Anesthetic management of pulmonary artery replacement for idiopathic dilatation of the pulmonary artery with a Kommerell's diverticulum: a case report.

Background: Idiopathic dilatation of the pulmonary artery (IDPA) is a rare condition in which the pulmonary artery dilates without an obvious cause. Pulmonary artery replacement is indicated in severe cases to prevent serious complications.

Case Presentation: A 59-year-old man was diagnosed with an IDPA of 64 mm and Kommerell's diverticulum (aortic aneurysm located at the aberrant left subclavian artery).

Continuous But Not Pulsed Radiofrequency Current Generated by NeuroTherm NT500 Impairs Mitochondrial Membrane Potential in Human Monocytic Cells THP-1.

Background: The application of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) current to peripheral nerves with conditions related to neuropathic pain is considered to be clinically safe, while it has been reported that the destruction of mitochondria after PRF application was observed by electron microscopy. If it occurs reproducibly, PRF applied to peripheral nerves should provoke neurolysis because the impairment of mitochondria is known as the primary cause of apoptosis.

Methods: Human monocytic cells THP-1 loaded with 100 nM tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM), a fluorescent dye that proves the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), were exposed to the electric field of continuous radiofrequency (CRF) or PRF current.

Enhanced expression of gene coding for β-endorphin in human monocytic cells exposed to pulsed radio frequency electric fields through thermal and non-thermal effects.

Background: The enhanced expression of endogenous opioid peptides, including β-endorphin, has been implicated in the mechanism of action of pulsed radio frequency (PRF) application in pain modulation. Because thermal effects cannot be separated from the physical property of PRF application to biological tissues, we evaluated whether temperatures higher than that of the normal body temperature (37°C) modulate mRNA expression for the precursor of β-endorphin, proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in human monocytic cells THP-1. We also attempted to examine whether mechanisms other than thermal effects also modulate such gene expression.

Involvement of superoxide generated by NADPH oxidase in the shedding of procoagulant vesicles from human monocytic cells exposed to bupivacaine.

It is known that a variety of sized procoagulant vesicles that express tissue factor are released from several types of cells including monocytes by mechanisms related to the induction of apoptosis, while it has not yet been evaluated whether superoxide is involved in the production of such vesicles. Here, we report that a local anesthetic bupivacaine induces apoptosis in human monocytic cells THP-1 within a short observation period, where the shedding of procoagulant vesicles is associated. The property as procoagulant vesicles was evaluated using flow cytometry by the binding of FITC-conjugated fibrinogen to vesicles in the presence of fresh frozen plasma and the suppression of this binding by heparin.