Background: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage (EUSD) is an effective treatment for postoperative pancreatic fluid collections (POPFCs); however, standards regarding stents used for EUSD have not been established. This study analyzed the outcomes of EUSD of POPFCs at our hospital and examined the safety and effectiveness of plastic stents/tubes. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study focused on EUSD of POPFCs performed at our hospital. We examined the rates of technical success, clinical success, adverse events, and recurrence. Results: Twenty-seven patients were included in this study. The initial drainage methods comprised one nasocystic plastic tube (NPT) and one double-pigtail plastic stent (DPS) for 19 (70.4%) patients, two DPS for four (14.8%) patients, one NPT for three (11.1%) patients, and one lumen-apposing metal stent for one (3.7%) patient. The technical success and clinical success rates were both 100%. Fourteen of the 19 patients with one NPT and one DPS improved, but five patients required additional interventions and improved with fistula site dilation. Although recurrence occurred in one patient, improvement was achieved with second EUSD. Early adverse events comprised one case of bleeding for which hemostasis was achieved by performing coil embolization. Late adverse events comprised three cases of DPS migration; however, no additional intervention was required. Conclusion The use of plastic tubes/stents is safe and effective for EUSD of POPFCs.

Purpose: The impact of postoperative nutritional status on clinical outcomes and biomechanics following total knee arthroplasty remains largely unknown. This study aimed to assess this question using the prognostic nutritional index to evaluate the nutritional status of orthopedic participants. Methods: Patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent total knee arthroplasty (n=49) in Japan were divided into two groups based on their 1-week postoperative prognostic nutritional index. Group L patients had a prognostic nutritional index <40, whereas Group H comprised patients with a prognostic nutritional index ≥40. Postoperative improvements in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score were evaluated. The patients performed squats under single-fluoroscopic surveillance in the sagittal plane for biomechanical evaluation. A two-dimensional/three-dimensional registration technique was employed to measure the tibiofemoral kinematics. The axial rotation of the femoral component relative to the tibial component and the anteroposterior translation of the medial and lateral femorotibial contact points were measured. Results: Group H showed significantly higher pain scores than Group L at 12 and 36 months postoperatively and a significantly higher symptom score at 36 months postoperatively. The kinematic comparison revealed that the axial external rotation in Group L was larger than that in Group H from 70° to 80° with flexion. Moreover, in the medial anteroposterior translation, Group L was more anteriorly located than Group H, with flexion beyond 30°. Conclusion The results suggest that a high postoperative nutritional status significantly improved pain and other symptoms and was associated with better knee biomechanics following total knee arthroplasty.

Background: s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model. Methods: Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort. Results: In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM). Conclusions Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.

Objective: : To evaluate the effect of ventricular opening (VO) on recurrence patterns in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) treated with bis-chloroethyl-nitrosourea (BCNU) wafer implantation. Methods: : This single-center retrospective study included 40 patients with newly diagnosed GBM who received BCNU wafer implantation after tumor resection between March 2013 and February 2022. The patients were categorized into two groups based on whether VO occurred during the GBM resection. While 18 patients had VO, 22 did not have VO. In cases with VO, the ventricular wall defect is closed with gelatin or oxidized regenerated cellulose and fibrin glue before BCNU wafer implantation. Recurrence patterns—classified as local, diffuse, distant, or multifocal—and time to recurrence were compared between patients with and without VO. Results: : The median follow-up period for the entire cohort was 32.2 months (interquartile range, 16.7–38 months). Median survival time was comparable between patients with VO and patients without VO (38 vs. 26 months, p=0.53). Recurrence occurred in 31/40 patients (77.5%) in entire cohort. The incidence of recurrence was comparable between patients with VO and patients without VO (14 [77.8%] vs. 17 [77.3%], p=1.0). No significant differences were seen between the two groups in time to recurrence (p=0.59) or recurrence patterns (p=0.35). Conclusion : Ventricular opening during surgery with BCNU wafer implantation does not seem to influence the recurrence patterns. Ventricular opening does not induce distant recurrence if appropriate ventricular closure is performed.

