Effects of trabeculectomy on the postoperative central visual field as revealed by refraction values.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of trabeculectomy on the rate of deterioration of the central visual field (VF) in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), as revealed by refraction values.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 28 eyes, including 12 high myopic (spherical equivalent [SE] < - 6 diopters without pathological myopia) and 16 non-high myopic (SE ≥ - 6 diopters) eyes.

Narrow pelvic inlet plane area and obesity as risk factors for anastomotic leakage after intersphincteric resection.

Background: Intersphincteric resection (ISR) has been increasingly used as the ultimate sphincter-preserving procedure in extremely low rectal cancer. The most critical complication of this technique is anastomotic leakage. The incidence rate of anastomotic leakage after ISR has been reported to range from 5.

AR-V7 in circulating tumor cells cluster as a predictive biomarker of abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide treatment in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Objective: We examined whether androgen receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7) in circulating tumor cell(CTC)clusters can be used to predict survival in patients with bone metastatic castration resistant-prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 98 patients with CRPC on abiraterone or enzalutamide, and investigated the prognostic value of CTC cluster detection (+ v -) and AR-V7 detection (+ v -) using a CTC cluster detection - based AR-V7 mRNA assay. We examined ≤50% prostate-specific antigen (PSA) responses, PSA progression-free survival (PSA-PFS), clinical and radiological progression-free survival (radiologic PSF), and overall survival (OS).

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Status in Circulating Tumor Cells as a Predictive Biomarker of Sensitivity in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients Treated with Docetaxel Chemotherapy.

Objective: We examined whether epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be used to predict survival in a population of bone-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients treated with docetaxel chemotherapy.

Methods: All patients with mCRPC who had experienced treatment failure with androgen-deprivation therapy and had received docetaxel chemotherapy were eligible. CTCs and EGFR expression in CTCs were enumerated with the CellSearch System in whole blood.

Circulating tumor cells as a biomarker predictive of sensitivity to docetaxel chemotherapy in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Aim: We examined whether Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) can be used to predict survival in patients with bone-metastatic castration-resistant-prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with docetaxel chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: All patients with mCRPC who had experienced treatment failure with androgen deprivation therapy and had received docetaxel chemotherapy were eligible for study inclusion. CTCs in whole blood were enumerated with the CellSearch System.

Silicone sheet containing all-trans retinoic acid and hydroquinone for the treatment of epidermal melanosis.

Background: Although bleaching treatment using all-trans retinoic acid (RA) and hydroquinone (HQ) improves epidermal melanosis, the application of two medications and the irritant dermatitis induced by RA inconvenience patients. To overcome these problems, we developed a silicone sheet containing RA and HQ.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of a silicone sheet containing RA and HQ with that of conventional bleaching treatment.

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic single-site nephroureterectomy: Initial operative experience.

Introduction: Our aim was to describe our early experience with laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) via the retroperitoneal approach for upper urinary tract tumors.

Methods: Since April 2010, 21 patients with upper urinary tract cell carcinoma were treated by our team: 12 patients have undergone LESS nephroureterectomy and 9 have undergone standard retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery. In our LESS procedure, we employed a bendable grasper in the non-dominant hand and a standard straight laparoscopic instrument in the dominant hand.

Alternative antiandrogen therapy in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer: a single-center experience.

Outcomes of alternative (second-line) antiandrogen therapy in 112 patients with relapsing prostate cancer after first-line hormonal therapy were analyzed. A good response (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] decrease 50%) and a partial response (PSA decrease of 0–50%) by switching from bicalutamide (BCL) to flutamide (FLT) and from FLT to BCL were achieved in 35.4% (28/79) and 30.

Prognostic significance of circulating tumor cells in patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer.

Purpose: Using the CellSearch System we evaluated whether circulating tumor cells predict survival in patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: Circulating tumor cells were counted with the CellSearch System in whole blood. This system was developed using epithelial cell adhesion prostate cancer antibody based, immunomagnetic capture and automated staining methodology.

Immunomagnetic quantification of circulating tumor cells as a prognostic factor of androgen deprivation responsiveness in patients with hormone naive metastatic prostate cancer.

