Increased average life expectancy results in increasing numbers of elderly persons and medical expenses. In this study, changes in rehabilitation-related medical expenses were investigated from 2006 to 2014. Data were obtained via the “Survey of Medical Care Activities in Public Health Insurance.” The number of times and points that demanded medical service fees for “rehabilitation” were examined according to disease group.
In 2014, the rehabilitation point per day was 5.3％ for inpatient medical care（2.9％ per year increase）and 1.3％ for outpatient medical care（9.2％ per year increase). Proportions of time according to disease group were 48.9％ for cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation, 46.8％ for musculoskeletal rehabilitation, 2.4％ for respiratory rehabilitation, 1.4％ for cardiovascular disease rehabilitation, and 0.4％ for cancer rehabilitation. Proportions of points according to disease group were 55.8％ for cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation, 39.8％ for musculoskeletal rehabilitation, 2.4％ for respiratory rehabilitation, 1.7％ for cardiovascular disease rehabilitation, and 0.4％ for cancer rehabilitation.
The number of times and points increased in each disease group except for disuse syndrome in cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation. Disuse syndrome for times and points were 16.0％（30.3％ per year decrease）and 12.1％（46.4％ per year decrease）respectively；the total number of times rose 3.4％ while the total number of points rose 2.7％ per year. The early addition increased annually for number of times and points together in each disease group except for cerebrovascular disease rehabilitation. Rehabilitation-related medical expenses increased annually and the growth rate was substantial for all medical expenses, indicating an increase in rehabilitation medical care.

Purpose：The older population in Japan is increasing faster than that in the rest of the world. As a result of the increasing number of elderly patients, rehabilitation treatment has become very important, resulting in rehabilitation-related medical expenses increasing, However, it is unclear which age groups are administered rehabilitation treatments. In this study, we investigated the age distribution of patients receiving rehabilitation treatment in Japan.Methods：We investigated the age distribution of patients receiving rehabilitation treatment using insurance data.Results：Rehabilitation fees for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and musculoskeletal diseases peaked in the early 80 years age group, whereas those of disuse syndrome, respiratory diseases, and cancer peaked in the late 80 years. Male patients with cardiovascular diseases were twice as common until 80 years of age. Regarding cerebrovascular diseases, the number of male patients peaked in the late 70s, and there were more male patients in the following age groups. More female patients in the late 80 years age group had disuse syndrome. Rehabilitation fees for musculoskeletal diseases had the highest number of units calculated, with 2.5 times as many female patients as male patients. As for respiratory diseases, more male patients were present in the late 80 years age group. Among patients with cancer, males were about twice as common as females.Conclusion：The peak age of patients receiving rehabilitation treatment was in the 80 years age group, and the number of patients increased every year.

Purpose：The older population in Japan is increasing faster than that in the rest of the world. As a result of the increasing number of elderly patients, rehabilitation treatment has become very important, resulting in rehabilitation-related medical expenses increasing, However, it is unclear which age groups are administered rehabilitation treatments. In this study, we investigated the age distribution of patients receiving rehabilitation treatment in Japan.Methods：We investigated the age distribution of patients receiving rehabilitation treatment using insurance data.Results：Rehabilitation fees for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and musculoskeletal diseases peaked in the early 80 years age group, whereas those of disuse syndrome, respiratory diseases, and cancer peaked in the late 80 years. Male patients with cardiovascular diseases were twice as common until 80 years of age. Regarding cerebrovascular diseases, the number of male patients peaked in the late 70s, and there were more male patients in the following age groups. More female patients in the late 80 years age group had disuse syndrome. Rehabilitation fees for musculoskeletal diseases had the highest number of units calculated, with 2.5 times as many female patients as male patients. As for respiratory diseases, more male patients were present in the late 80 years age group. Among patients with cancer, males were about twice as common as females.Conclusion：The peak age of patients receiving rehabilitation treatment was in the 80 years age group, and the number of patients increased every year.

Diagnosis of cardiac rupture caused by blunt trauma is sometimes difficult when multi-organ injuries are associated with profound shock. Only prompt diagnosis and urgent treatment can save the patients. We have encountered 16 cases of blunt cardiac rupture, including 4 that survived in the past 10 years. All cases of cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival were unable to be resuscitated. Also, all cases of profound hemorrhagic shock caused by multi-organ injury succumbed. Among the cases in which the region of cardiac rupture was identified, only cases of injury to the right heart chambers were saved. No case of rupture in the left heart chambers survived. It is definitely important to suspect cardiac injury and make a prompt diagnosis to save patients with blunt chest trauma. Ultrasonic cardiography is highly effective for urgent diagnosis of cardiac rupture because it can be performed readily, noninvasively and, therefore, repeatedly.

The earlier the diagnosis of acute type A aortic dissection is made, the more frequent the complications of aortic root destruction and/or a compromised coronary artery are encountered. Only aortography is diagnostic in these lesions, however, recently this modality tends to be avoided in order to try to improve the survival rate of the patients by obtaining diagnosis by noninvasive modalities. Therefore, contrast-enhanced CT scans in 49 patients with aortic dissection were analyzed in order to detect the slightest signs suggesting aortic root lesions. In 4 of the 6 cases in which intimal flap was detected in the aortic root by CT and in 2 of the 14 cases with an aortic root more than 35mm in diameter, aortic root reconstruction and/or concomitant CABG were neccessary for the repair of the destroyed aortic root. The aortic root diameter was more than 40mm in 8 of 9 patients with aortic root destruction, with a mean value of 45.6±3.6mm (p<0.01). In summary, detection of a septum in the aortic root and/or an aortic root dilated more than 40mm on CT were important signs suggesting the dissection extending to the aortic sinus combined with aortic root destruction. In such cases aortic root reconstruction and/or concomitant CABG may be necessary.

Prosthetic grafts have been employed in a limited number of pediatric patients with peripheral vascular lesions. We treated an iatrogenic obstruction of bilateral external iliac arteries in a child. The patient was a six-year-old girl whose chief complaints were intermittent claudication, and lower limb pain when exposed to cold. She had a history of coarctation complex for which she had undergone repeated catheterizations by puncture of both femoral arteries in her infancy. At the age of four, two-stage operation was performed: resection of the coarctation and end-to-end anastomosis, and direct closure of ventricular septal defect. Angiography performed through the brachial artery demonstrated obstruction of the bilateral external iliac arteries. Both right and left femoral artery were visualized through the collateral artery from the ipsilateral internal iliac artery. Because she became afflicted with lower limb ischemia a revascularization procedure was indicated. A 6mm expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) bypass graft was implanted bilaterally between the internal iliac artery and the common femoral artery with end-to-side anastomosis. Ischemic symptoms disappeared postoperatively and MR-angiogram performed nine days after surgery also showed the patency of the graft. It is a great concern, however, that the length of the graft may become relatively shorter with the growth of the patient. It is also anticipated that the lower limbs may suffer relatively insufficient blood flow in the future.