Liposarcoma of the pleural cavity; report of a case

A 43-year-old-woman who had sever anterior chest pain visited our hospital on April 3, 2000. A well-defined abnormal shadow was seen in the middle and lower field of the right lung on chest X-ray. Computed tomography showed a large fat density mass in the right pleural cavity with a septum enhanced by contrast medium. Percutaneous needle biopsy revealed lipoma or liposarcoma. Complete resection could be done with combined resection of right lung, lpericardium, parietal pleura and diaphragm. Final histologic diagnosis was well differentiated liposarcoma. There are few reports of liposarcoma arising in the thoracic cavity, we present our case and review the 23 cases reported from the Japanese literatures.     

Unruptured intracranial aneurysms in haemodialysis patients

SUMMARY:   While the mortality rate of subarachnoid haemorrhage is very high in haemodialysis (HD) patients, the prevalence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms in HD patients has not yet been elucidated. We performed cerebral magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) on 123 HD patients who did not have symptomatic cerebrovascular disease, and on 52 control subjects. On the basis of these images, the prevalence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms was evaluated. Unruptured aneurysms were found in three HD patients (2.4%). There were no aneurysms found in the healthy control group. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of unruptured aneurysms between HD patients and healthy controls. Therefore, the incidence of intracranial aneurysms is not associated with chronic renal failure.     

Effects of the CYP2C19 genotype and cigarette smoking on the single oral dose pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of estazolam

The effects of the cytochrome P450 (CYP)2C19 genotype and cigarette smoking on the single oral dose pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of estazolam were studied in 16 healthy male volunteers. The two mutated alleles (CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3) causing absent CYP2C19 activity were identified by PCR-based restriction enzyme analysis. Five subjects had no mutated allele, five had one mutated allele, and six had two mutated alleles. Seven subjects were smokers, and nine were nonsmokers. The subjects received a single oral 4-mg dose of estazolam, and blood samplings and evaluation of psychomotor function were conducted up to 72 h after dosing. There was no significant difference among the groups with no, one, and two mutated alleles for the peak plasma concentration (145.2+/-36.5 vs. 142.1+/-33.6 vs. 113.2+/-29.7 ng/ml), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (0- infinity ) (4916.0+/-1276.4 vs. 4389.6+/-736.1 vs. 4047.3+/-613.8 ng x h/ml), apparent oral clearance (0.22+/-0.05 vs. 0.25+/-0.03 vs. 0.25+/-0.03 ml/min/kg), and elimination half-life (24.4+/-4.6 vs. 29.6+/-8.5 vs. 30.7+/-3.9 h). Similarly, none of the pharmacokinetic parameters was significantly different between the nonsmoker and smoker groups. Neither the number of mutated allele nor cigarette smoking affected the psychomotor function parameters significantly. The present study suggests that neither the CYP2C19 genotype nor cigarette smoking affects the single oral dose pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of estazolam.     

Attenuation of adhesion formation after cardiac surgery with a chymase inhibitor in a hamster model

OBJECTIVE: Chymase is one of the inflammatory mediators and is released from mast cells, which are closely associated with adhesion formation. Chymase also activates transforming growth factor beta1, which promotes tissue fibrosis. However, the role of chymase in cardiac adhesion formation has not yet been elucidated. We have assessed whether a specific chymase inhibitor, Suc-Val-Pro-Phe(p) (OPh)(2), prevents postoperative cardiac adhesions in hamsters. METHODS: In 66 hamsters the epicardium was abraded, and then either chymase inhibitor or placebo was injected into the left thoracic cavity, leaving the pericardium open. Cardiac chymase activity, the level of transforming growth factor beta1 in the pleural fluid, and the density of epicardial mast cells were measured 3 days postoperatively. The degree of adhesion formation was evaluated macroscopically and histologically 2 weeks postoperatively by using a grading score ranging from 0 (no adhesions) to 4 (severe adhesions). RESULTS: The cardiac chymase activity and level of transforming growth factor beta1 were lower in the chymase inhibitor-treated group compared with in the placebo-treated group (45.8 +/- 18.7 vs 79.7 +/- 13.7 microU/mg protein [P <.025] and 15.6 +/- 6.5 vs 33.2 +/- 9.8 microg/mL [P <.01], respectively). The density of mast cells was higher in the placebo-treated group, and there was suppression to 60% of this value in the chymase inhibitor-treated group. The adhesion scores were lower in the chymase inhibitor-treated group compared with in the placebo-treated group (1.3 +/- 1.3 vs 3.0 +/- 1.1, P <.01). CONCLUSION: Use of a chymase inhibitor suppresses not only cardiac chymase activity but also the level of transforming growth factor beta1, and this results in a reduction in postoperative cardiac adhesion.     

Autosynchronized systolic unloading during left ventricular assist with a centrifugal pump

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate how the inflow cannulation site of the left ventricular assist system with a centrifugal pump would influence cardiac function on failing heart models. METHODS: In 10 sheep, a left ventricular assist system was instituted by an outflow cannula in the descending aorta, two inflow cannulas in the left atrium and the left ventricle, and connecting those cannulas to a magnetically suspended centrifugal pump. A conductance catheter and a tipped micromanometer for monitoring the pressure-volume loop were also inserted into the left ventricle. Myocardial oxygen consumption was directly measured. Heart failure was induced by injection of microspheres into the left main coronary artery. The assist rate was varied from 0% to 100% at each inflow cannulation site. RESULTS: The pump flow with left ventricular cannulation increased during the systolic phase and decreased during the diastolic phase, whereas it was constant with left atrial cannulation. Ejection fraction with left atrial cannulation decreased as the assist rate increased, whereas that with left ventricular cannulation was maintained up to 75% assist. The external work with left atrial cannulation decreased gradually as the assist rate increased, whereas the external work with left ventricular cannulation did not decrease until the assist rate reached 75%. The myocardial oxygen consumption in both cannulations decreased proportionally as the assist rate increased; they were significantly less with left ventricular cannulation at the 100% assist rate than with left atrial cannulation. CONCLUSION: Left ventricular cannulation during left ventricular assistance maintains ejection fraction and effectively reduces oxygen consumption.