsis restores plasma arginine, reduces oxidative stress by probably maintaining NO derived from constitutive NOS, and attenuates neuroendocrine stress responses. This co-administration may be a beneficial treatment approach against sepsis.     

Extended resection of primary lung cancer directly invading the liver

Abstract:   A 61-year-old woman presented with chest pain. Chest CT revealed a mass of 6 cm diameter in the right lower lobe. Bronchoscopic biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma. Video-assisted thoracotomy revealed that the main tumour was directly invading the liver through the diaphragm. To alleviate local symptoms and for possible cure with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, standard right lower lobectomy and mediastinal dissection were carried out, followed by combined resection of the diaphragm and posterior superior segmentectomy of the liver. Eleven months postoperatively, the patient was alive but had a metastatic lesion in the other lobe of the liver which reduced in size following chemotherapy.