Reversal of Portosystemic Encephalopathy after Endoscopic Embolization of Recurrent Gastroesophageal Varices

Chronic portosystemic encephalopathy (CPSE) due to a shunt via gastroesophageal varices is uncommon. We were able to control a case of CPSE due to recurrent gastroesophageal varices using endoscopic embolization (EE). A 68-year-old man presented at our hospital in a confused, apathetic and tremulous state. He had undergone devascularization, proximal gastric transection and splenectomy for esopha-geal varices due to liver cirrhosis 16 years previously. The patient had hyperammone-mia (228 µg/dl), and endoscopic examination revealed nodular cardiac varices and large recurrent esophageal varices. Superior mesenteric arterial portography revealed that a large volume of superior mesenteric venous blood drained into the cardiac and esophageal varices through the remnant left gastric vein. The plasma ammonia level in the esophageal varices taken at the time of EE was 419 pg/dl, which was a much higher level than that of peripheral vessels, the superior vena cava and azygos vein, and suggested that the encephalopathy was due to the portosystemic shunt via the gastroesophageal varices. EE was performed using 5% ethanolamine oleate with iopamidol under fluoroscopy. The esophageal and cardiac varices were successfully embolized, the CPSE disappeared, and the plasma ammonia level decreased to 27 pg/dl. No complications were observed, and the patient was discharged on day 37 after EE. We conclude that EE is an effective and safe treatment for CPSE due to gastroesophageal varices.     

NEUROMUSCULAR EFFECTS OF I.A. INFUSION OF LIGNOCAINE IN MAN

Neuromuscular effects of lignocaine during and after i.a. infusionwere studied in healthy adult patients, using evoked electromyography.Supramaximal, paired stimuli were applied to the ulnar nervewith variable intervals between the two stimuli. The amplitudeof the hypothenar muscle action potential to the second componentof the paired stimulus (test response) was compared with thatevoked by the first component (conditioning response). Duringand after i.a. infusion of lignocaine, there were marked decreasesof the test response at intervals from 7 to 100 ms after theconditioning stimulus, although the decreases of the conditioningresponse were slight or negligible. The finding of decreasedtest responses coincided with the results obtained with tetanicstimulation such as pronounced fade and only slight post-tetanicpotentiation. Differences between these findings and those foundwith muscle relaxants were compared, and it was concluded thatthe mechanism responsible for these results might be attributedto an effect of lignocaine on the motor nerve terminal.     

Electrocardiographic Identification of Mid-Septal Accessory Pathways in Close Proximity to the Atrioventricular Conduction System

In order to identify ECG characteristics of overt midseptal accessory pathways (APs) predictive of close proximity to the AV conduction system we analyzed data from patients who underwent successful RF catheter ablation of a mid-septal AP, Mean patient age was 31 ± 16 years, and 13 were male. The 40° right anterior oblique view was used to divide the mid-septal area into 3 zones: 1 (anteriorportion); 2 (intermediate); and 3 (posterior portion). The 12-lead ECG was analyzed with regard to delta wave polarity and R/S transition in the precordial leads. The findings from patients ablated at zone 3 were compared to those at zones 1 and 2. All patients had a positive delta wave in the leads I, II, aVL, and negative delta wave in the leads III and aVR. The R/S transition occurred in lead V₂ in 80% of patients. The delta wave in lead aVF was the only ECG characteristic that correlated with the AP ablation zone. Six of 8 patients ablated at zone 3 had a negative delta wave in lead aVF while 6 out of 7 patients ablated at zone 1 or 2 had a positive or isoelectric delta wave in lead aVF (P = 0.03). A positive or isoelectric delta wave in lead aVF identifies mid-septal AP in close proximity to the AV conduction system.     

Biological and Clinical Implication of Neuron-Specific Enolase and Creatine Kinase BB in Small Cell Lung Cancer

The specificity of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and creatinekinase BB (CK-BB) for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was determinedby biological and immunohistochemical procedures in lung cancertissues and cultured cell lines. Average values of extractableNSE and CK-BB of SCLC tissues were significantly higher thanthose of non-SCLC and normal lung tissues. A large amount ofNSE and CK-BB was demonstrated in SCLC cell lines. Immunohistochemical examination showed positive staining forNSE and CK-BB in most cases of SCLC and in a few cases of non-SCLC.From these data NSE and CK-BB should be considered to be highlyspecific for SCLC. In a clinical study serum values exceeding 10 ng/ml for NSEand 1.5 ng/ml for CK-BB were set as positive for the enzymes.Positive rates in SCLC were 71.4% for NSE and 65.3% for CK-BB,which were significantly higher than those in non-SCLC. Allpositive cases were in an advanced stage. Consecutive dailyNSE determinations during induction chemotherapy showed transientelevation immediately after the initiation of drug administration(tumor lysis syndrome), followed by a decline to the normalrange in responders. This phe nomenon seems to indicate tumorsensitivity to cytotoxic drugs. NSE positive non-SCLC was assensitive to cytotoxic drugs as SCLC. These findings indicatethat lung cancer with elevated serum NSE and CK-BB levels atdiagnosis should be strongly suspected of being SCLC in theadvanced stage.     

