1.Recent Advances of Biliary Stent Management.
Mitsuhiro KIDA ; Shiro MIYAZAWA ; Tomohisa IWAI ; Hiroko IKEDA ; Miyoko TAKEZAWA ; Hidehiko KIKUCHI ; Maya WATANABE ; Hiroshi IMAIZUMI ; Wasaburo KOIZUMI
Korean Journal of Radiology 2012;13(Suppl 1):S62-S66
Recent progress in chemotherapy has prolonged the survival of patients with malignant biliary strictures, leading to increased rates of stent occlusion. Even we employed metallic stents which contributed to higher rates and longer durations of patency, and occlusion of covered metallic stents now occurs in about half of all patients during their survival. We investigated the complication and patency rate for the removal of covered metallic stents, and found that the durations were similar for initial stent placement and re-intervention. In order to preserve patient quality of life, we currently recommend the use of covered metallic stents for patients with malignant biliary obstruction because of their removability and longest patency duration, even though uncovered metallic stents have similar patency durations.
Biliary Tract Diseases/*surgery
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Coated Materials, Biocompatible
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Device Removal
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Drainage/methods
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Endoscopy
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Foreign-Body Migration/surgery
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Humans
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Metals
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Postoperative Complications/surgery
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*Stents/adverse effects
2.Evaluation of the stability of Yamakagashi (Rhabdophis tigrinus) Equine Antivenom after 20 years storage
Morokuma, K. ; Matsumura, T. ; Yamamoto, A. ; Sakai, A. ; Hifumi, T. ; Ato, M. ; Takahashi, M.
Tropical Biomedicine 2021;38(No.2):111-118
In 2000, an equine Yamakagashi (Rhabdophis tigrinus) antivenom (Lot 0001) was testmanufactured as an unapproved drug for treatment of Yamakagashi bites. It was stocked on the premise of super-legal use from the viewpoint of emergency health crisis management. The antivenom showed a strong neutralizing ability against the hemorrhagic and coagulation activity of the Yamakagashi venom in its potency test. One vial of the antivenom can effectively neutralize at least about 4 mg of Yamakagashi venom. Its efficacy has also been confirmed in patients with severe cases of R. tigrinus bite that has been used in emergency. In 2020, this antivenom (Lot 0001) has reached 20 years after its production. To evaluate the integrity and potency of the antivenom, quality control, safety and potency tests had been conducted almost every year since 2012. Physical and chemical tests (property test, moisture content test, insoluble foreign matter test, osmotic pressure ratio test, pH test, protein content test, endotoxin test, sterility test) of the antivenom, showed no significant changes throughout the years, when compared to the results immediately after its production in 2000. All the parameters measured were also within the standard values. In animal safety tests (test for absence of toxicity and pyrogen), there was no change in the test results during the storage period and no abnormalities were observed. The potency test (anti-coagulant activity) after 20 years of the product, showed the same potency as those recorded immediately after production. Therefore, in all of the stability monitoring tests conducted so far, the product did not show any significant change compared to the results immediately after production. This confirms the stability of the product during the stockpiling period to the present, that is, 20 years after production.
3.Infection rate of Schistosoma japonicum in the snail Oncomelania hupensis quadrasi in endemic villages in the Philippines: Need for snail surveillance technique
Fornillos, R.J.C. ; Fontanilla, I.K.C ; Chigusa, Y. ; Kikuchi, M. ; Kirinoki, M. ; Kato-Hayashi, N. ; Kawazu, S. ; Angeles, J.M ; Tabios, I.K. ; Moendeg, K. ; Goto, Y. ; Tamayo, P.G ; Gampoy, E.F ; Pates, I. ; Chua, J.C ; Leonardo, L.R
Tropical Biomedicine 2019;36(2):402-411
Schistosomiasis japonica is one of seven NTDs endemic in the Philippines that
continues to threaten public health in the country. The causative agent, the blood fluke
Schistosoma japonicum, uses an amphibious snail Oncomelania hupensis quadrasi which
can harbor larval stages that multiply asexually, eventually producing the infective cercariae
which are shed into the water. Contamination of freshwater bodies inhabited by the snail
intermediate host occurs through release of human and animal feces containing S.
japonicum eggs. Miracidia hatching from these eggs subsequently infect the snails that
inhabit these water bodies. The degree of fecal contamination can vary across snail sites
and influences snail infection rates in these sites. In this study, conventional malacological
surveys using intensive manual search for snails were conducted from 2015 to 2016 in
seven selected endemic provinces, namely Leyte and Bohol in the Visayas and Surigao del
Norte, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte and Compostela Valley in Mindanao. A
total of 6,279 O. hupensis quadrasi snails were collected from 38 snail sites. The
municipality of Trento in Agusan del Sur recorded the highest number of snail sites (7) that
yielded O. hupensis quadrasi snails while only one snail site was found positive for O.
hupensis quadrasi snails in Kapatagan in Lanao del Norte and Talibon in Bohol. Alegria in
Surigao del Norte yielded the highest number of snail sites (5) that were found to harbor
snails positive for S. japonicum infection. The snail infection rates in this municipality
ranged from 0.43% to 14.71%. None of the snails collected from Talibon in Bohol was
infected. Bohol is the only province among the 28 schistosomiasis-endemic provinces
which has reached near elimination status. Snail infection rates were found to vary
considerably across snail sites, which could be due to the degree of fecal contamination of
the snail sites and their connectivity to water that can serve as contamination source.