Publications by authors named "Kakuta R"

Nasal adhesions, or synechiae, commonly occur following surgical procedures, resulting in nasal airway obstruction and patient discomfort. While various packing materials are available to prevent adhesion formation post-surgery, there is limited guidance on effectively dividing existing adhesions and determining the optimal packing materials to maintain separation afterward. We treated a 59-year-old man with severe adhesions in the anterior nasal cavity.

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: In environments with high-frequency contact surfaces, drug-resistant bacteria, such as carbapenem-resistant and methicillin-resistant (MRSA), can survive for extended periods, contributing to healthcare-associated infections. Ultraviolet (UV)-C irradiation often fails to adequately disinfect shadowed areas, leading to a persistent contamination risk. We evaluated the effectiveness of using a UV-C containment unit (UVCCU) in conjunction with UV-C irradiation to improve the sterilization effects on both direct and indirect surfaces, including shadowed areas, and to assess the leakage of UV radiation to the surroundings.

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Background: Transcervical mediastinoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancer is indicated in select institutions because of the complex surgical technique required and the unfamiliar surgical view compared with the standard transthoracic esophagectomy approach. This study was performed to compare the feasibility and efficacy of bilateral transcervical mediastinoscopic-assisted transhiatal laparoscopic esophagectomy (BTC-MATLE) with thoracolaparoscopic esophagectomy (TLE) for esophageal cancer.

Methods: This study involved 392 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer who underwent curative minimally invasive esophagectomy with R0 resection (excluding salvage, conversion, and two-stage operations and open thoracotomy) at the National Cancer Center Hospital from 2017 to 2022.

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Introduction: Compared to other cancers, research on bloodstream infection in head and neck cancer is scarce, lacking comparative studies on persistent versus transient bacteremia outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective survey examined patients with head and neck cancer undergoing blood culture at our center from June 2009 to May 2023. Blood culture-positive cases suspected of infection were divided into persistent bacteremia and transient bacteremia groups.

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Voice abuse, chronic cough, laryngeal surgery, and tracheal intubation may lead to injury and subsequent repair/remodeling in the vocal fold mucosa. Periostin is known to be involved in airway remodeling and is also associated with various otolaryngological diseases. D-β-aspartic acid is the major isomer of D-aspartic acid found in tissues of elderly individuals.

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Background: Patients with autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBDs) are often exposed to chronic glucocorticoid (GC) treatment with many side effects. Glucocorticoid-induced myopathy (GIM) is a well-established side effect, which particularly affects the proximal muscles. The Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index (GTI) is a validated global assessment tool which quantifies GC toxicity over time.

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Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder affecting the palms and soles. In rare cases, severe patients develop acute extra-palmoplantar lesions often accompanied by arthralgia. Such cases with extensive symptoms often necessitate systemic treatments with variable efficacy and potential side effects.

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In cases of unresectable, locally advanced esophageal cancer, conversion surgery may be considered if chemotherapy produces favorable results and surgical resection is indicated. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in chemotherapy for esophageal cancer has expanded, and has increased the number of cases in which conversion surgery becomes possible. The patient in the present report had received a diagnosis of Stage Ⅳa esophageal carcinoma, and a prior nephroureterectomy discouraged the administration of platinum-based agents.

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Importance: Recent evidence indicates the efficacy of β-amyloid immunotherapy for the treatment of Alzheimer disease, highlighting the need to promote β-amyloid removal from the brain. Cilostazol, a selective type 3 phosphodiesterase inhibitor, promotes such clearance by facilitating intramural periarterial drainage.

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of cilostazol in mild cognitive impairment.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study examined how long-term voice abuse or sudden injury affects the vocal fold mucosa and focused on the roles of CD31, CD34, and periostin in vocal fold polyp formation.
  • - Histopathological analysis of 57 vocal fold polyp samples revealed that CD31 and CD34 were expressed in 71.9% and 93% of samples, respectively, while periostin was found in 71.9% of samples, indicating their involvement in polyp development.
  • - The research identified different patterns of marker expression associated with specific histological subtypes of vocal fold polyps, suggesting that these vascular endothelial markers could aid in staging the condition.
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Introduction: Post-operative care after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is essential for managing the long-term success of chronic rhinosinusitis. Post-operative sinus debridement promotes proper wound healing, but the procedure can be accompanied by discomfort and pain. Hence, we analysed the clinical factors related to sinus debridement time after FESS.

