1)Continuing medical education (CME) systems were researched in 10 countries. In all countries but one CME is mandatory. Only Spain has voluntary CME, as does Japan.
2)The traditional CME systems in many countries were changed after 2000. We believe this change reflects a global revolution associated with a new wave of medical risk management.
3)To provide better medical services, we must keep improving Japan's CME system. Such improvement is an important responsibility to society.

1)We reproduced a problem–based learning (PBL) tutorial at our school and developed our own PBL tutorial, which we call "Fujita–style PBL." This is a clinical problem-solving type of PBL, in which both a monitoring room and small–group learning rooms are used.
2)To maintain the present number of PBL lessons despite the limited number of tutors, one tutor supervises several groups simultaneously. Coordinators observe the progress of PBL from a monitoring room and support the tutors.
3)Students learn the given scenario and identify their learning issues. After they study the learning issues by themselves, the students return to tutorials to explain their learning issues. Thereafter, each group's findings are presented to the groups supervised by one tutor.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnostic evaluation of the breast was performed in 61 patients who visted the Breast Clinic of our hospital and were suspected to have malignant tumors by physical examination and mammography between January and December 1999. In 58 patients undergoing histological diagnostic tests (8 with benignancy and 50 with breast cancer), we compared the imaging characteristics and the time-signal intensity curves acquired by dynamic imaging between benign and malignant lesions, and evaluated the usefulness of analyzing enhancement patterns on contrast MRI. Contrast MRI revealed strong tumor enhancement in all patients; the mean time required for the signal intensity to reach a peak was about 7 min in patients with benign tumors and about 2 min in those with breast cancer. Peripheral ring enhancement was observed in 40 of the 50 patients with breast cancer (80.0%), while such enhancement was not noted in any of the patients with benign tumors.
Although diagnosis of breast disease by imaging has primarily relied on mammography and ultrasonography, the pattern of contrast enhancement on dynamic MRI also appears to be useful for determining the treatment method of breast tumors.

The under-vastus approach (UVA) is a modification of the conventional subvastus approach for knee arthroplasty. Our modified UVA allows the muscles to be spared while offering good exposure of the operative field and facilitating anatomical repair of the capsule and fascia. A medial parapatellar incision is made and the vastus medialis fascia is incised along the same line. The muscle belly is not incised but detached from the surrounding fascia and retracted laterally. The suprapatellar pouch capsule is then laterally incised under the vastus muscles. The patella can then be easily retracted laterally and adequate exposure is possible. After the procedure, both capsule and fascia can be anatomically repaired. We use this approach for all primary arthroplasties in our practice. There has been no case in which an additional muscle incision was required, and there were no intraoperative complications. The modified UVA allows for excellent exposure of the operative field as well as muscle retention in both primary total and unicompartmental knee arthroplasties.
Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Fascia ; Intraoperative Complications ; Knee ; Muscles ; Osteoarthritis ; Patella ; Quadriceps Muscle

Background: Dual SC screw (DSCS) is a unique concept internal fixation device consisting of a sliding screw and barrel assembly that enables compression force to be applied to the femoral neck fracture side. There are two types of barrels: a thread barrel and a plate barrel that has a one-holed side plate to prevent varus deformity. We report clinical results of the application of a DSCS with combined use of a thread barrel screw as an anti-rotational screw and a plate barrel screw as a compression hip screw. Methods: We used DSCS for femoral neck fractures in 196 hip joints of 190 patients between November 2005 and June 2017. Among them, 70 hips in 66 patients (13 men and 53 women; mean age, 73.2 years) were followed up for at least 24 months. There were 53 nondisplaced fractures (Garden’s classification stage 1 or 2) and 17 displaced fractures (stage 3 or 4). We evaluated the postoperative walking ability of the patients who were followed up for at least 24 months and examined details of all complications. Results: The mean follow-up period was 37.4 months (range, 24–144 months). Forty-two (64%) out of the 66 patients who were followed up for at least 2 years were able to walk independently with or without a cane. The incidence of complications was 11.5% in nondisplaced fractures and 17.5% in displaced fractures, and arthroplasty was required in 5.8% and 5.0%, respectively. The most frequent complication was secondary displacement including cutout and shortening of the femoral neck, but no implants showed varus displacement. Conclusions The application of DSCS for the treatment of femoral neck fractures had satisfactory results. The complication rate was low, and there was no postoperative varus displacement of DSCS in either displaced or nondisplaced fractures. We suggest DSCS is a reliable option for both displaced and nondisplaced femoral neck fractures.

To reduce the stress on the medial tibial cortex and to decrease the risk of fracture, a varus cut of the tibia appears to be a reasonable alternative to the orthogonal cut by conventional methods. We present a new instrument and procedure, which enables a varus tibial cut for Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. We used a custom-made, slidable fixator instead of the standard fixator to set the extramedullary rod on the leg. We also made a numeric formula and a chart to arrange the varus cutting angle using the length of the mediolateral shift of the distal end and the longitudinal extension length of the extramedullary tibial rod. A varus cut up to 4.5° can be controlled. This technique is a simple and useful means of obtaining a varus tibial cut for Oxford unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Objective: As a minimal invasive surgery for the treatment of thumb carpometacarpal joint (trapeziometacarpal [TMC]) arthritis, we performed an arthroscopic synovectomy for Eaton stage II to IV arthritis.Patients and Methods: We included patients who were effectively treated with a corticosteroid injection, experienced recurrence of TMC pain, and had no major instability of the TMC. Surgery was performed in 17 female patients. Synovectomy was performed, when possible, using radiofrequency and a shaver. The mean follow-up period was 27.2 months.Results: Two patients required additional surgery; however, 15 patients were satisfied with the outcome. The mean visual analogue scale score improved from 8.8 preoperatively to 2.2 postoperatively.Conclusion: Arthroscopic synovectomy is indicated to be an effective treatment for stage II to IV TMC arthritis. The goal of this treatment was to relieve severe pain minimally invasively. Furthermore, if symptoms remain or reoccur, another curative procedure can be chosen.