In order to clarify the physiological nature of the local differences in the skin electroconductivity we measured transcutaneous electric current on the representative (determinate) points of Ryodo-Raku (by Y. Nakatani) which correspond to so-called Genketu of traditional Chinese medicine with a wet electrode of 1cm in diameter in the condition of D. C. 12 volts and 200 uA when, both electrodes are directly connected. Eighty-two healthy adults were tested once and four other healthy adults were tested daily for eight days. We analysed mathematically the values of measurements by the principal component analysis.
As a result, we found that the electroconductivity of the skin in the upper and lower limbs both, and volar and dorsal sites of the upper limb changed independently each other and showed from rough to close interrelations according to the orders as above-mentioned.

Introduction : To promote disease management in the community, general physicians should refer their patients to specialists in a timely and appropriate manner. In this study, we propose an indicator for evaluation of such referrals.
Methods : We analyzed all referrals in an urban clinic from September 1, 2011 to August 31, 2012. Symptoms and diagnoses documented by general physicians were collected from medical records, and the final diagnoses by specialists were collected from their reports. The symptoms and diagnoses were classified using the International Classification of Primary Care second edition (ICPC-2). Referral rates, hospitalization rates, and place of referral were analyzed.
Results : The average number of encounters in the candidate clinic was 1402 per month, and the mean number of referrals was 23 (1.6% of encounters). Of patients who received a referral, 6.75 (29.1%) were admitted to hospitals. The symptoms and diagnoses of the referred patients were distributed across all chapters (A to Z) of ICPC-2. Diagnoses of admitted patients included pneumonia (R81) (24%), urinary tract infection (U70 and U71) (9%), and acute gastroenteritis with dehydration (D73 with T11) (9%).
Conclusion : We identified the referral rates, hospitalization rates, and distribution of referral patients as indicators of the triage function of primary care physicians. These should be evaluated further as potential indicators of “the quality of medical care.”

A lower abdominal tumor with thrill and bruit was pointed out in a 59-year-old female. Angiography showed a pelvic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with remarkably dilated vessels resembling an aneurysm. Feeding arteries for this AVM originated from the right internal iliac artery, right lumbar artery and right renal artery, and drainage blood flowed into the inferior vena cava from the dilated vessel via a large vein. At operation the right internal iliac artery and right lumbar artery were ligated and the dilated vessel with AVM, which connected with the right renal artery, was resected. An angiography 16 days after the operation revealed the normal arteries without AVM and the right internaal iliac artery filled through collateral arteries. Recently catheter embolization in frequently the first choice for treatment of AVM. However, in the case of AVM with aneurysmal dilated vessels, surgical resection should be selected.

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.

Six (1.2%) of 501 patients sustained phrenic nerve injury during operation for congenital heart disease at our institutions between 1992 and 1998. The diagnosis was confirmed by percutaneous stimulation of the phrenic nerve. All but 1 patient were less than 9 months old, and the average weight was 3.6kg. All 6 patients underwent diaphragmatic plication and were extubated by 7 days after operation. Percutaneous stimulation of the phrenic nerve allowed direct assessment of phrenic nerve function which was difficult to detect by clinical and radiological evidence. This method can be non-invasively used at the bedside to facilitate early and accurate diagnosis of phrenic nerve palsy.

During the 18-month period from January 1, 1981 to June 30, 1082, we encountered a total of 11 cases of child peptic ulcer-three gastric ulcer and eight duodenal ulcer casen.
There is every indication that the incidence of child peptic ulcer will increase in a rural area like Yuri, which is situated in Japan's northeastern prefecture of Akita.
To be noted is the fact that 10 cases out of 11 of peptic ulcer were found in three-year lower secondary schoolchildren and the remaining one was found in a sixth grader of six-year elementary school. The incidence as well as the number of visits to our clinics went up as the age advances and reached a peak in third graders of lower secondary school.
The reason why third graders of lower secondary school were attacked most by peptic ulcer is probably that they, at puberty, are under psychic or psychogenic stress with anxiety over high school entrance examinations, mental strain from forced attendance at a cramming school, trouble in getting along with friends, and dissatisfaction with parents.
Therefore, child peptic ulcer should not be treated as a disease of the digestive organ alone but as a disorder in the autonomic nervous system with an aid of psychosomatic medicine and psychiatry. For the prevention of the disease, it would also be necessary to take account of socio-cultural factors.

Surgical interventions for aorto-iliac obstructive diseases were studied through the operative results. Eighteen patients underwent aorto-femeral bypass (AOF) and 23 who were over 70 years of age or who had serious preoperative complications had axillofemoral bypass (AXF). No perioperative death occurred in AOF patients, while the mortality rate of AXF patients was 8%. Postoperative ankle pressure indexes were significantly higher in AOF patients than in AXF patients. Follow-up graft patency rate was 100% in AOF patients at 54 months (mean), and 85% in AXF patients at 44 months respectively. AOF should be the first choice for patients with aorto-iliac obstructive disease, and AXF is suitable only for high-risk patients.

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.