The purpose of this case report was to discuss the efficacy of The Amplatzer Vascular Plug (AVP) in endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for ruptured aortoiliac aneurysm. A 73-year-old man was referred to our institution with a diagnosis of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) by CT scan. The CT scan showed an rAAA of 70 mm (Fitzgerald classification 3) and a right common iliac aneurysm of 30 mm. The patient was immediately transferred from the ER to the OR and treated with EVAR in combination with occlusion of the right internal iliac artery (IIA) using AVP. The total procedural time was 138 min. The patient recovered uneventfully after the operation with an ICU stay of 2 days and was discharged 9 days after the onset. EVAR has been recognized as a therapeutic option for rAAA in Japan. However, it is not yet been generally adopted as a first-line therapy for rAAA accompanied with iliac aneurysm because of the necessity to occlude IIA. The conventional method with coils to induce thrombosis of IIA is unsuitable for patients in a critical situation for the time required and the difficulty in precise placement. AVP is a nitinol-based self-expanding cylindrical device that is used for arterial embolization. AVP allows assured embolization of IIA in a shorter procedural time, which is essential in an urgent situation. Although AVP is still under post-market surveillance in Japan and only available in limited institutions, the usage of AVP should be considered as an adjunctive procedure in EVAR for rAAA and may expand the limits of endovascular treatment for rAAA.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. PURPOSE: The present study aimed to investigate the features of low back pain (LBP) due to superior cluneal nerve (SCN) entrapment neuropathy (SCN-EN) using the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and to analyze the differences between LBP due to SCN-EN and lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The SCN is derived from the cutaneous branches of the dorsal rami of T11–L5 and passes through the thoracolumbar fascia. LBP due to SCN-EN is exacerbated by various types of lumbar movement, and its features remain to be fully elucidated, often resulting in the misdiagnosis of lumbar spine disorder. METHODS: The present study included 35 consecutive patients with SCN-EN treated via nerve blocks or surgical release between April 2016 and August 2017 (SCN-EN group; 16 men, 19 women; mean age, 65.5±17.0 years; age range, 19–89 years). During the same period, 33 patients were surgically treated with LSS (LSS group; 19 men, 14 women; mean age, 65.3±12.0 years; age range, 35–84 years). The characteristics of LBP were then compared between patients with SCN-EN and those with LSS using the RMDQ. RESULTS: The duration of disease was significantly longer in the SCN-EN group than in the LSS group (26.0 vs. 16.0 months, p=0.012). Median RMDQ scores were significantly higher in the SCN-EN group (13 points; interquartile range, 8–15 points) than in the LSS group (7 points; interquartile range, 4–9 points; p<0.001). For seven items (question number 1, 8, 11, and 20–23), the ratio of positive responses was higher in the SCN-EN group than in the LSS group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SCN-EN exhibit significantly higher RMDQ scores and greater levels of disability due to LBP than patients with LSS. The findings further demonstrate that SCN-EN may affect physical and psychological function.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The present study aimed to clarify whether virological response within 2 weeks after therapy initiation can predict a null response to pegylated interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin therapy in patients with high viral load genotype 1b hepatitis C. METHODS: The participants consisted of 72 patients with high viral load genotype 1b. The dynamics of viral load within 2 weeks were measured. RESULTS: Significant differences between null responders and nonnull responders were noted for interleukin (IL)-28B genotype, amino acid 70 substitution, alpha-fetoprotein, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hyaluronic acid, and viral response. The area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operating characteristic curve of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA level decline at 2 weeks (AUC=0.993) was the highest among the factors predicting the null response. When the cutoff value for the HCV RNA level decline at 2 weeks was set at 0.80 log, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy in predicting a null response were 82%, 96%, 82%, 96%, and 94%, respectively. In comparison, values for the non-TT and mutant type of amino acid 70 substitution were similar to those for HCV RNA level decline at 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Virological response at 2 weeks or the combination of IL-28B and amino acid 70 substitution are accurate predictors of a null response.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents/*administration & dosage ; Area Under Curve ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy/genetics ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Interferon-alpha/*administration & dosage ; Male ; Medication Adherence ; Polyethylene Glycols/*administration & dosage ; Prospective Studies ; RNA, Viral/metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins/administration & dosage ; Ribavirin/*administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Viral Load ; Young Adult

