Cor triatriatum is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly in which the accessory chamber is separated from the left atrium by an anomalous septum. We report a rare case of cor triatriatum with severe mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrillation in an adult. The patient was a 65-year old woman who developed congestive heart failure 3 years previously, and received medical follow-up with mitral regurgitation, atrial fibrillation and cor triatriatum since then. She developed congestive heart failure again and was referred to our hospital for operation for progressed mitral regurgitation, tricuspid regurgitation and atrial fibrillation. Mitral valve plasty (Physio ring II 28 mm, cleft closure, edge to edge repair for PMC), tricuspid annuloplasty (Physio tricuspid ring 28 mm), resection of the anomalous septum and maze procedure was performed. All of the pulmonary veins were connected to the accessory chamber. There was only one hole on the anomalous septum, and the hole was large, about 3.0 cm in diameter. The patient regained sinus rhythm without mitral and tricuspid regurgitation after the operation. Even though the duration of atrial fibrillation was long and left atrium diameter was large, complete excision of the anomalous septum and maze procedure were effective for the patient diagnosed cor triatriatum.

A 25-year-old man with a previous diagnosis of congenital bicuspid aortic valve presented with a fever of unknown origin for 3 months. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed vegetation on the mitral valve leaflet. Transesohageal echocardiography revealed severe aortic regurgitation and a mitral valve leaflet aneurysm. Despite intensive antibiotic therapy, his clinical condition did not improve, so he underwent aortic and mitral valve repair. The aortic valve was shown to be unicuspid intraoperatively. We made a new commissure, then mitral valve aneurysm was resected and a new leaflet was made using the pericardium. There was almost no regurgitation seen on postoperative echocardiography.

No abstract available.
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection ; Gastroscopy ; Dissection

A certain period of time has passed since the transition to the General Medicine residency system under the Japanese Medical Specialty Board and Family Medicine specialist training system by the Japan Primary Care Association. We have summarized the needs of residents identified in the survey, and detailed the activities to date and prospects of the Japanese Association of Family Physician Trainees, a self-help support organization, which is an official subcommittee of the Japan Primary Care Association, from the viewpoint of the residents. We believe that this paper will serve as a resource for the training of residents, help guide them under the new system, and help to improve the training system, considering evidence suggesting that information may not be reaching residents who need support.

Background/Aims: Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is an evaluation method for small bowel (SB) lesions in Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the relationship between SBCE findings and the serological biomarker leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) remains unclear. We aimed to establish appropriate cutoff values of LRG to predict the presence of SB lesions in CD through SBCE. Methods: Patients with CD with SB lesions who had undergone SBCE and LRG measurements 1 month before and after the SBCE were included. The LRG values for ulcers ≥0.5 cm and other inflammatory lesions noted in SBCE were determined using the Youden Index, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Additionally, the correlation between the SBCE scores (CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy) and LRG values was evaluated. Results: Forty patients without active colorectal lesions were included in the study. When the cutoff value of LRG for SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm was set at 14 μg/mL, the sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 81.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 70.6%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 95.7%. In contrast, an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL without inflammatory findings had a sensitivity of 91.7%, specificity of 82.1%, PPV of 68.8%, and NPV of 95.8%. CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy correlated well with LRG values (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ = 0.681, P< 0.001). Conclusions An LRG cutoff value of 14 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the presence of SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm, and an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the absence of SB inflammatory findings.

Background/Aims: Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is an evaluation method for small bowel (SB) lesions in Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the relationship between SBCE findings and the serological biomarker leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) remains unclear. We aimed to establish appropriate cutoff values of LRG to predict the presence of SB lesions in CD through SBCE. Methods: Patients with CD with SB lesions who had undergone SBCE and LRG measurements 1 month before and after the SBCE were included. The LRG values for ulcers ≥0.5 cm and other inflammatory lesions noted in SBCE were determined using the Youden Index, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Additionally, the correlation between the SBCE scores (CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy) and LRG values was evaluated. Results: Forty patients without active colorectal lesions were included in the study. When the cutoff value of LRG for SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm was set at 14 μg/mL, the sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 81.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 70.6%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 95.7%. In contrast, an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL without inflammatory findings had a sensitivity of 91.7%, specificity of 82.1%, PPV of 68.8%, and NPV of 95.8%. CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy correlated well with LRG values (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ = 0.681, P< 0.001). Conclusions An LRG cutoff value of 14 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the presence of SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm, and an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the absence of SB inflammatory findings.

