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Biomedical subjects

R Shirakura

Publications and source records attributed to R Shirakura.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[A case report of type A acute aortic dissection, which arose from true aneurysm in aortic arch].

A 69-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of back pain. Examinations showed type A acute aortic dissection, which arose from true aneurysm in aortic arch, and emergency operation was considered. Deep hypothermic selective cerebral perfusion was carried out for brain protection. Ascending to aortic arch was replaced with 24 mm woven Dacron graft. There was no postoperative neurological complication.

Acute Disease↗

Prolonging discordant xenograft survival with anticomplement reagents K76COOH and FUT175.

The guinea pig heart, when transplanted into the rat heterotopically, is rejected within 30 min via activation of the alternative complement pathway. Natural antibody does not contribute to rejection. This xenotransplantation model was used to assess the effect of anti-complement reagents on discordant xenograft survival. In vivo administration of K76COOH (K76) to rats induced only slight suppression of factors B and D and a marked decrease of C3, leading to the depression of ACH50 (reflecting the potency of the alternative pathway). On the other hand, FUT175 (FUT) reduced C3 activity by about 80% and inhibited factor B activity nearly 100% < 1 hr after the administration, but inhibited factor D activity only marginally. FUT abrogated ACH50 for > 6 hr. Of note, the xenograft beating time was prolonged approximately 3 times by FUT but not by K76, suggesting that direct inhibition of plasma serine protease factor B results in the complete suppression of ACH50 and graft survival. The administration of both K76 and FUT resulted in the longest graft survival, but the effects of these reagents were abolished by additional antigraft antibody. Anticomplement reagents that block factor B and C3 are therefore effective for prolongation of discordant xenograft survival when the graft rejection is associated with the complement alternative pathway.

Animals↗

Test for ability of decay-accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) and CD59 to alleviate complement-mediated damage of xeno-erythrocytes.

We investigated the susceptibility to human complement (C) of xeno-erythrocytes into which phosphatidylinositol (PI)-anchored human C regulatory protein, decay-accelerating factor (DAF) or CD59 had been incorporated. Erythrocytes of sheep (Esh), swine (Esw), dog (Edg), and guinea pig (Egp), unsensitized with human natural antibody (Ab), were used as xeno-target. C-mediated lysis of erythrocytes (E) was induced in both classical and alternative pathways in parallel with the density of the sensitized Ab, except for Egp. The efficacy of DAF/CD59-mediated protection of the xeno E from human C, however, differed among these E species. In both classical and alternative pathways, Esh or Esw, which are non-activator surfaces, were protected by the incorporated DAF or CD59, DAF being more effective than CD59. On the other hand, CD59 was more effective than DAF in both pathways in protection of Egp, which is an alternative pathway activator. To elucidate this different behaviour of DAF and CD59, C3 step inhibition by the incorporated DAF or CD59 was measured. DAF was effective in the suppression of classical pathway-mediated C3 deposition in Esh, Esw and Egp, but not in Edg, while CD59 exhibited negligible effects in this regard. Next, inhibition of the lysis by CD59 was tested by haemolytic assay. CD59 did not block the C5b-8-mediated lysis in any xeno E. It also barely blocked C5b-9-mediated lysis, except in the case of Egp, in which CD59 partly blocked C9 attack. Membrane constituents on targets other than the incorporated complement inhibitors may be a crucial factor in the induction of cytolysis and, presumably, in hyperacute rejection.

Animals↗

Long-term results of entry closure and aneurysmal wall plication with axillofemoral bypass: a new procedure for repair of DeBakey type 3 dissecting aneurysm.

To prevent aneurysm rupture, avoid pseudoaneurysm formation, and preserve intercostal arteries, a new procedure for repair of DeBakey type 3 dissecting aneurysm was developed. Since January 1977, 28 patients have undergone repair of type 3 dissecting aneurysm. Fifteen patients with type 3b underwent this new procedure (group 1) and 13 patients with type 3a dissecting aneurysm underwent segmental graft replacement (group 2). In group 1 a permanent axillofemoral bypass was placed on the right side. Next the intrathoracic false lumen was opened longitudinally, the entry was closed, and the aneurysmal wall was sutured around the true lumen as tightly as possible. The operative mortality rate was 20% in group 1 and 31% in group 2. One of 15 patients in group 1 died of operation-related causes, whereas three patients in group 2 died. There were six late deaths: three in group 1 and three in group 2. Paraplegia occurred in neither group 1 nor group 2. The mean diameter of the plicated descending aorta was 24.0 +/- 2.7 mm 3 months after surgery. No recurrence was detected in group 1. These results suggested that this new surgical technique for repair of type 3 dissection reduces the incidence of paraplegia and pseudoaneurysm formation.

Adult↗

Long-term performance of beta-propiolactone-treated nonviable homograft for aortic valve replacement and right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction.

The long-term performance of beta-propiolactone-treated homografts was clearly different between operative survivors of aortic valve replacement (n = 27) and those of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (n = 11). The reoperation-free survival rate at 20 years was 14.8 +/- 6.8 (standard error)% in the former and 77.8 +/- 13.9% in the latter. Even a nonviable aortic homograft can be favorably accepted as a material for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in contrast to the aortic position.

Adult↗

Aggressive resection for advanced pancreatic carcinoma.

