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We investigated the efficacy of different biliary drainage methods for the treatment of unresectable cholangiocarcinomas. We performed a retrospective study of 28 patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinomas who underwent biliary drainage at our hospital between January 2008 and June 2014 to compare the incidence of post-drainage stent dysfunction (SD) and reintervention (RI) for SD according to primary drainage method, lesion site, and complication status (the presence or absence of cholangitis). The duration of stent patency was compared between the different stent types. No significant differences in the incidence of SD and RI were found according to primary drainage methods, lesion site, or the presence or absence of cholangitis. The mean durations of stent patency for plastic and metal stents were 2.7 months and 7.4 months, respectively, suggesting that metal stents should be selected when the estimated prognosis is ≥2 months. Furthermore, metal stent placement, rather than the additional placement of plastic stents, should be considered a feasible option in cases of SD.

We investigated the susceptibility of Candida species from clinical aseptic samples, including blood, at some hospitals in Saitama prefecture. Candida spp. detected from aseptic samples in the 6 institutes in Saitama prefecture from November 2007 to July 2011 were studied. The number of isolates was 85, which are 43 (50.6%) of Candida albicans, 24 (28.2%) of Candida parapsilosis, 5 (5.9%) of Candida glabrata, 5 (5.9%) of Candida tropicalis, 4 (4.7%) of Candida guilliermondii, 2 (2.4%) of Candida fermentati, 1 (1.2%) of Candida famata and Candida lusitaniae, respectively. All isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B. However, resistant isolates against micafungin were 3 in 5 of C. glabrata. We analyzed susceptibility of Candida spp. in Saitama prefecture in the article, and our study might be useful for the fungal therapy in the region.

Background: We investigated predictors for axillary node metastasis at breast surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with pre-chemotherapy-sentinel node positive breast cancer., Methods: Eighty-two patients were diagnosed as having positive sentinel lymph node (SLN), who had axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) performed after combination anthracycline/taxan based NAC, between 2002 and 2009., Results: Eighteen (22.0%) of the 82 patients had residual axillary metastases after NAC. Multivariate analysis revealed that SLNs status before NAC was an important factor in predicting residual axillary metastases. Predictors of residual nodal disease were the number of macrometastases and the percentage (>50%) of positive SLNs in all SLNs. Among a subgroup of hormone-receptor positive and HER2-negative tumors, the risk of residual nodal metastases were high sensitivity of hormone receptor, with more than 50% of tumor cells staining positive for ER and PgR., Conclusion: Patients with two or more positive SLNs before NAC had a high risk of residual nodal metastasis after NAC.

We report three cases of primary lung cancer after radiotherapy for breast cancer. Case 1 was a 73-year-old woman, who had bilateral breast cancer 27 years previously. Case 2 was a 70-year-old woman, who had left breast cancer 31 years previously. Case 3 was a 56-year-old woman, who had left breast cancer 14 years previously. Since all three lung cancers developed within the irradiated field, breast cancer radiotherapy was speculated to be one of the contributing factors for their lung cancers. Clinicians treating breast cancer survivors who have received Cobalt-60 radiation therapy and are or have been smokers should be aware of the risk of lung cancer over 10 years or more after radiotherapy.

A 77-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with muscle weakness and shortness of breath. Chest CT showed a mass in the left upper lobe, and electromyography showed waxing phenomenon with high-frequency repetitive stimulation. We diagnosed Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome accompanying small cell lung cancer. He was treated with carboplatin and etoposide, and concurrent thoracic irradiation. Although, the tumor size decreased, his myasthenic symptoms remained. He started taking 3,4-diaminopyridine and his muscle weakness improved dramatically, and he was eventually able to walk finally. In some cases, anti-tumor therapies cannot improve the myasthenic symptoms. In such cases, 3,4-diaminopyridine could improve the quality of life, and should be approved in Japan.

A 70-year-old woman with cough was diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma by bronchoscopic transbronchial biopsy. She was diagnosed cT2N0M0, stage IB clinically, and the tumor was surgically resected. Postoperative pathology was confirmed to be pleomorphic carcinoma of pT2N2M0, stage III A. She received 6 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and docetaxel. Five months later, new pulmonary and bone metastases were detected. Gefitinib was started, and she has shown stable disease for 7 months. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation was observed in her tumor specimens.

