Journal of Nippon Medical School最新文献

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with cardiovascular complications; however, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) with QT prolongation and Torsade de pointes has been reported only rarely. We present a case of TCM after QT prolongation and Torsade de pointes. A 58-year-old woman was admitted because of COVID-19-related pneumonia. Seven days after admission, she developed sudden loss of consciousness without any indication of cardiovascular disease. A monitoring electrocardiogram indicated Torsade de pointes and a prolonged QT interval. Emergency cardiac catheterization revealed TCM. She was treated with favipiravir and steroids, followed by rehabilitation, and her condition improved. To detect asymptomatic TCM, routine electrocardiography screening should be considered for patients with COVID-19.

Laparoscopic surgery is performed worldwide and has clear economic and social benefits in terms of patient recovery time. It is used for most gastrointestinal surgical procedures, but laparoscopic surgery for more complex procedures in the esophageal, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic regions remains challenging. Minimally invasive surgery that results in accurate tumor dissection is vital in surgical oncology, and development of surgical systems and instruments plays a key role in assisting surgeons to achieve this. A notable advance in the latter half of the 1990s was the da Vinci Surgical System, which involves master-slave surgical support robots. Featuring high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) imaging with magnification capabilities and forceps with multi-joint function, anti-shake function, and motion scaling, the system compensates for the drawbacks of conventional laparoscopic surgery. It is expected to be particularly useful in the field of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery, which requires delicate reconstruction involving complex liver anatomy with diverse vascular and biliary systems and anastomosis of the biliary tract, pancreas, and intestines. The learning curve is said to be short, and it is hoped that robotic surgery will be standardized in the near future. There is also a need for a standardized robotic surgery training system for young surgeons that can later be adapted to a wider range of surgeries. This systematic review describes trends and future prospects for robotic surgery in the hepatobiliary-pancreatic region.

Purpose: To quantify and compare the severity of metamorphopsia in patients undergoing vitrectomy for vitreoretinal disorders.

Methods: Data were collected evaluated from 319 patients with vitreoretinal disorders, including epiretinal membrane (ERM), macular hole (MH), cystoid macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO-CME), CME with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), diabetic macular edema (DME), macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (M-off RD), and macula-on RD (M-on RD). Metamorphopsia was recorded with the M-CHARTS preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively.

Results: Preoperative and 6-month postoperative metamorphopsia scores were 0.69 ± 0.50 and 0.50 ± 0.52, respectively. Before surgery, 94% of patients presented with metamorphopsia (score ≥0.2). Preoperative metamorphopsia scores were significantly correlated with postoperative metamorphopsia scores (r = 0.378, p < 0.0001). Preoperative metamorphopsia score was significantly higher for ERM (0.89) than for DME (0.51). Vitrectomy significantly improved metamorphopsia in ERM and MH but not in the other disorders. In contrast, treatment improved visual acuity for all disorders except CRVO-CME and M-on RD.

Conclusion: This quantitative study indicated that metamorphopsia is present in most patients undergoing surgery for vitreoretinal diseases and is most severe in ERM. In these patients, vitrectomy improved visual acuity but not metamorphopsia.

Smoking-related interstitial lung diseases (SRILDs) are a group of heterogeneous diffuse pulmonary parenchymal diseases associated with tobacco exposure. Smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF) is relatively recent, a pathologically defined form of SRILDs. SRIF is characterized by the accumulation of macrophages in the alveolar spaces, which is associated with interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. The macrophages frequently contain light brown pigment and are called 'smoker's macrophages'. Patients with SRIF who have clinical evidence of interstitial lung disease are most commonly relatively young, heavy smokers with abnormalities on chest computed tomography showing ground-glass opacities, peripheral consolidation, and reticulation. Although SRIF is caused by cigarette smoking, the exact pathophysiological mechanisms by which smoking causes this type of interstitial fibrosis remain unknown. The degree of fibrosis and appearance of macrophage aggregates are important points of distinction when evaluating and diagnosing SRIF. Macrophage heterogeneity, particularly the activation and function of monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages (Mo-AMs) and interstitial macrophages (IMs), has important implications for the pathogenesis of SRIF and developing treatments. Further researches focused on smoker's macrophages are needed to understand of the pathogenesis of SRIF.

