Usefulness of unwinding the colonoscope shaft loop via the universal cord for colorectal endoscopic resections.

The colonoscope shaft loop can be unwound by establishing a loop in the universal cord of the colonoscope to maintain the same endoscopic view during colorectal endoscopic resections.

[Adult Intussusception Associated with a Low-Grade Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasm-A Case Report].

A 52-year-old woman patient, who presented with lower abdominal pain, was suspected of having colonic intussusception. An enhanced CT examination indicated that the end of the small intestine or appendix tumor had invaginated into the transverse colon. The CT revealed no evidence of intestinal ischemia, the emergency operation was performed on the following day.

Effectiveness of primary series, first, and second booster vaccination of monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and severe diseases during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.5 epidemic in Japan: vaccine effectiveness real-time surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 (VERSUS).

Background: This study aimed to evaluate VE of primary, first, and second booster ancestral-strain monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination against symptomatic infections and severe diseases in Japan.

Methods: We conducted a test-negative case-control study. We included medically attended episodes and hospitalizations involving individuals aged 16 with signs and symptoms from July to November 2022, when Omicron BA.

Changes in the negative logarithm of end-tidal hydrogen partial pressure indicate the variation of electrode potential in healthy Japanese subjects.

Molecular hydrogen (H) is produced by human colon microbiomes and exhaled. End-tidal H sampling is a simple method of measuring alveolar H. The logarithm of the hydrogen ion (H)/H ratio suggests the electrode potential in the solution according to the Nernst equation.

Effect of Medical Fee Schedule Revisions on the Expansion of Nutritional Support Teams in Japan: An Interrupted Time-series Analysis.

Introduction: In 2018, the fee schedule for nutrition support teams (NSTs) in Japanese hospitals was changed. The change was intended to encourage more hospitals to establish NSTs, and this study aims to investigate whether this change had the desired effect. Specifically, we will look at the proportion of hospitals with NSTs before and after the 2018 revision to see if there was a significant increase in the number of hospitals with NSTs.

Splenic Abscess due to a Perforated Duodenal Ulcer Successfully Treated with Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Transgastric Drainage.

Splenic abscesses are rare, with a reported prevalence of 0.14-0.7% in autopsy studies.

Monitoring of gastric residual volume during enteral nutrition.

Background: The main goal of enteral nutrition (EN) is to manage malnutrition in order to improve clinical outcomes. However, EN may increase the risks of vomiting or aspiration pneumonia during gastrointestinal dysfunction. Consequently, monitoring of gastric residual volume (GRV), that is, to measure GRV periodically and modulate the speed of enteral feeding according to GRV, has been recommended as a management goal in many intensive care units.

Does Industry-Conducted All-Case Surveillance of Newly Approved Oncology Drugs Contribute to the Revision of Package Inserts in Japan?

In Japan, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency requires all-case surveillance studies (ACSS) for many novel oncology drugs as a condition for approval. However, this is a major burden on the pharmaceutical industry and clinicians. The objective of this analysis was to investigate whether ACSS can contribute essential new information on severe adverse drug reactions, which are necessary to revise the package inserts of drugs.

High central blood pressure is associated with incident cardiovascular events in treated hypertensives: the ABC-J II Study.

It is not established whether central blood pressure (BP) evaluated by a radial pulse wave analysis is useful to predict cardiovascular prognoses. We tested the hypothesis that central BP predicts future cardiovascular events in treated hypertensive subjects. We conducted a multicenter, observational cohort study of 3566 hypertensives being treated with antihypertensive medications at 27 institutions in Japan.

Impacts of sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitors on central blood pressure.

Aims: To assess the effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitors on central blood pressure, an important determinant of cardiovascular events.

Methods: Canagliflozin, Empagliflozin or Luseogliflozin was given for 102 type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension and nephropathy. Central blood pressure was evaluated by radial tonometry.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitors reduce evening home blood pressure in type 2 diabetes with nephropathy.

Background: The effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitors on home blood pressure were examined in type 2 diabetes with nephropathy.

Methods: The patients with diabetic nephropathy were screened from medical records in our hospitals. Among them, 52 patients who measured home blood pressure and started to take sodium-glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitors were selected.

Provisional criteria for the diagnosis of hypertension in pregnancy using home blood pressure measurements.

Most guidelines for the management of hypertension define it as a home blood pressure (HBP) value >135/85 mm Hg. However, there is no reference HBP value to diagnose hypertension in pregnant women. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed HBP measurements of pregnant women to determine whether it is appropriate to use the criteria for non-pregnant subjects for pregnant women.

The "right" way is not always popular: comparison of surgeons' perceptions during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis among experts from Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Background: Generally, surgeons' perceptions of surgical safety are based on experience and institutional policy. Our recent pilot survey demonstrated that the acceptable duration of surgery and criteria for open conversion during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) vary among workplaces.

Methods: A web-based survey was distributed to 554 expert LC surgeons in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

What are the appropriate indicators of surgical difficulty during laparoscopic cholecystectomy? Results from a Japan-Korea-Taiwan multinational survey.

Background: Serious complications continue to occur in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). The commonly used indicators of surgical difficulty such as the duration of surgery are insufficient because they are surgeon and institution dependent. We aimed to identify appropriate indicators of surgical difficulty during LC.