A 59-year-old male was referred to our hospital because of hemoptysis. A chest X-ray film and 7 mm-slice CT scan showed no abnormal finding. Bronchoscopy revealed hemorrhage in the right upper bronchus (B1a) Bronchial lavage of the lesion was performed, but Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not detected. Because of repeated hemoptysis, he was admitted to our hospital. Right bronchial artery angiograph showed vascular hyperplasia in the peripheral part of the upper lobal branch, and this lesion was suggested to be a bleeding point. There were no vascular malformations. Thin slice (0.5 mm-thick) CT scan showed mild infiltrative shadow in the right upper lobe. After admission, sputa smear for mycobacteria and PCR for M. tuberculosis became positive, and he was diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis. After starting antituberculous chemotherapy, hemoptysis disappeared, and sputa smear and culture for mycobacteria converted to negative. This case suggests that lung tuberculosis should be suspected in patients having hemoptysis, even though they had no chest X-ray film abnormality.

A 58-year-old woman presented, conjugate upgaze palsy and monocular paresis of downward gaze in the ipsilateral eye (vertical one-and-a-half syndrome; VOHS) as well as seesaw nystagmus (SSN). Vertical oculocephalic response and conjugate horizontal gaze were preserved. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a right thalamo-mesencephalic infarction including the rostral interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus (riMLF) and the interstitial nucleus of Cajal. On the 22nd hospital day SSN was disappeared, and then on the 32nd day VOHS was improved. The lesions of VOHS may have affected the efferent tracts of riMLF and the descending fibres to the ipsilateral subnucleus of the inferior rectus and contralateral subnucleus of the superior oblique. Furthermore, it was assumed that SSN was caused simultaneously by a lesion in the interstitial nucleus of Cajal existing in the adjacent area of riMLF.

The annual multicenter studies on isolated bacteria from infections in general surgery and their antimicrobial susceptibility have been conducted in Japan since July 1982. In this paper, the results obtained in the academic year 1999 (from April 1999 to March 2000) have been summarized. Two hundred seven cases were investigated, and 411 strains were isolated from 169 cases (81.6%). Of those strains, 184 and 227 strains were from primary infections and postoperative infections, respectively. In primary infections, the isolation rates of anaerobes, Streptococcus spp., and Escherichia coli were higher than in postoperative infections, while in postoperative infections, those of Gram-positive aerobes were higher than in primary infections. Staphylococcus aureus were most frequently isolated among Gram-positive aerobes, Peptostreptococcus prevotii among Gram-positive anaerobes, E. coli among Gram-negative aerobes, and Bacteroides fragilis among Gram-negative anaerobes. In primary infections, the percentage of Gram-negative aerobes, which gradually increased by the year 1998, decreased in the year 1999. The percentage of Gram-negative anaerobes increased, while that of Gram-negative bacteria was equivalent to that in the last year. In postoperative infections, the percentage of Gram-negative anaerobes, which continuously increased after the year 1990, decreased, while that of Gram-positive aerobes, which decreased in the last year, increased. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus accounted for 70.7% of S. aureus (41 strains). Either the number of strain or the percentage of MRSA decreased. The susceptibilities of E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae decreased against third and forth generation cephems, oxacephems, and monobactams. The susceptibilities of P. aeruginosa to carbapenems tend to decrease after the year 1997. S. aureus showed good susceptibilities to the tested drugs including arbekacin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin.

We reported a 31 year-old man with repeated episodes of migraine at a frequency of about once a week on and after January, 2000. In January 2001, scintillating scotoma and pulsating headache appeared followed by left hemianopsia. His platelet count decreased to 80,000/microliter and high intensity areas were observed in the right occipital lobe and hippocampal gyrus on the FLAIR image of brain MRI. Subsequently performed brain MRA and vertebral angiography revealed segmental stenosis and obstruction in the right posterior cerebral artery. Under the diagnosis of migrainous infarction, sodium ozagrel and lomerizine hydrochloride were administered. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura was additionally diagnosed based on the decreased platelet count which was then treated with predonisolone. After these treatment, his migraine attack disappeared. In this patient, platelet destruction due to idiopathic thrombocytopinic purpura and subsequent release of serotonin seemed to have involved in the occurrence of migrainous infarction.

