We performed a retrospective study on the clinical data of 13 remission failure cases in 53 patients who had received remission induction therapy for acute leukemia (AL) in our hospital over the past seven years.
The outstanding clinical manifestations of the remission failure cases, as compared with the successful cases, included (a) disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) syndrome (b) complex chromosomal abnormalities (c) leukocytosis over 100, 000/μl and (d) markedly elevated seum LDH level and thymidine kinase activitis at the time of initial admission.
The greater majority of these cases (10 out of 13) resulted in death within 90 days after the start of induction therapy.
The causes of death were predominantly hemorrhagic events associated with DIC syndrome, cerebral hemorrhage and severe infectious diseases such as sepsis and pneumonia.
Earlier death within 14 days after therapy was caused from hemorrhagic events and later one was severe infections.
In the G-CSF treated group, the febril term of over 38°C was shorter and the number of days taken for the neutrophil counts to be restored to the 1, 000/μl level was fewer than in the non G-CSF treated group.
Thus, it was suggested that G-CSF was expected to be one of the useful supporting agents to prevent infections in remission induction therapy for acute leukemia.

A 66-year-old man experiencing fever and dyspnea was transferred to our hospital 2 years ago. He had been on hemodialysis for 30 years due to chronic renal failure and was observed as having aortic stenosis for 5 years. Severe mitral regurgitation and complete atrioventricular block caused by infective endocarditis (IE) were noted. Thus, he emergently underwent double-valve replacement (DVR) and pacemaker implantation. The range of infection extended widely to the right atrium and atrioventricular septum beyond the mitral annulus. The infection was suppressed by perioperative antibiotic therapy. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed a cavity approximately 30 mm in diameter in the left ventricle, which was located under the mitral annulus, and it extended to the right atrium 3 months after the operation. A diagnosis of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm associated with IE was then made. Because of progressive expansion of the aneurysm, we performed another operation 2 years after the previous one. The pseudoaneurysm was located in the region of the Koch's triangle, which indicated that it was caused by mitral annular abscess. We closed the orifice of the aneurysm approximately 20 mm in diameter with a polyester patch with a diameter of 35 mm. Postoperative TTE showed that the pseudoaneurysm was thrombosed and had no blood flow. Pathological examination of the wall of the pseudoaneurysm revealed that it consisted of fibrous tissues without myocardium. We encountered a rare case treated by patch closure for the left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after DVR associated with IE.

A 55-year-old man presented with exertional dyspnea. He was found to have an incomplete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD), mitral regurgitation, a patent foramen ovale (PFO), atrial fibrillation, and pectus excavatum. A one-stage operation including thoracoplasty in addition to the intracardiac repair was preferred in order to obtain a good view of the operative field and control the postoperative hemodynamics. Therefore, we performed autologous pericardial patch closure of the AVSD, mitral valve plasty with closure of the mitral cleft, direct closure of the PFO, and a modified maze procedure, followed by sternal elevation (modified Ravitch procedure) during chest closure. Postoperatively, his respiratory status on a respirator improved slowly and he was extubated on the 17th postoperative day. Dysphagia developed because of the prolonged intubation, but improved with deglutition rehabilitation. The subsequent postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged on the 59th postoperative day. We performed a modified Ravitch procedure, instead of sternal turnover, because the latter requires exfoliating a broad area, which could increase the total blood loss and the risk of infection, and make it difficult to maintain the blood flow of the plastron. We obtained a good view of the operative field and stable hemodynamics postoperatively with sternal elevation in pectus excavatum accompanied by heart disease.

A 50-year-old man was diagnosed as having aortic valve insufficiency, complete occlusion of the right coronary artery and 75% stenosis of the left main trunk due to syphilitic aortitis. Aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting to three vessels were successfully performed. The selection of surgical procedures for the coronary lesion with syphilitic aortitis should be made carefully, since the progression of aortic root inflammation in the acute phase and the development of atherosclerotic changes are not preventable in the future. It is most important to select effective and safe surgical interventions, especially for patients with such a low cardiac function as our patient.

