The usefulness of bright light therapy for patients after oesophagectomy.

Objectives: The prevention of delirium is an important issue in the field of perioperative nursing. The objective of this study was to verify the usefulness of acute-stage bright light exposure on patients following oesophagectomy.

Methods: The participants were oesophagectomy patients that were removed from their ventilators the day after surgery.

Development of a 32-item scale to assess postoperative dysfunction after upper gastrointestinal cancer resection.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to develop a 32-item scale to assess postoperative dysfunction in patients who underwent surgery for gastric and oesophageal cancer and to evaluate its reliability and validity.

Background: For the objective assessment of postoperative dysfunction in patients with upper gastointestinal cancer, we performed a preliminary survey by mail using a 34-item questionnaire as a initial version. The results of the survey were assessed by item analysis of the scale.

Psychosocial factors that aggravate the symptoms of sick house syndrome in Japan.

Over the last 30 years in Japan, there has been a 10% increase in the number of people suffering from sick house syndrome due to toxic chemicals released from construction materials and wallpaper. This syndrome can develop into the more complex and disabling, chemical sensitivity syndrome, so preventing early exposure to toxins at home is critical in reducing the likelihood of health problems in the community. A qualitative study was undertaken using ethnographic methods to identify the psychosocial aggravating factors of sick house syndrome.

Influence of bright light therapy on postoperative patients: a pilot study.

Bright light therapy is a method of maintaining or restoring the natural circadian rhythm by assisting daytime awakening using bright lights. Postoperative delirium is one of the potential complications encountered by patients receiving postoperative care in the intensive care unit (ICU), but there have been no studies on the use of light for the prevention of postoperative delirium. The objective of this study was to examine whether the circadian rhythms of patients after surgery for oesophageal cancer can be adjusted and whether the postoperative delirium crisis rate can be reduced by bright light therapy.

Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction after 2-field versus 3-field lymph node dissection in patients with esophageal cancer.

Purpose: Using an instrument we developed to assess postoperative dysfunction objectively (Surg Today 2005;35:535-42), we compared postoperative dysfunction after 2 - field versus 3 - field lymph node dissection retrospectively, in patents undergoing esophageal cancer surgery.

Methods: Subjects were selected randomly from among patients who had undergone radical surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus followed by reconstruction with a gastric tube and a cervical anastomosis. Patients rated 32 items related to postoperative dysfunction according to a 5-grade scale.

Reliability and validity of a new scale to assess postoperative dysfunction after resection of upper gastrointestinal carcinoma.

Purpose: We evaluated the purpose reliability and validity of a preliminary scale, which we developed to assess postoperative dysfunction after surgery for gastric and esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: After interviews with 12 patients, reviews of previous studies, and discussions with experts, we identified the physical symptoms that develop after resection of upper gastrointestinal (GIT) carcinoma, and devised a preliminary scale comprised of 34 items. A questionnaire survey based on this scale was then sent to 283 patients.