Background/Aims: Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is an evaluation method for small bowel (SB) lesions in Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the relationship between SBCE findings and the serological biomarker leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) remains unclear. We aimed to establish appropriate cutoff values of LRG to predict the presence of SB lesions in CD through SBCE. Methods: Patients with CD with SB lesions who had undergone SBCE and LRG measurements 1 month before and after the SBCE were included. The LRG values for ulcers ≥0.5 cm and other inflammatory lesions noted in SBCE were determined using the Youden Index, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Additionally, the correlation between the SBCE scores (CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy) and LRG values was evaluated. Results: Forty patients without active colorectal lesions were included in the study. When the cutoff value of LRG for SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm was set at 14 μg/mL, the sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 81.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 70.6%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 95.7%. In contrast, an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL without inflammatory findings had a sensitivity of 91.7%, specificity of 82.1%, PPV of 68.8%, and NPV of 95.8%. CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy correlated well with LRG values (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ = 0.681, P< 0.001). Conclusions An LRG cutoff value of 14 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the presence of SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm, and an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the absence of SB inflammatory findings.

Background/Aims: Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is an evaluation method for small bowel (SB) lesions in Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the relationship between SBCE findings and the serological biomarker leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) remains unclear. We aimed to establish appropriate cutoff values of LRG to predict the presence of SB lesions in CD through SBCE. Methods: Patients with CD with SB lesions who had undergone SBCE and LRG measurements 1 month before and after the SBCE were included. The LRG values for ulcers ≥0.5 cm and other inflammatory lesions noted in SBCE were determined using the Youden Index, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Additionally, the correlation between the SBCE scores (CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy) and LRG values was evaluated. Results: Forty patients without active colorectal lesions were included in the study. When the cutoff value of LRG for SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm was set at 14 μg/mL, the sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 81.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 70.6%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 95.7%. In contrast, an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL without inflammatory findings had a sensitivity of 91.7%, specificity of 82.1%, PPV of 68.8%, and NPV of 95.8%. CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy correlated well with LRG values (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ = 0.681, P< 0.001). Conclusions An LRG cutoff value of 14 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the presence of SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm, and an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the absence of SB inflammatory findings.

A 76-year-old female was admitted with complaints of dyspnea on exertion and lower leg edema. She had undergone an aortic valve replacement thirty-nine years before and a redo aortic valve replacement and mitral valve replacement twenty-eight years before. She also had hemolytic anemia with jaundice. Echocardiography showed severe paravalvular leakage in the aortic and mitral valves, and a blood flow in the aortic annulus that flows from the aortic side into the left atrium. We diagnosed heart failure and hemolytic anemia due to paravalvular leakage and decided to perform a double-valve replacement for the third time. On operation, after removing the aortic valve through aortotomy, aorto- mitral fibrous continuity was extensively calcified and perforated, and its strength was not enough to sew the prosthetic valve to it. Therefore, we decided to perform the Commando procedure. Aortotomy was extended between the noncoronary aortic sinus and the left coronary aortic sinus until it reached the dome of the left atrium. After the prosthetic mitral valve was excised, annuloplasty of the posterior mitral annulus was performed using a bovine pericardial patch, and the new prosthesis mitral valve was implanted. The anterior part of the annulus corresponding to the aorto-mitral fibrous continuity was reconstructed by sewing the base of a two-tongued triangular bovine pericardial patch to the sewing cuff of the mitral prosthesis. After closing the left atrial ceiling with the posterior patch, the aortic prosthesis was secured to the aortic annulus and the pericardial patch. The anterior patch was used to close the right side of the aortotomy. The postoperative course was uneventful, and postoperative echocardiography revealed no paravalvular leakage.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been spreading globally since 2019；however, comprehensive rehabilitation of elderly patients with COVID-19 pneumonia remains a challenge. A 76-year-old American woman with COVID-19 pneumonia was admitted to our hospital. Because her disease was complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), she was treated with intensive care, including invasive ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During and after intensive care, she exhibited physical symptoms such as weakness, pain, shortness of breath, and difficulty in movement and exercise. Furthermore, during approximately 3.5 months of hospitalization, she received swallowing and speech therapies along with physical therapy. These rehabilitation therapies enabled her to get home in the United States. Her rehabilitation schedule had to be carefully planned according to her symptoms and infectiousness of COVID-19. This paper highlights few important points regarding the difficulty in rehabilitation including that of physical function, mental health, and cognitive function of patients with COVID-19. Furthermore, this report provides a problem-solving approach for long-term rehabilitation in elderly patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.