Effects on endocrine system were examined to analyse a mode of action of acupuncture therapy and it was demonstrated that it's stimulation caused an increase in synthetic activity of adrenocortical and ovarial steroids through it's activation of hypothalamo hypophyseal axis. From an aspect of changes in glucose metabolism of the liver and urine cathecholamines, acupuncture was helpful to keep the homeostasis. In addition, the sensory area EEG potential evoked by the stimulation of acupuncture was recorded to clarity the relationship with effects of the therapy and was useful to evaluate the clinical effects preliminarily.
The author insisted that the acupuncture was a useful complimentary therapy in the Rehabilitation Medicine, when an appropriate case was carefully chosen.

Aneurysm of peripheral pulmonary artery was rarely reported. A 51-year-old man who was pointed out a coin lesion at the right hilus region on the chest X-ray film complained back chest pain. Selective pulmonary arteriography revealed the peripheral pulmonary aneurysm of saccular dilatation running into the middle lobe. Aneurysmectomy was performed successfully and the patient returned to social work. Pathologic specimen revealed partly necrosis of medial cell. Eleven surgical cases including this case were reported in Japan. A brief review of the literature was made.

A 47 year-old man with frequent attacks of ventricular tachycardia (VT) due to arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) developed severe right heart failure following cryoablation of the multiple VT focuses. Inotropic support and intraaortic balloon pumping failed to maintain the systemic circulation, so that we performed the right heart bypass (RHB) using a heparin-coated tube and roller pump. With the use of RHB, systemic circulation improved. We attempted to wean the patient off after 14 days RHB support. However this was unsuccessful because of poor RV function, and RHB was recommenced. The patient finally died of multiple organ failure on the 21st postoperative day, but the major organ function was well maintained for at least two weeks. The heparin-coated tube and roller pump system is easy to handle, and is suitable as a short term lifesaving adjunct for severe right ventricular failure.

Five patients with isolated stenosis of the left main coronary artery or stenotic ostial lesions underwent direct coronary artery surgery. These surgical approaches included vein patch angioplasty in 2 cases, punch out endarterectomy in 1 case, and resection of the thickened aortic wall and transaortic endarterectomy in 2 cases. Early results were satisfactory, except for one case who died due to severe LOS and MOF. In the late postoperative period, one case of vein patch angioplasty died due to cerebral bleeding, and in the other case, stenosis existed in position of distal patch anastomosis. Since direct coronary artery surgery was successful in both early and late postoperative fidings, it is believed to be useful and safe technique if the candidates are selected properly.

Ascending aorta-infrarenal abdominal aorta bypass was performed in 8 patients: 4 patients with dissecting aortic aneurysm, 3 patients with thoracic aneurysm and 1 patient with stenosis of the thoracic aorta after grafting for congenital thoracic aneurysm. Four patients who had aortic dissection underwent the thromboexclusion method, but thromboexclusion of the thoracic aorta occured in only one patient after additional clamp to the distal thoracic aorta. He is the only long-term survival in this series. The thromboexclusion method was also performed in two patients with infectious thoracic aortic aneurysm, but they died of aneurysmal rupture within 13 months after operation. One patient who undewent resection of a thoracic aneurysm with extra-anatomic bypass, developed respiratory insufficiency and paraplegia, and died of pneumonia. The patient with thoracic aortic stenosis is alive and well 11 years after operation. The indications of the thromboexclusion method for thoracic aneurysm should be limited only to very poor-risk patients who seem to be inaccessible to a direct approach. Ascending aorta-abdominal aorta bypass is recommended in cases of thoracic aortic stenosis.

To estimate the blood compatibility during extracorporeal circulation, we designed mock circulation system consisted of a membrane oxygenator and vinyl circuit with roller pump. Primed with 200ml Ringer's acetate and 200ml of fresh whole human blood, mock circulation was worked at flow rate 0.5l/min for 6hr. Heparin was not primed, oxygenator did not fill any gases and circulation was keeping at 37°C. The thrombin-antthrombin complex and fibrinopeptide-A showed progressive increase and fibrinogen correspondingly decrease. Nevertheless, the plasmin α2 plasmin inhibitor complex and D-dimer showed minimal changes within normal range in spite of increasing fibrinopeptide B β 15-42. We can not find any signs of secondary fibrinolytic activity. On the other hand, the platelet was persistently activated as shown statistically significant increase in β-thrombogloblin and platelet factor IV. Significant elevations of complement 3a and 4a were seen with increase of complement 5a and activated oxygen productivity by neutrophilic leucocytes. In conclusion, moderate and limited blood alterations occurred in mock cardiopulmonary bypass circuit.