A 67-year-old man receiving treatment for choledocholithiasis was found to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm on CT. The maximum diameter of the aneurysm was 60mm, and the isthmus of a horseshoe kidney was also observed. A total of four renal arteries, two each on the right and left sides, was detected by angiography and helical CT. Two of four arteries bifurcated from the aneurysm. Laparotomy confirmed the presence of a fifth renal artery, which extended from the left common iliac artery to the isthmus. It was not difficult to free the isthmus from the aneurysm. A Y-shaped prosthesis was placed between the normal portion of the aorta and the common iliac arteries without severing the isthmus. The left renal artery arose from the aneurysm and was reconstructed with 6mm knitted Dacron. The right renal artery, which was located below the isthmus, was ligated. The absence of postoperative renal dysfunction confirmed the patency of the reconstructed renal artery. Eleven such cases have been reported in Japan, including the present case. In 5 cases, renal artery reconstruction was performed, and the isthmus was preserved in 8 cases. However, the sites of renal artery bifurcation were correctly detected preoperatively in only 3 of these patients. It appears that accurate preoperative imaging is very important, along with renal artery reconstruction.

We studied the mechanism for slowing surface electromyography (EMG) during fatiguing contraction using superimposed M-wave analysis. Seven healthy male subjects exerted 60% maximum voluntary contraction of isometric abductions in the left first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) until exhaustion. Simultaneously with voluntary contractions, the ulnar nerve was electrically stimulated at supramaximal intensity, and volitional EMG and superimposed M-waves were obtained. We examined the behavior of muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) and median frequency (MDF) for both EMG, with the following results:
1) MFCV calculated from volitional EMG of FDI was about 6 m/s during 60% MVC.
2) The waveform of voluntary EMG detected from FDI slowed in all subjects during fatiguing contraction at 60% MVC, indicating fatigue had developed in the muscle.
3) As fatigue progressed, the waveform of the superimposed M-wave tended to decrease in amplitude and increase in duration.
4) As fatigue progressed, MDF and MFCV in volitional EMG decreased significantly (p<0.04) . The rate of change was larger in MDF than in MFCV (p<0.01) .
5) As fatigue progressed, MDF and MFCV in the superimposed M-wave decreased significantly (p<0.01) . The rate of change was larger in NIDF than in MFCV (p<0.05) .
These results suggested that MFCV and other peripheral factors affected the slowing of volitional EMG. Elongation of the depolarization zone in muscle fiber is proposed as a peripheral factor.

The long-term efficacy of various treatments for intermittent claudication was studied to determine which regimen should be selected. Two hundred and nineteen patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) and intermittent claudication of the extremities were divided into two groups based upon the type of treatment: 1) 170 patients who underwent arterial reconstruction and 2) 49 receiving conservative treatment. Fifty-five patients with Buerger's disease (TAO) with intermittent claudication were divided into three groups: 1) 17 patients who underwent arterial reconstruction, 2) 15 with lumbar sympathectomy, and 3) 23 receiving conservative treatment. The background factors of both disease groups were analyzed, and the changes in claudication, the quality of life, and the survival rate were followed up. Among ASO patients, the improvement of intermittent claudication was significantly better in the arterial reconstruction group (p<0.001) than in the conservative treatment group. The quality of life and 5-year surival rate were also superior in the arterial reconstruction group (p<0.01), and they were closely related to the improvement of intermittent claudication. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in any of these parameters between the three groups of TAO patients. This discrepancy in outcome was concluded to be due to differences in the background factors of the two diseases. Accordingly, the treatment for intermittent claudication should be discussed making a clear distinction between ASO and TAO. In conclusion, the treatment of choice for intermittent claudication is arterial reconstruction in ASO patients, whereas surgical treatment should only be considered for TAO patients when conservative therapy is ineffective.

A 13-year-old girl with asplenia syndrome who previously had undergone left subclavian-to-pulmonary artery shunt after removal of a cavopulmonary shunt with interposition of a short segment of the left superior vena cava was admitted for congestive heart failure. Angiography revealed aneurysmal dilatation of the left superior vena cava. Percutaneous coil embolization of the shunt was successfully performed and the venous aneurysm was diminished. Interposition of a venous component in systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt should be avoided even after removing a cavopulmonary shunt.

We investigated effects of renal function by acupuncture stimulation on SHENSHU as an index on phenol-sulfonphthalein (PSP) test.
Acupuncture stimulation on SHENSHU group was increased excretion rate in PSP values in 15minutes with consistency of statistical value when comparted to without acupuncture stimulation group (P<0.02). From the results of this experiment, acupuncture stimulation on SHENSHU seems to activate the excretory function in proximal renal tubule. And this suggests that acupuncture stimulation on SHENSHU may accelerate the renal plasma flow (RPF) rate.

