Biomedical subjects

Satoshi Kawakami

Publications and source records attributed to Satoshi Kawakami.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Endobronchial argon plasma coagulation for the management of post-intubation tracheal stenosis.

Post-intubation tracheal stenosis is usually caused by pressure necrosis at the cuff. Despite the fact that this phenomenon is well known and both large volume and low pressure cuffs have been developed, this lesion nevertheless continues to occur. Although the best results for tracheal reconstruction are obtained by an experienced surgeon, not all patients are able to undergo this operation for either medical or personal reasons. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) using flexible bronchoscopy has been successfully employed in the treatment of post-intubation tracheal stenosis in two of the surgery-refused and inoperable patients. The patients immediately experienced a relief of symptoms after APC. APC was thus performed 3-4 times every 1-2 weeks for each patient. In addition, there were no complications related to this procedure. The number of published clinical reports describing APC in benign airway stenosis are increasing. APC has also been reported to have several advantages over other interventional endobronchial techniques in the management of tracheo-bronchial stenosis. We report two patients, and to our knowledge this is the first description of APC being used in the treatment of endobronchial dilatation for post-intubation tracheal stenosis.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to Bunashimeji mushrooms in the mushroom industry.

BACKGROUND: Detection of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) in employees involved in the Bunashimeji mushroom industry is difficult. The level of precipitating antibody is not related with the prediction of progression and resolution of HP. The aims of this study were to examine the actual prevalence of HP in the Bunashimeji industry and the clinical differences among selected employees. METHODS: One hundred and fourteen employees worked in Bunashimeji enterprises. These subjects were divided into the following subgroups: office workers, pickers/packers with mask and pickers/packers without mask. We measured serum Krebs von der Lungen-6 (KL-6), surfactant protein (SP)-A and SP-D, and examined the stimulation index (SI) due to Bunashimeji spores. Chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), pulmonary function tests and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were performed for select employees who showed positive SI values (>200%) to examine the clinical differences. RESULTS: The proportion of respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in the pickers/packers than that in the office workers. The picker/packer group had high serum KL-6 concentrations and SI compared with the office worker group. Thirty select employees were divided into the following three subgroups: HP, select employees without HP, and SI <400% and KL-6 <500 U/ml , using high SI levels (>400%) and positive serum KL-6 concentration (>500 U/ml). Four exhibited ground glass opacities with centrilobular fine nodules on HRCT, and 8 had high numbers of lymphocytes in the BAL fluid. The BAL findings and serum KL-6 concentrations showed significant differences among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Four employees were evaluated as having HP. Serum KL-6 and SP-D may be related to the resolution of HP in addition to SI and chest HRCT.

Agaricales↗

PubMed2005

Primary testicular leiomyosarcoma.

We report a case of primary testicular leiomyosarcoma. A 76-year-old man, who complained of left scrotal swelling for 6 months, underwent radical orchiectomy. Microscopic examination revealed intratesticular leiomyosarcoma. The patient received no adjuvant therapy and at 12 months after surgery, there had been no recurrence. Primary leiomyosarcoma of the testis is extremely rare; this is the 9th case recorded worldwide.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

[Comparison of value of free-to total prostate specific antigen, prostate specific antigen density and prostate specific antigen density of transition zone for diagnosis of prostate cancer in patients with a PSA level of 4.1-10 ng/ml].

PURPOSE: We evaluated the utility of free-to total PSA (F/T PSA) ratio, PSA density (PSAD) and PSA density of the transition zone (PSATZ) in diagnosis of prostate cancer with intermediate PSA level (4.1-10 ng/ml). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2003, systematic prostate biopsies were performed on 178 patients with intermediate PSA level. The clinical values of F/T PSA ratio, PSAD and PSATZ for the detection of prostate cancer were compared by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Overall, 57 of the 178 (32%) patients had prostate carcinoma. The ROC curve analysis showed PSAD and PSATZ were superior to F/T PSA ratio in patients with intermediate PSA level. In patients with total prostate volume greater than 30 cm3, the area under the ROC curve for F/T PSA ratio was greater than that for PSAD and PSATZ. CONCLUSIONS: PSAD and PSATZ were more powerful predictors of prostate cancer than F/T PSA ratio in patients with intermediate PSA level. While F/T PSA ratio was effective for diagnosis of prostate cancer in prostate volume greater than 30 cm3.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Purification, identification, and characterization of elastase on erythrocyte membrane as factor IX-activating enzyme.