We report a rare case of nephrotic syndrome in an elderly woman with positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA). The patient was 81 years of age and had a history of interstitial pneumonia. She was diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis(RA) at admission. Rapidly progressing renal damage was found with mild microscopic hematuria and positive ANCA. The renal biopsy findings indicated membranous nephropathy. Neither gold nor anti-rheumatic drugs had been previously administered. She may have had an RA-specific membranous nephropathy. Crescentic formation was not clear. With hematuria, the leukocyte infiltration in the capillary lumen and the change in epithelial cells of Bowman's capsules would be histological findings suggesting ANCA-associated nephritis. This is a rare report on membranous nephropathy in an RA patient with ANCA-associated nephritis.

Food hygiene in Japanese-style confectionery factories is hard to practice because the businesses are small. In a supporting system of voluntary-based hygienic management in this field, we microbiologically investigated the production processes of "Monaka" in a workshop in Tokyo. We microbiologically assessed the processing environments as well as the products in the workshop, then proposed some improvements in the production of the confectionery. After the improvements, microbial contamination of the processing environments was reduced and no microbial contamination was found in the sugared bean, or "An" produced, though the product "Monaka" was still contaminated, especially by molds. It was clarified that the molds came from contaminated baked wheat shells, or "Kawa" and further that the wheat shells were contaminated by molds during storage.

We report a successful surgical treatment of an infective thoracic aortic aneurysm ruptured to the left lung. A 63-year-old man who had been suffering from fever and cough showed twice of hemoptysis. Chest CT revealed a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm ruptured to the left lung. A semiemergent operation was performed. At operation, aneurysm of descending thoracic aorta was found adherent to the left lung. Aneurysmectomy with left pneumonectomy was carried out. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful. Conceivably, in order to avoid massive intraoperative bleeding during division of dense adhesion and postoperative graft infection, concomitant lung resection is necessary.

We evaluated the long-term results of 28 operative survivors who underwent surgical repair for acute type A dissection. Residual dissection of the thoracic aorta was found in 21 patients (75.0%) postoperatively, and 6 of them underwent reoperation with no operative death. There were 2 late death; one died in the third operation for thoracoabdominal aorta and the other died of cancer. Two of 4 patients with Marfan's syndrome required total aortic replacement ultimately. Since the elective reoperation can be performed safely, careful follow-up and management is essential for the improved survival of the patients with residual aortic dissection.

Between February, 1982, and September, 1994, 24 patients underwent aortic root replacement using a valve-bearing composite graft and coronary perfusion grafts. The indications for surgery were annulo-aortic ectasia in 21 patients, and aortic dissection associated with significant aortic regurgitation in 3 patients. Aortic root was reconstructed employing the techniques described by Cabrol and colleagues (Cabrol operation) in 16, and by Piehler and Pluth (Piehler operation) in 8. Two of 16 patients who underwent Cabrol operation required concomitant procedures. Four patients (25.0%) who underwent Cabrol operation had technical troubles relating to coronary reattachements (kinking and torsion of coronary grafts in 2, obstruction of left limb of coronary graft in 1, and coronary graft compression by aortic wall wrapping in 1), while one patient (12.5%) having Piehler operation had coronary graft compression by partial wrapping of aortic root. The hospital deaths occurred in 4 patients undergone Cabrol operation, with the hospital mortality rate being 16.7%. Three patients including 2 with concomitant procedures died of low cardiac output and one died of rupture of residual dissecting aneurysm of the aortic arch. No pseudoaneurysm nor anastomotic stenosis was observed in any hospital survivors. Late deaths occurred in 5 patients, in whom there was no late complication relating to coronary reconstruction. However, late obstruction of left ostial stenosis developed in one patient who underwent Piehler operation, which required coronary artery bypass. We conclude that aortic root replacement using coronary perfusion grafts provides sound coronary anastomoses without late pseudoanurysm. Coronary reattachments is facilitated by use of Piehler technique, preventing coronary graft kinking or torsion. Late coronary ostial stenosis should be considered as a possible cause of fatal myocardial infarction and sudden death, and careful follow-up is required for patients having these kinds of operation for the prevention of late cardiac events.

