The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of different daily lengths of physical training on postoperative walking ability and functional performance among elderly inpatients following hip fracture. Fifty-eight eligible elderly patients (mean age 81 years, SD 8) undergoing inpatient rehabilitation after fall-related hip fracture were randomized to receive either 2 units (40 minutes in 29 patients) or 6 units (120 minutes in 29 patients) of daily physical training postoperatively. There were no significant differences in patients' age, preoperative walking ability, type of femoral neck fracture and preoperative QOL functional score (FIM, BI and EQ-5D). All patients commenced the same postoperative rehabilitation program immediately after surgery consisting of bed-side sitting, wheelchair mobilization and progressive muscle strengthening exercises on the second day, followed by weight-bearing exercises and walking between the second and the 14th day. All patients walked with a stick or a rollator at the time of discharge from the hospital after 4 weeks of inhospital rehabilitation. There was no significant difference in the BI, FIM and EQ-5D scores and walking ability between the two groups during 12 weeks postoperatively, however, medical expenses in the 2 units group were decreased by US$ 2,000. Postoperative rehabilitation of elderly patients with femoral neck fracture aims to return the patients to pre-injury conditions as early as possible. This can be achieved with the help of a 2 unit (40 minutes) a day training program.

A new technique of left atrial plication (LAP) for giant left atrium (GLA) resulting from mitral regurgitation (MR) is reported. A 66-year-old man was found to have NYHA class III resulting from severe MR, mild TR and GLA with a left atrial diameter (LAD) of 107mm on echocardiogram. Chest X-ray showed the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) to be 92%, and the right side CTR was 88.4%. Surgery was performed under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Under cardiac arrest established by antegrade and retrograde cardioplegia, mitral repair was performed first through a superior transseptal approach. Left atrial resection was continued paralell to the mitral posterior annulus and to the right side wall of the left atrium, following the right side resection. Simultaneously the left atrial wall was incised 3 to 4cm in width all the way along the resection line and it was closed by a running suture of 3-0 prolene. The continuous line of the left atrial plication formed a spiral shape. A prominent portion of the atrial septum resulted from the LAP and the right atrial wall was also resected and plicated. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the postoperative CTR reduced to 71% with a right side CTR of 54.4% with reduction of LAD to 67mm on ultrasound cardiogram (UCG). This spiral LAP was considered more effective to reduce all dimensions of the giant left atrium dilated in all directions in comparison with other LAP methods previously reported.

Although western medical treatment for heart failure has dramatically improved, limitation still exists where such treatment together with mechanical support fails to manage heart failure. It is unclear whether the addition of Kampo medicine to standard recommended therapy can improve clinical manifestations. To address this issue, we retrospectively evaluated the effects of Mokuboito used in 12 consecutive heart failure patients from April 2013 to April 2015 by analyzing endpoints such as symptoms, BNP concentration, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Mokuboito significantly decreased plasma BNP concentration from 796.8 ± 830.8 to 215.6 ± 85.5 pg/ml (p < 0.01) and improved symptoms. There were no significant differences in other parameters including LVEF. In conclusion, the present study suggests that Mokuboito is a useful treatment on top of the standard heart failure medication in severe heart failure patients.

Introduction

  The Direction Office of Healthcare Activities (DOHA) started around 1998 in Vietnam offers training provision for all lower- and higher-ranked hospitals. An understanding of the factors responsible for the success of this unique training provision system can be useful in implementing appropriate human resource development strategies in the health sector. Furthermore, the reviews about the changes in the training provision styles can offer us clues on how to connect training provision with visible clinical improvement.

Method

  We reviewed the policy papers from the ministry of health in Vietnam, the activity reports of DOHA in the training center of Bach Mai hospital, which is a high-ranking hospital, JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) reports, and NCGM (National Center For Global Health and Medicine) reports from 1997 to 2015.

