SEDATION WITH DEXMEDETOMIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE DURING ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION OF GASTRIC CANCER

Aim: Although the treatment of early gastric cancer with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely carried out, a standardized method of sedation for ESD has not been established. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sedation with dexmedetomidine (DEX). Methods: We conducted a randomized study involving 90 patients with gastric tumors who were intended to be treated with ESD. The patients were sedated either with DEX (i.v. infusion of 3.0 µg/kg per h over 5 min followed by continuous infusion at 0.4 µg/kg per h [n = 30]), propofol (PF [n = 30]), or midazolam (MDZ [n = 30]). In all groups, 1 mg MDZ was added i.v. as needed. Results: En bloc resection of the gastric tumor was achieved in 88 (98%) patients. None of the DEX‐sedated patients showed a significant reduction of the oxygen saturation level. The percentage of patients who showed body movement in the DEX group was significantly lower than those in the PF and MDZ groups, and the mean dose of additional MDZ in the DEX group was significantly smaller than that in the MDZ group. The rate of effective sedation was significantly higher in the DEX group compared with the MDZ or PF group. The mean length of ESD in the DEX group was 65 min, which was significantly shorter than in the other two groups. No DEX‐sedated patient developed major surgical complications. Conclusions: Sedation with DEX is effective and safe for patients with gastric tumors who are undergoing ESD.     

A successful antimicrobial therapeutic strategy for the discitis caused by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans under unknown drug susceptibility: A case report

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is well-known as the pathogen of gingivitis or periodontitis, and discitis or vertebral osteomyelitis cases caused by this organism have rarely been reported. Ampicillin or amoxicillin has been used in the previously reported discitis cases; however, no cases have been reported that is treated with levofloxacin. We report the first published case we chose levofloxacin to treat. We failed to perform the susceptibility testing because of the poor growth and fastidious nature of the organism, and the result of susceptibility of amoxicillin was unclear. Levofloxacin, which A. actinomycetemcomitans is usually susceptible to, can be an effective alternative oral antimicrobial agent in such cases.     

Therapy of Acute Hypertension in Hospitalized Children and Adolescents

Renovascular disease is a cause of hypertension in 10 % to 15 % of prepubertal children. Interventions to address hypertension and causes of renovascular disease continue to advance. Successful interventions to treat renovascular disease include medical, angiographic, and surgical means, used alone or, more often, as combination therapy. Medical therapy is used to control the blood pressure prior to further intervention or in specific instances as long-term single therapy. Judicious use of percutaneous angioplasty and surgical intervention is usually successful in children with renal artery stenosis, although up to two-thirds of children will remain on antihypertensive medication after the procedure. Outcomes of combination therapy will continue to improve with advances in the use of antihypertensive medication in children, improvements in percutaneous angiography techniques, and progress in vascular surgical expertise.     

Increased levels of chondrocalcin in knee joint fluid in synovial chondromatosis--a case report

Introduction We used an experimental hip model to assess the mechanical stability of a hip prosthesis, and compared the femoral medullary canal preparation techniques of reaming and broaching.

Methods 15 pairs of cadaveric femora had a simulated replacement, the right femur with a reaming technique and the left with a broaching technique. Both femurs were radiographed to assess component positioning and cement mantle. The femurs were osteotomized 30 days after the procedure. The shear strength of the interface was studied at 4 different levels along an aluminum rod during push-out tests.

Results The overall mean value of the interface failure load was 15% lower with the reaming technique (6.5 kN for the reaming technique versus 7.7 kN for the broaching technique; p?=?0.02).

Interpretation Broaching was superior to reaming for the preparation of the femoral canal, and should be used in order to increase primary stability. Further in vivo studies are required to account for factors such as intramedullary pressure, bleeding and surgical variations, which could not be accounted for in our study.