Publications by authors named "Keiichi Akita"

Background: Sleep disturbances are common and distressing among patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), often resulting in a cycle of worsening skin conditions. Among various factors affecting sleep in AD, cervical spine movement has been suggested to influence sleep quality; however, these studies mostly relied on subjective measures. Owing to the lack of objective and quantitative analyses of cervical spine movement, its association with sleep disturbances remains poorly understood.

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Nowadays, consent to use donor bodies for medical education and research is obtained from the body donors and their families before the donation. Recently, the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) published guidelines that could restrict the appearance of cadaveric images in commercial anatomical resources such as textbooks and other educational products. These guidelines state that the donor must expressly consent to using such images for this purpose.

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The meniscal position within the knee is critical to maintain normal knee function. The joint capsule might dynamically coordinate the medial meniscus (MM) by transmitting a semimembranosus action. However, their interrelationships in vivo are unclear.

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Introduction And Hypothesis: The anatomy of the skeletal muscles located between the vagina and anus is important during complex obstetric laceration reconstructions. We aimed to clarify the composition of skeletal muscles located between the vagina and anal canal and their three-dimensional configuration relevant to perineum repair.

Methods: This observational study involved ten female cadavers.

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Depression amongst medical students is a crucial matter. Grit, which is a potentially modifiable psychological factor, has been inversely linked to depressive symptoms. However, it remains unclear how grit is associated with depression.

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Article Synopsis
  • - ERCP is the main treatment for common bile duct stones, but CBDE is still required in complex cases, failed treatments, or unusual anatomy, with new evidence showing it can be effective alongside single-step surgeries.
  • - The review covers essential clinical anatomy, indications for selecting treatment methods, and outcomes to better inform surgical practices, explaining both trans-cystic and trans-choledochal approaches along with techniques for stone removal.
  • - It highlights potential complications from surgery, such as bile leakage and stricture, while offering preventive strategies and treatment options to enhance patient safety and improve overall management of bile duct stones.
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Background: Because of the proximity of several ligaments, aponeuroses, and capsule in the limited area of the elbow joint, the precise anatomy is difficult to understand. In the current narrative review, we focused on two anatomical perspectives: the capsular attachment and structures consisting of ligaments.

Methods: Based on the previously performed studies regarding the elbow anatomy, a narrative review was prepared in terms of the capsular attachment and structures consisting of ligaments.

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Background: Anterior displacement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc is the most typical pathological condition of TMJ disorders. Structures attached to the articular disc may support the disc in various directions and contribute to stabilizing the TMJ. However, the relationship between the articular disc, capsule, and masticatory muscles remains unclear.

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Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), characterized by a pathological contact between the proximal femur and acetabulum, is a common precursor of hip osteoarthritis. Cam morphology is a bony prominence that causes FAI and frequently forms on the anterosuperior femoral head-neck junction. Despite anatomical consensus regarding the femoral head-neck junction as a boundary area covered by the articular cartilage and joint capsule, it remains unclear whether the joint capsule is continuous with the anterosuperior articular cartilage.

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Objectives: To elucidate the male urethral muscular structure and its relationship with the anorectal canal muscles, as establishing an anatomical foundation for urethral function will contribute to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of urinary incontinence.

Methods: Eight male cadavers were used. Using a multifaceted approach, we performed macroscopic anatomical examination, histological analysis of wide-range serial sectioning and immunostaining, and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction from histological sections.

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The fascia of the pancreatic head is referred to as the retropancreatic fascia of Treitz, and that of the body and tail of the pancreas is named the retropancreatic fascia of Toldt. However, the spatial relationship between the nerves, fascia, and the distribution of the fascia on the dorsal side of the pancreas remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the distribution of these fasciae and elucidate the spatial relationship between the nerves and arteries connecting the retroperitoneal space and the peritoneal organs by studying eight cadavers using macroscopic anatomical examination, wide-range serial sectioning, and three-dimensional reconstruction.

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Background: The success of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction relies on the accurate replication of the native ACL anatomy, including attachment shapes. The tibial attachment of the ACL exhibits significant shape variations with elliptical, C, and triangular shapes, highlighting the need for objective classification methods and additional information to identify individual anatomic variations.

Hypothesis: The location of the attachment of the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus (AHLM) may determine the shape of the ACL attachment.

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Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between Denonvilliers' fascia (DF) and the pelvic plexus branches in women and explored the possibility of using the DF as a positional marker in nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (RH).

Methods: This study included eight female cadavers. The DF, its lateral border, and the pelvic autonomic nerves running lateral to the DF were dissected and examined.

