Identification of peripheral blood test parameters predicting the response to palbociclib and endocrine therapy for metastatic breast cancer: a retrospective study in a single institution.

Purpose: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors have been used in endocrine therapy for patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer. Although randomized trials have shown that combined therapies prolong progression-free survival (PFS) in comparison to endocrine monotherapy, the predictors of efficacy are unknown. This study aimed to identify the blood test parameters to predict the effects of palbociclib and endocrine therapy.

Efficacy of intraoperative irrigation with artificial cerebrospinal fluid in chronic subdural hematoma surgery: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background: The surgical techniques for treatment of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH), a common neurosurgical condition, have been discussed in a lot of clinical literature. However, the recurrence proportion after CSDH surgery remains high, ranging from 10 to 20%. The standard surgical procedure for CSDH involves a craniostomy to evacuate the hematoma, but irrigating the hematoma cavity during the procedure is debatable.

Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion within Three-level for Patients with Neurological Symptoms due to Vertebral Fragility Fractures in the Lumbar Spine.

There is a lack of agreement on whether minimally invasive lateral lumbar intervertebral fusion (LLIF) is a suitable treatment option for vertebral fragility fractures (VFFs). Hence, we sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LLIF in the management of VFF with neurological deficits in the lumbar spine. Between April 2015 and March 2020, we conducted a retrospective observational study of patients with VFF treated with three-level or less LLIF.

Comparative Study of Surgical Outcomes of Occipitocervical and Atlantoaxial Fusion for Retro-Odontoid Pseudotumor.

Objective: To compare the surgical and radiographic outcomes of occipitocervical fusion (OCF) with those of atlantoaxial fusion (AAF) in patients with cervical myelopathy caused by retroodontoid pseudotumors (ROPs).

Methods: This retrospective, comparative study included 26 patients; 12 underwent occipitocervical fusion (OCF) (group O) and 14 retroodontoid pseudotumor (AAF) (group A) with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Neurologic outcomes were evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score.

Surgical Outcomes of Common Peroneal Nerve Entrapment Neuropathy Associated with L5 Radiculopathy.

Impingement of the common peroneal nerve, a branch of the L5 nerve root, causes common peroneal nerve entrapment neuropathy (CPNE). Although there are cases of CPNE associated with L5 radiculopathy, surgical intervention's effectiveness remains to be elucidated. This retrospective case-control study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of surgery in patients with CPNE associated with L5 radiculopathy.

Retroperitoneal and Mediastinal Emphysema after Sigmoid Colon Resection.

Retroperitoneal and mediastinal emphysema after colon resection is extremely rare, especially in the absence of anastomotic leakage. The feasibility and safety of conservative treatment for this complication are unknown. We report a patient who underwent open sigmoid colon resection for colon cancer and developed retroperitoneal and mediastinal emphysema that was not caused by anastomotic leakage.

A calcitonin-producing pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm treated with distal pancreatectomy a lengthy time after a left trisectionectomy for liver metastases: a case report.

Background: Calcitonin-producing pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) are extremely rare. There have been no reports of a patient in whom liver metastases were the presenting finding, and a calcitonin-producing PanNEN was subsequently detected after a lengthy period.

Case Presentation: A 53-year-old man had diarrhea for several years.

Downward penetrating endplate screw technique under O-arm navigation posterior fusion in patients with osteoporotic vertebral body fractures associated with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Background: A downward penetrating endplate screw (PES) technique combined with caudal anchor screws inserted in the upward direction under O-arm navigation (i.e., crossing screw technique) avoided screw backout and proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) in three patients with osteoporotic vertebral body fractures and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH).

Safety and Validity of Anterior Cervical Disc Replacement for Single-level Cervical Disc Disease: Initial Two-year Follow-up of the Prospective Observational Post-marketing Surveillance Study for Japanese Patients.

Anterior cervical disc replacement (ACDR) using cervical artificial disc (CAD) has the advantage of maintaining the range of motion (ROM) at the surgical level, subsequently reducing the postoperative risk of adjacent disc disease. Following the approval for the clinical use in Japan, a post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study was conducted for two different types of CAD, namely, Mobi-C (metal-on-plastic design) and Prestige LP (metal-on-metal design). The objective of this prospective observational multicenter study was to analyze the first 2-year surgical results of the PMS study of 1-level ACDR in Japan.

