Unilateral repetitive tibial nerve stimulation improves neurogenic claudication and bilateral F-wave conduction in central lumbar spinal stenosis.

Background: Repetitive electrical nerve stimulation of the lower limb may improve neurogenic claudication in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) as originally described by Tamaki et al. We tested if this neuromodulation technique affects the F-wave conduction on both sides to explore the underlying physiologic mechanisms.

Methods: We studied a total of 26 LSS patients, assigning 16 to a study group receiving repetitive tibial nerve stimulation at the ankle (RTNS) on one leg, and 10 to a group without RTNS.

Localization of the primary sites of involvement in the spinal sensory and motor pathways for multilevel MRI abnormalities in degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Study Design: Exploratory clinical study.

Objectives: To localize the sites of conduction block in the spinal sensory and motor pathways for minimizing the level of surgical intervention despite MRI evidence of compression at several levels in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Setting: Kochi Medical School Hospital, Japan.

Short and long-term effects of exergaming for the elderly.

Objective: Exergaming has been introduced in safe and beneficial intervention for the elderly. However, no study has examined exergaming-based interventions for the elderly that last several years. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness and safety of a 12-week intervention using step training with exergaming for the elderly (12-week study).

What Is the Best Multimodality Combination for Intraoperative Spinal Cord Monitoring of Motor Function? A Multicenter Study by the Monitoring Committee of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research.

Study Design Surgeon survey. Objective To analyze multimodal intraoperative monitoring (MIOM) for different combinations of methods based on the collected data and determine the best combination. Methods A questionnaire was sent to 72 training institutions to analyze and compile data about monitoring that had been conducted during the preceding 5 years to obtain data on the following: (1) types of monitoring; (2) names and number of diseases; (3) conditions of anesthesia; (4) condition of stimulation, the monitored muscle and its number; (5) complications; and (6) preoperative and postoperative manual muscle testing, presence of dysesthesia, and the duration of postoperative motor deficit.

Effects of two different intensities of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on pain thresholds of contralateral muscles in healthy subjects.

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the differential effects of high-intensity and low-intensity transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the contralateral side on the pain threshold in healthy subjects. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-five healthy adults, volunteers received two intensity levels (motor-level, 1.5 times the muscle motor threshold; sensory-level, sensory threshold of the common peroneal nerve), for 30 s on separate days.

A new method for characterizing hand dysfunction in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a preliminary study.

Study Design: A case-control investigation.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to quantitatively study impaired ability to appropriately adjust pinch strength while holding a small object in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Setting: Kochi Medical School Hospital, Japan.

Control of dry weight and tube feeding improved the general condition of a hemodialysis patient: report of a case.

Patients on long-term hemodialysis are at risk of developing malnutrition,and poor nutrient intake is an important factor in this. In the present case, we encountered a 55-year-old Japanese woman with end-stage renal failure and a past history of schizophrenia. Severe systemic edema was observed.

Fournier's gangrene in elderly patient: report of a case.

Fournier's gangrene (FG) is rapidly progressing acute gangrenous infection of the anorectal and urogenital area. FG needs precocious diagnosis and aggressive treatment with the use of wide spectrum antibioticus and surgical debridement. In our case, a 91-year-old Japanese female who had rehabilitation after treatment of pneumonia and her past history was rheumatoid arthritis treated with steroid and chronic heart failure.

Acute abdomen caused by both acute appendicitis and epididymitis.

Acute appendicitis often presents as right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain, severe tenderness at the point of McBurny or Lanz, and Blumberg's sign. Scrotal events with appendicitis are very rare. In our case, a 63-year-old Japanese man presented with severe RLQ pain and high fever.

Vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors in the novel human cell line, HN-Eso-1, established from esophageal spindle cell carcinoma.

Human carcinosarcomas of esophagus are uncommon malignant neoplasms that are composed both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. We established a novel cell line, HN-Eso-1, from the metastatic esophageal spindle cell carcinoma (so-called carcinosarcoma). In this study, we estimated the vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and VEGF receptors (VEGFRs).

[Enucleation of renal tumor using microwave tissue coagulator: a case report].

A 69-year-old man was referred to our department for a cystic tumor, 4.0 cm in diameter, in the lower portion of the right kidney, which was detected by computed tomography. The patient had been admitted to the department of surgery in our hospital for treatment of ileus caused by transverse colon cancer.