Rectal tenesmus is a very uncomfortable symptom. Though antiarrhythmic drugs and nerve blocks have been proposed as a treatment for rectal tenesmus, none is well-established. We report a 68-year-old female who undertook surgery for uterine cervical cancer and underwent chemotherapy. She got a bilateral nephrostomy and bowel obstruction during the chemotherapy because of recurrence. She decided to stop chemotherapy and to receive palliative care. She had a symptom of rectal tenesmus, which was refractory to medications. The clinical sign was severe and uncomfortable, making her very nervous. We planned to treat the rectal tenesmus with a nerve block. A ganglion impar block was insufficient to remove the symptom, and the saddle block failed due to epidural lipomatosis. We finally succeeded in alleviating the sign with a neurolytic caudal epidural block. Relief of tenesmus made her hope to spend her final period at home. She could stay at home with her family for seven days before death without recurrence of the symptom. Though there is no report about the effectiveness of neurolytic caudal epidural block for rectal tenesmus, we consider the block appropriate for the symptom.

We have previously reported that the thoracolumbar posterior nerve root shows a tortuous epidural course, based on studies of human fetuses near term. For comparison with the cervical nerve, examinations were conducted using frontal, sagittal and horizontal sections of cervical vertebrae from 22 fetuses at 30–38 weeks of gestation. The cervical nerve root showed a short, straight and lateral course near the zygapophysial joint. Multiple rather than single bundles of the cervical posterior root seemed to account for the majority of sensory nerve fibers innervating the upper extremity. Fasciculation of rootlets was evident near the thoracolumbar spinal cord, whereas it was seen in the dural pocket at the nerve exit from the dural sac although both sites were subdural. As in the thoracolumbar region, the nerve sheath was continuous with the dura mater and independently surrounded each of the anterior and posterior roots. Radicular arteries were few in the cervical region. In 2 of the 22 fetuses (31 weeks and 33 weeks), there was a segmental, unilateral abnormality of nerve rootlet fasciculation where the dorsal root ganglion was located lateral or peripheral to the intervertebral region. Long nerve roots running inferiorly are a necessary adaptation to the delayed and marked growth of the thoracolumbar vertebral column.In children, the cervical nerve roots are likely to be affected by movement or dislocation of the vertebrae. The segmental abnormality of the cervical nerve root may be linked to rare variations in the brachial plexus.

Objective: To examine the clinical significance of an opioid, tapentadol, for cancer pain relief including its analgesic effects and indications based on our clinical experience. Methods: We retrospectively studied 31 patients receiving tapentadol in our hospital. Results: In 19 successfully treated patients, the numerical rating scale (NRS) scores showed a significant decrease in pain, and the doses at the start and completion of administration were 73.7±25.6 mg (morphine equivalent dose: 30 mg or less) and 125±49.3 mg, respectively. Six successfully treated patients showed improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms. The results of the comparison between successfully and unsuccessfully treated patients suggested titration to be difficult in patients with mixture of somatic pain and neuropathic pain. Conclusion: Based on our clinical experience, we consider tapentadol to be easy to use during the introductory period after treatment with non-opioids or low-dose opioids.

Introduction: The opioid-to-methadone conversion ratio is not constant. Thus, exacerbation of pain associated with switching of these drugs is a concern. We report two cases in which methadone was introduced in combination with epidural block. Case 1: The patient was a 55-year-old man who complained of perineal pain due to recurrent colorectal cancer. Diagnostic imaging could not be performed because of severe persistent pain and breakthrough pain even under treatment with oral oxycodone 600 mg/day. Methadone administration (starting dose, 45 mg/day) was started in combination with continuous lumbar epidural block. The persistent pain mostly dissipated after an approximately 2-week treatment period with methadone 75 mg/day, making magnetic resonance imaging measurement possible. Case 2: The patient was a 62-year-old man who complained of pain in both lower limbs due to spinal metastasis of prostate cancer. Pain impairing body movement persisted even during treatment with oral oxycodone 300 mg/day. The pain was reduced by combination treatment with continuous lumbar epidural block and methadone (starting dose, 30 mg/day), making it possible to perform radiotherapy. At the time of discharge from the hospital while being treated with methadone 45 mg/day, the patient complained minimally of pain. Conclusion: Owing to epidural block, switching to methadone was achieved smoothly without exacerbation of pain.

　　In recent years, favorable therapeutic outcomes have been reported for arterial injection chemoradiotherapy for tongue cancer. The present case involves an 80-year-old woman in our palliative care department who had high-grade, advanced tongue cancer. Because there was a request for surgery to prevent airway occlusion due to growth of the tumor, she was referred to our department in April 2009. As a treatment policy for controlling tumor growth in high-grade, advanced tongue cancer, arterial injection chemoradiotherapy was carried out through the superficial temporal artery, with a tongue artery catheter in place on both sides. Therapeutic effect was obtained, and it was possible to avoid airway occlusion through tumor regression. Dysphagia and dysphemia were improved, which in turn improved quality of life. In this case, there was an opportunity to carry out multidisciplinary team medicine, including support from the oral care and palliative care teams as part of the process of cancer therapy. Here, we present our findings in this case.