Ulcer developed on the left leg of a 47-year-old man, in 1989, and phlebography showed deep vein thrombosis extending from the politeal to the common femoral vein. Subfascial ligation of the perforators achieved healing of the ulcers. In November 1991, at the age of 52 years the patient noticed a pulsatile mass on the right side of his neck. CT scanning showed a carotid artery aneurysm 4cm in diameter. Angiography indicated that the aneurysm was located at the bifurcation of the carotid artery. In February 1992, reconstructive surgery was performed with a Dacron graft, but an anterile abscess developed around the graft. In September 1992, the graft was removed and the carotid artery was ligated. Only seven cases of carotid aneurysm associated with Behçet's disease have previously been reported in Japan. Five of them underwent reconstructive surgery and two of them underwent carotid ligation due to complications. Because of the clinical course of Behçet's disease, carotid aneurysmectomy without reconstructive surgery may be the procedure of choice.

Effects of acupuncture on SHENSHU were examined in Gromerular Filtration Rate (GFR) by creatinine clearnce tests, urinary volume, urinary substancce (Na, K, Cl, Cre, BUN, UA) and plasma substance (the same substance as urines) on 7 normal examinees. The subjects were divided in two experimental groups (control and stimulation on SHENSHU).
Except for K level in plasma, there had not been found a significant change. However, urinary volume had a tendency to increase. Plasma K level at 90 minute in stimulation group showed a statitical increase. The results were as follows. Compared with control group, There was no significant change in GFR, urinary volume, urinary substance levels, plasma levels except for plasma K level.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of short-term immobilization on the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force. The first dorsal interosseus (FDI) of 10 healthy male adults was immobilized for 1 week using casting tape. Atrophy of the muscle was estimated from a cross sectional view of magnetic resonance images (MRI) . To clarify the factors of a peripheral neuromuscular system contributing to the change in the MVC force, twitch force at rest was measured. The contribution of central factors was estimated from a voluntary activation (VA) index, which was obtained by the twitch interpolation method.
The MRI showed no significant changes in the cross sectional area. The MVC force declined after immobilization (p<0.01), and recovered after 1 week from the termination of immobilization (p<0.01) . Both the twitch force at rest and the VA at MVC declined after immobilization (p<0.01), and recovered after 1 week (p<0.05) .
The results indicate that the temporary decline of the MVC force was not accompanied by atrophy of the muscle. Furthermore the decline of the MVC was caused both by the deterioration of peripheral and central functions in the neuromuscular system. Possible factors in the peripheral and central neuromuscular systems affected by the immobilization were discussed.

We report one case of bullous pemphigoid that did not respond to the standard western medical treatment with topical and oral steroid therapy. This case achieved complete remission after the application of Yizongjinjion seihijoshitsuinkagen (Yizongjinjion Qing Pi Chu Shi Yin Hua Cai), a spleen-dampness-eliminating beverage. The patient was a 78-year old female who had soy bean or 5 mm to 25 mm sized blisters covering a wide area of her back since two years ago. She had visited a neighborhood physician who diagnosed her with bullous pemphigoid and initiated the standard treatment. Although some improvements were observed after the start of western medical treatment, her symptoms eventually grew worse. Therefore, she visited our clinic and requested the traditional Chinese treatment. We diagnosed her skin blisters as the heart-fire spleen-dampness type of bullous pemphigoid using the four diagnostic examinations, and treated her with the modulated spleen-dampness-eliminating beverage which resulted in a complete remission within 10 months. Taken together, our results suggest that the modulated spleen-dampness-eliminating beverage (Yizongjinjion seihijoshitsuinkagen) is effective for the treatment of the heart-fire spleen-dampness type of bullous pemphigoid.
Pemphigoid, Bullous ; therapeutic aspects ; Spleen ; Yin ; Beverages

PORPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relation between cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF) and physical activity, especially vigorous physical activity, in Japanese middle-aged and elderly men.METHODS: Eighty-five men aged 30-69 years participated in this study. CRF was assessed by measuring the maximal oxygen uptake based on weight (VO₂max/wt) in an incremental test on a bicycle ergometer. METs·h/week was measured as the parameter of physical activity by using accelerometers. We defined the amount of physical activity higher than 3 METs as “Physical activity ; PA”in this study. Then, PA was divided into “Moderate physical activity ; MPA”(higher than 3 METs and below 6 METs)and “Vigorous physical activity ; VPA”(higher than 6 METs).RESULTS : CRF was positively correlated with PA(r=0.318, P<0.01), MPA(r=0.230, P<0.05), and VPA(r=0.301, P<0.01) and negatively correlated with age(r=-0.607, P<0.001), BMI(r=-0.369, P<0.01), and waist circumference(WC)(r=-0.486, P<0.001). After adjusting for age and WC, the multiple regression analysis revealed that PA was positively correlated with CRF(P<0.01). VPA was positively correlated with CRF(P<0.05) after adjusting for age, WC, and MPA. MPA was not correlated with CRF in the case of adjusting for age and WC.CONCLUSION : This study suggested that physical activity higher than 3 METs was positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness independently of age and waist circumference, and particularly vigorous physical activity may contribute to increased cardiorespiratory fitness in middle-aged and elderly men. Thus physically active life with maintenance of adequate waist circumference may help to prevent age-related decline in cardiorespiratory fitness.