In our previous papers, we reported that factor IX (F-IX), when activated by erythrocyte membranes, causes coagulation. We report on purification, identification, and characterization of F-IX-activating enzyme extracted from human erythrocyte membranes. The enzyme whose amino acid sequence is almost in accord with neutrophil elastase was found in normal erythrocyte membrane. The molecular mass was slightly smaller than that of neutrophil elastase. The content of the enzyme in erythrocyte membranes was estimated to be 3.0-3.7 ng per 10(6)erythrocytes. The F-IX sites cleaved by the enzyme were slightly different from those by the ordinary coagulation reaction. The ability of F-IX cleaved by the enzyme to cause coagulation was estimated to be approximately 1/10 as high as that of the F-IX cleaved by activated F-XI. These findings provide evidence that F-IX is activated by erythrocyte membrane, which may serve as a triggering mechanism for blood coagulation.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

[A case of well controlled renal small cell carcinoma with metastasis treated by intensive therapy].

A 18-year-old male visited hospital with macroscopic hematuria. Computed tomography showed slightly enhanced left renal tumor that was uncharacteristic for clear cell carcinoma, and radical nephrectomy was performed. Operative specimen revealed primary small cell carcinoma of the kidney. 18 months after operation, bone metastases were diagnosed. Chemotherapy including cisplatinum, etoposide and bleomycin and external irradiation was performed. This intensive therapy was effective for metastatic lesion. He is still alive for 55 months after diagnosis, and is the best controlled case around the world. To our knowledge, this is the 14th case as primary renal small cell carcinoma in the world literature.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

[Radiological reporting system developed with FileMaker-Pro: cooperation with HIS, RIS, and PACS].

This article briefly describes our original radiological reporting system. This system was developed with the widely used database software FileMakerPro (ver 5.5). The reporting system can obtain information about patients and examinations from a radiology information system(RIS) by the Open DataBase Connectivity(ODBC) technique. By clicking the button on the reporting system, the corresponding DICOM images can be displayed on a picture archiving and communication system(PACS) workstation monitor. Reference images in JPEG format can be easily moved from PACS to the reporting system. Reports produced by the reporting system are distributed to the hospital information system(HIS) in Portable Document Format(PDF), through another web server. By utilizing the capacity of FileMakerPro, the human-machine interface of the system has been able to be improved easily. In addition, cooperation with HIS, RIS, and PACS could be constructed. Therefore, this original system would contribute to increasing the efficiency of radiological diagnosis.

Efficiency↗

PubMed2003

Successful treatment of arterial priapism with radiologic selective transcatheter embolization of the internal pudendal artery.

We report our successful treatment of arterial priapism by means of radiologic selective transcatheter embolization of the internal pudendal artery using an absorbable gelatin sponge (Spongel).

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Comprehensive mutational analysis of the VHL gene in sporadic renal cell carcinoma: relationship to clinicopathological parameters.

To delineate more precisely the somatic von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) gene alteration as well as to elucidate its etiologic role in renal tumorigenesis, we examined a total of 240 sporadic renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) for somatic VHL gene alterations by DNA-SSCP followed by sequencing, methylation-specific PCR assay, microsatellite LOH study, and Southern blot analysis. Intragenic mutation of the VHL gene was found exclusively in clear-cell or variant-type RCCs at a frequency of 51% (104/202). Hypermethylation of the VHL promoter region was detected in an additional 11 clear-cell RCCs. Microsatellite analysis demonstrated that LOH of the VHL locus was found in 140/155 (90%) informative clear-cell RCCs. The VHL gene therefore seems to be inactivated in a two-hit manner by intragenic mutation or hypermethylation plus allelic loss in clear-cell RCC. Genomic rearrangement of the VHL gene detected by Southern analysis was not found (0/216 cases); this is in contrast to germ lines in which Southern aberrations consisted of 7-19% of the mutations. Clinicopathologic data demonstrated that VHL mutation/LOH did not vary according to tumor progression in clear-cell RCC, including tumor diameter, stage, grading, distant metastasis, and lymph node metastasis. Interestingly, VHL mutation was significantly less frequent in RCCs occurring in younger (< or = 55 years) than that in older (> or = 56 years) patients. These data suggested that the inactivation of the VHL tumor-suppressor gene is a specific genetic change in clear-cell RCC, and that it may occur at an early or first step in the clear-cell tumorigenic pathway rather than as a late event.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Primary malignant lymphoma in the posterior mediastinum.

We present a case of primary malignant lymphoma arising from the posterior mediastinum. A 63-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for further examination of her chest radiographic findings. She was asymptomatic. Chest computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a posterior mediastinal mass in the right thoracic paravertebral region. A percutaneous needle biopsy was performed under CT. The histological findings with immunochemical staining revealed a B cell type of diffuse malignant lymphoma. (67)Ga scintigraphy revealed accumulation in this area, suggesting the posterior mediastinum as the origin of the disease. Reports of primary malignant lymphoma in the posterior mediastinum are extremely rare. The radiographic characteristics are discussed.

Female↗