STUDY DESIGN: Case series. PURPOSE: To determine the utility of "PainVision" apparatus for the assessment of low back pain. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: A newly developed device, the PainVision PS-2100 (Nipro, Osaka, Japan), has been used to assess the perception of pain in a quantitative manner. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PainVision for the assessment of low back pain. METHODS: We assessed 89 patients with low back pain. The numeric rating scale (NRS) score, McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) score and the degree of pain calculated by PainVision were measured twice at 4-week intervals in each patient. An electrode was patched on the forearm surface of the patients and the degree of pain was automatically calculated (degree of pain=100x[current producing pain comparable with low back pain-current at perception threshold/current at perception threshold]). Correlations between NRS and MPQ scores and the degree of pain were determined using Spearman's rank correlation test. RESULTS: There was a strong correlation between the NRS and MPQ scores at each time point (rs =0.60, p<0.0001). The degree of pain also showed a moderate correlation with NRS and MPQ scores at each time point (rs =0.40, p<0.03). The change in the degree of pain over 4 weeks showed a moderate correlation with changes in the NRS and MPQ scores (rs =0.40, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: PainVision as self-reported questionnaires is a useful tool to assess low back pain.
Electrodes ; Forearm ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Pain Measurement ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Abstract
Objective : To investigate the causes of fever of inpatients hospitalized in the Department of General Practice at Jichi Medical University Hospital.
Methods : We reviewed all medical records of the patients hospitalized in the Department of General Practice at this hospital between April 2003 and March 2004. Patients were selected as the “febrile group” by following criteria, 1) body temperature exceeded 37.5°C on admission, 2) fever and fever of unknown origin (FUO) were included in the clinical problems, and the causes of fever were described.
Results : A total of 464 patients were hospitalized and 221 patients (47.6%) were categorized as the “febrile group”. The most common cause of fever was infection (67.4%), followed by malignant disease (4.1%), collagen disease (3.2%), miscellaneous diseases (10.4%). 26 patients were classified as fever of unknown origin (FUO). Among FUO patients, collagen disease was the most common cause (34.6%), and undiagnosed cases was 26.9% that was similar to past reports. Although the rates of malignant disease and collagen disease were about sixteen percent in each generation from thirties to fifties as the cause of fever, only one patient met the criteria of classical FUO.
Conclusions : The most common cause of fever was infection. Systematic survey including hospitalization is needed early in case an outpatient doesn't cure fever unexpectedly. Noninfectious inflammatory diseases emerge as an important category of the causative disease of FUO.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical results of treatment with a high dose of 3-dimensional conformal boost (3DCB) using a real-time tracking radiation therapy (RTRT) system in cervical cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and December 2004, 10 patients with cervical cancer were treated with a high dose 3DCB using RTRT system. Nine patients received whole pelvis radiation therapy (RT) with a median dose of 50 Gy (range, 40-50 Gy) before the 3DCB. The median dose of the 3DCB was 30 Gy (range, 25-30 Gy). Eight patients received the 3DCB twice a week with a daily fraction of 5 Gy. The determined endpoints were tumor response, overall survival, local failure free survival, and distant metastasis free survival. The duration of survival was calculated from the time of the start of radiotherapy. RESULTS: All patients were alive at the time of analysis and the median follow-up was 17.6 months (range, 4.9-27.3 months). Complete response was achieved in nine patients and one patient had a partial response. The 1- and 2-year local failure free survival was 78.8% and 54%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year distant metastasis free survival was 90% and 72%, respectively. Late toxicity of a grade 2 rectal hemorrhage was seen in one patient. A subcutaneous abscess was encountered in one patient. CONCLUSION: The use of the high dose 3DCB in the treatment of cervical cancer is safe and feasible where intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) is unable to be performed. The escalation of the 3DCB dose is currently under evaluation.
Adult ; Aged ; *Brachytherapy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/adverse effects/*methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/mortality/pathology/*radiotherapy

Six patients(3 male,3 female)aged 33-66 yr, Course of disease 6-35 days, diagnosed with spontaneous intracranial hypotemion in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from November 2007 to May 2008,Were treated with on epidural autologus blood patch trader X-ray guidance. According to the results of CT myelography. the puncture site Was chosen in the 1-2 vertebral interspaees below the site of a single eerebrospinal fluid leak. For patients with multiple cerebrospinal fluid leaks.the procedure was performed at the spinal cord segment of the most severe leak. The mixture of augous blood and Omnipaque(300g/100 ml)at a ratio of 2:1 was injected into the epidural space to cover the spinal cord segment of the leaks under C-arm fluoroscopic guidance.Side effects were recorded during and after the injection of autologus blood.The treatment was repeated one week later if the former one failed.One patient was treated with epidural blood patch 3 times.and the rest 5 patients were treated with epidural blood patch 1 time.During the injeetion of autologus blood,5 patients complained of pain in the purtclure site,2 experienced pain radiating to the upper limb,2 felt,numbness in the right leg and all of these syndromes could be self-relieved.No side effects were observed after the injection of autologus blood.All the patients were Cured and no recurrence was observed during a 2-6 month follow-up.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships among fall risk, physical activity habits, and ADL capability in a community-dwelling Japanese elderly population.

METHODSThe subjects were 1,407 Japanese aged 65 or older (604 males, 803 females). Fall risk was evaluated using the Falling Assessment Chart of Suzuki et al. (2003). Physical activity habits such as the frequency of leaving the house, the use of transportation, the frequency of physical exercise, and interests were evaluated. ADL capability was evaluated using the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence.

RESULTSApproximately 25% of the subjects had a high fall risk (score of 5 or more). Fall risk increased with age and ADL capability decreased with age. The group with a low fall risk (score<5) had a significantly higher ADL capability than the group with a high fall risk (score≥5). From results of two-way ANCOVA (gender×physical activity habits) with age as the covariate, the fall risk of people who regularly go on leaving the house, exercise, and have interests tended to be low. Further more, the relationships between the scores and physical activity habits were examined by two-way ANCOVA with age and ADL capability as the covariates. There were significant differences in the frequency of leaving the house, and elderly persons who leaved regularly the house, had a low fall risk.

CONCLUSIONSThis study showed that fall risk is closely related to ADL capability, and that the frequency of leaving the house is very important for reducing fall risk.