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Three cases of tracheal or mein bronchus stenoses were treated using percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system (PCPS). Case 1 was a 63-year-old male admitted for dyspnea due to stenotic trachea with primary lung cancer invasion. YAG-laser operation and Dynamic stent was inserted to the trachea using PCPS. Case 2 was a 74-year-old male admitted for dyspnea due to stenotic right mein bronchus with primary lung cancer invasion. Dumon Y stent was inserted to the right mein bronchus using PCPS. Case 3 was 57-year-old male admitted for dyspnea due to stenotic trachea and occluded left mein bronchus with ischemic change after primary esophageal cancer operation. Dynamic stent was inserted to the trachea and left mein bronchus using PCPS. Tracheal and mein bronchus stenoses the trachea of all was dilated after placement of stent. These three cases had no complications during or after these treatment. These results indicated that using PCPS was a very useful, powerful and satisfactory method in the treatment of tracheal or mein bronchus stenoses during the lack of lung ventilation.

The classification of pancreatic carcinoma by the Japan Pancreas Society reflects the prognosis of each stage better than does the TMN classification. On the other hand, there are too many factors to examine in the Japanese system, some of which are difficult to use and have low accuracy in pre- and/or intraoperative diagnosis (RP and PL), and their analysis requires various specimen handling procedures (EW). We propose that: 1) a simple, easy decision flow chart be established for ew and 2) EW/ew be designated as (-) or (+) and for EW/ew (+) cases other factors (ly, v, pl, and direct tumor invasion) be added (for example, ew (+)-pl).

Trepopnea is a condition whereby breathing may be comfortable in one position but difficult or labored in another. A unique case with trepopnea due to recurrent lung cancer with right main pulmonary artery stenosis and left main bronchus obstruction is presented. The patient had developed trepopnea 3 months earlier, but developed orthopnea shortly before he was admitted to our hospital. An emergent wall stent implantation was performed via the right femoral vein in the sitting position with the patient's leg stretched out. The symptoms and respiratory function improved after stent implantation., (Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Fibrin glue was developed as a biologic adhesive and is frequently used in thoracic surgery, but no endoscopic instrument is available to spray fibrin glue. We developed an instrument, a new tube system, to aerosolize fibrin glue endoscopically to treat bronchopleural fistulae. This instrument was made of polypropylene, 2 mm diameter, and consisted of three microtubes, 0.3 mm diameter. Fibrinogen and thrombin glue were applied at the same time and aerosolized by burst pressure. The use of this instrument during bronchoscopy was found to increase the effectiveness of endoscopic treatment for bronchopleural fistulae.

The efficacy of ultrasonography was evaluated in radiotherapy for 32 patients with 82 metastatic bone tumor regions. Except for vertebral columns, ultrasonography was useful to detect metastatic bone tumors. Ultrasonography was applied to the radiotherapy planning in 21 regions, and was useful for the evaluation of radiotherapy effects in 22 regions. An appearance of "anechoic band" was useful for estimating tumor localization, and may be useful for the determination of the adequate dosage for palliative irradiation. Ultrasonography enable accurate localization of tumors such as sternal or costal metastases that are difficult by fluoroscopy. This means should be executed by radiotherapists.

A capillary gas chromatographic method with selected-ion monitoring (GC-SIM) was applied to eight common herbicides: 2-(4-chloro-o-tolyl-oxy)propionic acid, 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,3,6-trichlorobenzoic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyloxy-acetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and alpha-(2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy) butyric acid. The method involves extraction with saturated calcium hydroxide solution, esterification with pentafluorobenzyl bromide, clean-up with a silica gel column and determination by capillary GC-SIM. Recoveries from soil and sediment are over 89% (with the exception of 77% for TBA) with coefficients of variation below 5% (n = 7). The method is suitable for the simultaneous determination of the eight herbicides in environmental samples with high sensitivity and accuracy.

A method is described for the determination of pyridine bases in environmental samples such as river water and bottom sediments. After distillation from environmental samples, the pyridine bases are concentrated on a rotary evaporator, extracted with n-hexane and determined by capillary gas chromatography-selected-ion monitoring (GC-SIM). The determination of twenty pyridine bases is possible using a 15 m X 0.53 mm I.D. capillary column coated with DBWAX (equivalent to PEG 20M) followed by SIM. The detection limits were 0.01-0.1 ng and recoveries from river water and bottom sediment were over 90% with coefficients of variation below 4% (n = 7) except for pyridine. This method is capable of the simultaneous determination of twenty pyridine bases with sufficient sensitivity and accuracy to be applicable to environmental samples.