Results

  DOHA was founded as a government-led health provision system in Vietnam with strong policy guidelines. However, to expand their activities, strengthen the capacity of training in hospitals, and establish a financial mechanism for training, there was a need to empower lower-ranked hospitals.

  To enhance the training impact of the clinical field in lower-ranked hospitals after training provision, staff of higher-ranked hospitals were dispatched to lower-ranked hospitals to provide on-the-job training (1816 project) and training provision with equipment preparation in lower-level hospitals to overcome environmental difficulties in implementing techniques that they had learned (Satellite hospital project).

Conclusion

  “Strong policy commitments”, “a viable financial system”, and “bottom-up empowerment” were needed to establish nation-wide continuous medical education system in Vietnam. To connect training provision with improvement in the clinical field, “integrated approaches for multiple factors in clinical fields like clinical environment changes and extended follow-ups“ by providing training are needed.

Adequate exposure is crucial for successful mitral valve surgery. We report simple techniques for optimizing mitral valve exposure via conventional left atriotomy. The right side of the pericardium is sutured to the chest wall after medial sternotomy and pericardiotomy. We mobilize both the superior and inferior vena cava by dissecting the pericardium on their right side. Tourniquets are placed around both venae cavae and hitched up to the left after bicaval cannulation. Then the right side of the left atrium is lifted up and exposed. A longitudinal incision of the left atrium allows excellent exposure of the mitral valve using a single retractor. We adopted these procedures for 38 consecutive patients for mitral valve plasty, and additional incisions were not required. Simple mitral plasty procedure in 18 cases required 212±32 min for operation, 120±22 min for extracorporeal circulation and 88±18 min for aortic cross clamp. We conclude that this method is simple and does not lengthen the procedure.

Background
The Pacific Islands is an area with one of the world's highest prevalence of obesity and diabetes. The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is an independent country of the Micronesian that extends along latitude 4 to 18 degrees north. In the past, several studies reported regarding the prevalence of diabetes among the people of the Pacific Islands. However, there is no report yet with respect to diabetes in Majuro, the capital of RMI. In RMI, diabetes and obesity are also recognized to be a serious problem, but the present state of affairs prevents an understanding of the situation.
Objectives
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the present situation and the prevalence of diabetes and obesity in Majuro.
Methods
The participants were Marshallese visited our thyroid cancer-screening program. Among those participants who undertook thyroid cancer screening, the Body Mass Index (BMI) and hemoglobinA1c (HbA1c) levels were taken of 850 participants. Participants with an HbA1c level of 6.5% or more were put into the diabetes group and participants with a BMI of 30 and over were the obese group. Prevalence was adjusted using the Majuro population based on 1999 national census and using world standard population of Segi.
Results
The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes in aged 20 years and over in Majuro was 22.1%. After standardization, the prevalence was 31.0%.
Conclusion
The results suggest there is a high rate of diabetes in RMI similar to other pacific islands. It could be concluded, based on this research, that there is a crisis situation with regards to diabetes in the RMI. There is also a need for epidemiological research to be on a random sample of the population.

　　Since February, 2012, Anjo Kosei Hospital has embarked upon a new scheme for efficiently handling narcotics during surgical operations. For the purpose pharmacists are allowed to enter the operating room for a while. At the same time, the implementation of digital record keeping for narcotics management tasks has started, making it possible to simplify the handling of a great number of patients. By reviewing the effects on narcotics handling and hours billed, we could determine the effectiveness of operating room pharmacist-led narcotics management at Anjo Kosei. Out of narcotics prescriptions (n＝647) handled in the operating room for one month, 84.7% (548/647) was accounted for by prepared narcotics and 99.8% (646/647) by post-operation management. The introduction of the digital record system resulted in a reduction from 53.3±9.6 minutes to 39.6±6.3 minutes for narcotics preparation, and a reduction from 66.8±16.1 minutes to 41.1±13.5 minutes for post-operation management (p<0.01). It has added to the work efficiency and simplification of operations. Moreover, due to the intervention of pharmacists in the operating room, 92.3% of narcotics prescriptions was performed using the new management system within a relatively short time (80.8±18.4minutes). These data show that the introduction of the new scheme has resulted in more efficient management of narcotics at Anjo Kosei.