An aggressive pancreatectomy was performed on a 53 year old Japanese man with advanced cancer of the pancreas. The tumor originated from the body of the pancreas and invaded the stomach, duodenum, left kidney, transverse colon and common hepatic artery. An unexpected cancer was also found in the head of the pancreas during the operation. Therefore, total pancreatectomy, total gastrectomy, left adrenonephrectomy, resection of the left transverse colon and dissection of the regional lymph nodes were performed. Resection of the common hepatic artery was also performed, followed by an end-to-end anastomosis between the common hepatic artery and celiac trunk. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was doing well until nine months after the operation when multiple metastatic lesions were noted in the liver. He died 391 days after the operation from hepatic failure.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Cardiac function and myocardial performance of 24-hour-preserved asphyxiated canine hearts.

A method of 24-hour storage of asphyxiated canine hearts for orthotopic cardiac transplantation was studied to expand the geographical size of the donor pool. Left ventricular function of asphyxiated hearts preserved for 24 hours (group 1, n = 8) was compared with that of hearts donated on-site (group 2, n = 5). Group 1 donors were pretreated with verapamil hydrochloride, propranolol hydrochloride, and prostacyclin. The donor hearts were perfused with warm blood cardioplegia in situ after 10 minutes of asphyxiation and then perfused with cold crystalloid cardioplegia for 2 hours. The hearts were excised and stored in ice-cold University of Wisconsin solution for 22 hours. At orthotopic transplantation, coronary perfusion with warm blood cardioplegia was performed before the graft aorta was unclamped. Conventional cardiac variables (eg, cardiac output and maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure), myocardial performance, and diastolic compliance of grafted hearts were assessed 1 hour after weaning from bypass. All recipients in both groups were easily weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass without inotropic agents, and there were no significant differences in cardiac variables between the two groups. These results strongly suggest that cadaver hearts can be preserved for 24 hours with satisfactory cardiac function.

Animals↗

Myocardial energy metabolism in asphyxiated canine hearts preserved for 24 hours.

Myocardial energy metabolism in asphyxiated cadaver hearts preserved in UW solution (UWS; group 1, n = 6) or modified Collins' solution (MCS; group 2, n = 6) was compared with that in cardioplegic arrested hearts immersed in ice-cold MCS with (group 3, n = 6) or without myoprotective drugs (group 4, n = 5). All hearts were stored for 24 hr. The hearts in groups 1 and 2 were pretreated with prostacyclin, verapamil, and propranolol; asphyxiated for 10 min, reversed by coronary perfusion with warm blood cardioplegia (WBCP); perfused with ice-cold crystalloid cardioplegia for 2 hr; excised and immersed in cold storage solution for 22 hr; and perfused again with WBCP before reperfusion. ATP contents were measured in biopsy specimens by HPLC. Myocardial ATP level decreased significantly from 23.7 +/- 1.7 to 15.9 +/- 2.5 mumol/g dry wt. (P less than 0.0001) by asphyxia, but recovered to within normal limits by WBCP in group 1. The ATP level again decreased to 15.8 +/- 2.4 mumol/g dry wt. during 24-hr storage, but finally rose to 22.4 +/- 3.5 mumol/g dry wt. by terminal WBCP. The ATP metabolism in group 2 was similar to that in group 1. The ATP content in group 4 was significantly lower than that in other groups (P less than 0.01) after 24-hr preservation. The study shows that damage to cadaver hearts can be reversed and the hearts maintained satisfactorily viable for 24 hr.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Recent advances in assisted circulation using centrifugal pump in surgical and non-surgical patients with acute heart failure or related conditions.

During the last 3 years, left or bi-ventricular support using a centrifugal pump as a ventricular assistance device was performed in 10 patients after open heart surgery. The basic lesions were coronary heart disease in 8 and valvular disease in 2 patients. Bypass support ranged in time from 33 to 240 h (average 114 h), and 3 patients received biventricular support. Six patients have survived in this group. Other supportive methods, in the form of emergency or elective use of portable cardiopulmonary bypass support, were used in 8 patients; 4 with cardiogenic shock and 4 for supported percutaneous coronary angioplasty. These assisted circulations appear to be useful and promising in the management of the critical cardiac patient.

Adolescent↗

Single lung transplantation in rats with fatal pulmonary hypertension.

Effects of single lung transplantation on fatal pulmonary hypertension were evaluated in rats receiving a lethal dose of monocrotaline. Inbred rats treated with monocrotaline (80 mg/kg) received a left lung isograft at 4 weeks (n = 9) and at 6 weeks (n = 6), when moderate and severe pulmonary hypertension, respectively, had developed. Medicated (n = 12) and nonmedicated rats (n = 12) served as control animals. Each rat was tested weekly with treadmill for exercise tolerance and oxygen consumption during a 10-week period after medication and after they were killed. Medicated control rats lost exercise tolerance and highest oxygen consumption per unit time consistently to the range of resting value (or 45% of nonmedicated control rats), and all died from severe pulmonary vascular occlusive disease with right ventricular hypertrophy before 10 weeks (right ventricular/left ventricular weight ratio of 1.16). All rats receiving a left lung isograft at 4 weeks survived and regained highest oxygen consumption per unit time (87% of nonmedicated control rats), with the lung transplant receiving 65% (nonmedicated control rats, 39%) of cardiac output and milder right ventricular hypertrophy (right ventricular/left ventricular weight ratio of 0.46). Except for one, all rats that received a left lung isograft at 6 weeks tolerated single lung transplantation, but they died soon after reperfusion because of pulmonary edema in the graft that received 58% of cardiac output with right ventricular/left ventricular weight ratio of 0.79. Results of single lung transplantation in rats were dependent on severity of pulmonary hypertension. In rats with moderate pulmonary hypertension, single lung transplantation was successful in reversing exercise intolerance and right ventricular hypertrophy. Single lung transplantation was unsuccessful when pulmonary hypertension was severe in the rat model because increased flow toward the lung transplant resulted in graft pulmonary edema.

Animals↗