Annual changes of the incidence and clinical characteristics of magnesium ammonium phosphate urinary stones

BACKGROUND: Magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) urinary stones account for the majority of staghorn stones and frequently cause a non-functioning kidney. In the present study, we examined the annual changes of the number and clinical characteristics of MAP stones. METHODS: The annual incidence of MAP stones was investigated in 2619 patients with urinary stones in whom composition of the stone was analysed at Chiba University Hospital between 1964 and 1999. In addition, the annual number of patients with MAP stones was examined at Funabashi Clinic. In a total of 644 patients with MAP stones, age and sex of the patients, location and size of the MAP stones, urinary cultures and etiological factors were analysed. RESULTS: The number of MAP stones in the lower urinary tract was relatively constant. In contrast, MAP stones in the upper urinary tract had dramatically decreased since 1989, resulting in an increase in the rate of MAP stones in the lower urinary tract. Age distribution of the MAP stone patients ranged from 10 years to > 80 years, with the majority aged 30-60 years. The proportion of larger MAP stones in the upper urinary tract increased. There was no significant difference in prevalence of urine cultures. Among etiological factors for MAP stones, difficulty on urination tended to be common in recent years. CONCLUSION: The number of MAP stones, especially in upper urinary tract, has been decreasing during the last decade. At present, treatment of urinary tract obstruction seems important for the management of MAP stones in lower urinary tract.     

Orientation of Multi-Hair Follicles in Nonbald Men: Perpendicular Versus Parallel

BACKGROUND: There has been much debate about the orientation of multi-hair grafts in order to obtain an appearance of fullness after the hair transplantation. OBJECTIVES: To analyze natural orientation of multi-hair follicles and the influence of hair flow from the crown swirl. METHODS: Natural orientation of follicles was analyzed microscopically in 100 nonbald men: a clockwise whorl flow group (50 men) and a counterclockwise group (50 men). RESULTS: The majority of multi-hair follicles were oriented perpendicular to the radial line from the whorl in both the groups. The percentage of perpendicular orientation was large in the peripheral and middle scalp areas (49-79%), and it decreased in the vertex (38-49%, p<.05 or .01). The percentages of parallel, right oblique, and left oblique orientation were small in the peripheral area with a slight increase in the vertex (3-12% vs. 14-24%, p<.05 or .01). CONCLUSION: Original orientation of multi-hair follicles was mainly perpendicular to the radial line from the whorl irrelevant to the crown swirl hair flow. Multi-hair grafts transplanted perpendicularly would look similar to the natural hair follicles in the front half of the scalp.     

Marked atrophy of the right lobe seen in idiopathic portal hypertension confirmed by laparoscopy

A 70‐year‐old‐male was hospitalized for the treatment of esophageal varices and close examination of the liver. Blood chemistry tests revealed mild liver dysfunction. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography scan revealed marked atrophy of the right and quadrate lobes of the liver without abnormalities of the biliary system. Abdominal angiography revealed marked atrophy of the right lobe of the liver, without obliteration in the portal venous system, but it could not be determined whether the atrophy was congenital or secondary. Subsequently performed laparoscopy revealed marked atrophy of the anterior segment of the right lobe and quadrate lobe with the whitish scarred edge demarcating the border between the edge and neighboring liver parenchyma. The liver surface appeared to be undulant, but non‐cirrhotic. These findings suggest secondary lobar atrophy of the liver, without cirrhosis. Liver biopsy of the left lobe showed the findings to be compatible with idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH), and we diagnosed IPH based on these findings and hepatic lobar atrophy was attributable to IPH. There have been few reports of cases with hepatic lobar atrophy associated with IPH, and the mechanism of atrophy is unclear. We report a case of IPH with marked liver atrophy in which laparoscopy is a decisive means whether liver atrophy is congenital or secondary.     

Clinical Study of Primary Gastric Malignant Lymphoma

Abstract: Twenty-eight cases of primary gastric malignant lymphoma treated in this unit over the last 16 years were clinically evaluated. More male patients were affected than female, with a sex ratio of 1.6: 1. Most of the patients were in their 50′s. rising the Naqvi classification there were 10 patients in stage I and 18 patients in stage II, respectively. About 40% of the patients complained of epigastralgia, 30% of the patients were asymptomatic. The macroscopic type according to Sano's classification system was the ulcerative or protruded type in most of the patients. While most patients with superficial type lesions were in stage I, all of the patients with excavated or giant fold type lesions were in stage II. The lesions were located in area M in the largest number of patients, followed by area C, with these two areas accounting for 80% of the total. The histological type determined according to LSG classification was the diffuse type in about 80% of patients, in whom the large cell type accounted for about 70% of the cases. While the stage was I and II in the same number of patients with follicular type lesions, it was II in 2/3 of patients with diffuse type lesions. The 5-year survival rate was 100% in stage I patients compared to only 35% in stage II patients. The mortality rate of stage II patients increased significantly after 7 years, and the prognosis was significantly better in the stage I patients than in the stage II patients (p < 0. 05).     

Technique of laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with percutaneous papillary balloon dilatation under general anesthesia for cholecystocholedocholithiasis

Since the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), the treatment of cholecystocholedocholithiasis has become a controversial issue among surgeons and endoscopists all over the world. We evaluated the effectiveness of LC combined with percutaneous papillary balloon dilatation (PPBD) under general anesthesia in the treatment of cholecystocholedocholithiasis in 22 patients. All stones in the bile duct were successfully evacuated into the duodenum in all patients. The PPBD was feasible in all patients under general anesthesia. The mean postoperative stay was 9 days. The overall length hospital stay and the duration of PTBD were 19 ± 7 days and 16 ± 8 days, respectively. There were no deaths nor major complications, although a transient hyperamylasemia was found in 10 patients (45%). Cholecystocholedocholithiasis was able to be treated by means of LC combined with PPBD under general anesthesia without laparotomy, sphincterotomy or choledochotomy. This technique can be a choice for the treatment that enables a patient to avoid any discomfort arisen as a result of papillary dilatation.