[Purpose] This study is a case report of an acupuncturist's new evaluation index for acupuncture treatment aimed at reducing or eliminating cardiac rehabilitation inhibitory factors in home medical care due to exacerbation of heart failure. [Method] Acupuncture was evaluated by heart rate variability, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and saturation pulse O2. [Results] In severe heart failure in the evaluation index used in this study, there was no significant change in the autonomic function of the heart before and after acupuncture stimulation.[Discussion] In order for acupuncture to be accepted as a member of team medical care in the future, acupuncturists need to share objective information for multi-professional collaboration.

From 1995 till 1998, 21 cases of Stanford type A dissecting aortic aneurysm with a closed false lumen of the ascending aorta were treated in our institute. The patients were medically treated if the diameter of their ascending aorta stayed less than 50mm without recurrent dissection. Patients were categorized into three groups: Groups I, II and IIIR (retrograde dissection), according to the location of the entry analyzed by means of CT, angiography and operative findings. Seven cases of intramural hematoma (IMH) were included in this study. One case in Group II died of rupture and one case in Group IIIR died of multiple embolism caused by atrial fibrillation in the acute phase. One case in Group II died of stroke and one case in Group I died after surgery in the chronic phase. Four cases in Group I and II underwent surgery in the acute phase and five cases in Group I and II underwent surgery in the chronic phase, but only one case of Group IIIR required surgery. Six cases of IMH required surgery. The rates of freedom from operation at four years was 25%, 21% and 83% respectively (p=0.07). Essentially, Stanford type A dissection should be treated surgically even though the false lumen is thrombosed. However, in the case of retrograde dissection accompanied by an entry in the descending aorta, medical treatment may be a strategy option.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy, also referred to Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or apical ballooning syndrome presents in perioperative period. We demonstrated a case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy recognized after general anesthesia for bladder hydrodistension therapy as ambulatory surgery, which we surmise was due to inadequate blockage of surgical stress and sympathetic discharge against noxious stimulus during ambulatory anesthesia.
Ambulatory Surgical Procedures ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Cardiomyopathies ; Perioperative Period ; Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy ; Urinary Bladder

STUDY DESIGN: Historical controlled trial. PURPOSE: To clarify the usefulness of cryotherapy after spine surgery. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Cryotherapy has generally been performed subsequent to surgery on joints and in this application its clinical effects are well understood. However, cryotherapy has yet to be used following spine surgery. Its clinical efficacy in this context is unknown. METHODS: Thirty six patients had undergone one level microendoscopic surgery. Sixteen were enrolled into the cooling group, with the remaining 20 making up the no postoperative cryotherapy control group. Cryotherapy was performed at 5degrees C using an icing system. A silicone balloon catheter with a thermo sensor on the tip was placed in the surgical wound. The temperature in the wound was recorded every 30 minutes until the next morning. The relationship between the depth of the sensor and the temperature in the wound were investigated using simple linear regression analysis. Laboratory data, visual analogue scale (VAS) for wound pain and postoperative bleeding were investigated. RESULTS: The mean temperature in the surgical wound was 37.0 in the control group and 35.0degrees C in the cooling group (p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between the depth of the thermo sensor and the temperature in the wound in the cooling group (y=0.91x+30.2, r=0.67, p=0.004). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of laboratory data, VAS or postoperative bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: The temperature in the wound was decreased significantly by spinal surgery cryotherapy.
Catheters ; Cryotherapy* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Joints ; Linear Models ; Silicones ; Spine* ; Wounds and Injuries

We report three patients with acute lumbago who did not respond to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but were treated successfully with daiobotampito and shimotsuto. Case 1 (86-year-old man) and Case 2 (56-year-old woman) were diagnosed with acute lumbago. Case 3 (69-year-old man) was diagnosed with acute lumbago and mild left sciatica. All three patients were initially administered orally NSAIDs, but this treatment was ineffective. Therefore, daiobotampito and shimotsuto were administered after choeikatsurakuto according to “Manbyokaishun.” Following this treatment, the patients' acute lumbago and sciatica resolved within 1-2 weeks. In conclusion, daiobotampito in combination with shimotsuto seems to be a useful Kampo medicine for treatment of lumbago.