Background: There is increasing demand for clinical clerkships in palliative medicine, though conventional medical education has focused only on providing students with sufficient medical knowledge and skills. In Japan, there is no standard program for palliative medicine in undergraduate medical education. Our hospice, in cooperation with a clinical clerkship for palliative medicine launched by Tokyo Medical and Dental University, has developed its own comprehensive bedside learning curriculum. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the program. Methods: The curriculum involves not only experience in hospice care, ward rounds, and interviews with terminally ill patients, it also provides each medical student with educational sessions moderated by certified hospice nurses and pharmacists. We conducted a self-administered five-point scale questionnaire (with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction) to assess students’ satisfaction and understanding of the program. We also conducted a questionnaire on basic palliative medicine knowledge before and after the program. Results: Twenty students took part in the program. Ratios of scores of 4 or 5 for satisfaction and understanding of the program were 100% and 95%, respectively. Mean rates of correct answers on the pre-program and post-program test were 51% and 85%, respectively; showing a marked increase and emphasizing the educational significance of our curriculum. Students evidently benefit from the experience of bedside learning, and 95% reported having recommended the program to their juniors. Conclusion: These outcomes suggest the program is effective toward developing a standard education program in palliative medicine.

A19-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of severe congestive heart failure on 7 April 2000. In the previous year his case had been diagnosed as Churg-Strauss syndrome (allergic granulomatous angiitis, AGA) with bronchial asthma and mononeuritis multiplex. Echocardiography revealed the dilatation of the left ventricle (LVDd 74 mm) and impaired left ventricular systolic function (LVEF 20%). On the 21st hospital day, the irregularity of peripheral branches of left and right coronary arteries was detected by coronary arteriography. Right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy yielded little fibrosis and no infiltration of eosinophil. Although all the laboratory tests showed lower activity of AGA, steroid pulse therapy was tried and the use of steroids was tapered at intervals of two weeks. Left ventricular function was slowly improved (LVDd 60 mm, LVEF 36%). He was discharged on foot on the 71st hospital day.

In a consecutive series of abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs, a non-washing autotransfusion unit system was used in 47 patients, and was not used in 25. In the 47 patients treated with the autotransfusion unit, the average amount of autotransfused blood was 1, 109±131ml in elective cases. The amount of banked blood transfusion was significantly smaller in autotransfused patients (mean; 712ml), compared to non-autotransfused patients (mean; 1, 405ml). Postoperative levels of serum bilirubin were higher in patients with greater autotransfused blood volumes than those with smaller volumes. The combination of preoperative autologous blood donation (2-3 units) and intraoperative autotransfusion is necessary to perform abdominal aortic aneurysm repair without homologous blood transfusion.

Blood oxygen saturation, keton boby ratio and endotoxin concentration of arterial and hepatic venous blood were measured in 12 adult patients before, during and after extracorporeal circulation (ECC). When rectal temperature returned to 32°C during ECC, the levels of hepatic venous blood oxygen saturation (ShvO₂) and arterial keton body ratio, hepatic venous keton body ratio decreased. The serum level of endotoxin concentration was within normal limits on the operative day and increased at the first and second day after surgery. In three patients in whom the level of ShvO₂ was under 50% at 60 minutes after ECC, postoperative liver dysfunction occurred frequently. Endotoxin changes on the first day after surgery is probably due to recovery differences between hepatic and gastrointestinal circulations.

A 78-year-old man underwent successful removal of a contaminated pacemaker in a case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) septicemia. Septicemia was due to a subcutaneous abscess at the site of old cut electrodes. Following debridement of the infected pacemaker pocket, residual leads and the pacemaker system were removed under cardiopulmonary bypass. Bacterial examination of arterial blood and vegetation attached to the leads showed septicemia caused by MRSA. After the operation, antibiotic therapy with vancomycin, arbekacin and minocycline was performed for several weeks. His postoperative course was uneventful without the recurrence of infection. In cases of pacemaker contamination, with septicemia, total removal of the pacemaker system and adequate antibiotic therapy are necessary.

The preoperative pulmonary arterial pressure of 38 patients aged over 50 undergoing surgical closure of a secundum atrial septal defect was studied. They were divided into three groups according to systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP): Group A (PAP<30mmHg, n=14), Group B (30≤PAP<50mmHg, n=16), and Group C (PAP≥50mmHg, n=8). The mean age of group C patients was older than that of group A patients. With higher PAP, the Pp/Ps, Rp/Rs and cardiothoracic ratios increased, atrial fibrillation and heart failure (NYHA≥2) were more frequent, and PaO₂ levels declined. There were no differences in left to right shunt ratio and Qp/Qs among the three groups. The PAP and Rp/Rs were under 70mmHg and 0.30, respectively in all patients. High pulmonary blood flow seems to be the cause of pulmonary hypertension in most elderly patients because PAP and Rp/Rs decreased after surgery in all groups. Findings of cardiomegaly and heart failure also improved after surgery. Surgical intervention is recommended even in elderly patients with a ASD.