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Background: The flexion adduction internal rotation (FADIR) test is performed by the combined motions of hip flexion (with knee flexion), adduction, and internal rotation, and can often reproduce anterior hip pain consistent with an individual's presenting pain. Since it has high sensitivity for intraarticular pathology diagnosis but low specificity, understanding the extraarticular pathology that can induce anterior hip pain in the FADIR test may also be essential. This study hypothesized that the interrelationships between the joint capsule and gluteus minimus differ in individuals with and without FADIR-positive pain and aimed to elucidate the in vivo interrelationships at hip internal rotation in 90°-flexion, which is also often restricted in individuals with FADIR-positive pain.

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The pterygomandibular raphe (PMR) is a tendinous bundle between the bucinator (BM) and the superior constrictor of pharynx (SC) and has been considered essential for swallowing. Despite its functional significance, previous studies reported that the PMR is not always present. Another study reported presence of the connecting fascia between the BM and deep temporalis tendon (dTT).

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Article Synopsis
  • Groin pain is common in sports and orthopedic medicine, leading to limited mobility and sports participation, necessitating a deeper understanding of the anatomy of associated muscles.
  • The study investigated the connections between specific muscle aponeuroses in the pelvic region using detailed anatomical methods including macroscopic analyses, microcomputed tomography, and histological investigations.
  • Key findings revealed important relationships between various aponeurotic structures, which could assist in better diagnosing and treating athletic groin pain.
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This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the anatomical features of the levator ani muscle. The levator ani is a critical component of the pelvic floor; however, its intricate anatomy and functionality are poorly understood. Understanding the precise anatomy of the levator ani is crucial for the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of pelvic floor disorders.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explores how patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA) manage their hip angles during walking to prevent disease progression.
  • Using data from 80 healthy participants and 106 patients with hip OA, researchers analyzed joint movements to assess variability in hip angle stability through various metrics.
  • Results indicated that while OA patients stabilized their hip angles better in the frontal plane during the later stages of walking, they struggled to maintain stability in the sagittal plane, showcasing the influence of whole-body movements on hip angle management.
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Objectives: The dorsal pancreatic artery (DPA) is a pancreatic branch with various anatomical variations. Previous studies mostly focused on the origin of the DPA, and its pathways and branching patterns have rarely been examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the branching patterns and pathways of the DPA.

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Background: In Japan, the transhiatal approach, including lower mediastinal lymph node dissection, is widely performed for Siewert type II esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. This procedure is generally performed in a magnified view using laparoscopy or a robotic system, therefore, the microanatomy of the lower mediastinum is important. However, mediastinal microanatomy is still unclear and classification of lower mediastinal lymph nodes is not currently based on fascia or other microanatomical structures.

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Medial meniscal extrusion (MME) is a structural abnormality that leads to early knee osteoarthritis; however, its formation remains debated. For anatomical consideration of the mechanism underlying MME formation, we examined the capsular attachment on the posteromedial tibia and its layered association with the semimembranosus. Fourteen knees of eight body donors were analyzed in this study; six knees were grouped for macroscopic analysis, whereas four knees each were grouped for histological and phosphotungstic acid-enhanced micro-computed tomography analyses.

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Anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) injuries are the most common cause of ankle sprains. To ensure anatomically accurate surgery and ultrasound imaging of the ATFL, anatomical knowledge of the bony landmarks around the ATFL attachment to the distal fibula is required. The purpose of the present study was to anatomically investigate the ATFL attachment to the fibula with respect to bone morphology and attachment structures.

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Soft tissue reconstruction after sarcoma ablation in the posterior aspect of the upper arm has been commonly addressed using the pedicled latissimus dorsi musculo-cutaneous flap. The use of a free flap for coverage of this region has not been reported in detail. The goal of this study was to characterize the anatomical configuration of the deep brachial artery in the posterior upper arm and assess its clinical utility as a recipient artery for free-flap transfers.

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Background: Total gastrectomy with splenectomy is the standard treatment for advanced proximal gastric cancer with greater-curvature invasion. As an alternative to splenectomy, laparoscopic spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node (LN) dissection (SPSHLD) has been developed. With SPSHLD, the posterior splenic hilar LNs are left behind.

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This study aimed to elucidate the origin, course, and distribution of the branches of the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve, considering the segmental and dorsoventral compositions of the sacral plexus, including the pudendal nerve. The buttocks and thighs of five cadavers were analyzed bilaterally. The branches emerged from the sacral plexus, which was divided dorsally to ventrally into the superior gluteal, inferior gluteal, common peroneal, tibial, and pudendal nerves.

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