Application of an expandable metallic Z-type stent for stenosis of the left main bronchus following tuberculosis--a case report]

A 32-year-old man had been suffering from dyspnea on exertion and stridor, which were due to stenosis of the left main bronchus as a complication of bronchial tuberculosis. A three-connection stent, 1.2 cm in diameter and 4.5 cm in length was placed at the site of the bronchial stenosis. Dyspnea disappeared 2 days after the procedure, and the pulmonary function 3 weeks later showed considerable improvements in %FVC, FEV1 and MMF.     

Expression of the cell surface antigen detected by the monoclonal antibody A7 in pancreatic carcinoma cell lines

In a previous study, we used a murine monoclonal antibody, A7, against human colon carcinoma as a drug-carrier to treat colorectal cancer.¹ In the present study, we found that MAb A7 also reacted immunohistochemically with 73% of human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, with the A7 antigen mainly being detected on the cell surface. However, the A7 antigen was found in only 9% of the spent media of these human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines by ELISA. On the other hand, the positive incidence of CA19-9, POA, ferritin, CEA, DU-PAN-2 and SLX in those spent media was 100%, 64%, 64%, 55%, 55% and 36%, respectively. These results suggest that the A7 antigen may only rarely be shed into the sera of pancreatic cancer patients, in which case MAb A7 could be a suitable drug-carrier in targeting chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer patients.     

In vitro reactivity and in vivo biodistribution of the monoclonal antibody A7 using human gastric carcinoma cell lines.

The monoclonal antibody (MAb) A7 has been used to treat patients with colorectal or pancreatic carcinoma with encouraging results. We therefore determined if MAb A7 would also react with gastric carcinoma cell lines. MAb A7 reacted with seven of eight gastric carcinoma cell lines tested. The intensity of the reaction, measured by flow cytometry, was equal to that of WiDr (colon) and HPC-YS (pancreas) cell lines. In nude mice bearing xenografts of the MAb A7-reactive gastric cancer line MKN45, the percentage injected dose of MAb A7 per g of tumour tissue on day 7 was 9.79; this value was 77% of that on day 1. The in vivo tumour-to-blood ratio of MAb A7 was 2.77 on day 7. Therefore, MAb A7 has long-term retention at binding sites as well as a high probability, high intensity and high specificity of reactivity against gastric cancer, which make it an ideal drug carrier for immunotargeted chemotherapy and immunodiagnosis.     

Absolute lymphocyte count and C-reactive protein-albumin ratio can predict prognosis and adverse events in patients with recurrent esophageal cancer treated with nivolumab therapy

Predicting the prognosis and adverse events (AEs) of nivolumab therapy for recurrent esophageal cancer is very important. The present study investigated whether a simple blood biochemical examination could be used to predict prognosis and AEs following nivolumab treatment for relapse of esophageal cancer. A total of 41 patients who received nivolumab treatment for recurrent esophageal cancer after esophagectomy were analyzed. The absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and C-reactive protein-albumin ratio (CAR) were assessed at the time of nivolumab induction as indices that can be calculated by blood biochemical examinations alone. Median values were 1,015 for ALC, 3.401 for NLR, 242.6 for PLR, 0.458 for MLR and 0.119 for CAR, and patients were divided into two groups according to values. A high ALC, low NLR, low PLR, low MLR and low CAR were associated with a better response to nivolumab. In addition, patients with the aforementioned indices, with the exception of low PLR, or better response were more likely to develop AEs in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, a high ALC [odds ratio (OR): 4.857, P=0.043] and low CAR (OR: 9.099, P=0.004) were identified as independent risk factors for AEs. Survival analysis revealed that overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) rates after nivolumab treatment differed significantly between the high and low groups of ALC, NLR, PLR, MLR and CAR. The multivariate analysis identified a low ALC [hazard ratio (HR): 3.710, P=0.003] and high CAR (HR: 2.953, P=0.007) as independent poor prognostic factors of PFS. In conclusion, ALC and CAR have potential as biomarkers for outcomes of recurrent esophageal cancer following nivolumab treatment.     

Reproducibility of intravenous intermittent triggered myocardial contrast echocardiography in healthy subjects

Few data have been published on the reproducibility of baseline subtracted peak intensity obtained from intravenous intermittent triggered myocardial contrast echocardiography. We investigated the reproducibility of the peak intensity measured from intravenous intermittent triggered myocardial contrast echocardiography in 10 young healthy males. The contrast echocardiography was obtained using the second harmonic mode with an intravenous bolus injection of Levovist (first study). The same myocardial contrast echocardiography was repeated after the first study (second study). The myocardial opacification and peak intensity in the 12 segments of the apical 4 and 2 chamber views were assessed visually and quantitatively. The differences in the peak intensity between the initial and repeated measurements in the first study (intraobserver reproducibility) and between the initial measurements in the first and second studies (interinjection reproducibility) were assessed using the Bland and Altman method. The degree of opacification was good or intermediate in 207/228 (91%) of the segments. The agreement of myocardial opacification between the first and second studies was 87/114 (76%). However, significantly higher peak intensity was obtained in apical septal (8200 +/- 6300 au2) and mid septal (8500 +/- 6000 au2) segments in the 4 chamber view and in the mid inferior (12400 +/- 9300 au2) and apical inferior (10700 +/- 6300 au2) segments in the 2 chamber view compared with other segments. The mean differences of the peak intensities according to the Bland and Altman analysis was -1600 +/- 5000 au2 in the intraobserver reproducibility study, and -1100 +/- 5300 au2 in the interinjection reproducibility study. Thus, the measurement error was determined to range from 8400 au2 to 9500 au2 in both studies. We conclude that the peak intensity obtained from intravenous intermittent triggered myocardial contrast echocardiography using Levovist varies significantly among segments in the left ventricular myocardium. Large intraobserver and interinjection variability exists in the measurement of peak intensity, suggesting that the reproducibility of this technique is limited for quantitative assessment of myocardial perfusion.     