Laminectomy triggers symptomatic growth of spinal schwannoma in a patient with schwannomatosis.

Background: Schwannomatosis (SWN) is genetically similar to neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and represents a NF2 gene mutation. Previous studies have shown that these mutations in both neurons and Schwann cells can lead to the development of schwannomas after nerve crush injuries. Here, we reviewed the potential pathoanatomical mechanisms for the development of a trauma-induced spinal schwannomas in a 55-year-old male with SWN.

Radiological Analysis of Minimally Invasive Microscopic Laminectomy for Lumbar Canal Stenosis with a Focus on Multilevel Stenosis and Spondylolisthesis.

Objective: We retrospectively compared the radiological and clinical outcomes of two different surgical techniques (lumbar spinous process splitting laminectomy [LSPSL] and unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression [ULBD]) to treat lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LCS).

Methods: We performed a retrospective comparative study of 141 consecutive patients with an average age of 70.8 ± 9.

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020).

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020), a Japanese-specific set of clinical practice guidelines for sepsis and septic shock created as revised from J-SSCG 2016 jointly by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine and the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, was first released in September 2020 and published in February 2021. An English-language version of these guidelines was created based on the contents of the original Japanese-language version. The purpose of this guideline is to assist medical staff in making appropriate decisions to improve the prognosis of patients undergoing treatment for sepsis and septic shock.

Risk assessment of vertebral compressive fracture using bone mass index and strength predicted by computed tomography image based finite element analysis.

Background: A main purpose of osteoporosis diagnosis is to evaluate the bone fracture risk. Some bone mass indices evaluated using bone mineral density has been utilized clinically to assess the degree of osteoporosis. On the other hand, Computed tomography image based finite element analysis has been developed to evaluate bone strength of vertebral bodies.

Oncologic Reappraisal of Bile Duct Resection for Middle-Third Cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Although bile duct resection (BDR) in addition to pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is considered a surgical approach in patients with middle-third cholangiocarcinoma (MCC), available prognostic information after BDR remains very limited. The aim of this study was to reappraise BDR from the viewpoint of surgical oncology.

Methods: Patients who underwent BDR or PD for MCC between 2001 and 2010 at 32 Japanese hospitals were included.

Fibrinogen levels measured by the dry hematology method are lower than those measured by the Clauss method under a high concentration of heparin.

The activity of fibrinogen has been reported to decrease soon after the onset of major bleeding and to be an important determinant of the final extent of bleeding and postoperative outcome. A device that measures the perioperative fibrinogen level using the dry hematology (DH) method has recently become available. The aim of this study was to compare perioperative fibrinogen levels measured by the DH method with those measured by the conventional Clauss method and to assess the effects of heparin on these measurements.

Augmented Reality Visualization-guided Microscopic Spine Surgery: Transvertebral Anterior Cervical Foraminotomy and Posterior Foraminotomy.

Objective: We describe intraoperative augmented reality (AR) imaging to obtain a microscopic view in spine keyhole surgery.

Background: Minimally invasive keyhole surgery has been developed even for spine surgery, including transvertebral anterior cervical foraminotomy and posterior cervical laminoforaminotomy. These methods are complex and require a skillful technique.

Reduction in surgical site infection with suprafascial intrawound application of vancomycin powder in instrumented posterior spinal fusion: a retrospective case-control study.

OBJECTIVE Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of subfascial intrawound application of vancomycin powder in spine surgery in reducing the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs). However, to date no study has evaluated the efficacy and safety of suprafascial application of vancomycin powder in spine surgery. The purpose of this study was to quantify the rate of SSIs after open instrumented posterior spinal fusion with and without application of suprafascial vancomycin powder and to evaluate the rate of vancomycin powder-related local adverse effects.

Flat Posterior Cranial Fossa Affects Outcomes of Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Objective: To investigate the prognostic factors for microvascular decompression (MVD) in patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia (TN), with a particular focus on the morphology of the posterior cranial fossa (PCF).

Methods: The present study investigated 126 surgically treated patients with primary TN with more than 1-year follow-up who underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging between April 2003 and September 2015. We retrospectively reviewed clinical information and operative findings.