Association of Primary Hemodilution and Retrograde Autologous Priming with Transfusion in Cardiac Surgery: Analysis of the Perfusion Case Database of the Japanese Society of Extra-Corporeal Technology in Medicine.

It is important to avoid unnecessary blood cell transfusion. However, the associations of hemodilution and retrograde autologous priming with red blood cell transfusion during and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in cardiac surgery in Japan are currently unclear. We analyzed these associations using data for 3,090 adults from the Perfusion Case Database of the Japanese Society of Extra-Corporeal Technology in Medicine. Percent hemodilution was calculated by total priming volume and weight. Logistic regression models were used to adjust for covariates including type of surgery, gender, age, hemoglobin concentration before CPB, CPB time, urine volume during CPB, and institution. The percentages of red blood cell transfusions during CPB for patients with <15, 15 to <20, 20 to <25, 25 to <30, and ≥30% hemodilution were 43.0, 51.5, 68.9, 77.3, and 87.7%, respectively. This increase in line with increasing dilution was significant after adjusting for covariates. The percentage of red blood cell transfusion after CPB also increased slightly between 39.0 and 49.4% with percent hemodilution, but the trend after adjusting for covariates was not significant. Use of retrograde autologous priming was significantly associated with blood cell transfusion during CPB after adjusting for covariates, but was not significantly related to blood cell transfusion after CPB. These results suggest that optimizing the percent hemodilution and use of retrograde autologous priming might reduce the use of red blood cell transfusion during CPB in clinical practice in Japan.

CT Findings of Axillary Tuberculosis Lymphadenitis: A Case Detected by Breast Cancer Screening Examination.

We report the first description of CT findings of axillary tuberculous lymphadenitis confirmed by the pathological specimen. The breast cancer screening examination is one of the prime methods of detection of axillary tuberculous lymphadenitis. The most common site of axillary tuberculous lymphadenitis is the deep axilla. Screening mammography often fails to cover the whole axilla. The presence on the contrast-enhanced CT of unilateral multiple circumscribed dense nodes, some of which have large and dotted calcifications, might suggest tuberculous lymphadenitis in axillary region.

An Evaluation Trial of The National Perfusion Registry.

The International Consortium for Evidence-Based Perfusion (ICEBP) is a collaborative group whose mission is to improve, continuously, the delivery of care and outcomes for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. To achieve this end, the ICEBP supports the development of perfusion registries to evaluate clinical practices and has established evidence-based guidelines for perfusion. The Japanese Society of Extra-Corporeal Technology in Medicine (JaSECT) developed a perfusion registry to examine variation in perfusion practice in Japan. A pilot study was designed to determine the rate and accuracy of data extraction from patients' medical records and perfusion practice records and the subsequent entry of data into the registry form. We designed an input matching test using medical records and perfusion records from a sample of patients. Five institutions participated in data. extraction and entry from 10 randomly selected case records. Perfusionists entered data in the registry form in accordance with the instruction manual prepared by the JaSECT guideline committee. The time taken to input every case in the registry was measured. An interview-based survey was carried out across institutions after the completion of the pilot. The time required for data entry stabilized after approximately five cases to a rate that was 40% of the first case entry time. Data entered into the registry by perfusionists for multiple-choice items were accurate 65% of the time and accurate 25% of the time for numerical data. The interview-based survey identified a total of 38 opportunities for improvement in the input form and 58 recommended changes for the instruction manual. The accuracy of data may be improved by developing a method allowing the objective detection of deficient data when present in the perfusion case record by developing automatic data acquisition from the automatic perfusion recording system currently in use, and by changing as many numerical value input items as possible to multiple-choice items.

Change in activities of daily living, functional capacity, and life satisfaction in Japanese patients with subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: There have been few reports on longitudinal change in activities of daily living (ADL), functional capacity, and life satisfaction in patients with subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON). METHODS: A total of 1309 SMON patients 40 to 79 years of age underwent a medical examination conducted by the SMON Research Committee during the period from 1993 through 1995 (baseline) in Japan; 666 (51%) were followed-up after 12 years and were thus eligible for analysis. We calculated scores for ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction at baseline, and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 years after baseline, using data from medical examinations conducted in 1993 through 2007. The Barthel Index, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, and the patient's response to the question "Are you satisfied with life?" were used to assess ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction, respectively. RESULTS: As compared with baseline, the mean scores for ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction were all significantly lower after 12 years in men and women, with the exception of life satisfaction in women. The change in scores for functional capacity from baseline to year 12 was significantly associated with change in life satisfaction; however, the changes in ADL and age at baseline were not. CONCLUSIONS: We observed decreases in ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction among SMON patients. Our results suggest that a decrease in life satisfaction can be prevented by maintaining or improving functional capacity.

Activities of daily living, functional capacity, and life satisfaction of subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy patients in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Patients with subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON) suffer from a number of serious neurological symptoms that adversely affect their activities of daily living (ADL). However, the effects of these neurological symptoms on functional capacity and life satisfaction have not been reported. METHODS: We analyzed data from 1,300 SMON patients aged 55-94 years that was obtained at medical check-ups carried out by the SMON Research Committee in 2004-2006 in Japan. The neurological symptoms investigated were visual impairment, dysbasia, symptoms of the lower extremities, and sensory symptoms. Neurological symptoms were classified by severity. The Barthel Index, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, and the participant's response to the question "Are you satisfied with life?" were used to evaluate ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction, respectively. Data were analyzed using a proportional odds model with the scores for these items as ordinal dependent variables. RESULTS: For most neurological symptoms, scores for ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction were significantly lower in participants with severe or moderate neurological symptoms than in those with nearly normal results upon examination. The odds ratio for life satisfaction due to superior functional capacity was significant after adjustment for sex, age, and ADL score. CONCLUSION: The presence of neurological symptoms in SMON patients was associated with low functional capacity, life satisfaction, and ADL. Our results suggest that the life satisfaction of SMON patients can be increased by improving their functional capacity.

Delivery by cesarean section after embolization for vaginal arteriovenous malformation.

Vaginal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) can lead to life-threatening complications on delivery. No deliveries have been reported after selective embolization for a vaginal AVM. A 34-year-old nulliparous woman was found to have an arterial pulsatile mass on the left vaginal wall. The findings of magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography were consistent with an AVM. Selective transcatheter embolization for the AVM was done and, afterwards, the patient was found to be pregnant. The prenatal course was uneventful and the patient underwent elective cesarean delivery at term. Vaginal AVM can be successfully treated with selective embolization, with a good obstetric outcome.