Two cases of cryptogenic life-threatening hemoptysis - identification and management of bleeding point.

Cases: Case 1: A 63-year-old woman was referred for coughing blood. Although cardiorespiratory dynamics were stabilized by artificial respiration under sedation, severely poor ventilation developed from asphyxia associated with massive respiratory tract hemorrhage. One-lung ventilation was temporarily secured by endotracheal tube insertion into the left main bronchus just prior to cardiopulmonary arrest.Case 2: A 72-year-old man was referred for massive hemoptysis after coughing, then intubated and placed on a respirator. During angiography, blood clots collected with bronchoscopy confirmed extravascular leakage into the right main bronchus. Outcomes: Both showed no hemoptysis recurrence after bronchial artery embolization and were discharged. Case 1 required intensive treatment for 6 days, including artificial respiratory management. Conclusion: Emergency one-lung ventilation was required for asphyxia in Case 1, and we had difficulties with bleeding point identification and hemostatic therapy. From that experience, we noted hemoptysis during angiography using bronchoscopy in Case 2, enabling prompt bronchial artery embolization.

Screening for hereditary angioedema (HAE) at 13 emergency centers in Osaka, Japan: A prospective observational study.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) with deficiency of C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) is an autosomal-dominant disease characterized by recurrent episodes of potentially life-threatening angioedema. The objective is to study the incidence of HAE among patients who visit the emergency department.This was a 3-year prospective observational screening study involving 13 urban tertiary emergency centers in Osaka prefecture, Japan. Patients were included if they met the following criteria: unexplained edema of the body, upper airway obstruction accompanied by edema, anaphylaxis, acute abdomen with intestinal edema (including ileus and acute pancreatitis), or asthma attack. C1-INH activity and C4 level were measured at the time of emergency department admission during the period between July 2011 and June 2014.This study comprised 66 patients with a median age of 54.0 (IQR: 37.5-68.3) years. Three patients were newly diagnosed as having HAE, and 1 patient had already been diagnosed as having HAE. C1-INH activity levels of the patients with HAE were below the detection limit (<25%), whereas those of non-HAE patients (n = 62) were 106% (IQR: 85.5%-127.0%) (normal range, 70%-130%). The median level of C4 was significantly lower in the patients with HAE compared with those without HAE (1.2 [IQR: 1-3] mg/dL vs 22 [IQR: 16.5-29.5] mg/dL, P < 0.01) (normal range, 17-45 mg/dL).Three patients with undiagnosed HAE were diagnosed as having HAE in the emergency department during the 3-year period. If patients have signs and symptoms suspicious of HAE, the levels of C1-INH activity and C4 should be measured.

The risk of pediatric bicycle handlebar injury compared with non-handlebar injury: a retrospective multicenter study in Osaka, Japan.

BACKGROUND: Bicycle accidents are one of the major causes of unintentional traumatic injury in childhood. The purpose of this study was to examine characteristics and risks of handlebar injury in childhood. METHODS: We conducted a more than 5-year retrospective survey of patients under 15 years of age with bicycle-related injuries admitted to eight urban tertiary emergency centers in Osaka, Japan. Patients were divided into the direct-impact handlebar injury (HI) group and the non-handlebar injury (NHI) group. RESULTS: The HI group included 18 patients and the NHI group included 308 patients. Median Injury Severity Score (ISS) in the HI group was 9. Injury sites included the chest, 2 (chest bruise, 1; tracheal injury, 1) and abdomen, 16 (hepatic injury, 6; pancreatic injury, 2; duodenal injury, 1; splenic injury, 1; small intestinal injury, 1; retroperitoneal hemorrhage, 1; renal injury, 1; abdominal wall musculature injury, 2; bladder injury, 1; and perineal laceration, 1). There were no significant differences in age, sex, ISS, and prognosis between the two groups. However, significant differences were seen in the abdominal median Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score, which was higher in the HI group (3 vs 0, p < 0.01), and in the head median AIS score, which was higher in the NHI group (0 vs 2, p < 0.01). As mechanisms of injury, falling while riding a bicycle occurred significantly more frequently in the HI group (17 [94.4 %] vs 65 [21.1 %], p < 0.01). Direct transportation from the scene of the accident occurred significantly more often in the NHI group (5 [27.8 %] vs 255 [82.8 %], p < 0.01), whereas transfer from another hospital occurred significantly more frequently in the HI group (11 [61.1 %] vs 45 [14.6 %], p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Handlebar injuries in children have significant potential to cause severe damage to visceral organs, especially those in the abdomen.

[Percutaneous interventional treatment of vertebral artery stenosis with coronary stents: two case reports].

Two patients underwent percutaneous interventional treatment for vertebral artery stenosis using coronary stents. Vertebral angiography of Case 1 (78-year-old male) showed right ostial 100% obstruction and left ostial 99% stenosis. Balloon angioplasty and stent placement (Multilink 4.0 x 18 mm) were performed for the left vertebral artery. Vertebral angiography of Case 2 (64-year-old male) showed bilateral ostial severe stenoses (right 90%, left 99% + alpha). Balloon angioplasty and stent placement(Multilink 3.5 x 18 mm) were performed for the right vertebral artery. These two patients showed excellent angiographic results with no complication associated with stent placement. Vertebral artery angioplasty can be performed safely using coronary interventional equipment and techniques.

