Characterization of K-ras gene mutations in association with mucinous hypersecretion in intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasms

Background/Purpose Intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas have a favorable prognosis. However, invasive ductal carcinomas of the pancreas show a rapid progression. The aim of this study was to investigate gene mutations in pure pancreatic juice from IPMN patients and to define these genetic mutations in relation to the histopathological and clinical features of IPMNs. Methods Twenty-two patients with IPMN, 21 patients with ductal carcinoma, and 20 patients with normal pancreas or chronic pancreatitis were recruited for this study. We measured the main pancreatic duct’s largest diameter and the maximum size of a dilated branch was assessed by ultrasonography or endoscopic ultrasonography. Pure pancreatic juice was collected and was investigated for K-ras, p16, and p53 mutations. Results Mutant K-ras gene was detected in 13 of the 22 patients (59.1%) with IPMNs. Different kinds of mutations were detected in the same patient in 4 cases. In the 13 patients with mutant K-ras gene, the diameter of the most dilated part of the main pancreatic duct was 2–8 mm (average, 4.5 mm) and in 7 patients with wild-type K-ras gene, the diameter was 2–5 mm (average, 2.7 mm). There was a significant difference in the diameter of the main pancreatic duct between patients with and without the mutant K-ras gene (P = 0.0323). Conclusions The incidence of K-ras mutation may be associated with the hypersecretion of mucin.     

Preoperative Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Level as a Predictive Factor of Recurrence After Curative Resection of Colorectal Cancer

Background  We evaluated the prognostic value of the preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and Methods  The study group comprised 638 patients. The optimal cutoff value for the preoperative serum CEA level was determined. Predictive factors of recurrence were evaluated using multivariate analyses. The relapse-free time was investigated according to the CEA level. Results  All patients underwent potentially curative resection for CRC without distant metastasis, classified as stage I, II, or III. The optimal cutoff value for preoperative serum CEA level was 10 ng/ml. Elevated preoperative serum CEA level was observed in 92 patients. Multivariate analysis identified tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) stage and preoperative serum CEA level as independent predictive factors of recurrence. The relapse-free survival between CEA levels >10 ng/ml and <10 ng/ml significantly differed in patients with stage II and III. However, there was no significant difference in relapse-free survival between CEA levels >10 ng/ml and <10 ng/ml in patients with stage I. Conclusion  Preoperative serum CEA is a reliable predictive factor of recurrence after curative surgery in CRC patients and a useful indicator of the optimal treatment after resection, particularly for cases classified as stage II or stage III.     

Distribution of an explanatory note concerning the risks of anesthesia prior to preanesthetic evaluation

To make the public aware of the risks of anesthesia, we prepared an explanatory note composed of 634 Japanese characters or of 248 English words. The incidences of fatal anesthetic complications over a five-year period in 2,358,642 anesthetics in 741 Certified Training Hospital belonging to the Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists were cited in the explanatory note. Patients were asked to read and sign the explanatory note prior to agreeing to surgery. After patients having received this general information about surgical and anesthesia risks, surgeons then apply to the Department of Anesthesiology for their anesthetic management. Thereafter, responsible anesthesiologists visit and evaluate patients, and explain common as well as specific anesthesia risks to each patient. A survey by mailing questionnaires regarding this explanatory note and anesthesia risks sent to patients, who had read and signed the explanatory note, revealed that the patients were generally satisfied with the content of the explanatory note. This system may help patients, surgeons and anesthesiologists to recognize anesthesia risks on the same basis.     

