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Biomedical subjects

J Inamasu

Publications and source records attributed to J Inamasu.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Paraplegia caused by painless acute aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES: Painless acute aortic dissection in which paraplegia is the only presenting sign is rare, with limited reported cases. CASE REPORT: The authors report a patient with painless acute aortic dissection who presented with sudden onset paraplegia. Ischemic diseases of the spinal cord were suspected as the cause. MRI revealed extensive acute aortic dissection with an intramural hematoma. The patient was treated conservatively by strictly controlling his blood pressure. The treatment was successful, although the motor function of the lower extremities could not be rescued. Although 3% to 5% of patients with acute aortic dissection present with paraplegia as a result of spinal cord infarction, most of these patients experience severe pain prior to presentation. CONCLUSION: Painless acute aortic dissection in which paraplegia is the only presenting sign is very rare. However, aortic diseases, including acute aortic dissection, should always be considered as a differential diagnosis of patients with sudden onset, painless paraplegia.

Acute Disease↗

CT scans essential after posttraumatic loss of consciousness.

The frequency of "talk and deteriorate" in the emergency department (ED), subsequent deterioration of patients with seemingly "mild" head injury at the time of presentation, is summarized. Among the 1,073 patients with minor head injury treated in the last 5 years, five patients (0.5%) deteriorated in the ED. All of the five patients had experienced transient loss of consciousness (LOC) before presentation. Deterioration had occurred during treatment of trivial associated injuries in four-fifths of the cases. Computed tomography (CT) scans revealed four acute epidural hematomas and one cerebellar contusion. Retrospectively, immediate brain CT shortly after their arrival may have revealed the presence of traumatic intracranial hematomas before deterioration. Although routine use of CT scans in patients with mild head injury has been controversial, the authors conclude that CT scans should be taken if patients have experienced transient LOC to prevent or reduce the occurrence of deterioration in ED.

Adult↗

Medial (intra-cisternal) acoustic neuromas.

The clinical characteristics of "medial" or "intra-cisternal" acoustic neuroma (AN) treated in our institute were reviewed. Among 466 patients with ANs in our series during the last 20 years, 6 patients (1.3%) were considered to fill the criteria of medial AN definition. Compared with those with non-medial ANs, the patients with medial ANs show a tendency to have cerebellar and/or cranial nerve dysfunction (especially trigeminal and/or facial nerves) in addition to hearing loss at the time of initial presentation. On magnetic resonance imaging, medial AN is visualized as a multi-cystic mass lesion in the cerebello-pontine cistern without extension into the internal auditory canal in most cases. Although total removal of tumor was achieved in all cases, the results of preservation of facial nerve function were not satisfactory. Medial AN can be considered as a clinical, but not pathological, subtype in terms of the functional outcomes of the facial nerve and hearing.

Facial Nerve↗

A 35-year-old man with cerebral hemorrhage and pheochromocytoma: the second brain-dead organ donor in Japan.

A 35-year-old man was brought into the emergency room of Keio University Hospital by ambulance because of a sudden onset of coma. His Glasgow Coma Scale was 3 and his blood pressure 150/100 mmHg. CT scanning revealed a subcortical hemorrhage 8 cm in diameter. His respiration deteriorated rapidly, and an emergency craniotomy was performed for hematoma removal and cerebral decompression. Postoperatively the patient remained in a deep coma (GCS = 3) requiring respiratory support. The family presented an organ donor card previously signed by the patient, and brain death was confirmed in accordance with Japan's transplant law. As a result of two tests conducted six hours apart brain death was confirmed on the 5th postoperative day. With the family's consent, the donor's heart, kidneys and skin were removed for organ transplantation to be performed in other institutions. An autopsy was performed after the removal of the organs and skin. An extensive subgaleal hemorrhage was found in the left cerebral hemisphere, and microscopic examination revealed extensive necrosis with karyolysis of neuronal cells, but no viable neuronal cells were found in the cerebrum. The brain stem was marked by edema, hemorrhage, infarction necrosis and neuronal cell loss. The cerebellum was swollen and congested and showed autolysis of the granular layer. These findings suggested brain death syndrome with respirator brain. Other autopsy findings included a huge pheochromocytoma in the right adrenal gland, bilateral bronchopneumonia, liver congestion and fatty metamorphosis with four cavernous hemangiomas, and mild chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. This patient was the second brain-dead organ donor and the first brain-dead patient to undergo postmortem examination in Japan.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Glycerol attenuates the adherence of leukocytes in rat pial venules after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Intravenous infusion of glycerol has been used in patients with a cerebral infarction, expecting improvement in brain edema and cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, the mechanism of the improvement of CBF has not been clearly demonstrated. The aim of this study in the rat pial microvasculature after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) is to examine the effects of glycerol on leukocyte-endothelium interaction, which plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of brain injury by ischemia/reperfusion and concerns induction of secondary brain damage. Rhodamine 6G-labeled leukocytes at the brain surface were visualized with intra-vital fluorescence videomicroscopy through a closed cranial window and an analysis was made of the number of adherent leukocytes and the centerline leukocyte velocity in the venule before MCAO, after reperfusion of MCAO and after infusion of glycerol (Group 1) or saline (Group 2). The number of adherent leukocytes decreased and the centerline leukocyte velocity increased statistically significantly immediately after the infusion of glycerol in Group 1, but there was no significant change in Group 2. The infusion of glycerol washes away the adherent leukocytes and prevents them from interfering with the blood cell and plasma flow. Furthermore, secondary brain damage may be relieved by decreasing the adherence of leukocytes. In conclusion, modulating the adherence of leukocytes is one of the important factors in the neuroprotective effect of glycerol.

Animals↗

Effects of moderate hypothermia on leukocyte- endothelium interaction in the rat pial microvasculature after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Background and Purpose--It has been demonstrated that moderate hypothermia attenuates brain damage, but the mechanism whereby this is achieved has not been clearly shown. Recently, the role of leukocytes as mediators of secondary brain damage after brain ischemia has been discussed. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of moderate hypothermia on leukocyte-endothelium interaction in the rat pial microvasculature after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Methods--Rhodamine 6G-labeled leukocytes in brain surface were visualized with intravital fluorescence videomicroscopy through a closed cranial window. We analyzed the number of leukocytes adhering to the venular and arteriolar endothelium before ischemic insult and up to 3 hours after reperfusion. Rats were divided into 4 experimental groups. Group I (n=6) consisted of sham-operated animals. Groups II (n=6) and III (n=6) received left MCAO for 1 hour under normothermia (36 degrees C to 37 degrees C, group II) and under moderate hypothermia (30 degrees C to 32 degrees C, group III). Group IV (n=4) received left common carotid artery occlusion for 1 hour under normothermia. Results--The number of adhering leukocytes in venules in groups II and IV increased significantly (P<0.001) after reperfusion compared with the group I, but that in group III did not increase significantly (P>0.05). The number of adhering leukocytes in arterioles in group II increased significantly (P<0.01) compared with the other groups, although the adhering leukocytes were not as numerous as those seen in venules. Conclusions--It is demonstrated that hypothermia attenuates adhering leukocytes in venules and arterioles after reperfusion of MCAO. The inhibition of the leukocyte function may be an important factor in the neuroprotective effect of hypothermia.

Animals↗