Quality of life after single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A randomized,clinical trial

Background

Controversy continues as to whether single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with the somewhat larger incision at the umbilicus, may lead to a worse postoperative quality of life and more pain compared with the more classic 4-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The aim of this study was to compare single-incision and 4-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy from the perspective of quality of life.

A case report: Severe bone marrow suppression caused by 6-mercaptopurin in Crohn's disease patient]

A 23-year-old man was admitted for treatment of acute exacerbation of ileitis and perianal abscess caused by Crohn's disease. After incision and drainage of the abscess, coupled with antibiotic therapy, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) was commenced. His white blood cell (WBC) count on day 12 after initiation of 6-MP was not decreased. However, on day 24 he was re-admitted because of severe myelosuppression (WBC: 300/microl), which was complicated by the recurrence of the perianal abscess. Myelosuppression was prolonged and required the administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). G-CSF was continued for 17 days to achieve recovery of his WBC count to a normal level.     

CYP2E1 and ALDH2 Genotypes and Alcohol Dependence in Japanese

The genotypes of the CYP2E1 and ALDH2 loci of alcoholic (alcohol dependence) and nonalcoholic (healthy) Japanese were investigated to examine the relationship between the polymorphism of CYP2E1 (C₁/C₂) and ALDH2 ( ALDH2*1/ALDH2*2 ), and the susceptibility to alcoholism. There was no significant difference in C₂ gene frequency between alcoholics (0.19) and nonalcoholics (controls) (0.20), whereas there was a significant difference in ALDH2 allele frequency, suggesting that, in Japanese, the C₂ genotype of CYP2E1 may have nothing to do with the risk of developing alcohol dependence. However, the ALDH2*1 allele may influence drinking behavior and the development of alcohol dependence. Furthermore, racial interethnic differences in the frequency of the mutated allele of the CYP2E1 gene (CJ were found, like the ALDH2 gene. Japanese healthy controls showed a significantly higher frequency of the C₂ allele than did Swedish healthy controls (0.05; reported by Persson et al., FEBS Lett. 319:207-211,1993).     

Clinical efficacy of clarithromycin in the field of pediatrics

A new macrolide antibiotic, clarithromycin (TE-031, A-56268), was studied for its clinical efficacy in the field of pediatrics. Patients treated were infants and children ranging from 2 months to 11 years old suffering from acute bronchitis in 5 cases, acute tonsillitis in 2 cases, Mycoplasma pneumonia in 2 cases, pertussis in 6 cases, scarlatina in 1 case and acute enteritis in 2 cases, a total of 18 cases. TE-031 was administered 19.7-43.5 mg/kg in daily doses and lengths of treatment ranged from 4 to 19 days. As regards to its clinical efficacy, good or excellent results were obtained in all cases: excellent in 11 cases and good in 7 cases. No clinical side effects nor abnormal laboratory test values obviously attributable to TE-031 were observed.     

Case of severe ulcerative colitis successfully treated with intravenous cyclosporine without high dose corticosteroid]

A 44-year-old women developed marked myopathy one year earlier, when she was treated with intravenous prednisolone for acute severe exacerbation of ulcerative colitis. When she was admitted to our hospital for another severe exacerbation, intravenous cyclosporine A was administered as monotherapy because she could not tolerate corticosteroid. The treatment was successful and she obtained complete remission. Cyclosporine A monotherapy is considered to be a valuable alternative to proctocolectomy for severe ulcerative colitis patients who cannot tolerate corticosteroid.     

Pancreatic metastasis of malignant melanoma diagnosed by EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA)]

Pancreatic metastasis of malignant melanoma is rarely diagnosed while the patient is alive. We report a case of metastatic melanoma of the pancreas in a 35-year-old woman presenting with a solid mass of the pancreas. Her past medical history included a radical hysterectomy 2 years previously for malignant melanoma of the vagina. Twelve months later, lung metastasis was also resected. EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) identified that the pancreatic tumor was histologically and immunohistochemically identical to the surgical specimen of her lung neoplasm. Imaging studies including US, CT, and MRI have limited value to distinguish the tumors from primary ductal adenocarcinoma. EUS-FNA can provide tissue diagnosis from pancreatic masses, specifically when other modalities have failed.     

Regeneration of the hamstring tendons after harvesting for arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a histological study in 11 patients

The purpose of our study is to evaluate whether the hamstring tendons can regrow after harvesting for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and whether the regenerate tissue can be histologically characterized as tendinous. Eleven of the patients (eight female and three male; mean age, 23 years; range 17–37 years) consented to participate in this study. One year after the ACL reconstruction, surgical biopsy was done. Regeneration of the tendon was detected macroscopically in 9 of the 11 patients. Histologically and immunohistochemically, the regenerated tendons closely resembled normal ones. The results of this study show the hamstring tendons can regenerate after harvesting for the ACL reconstruction.