Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma Detected During Long-Term Management of Endometriotic Cysts in Young Patients: Possible Heterogeneity of this Tumor.

Ovarian endometriotic cysts have been identified as the possible origin of ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC), so predicting or preventing future transformation is important. Early detection of clear cell carcinoma is important because it shows low sensitivity to chemotherapy and the prognosis is worse than for other histologic types. We recently treated 2 patients with OCCC.

Safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy containing bevacizumab and interval debulking surgery for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: A feasibility study.

Background And Objectives: The optimum treatment strategy for patients with unresectable advanced epithelial ovarian cancer is controversial. This study examined bevacizumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC; paclitaxel plus carboplatin), followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS), for these patients.

Methods: In a prospective nonrandomized study, newly diagnosed patients received four cycles of NAC (three cycles combined with bevacizumab), followed by IDS.

Platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer with long survival on bevacizumab and gemcitabine.

Platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer has a poor prognosis, but combined therapy with bevacizumab and anticancer agents may be useful. We report a patient with long-term disease control by the combination of bevacizumab and gemcitabine (BEV + GEM). The patient was a 77-year-old woman with high-grade Stage IIIC serous ovarian carcinoma.

Ultrasound-guided laparotomic oocyte retrieval during surgery for fertility preservation in a case of tumor recurrence after a unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

Case: A 28 year old unmarried woman underwent a unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and was suspected of having a malignant tumor in the remaining ovary. After consultation with the patient and her family, it was decided to cryopreserve the unfertilized oocytes. In order to reduce the risk of puncturing or rupturing the tumor when performing the oocyte retrieval from the ovary that was affected by the malignant tumor, it was chosen to use direct laparotomic oocyte retrieval during surgery, instead of conventional transvaginal retrieval.

[Successful anesthetic management for resection of a giant hepatic hemangioma with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome using FloTrac system].

Kasabach-Merritt syndrome (KMS) is a rare and severe coagulation disorder caused by vascular malformations within or outside the liver. It is characterized by profound thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and consumption coagulopathy. We successfully managed the anesthesia for a giant hemangioma resection complicated with KMS using FloTrac/Vigileo system.

Effects of sivelestat on bronchial inflammatory responses after esophagectomy.

Post-operative pulmonary complications such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are strongly associated with morbidity and mortality after esophagectomy. Post-operative administration of sivelestat sodium hydrate (sivelestat), a selective inhibitor of neutrophil elastase (NE), has been shown to improve the post-operative clinical course after esophagectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of prophylactic administration of sivelestat on bronchial inflammatory responses.

Loss of functional albumin triggers acceleration of transthyretin amyloid fibril formation in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy.

Transthyretin (TTR)-related familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is characterized by systemic accumulation of amyloid fibrils caused by a point mutation in the TTR gene. Despite the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies, the pathogenesis of FAP still remains elusive. In our study reported here, we focused on albumin, the most abundant protein in plasma, and described the role of albumin in the TTR amyloid-formation process.

[Successful anesthetic management of a postpartum patient with amniotic fluid embolism].

We report a case of amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) after cesarean section (C/S). A 35-year-old primigravida with placenta previa and myoma underwent C/S because of nonreassuring fetal status caused by medical induction of labor. C/S was performed smoothly under general anesthesia and the baby had no problems.

The effect of one-lung ventilation upon pulmonary inflammatory responses during lung resection.

Purpose: One-lung ventilation (OLV) is commonly used during thoracic surgery. Clinical studies using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis have demonstrated that OLV induces pulmonary inflammatory reactions in the ventilated dependent lung. However, few clinical studies have investigated such inflammatory reactions in the dependent lung compared with the collapsed nondependent lung.

Effect of olprinone, a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

I/R injury is the main cause for hepatic dysfunction and failure after liver transplantation and liver resection. Therefore, reduction of I/R injury is the most important goal to improve the outcome of these procedures. Olprinone is a newly developed selective phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, which has been reported to ameliorate renal I/R injury in rats.

Sevoflurane and nitrous oxide exert cardioprotective effects against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in the isolated rat heart.

It is unclear whether nitrous oxide (N(2)O) has a protective effect on cardiac function in vitro. In addition, little is known about the cardioprotective effect of anesthesia administered during hypoxia or ischemia. We therefore studied the cardioprotective effects of N(2)O and sevoflurane administered before or during hypoxia in isolated rat hearts.

[Exposure to nitrous oxide may increase airway inflammation during sevoflurane anesthesia].

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine whether nitrous oxide increases the inflammatory reaction in the airway in patients undergoing minor surgery.

Methods: Twenty patients were divided into two groups at random. The patients were anesthetized by either sevoflurane with air (Group A: n=10) or sevoflurane with nitrous oxide (Group G: n=10).

Characterization of interface of Al-Ni/a-Si for thin film transistor using high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry.

High-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (HRBS) in combination with grazing angle argon sputtering was carried out to characterize the interface of aluminum-nickel (Al-Ni) alloy and amorphous-silicon films in a thin film transistor (TFT) for liquid crystal display (LCD). After thinning the top Al-Ni layer by a 1-keV Ar sputtering, the sensitivity of the interface oxygen was improved to be twice higher than that before sputtering. The results revealed that the oxygen at the interface relates to the contact characteristics.

Substance P receptor in U373 MG human astrocytoma cells activates mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1/2 through Src.

Substance P (SP) acting through substance P receptor (SPR) increases the proliferation of glioblastoma cells. At the molecular level, stimulation of SPR in human U373 MG glioblastoma cells results in phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1/2. Examination of the underlying mechanism reveals that SPR mediates ERK1/2 phosphorylation in a calcium-dependent manner.

[Effects of nitrous oxide and isoflurane on the L-type calcium current of rabbit ventricular myocytes and their modulation by beta-adrenoceptor stimulation].

Background: We compared the effects of nitrous oxide (N2O) plus isoflurane with equianesthetic isoflurane alone on the L-type calcium current (I(Ca,L)), and also investigated their modulation of beta-adrenoceptor stimulation.

Methods: I(Ca,L) was recorded from enzymatically isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. Ventricular myocytes were exposed to prepluses of -40 mV from a holding potential of -80 mV and then to +50 mV in 10 mV increments and thereafter the depolarization pulses that acquire peak currents were applied every 10 seconds.

[Anesthetic management of surgical intervention for contralateral pneumothorax after left pneumonectomy].

A 61-year-old man who had undergone left pneumonectomy 7 years before for lung cancer was scheduled for thoracoscopic partial pulmonary resection of the right lung because of pneumothorax. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane and thoracic epidural block. He was monitored with electrocardiogram, direct arterial pressure, pulse oximetry and capnogram.

[Anesthetic management of an infant girl with cloverleaf syndrome].

We experienced anesthetic management of an infant girl with Cloverleaf syndrome complicated with prenatal diagnosis of craniosynostosis. She received posterior-cranioplasty and foramen magnum decompression at the age of 44 days, ventricuro-peritoneal shunting at 80 days and cranioplasty at 149 days all under general anesthesia without serious complications. In all three occasions, we induced general anesthesia with oxygen, sevoflurane, nitrous oxide and thiopental with a facemask.

[A case of latex allergy caused by hypersensitivity to the latex-containing facemask].

We experienced anesthetic management of a 2 year-old girl with Pierre-Robin syndrome. She had received respiratory support for 6 months from the birth. As soon as we induced general anesthesia, she had a skin rash.