Purpose: We determined whether circulating tumor cells predict prostate specific antigen failure in patients with metastatic prostate cancer before endocrine therapy and compared their prognostic ability with other clinical factors.

Materials And Methods: Circulating tumor cells were enumerated with the CellSearchtrade mark system in whole blood. This system was developed using epithelial cell adhesion molecule antibody based immunomagnetic capture and automated staining methodology.

A histone deacetylase inhibitor enhances adenoviral infection of renal cancer cells.

Purpose: Coxsackie and adenovirus receptor is a high affinity receptor for adenovirus type 5. To our knowledge the expression profile of coxsackie and adenovirus receptor in renal cancer has not been described. We evaluated the expression of coxsackie and adenovirus receptor in human renal cancer specimens and determined whether the histone deacetylase inhibitor FK-228 (Astelas Pharmaceutical, Osaka, Japan) increases the efficiency of adenoviral infections in renal carcinoma cells in vivo and in vitro.

Surgical treatment of pulmonary embolism with recent intracranial hemorrhage.

Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) with concomitant intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) has a high mortality rate. Although thrombolytic therapy is generally accepted as emergent treatment for massive PE, the risk of bleeding complications are significant. A 69-year-old woman presented with acute PE 11 days after onset of ICH.

Enhanced transgene expression in urothelial cancer gene therapy with histone deacetylase inhibitor.

Purpose: Efficient adenoviral infection requires the presence of the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR). We determined whether the histone deacetylase inhibitor FR901228 (Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Epicardial pulmonary vein isolation with a hook-shaped cryoprobe to treat atrial fibrillation.

Purpose: After it was shown that a rapidly firing focus in a pulmonary vein (PV) can cause atrial fibrillation, percutaneous endocardial PV isolation using radiofrequency began to be used as a method of treatment. However, this technique is time consuming. It requires fluoroscopy and contrast media to identify the PV, and cardiac tamponade and PV obstruction are major complications.

Epicardial pulmonary vein isolation by cryoablation as concomitant cardiac operation to treat nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Since Haïssagere and colleagues reported that a rapid firing focus in or close to the pulmonary veins could be the cause of atrial fibrillation, a transcutaneous catheter technique directed at isolating these foci has been developed. How should patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who require cardiac operation be managed? We developed an epicardial technique that uses cryoablation to isolate the left atrial posterior wall and pulmonary veins and used it to treat a patient. Because cryoablation is achieved epicardially, the technique does not require atriotomy and does not prolong aortic cross-clamp time.

Surgical treatment of malignant tumors of the right heart.

Seven patients with malignant cardiac tumors were treated surgically in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the University of Tokyo between 1981 and 2000. Their treatments and outcomes are summarized and discussed. The ages of the patients ranged from 21 to 70 years old (mean: 49.

[Calcified false channel wall in aortic dissection].

Chest radiographs and computed tomographic images of 110 patients with chronic aortic dissection were retrospectively reviewed. Among these, calcification of false channel wall was observed in 12 cases (about 10%). Stanford type A dissection was noted in 5 cases and type B in 7 cases.

CT of calcified chronic aortic dissection simulating atherosclerotic aneurysm.

Calcification along the outermost aspect of the aorta usually means atherosclerotic aneurysm. On occasion, however, this peripheral type calcification is seen in chronic aortic dissection and leads to a misdiagnosis. Conventional chest roentgenography and CT of 50 cases of chronic dissection proven by angiography were reviewed.

Mutagenicity of instant coffee and its interaction with dimethylnitrosamine in the micronucleus test.

The mutagenicity of instant coffee and its interaction with dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) were examined in mice using the micronucleus test. Although neither a single nor multiple administration of instant coffee by gavage induced a significant rise in micronucleated cells over the dose range tested (100-2500 mg/kg), there was a tendency for the number of micronucleated cells to increase in a dose-related fashion. When coffee was administered with DMN, the difference in the frequency of micronucleated cells was small in comparison to a single treatment with DMN alone, thus indicating a lack of synergism between coffee and DMN.