[Problems in hospital preparation of acute poisoning antagonist (methylene blue injection)].

Since some antagonists or antidotes in cases of acute poisoning are not commercially available in Japan, in many hospitals they are prepared on their premises for clinical use. However, no specific legislation for the procedures of quality assurance and informed consent of these hospital-prepared products as yet exists. Further, the standard procedures for clinical use of the hospital-prepared products have yet to be established. For the treatment of patients with methemoglobinemia, we prepared methylene blue for injectable use in our hospital. In this paper, we describe our procedures ranging from its preparation to clinical use of this product. Methylene blue injection was prepared by using reagent-grade chemicals. The quality of hospital-prepared methylene blue injection was examined in accordance with the United States Pharmacopoeia. The contents of methylene blue injection remained constant at room temperature during storage for 12-month. The sterility testing also gave negative results during the same period. In order to obtain approval for its clinical use by the in-hospital ethical committee, relevant documents such as instructions for the preparation method, product information on safety usage and consent form were created. After these procedures, clinical applications of methylene blue injection were finally initiated.

[Subarachnoid hemorrhage complicated with different manifestations of transient abnormal left ventricular wall motion: two case reports].

Two patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage presented with transient abnormal left ventricular wall motion. Case 1 was a 56-year-old man. Electrocardiography showed ST segment elevation in leads I, II, II, aVL, aVF, V3-V6. Echocardiography showed localized left ventricular hypokinesis around the apical area (takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy). Ejection fraction was 20% (1st hospital day). Troponin T was positive. Case 2 was a 48-year-old woman. Electrocardiography showed ST segment elevation in leads I, aVL, V2-V6 and ST segment depression in leads II, III, aVF, V1. Echocardiography showed diffuse left ventricular hypokinesis. Ejection fraction was 21% (1st hospital day). Troponin T was positive. These two patients had no history of cardiac disease, and coronary angiography showed no stenosis or obstruction. Catecholamine was given for 1 day(Case 1) and for about 2 weeks (Case 2). Pimobendane was given to Case 2. Ejection fraction was 57% in Case 1 (2nd hospital day) and 33% (6th hospital day), 43% (7th hospital day)and 58% (16th hospital day)in Case 2. The recovery period of left ventricular abnormal wall motion and the medication period were longer in Case 2 showing diffuse hypokinesis than in Case 1 showing takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy.

[A case of anaphylaxis after a prairie dog bite].

Several cases of anaphylaxy after hamster bites have recently been reported. We report a case of anaphylaxis after a bite from a prairie dog. To our knowledge, this is the first case to be reported in Japan. The patient was a 26 year old male who was transported to our hospital suffering from dyspnea. The dyspnea occurred within several minutes after a bite from a prairie dog to his left little finger. He was successfully treated by the administration of epinephrine, dopamine and hydrocortisone, and transfusion. Allergies to allergens derived from saliva are speculated to be involved in the mechanism of anaphylaxis in cases caused by hamster bites. We speculate similar mechanisms may also be involved in the case of our patient.

[So-called "ampulla" cardiomyopathy associated with coronary vasospasm compared with acute myocardial infarction showing similar abnormal left ventricular wall motion: two case reports].

So-called "ampulla" cardiomyopathy is characterized by transient abnormal left ventricular wall motion showing hypokinesia around the apical area and hyperkinesia at the basal area, without any detectable coronary lesion. We recently treated a patient with "ampulla" cardiomyopathy (Case 1) and a patient with acute myocardial infarction showing similar abnormal left ventricular wall motion (Case 2). A 75-year-old female (Case 1) presented with "ampulla" cardiomyopathy without coronary lesion. Vasospasm was induced at segment 8 on the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery by intracoronary administration of acetylcholine. A 58-year-old male (Case 2) presented with acute myocardial infarction due to occlusion at segment 8 and underwent successful coronary reperfusion therapy by direct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Both Case 1 and Case 2 revelaed similar abnormal left ventricular wall motion, with hypokinesia around the apical area and hyperkinesia at the basal area by echocardiography, in the acute phase. Furthermore, these two patients showed elevated ST segment at both anterior and inferior leads by electrocardiography, and markedly reduced uptake of beta-methyl-p-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid around the apical area in the acute phase by scintigraphy. Interestingly, the LAD perfused a relatively wide area including the anterior, apical and part of the inferior area of the left ventricle in both patients by coronary angiography. The abnormal wall motion of Case 1 disappeared 4 weeks after onset, but that of Case 2 did not disappear. Although the diagnoses of Case 1 and Case 2 were different, abnormal wall motion of these cases might be due to myocardial ischemia due to distal LAD lesion. "Ampulla" cardiomyopathy might develop from transient myocardial ischemia induced by coronary vasospasm at the distal LAD which perfuses a relatively wide area.