Associations of the staffing structure of intensive care units and high care units on in-hospital mortality among patients with sepsis: a cross-sectional study of Japanese nationwide claims data.

Objective: The objective was to analyse the associations of intensive care unit (ICU) and high care unit (HCU) organisational structure on in-hospital mortality among patients with sepsis in Japan's acute care hospitals.

Design: Multicentre cross-sectional study.

Settings: Patients with sepsis aged ≥18 years who received critical care in acute care hospitals throughout Japan between April 2018 and March 2019 were identified using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB).

Paraplegia After Open Surgical Repair Versus Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Thoracic Aortic Disease: A Retrospective Analysis of Japanese Administrative Data.

Objectives: To comparatively examine the risk of postoperative paraplegia between open surgical descending aortic repair and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) among patients with thoracic aortic disease.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Acute-care hospitals in Japan.

Effectiveness of combined antithrombin and thrombomodulin therapy on in-hospital mortality in mechanically ventilated septic patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Septic patients can develop disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which is characterized by systemic blood coagulation and an increased risk of life-threatening haemorrhage. Although antithrombin (AT) and thrombomodulin (TM) combination anticoagulant therapy is frequently used to treat septic patients with DIC in Japan, its effectiveness in improving patient outcomes remains unclear. In this large-scale multicentre retrospective study of adult septic patients with DIC treated at Japanese hospitals between February 2010 and March 2016, we compared in-hospital mortality between AT monotherapy and AT + TM combination therapy.

Relief of cardiac tamponade by a congenital partial left-sided pericardial defect in a patient with ruptured acute type A aortic dissection: a case report.

Background: Acute type A aortic dissections have an extremely poor prognosis, and cardiac tamponade is a major cause of death in these patients. Here, we describe a case where congenital partial pericardial defect relieved cardiac tamponade caused by ruptured type A aortic dissection.

Case Presentation: A 79-year-old woman was hospitalized after experiencing chest pains and respiratory distress.

Bromocriptine use for sudden peripartum cardiomyopathy in a patient with preeclampsia: a case report.

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is an uncommon form of heart failure that occurs in otherwise healthy women during pregnancy or until 5 months postpartum. Here, we report a rare case where a female patient underwent cesarean section after the occurrence of preeclampsia and intrauterine fetal death, and developed peripartum cardiomyopathy following postsurgical respiratory distress. The prompt initiation of inotropic drug and bromocriptine therapy quickly restored cardiac function.

An Ultrasound-Guided Lateral Approach for Proximal Sciatic Nerve Block: A Randomized Comparison With the Anterior Approach and a Cadaveric Evaluation.

Background And Objectives: The lateral and anterior approaches for proximal sciatic nerve (SN) block can be used in patients lying supine. We assume that the posterior femoral cutaneous nerve (PFCN) is simultaneously blocked more often via the lateral approach than via the anterior approach, given the proximity of these 2 nerves at the injection level. However, locating the SN is difficult when using the original landmark-based lateral approach.

Accidental administration of the remifentanil formulation Ultiva™ into the epidural space and the complete time course of its consequences: a case report.

Background: Ultiva™ contains the potent short-acting μ-opioid receptor agonist remifentanil hydrochloride, and it is commonly administered intravenously during general anesthesia. It is not approved for epidural or intrathecal use in clinical practice because it contains glycine as an acidic buffer. However, at this moment, very limited information is available on epidural administration of Ultiva™.