Horseshoe kidney is a common renal anomalies, but coexistence with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is rare. Horseshoe kidney may cause various technical difficulties of aneurysm repair. A 76-year-old man was referred to our hospital for treatment of AAA with a horseshoe kidney. Preoperative 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) scans showed a pair of normal renal arteries and 3 accessory renal arteries from the anterior wall to abdominal aorta just proximal to an aneurysm. At operation, the aneurysm was exposed through a transperitoneal approach, and artificial graft replacement was performed with a woven Dacron bifurcated graft preserving the renal isthmus. The accessory renal arteries were not reconstructed. The postoperative course was uneventful. Postoperative 3-D CT showed minor infarction of renal isthmus, but renal function was not impaired.

Carcinoma arising from the remnant of branchial epithelium or branchial cleft cyst is known as branchiogenic carcinoma. It is very rare, and its existence is a matter of controversy. We report a case of cystic carcinoma of the upper neck that fully met Martin's criteria for branchiogenic carcinoma. A 53-year-old male visited Tsurumi University Dental Hospital with a swelling on the left side of the neck. Three tumors were excised from the neck, and histopathology revealed squamous cell carcinoma in a cystic lesion. As metastatic carcinoma of the cervical lymph nodes was suspected, the appropriate clinical tests and imaging were performed to determine the possible presence of a primary tumor. However, no primary carcinoma was found. These findings suggest that this was a case of branchiogenic carcinoma. The patient was treated with radiotherapy and followed up over an 8-year period. No evidence of recurrence was found.

Surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA, n=240) was reviewed in subgroups of ruptured AAA (RAAA, n=31), non-ruptured AAA with arteriosclerosis obliterans (AAA w/ASO, n=48), and non-ruptured AAA without ASO (AAA w/o ASO, n=161). The average follow-up period was 4.2 years (maximum 15.8 years) and the follow-up rate was 97%. Overall operative mortality rates were 41.9% in RAAA and 2.9% in non-ruptured AAA. Those were 6.3% in AAA w/ASO and 1.9% in AAA w/o ASO. The main causes of death in the long-term follow-up period were heart disease in 32%, malignant neoplasm in 22%, cerebrovascular accidents in 10% and renal failure in 10%, and miscellaneous. Only renal failure was related to operative risk factors. Relative survival rates excluding hospital death following surgery were 79% at 5 years and 0% at 10 years in RAAA; 74% at 5 years and 52% at 10 years in AAA w/o ASO; 95% at 5 years and 78% at 10 years in AAA w/ASO; 90% at 5 years and 70% at 10 years in non-ruptured AAA. These survival rates were lower than those found in the normal population, especially in AAA w/ASO. AAA w/ASO had more surgical risk factors of ischemic heart diseases and diabetes mellitus. Main causes of deaths were heart diseases, and renal failure during the long-term follow-up period was more predominant in AAA. It is important to follow all patients after surgery for AAA with special attention to heart disease and renal failure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A flexible spectral imaging color enhancement system was installed in new capsule software for video capsule endoscopy. Contrast image capsule endoscopy (CICE) is a novel technology using light-emitting diodes selected for the main absorption range of hemoglobin. We assessed the feasibility and diagnostic effi cacy for small bowel surveillance in patients with polyposis syndromes. METHODS: Six patients with polyposis syndromes, four with familial adenomatous polyposis and one each with Cowden syndrome (CS) and Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) were examined using CICE. We conducted three evaluations to assess the effect on the numbers of the detected polyps; compare polyp diagnostic rates between adenoma and hamartoma; and assess polyp visibility. RESULTS: The numbers of detected polyps and diagnostic accuracy did not differ signifi cantly between pre-contrast and contrast images. However, 50% of the adenomatous polyps displayed enhanced visibility on contrast images. CICE contrast images exhibited clearly demarcated lesions and improved the visibility of minute structures of adenomatous polyps. Hamartomatous polyp micro-structures in patients with CS and CCS were more clearly visualized on contrast than pre-contrast images. CONCLUSIONS: CICE is an effective tool for enhancing the visibility of polyps in patients with polyposis syndrome.
Absorption ; Adenoma ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; Adenomatous Polyps ; Capsule Endoscopes ; Capsule Endoscopy ; Hamartoma Syndrome, Multiple ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Intestinal Polyposis ; Polyps

Background/Aims: Mechanical properties (MPs) and axial and radial force (AF and RF) may influence the efficacy and complications of self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement. We measured the MPs of various SEMSs and examined their influence on the SEMS clinical ability. Methods: We evaluated the MPs of 29 types of 10-mm SEMSs. RF was measured using a conventional measurement device. AF was measured using the conventional and new methods, and the correlation between the methods was evaluated. Results: A high correlation in AFs was observed, as measured by the new and conventional manual methods. AF and RF scatterplots divided the SEMSs into three subgroups according to structure: hook-and-cross-type (low AF and RF), cross-type (high AF and low RF), and laser-cut-type (intermediate AF and high RF). The hook-and-cross-type had the largest axial force zero border (>20°), followed by the laser-cut and cross types. Conclusions MPs were related to stent structure. Hook-and-cross-type SEMSs had a low AF and high axial force zero border and were considered safest because they caused minimal stress on the biliary wall. However, the increase in RF must be overcome.