Investigation of association between the preoperative intra-articular anesthetic test and persistent pain after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: A better understanding of the etiology of persistent pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is required to prevent unfavorable outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of persistent pain after TKA, patient characteristics, and the remaining pain ratio per the preoperative intra-articular anesthetic test.

Methods: This study included 89 patients who underwent TKA and underwent an intra-articular anesthetic test preoperatively.

The pilot study examining the effects of swallowing position on lung volume fraction and the coordination between respiration and non-nutritive swallowing reflex.

Background: Body position might affect the coordination between respiration and swallowing. This study was carried out to test the hypothesis that during swallowing, coordinated movements of muscle groups such as the diaphragm and rectus abdominis muscles are important to control normal swallowing apnea.

Objective: To investigate this hypothesis, respiratory parameters, swallowing apnea and muscle activity were measured in each of four body positions: sitting position with feet on the floor, 30° reclining position, lateral position, and standing position.

The Japanese version of the anterior cruciate ligament-return to sport after injury (ACL-RSI) scale has acceptable validity and reliability.

Purpose: The anterior cruciate ligament-return to sports after injury (ACL-RSI) scale assesses the psychological impact of returning to sports (also referred to as psychological readiness) after ACL reconstruction. The aim of this study was to evaluate important measurement properties of the Japanese version of ACL-RSI scale.

Methods: Ninety-three participants who underwent ACL reconstruction filled out the Japanese version of ACL-RSI scale, the Tampa scale for kinesiophobia (TSK), the International Knee Documentation Committee-Subjective Knee Form (IKDC-SKF), and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS).

Jones Fractures in Sumo Wrestlers: Three Case Reports.

Jones fractures sometimes occur in athletes and are known to have complications, such as nonunion, delayed union, and recurrence, even with treatment. We describe three cases of Jones fractures in sumo wrestlers with treatment-related difficulties. All patients discontinued treatment at their own discretion.

Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve improves intestinal blood flow after trauma and hemorrhagic shock.

Background: Gut damage after trauma/hemorrhagic shock contributes to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Electrical vagal nerve stimulation is known to prevent gut damage in animal models of trauma/hemorrhagic shock by altering the gut inflammatory response; however, the effect of vagal nerve stimulation on intestinal blood flow, which is an essential function of the vagus nerve, is unknown. This study aimed to determine whether vagal nerve stimulation influences the abdominal vagus nerve activity, intestinal blood flow, gut injury, and the levels of autonomic neuropeptides.

Derivation and validation of an easy-to-compute trauma score that improves prognostication of mortality or the Trauma Rating Index in Age, Glasgow Coma Scale, Respiratory rate and Systolic blood pressure (TRIAGES) score.

Background: Multiple trauma scores have been developed and validated, including the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and the Mechanism, Glasgow Coma Scale, Age, and Arterial Pressure (MGAP) score. However, these scores are complex to calculate or have low prognostic abilities for trauma mortality. Therefore, we aimed to develop and validate a trauma score that is easier to calculate and more accurate than the RTS and the MGAP score.

Risk factors for residual anterolateral rotational instability after double bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Evaluation by quantitative assessment of the pivot shift phenomenon using triaxial accelerometer.

Background: Exact knowledge of risk factors for residual anterolateral rotatinoal instability (ALRI) after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is limited. The purpose of this study was to analyse possible risk factors for ALRI after ACL reconstruction.

Methods: Quantitative assessment of the pivot shift phenomenon by measuring tibial acceleration was performed in 46 patients during primary double-bundle ACL reconstructions.

The Anterolateral Structure of the Knee Does Not Affect Anterior and Dynamic Rotatory Stability in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Quantitative Evaluation With the Electromagnetic Measurement System.

Background: The biomechanical function of the anterolateral structure (ALS), which includes the anterolateral joint capsule and anterolateral ligament (ALL), remains a topic of debate.

Hypothesis: The ALS contributes to knee joint stability during the Lachman test and the pivot-shift test in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knees.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Benefit of subcutaneous patient controlled analgesia after total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: Subcutaneous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) has been widely used for orthopedic surgeries including total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This study aims to clarify the usefulness of subcutaneous PCA in the early phase after TKA.

Methods: Our subjects consisted of 88 osteoarthritis knee patients who underwent primary TKA, and were classified into two groups: 42 patients received a subcutaneous PCA (containing fentanyl and droleptan) after operation (PCA group), and 46 patients were managed without a subcutaneous PCA (control group).

Nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus sunitinib in previously untreated advanced renal-cell carcinoma: analysis of Japanese patients in CheckMate 214 with extended follow-up.

Background: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab (NIVO+IPI) demonstrated superior efficacy over sunitinib (SUN) for previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) in CheckMate 214, with a manageable safety profile. We report efficacy and safety with extended follow-up amongst Japanese patients.

Methods: CheckMate 214 patients received NIVO (3 mg/kg) plus IPI (1 mg/kg) every 3 weeks for four doses, then NIVO (3 mg/kg) every 2 weeks; or SUN (50 mg) once daily for 4 weeks (6-week cycle).