Background: SOLO SMART (SOLO) was introduced in Japan as a new stentless tissue valve in April 2016. Postoperative thrombocytopenia has been reported to occurs after aortic valve replacement (AVR) using SOLO. Methods: The aim of our study was to evaluate the difference in incidence and clinical impact of postoperative thrombocytopenia in patients receiving AVR between SOLO group and stented bioprosthetic valve (Stented) group. We evaluated 67 patients who underwent AVR with bioprosthetic valve for AS between April 2017 and March 2020. Severe thrombocytopenia was defined as the lowest postoperative platelet count of < 5.0×104/μl. We divided patients with AVR into SOLO and Stented groups, and compared the surgical results, prevalence of thrombocytopenia, and changes in platelet count. Results: Postoperative aortic valve area (AVA) and peak pressure gradient (P-PG) were significantly improved in the SOLO group. The lowest postoperative platelet count was significantly lower in the SOLO group. Severe thrombocytopenia was observed in 75% of the patients in the SOLO group and 7% of those in the Stented group. As a factor that causes postoperative thrombocytopenia, use of SOLO, age at surgery, and body surface area (BSA), showed significant differences (p＜0.05). Although the platelet count had the lowest value on the 2nd to 4th day after the operation, then recovered spontaneously, and at 1 month after the operation, the platelet level improved to normal values. However, in the Stented group, the platelet level recovered to the preoperative platelet level 1 week after operation, but in the SOLO group, the preoperative platelet level didn't recover even after 3 months, and as a result, it suggest that platelet recovery was prolonged in the SOLO group. Conclusion: Use of SOLO was an independent risk factor of severe thrombocytopenia after AVR. Although no clinically serious hemorrhagic complication was observed, use of SOLO may prolong postoperative platelet recovery. In consideration of the risk of thrombocytopenia, it was considered to be advantageous to select the SOLO for SAVR in cases with a narrow annulus diameter.

We treated a total of 67 patients for mamushi viper (Gloydius blomhoffii) bite during a 10-year period between 2007 and 2016. The mean age of the patients was 68 years, with those aged ≥ 60 years accounting for about 80％ of all patients. Most injuries occurred between July and September in rice fields and other cropland, or in the patients’ homes. Except for 1 severe case who developed a marked thrombocytopenia immediately after the incident, the remaining 66 patients were included in the analysis. All patients received inpatient care, with a mean hospital stay of 6.8 days. There was a significant positive correlation between the size of the swelling at the bite site and the length of hospital stay. Kidney dysfunction occurred in 3 patients, 1 of whom died. The mean time to the largest swelling was 21.8 h while the mean time to the highest creatine phosphokinase level was 2.6 days. The more severe cases were more likely to be have been treated with mamushi antitoxin while 2 of the 3 patients with kidney dysfunction, including the 1 fatality, were not, suggesting that the use of mamushi antitoxin is essential in severe cases. We also report a very rare case of mamushi viper bite complicated by thrombocytopenia.

We use transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULAA) with a lifting retractor as the surgical technique of first choice for acute appendicitis. Although this technique provides excellent cosmetic results and contributes to reducing medical costs, it is less advantageous in difficult-to-complete cases that require conversion to pneumoperitoneum or additional ports. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 76 patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy between June 2020 and March 2023 (43 in a TULAA group and 33 in a pneumoperitoneal conversion group) to identify preoperative factors associated with pneumoperitoneal conversion. Univariate analysis showed significant differences for preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) level, age, and body mass index. Logistic regression analysis identified preoperative CRP level and age as significant risk factors for pneumoperitoneal conversion. The pneumoperitoneal conversion rate was 12.5%, 48.2%, and 68% for patients with 0, 1, and 2 preoperative risk factors, respectively, indicating patients with 2 risk factors were more likely to undergo pneumoperitoneal conversion. These data may inform the selection of the surgical technique and the decision to convert to pneumoperitoneum.

In poststernotomy redo cardiac surgery, injury to cardiac structures during sternal division can lead to untoward results in the operation. These days, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS) such as the right anterolateral thoracotomy approach is becoming popular. By using MICS technique in redo cardiac surgery, it may be possible to reduce the risk of injury to the vital structures because of avoiding full sternotomy with the reduction of the dissection area. Six redo cardiac surgery cases in which innominate vein or bypass graft was in close contact with the sternum were is considered difficult to perform via the right thoracotomy approach. We report the cases in which operations were safely conducted through the lower hemi-sternotomy.

Laparoscopy is useful for minimally invasive detailed examination of patients with suspected gastrointestinal perforation. Here we report a case of gastrointestinal perforation of unknown cause that was diagnosed laparoscopically as perforation of the sigmoid colon by a toothpick. The patient was a 41-year-old woman. She presented with a chief complaint of left lower abdominal pain and CT showed a small amount of free air in the peritoneal cavity, so emergency surgery was performed. Laparoscopy revealed a foreign body penetrating the sigmoid colon. After mobilization of the sigmoid colon, the surgical technique was switched to minilaparotomy and partial sigmoid colectomy was performed. The foreign body that had penetrated the intestine was identified as a toothpick. We later learned that the patient had become intoxicated while eating at a yakiniku barbecue restaurant 7 days prior to the operation, and she guessed that she had accidentally consumed a toothpick stuck in an onion. Gastrointestinal perforation by a toothpick is rare and is difficult to diagnose preoperatively because toothpicks appear transparent on X-ray imaging. In this case, laparoscopy was useful for identifying the site and cause of perforation as well as the extent of leakage into the peritoneal cavity.