Medical education for company employees by Osaka University: / 医学教育

Background: A nonprofit organization―the Supporting Center for Clinical Research and Education—has outsourced medical education to the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine. The main targets of this education are researchers and developers in pharmaceutical and medical-equipment companies.<br>Method: Since 2004, the Supporting Center for Clinical Research and Education has provided short, intensive seminars on 25 subjects to 214 company employees. The key components of the seminars are lectures, practice, case conferences, interviews with patients, and comprehensive discussions.<br>Results: After each seminar was completed, it was evaluated with questionnaires filled out by participants. Participants expressed high levels of satisfaction with all components of the seminars, with interviews with patients being the most highly rated.<br>Conclusions: Medical educational activities for company employees have increased in recent years. These seminars are intended to provide short, intensive, small-group instruction to researchers and developers in pharmaceutical and medical-equipment companies with a goal of patient-centered medical practice based on a proper understanding of the actual condition of patients.

A Case of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) with Postoperative Cerebral Infarction Following Surgical Repair of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A 61-year-old man with consciousness disorder was transferred to our hospital. Computed tomography found acute type A aortic dissection and cardiac tamponade, and an emergency operation was performed. Operation findings indicated dissection above the commissure between the left coronary cusp and the right coronary cusp, to the ostium of the right coronary. An ascending aorta replacement and coronary aorta bypass grafting were performed. The postoperative course was good, but he did not regain clear consciousness. Results of magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple cerebral infarctions. At the same time, the platelet count had decreased and we suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Following detection of an heparin-dependent antibody, administration of an heparin was discontinued. However, the platelet count still tended to decrease. Therefore, we started continuous administration of argatroban, which resulted in the gradual increase in platelet count to within normal limits on postoperative day 26. The results indicate that in patients continuously and repeatedly treated with heparin, there is a possibility of the development of HIT and thrombosis with HIT.