Surgical technique for preventing lung torsion after right upper and lower bilobectomy.

In cases of right upper and lower bilobectomy, careful manipulation is required to avoid lung torsion, as only the right middle lobe remains in the right thoracic cavity. We report a case of successful right upper and lower bilobectomy with no torsion of the middle lobe. Our technique prevents postoperative lung torsion by fixing the lung to the chest wall and pericardial fat with silk threads.

Differences among hemoglobin thresholds for red blood cell transfusions in patients with hematological diseases in teaching hospitals: a real world data in Japan.

A hemoglobin (Hb) threshold level of 7 g/dL has been proposed for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in patients with chronic anemia in the Japanese guideline since 2005. However, Hb thresholds for hematological diseases in clinical practice and factors responsible for higher Hb thresholds remain unclear. Hb thresholds were collected for patients with hematological diseases from 32 Japanese teaching hospitals.

Less correlation between mismatch repair proteins deficiency and decreased expression of HLA class I molecules in endometrial carcinoma: a different propensity from colorectal cancer.

Mismatch repair protein deficiency (dMMR) is a favorable prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. It is also associated with aberrant expression of HLA class I molecules, which are required for cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated cancer immunotherapy. Because dMMR is frequently also found in endometrial cancers (ECs), we retrospectively investigated the expression of mismatch repair proteins and HLA class I molecules in 127 EC patients.

Clinical significance of autologous blood transfusions in bone marrow harvest from unrelated donors.

In the Japan Marrow Donor Program (JMDP), autologous blood is collected from most unrelated bone marrow (BM) donors. We retrospectively evaluated 5772 donors who underwent BM harvest between 2010 and 2015 through the JMDP. Autologous blood was collected in 96.

Released washed platelet concentrates are effective and safe in patients with a history of transfusion reactions.

Background: Plasma removal by washing is an effective approach to prevent transfusion reactions by platelet concentrates (PCs). Recently, washed PCs were released by the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective multicenter study evaluated the efficacy and safety of released washed PCs (RWPCs) between September 2016 and January 2017 in Japan.

Azygos vein varix mimicking bronchial cysts.

Azygos vein varix is a very rare disease associated with a risk of rupture or thrombosis. Here, we report a case of azygos vein varix mimicking bronchogenic cysts. A 79-year-old female patient presented with abnormal shadows on a chest X-ray during an annual check-up.

Mediastinal cysts with Mullerian differentiation.

Mediastinal cysts with Mullerian differentiation are characterized by oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor positive cell linings. We treated four patients with mediastinal cysts with Mullerian differentiation. All patients were female, from 46 to 52 years old, and had BMIs greater than 26 kg/m.

A national survey of premedication for transfusion reactions in Japan.

Background: Premedication before transfusion is commonly administered in clinical practice despite a lack of evidence for its efficacy. The aim of this study was to clarify the status of premedication and evaluate expert opinions regarding its use in Japanese medical institutions.

Method: Between May and July 2016, we conducted a questionnaire survey on premedication before transfusion in 252 medical institutes that were certified by an academic society or employed transfusion experts.

Procalcitonin levels predict to identify bacterial strains in blood cultures of septic patients.

Background: We examined whether the values obtained from principal component analysis (PCA) on laboratory tests can be used to predict bacterial infections and identify bacterial strains in blood culture (BC).

Method: This study is a single-center retrospective analysis of 315 patients suspected of having sepsis. We applied PCA on procalcitonin (PCT) and laboratory test biomarkers, namely, platelet (PLT), white blood cell, and C-reactive protein (CRP) as well as BC.

Outcomes of Living Donor Liver Transplantation Alone for Patients on Maintenance Renal Replacement Therapy in Japan: Results of a Nationwide Survey.

Background: Because simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation has been limited as a standard practice because of a severe shortage of deceased donors in Japan, living donor (LD) liver transplantation alone (LTA) is indicated in most recipients with maintenance renal replacement therapy (MRRT).

Methods: A retrospective nationwide survey of LD LTA was performed for liver transplant patients on MRRT. The characteristics of donors and recipients, postoperative complications, survival rate, and causes of death were analyzed.

Investigation and treatment of pulmonary embolism as a potential etiology may be important to improve post-resuscitation prognosis in non-shockable out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest: report on an analysis of the SOS-KANTO 2012 study.

Background: The prognosis of non-shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is worse than that of shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. We investigated the associations between the etiology and prognosis of non-shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients who experienced the return of spontaneous circulation after arriving at hospital.

Methods And Results: All subjects were extracted from the SOS-KANTO 2012 study population.

Effects of Addition of Early Enteral Nutritional Support During the Postoperative Phase in Patients after Living-Donor Liver Transplantation.

