Differential Lung Ventilation Under the Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Assistance in a Patient With a Giant Thoracic Tumor: A Case Report.

Airway compression resulting from thoracic tumors requires evaluation of the possibility of fatal ventilation failure when securing the airway. A woman presenting with a thoracic mass on the right side causing airway compression at the level of tracheal bifurcation required tumor removal to alleviate the compression; however, securing the airway proved challenging. Furthermore, differential lung ventilation was necessary for surgical management. We planned to secure the airway and manage breathing with the assistance of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) through an interdisciplinary conference and proceeded according to the plan. The intended tracheal tube could be placed, differential lung ventilation was initiated, and the ECMO was removed. The surgical procedure was carried out. In patients presenting with airway stenosis, the possibility of difficulty in securing the airway and ventilation should be assessed in advance. Creating a detailed treatment plan before surgery is recommended.

Delayed onset septic pelvic thrombophlebitis treated by tissue-plasminogen activator following initial treatment for massive right ovarian vein thrombosis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: A case report.

Septic pelvic thrombophlebitis (SPT) is a rare condition that forms thrombosis in the pelvic veins, typically the ovarian veins, with subsequent infection and inflammation. We present a case of right ovarian vein thrombosis (ROVT), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia, and delayed onset of SPT symptoms, requiring tissue-plasminogen activator. A 40-year-old woman, G3P2, at 38 weeks' gestation, was admitted with a fever of 39°C. She had cervical insufficiency and had been often on bed rest. Blood culture revealed MRSA and computed tomography revealed a large ROVT. She received vancomycin and direct oral anticoagulant, and her fever resolved by day 3. On day 16, fever recurred with severe pain over the ROVT. Second computed tomography showed thickening of venous wall with enhancement around ROVT, consistent with SPT. Since pain and fever gradually exacerbated despite treatment with DOAC and antimicrobials, she was started on heparin and tissue plasminogen activator on days 23 and 25, respectively. Along with recanalization on the thrombosis by day 29, fever and abdominal pain resolved. We experienced a case of delayed onset SPT associated with MRSA bacteremia and a large ROVT. MRSA bacteremia might cause the originally existing ROVT to become an infection source, resulting in SPT with recurrent symptoms and long-term treatment. Early and strict anticoagulation is crucial in cases with a large thrombosis and bacteremia, due to the high risk of progression to SPT. This case highlights the importance of recanalization for the treatment of SPT and usefulness of administration of tissue-plasminogen activator for the massive thrombosis.

Contributions of Japanese Hospitalists During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Need for Infectious Disease Crisis Management Education for Hospitalists: An Online Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Hospitalists in Japan have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, contributions of Japanese hospitalists during the COVID-19 pandemic and hospitalists' awareness of crisis management education remain unclear. Material and Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey to investigate the role of Japanese hospitalists during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire was conducted using email and Google Forms targeting the chairpersons of facilities certified by the Japanese Society of Hospital General Medicine (JSHGM). Members of the academic committee of the JSHGM and several hospitals conducted a narrative review and determined the questions for the survey in a discussion. Results: We conducted descriptive statistics based on the responses of 97 hospitals that agreed to participate in this survey. In total, 91.8% of general medicine departments in the included hospitals were involved in the medical care of COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, in 73.2% of hospitals, hospitalists were involved in infection control for COVID-19 inside or outside the hospital. Our survey revealed that Japanese hospitalists were responsible for COVID-19 treatment in over 60% of hospitals and contributed to hospital management, infection control, and vaccination. In total, 79.4% of hospitals answered that "training of personnel who can provide practical care for emerging infectious diseases is necessary", 78.4% indicated that "the establishment of an infection control system in advance to prepare emerging infectious diseases in the hospital is necessary", and 74.2% stated that "the establishment of an educational system for responding to emerging infectious diseases is necessary.". Conclusion: In conclusion, during the pandemic, in addition to inpatient care, Japanese hospitalists provided outpatient care for COVID-19, which is the role of primary care physicians in other countries. Furthermore, Japanese hospitalists who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic expressed the need for personnel development and education to prepare for future emerging infectious disease pandemics.

Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia during treatment for ketoacidosis associated with acute-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus: A case report.

This case report describes a patient with nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia that developed due to diabetic ketoacidosis. We believe that early diagnosis and intervention may improve the prognosis of nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia that has low vascular risk, with the major risk factor being dehydration due to diabetic ketoacidosis.

Acute aortic dissection combined with cardiac tamponade in an elderly patient saved by pericardial drainage: A case report.

Acute aortic dissection combined with cardiac tamponade is fatal. The radical treatment is an aortic replacement; however, the risk is high. We suggest conservative treatment with pericardial drainage as a treatment option in elderly patients with comorbidities.

Influence of clinical experience of the Macintosh laryngoscope on performance with the Pentax-AWS Airway Scope(®), a rigid video-laryngoscope, by paramedics in Japan.

PURPOSE: We sought to establish the clinical utility of the Pentax-AWS Airway Scope(®) (AWS) when used by paramedics to intubate the trachea, and to evaluate whether their performance was influenced by previous clinical experience with the Macintosh laryngoscope (ML). METHODS: Twenty paramedics attempted tracheal intubation using the AWS in five patients each in the operating room. We recorded the success rate, the number of intubation attempts, and the time for intubation and adverse events, and compared these based on the paramedics' previous clinical experience with the ML. Ten paramedics had no prior clinical experience of the ML (group A) and 10 had used it on more than 30 occasions (group B). RESULTS: The intubation success rate was 99 % (99/100). Notably, 96 % (47/49) of intubations were achieved on the first attempt by the inexperienced paramedics in group A, compared with 64 % (32/50) by the experienced paramedics in group B (p = 0.0001). The time to intubation (mean ± SD) was significantly shorter in group A than in group B (37 ± 24 vs. 48 ± 21 s, p = 0.002). There were marked variations in the times taken to intubate, but no apparent improvement as the intubators gained experience between their first and fifth cases. No complications were encountered in either group. CONCLUSION: We found that paramedics could achieve a high tracheal intubation success rate using the AWS independent of previous airway management experience. Better intubation performance with the AWS was observed in paramedics without clinical experience with the ML.

KL-6, a Human MUC1 Mucin, as a prognostic marker for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage syndrome is a life threatening condition with diverse etiologies. Sensitive prognostic markers for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage have not been well investigated. Serum KL-6 is a biomarker for various interstitial lung disease associated with disease activity and prognosis. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical utility of serum KL-6 level as a prognostic marker for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. METHODS: We retrospectively collected 41 consecutive patients clinically diagnosed as having diffuse alveolar hemorrhage who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Hiroshima University Hospital between 2004 and 2011. Correlation between prognosis and age, sex, laboratory findings including serum KL-6, radiological findings, ventilatory modes or therapeutic regimens were evaluated. RESULTS: Baseline and peak serum KL-6 levels were significantly higher in non-survivors compared with survivors. An increase in KL-6 levels during the initial week was associated with a subsequent deterioration of the oxygenation index. Higher baseline KL-6 levels and higher peak KL-6 levels were strongly correlated with death. With a cut-off level of 700 U/mL for peak KL-6, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for non-survival were 75%, 85% and 78%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, only the peak KL-6 level ≥ 700 U/ml was an independent poor prognostic factor for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Peak serum KL-6 level ≥ 700 U/ml may become a clinically useful marker of poor prognosis for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.

Inhibition by long-term fermented miso of induction of pulmonary adenocarcinoma by diisopropanolnitrosamine in Wistar rats.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of fermented miso in the diet on the development of lung tumors initiated by diisopropanolnitrosamine (BHP) in male Slc:Wistar rats. A total of 63 animals, 6 weeks of age, were divided into 4 groups and given BHP (2000 ppm) in their drinking water for 10 weeks. After the carcinogen treatment the rats were fed a normal control MF solid diet, or the same diet containing 10% long-term or short-term fermented miso for 12 weeks. The long-term fermented miso significantly reduced the number of lung tumors, adenocarcinomas and PCNA strongly positive tumors as compared with the short-term fermented miso. The present results thus indicate that dietary supplementation with long-term fermented miso could exert chemopreventive effects on lung carcinogenesis.