Decision-making criteria for damage control surgery in Japan.

Controversy still remains regarding the optimal criteria for selecting damage control surgery (DCS). Our objective was to propose an indication for implementing DCS for abdominal trauma requiring emergency laparotomy. This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study that used data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank.

Anatomic femoral tunnel placement is difficult by the transtibial technique: comparison of three different femoral tunnel drilling techniques in double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions.

Purpose: To compare the position and direction of femoral and tibial tunnels for both the anteromedial bundle (AMB) and posterolateral bundle (PLB) among three different femoral tunnel drilling techniques, transtibial (TT), transportal (TP), and outside-in (OI) techniques, in anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction to clarify advantages and disadvantages of each technique.

Methods: One-hundred and thirty-nine patients underwent primary ACL reconstruction with an autologous semitendinosus tendon in our institution between 2014 and 2016. Thirteen patients were excluded according to the exclusion criteria.

The effect of a longitudinal tear of the medial meniscus on medial meniscal extrusion in anterior cruciate ligament injury patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a longitudinal tear of the medial meniscus (MM) and its meniscal repair on MM extrusion in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-injured patients. The hypothesis underlying this study was that a longitudinal tear of the MM is correlated with MM extrusion, and that the extrusion would persist after ACL reconstruction with concomitant MM repair.

Methods: Forty-three ACL-injured patients with a concomitant MM longitudinal tear were included in the MM tear group.

Pre-conception status, obstetric outcome and use of medications during pregnancy of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Japan: Multi-center retrospective descriptive study.

To describe the pre-conception status, pregnancy outcomes, and medication prevalence in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC). E-mail-based questionnaire survey for the Japan Maternal Fetal Intensive Care Unit Network hospitals inquiring prevalence and clinical features of SLE, RA, CD and UC complicated pregnancies for 2 years. The number of SLE, RA, CD and UC among 69,810 deliveries was 184, 139, 27 and 178, respectively.

Contribution of Additional Anterolateral Structure Augmentation to Controlling Pivot Shift in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background: Several types of anterolateral structure (ALS) augmentation procedures in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have been reported. However, information is limited regarding the effect of additional ALS augmentation on rotatory stability in a clinical setting.

Purpose/hypothesis: This study aimed to investigate the contribution of additional ALS augmentation in ACL reconstruction in cases with a high risk of residual pivot shift.

A snapshot of surgical resident training in Japan: results of a national-level needs assessment survey.

Purpose: To evaluate the status of surgical training in Japan through a national-level needs assessment.

Methods: A survey was sent to all 909 graduating residents (GRs) and their 611 program directors (PDs) for the year 2016. A working group of surgical educators from around the country was formed under the education committee of the Japan Surgical Society.

Clinical Effects of Early Edaravone Use in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Treated by Endovascular Reperfusion Therapy.

Background and Purpose- Although several clinical studies suggested the beneficial effects of edaravone in acute ischemic stroke, most were performed under settings that differ from those in the current treatment strategy, which has dramatically changed with progress in reperfusion therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of edaravone in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated by emergent endovascular reperfusion therapy. Methods- We conducted a retrospective observational study using a national administrative database.

Differences in durations, adverse events, and outcomes of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation between day-time and night-time: An observational cohort study.

Background: Although patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have a lower survival rate during night-time than during day-time, the cause of this difference remains unclear. We aimed to assess CPR parameters according to time period based on in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (IHCPR) duration and the frequency of iatrogenic chest injuries among OHCA patients.

Methods: This two-centre observational cohort study evaluated non-traumatic OHCA patients who were transferred between 2013-2016.

Effect of meniscus repair on pivot-shift during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Objective evaluation using triaxial accelerometer.

Background: Some types of meniscus tear, especially lateral meniscus tear, have been reported to be associated with rotatory knee laxity. However, precise information regarding the effect of meniscus repair on rotatory laxity is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lateral and medial meniscus repair on rotatory laxity in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured knees.

Age-Related Characteristics and Outcomes for Patients With Severe Trauma: Analysis of Japan's Nationwide Trauma Registry.

Study Objective: Although geriatric trauma patients are becoming more common, few large-scale analyses have comprehensively evaluated geriatric-specific characteristics in trauma. This study aims to clarify the age-specific characteristics, outcomes, and predictive accuracy of current trauma scoring systems among geriatric trauma patients.

Methods: Patients with severe trauma, with an Abbreviated Injury Scale score greater than or equal to 3, and registered in the Japan Trauma Data Bank during 2004 to 2015 were retrospectively reviewed.

Safety of sodium hyaluronate eye drop with C12-benzalkonium chloride.

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the effects of commercially available multi-dose sodium hyaluronate 0.1% (Hyalein; Santen, Osaka, Japan) containing 0.003% C12-benzalkonium chloride (BAC) on the Corneal epithelium and its degree of safety.