Background: Early initiation of enteral nutrition is recommended after some surgical procedures. This study retrospectively analyzed the effects of addition of early enteral nutrition (EEN) support during the postoperative phase in patients after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

Material And Methods: The subjects were adult patients who underwent LDLT in our department and received either total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or EEN for postoperative nutritional support.

Left-side hepatectomy in living donors: through a reduced upper-midline incision for liver transplantation.

Background: We present our attempts at reducing the length of incision in living donor left-side hepatectomy without laparoscopic approach.

Methods: The chief surgeon initially made a 10-cm upper midline incision and performed all procedures through a minilaparotomy without abdominal wall lifting or pneumoperitoneum. For the procedures in the lateral and deep areas, we effectively applied traction to the wound in multiple directions using a wound retraction system so that the chief surgeon could obtain a good direct view.

[Questionnaire-based survey on chemotherapy-induced anemia].

The Japan Society of Clinical Oncology and The Japan Society of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy jointly conducted a questionnaire-based survey on chemotherapy-induced anemia(CIA)in cancer patients between September and November 2010, the results of which are outlined here. For all the eight main cancer types in Japan that were analyzed(breast, lung, stomach, colorectal, liver, gynecologic, and urologic cancers and malignant lymphoma), blood transfusion was required in 1.6-24.

Hidradenoma papilliferum of the vulva in association with an anogenital mammary-like gland.

Hidradenoma papilliferum (HP) is a benign adnexal neoplasm which preferentially develops in the anogenital region of women. Although the origin of HP was previously thought to be an apocrine sweat gland, recent studies have suggested that it may derive from the anogenital mammary-like gland (MLG). In this paper, we present a 43-year-old Japanese woman with hidradenoma papilliferum of the vulva.

Questionnaire-based survey on chemotherapy-induced anemia.

A questionnaire-based survey on chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) in cancer patients was conducted between September and November 2010. The number of patients treated with chemotherapy, rate of blood transfusion, volume of blood transfused, severity of anemia, and factors affecting blood transfusion were analyzed according to the type of cancer, in an attempt to clarify the current status of CIA in Japan. During the survey period, among the eight types of cancer analyzed (breast, lung, stomach, colorectal, liver, gynecologic cancer, urologic cancer, and malignant lymphoma), chemotherapy was given to 5.

Prediction of blood culture results by measuring procalcitonin levels and other inflammatory biomarkers.

Background: It would be helpful if we could predict positive or negative blood culture results. This study considered the usefulness of measuring procalcitonin (PCT) level and standard clinical biomarkers such as white blood cell (WBC) count, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and platelet (PLT) count to predict blood culture results.

Method: We retrospectively analyzed the data from 422 specimens collected at our emergency center within the preceding 36 consecutive months.

Strategy of Infection Control in Immunosuppressive Therapy for ANCA-Associated Vasculitis.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are well known to be associated with small vessel vasculitic diseases such as microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), allergic granulomatous angiitis (AGA), and Granulomatosis with poly angiitis: GPA (Wegener's). Disease assessment by 1) vasculitic activity, 2) damage resulting from vasculitis, and 3) patient function, were the required endpoints for the therapeutic trials in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Harmonized steroids and cyclophosphamide or azathioprine are effective for active AAV.

Pharmacokinetics of mizoribine in adult living donor liver transplantation.

We investigated the pharmacokinetics of mizoribine in the acute phase after adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Between February 2004 and October 2009, 16 recipients received immunosuppressive therapy that included mizoribine (100 to 200 mg/d) after undergoing LDLT. We determined the serum levels of mizoribine before (C0) and 3 (C3), 4 (C4), and 10 (C10) hours after administration on postoperative days 3, 7, and 21.

Relation of intraocular concentrations of inflammatory factors and improvement of macular edema after vitrectomy in branch retinal vein occlusion.

Purpose: To investigate the association of intraocular concentrations of inflammatory factors and improvement of macular edema after vitrectomy for patients with macular edema in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Methods: Seventeen patients with BRVO who underwent vitreous surgery for macular edema and 15 control patients were enrolled from Hachioji Medical Center of Tokyo Medical University.

A case of pheochromocytoma presenting as secondary hyperaldosteronism, hyperparathyroidism, diabetes and proteinuric renal disease.

A 35-year-old woman was admitted to the Nephrology and Dialysis Unit of Pisa University for hypertension, hypokalaemia, renal impairment, proteinuria and hyperglycaemia. plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone were elevated, but Doppler ultrasound and angio-computed tomography (CT) of renal arteries were normal. Abdomen CT revealed only a left adrenal mass, and measurement of catecholamines suggested the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.