A 14-year-old girl with severe coronary artery disease due to mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, "Kawasaki disease", admitted to our hospital. Though she had no angina on any effort in her daily life, coronary angiography (CAG) demonstrated 90% stenosis and a large aneurysm of left main trunk. Based on the CAG findings, we determined to do the coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) and 1st diagonal branch (D1) to prevent the occurrance of fatal acute myocardial infarction. We attempted to use bilateral internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) at the beginning of this surgery. While LAD was grafted with left one, D1 was done with saphenous vein (SV) because of difficulty of harvesting right one. The weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass was easy and the postoperative course was of no event. A month later, CAG showed the good patency of both left ITA and SV graft.

A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the ureter was reported. A 62-year-old woman, who underwent left nephrectomy and right ureterocutaneostomy at the age of thirty-one because of tuberculosis of the urinary tract, visits our hospital periodically for an ureteral catheter change. An urgent nephrostomy was performed because of ureteral stricture on March 8, 1994. Three months later tenderness and induration appeared at the former ureteral stoma. The resected specimen was histologically diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Right palliative ureterectomy did not produce the desired effects due to the invasion of the tumor into the surrounding organs. In this rare case, it is suggested that chronic infection and irritation of the indwelling catheter might be causative of squamous cell carcinoma of the ureter.

To evaluate the perioperative left ventricular function in 36 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with isolated chronic aortic regurgitation (AR), hemodynamic variables before and within the first 24 hours and one month after operation were measured with Swan-Ganz catheter and echocardiography. The patients were divided into two groups based on preoperative left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI): 5 patients had a LVESVI of 90 ml/m2 and greater (group I), 31 had a LVESVI smaller than 90 ml/m2 (group II). Left ventricular dimension at end-diastole and end-systole, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index at one month after operation significantly decreased in comparison with that of preoperation. However, left ventricular ejection fraction in the two groups were not improved, and left ventricular mass index in group I did not decreased. On the other hand, changes of cardiac index, stroke volume index and left ventricular stroke work index within the first 24 hours after operation were not significantly different between the two groups. The incidence of postoperative premature ventricular contraction in group I was significantly higher than that of group II. However, there was no difficult problems in postoperative management of the two groups. It is suggested that AVR in AR with left ventricular dysfunction can safely be operated and its postoperative management is similar to AVR in AR with no left ventricular dysfunction.

A 60-year-old man who had received aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation at 47 years of age developed sudden syncope and shock on Mar. 28, 1991. Close examination including CT scan and aortography revealed DeBakey type I aortic dissection with giant pseudoaneurysm which compressed superior vena cava and right pulmonary artery and caused superior vena cava syndrome. He underwent elective ascending aortic replacement under profound hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest on Jun. 17, 1991. The giant pseudoaneurysm was present posterolaterally to the ascending aorta. It communicated with the false lumen and contained massive thrombi. The intimal tear of the ascending aorta existed along the suture line of previous aortotomy.

During the last 6 years, we employed partial extracorporeal circulation (PEC) in 7 cases and left heart bypass (LHB) in 9 cases as adjunctive methods for surgery of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm. During the aortic clamping, systemic heparinization was performed to keep an ACT more than 400 seconds in a PEC group, while it was kept from 200 to 250 seconds in LHB group. The bypass flow was controlled to maintain the distal arterial pressure over 50 mmHg in both groups. Hemodynamics during the aortic clamping were stable in both groups and significant differences were not found between them. However, ventricular fibrillation occurred in one case of LHB group, who suffered from coronary artery disease, and required subsequent PEC to maintain systemic circulation. Both PEC and LHB provided adequate intraoperative hemodynamics and postoperative serum biochemistries. But we preferred to adopt PEC to maintain the diatal perfusion in cases with heart disease, who are likely to develop circulatory deterioration under the aortic clamping.

We studied forty-six cases, who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting with retrograde cold blood cardioplegia for myocardial protection, to manifest the frequency and causative factors of postoperative conduction disturbances. We obtained the following conclusions. 1) Postoperative conduction disturbances developed in nineteen cases (41.3%), all of which were right bundle branch blocks, but these were usually transient and were not associated with further complications in the follow-up period. 2) There were no significant differences in many factors, including number of grafts, aortic cross-clamp times, or peak CK-MB between cases with and without postoperative conduction disturbances.

