DEVELOPMENT OF A SPECIALISED TAPE MEASURE TO ESTIMATE THE SIZE-SPECIFIC DOSE ESTIMATE.

The risk in computed tomography (CT) examinations is radiation exposure. We aimed to develop a specialised tape measure for determining the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) for patients undergoing CT scans. The scanning parameters used were those of the abdominal protocol in our institute.

Efficacy and safety of short-term therapy with indigo naturalis for ulcerative colitis: An investigator-initiated multicenter double-blind clinical trial.

Introduction: Indigo naturalis (IN) is a blue pigment extracted from Assam indigo and other plants and has been confirmed to be highly effective for ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment in several clinical studies.

Objective: We conducted a multicenter double-blind study to confirm the efficacy and safety of short-term IN administration.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted between December 2015 and October 2018 in our facilities.

Verification of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels Measured by Anion-Exchange High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in Comparison with Beta Quantification Reference Measurement Procedure.

Background: A new lipoprotein testing method based on anion-exchange HPLC (AEX-HPLC) was recently established. We verified the accuracy of LDL-C levels, a primary therapeutic target for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), measured by AEX-HPLC comparing with LDL-C levels measured by beta quantification-reference measurement procedure (BQ-RMP), homogenous assays, and calculation methods.

Methods: We compared LDL-C levels measured by AEX-HPLC (adLDL-Ch: LDL-Ch and IDL-Ch) and BQ-RMP using blood samples from 52 volunteers.

Analysis of risk factors for patients with early-stage cervical cancer: A study of 374 patients.

Aim: This study aimed to identify the postoperative histological features affecting the prognosis of patients with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent open radical hysterectomy.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 374 patients with pT1a, 1b1 and 2a1 early-stage cervical cancer who underwent open radical hysterectomy between 2001 and 2018. Survival outcomes were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and compared with log-rank test.

A multicenter non-randomized phase III study of sentinel node navigation surgery for early gastric cancer.

This prospective multicenter non-randomized phase III study aims to evaluate the long-term outcome of sentinel node navigation surgery for early gastric cancer compared with conventional distal or total gastrectomy. Clinically diagnosed primary T1N0M0 gastric cancer patients with a single lesion (≤40 mm) and without previous endoscopic treatment will be enrolled in this study. Sentinel nodes are identified by dye and radioisotope tracers and are subjected to intraoperative rapid pathology.

Sarcopenia Aneurysm Scoring System Predicts Early and Midterm Mortality After Endovascular Repair for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Objective: The objective of the study was to develop a better model of prediction after EVAR using the psoas muscle index (PMI).

Summary Background Data: The Glasgow Aneurysm Score (GAS), the modified Leiden Score (mLS), the Comorbidity Severity Score (CSS), and the Euro Score (ES) are known prognostic scoring after EVAR. Similarly, sarcopenia measured by PMI has been reported to be an important predictor.

The segment IV approach: a useful method for achieving the critical view of safety during laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with anomalous bile duct.

Background: The critical view of safety (CVS) method can be achieved by avoiding vasculo-biliary injury resulting from misidentification during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Although achieving the CVS has become popular worldwide, there is no established standardized technique to achieve the CVS in patients with an anomalous bile duct (ABD). We recently reported our original approach for securing the CVS using a new landmark, the diagonal line of the segment IV of the liver (D-line).

Risk factors, etiology, and outcome of ischemic stroke in young adults: A Japanese multicenter prospective study.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors, etiology, and outcomes of ischemic stroke (IS) in Japanese young adults.

Methods: This was a prospective multicenter study. We enrolled patients aged 16 to 55 years with IS within seven days of the onset of symptoms.

Combination of en bloc transurethral resection with laparoscopic partial cystectomy for paraganglioma of the bladder.

Introduction: Paraganglioma of the bladder is an extremely rare tumor, and special attention should be paid to elevation of blood pressure during tumor resection.

Case Presentation: A 64-year-old woman presented with elevation of blood pressure during thoracic surgery. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging revealed a bladder tumor, and noradrenalin levels were elevated in plasma and urine.

Troponin T amino acid mutation (ΔK210) knock-in mice as a neonatal dilated cardiomyopathy model.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in children is often associated with poor morbidity and mortality and exhibits distinct pathological entities from those of adult DCM. Owing to the limited number of patients and the lack of a good animal model, the molecular mechanisms underlying pediatric DCM remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to establish an animal model of neonatal DCM and identify early progression factors.

