Ultra-high level of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor at diagnosis predicts poor outcome for angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and displays an aggressive clinical course with poor outcome. To identify prognostic factors for AITL, we retrospectively analyzed 36 patients with AITL. The median age was 74 years with 83% of the patients having advanced stage.

[A case report of coronary artery fistula in which perioperative transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography was useful for surgical decision].

Coronary artery fistula is rare in congenital heart diseases but is the major disease among "coronary" congenital diseases. In a coronary artery fistula, the coronary artery tip connects directly or via an unusual blood vessel to unusual parts, such as the inside of the heart chamber, pulmonary artery or superior vena cava. Left ventricular volume overload and coronary steal phenomenon are serious symptoms.

[Prospective study of extended versus limited lymphadenectomy in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy with localized prostate cancer].

Patients undergoing radical prostatectomy at our hospital from January 1995 until March 2008 were subjected to limited lymphadenectomy involving only the obturator nerve lymph node. In contrast to published reports, of 488 biopsies, we encountered only three cases of lymph node metastasis. Therefore, starting in April 2008, we conducted a prospective study of limited versus extended lymphadenectomy, the latter involving the obturator fossa and internal iliac lymph nodes.

Contrast-enhanced sonography-guided radiofrequency ablation for the local recurrence of previously treated hepatocellular carcinoma undetected by B-mode sonography.

BACKGROUND.: The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of contrast-enhanced sonography (CEUS) with Sonazoid to demonstrate local recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma previously treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and not seen on conventional sonography, prior to repeat RFA. METHODS.

Sonazoid-enhanced sonography for guiding radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: better tumor visualization by Kupffer-phase imaging and vascular-phase imaging after reinjection.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of contrast harmonic sonography with a newly developed sonographic contrast agent as a means of guidance for percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: A total of 52 consecutive HCC lesions in 42 patients with HCC who underwent percutaneous RF ablation were included in this study. Altogether, 40 lesions in 35 patients were untreated HCC, and 12 lesions in 7 patients were local tumor progression of an HCC that had already been treated by other methods.

Reduction of bed rest time after transfemoral noncardiac angiography from 4 hours to 2 hours: a randomized trial and a one-arm study.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of shortening the bed rest time from 4 hours to 2 hours after transfemoral noncardiac angiography with a 4-F sheath (outer diameter, 1.93 mm), a 5-F sheath (outer diameter, 2.27 mm), and a 4-F catheter.

Laparoscopic two-stage surgery for goblet cell carcinoid of the appendix: report of a case and review of the Japanese literature.

Goblet cell carcinoid of the appendix is a rare clinical entity exhibiting features of both carcinoid and adenocarcinoma. Here, we present the first report of laparoscopic 2-stage surgery for goblet cell carcinoid with a review of the Japanese literature. A 49-year-old man underwent laparoscopic appendectomy under the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

[Examination of rheumatoid factor and other serum markers in rheumatoid arthritis].

Rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) has been widely used to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical practice. We investigated the RA diagnostic performances of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), anti-agalactosyl IgG antibody (CA*RF), and anti-calpastatin antibody (ACA) in comparison with IgM-RF. Among 68 RA patients, IgM-RF was positive in 31 (45.

Intravenous droperidol causes a reduction in the bispectral index in propofol-sedated patients during spinal anesthesia.

Unlabelled: We investigated the effect of IV droperidol on the bispectral index (BIS) in conscious and propofol-sedated patients during spinal anesthesia. Thirty minutes after the induction of spinal anesthesia, 20 patients were given 2 mg of droperidol IV without administration of other sedatives (conscious group). Another group of patients were sedated with a propofol infusion to maintain BIS at 60 +/- 5 and were administered IV saline (placebo group; n = 20), droperidol 1 mg (dro-1 group; n = 20), or droperidol 2 mg (dro-2 group; n = 20) in a randomized order and in a double-blinded fashion.

[A case of brainstem encephalitis diagnosed by stereotactic biopsy].

Brainstem encephalitis is a rare form of encephalitis which should be differentiated from cerebrovascular and neoplastic diseases. The authors report a case of viral brainstem encephalitis mimicking malignant lymphoma. A 55-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with gradually progressive diplopia and left hemiplegia.

The effect of fentanyl on hemodynamic and bispectral index changes during anesthesia induction with propofol.

Study Object: To investigate the changes in hemodynamics and hypnotic levels during propofol infusion and tracheal intubation with and without fentanyl.

Design: Randomized, double-blinded study.

Setting: Teaching hospital.