A 35-year-old woman with a form fruste of Marfan's syndrome, presented the extensive thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. CT scan, MRI and aortogram revealed that she had a true aneurysm of ascending aorta and aortic arch and chronic DeBakey IIIb dissecting aneurysm extending throughout the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta. The surgical treatment was consisting of two staged operations. At the first operation, ascending aorta and aortic arch were reconstructed under cardiopulmonary bypass and selective cerebral perfusion. Elephant trunk method was employed for the second operation. The second operation was performed by graft replacement of the entire descending thoracic and abdominal aorta with reattachment of intercostal and visceral arteries. She discharged the hospital without any complication including paraplegia.

Between April 1975 to March 1991, 17 patients (5 man and 12 women, mean age 49.8 years old) underwent surgical treatment for cardiac myxomas. Fifteen patients had left atrial myxomas, and the other 2 had the ventricular myxomas (left ventricular myxoma 1 and right ventricular myxoma 1). In cases with left atrial myxomas, the tumor was resected through the transatrial approach alone in 12 patients, and the left atriotomy was added in other 3. Left ventriculotomy was required to resect the left ventricular myxoma in addition to the atrial approach. Right ventricular myxoma, which attached the outflow tract, could be removed through the small right vertical ventriculotomy. All patients recovered well, and there was no recurrence in any patient during the follow-up period.

Thirty five-year-old man required reoperation, twelve years after radical operation of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (Darling IIb type), because of the clinically apparent pulmonary venous obstruction. The stenosis of ASD was revealed by cineangiocardiography and echocardiography. The fibrous thickening of atrial septal wall and stenosis of ASD were found at the operation. Operating procedure consisted of the enlargement of ASD and cut-back of the atrial septal wall. Postoperative study showed no evidence of stenosis of pulmonary venous return. The patient was discharged well and returned to his job. Late postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction is of particular concern. Usually it occurs within the first few postoperative months. We reported this case because it is rare that pulmonary venous obstruction occurred twelve years after radical operation.

A 62-year-old woman had myocardial infarction with congestive heart failure. Follow-up chest X-rays showed progressive prominent bulging of the left cardiac silhouette. Echocardiography revealed a large echo-free space behind the posterior of the left ventricle. Magnetic resonance imaging and left ventriculogram confirmed the huge pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle. We performed the operation 4 months later the onset of the myocardial infarction. The pseudoaneurysm was opened under cardio-pulmonary bypass. It contained a large amount of old thrombi and communicated with the left ventricle through several orifices in the inferior left ventricular wall. The orifices were closed primarily with pledged mattress and running sutures. The aneurysmal wall was left unresected. The pathologic study showed no myocardial element nor endocardium in the aneurysmal wall. Postoperative course was uneventful, and she discharged from the hospital in a healthy condition.

A 5-year-old girl admitted to our hospital complaining cardiomegaly due to pericardial fluid and punched-out area in the humerus. Analysis of pericardial fluid confirmed primary chylopericardium and the findings in the humerus suggested skeletal lymphoangiomatosis. Despite medical treatments, pericardial fluid didn't decrease. Therefore, she underwent ligation and resection of thoracic duct. She recovered uneventfully without reaccumulation of the pericardial effusion. In addition, skeletal survey resulted in lymangiomatosis.

In April 1991, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis due to group C rotavirus occurred at an elementary school in Tokyo. Fifty-one (13%) of 393 students became ill. The main clinical symptoms were diarrhea (100%), abdominal pain (68%) and vomiting (56%). No enteropathogenic bacteria were found in the fecal specimens. However, the virus particles morphologically indistinguishable from conventional rotavirus were detected in 6 of 11 fecal specimens by electron microscopy. Immune electron microscopy showed that these virions aggregated with anti-group C rotavirus serum. The RNA pattern of the virus particles involved in this outbreak showed a pattern similar to that of typical group C rotavirus on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

We have employed left heart bypass (LHB) using a centrifugal pump with heparin coated tubes as an adjunct measure for surgery of thoracic descending aortic aneurysm in 8 cases. During aortic cross-clamping, LHB was controlled to maintain the distal pressure above 50 mmHg. In 7 cases, hemodynamics were stable and no complication occurred in relation with this method. However, acute heart failure due to coronary insufficiency occurred in one patient, and subsequent cardiopulmonary bypass was required to maintain systemic circulation. LHB provides adequate distal perfusion and proximal decompression in most cases, and it has also contributed to diminution of intraoperative bleeding. However, LHB can not maintain distal perfusion when acute heart failure occurs, which indicates that we have to select another adjunct measures, such as femorofemoral bypass to avoid distal hypoperfusion in cases with heart diseases.