Background: Repeated triage training is necessary to maintain and improve the accuracy of simple triage and rapid treatment (START), a popular triage method. Virtual reality (VR) may be more effective than conventional training methods. This study aimed to verify the educational usefulness of START using VR originally developed for students.

Methods: A VR was initially developed with a function that allowed students to select the triage procedure and its evaluation. Triage was performed using a simple modified START method, and eight scenarios were developed. The participants included 70 paramedic students classified into VR and live lecture groups. They took a 20-question written test that evaluated their academic ability before the course. After the course, a practical test and a 20-question written test were conducted. The total score of the practical test was 43 points. Triage procedure (1 point), observation and evaluation (1-5 points), and triage categories (1 point) were evaluated in this test.

Results: The VR and live lecture groups consisted of 33 and 29 participants, respectively. No significant differences were observed pre- and post-test. In the practical test, the median (interquartile range) score was 29 (26-32) and 25 (23-29) for the VR and live lecture groups, respectively, with the VR group scoring significantly higher (P=0.03).

Conclusion: Our results confirmed the educational usefulness of selective VR for active learning of START. Therefore, VR combined with live lectures and simulations would be an optimal educational technique.

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare disease in which an autoantibody causes bleeding by interacting with and inhibiting the coagulation activity of endogenous factor VIII (FVIII). Most cases of AHA are idiopathic; known causes include autoimmune diseases, malignant tumors, pregnancy, drugs, and viral infections. An 86-year-old man was diagnosed with AHA based on the following results: an activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) extension of 130.7 seconds, presence of an inhibitor pattern in a mixing study, an endogenous factor VIII (FVIII) level of <1%, and an FVIII inhibitor titer of >5.1 Bethesda units (BU). The activity of von Willebrand factor (vWF) was diminished (<10%), which was considered a complication of acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS). The patient was started on prednisolone, and the inhibitor level eventually became negative. vWF values also became normal. However, 1 year later, he was hospitalized for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Blood testing showed an aPTT extension of 110.5 seconds, FVIII level of 4%, and FVIII inhibitor titer of 0.8 BU; thus, a relapse of AHA was diagnosed. After administration of corticosteroid and remdesivir, he recovered from COVID-19 and AHA. The inhibitor level became negative on the 9th day of admission. Several studies have implicated COVID-19 infection and vaccination in AHA. We recommend that aPTT be measured when patients with AHA are infected with SARS-CoV2, to confirm AHA relapse.

Background: The increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) requires effective preventive measures, particularly due to an aging population. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of home visit rehabilitation in preventing renal function decline among patients with CKD.

Method: In this retrospective study, patients with non-dialysis CKD undergoing home visit rehabilitation were compared with those receiving outpatient care at the Nippon Medical School Hospital between August 2017 and August 2023. Patients' backgrounds were matched using propensity scores derived from a logistic regression model. The primary endpoint was the annual change in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and the secondary endpoint was the annual change in blood parameters (Δblood urea nitrogen, Δcreatinine, Δtotal protein, Δalbumin, ΔC-reactive protein, Δhemoglobin, and Δhematocrit). Furthermore, the incidence of clinical outcomes, including mortality, hospitalization rate, and dialysis initiation rate, were analyzed within the additional 1-year observation period.