Objective: : To evaluate the effect of ventricular opening (VO) on recurrence patterns in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) treated with bis-chloroethyl-nitrosourea (BCNU) wafer implantation. Methods: : This single-center retrospective study included 40 patients with newly diagnosed GBM who received BCNU wafer implantation after tumor resection between March 2013 and February 2022. The patients were categorized into two groups based on whether VO occurred during the GBM resection. While 18 patients had VO, 22 did not have VO. In cases with VO, the ventricular wall defect is closed with gelatin or oxidized regenerated cellulose and fibrin glue before BCNU wafer implantation. Recurrence patterns—classified as local, diffuse, distant, or multifocal—and time to recurrence were compared between patients with and without VO. Results: : The median follow-up period for the entire cohort was 32.2 months (interquartile range, 16.7–38 months). Median survival time was comparable between patients with VO and patients without VO (38 vs. 26 months, p=0.53). Recurrence occurred in 31/40 patients (77.5%) in entire cohort. The incidence of recurrence was comparable between patients with VO and patients without VO (14 [77.8%] vs. 17 [77.3%], p=1.0). No significant differences were seen between the two groups in time to recurrence (p=0.59) or recurrence patterns (p=0.35). Conclusion : Ventricular opening during surgery with BCNU wafer implantation does not seem to influence the recurrence patterns. Ventricular opening does not induce distant recurrence if appropriate ventricular closure is performed.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease causing dyspnea on exertion, exercise intolerance, decline in quality of life, and physical inactivity. The patient is a 78-year-old male. He complained of quadriplegia and was diagnosed with a C7/Th1 cervical epidural abscess. After treatment with antibiotics, he was transferred to our hospital. He had tetraplegia, which corresponded to the ASIA impairment scale D, and his Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor score was 35 points. In addition, he had severe COPD; the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale was grade 5, and the COPD assessment test (CAT) score was 26 points. He complained of dyspnea on exertion with low intensity movements. Despite rehabilitation, improvement in ADL and physical function was poor, his FIM motor score was 43 points and the Berg balance scale (BBS) score was 21 points at the 30th day. Therefore, we started assist use of a short-acting β2 agonist (SABA) before rehabilitation on the 33rd day, and his dyspnea on exertion, physical activity, and respiratory dysfunction improved. On the 83rd day, the improvement was as follows: the MRC dyspnea scale was grade 4, the CAT score was 18 points, his 6-minute walk distance was 110 m, and his BBS score was 40 points. He was weaned from continuous oxygen therapy and discharged on day 112, at which time his FIM motor score was 69 points. We considered that the assist use of SABA before rehabilitation improved his respiratory status and physical activity without worsening his respiratory function or limb muscle weakness due to dyspnea and quadriplegia.

Purpose: The impact of postoperative nutritional status on clinical outcomes and biomechanics following total knee arthroplasty remains largely unknown. This study aimed to assess this question using the prognostic nutritional index to evaluate the nutritional status of orthopedic participants. Methods: Patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent total knee arthroplasty (n=49) in Japan were divided into two groups based on their 1-week postoperative prognostic nutritional index. Group L patients had a prognostic nutritional index <40, whereas Group H comprised patients with a prognostic nutritional index ≥40. Postoperative improvements in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score were evaluated. The patients performed squats under single-fluoroscopic surveillance in the sagittal plane for biomechanical evaluation. A two-dimensional/three-dimensional registration technique was employed to measure the tibiofemoral kinematics. The axial rotation of the femoral component relative to the tibial component and the anteroposterior translation of the medial and lateral femorotibial contact points were measured. Results: Group H showed significantly higher pain scores than Group L at 12 and 36 months postoperatively and a significantly higher symptom score at 36 months postoperatively. The kinematic comparison revealed that the axial external rotation in Group L was larger than that in Group H from 70° to 80° with flexion. Moreover, in the medial anteroposterior translation, Group L was more anteriorly located than Group H, with flexion beyond 30°. Conclusion The results suggest that a high postoperative nutritional status significantly improved pain and other symptoms and was associated with better knee biomechanics following total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: The impact of postoperative nutritional status on clinical outcomes and biomechanics following total knee arthroplasty remains largely unknown. This study aimed to assess this question using the prognostic nutritional index to evaluate the nutritional status of orthopedic participants. Methods: Patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent total knee arthroplasty (n=49) in Japan were divided into two groups based on their 1-week postoperative prognostic nutritional index. Group L patients had a prognostic nutritional index <40, whereas Group H comprised patients with a prognostic nutritional index ≥40. Postoperative improvements in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score were evaluated. The patients performed squats under single-fluoroscopic surveillance in the sagittal plane for biomechanical evaluation. A two-dimensional/three-dimensional registration technique was employed to measure the tibiofemoral kinematics. The axial rotation of the femoral component relative to the tibial component and the anteroposterior translation of the medial and lateral femorotibial contact points were measured. Results: Group H showed significantly higher pain scores than Group L at 12 and 36 months postoperatively and a significantly higher symptom score at 36 months postoperatively. The kinematic comparison revealed that the axial external rotation in Group L was larger than that in Group H from 70° to 80° with flexion. Moreover, in the medial anteroposterior translation, Group L was more anteriorly located than Group H, with flexion beyond 30°. Conclusion The results suggest that a high postoperative nutritional status significantly improved pain and other symptoms and was associated with better knee biomechanics following total knee arthroplasty.