Clinicopathological prognostic factors and impact of surgical treatment of mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

The clinicopathological characteristics relevant to prognosis after surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) remain unclear. In this study, the clinicopathological features of 19 patients with mass-forming ICC, the most common form of the disease, were reviewed to analyze prognostic determinants. Two or more segmentectomies of the liver with systematic lymphadenectomy were performed in 18 patients. Resection of the extrahepatic bile duct was performed in 14 patients, and reconstruction of the portal vein was accomplished in 5 patients. Stage IVA or IVB tumors were seen in 13 patients, and lymph node (LN) metastasis was present in 14 patients. The estimated 5-year survival rate after surgery for mass-forming ICC was 28%, with median survival time of 18 months. In univariate analysis, five variables were determined to be significantly correlated with poor survival of patients with mass-forming ICC after surgery. These variables include mass-forming ICC with periductal infiltration, perineural invasion, portal vein invasion, presence of intrahepatic metastasis, and two or more LN metastases. Survival rates of 5 patients without LN metastasis and 6 patients with a single LN metastasis were 80% and 33% at 5 years, respectively, while 8 patients with two or more LN metastasis failed to survive beyond 2 years. Multivariate analysis revealed the presence of intrahepatic metastasis to be an independent prognostic factor of poor survival. Hepatectomy with resection of the extrahepatic bile duct and systematic lymphadenectomy yields a good chance for prolonged survival for patients with mass-forming ICC when the lesion is singular and LN metastasis is limited to a regional LN. Because the presence of intrahepatic metastasis was closely related to a poor prognosis in patients with mass-forming ICC, efficacious chemotherapy would be needed to control development of the lesion.     

Comparative results of conservative treatments for isolated anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) injury and injury to both the ATFL and calcaneofibular ligament of the ankle as assessed by subtalar arthrography

Background There have been no reports describing the results of conservative treatment of acute lateral ligament injury of the ankle in detail in terms of the severity of the injury, and the results of conservative treatment for injury with severe instability are still controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess the results of nonoperative treatment of acute lateral ligament injury according to its severity. Methods Fifty-five consecutive acute lateral ankle ligament injuries in 54 patients who were treated nonoperatively were followed up as a prospective study. Twenty-seven were male patients and 27 were female patients; the average age was 23.9 years (12–55 years). The patients were divided into two groups according to the extent of the ligament injury: patients with an isolated injury of the anterior talofibular ligament and those with combined injuries of the anterior talofibular ligament and the calcaneofibular ligament. In addition to the routine examinations for inversion ankle sprain, subtalar arthrography was mainly used to assess the condition of the calcaneofibular ligament. The arthrography was performed an average of 3.5 days after the injury (0–5 days). Results Fifty-five ankles of patients who were treated nonoperatively according to the same protocol were included in this study, and were followed up for an average of 5.0 years (37–86 months). At the time of the final follow-up, 22 of 25 (88%) ankles with an isolated injury to the anterior talofibular ligament were asymptomatic; in contrast, only 9 of 30 (30%) ankles with combined injuries of the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligament were asymptomatic. The average American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score of the isolated injuries was 97.8 points, in contrast to 92.4 points for the combined injuries. Conclusions The results of nonoperative treatment with 1 week immobilization followed by a functional brace were excellent in patients with an isolated injury of the anterior talofibular ligament, but were unsatisfactory in those with combined injuries of the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments.     

Possible role of soluble erythropoietin receptors in renal anemia

Recombinant human erythropoietin(rHuEpo) is effective for the treatment of renal anemia associated with chronic renal failure(CRF). However, we have encountered some patients with CRF who have sometimes developed a resistance to rHuEpo. This resistance can be due to iron or folate deficiency, aluminum toxicity, hyperparathyroidism, or auto-antibodies for rHuEpo. In this study, we focused on the soluble erythropoietin receptor(sEpoR), which can bind to rHuEpo. To demonstrate the possibility that the sweeping of rHuEpo by sEpoR results in resistance to rHuEpo, we performed a bioassay using the rHuEpo-dependent cell line, UT7/EPO. The results showed that recombinant mouse sEpoR(rmsEpoR) can reduce the proliferation of UT7/EPO induced by rHuEpo in a dose-dependent manner. We consider that this cell line could be a useful tool in a bioassay to detect the inhibitory factor(s) against Epo. We selected sera from three groups of patients with renal anemia associated with CRF who were receiving hemodialysis three times a week: the first was a patient group that needed a high dose of rHuEpo(7,500-9,000 unit/dialysis), the second was a patient group that needed an intermediate dose of rHuEpo (4,500 unit/dialysis), the third was a patient group that needed a low dose of rHuEpo(below 1,500 unit/dialysis). Interestingly, the proliferation of UT7/EPO determined with [3H]-thymidine incorporation was reduced by the addition of sera from the first group, but not by the addition of sera from the third group. These results suggested that serum sEpoR may play an important role in signal transduction via EpoR on erythroid progenitor in CRF patients.     