Of 34 non-bacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks which occurred at day-care centers, kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools in Tokyo during the period from February 1985 to June 1991, 28 outbreaks from which small round structured viruses (SRSV) were detected in the patients' stool specimens by electron microscopy were subjected to an epidemiological investigation. The outbreaks tended to occur frequently in the cold season; twenty-two (79%) of these outbreaks from November through April. Though detailed epidemiological informations was not obtained from all outbreaks, the common source of infection were presumed to be present in many of the outbreaks, judged from the incidence as to time course of patients. Food doubted to be incriminated as transmission vehicles in these outbreaks was served at schools, kindergartens, and lodgings. In some outbreaks, SRSV was detected from stool specimens of food handlers, or they were seroconverted to SRSV, suggesting that food was incriminated as a transmission vehicle. The symptoms of patients differ slightly from age to age: in the age range of 0 to 6 years, vomiting 90%, fever 41% and diarrhea 32%; in the 6 to 12 year-olds, nausea 61%, vomiting 48%, abdominal pain 65%, diarrhea 20% and fever 29%; and in the 12 to 15 year-olds, nausea 69%, vomiting 42%, abdominal pain 60%, diarrhea 30% and fever 34%. The lower the age of patient vomiting was more frequently observed. In these lower age groups, the frequency of nausea and vomiting tended to exceed that of diarrhea.

A 68-year-old man complained bloody sputum. Angiography revealed the left subclavian arterial aneurysm that was arising from the origin of the left subclavian artery. The aneurysm was resected with the adhesive lung tissue through a left posterolateral thoracotomy in the third intercostal space, and an 8 mm EPTFE graft was implanted between the aortic arch and the left subclavian artery. The aneurysm was filled with old thrombus and it was ruptured into the left lung. The pathologic study showed typical atherosclerotic changes. Postoperative course was uneventful, and his bloody sputum disappeared.

A 64-year-old man who had aortic valve regurgitation underwent aortic valve replacement. There had been no history of angina pectoris or taking of calcium channel blockers. When the operation was nearly completed, unexpected hemodynamic collapse happened without ST-segment changes on the ECG monitoring. Resuscitation was successful by cardiac massage, pacing and administration of catecholamine. Thereafter the same episodes occurred several times. At the 6th attack on postoperative day 7, we confirmed the ST-segment elevation using 12-lead-ECG, thus coronary artery spasm was diagnosed. Thereafter calcium channel blocker and coronary vasodilator were administered continuously. There has been no attack since postoperative day 13. Though postoperative coronary arteriography showed no anatomical changes compared with preoperative study, direct injection of ergonovine made the right coronary artery spastic, but not the left. We emphasized that perioperative coronary artery spasm may happen not only in the coronary artery surgery but in any other cardiac operations.

We have reviewed the current methods of determining serum and urine myoglobin. Qualitative determination of urine myoglobin has been possible for over 20 years, but the quantitative determination is a recent development. Between 1963 (spectrophotometry) and 1978 (radioimmunoassay, RIA), efforts have been made to develop a more sensitive determination method. The RIA method thus developed has a sensitivity as high as 1 ng/ml. Such methods are valuable in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Recently, simple, rapid, and non-isotopic method such as enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and latex agglutination test have been developed and made rapid determination possible. We applied the "Mb-latex [Seiken]", one such latex agglutination method to the TBA-30 R single-multi type automated analyzer. We obtained good results in the fundamental study such as in precision and accuracy. The reference ranges obtained using serum and urine samples corresponded to the values reported by others with the exception of the lower limit of the ranges. Proficiency testing data using the same reagents and same samples at five laboratories revealed some systematic biases. The reasons for such interlaboratory differences is not clear. However, these systematic biases may be due to the type of equipment, the type of calibration procedure and others including reagents and standard solutions. We are continuing our effort to improve the reliability of interlaboratory data.