Pseudogout is a crystal-induced arthritis that often occurs in senile individuals. We report a case of an acute attack of pseudogout that was successfully treated with bofutsushosan and orengedokuto. The patient was an 87-year-old man who visited our clinic and complained of left wrist joint pain 2 days after onset. His physical examination revealed tenderness in his left wrist joint. Plain roentgenogram revealed slight calcification of the left wrist joint, and an inflammatory reaction was found on blood examination. Thus, he was diagnosed with an acute attack of pseudogout in his wrist joint. We prescribed bofutsushosan and orengedokuto. After internal use, his left wrist joint symptoms gradually improved. At the follow-up visit 3 days after his first visit, his left wrist joint pain was resolved completely, and after 9 days, his laboratory data were normalized. Thus, bofutsushosan and orengedokuto were effective in the treatment of an acute attack of pseudogout.

In our clinic, patients with relatively positive diseases, which form the orthopedic conditions with inflammation, were successfully treated with eppikajutsuto and daiobotampito after reisenjotsuin. Patients with pain due to orthopedic disorders where NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) were difficult to be used or ineffective were successfully treated with eppikajutsuto and daiobotampito. We present the representative cases and bibliographically discuss them.

Background: In one series of studies, we observed the effects of acupuncture treatment (AT) on the autonomic nerve system (ANS). We experimented from various view-points. At last, we discovered a specific pattern for modifying ANS status, which showed that functions of the parasympathetic nerve increased while those of the sympathetic nerve decreased. To further study systematic modification of ANS balance, we focused on the lower body (feet). Moreover, two kinds of stimuli, tapping and vibration, were applied while measuring the value of finger floor distance (FFD) and heart rate (HR). Finally, the effects on ANS were discussed. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study, and they were divided into two groups; the tapping group and the vibration group. The former received 50 taps on the feet, and the latter received vibrations for two minutes. In order to indicate ANS status the effects of these stimuli were evaluated by FFD values and a kinetic record of changes in HR. Results: Both groups showed improvement in FFD values, which was the same as the results for AT via modification of ANS. However, changes in HR showed a different pattern from AT; in this study sympathetic nerve) dominantly showed an increase without a decrease in parasympathetic nerve. Discussion and Conclusions: The reasons for differences in ANS modification may be found in the role, especially in an emergency, of the lower body. The lower body is heavy in skeletal muscles, which needs energy and blood to react during acute stress. The ANS, which controls blood distribution, may shift and concentrate system blood from the smooth muscles of the stomach (controlled by parasympathetic nerve) to the skeletal muscles of the legs and feet (controlled by sympathetic nerve). Thus, this study indicated that local stimuli of the foot induced systematic ANS modification.

Objective: We investigated the effects and the mechanism of the acupuncture. Methods: Nishijo/Mori and colleagues studied the function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) with the instantaneous heart rate (IHR) as indicator. With the ANS blockers we also revealed the response of ANS when we insert needles to human body. For example, in our study of 1991, we conducted an experimental study on humans and elucidated that the physical stimulation promoted the resilience and the homeostasis of our body. Our recent study (2013) showed the physical stimulation (not acupuncture) on the lower thighs (mainly the bottom of the feet) also enhanced the above mentioned effects. Results and Discussion: 1.　The subjects sat on the chairs and they were given the acupuncture stimulation on their wrists (the skin and subcutaneous tissues) at the expiration. The stimulation for the duration of 15 consecutive breaths increased the function of the parasympathetic nerve (PN). At the same time that of the sympathetic nerve (SN) also enhanced. In short, firstly that of PN enhanced and secondly that of SN followed. Thus, it was observed that the physical stimulations promoted the resilience and the homeostasis of our body and we may regard that this is the first mechanisms. 2.　In our recent study (2013) the subjects sat on the chairs and there were given the stimulation (50 times of fist-strikes) on the sole of the feet. Immediately after the stimulation the result of Floor Finger Distance test （FFD) was improved. At the same time IHR, the indicator of the function of ANS, showed that those of SN (adrenaline β stimulus) and PN were simultaneously increased as soon as the stimulation started. The same result was obtained from the study of the body vibration (the SOUND healing). This process of 2013 was different from that of 1991, however, both of them provided the effect; the promotion of the resilience and the homeostasis of our body. Therefore, we could regard it as the second mechanism of the physical stimulations which promotes the resilience and the homeostasis of our body. Conclusion: In this way, there are two mechanisms of the physical stimulation in promoting the resilience and the homeostasis of our body.