Effect of Hospital and Surgeon Procedure Volumes on the Incidence of Intraoperative Conversion During Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

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Clinical application of vacuum-assisted cardiopulmonary bypass with a pressure relief valve.

OBJECTIVES: Hemodilution induced by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) often prevents open heart operations without blood transfusion because of a large CPB-priming volume. A vacuum-assisted venous drainage system appears to overcome this problem and our previous experimental study demonstrated the beneficial effect of a vacuum-assisted CPB with a pressure relief valve. In this study, we clinically applied this novel system, and evaluated its efficacy by comparing it with the results of a conventional siphon-dependent drainage system. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing open heart operation were divided into Group V (vacuum-assisted system, n=30) and Group S (siphon-dependent system, n=30). The vacuum-assisted system contains a powerful vacuum generator and a pressure relief valve to keep the negative pressure in the reservoir constant when the blood suction is used. RESULTS: The CPB-priming volume was significantly smaller in Group V (V vs. S: 1071+/-88 vs. 1405+/-137 ml; P<0.01), resulting in the lower hemodilution in Group V evidenced by the minimum hemoglobin level (V vs. S: 6.83+/-1.06 vs. 5.78+/-0.79 mg/dl; P<0.01) and blood transfusion rate (V vs. S: 9 vs. 20%; P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the plasma free hemoglobin level and the reduction ratio of plasma haptoglobin between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that this vacuum-assisted CPB can provide simplification of the CPB circuit, resulting in a smaller CPB-priming volume and lower hemodilution. This vacuum-assisted CPB may attenuate the negative effect of CPB by minimizing hemodilution and appears to be a useful modification to accomplish no blood-requiring open heart operations.     

The giant schwannoma in the pelvic cavity: a case report

A 62-year-old man presented with a giant tumor in the pelvic cavity that was incidentally revealed by abdominal ultrasonography. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging showed the heterogenous tumor in the pelvis with cystic components. The tumor was 10.8 × 10.5 × 11.7 cm in diameter and adhered to the sacral wall. The tumor was extirpated following diagnosis as a benign neurogenic tumor by needle biopsy. The pelvic cavity was occupied by the tumor rigidly adhered to the sacrum. The histopathological diagnosis of the specimen was benign schwannoma, type Antoni A.     

Riles type 1A common carotid artery occlusion diagnosed by specific external carotid artery Doppler waveform pattern in carotid ultrasonography. Case report

A 67-year-old man was admitted for evaluation of left homonymous hemianopsia. Carotid ultrasonography showed that the right common carotid artery (CCA) was occluded up to just proximal to the carotid bifurcation, and the patent external carotid artery showed retrograde flow to the patent internal carotid artery via the carotid bifurcation. The Doppler waveform pattern of the external carotid artery showed high end-diastolic flow velocity and low pulsatility index. The diagnosis was Riles type 1A CCA occlusion. Digital subtraction angiography and iodine-123 N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine single photon emission computed tomography were performed to confirm the collateral circulation and adequate intracranial hemodynamic sufficiency. Nonsurgical treatment with antiplatelet therapy was performed for the CCA occlusion. No stroke events have occurred within the 2-year follow-up period.