[Efficacy of bispectral index for anesthetic management of combined off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and abdominal aortic aneurysm replacement].

A 57-year-old female patient underwent combined off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and abdominal aortic aneurysm replacement. Anesthesia was maintained with propofol, fentanyl, and thoracic epidural anesthesia. Propofol doses were adjusted to maintain bispectral index (BIS) between 40-60.

[Effects of volume and concentration of lidocaine on epidural anesthesia].

We studied 40 patients scheduled for gynecological surgery to evaluate the effects of volume and concentration of lidocaine on epidural anesthesia. We injected lidocaine 300 mg as 1% (30 ml) or 2% (15 ml) through epidural catheter at L 1/2. There was no significant difference in the spread of sensory blockade (cold and pain) and the Bromage scale between the two lidocaine solutions.

[The effect of lidocaine on the bispectral index during anesthesia induction with propofol].

We investigated the effect of premixing lidocaine with propofol on a bispectral index (BIS) during propofol infusion. We studied 40 adult patients given mixture of 1% propofol 20 ml with 2 ml of normal saline (control group) or 2% lidocaine (lidocaine group) infused at 2 ml.kg-1.

Values of the bispectral index do not parallel the hemodynamic response to the rapid increase in isoflurane concentration.

Purpose: To investigate the changes in hemodynamic variables and bispectral index (BIS) in response to a rapid increase in isoflurane or sevoflurane concentration.

Method: Thirty adult patients were anesthetized with either isoflurane (isoflurane group) or sevoflurane (sevoflurane group). Two minutes after induction of anesthesia with thiamylal, the inspired concentrations of isoflurane and sevoflurane were rapidly increased from 0.

Analgesic effect of epidural neostigmine after abdominal hysterectomy.

Study Objective: To evaluate the effects of epidurally administered neostigmine on pain after abdominal hysterectomy.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study.

Setting: Teaching hospital.

Perioperative intravenous flurbiprofen reduces postoperative pain after abdominal hysterectomy.

Purpose: To assess whether perioperative intravenous administration of flurbiprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, reduced postoperative pain after abdominal hysterectomy.

Methods: Forty-five patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy were randomly assigned to one of three groups of equal size. A control group (CONT) received a placebo 30 min before and at the end of surgery.

A rare case of spontaneous esophageal rupture (Boerhaave's syndrome) associated with pulmonary rupture.

Spontaneous esophageal rupture (Boerhaave's Syndrome) is a life-threatening condition that requires early diagnosis and effective treatment. The authors describe a rare case of spontaneous rupture of the esophagus associated with pulmonary rupture in a 54-year-old man. The anatomical basis for the occurrence of a spontaneous esophageal rupture associated with pulmonary rupture is discussed.

[Herpes viruses--herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, EB virus, cytomegalovirus].

Herpes simplex encephalitis is the commonest viral encephalitis among individuals, and the mortality has been markedly decreased by the use of vidarabine and acyclovir. Early diagnoses and immediate treatment are essential for favorable prognoses. Neuro-imagings, such as MRI and SPECT, and PCR technique for detection of HSV-DNA in CSF, are useful for early diagnoses, without requiring brain biopsy.

[An experience with omentopexy for the repair of postoperative bronchopleural fistula].

Postoperative bronchopleural fistula has been the most troublesome complications in the thoracic surgery. In this report, we presented a case of bronchopleural fistula successfully closed by omentopexy. A 51-year-old man had undergone left upper lobectomy and S6 segmentectomy for primary lung cancer.

[Toxic shock-like syndrome with Streptococcus pyogenes in a pleural effusion].

A 58-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of fever and hypotension. That night, shock developed. On the second hospital day, a chest roentgenogram showed retention of pleural fluid and the group A-beta hemolytic organism Streptococcus pyogenes was detected in the effusion.

[A clinical and pathological study of 46 cases of sudden and unexpected death].

A series of 46 autopsied adult cases of sudden and unexpected natural death were investigated. In this study, sudden and unexpected death was defined as any death occurring with 24 hours of onset of symptoms in a person with or without probable cause of death suggested by medical history. The cases included 31 males and 15 females aged 26 to 85 years (mean 66.

[Frequency and morphological change of double eyelid fold in relation to age].

The frequency of double eyelid fold and its morphological change were followed in 172 infants with cleft lip over the period from 0 to 5 years after birth. Change to double eyelid fold occurred 6 months after birth in 27 of them, at 6 months to 1 year in 20, at 1-3 years in 12 and at 3-5 years in 15. All showed double eyelid fold of the increasingly broadened type.