Mechanism of ischemic mitral regurgitation with segmental left ventricular dysfunction: three-dimensional echocardiographic studies in models of acute and chronic progressive regurgitation

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to separate proposed mechanisms for segmental ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR), including left ventricular (LV) dysfunction versus geometric distortion by LV dilation, using models of acute and chronic segmental ischemic LV dysfunction evaluated by three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography. BACKGROUND: Dysfunction and dilation-both mechanisms with practical therapeutic implications-are difficult to separate in patients. METHODS: In seven dogs with acute left circumflex (LCX) coronary ligation, LV expansion was initially restricted and then permitted to occur. In seven sheep with LCX branch ligation, LV expansion was also initially limited but became prominent with remodeling over eight weeks. Three-dimensional echo reconstruction quantified mitral apparatus geometry and MR volume. RESULTS: In the acute model, despite LV dysfunction with ejection fraction = 23 +/- 8%, MR was initially trace with limited LV dilation, but it became moderate with subsequent prominent dilation. In the chronic model, MR was also initially trace, but it became moderate over eight weeks as the LV dilated and changed shape. In both models, the only independent predictor of MR volume was increased tethering distance from the papillary muscles (PMs) to the anterior annulus, especially medial and posterior shift of the ischemic medial PM, measured by 3D reconstruction (r2 = 0.75 and 0.86, respectively). Mitral regurgitation volume did not correlate with LV ejection fraction or dP/dt. CONCLUSIONS: Segmental ischemic LV contractile dysfunction without dilation, even in the PM territory, fails to produce important MR. The development of MR relates strongly to changes in the 3D geometry of the mitral apparatus, with implications for approaches to restore a more favorable configuration.     

Impact of pre-stent plaque debulking for chronic coronary total occlusions on restenosis reduction

BACKGROUND: While stenting improves the long-term angiographic outcomes of successfully recanalized chronic coronary total occlusions (CTO), the restenosis rate still remains high. The massive plaque burden in CTO is considered to be one of the causes of in-stent restenosis. METHODS: We examined the pre-stent plaque debulking strategy with high-speed rotational atherectomy (RA) for 50 CTO (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade 0; estimated occlusive duration, 3 months). Angiographic follow-up results were compared to those of 120 consecutive CTO recanalized with primary stenting in which RA could be indicated retrospectively. Angiographic restenosis was defined as diameter stenosis > 50% at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: RA could be performed safely in all lesions without any major complications. Adjunctive ballooning and stenting could be performed without high-pressure dilatation (8.4 +/- 1.7 atmospheres). Follow-up angiography was performed in 48 lesions 184 +/- 61 days after the procedure. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups; however, the implanted stent type was different. Quantitative coronary angiography revealed that diameter stenosis was smaller at follow-up (36.2 +/- 20.0% versus 52.2 +/- 26.7%; p = 0.0003) as well as post-procedure (7.8 +/- 11.5% versus 17.8 +/- 13.6%; p < 0.0001) compared with the control group. Angiographic restenosis was also significantly reduced (29.2% versus 52.5%; p = 0.0061). CONCLUSIONS: RA is a safe procedure for plaque debulking of CTO in selected cases. Plaque debulking of CTO facilitates subsequent stent expansion and may reduce the restenosis rate.     

Contribution of increased minimal coronary resistance and attenuated vascular adaptive remodeling to myocardial ischemia in patients with systemic hypertension and ventricular hypertrophy

This study assessed the impact of coronary vascular adaptive remodeling and coronary vascular reactivity on myocardial ischemia in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. Myocardial ischemia is associated with impaired endothelium-independent vasodilation of resistance coronary arteries and increased minimal coronary resistance. These changes may occur in association with lumen reduction caused by attenuated adaptive remodeling in response to plaque accumulation.     

Perioperative outcomes of esophagectomy preceded by the laparoscopic transhiatal approach for esophageal cancer

This study was designed to determine the efficacy of esophagectomy preceded by the laparoscopic transhiatal approach (LTHA) with regard to the perioperative outcomes of esophageal cancer. The esophageal hiatus was opened by hand‐assisted laparoscopic surgery, and carbon dioxide was introduced into the mediastinum. Dissection of the distal esophagus was performed up to the level of the tracheal bifurcation. En bloc dissection of the posterior mediastinal lymph nodes was performed using LTHA. Next, cervical lymphadenectomy, reconstruction via a retrosternal route with a gastric tube and anastomosis from a cervical approach were performed. Finally, a small thoracotomy (around 10 cm in size) was made to extract the thoracic esophagus and allow upper mediastinal lymphadenectomy to be performed. The treatment outcomes of 27 esophageal cancer patients who underwent LTHA‐preceding esophagectomy were compared with those of 33 patients who underwent the transthoracic approach preceding esophagectomy without LTHA (thoracotomy; around 20 cm in size). The intrathoracic operative time and operative bleeding were significantly decreased by LTHA. The total operative time did not differ between the two groups, suggesting that the abdominal procedure was longer in the LTHA group. The number of resected lymph nodes did not differ between the two groups. Postoperative respiratory complications occurred in 18.5% of patients treated with LTHA and 30.3% of those treated without it. The increase in the number of peripheral white blood cells and the duration of thoracic drainage were significantly decreased by this method. Our surgical procedure provides a good surgical view of the posterior mediastinum, markedly shortens the intrathoracic operative time, and decreases the operative bleeding without increasing major postoperative complications.