Proprioception plays an important role in the maintenance of joint stability and regulation of joint motion. Previous studies have suggested that dysfunction of proprioception is related to causal factors of various diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. In recent years, training of proprioceptive function has been introduced for the rehabilitation of motor function and prevention of the joint injuries.In this review paper, definition of proprioception, and morphologic and physiologic characteristics of the proprioceptors in the joint and adjacent tissues such as ligaments, muscles and tendons are described. Previous clinical studies on the relationships between proprioceptive dysfunction and joint diseases and injuries are also reviewed.

An 84-year-old woman with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and coronary artery disease (CAD) was admitted repeatedly with syncope and heart failure. Due to her comorbidities, concomitant transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) were performed. She did well postoperatively. CAD is often found concurrently in patients presenting with severe symptomatic AS. Concomitant TAVR and OPCAB is considered as a less invasive and more feasible treatment option in high-risk patients.

Background: In the end stage of malignant bone and soft tissue tumors with lung metastasis, it is often necessary to relieve symptoms of dyspnea due to tumor enlargement and carcinomatous lymphangitis. We report a case in which nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP) was effective as a palliative treatment. Case: A 66-year-old male underwent wide resection with a diagnosis soft tissue sarcoma of right femur. Four years after surgery, he was hospitalized for hilar lymph node metastasis, multiple bone metastases, and carcinomatous lymphangitis. He was treated with nasal CPAP for dyspnea, and communication was possible until the day before his death. Discussion: For end-stage respiratory symptoms, medication therapy such as morphine or steroids is often used for palliation, but often symptoms are not sufficiently improved. Nasal CPAP might be a useful treatment for palliation for rapidly progressing respiratory failure.

With increasing global life expectancy, the significance of geriatric assessment parameters has increased. Sarcopenia is a crucial assessment parameter and is defined as the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Sarcopenia is widely acknowledged as a risk factor for postoperative complications in diverse advanced malignancies and has a detrimental effect on the long-term prognosis. While most studies have primarily concentrated on the correlation between sarcopenia and advanced cancer, more recent investigations have focused on the relationship between sarcopenia and early-stage cancer. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), which is less invasive than surgical intervention, is extensively employed in the management of early-stage cancer, although it is associated with complications such as bleeding and perforation. In recent years, several reports have revealed the adverse consequences of sarcopenia in patients with early-stage cancer undergoing ESD. This literature review briefly summarizes the recent studies on the association between sarcopenia and ESD.

We experienced 8 cases of children who presented with somatic complaints and found it difficult to attend school successfully treated with Kampo medicine. We evaluated them objectively by using the evaluation scale in the guideline for medical care of school refusal. Four cases were orthostatic dysregulation, 2 cases were migraine, 1 case was involuntary movement in upper abdomen and the other case was autonomic dysfunction. Kampo medicines were selected according to conventional method, so-called sho. Among 8 cases, 5 cases had a major response, 2 cases had a minor response and one case had no beneficial response. These results suggest that Kampo therapy can be effective therapeutic means. Kampo therapy is quite personalized and beneficial especially for children who find it difficult to attend school and need individualized care. This is the first report evaluating many cases objectively by using the evaluation scale and there have been no reports similar to ours. We have to continue to enlighten general pediatricians about the effectiveness of Kampo therapy.