[Acute myeloid leukemia diagnosed by dysphagia due to bilateral vagus nerve palsy: a case report].

This is the rare case report that bilateral vagus nerve paralysis was emerged as the initial symptom of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). An 83-year-old man admitted to our hospital because of dysphagia. His dysphagia progressed two months prior to admission.

Impact of truncal vagotomy on complicated peptic ulcer after distal gastrectomy with reconstruction by jejunal pouch interposition.

Background: We encountered a case of marginal ulcer in the jejunum after distal gastrectomy with jejunal pouch interposition. However, it has not been reported and not confirmed the treatment. We chose truncal vagotomy, considering reduced morbidity and postoperative complications.

Ectopic origin of bronchial arteries: still a potential pitfall in embolization.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of ectopic origin of bronchial arteries (BAs) on bronchial artery embolization (BAE) for hemoptysis.

Methods: CT and angiography images of 50 consecutive sessions in 39 patients (aged 26-93 years; mean, 70.6 years) who underwent BAE for hemoptysis from April 2010 to December 2019 were reviewed.

Effect of table height displacement and patient center deviation on size-specific dose estimates calculated from computed tomography localizer radiographs.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of table height displacement and patient center deviation along the [Formula: see text]-axis on size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) calculations based on computed tomography (CT) localizer radiographs in pediatric and adult abdominal CT examinations. CT localizer radiographs and CT axial images were acquired with table heights of - 5.0, - 2.

Association between Passive Smoking from the Mother and Pediatric Crohn's Disease: A Japanese Multicenter Study.

Smoking is a risk factor for adult-onset Crohn's disease (CD). Although passive smoking from family members is a major concern, especially in pediatric CD, the number of existing epidemiological studies is limited. This multicenter case-control study aimed to assess the effects of familial smoking on pediatric CD.

Aortic Wall Enhancement Detected by Contrast Computed Tomography Scan Predicts Aortic Remodeling after Conservative Therapy for Acute Uncomplicated Type B Dissection.

Background: The Investigation of Stent Grafts in Aortic Dissection with extended length of follow-up trial showed that pre-emptive thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) for the uncomplicated type B dissection (TBAD) in the subacute phase promotes aortic remodeling and avoids aortic-related death 5 years after onset. However, there are some patients with complete aortic remodeling (CAR) with optimal medical treatment (OMT) and severe complications after TEVAR such as retrograde type A dissection. Therefore, which patients should undergo pre-emptive TEVAR and optimal surgical timing are still under debate.

The NAG scale can screen for hematoma expansion in acute intracerebral hemorrhage-a multi-institutional validation.

Background: Early hematoma expansion (HE) is seen in approximately 30% of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but detecting patients with a high HE risk is challenging.

Aims: The NAG scale is a simple predictive scale for HE in acute ICH patients. Multi-institutional validation of the usefulness of this scale was the aim of this study.

Increased Vancomycin Clearance in Patients with Solid Malignancies.

Vancomycin (VAN) is an anti-microbial agent used to treat a number of bacterial infections, which has a high incidence of nephrotoxicity. We examined the pharmacokinetics of VAN retrospectively based on trough concentrations at large scale and identified pharmacokinetic differences between Japanese patients having solid malignancy and non-malignancy patients. Data were analyzed from 162 solid malignancy patients and 261 non-malignancy patients, including the patient's background, VAN dose, and pharmacokinetics of VAN.

Segment IV approach for difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Although achieving the critical view of safety (CVS) is useful for avoiding vasculobiliary injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), the CVS cannot always be achieved in cases of severe cholecystitis because of technical difficulties. Herein, we focused on segment IV of the liver and its diagonal line (D-line) as a feasible landmark for carrying out difficult LC. The D-line connects the right dorsal and left ventral corners of segment IV and is used as the vectoral landmark, which is where the gallbladder is first dissected to achieve CVS without misidentification.

Midterm Results of a Japanese Prospective Multicenter Registry of Heparin-Bonded Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Grafts for Above-the-Knee Femoropopliteal Bypass.

Background: This study prospectively analyzed the midterm results of above-the-knee femoropopliteal bypass (AKb) using bioactive heparin-bonded expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (HB-ePTFE) graft in patients with femoropopliteal occlusive disease.

Methods and results: This prospective, multicenter, non-randomized study reviewed limbs undergoing AKb with HB-ePTFE graft for femoropopliteal lesion in 20 Japanese institutions between July 2014 and October 2017. Primary efficacy endpoints were primary, primary assisted, and secondary graft patency.