Rupture of the left ventricle is one of the major lethal complications of mitral valve replacement. We have encountered 11 cases of this complication over a period of 19 years (1971, Apr.-1990, Mar.). Five of 8 cases of intraoperative rupture survived but no patient survived a delayed rupture. In the patients with intraoperative rupture external repair was performed in 6 cases, resulting in 3 survivors, two in type II and one in type I with formation of left ventricular false aneurysm. For selection of surgical treatment accurate recognition of types of rupture is important but the location and size of the endocardial and epicardial defects do not always correspond. Attempts to suture a ventricular rupture on the pressure-loaded beating heart were always unsuccessful and frequently extended the tear. Repair should be accomplished with aid of cardiopulmonary bypass on the decompressed and arrested heart. Recently, we chose internal repair with arrested heart in 2 cases of type I rupture, that is, reopening of the left atrial closure and repair from within the cardiac chamber with removal of the prosthetic valve. Both cases survived. In conclusion, we emphasized importance of intracardiac repair with removal of the replaced prosthetic valve in left ventricular rupture of type I and III following mitral valve replacement for better exposure, more secure repair, and prevention of injury to the circumflex artery.

Between April 1972 and March 1979, eighteen total correction for tetralogy of Fallot less than 2 years old were performed with a mortality rate of 11.1%. The valved patch made of autologous pericardium was utilized for right ventricular outflow reconstruction in 12 of 16 survivors. Late (from 10 to 17 postoperative year) results of the all survivors were studied on functional and clinical status, hemodynamics and cardiac functions, and also, were compared with that of the patients above 2 years of age. All of them were in NYHA class I with no physical exercise limitation. Chest X-ray showed nearly normal CTR of 51.7%. ECG showed complete or incomplete RBBB in 14 patients and LAD in 3 of them, whereas no ventricular arrhythmia. Cardiac catheterization and cineangiography revealed that they had quite satisfactory hemodynamics and cardiac functions despite their moderate pulmonary regurgitation. In comparison with the older patient group, this younger one had a tendency to take superior results in all parameters of cardiac functions and clinical status. These excellent long term results seem to come from their young and less degenerative myocardium at the time of surgery.

A 52-year-old woman with angina pectoris resulted from complete obstruction of left coronary ostium required double-vessel bypass. Because of severely calcified ascending aorta, avoidance of aortic cross-clamping was needed for the prevention of embolic injury and aortic dissection. Internal mammary artery (IMA)-saphenous vein (SV) composite graft under hypothermic ventricular fibrillation was successfully performed without any complication. IMA-SV composite graft is a good alternative in a case of insufficient IMA length and limited site for proximal vein graft anastomosis, which can avoid or reduce the manipulation of diseased ascending aorta.

One hundred and three consecutive patients with aortic valve disease and twenty seven patients with ischemic heart disease of severe critical coronary stenosis or left main trunk stenosis underwent open heart operations with the use of retrograde cardioplegic technique for myocardial protection. Under complete cardiopulmonary bypass, a balloon catheter was inserted into the coronary sinus through small right atriotomy and secured in place. Retrograde cardioplegia was accomplished using cold St. Thomas' Hospital solution by drip method at height of 60 to 80 cm with topical saline slush. Cardiac resuscitation was very easy and acceptable hemodynamics were obtained in all patients. Even in 8 patients in which aortic crossclamping time was above 180 minutes cardiac recovery was excellent except one who needed IABP support. Eight patients in aortotomy group were died postoperatively from the reasons unrelated to myocardial protection. Postoperative hemodynamic data and enzymatic analyses of CK-MB revealed good myocardial protective effects. Retrograde cardioplegia with the use of cold St. Thomas' Hospital solution is thus an effective alternative of myocardial protection in aortic valve surgery or aortotomy surgery and in coronary revascularization for multiple coronary stenoses or left main trunk lesions.

A 58-year-old man with thoracic aneurysm was admitted because of progressive chest oppression, back pain and the rapidly grown mediastinal mass lesion in his chest X-ray. Aortography and computed tomography revealed impending rupture of saccular aortic arch aneurysm. Emergency operation, consisted of aortic arch replacement under selective cerebral perfusion and CABG with the left IMA, was performed successfully. His postoperative course was uneventful without any neurological deficit. Postoperative angiography demonstrated successful reconstruction of the aortic arch and the patent IMA graft.

Reticuloendothelial function was investigated in breast cancer by the 131I-microaggregated albumin method using the parameters of phagocytic function (K value) and metabolic function (M value). Reticuloendothelial function of the patients with breast cancer was decreased compared with that of the controls, and it was related to the peripheral lymphocyte count. This finding indicates that reticuloendothelial function is one of the prognostic factors in breast cancer.