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Article Synopsis
  • Long-term voice abuse or sudden injuries to the vocal folds can lead to mutations and changes in their structure, which may contribute to the development of vocal fold polyps.
  • The study examines the expressions of two substances, D-β-aspartic acid and periostin, in vocal fold polyp tissue samples from 36 patients, revealing that both were present and exhibited distinct patterns in the samples.
  • The researchers propose that the presence of D-β-aspartic acid and periostin may play a role in the pathological changes associated with vocal fold polyps, including tissue changes and fibrosis.
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Rationale: Chronic maxillary atelectasis (CMA) is assumed to be caused by negative pressure in the maxillary sinus secondary to the obstruction of the ostiomeatal complex.

Patient Concerns: A 49-year-old female patient first presented to our hospital complaining of right nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea and cheek pain.

Diagnosis: Computed tomography (CT) accidentally revealed the inward bowing of the left maxillary sinus, which is a typical sign of CMA or silent sinus syndrome despite the maxillary ostium being potent.

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Giant cell tumor of soft tissue (GCTST) is a defined disease entity that has a morphology similar to giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB). The malignant transformation of GCTST has not been reported, and a kidney primary is extremely rare. We report the case of a 77-year-old Japanese male, who was diagnosed with primary GCTST of the kidney and showed peritoneal dissemination, considered to be a malignant transformation of GCTST, in 4 years and 5 months.

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We here present a 33-year-old woman who was referred to our hospital with a complaint of back pain and was found to have elevated IgG and hypercalcemia, as well as osteolytic lesions of pelvis and spines. F-FDG-PET/CT scan revealed numerous uptakes in the bones. An examination of the bone marrow revealed increased plasma cells (10.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) were the most common, accounting for 38.8% of positive cultures, with significant presence of methicillin-resistant infections; those affected by BSIs had a notably higher 30-day mortality rate (10.4%) compared to those without (1.8%).
  • * The study highlights the need for careful management of central venous catheters and awareness of BSIs risk, especially in patients
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Cardiovocal syndrome is left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy associated with cardiovascular disease. Herein, we report a rare case of left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy caused by idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. A 40-year-old woman diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension was referred to our department for occult infection foci in the ear, nose, and throat (ENT).

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Long-term voice abuse or sudden vocal fold microvascular disruption may lead to injury and subsequent repair/remodeling in the vocal fold mucosa. Periostin is known to be involved in airway remodeling and also in various otolaryngological diseases. The aim of this article was to investigate the expression and the role of periostin in the formation of vocal fold polyps.

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Sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP) is the most common benign tumor in sinonasal cavities. Treatment involves excising the whole tumor, so it is essential to evaluate the extent of the tumor by preoperative radiographic findings. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior to computed tomography (CT) for determining a tumor's location as MRI can discern the difference between mucus and IP.

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Background: Otitis media with effusion (OME) in children with cleft palate (CP) is known to be refractory to treatment and most of these patients undergo surgery for ventilation tube (VT) placement.

Objectives: To identify the outcomes of children with CP using long-term VT with a 'waiting until spontaneous extrusion' strategy.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all children with CP who visited our department from December 2016 to November 2017 and who received long-term VT placement in our department.

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Actinomycosis is a bacterial infection caused by actinomyces. Although almost 50% of cases are related to the head and neck region, those in the nose and paranasal sinuses (PNS) are rare. Actinomycosis of the PNS is presumed to be typically caused by dental caries, dental manipulation, and maxillofacial trauma, which facilitate the penetration of oral pathogens into the sinus, and should thus be treated by the combination of surgical removal and potent antibiotics for at least two months.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pneumonia is a significant health issue in Japan, particularly among the elderly, with an increase in aspiration pneumonia (AP) cases noted in hospitalized patients aged 20 and older during 2019.
  • The study analyzed data from 1,800 hospitalized pneumonia patients, revealing that 79% were over 70 years old and showing a rise in the proportion of AP cases as age increased.
  • AP patients exhibited higher rates of comorbidities, longer hospital stays, and greater mortality, with interventions for swallowing issues benefiting in-hospital survival rates.
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