Background: Remimazolam is a novel ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine that has recently become available for general anesthesia. However, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) associated with remimazolam remains unknown. In this propensity score-matched, retrospective, observational study, we compared the rates of PONV between remimazolam and propofol. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, propensity score-matching was performed to minimize selection bias. Patients who received total intravenous anesthesia with remimazolam or propofol at the Hamamatsu University Hospital between August 2020 and July 2021 were enrolled in the study. Data on patient demographics, anesthetic agents, and PONV within the first 24 h were collected and analyzed. Results: Of the 1,239 patients who met the study selection criteria, 585 received remimazolam and 684 received propofol. After propensity score matching, 333 matched pairs were further analyzed. Patient demographics and the anesthetic agents used were comparable between the matched cohorts. The incidence of PONV was significantly higher in the remimazolam group than in the propofol group (35% vs. 21%, P < 0.001). Conclusions The incidence of PONV is higher with remimazolam anesthesia than with propofol anesthesia. The findings of this study require confirmation in larger prospective randomized controlled trials.

Background: Choosing catecholamines, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, for perioperative blood pressure control is essential for anesthesiologists and intensivists. However, studies specific to noncardiac surgery are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of postoperative norepinephrine and dopamine on clinical outcomes in adult noncardiac surgery patients by analyzing a nationwide intensive care patient database. Methods: The Japanese Intensive care PAtient Database (JIPAD) was used for this multicenter retrospective study. Adult patients in the JIPAD who received norepinephrine or dopamine within 24 h after noncardiac surgery in 2018–2020 were included. We compared the norepinephrine and dopamine groups using a one-to-one propensity score matching analysis. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, hospital length of stay, and ICU length of stay. Results: A total of 6,236 eligible patients from 69 ICUs were allocated to the norepinephrine (n = 4,652) or dopamine (n = 1,584) group. Propensity score matching was used to create a matched cohort of 1,230 pairs. No differences in the in-hospital mortality was found between the two propensity score matched groups (risk difference: 0.41%, 95% CI [−1.15, 1.96], P = 0.608). Among the secondary outcomes, only the ICU length of stay was significantly shorter in the norepinephrine group than in the dopamine group (median length: 3 vs. 4 days, respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusions In adult patients after noncardiac surgery, norepinephrine was not associated with decreased mortality but was associated with a shorter ICU length of stay than dopamine.

Purpose: Oral hygiene, maintained through plaque control, helps prevent periodontal disease and dental caries. This study was conducted to examine the accuracy of plaque detection with an intraoral scanner (IOS) compared to images captured with an optical camera. Materials and Methods: To examine the effect of color tone, artificial tooth resin samples were stained red, blue, and green, after which images were acquired with a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera and an IOS device. Stained surface ratios were then determined and compared. Additionally, the deviation rate of the IOS relative to the DSLR camera was computed for each color. In the clinical study, following plaque staining with red disclosing solution, the staining was captured by the DSLR and IOS devices, and the stained area on each image was measured. Results: The stained surface ratios did not differ significantly between DSLR and IOS images for any color group. Additionally, the deviation rate did not vary significantly across colors. In the clinical test, the stained plaque appeared slightly lighter in color, and the delineation of the stained areas less distinct, on the IOS compared to the DSLR images. However, the stained surface ratio was significantly higher in the IOS than in the DSLR group. Conclusion When employing IOS with dental plaque staining, the impact of color was minimal, suggesting that the traditional red stain remains suitable for plaque detection. IOS images appeared relatively blurred and enlarged relative to the true state of the teeth, due to inferior sharpness compared to camera images