Small Bowel Obstruction Caused by Migration of Fractured Metal Stent in Patients with Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction: A Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature.

Gastroduodenal stenting (GDS) is a less invasive alternative to gastrojejunostomy for the management of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (mGOO). GDS is a minimally invasive treatment with good technical and clinical success, and severe complications that require surgical intervention are rare. Stent fracture is an uncommon complication associated with GDS; however, migration of the fractured distal segment can result in small bowel obstruction.

In vitro spermatogenesis in isolated seminiferous tubules of immature mice.

Mouse spermatogenesis, from spermatogonial stem cell proliferation to sperm formation, can be reproduced in vitro by culturing testis tissue masses of neonatal mice. However, it remains to be determined whether this method is also applicable when testis tissues are further divided into tiny fragments, such as segments of the seminiferous tubule (ST), a minimal anatomical unit for spermatogenesis. In this study, we investigated this issue using the testis of an Acrosin-GFP/Histone H3.

Long-term functional outcome after untethering surgery for a tethered spinal cord in patients with anorectal malformations.

Background: Anorectal malformation (ARM) is associated with a tethered spinal cord (TSC). Long-term functional outcome of untethering surgery for TSC in patients with ARM has not been well evaluated.

Methods: Patients aged 7 years and older who underwent repair of ARM and spinal magnetic resonance imaging from January 1995 to December 2008 were reviewed retrospectively.

Clinical factors associated with in-hospital death in pediatric surgical patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit: a 15-year single tertiary center experience.

Background/purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore clinical characteristics and primary surgical diagnoses associated with in-hospital death in pediatric surgical patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary hospital.

Methods: This retrospective study includes all patients admitted to our NICU for pediatric surgical diseases between January 2001 and December 2015. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were performed to assess independent factors associated with in-hospital death.

Colonic Histological Criteria Predict Development of Pouchitis after Ileal Pouch: Anal Anastomosis for Patients with Ulcerative Colitis.

Background/aims: Pouchitis is one of the main complications after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in patients with ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of colonic histological criteria can predict the development of pouchitis.

Methodology: We retrospectively reviewed 147 patients' clinical data and performed a histological evaluation of the resected total colon using Tanaka's criteria, which comprise the following 6 factors: ulceration (H1), crypt abscesses (H2), degree of mononuclear cell infiltration (MNCI) (H3), segmental distribution of MNCI (H4), eosinophil infiltration (H5), and extent of disease of resected colon (H6).

Leukocytapheresis for the treatment of acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias: a pilot study.

Objective: Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) are a group of heterogeneous diffuse parenchymal lung disorders of unknown etiology. An acute exacerbation (AE) is an acute respiratory deterioration that occurs in IIPs. The prognosis of AE of IIPs (AE-IIPs) is extremely severe; however, no established therapies exist.

Thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia with countermeasures against reported complications for safe outcomes comparable to laparotomy.

Background: Thoracoscopic repair is the preferred treatment for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH); however, several complications, including visceral injury, hypercapnia, and a high incidence of recurrence, have been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of countermeasures against these complications at ensuring safe thoracoscopic repair.

Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2014, 40 patients with Bochdalek-type CDH were treated.

Meconium peritonitis: Prenatal diagnosis of a rare entity and postnatal management.

The aims of this study were to review our therapy and outcome for meconium peritonitis (MP) patients, and to clarify predictors of postoperative morbidity and mortality. We retrospectively reviewed a total 15 patients with MP who received surgical intervention at our institute from December 1990 to November 2012. Diagnosis of MP was confirmed by operative findings.

γ-Tocotrienol reduces human airway smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration.

Aims: Vitamin E is an antioxidant that occurs in 8 different forms (α, β, γ, and δ tocopherol and tocotrienol). Clinical trials of tocopherol supplementation to assess the impact of antioxidant activity in asthma have yielded equivocal results. Tocotrienol exhibits greater antioxidant activity than tocopherol in several biological phenomena in vivo and in vitro.

Causes of death in patients with asthma and asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome.

Background: The administration of inhaled corticosteroids and worldwide usage of several asthma guidelines have improved asthma mortality. Elderly patients with asthma show high mortality rates, and may have several comorbidities, including overlap with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Among patients showing asthma overlapped with COPD (asthma-COPD overlap syndrome; ACOS), mortality is worse than for asthma alone.

The Increased Expression of CCL20 and CCR6 in Rectal Mucosa Correlated to Severe Inflammation in Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis.

Background/Aims. The aim of this study is to clarify the differences of CCL20 and CCR6 expression, chemokine correlated to intestinal homeostasis, between pediatric and adult ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Methods.

Sphincter-saving resection of rectal hemangioma based on Doppler transrectal ultrasonography findings: report of a case.

A 52-year-old woman was diagnosed with rectal hemangioma that had resulted in chronic bleeding. Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome was diagnosed by clinical examination. She was referred 30 years later because of progressive anemia.

The relationships among sleep efficiency, pulmonary functions, and quality of life in patients with asthma.

Background: Sleep disturbance is commonly observed in patients with asthma, especially in those with poorly controlled asthma. Evaluating sleep quality to achieve good control of asthma is important since nocturnal asthmatic symptoms such as cough, wheezing, and chest tightness may disturb sleep. Actigraphy is an objective, ambulatory monitoring method for tracking a patient's sleep and wake activities and for assessing sleep quality, as reflected by total sleep time, sleep efficiency, duration of awakening after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep onset latency.

[Three cases of proliferative cystitis causing hydronephrosis].

We report three cases of proliferative cystitis causing hydronephrosis. Three patients presented with a complaint of miction pain, gross hematuria or pollikisuria. Cystoscopic findings revealed papillary sessile tumor from neck to orifice.

Segmental distribution in refractory ulcerative colitis: a histological evaluation in pediatric and adult patients who underwent proctocolectomy.

Background: Histological segmental distribution of ulcerative colitis (UC) may represent an early finding of newly diagnosed UC, especially in pediatric patients; a sign of Crohn's disease; or a predictor of refractory UC. However, its significance remains unknown. This study was performed to compare the final pathologic findings in resected total colon and rectum specimens between pediatric and adult patients with refractory UC who underwent proctocolectomy and clarify the significance of segmental distribution in pediatric patients with UC.

Infantile Crohn's disease is one of the risk factors for catheter-related bloodstream infection.

Background: Central venous catheterization is recognized as a lifeline that is important for chemotherapy or nutritional support in pediatric patients with malignant disease and intestinal failure. This study analyzed the risk of infection with Broviac line use among these patients at a single Japanese center.

Methods: Two hundred and four Broviac lines were inserted in patients in the pediatric ward from January 2003 to October 2011.