Conversion to hypertrophic vertebral pseudarthrosis following percutaneous vertebroplasty

To determine the role of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in bone formation and the union of vertebral pseudarthrosis, we analyzed 14 patients with an average follow-up duration of 21 months. Evaluation methods included back pain (visual analog scale: VAS), wedge angle, dynamic mobility, radiographic remodeling including callus and spur formation, and union status. The Student's t test was used for statistical analysis and a probability of less than 0.05 was determined as a significant difference. Back pain improved in all 14 patients with a VAS score of 57.8 ± 23.5 mm (average ± standard deviation) preoperatively and 14.7 ± 16.4 mm at the final follow-up (P < 0.001). The wedge angle decreased from 21.6° ± 8.3° (average ± standard deviation) preoperatively to 13.2° ± 6.9° at the final follow-up (P < 0.001). Callus formation was seen in four patients. Bony spurs were seen in the affected vertebra in preoperative radiographs in all patients, and were further developed to a solidified form during follow up after PVP. Dynamic mobility of the affected vertebrae was 6.9 ± 2.9 mm preoperatively, which decreased to 1.1° ± 0.7° at the final follow-up (P < 0.001). Notably, all patients showed the dynamic vertebral mobility of 2 mm or less. Nevertheless, only two patients exhibited the dynamic vertebral mobility of 0 mm at the final follow-up, which is referred to as bone union. These findings indicate that PVP serves as a mechanical stabilizer for vertebral pseudarthrosis, which leads to immediate pain relief and segmental bony responses.     

Diagnostic reliability of magnetic resonance imaging for central nervous system syndromes in systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective cohort study

Background  

Previous studies of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic tool for central nervous system (CNS) syndromes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) contained several limitations such as study design, number of enrolled patients, and definition of CNS syndromes. We overcame these problems and statistically evaluated the diagnostic values of abnormal MRI signals and their chronological changes in CNS syndromes of SLE.     

Effects of Hemoglobin Concentration, Skull Thickness, and the Area of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Layer on Near-infrared Spectroscopy Measurements

Background: Previous studies documented that near-infrared spectroscopy values were affected by factors related to optical path length, such as hemoglobin concentration, the differential path length factor, skull thickness (t-skull), and the area of the cerebrospinal fluid layer (a-CSFL). Lately, the NIRO-100 (Hamamatsu Photonics, Hamamatsu, Japan) has provided a tissue oxygen index (TOI) that theoretically is not supposed to be affected by optical path length. Therefore, the authors hypothesized that TOI is not influenced by the above-described individual factors.

Methods: Cardiac surgical or neurosurgical 103 patients (65 men and 39 women; aged 63 +/- 14 yr) were studied. TOI and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) (INVOS 4100; Somanetics, Troy, MI) were measured sequentially on patients in a resting state. The t-skull and a-CSFL were calculated using computed tomographic image slices of the head corresponding with the position of near-infrared spectroscopy sensors. The effects of these two factors, hemoglobin concentration and mean arterial pressure, on TOI and rSO2 values were evaluated by linear regression analysis.

Results: Simple linear regression analysis showed that mean arterial pressure (r = 0.27, P = 0.008), t-skull (r = 0.22, P = 0.034), a-CSFL (0.26, P = 0.012), and hemoglobin concentration (r = 0.42, P < 0.0001) were significant determinants of rSO2. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that hemoglobin concentration (r = 0.34, P < 0.001), a-CSFL (r = -0.252, P = 0.012), and t-skull (r = 0.22, P = 0.037) were significant determinants of rSO2. On the other hand, simple and multiple linear regression analysis showed that there was no significant determinant of TOI.     

Use of a laryngeal mask airway to stop a supraglottic air leak which prevented adequate ventilation via a tracheostomy in a patient with cerebral palsy and pneumonia

We report an adolescent developing ventilation failure due to supraglottic air leakage with the use of an uncuffed hand-made tracheal tube fit to her tracheobronchial deformity. To eliminate the supraglottic air leakage, a size 2.5 laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was inserted into the oral pharynx. Most of air leakage arose from the LMA. Supraglottic air leakage was not detected under mandatory mechanical ventilation following sealing of the 15-mm connector of the LMA with a piece of tape, and the respiratory condition of the patient gradually improved. The combination of a hand-made Y-shaped tube and the LMA was useful in restoring adequate ventilation. In conditions where air leaks through the glottis during mechanical ventilation interfere with adequate ventilation or the maintenance of airway pressure, the use of an LMA may be adequate to stop or significantly decrease the leak.     

Staged hybrid repair using telescoped stent graft fixation for aortic arch and descending aortic aneurysms

Staged repair of extensive thoracic aortic aneurysms is complicated, with a high incidence of interval rupture between stages. We describe the systematic staged hybrid procedure of a previous endovascular repair of a descending aortic aneurysm and open surgical repair of an aortic arch aneurysm. In the second-stage arch repair, the stent graft was easily retracted and fixed, without dissection, around the aortic arch aneurysm distal side. Extensive thoracic aortic aneurysms were managed without interim rupture or neurologic deficits. This approach avoided the potential for interim rupture because recovery from the first-stage endovascular repair was shorter than that from open repair.     

