Patient-reported outcomes following neoadjuvant endocrine therapy, external beam radiation, and adjuvant continuous/intermittent endocrine therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: A randomized phase III trial.

Background: We evaluated patient-reported outcomes (PRO) during neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) plus external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) followed by either adjuvant continuous ADT (CADT) or intermittent ADT (IADT) for patients with locally advanced prostate cancer (Pca).

Methods: A multicenter, randomized phase III trial enrolled 303 patients with locally advanced Pca. The patients were treated with 6 months (M) of ADT followed by 72 Gy of EBRT, and were randomly assigned to CADT or IADT after 14 M.

Surgically cured paraneoplastic hypoglycemia associated with solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura: report of two cases.

Hypoglycemia is seldom seen in association with insulinomas, rare autoimmune diseases, and paraneoplastic situations. Paraneoplastic hypoglycemia is known as nonislet cell tumor-induced hypoglycemia (NICTH). It is also known that a solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura can cause NICTH and that surgical resection is crucial to the success of NICTH treatment.

Catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia originating from the left posterior papillary muscle guided by the shadow of a multipolar catheter.

A 62-year-old man without structural heart disease underwent electrophysiological testing for ventricular tachycardia (VT). Hemodynamically unstable VT was induced after isoproterenol (ISP) provocation. Electroanatomical mapping using a multipolar catheter identified the earliest activation originating from the posterior papillary muscle (PPM) where prepotentials preceding the local ventricular electrogram were observed.

Spread of X-chromosome inactivation into chromosome 15 is associated with Prader-Willi syndrome phenotype in a boy with a t(X;15)(p21.1;q11.2) translocation.

X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an essential mechanism in females that compensates for the genome imbalance between females and males. It is known that XCI can spread into an autosome of patients with X;autosome translocations. The subject was a 5-year-old boy with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS)-like features including hypotonia, hypo-genitalism, hypo-pigmentation, and developmental delay.

Relationship between sensory recovery and advancement distance of oblique triangular flap for fingertip reconstruction.

Purpose: Oblique triangular flaps often need extensive advancement for fingertip coverage. The purpose of this report is to retrospectively investigate the relationship between sensory recovery and advancement distance of oblique triangular flaps.

Methods: Fourteen consecutive fingertip amputations in 11 patients were treated with oblique triangular flaps between 2005 and 2006.

A case of persistent atrial fibrillation cured by focal ablation in a young patient.

We present a case of a 25-year-old man who had persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) lasting for three months. The persistent AF was terminated by a 20-mg bolus infusion of adenosine triphosphate. Frequent and repetitive episodes of ectopic atrial tachycardia (EAT) emerged from the mid-portion of the saddle between the left superior and inferior pulmonary veins.

Vacuum-assisted venous drainage in single-access minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

This retrospective study evaluated the influence of vacuum-assisted venous drainage in single-access minimally invasive cardiac surgery. A total of 104 patients who underwent cardiac surgery via minimal access incision were included in this study. Cardiopulmonary bypass was initiated with gravity alone, and vacuum-assisted venous drainage was applied only when the bypass flow was 2.

Long-term follow-up of polyurethane vascular grafts for hemoaccess bridge fistulas.

The new polyurethane vascular graft (PVG) has been reported to be better than the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft in terms of early access and prompt hemostasis, but long-term patency and safety of PVGs have not been investigated objectively. To evaluate late clinical outcome of the PVG, we compared the complication and patency rates of stretch PTFE grafts with those of PVGs implanted for hemodialysis vascular access. Subjects were 53 patients who received 58 arteriovenous grafts between October 1997 and July 2000.

Leukocyte-depleted continuous blood cardioplegia for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Many cardiac surgeries are performed with blood cardioplegia. However, some studies suggest that activated neutrophils form blood cardioplegia can cause reperfusion injury. In this study we assessed myocardial protection using a leukocyte-depleted cardioplegic solution.

[Three-channeled aortic dissection: selection of surgery based on the images].

Three patients with 3-channeled dissection were operated upon. Images of the dissection were enlargement of the false lumens, compression of the true lumen by enlarged false lumens and visceral arteries of false lumen origin. These prevent the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cause malperfusion of the viscera.

Safety and efficacy of blood donation prior to elective cardiac surgery in anemic patients.

Objective: To determine the safety and effectiveness of blood donation in anemic patients, we harvested blood from cardiac patients with baseline hemoglobin levels below 11.0 g/dl.

Methods: Subjects were 118 patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery between January 1994 and October 1997.

Cyclic bursts of ventricular premature contractions of more than one minute intervals.

Ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) occasionally appear successively in the form of bigeminy, trigeminy or quadrigeminy associated with quiescent periods. However, details of these rhythmic VPC bursts have not been well documented. We analyzed the incidence, periodicity and interval of VPC bursts exhibiting bigeminy or trigeminy using ambulatory ECG monitoring and computer analysis.

[Mitral obstruction due to infective endocarditis: a case report].

Acute valvular obstruction caused by vegetation is a rare complication infective endocarditis. To our knowledge, only 9 cases and an autopsy case by Roberts have been reported since 1967. A 46-year-old man admitted with a chief complaint of pyrexia for 2 months duration.

[A case of traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta with severe chronic compression of the trachea].

A case of successfully treated traumatic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta with severe major air way compression was reported. A 38-year-old man, who had a history of blunt chest trauma in a traffic accident twenty years ago, complained of asthma-like coughing chest CT scan and angiogram showed a saccular aneurysm of desending aorta compressing the isthmus of the trachea and the esophagus severely. Resection of the aneurysm and prosthetic graft replacement was undertaken successfully with the aid of F-F bypass.

[A case of unroofed coronary sinus with persistent left superior vena cava].

A 44-year-old female with left to right shunt and persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) suspected of unroofed coronary sinus defect with patent right SVC and innominate vein was treated surgically. PLSVC was ligated and coronary sinus ostium was closed with a EPTFE patch. Roof defect of coronary sinus was left open and allowed the coronary venous blood to drain into the left atrium.

[Primary chylopericardium: a case report].

A case of primary chylopericardium in a 54 year-old-man was reported. Despite 3 times of pericardiocentesis, the pericardial fluid accumulated rapidly. After the fenestration of pericardium, a small cannula was inserted for the thoracic ductgram which showed a clearly visible duct upward to the angulus venosus and an abnormal branch near the bifurcation of the trachea spilling some contrast material into the pericardial cavity.

[Assessment of left ventricular function with ESS-ESVI relationship in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation].

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic regurgitation (AR) results in the reduction of left ventricular dimensions. But postoperative death or congestive heart failure may occur in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Pre- and postoperative stress (ESS)-volume (ESVI) relationship by M-mode echocardiography was examined in 30 patients undergoing AVR.

[Interposition graft technique for the treatment of AAE (annuloaortic ectasia) with aortic regurgitation: surgical results].

Interposition graft technique had been used exclusively in 8 consecutive patients with AAE and AR. Two patients with severely dilated left ventricle (CTR 65, 80%, LVDd 93, 83 mm, LVDs 86, 68 mm), and 1 patient complicated with the postoperative mediastinitis died in the perioperative period, 10, 145 and 135 days after surgery, respectively. In the remaining 5 patients, excellent clinical improvement was observed with the reduction of CTR and echo-cardiographic findings without formation of hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, and leak from the suture lines on DSA and CT.

[Effect of GIK solution on the myocardial metabolism].

Effect of GIK solution (50% glucose 100 ml + insulin 20IU + KCl 20 mEq) infused in an hour on the myocardial metabolism was studied in the postoperative period following the open-heart surgery. Increase of arterial glucose, pyruvate, K+ and PCO2 and the decrease of pH was significant at the end of infusion. Increase of coronary sinus blood PCO2, myocardial oxygen extraction ratio for glucose and carbohydrate and the decrease of pH was highly significant.

[Familial cardiac myxoma with multiple and contralateral recurrence].

This report described a familial recurrent cardiac myxoma involving mother and daughter. The mother, at 27 year of age, had developed recurrent multiple myxomas in both left and right atrium and right ventricle 4 years after surgical excision of left atrial myxoma. Excision was successful and remains well without signs of recurrence 9 years postoperatively.

[Two cases of perioperative coronary vasospasm following ASD closure and OMC].

Two cases of perioperative coronary spasm following ASD closure and OMC are reported. A 36-year-old female had been diagnosed of vasospastic angina and another 47-year-old female patient was diagnosed of effort angina for 99% stenosis of the right ventricular branch preoperatively. Both patients suffered from coronary vasospastic attack and ventricular fibrillation several times within 17 hours postoperatively.

[Effect of ulinastatin (UL) on renal function and lactic acidosis during open-heart surgery: comparison with aprotinin (Ap)].

Comparison was made on the renal function and lactic acidosis during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) between the group Ul (n = 15) and group Ap (n = 27). A 300,000 u, of ulinastatin was administered intravenously before CPB and 300,000 u, in the prime solution. A 300,000 u, of aprotinin was administered in the prime solution.