Results: Overall, 128 patients (64 matched pairs) were analyzed. After a mean follow-up period of 12.7 ± 4.6 months, there was no significant difference in the eGFR between both groups (40.1 ± 13.7 vs. 37.8 ± 13.8 mL/min/1.73 m², p = 0.36), but the annual decline in eGFR (%/year) was significantly lower in the rehabilitation group (-1.1 ± 29.8% vs. -11.8 ± 27.7%/year, p = 0.037). The annual change in the level of each blood test parameter and clinical outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusion: Home-based rehabilitation interventions may mitigate the progression of renal impairment in patients with CKD.

Background: Spontaneous isolated visceral artery dissection (SIVAD) is rare. Recently, appropriate treatment strategies for symptomatic SIVAD have been proposed. We aimed to determine the management of asymptomatic spontaneous isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection (ASISMAD), which is relatively frequently encountered in SIVAD.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal contrast-enhanced computed-tomography (CE-CT) scans from January 2015 to December 2020 in our institution and identified 24 patients with ASISMAD. Patient characteristics, vascular risk factors, complications, morphology features on CE-CT images, changes in abdominal CE-CT, and treatments outcomes were analyzed.

Results: All patients were male. The mean age of the patients was 66.0 ± 8.9 (standard deviation) years, and the follow-up period was 24.8 ± 28.7 months. The CE-CT images revealed that 1 patient had periarterial fat stranding, 15 patients had aneurysmal dilatation, and 7 patients had branch vessel involvement. The mean length of the dissection was 19.9 ± 13.5 mm. The mean distance from the orifice of the superior mesenteric artery to the dissection origin point was 14.9 ± 8.8 mm. The mean branching angle was 54.8°± 19.7°. None of the patients had dissection-related abdominal symptoms or complications. Follow-up CE-CT scans showed progression of the dissection in 2 (8.3%), improvement in 2 (8.3%), stable dissection in 17 (70.9%), and complete remodeling in 3 (12.5%).

Conclusions: Patients with ASISMAD do not require hospitalization because the pathology does not usually progress to visceral ischemia. Nevertheless, follow-up CE-CT is required because of progression of the dissection in rare cases.

Radiocarpal dislocation is an uncommon injury that is usually caused by high-energy trauma. Herein, we present two cases of dorsal radiocarpal dislocation with radial styloid fractures that were treated by arthroscopy-assisted reduction and internal fixation. Wrist arthroscopy provides accurate information on intra-articular fractures and carpal and/or intracarpal ligamentous tears of the radiocarpal joint. Furthermore, the procedure enables simultaneous anatomical reduction of intra-articular fractures and radiocarpal and/or intercarpal ligament repair. Arthroscopy-assisted reduction and internal fixation yield satisfactory outcomes for patients presenting with dorsal radiocarpal dislocation and radial styloid fractures.

Background: The differences in the characteristics of ischemic stroke associated with a mobile versus nonmobile residual left atrial thrombus (LAT) are unclear. We investigated whether the mobility of an LAT detected by transthoracic echocardiography is associated with the clinical features of stroke.

Methods: This study included 20 consecutive patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who were admitted to our hospital for treatment of acute ischemic stroke and then found to have an LAT on transthoracic echocardiography. The patients were divided into two groups: those with a mobile LAT (Group M) and those with a nonmobile LAT (Group N). The clinical, neuroradiological, and echocardiographic variables were assessed.

Results: The LAT was mobile in 11 patients (Group M) and nonmobile in nine patients (Group N). The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission was higher in Group M than N (17 vs. 7, respectively; p=0.196). Four patients in Group M and one in Group N developed in-hospital stroke recurrence (36% vs. 11%, respectively; p=0.319). The prevalence of large vessel occlusion (15 events in Group M and 10 events in Group N, including in-hospital recurrent events) was significantly higher in Group M than N (73% vs. 30%, respectively; p=0.049), which seemed to lead to poorer functional outcomes in Group M than N (ratio of modified Rankin scale score of 0-2 at discharge: 18% vs. 44%, respectively; p=0.336).

Conclusions: The mobility of LAT may affect stroke severity in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.