Incidence and outcome of osteoporotic fractures in 2004 in Sado City,Niigata Prefecture,Japan

Osteoporotic fracture in elderly populations is increasing worldwide, but there are few data on the incidence and outcome of osteoporotic fractures, including upper extremity and vertebral fracture, during a certain period in a defined geographic area. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of osteoporotic fractures in a particular area: Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. From January to December 2004, osteoporotic fractures of the vertebra, hip, distal radius, and proximal humerus in Sado City were recorded. The incidence, age, gender, type of fracture (for hip fracture), right or left side (for distal radius, proximal humerus, and hip fracture), place of injury, cause of injury, outcome, hospitalization period, and patient status regarding taking of drugs for osteoporosis treatment were checked for each fracture. The incidence was calculated based on the whole population of Sado City. The incidence per 100,000 population was 232.8, 121.4, 108.6, and 37.1 for fractures of the vertebra, hip, distal radius, and proximal humerus, respectively. The total incidence of these four kinds of fracture was 499.9 per 100,000 persons per year. The average age at the time of injury was 81.4, 77.7, 75.7, and 60.2 years old for fractures of the hip, vertebra, proximal humerus, and distal radius, respectively. As the average age increased, the percentage of fractures that occurred indoors also increased; that is, a higher percentage of hip fractures occurred indoors, followed by fractures of the vertebra, proximal humerus, and distal radius. Most patients were not taking anti-osteoporosis drugs before fractures of the hip or vertebra. We determined the incidence of major osteoporotic fractures in 1 year in a defined geographic area. Our data showed that 81% of hip fracture patients also had a vertebral fracture and that the average age at the time of injury was higher for hip fractures than for vertebral fractures. Therefore, these results suggest that vertebral fracture leads to hip fracture, indicating that early fracture prevention and continuous prevention strategies through positive treatment are of importance in osteoporotic elderly people.     

Complication caused by use of fibrin glue in vessel transposition for trigeminal neuralgia

A 64-year-old man underwent microvascular decompression of the left superior cerebellar artery (SCA) for left trigeminal neuralgia (TN) using a sling of Teflon tape fixed to the tentorium with fibrin glue. The TN disappeared immediately after surgery, but recurred unusually rapidly at 2 weeks later at the same intensity as before. Second surgery revealed the SCA was suspended from the tentorium, but the trigeminal nerve was stretched and displaced superolaterally because of adhesion to the superior petrosal vein. The adhesion was thought to involve the fibrin glue used during the sling retraction procedure. The nerve was meticulously dissected from the adhesion, and the trigeminal nerve was placed in the correct position. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the TN disappeared completely. We recommend that the smallest amount of the fibrin glue possible be used to avoid adhesion to the surrounding neurovascular elements.     

Right lung cancer with right aortic arch

An abnormal shadow was detected on chest X-ray mass screening in an asymptomatic 63-year-old man. The further examinations revealed the shadow to be primary lung cancer (Rt. S6. adenocarcinoma, cT2N0M0, c-stage IB) with right aortic arch. We used 3 dimentional-computed tomography (3D-CT) to assess an anatomical feature of vessels in detail. The right lower lobectomy and the dissection of medi astinal lymph nodes was performed. We confirmed no abnormal anatomy of pulmonary artery and vein at surgery, and it was possible to perform right lower lobectomy with the common procedure. Since lymph node was found by intraopetrative pathological examination, since no metastasis from interlobar to subcarinal lymph node was found, we did not perform dissection of upper mediastinal dissection, which was equivalent to ND2a lymph nodes dissection of the left lung cancer in General Rule for Clinical and Pathological Record of Lung Cancer. The patient with right aortic arch is known to have variant anatomy of other intrathoracic vessels occasionally. 3D-CT was quite useful in assessing anatomical feature, and enabled us to perform safe operation.     

Lung volume reduction surgery and nutritional status in patients with severe emphysema

Objective: We studied the short-term effect of lung volume reduction surgery on nutritional status including body composition and the relationship between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative morbidity.Methods: Subjects were 28 patients with emphysema who underwent bilateal thoracoscopic lung volume reduction surgery (23 simultaneously, 5 staged). Functional tests, body weight, and body composition were measured before and 6 months after surgery. Fat-free mass and fat mass were assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis.Results: FEV₁₀ improved 35.2% following surgery and maximal oxygen uptake 23.8%. Body weight and fat-free mass increased significantly after surgery, while fat mass was unchanged. Of the 23 undergoing simultaneous bilateral lung volume reduction surgery, 8 had major complications-3 required additional surgery to close air leaks, 3 required mechanical ventilation (>72 hrs), and 2 developed postoperative infection. The preoperative percentage of ideal body weight and fat-free mass was significantly higher among patients without major complications.Conclusions: Bilateral lung volume reduction surgery increases fat-free mass and provides functional improvement for underweight patients with severe emphysema. We found fat-free mass and body weight to be good predictors of unacceptable postoperative complications following bilateral lung volume reduction surgery.     

Long-term control or possible cure? Treatment of stage D2 prostate cancer under chemotherapy using cisplatin and estramustine phosphate followed by maximal androgen blockade

Metastatic prostate cancer (PC) is incurable by androgen deprivation therapy alone, due to the presence of androgen-independent/supersensitive cells in hormone-naive PC. A 67-year-old man was diagnosed with PC (Gleason score, 5 + 4) with multiple bone metastases. He was treated by chemohormonal therapy with cisplatin and estramustine phosphate (EMP) followed by maximal androgen blockade, and showed a complete response. As of the time of writing, no clinical or prostate-specific antigen recurrence has been observed for over 15 years, despite cessation of the treatment. This is the first report to indicate a possible cure of metastatic PC by chemohormonal therapy combined with appropriate anti-tumor drugs targeted to both androgen-independent and -dependent clones before the hormone-refractory state.