Refractory Hypotension after Cardioversion in a Patient with Atrial Fibrillation and Congestive Heart Failure.

A 63-year-old woman with atrial fibrillation visited our hospital due to decompensated heart failure. Because atrial fibrillation was considered a remarkable precipitating factor for heart failure, cardioversion was performed. After cardioversion, refractory hypotension and cardiopulmonary arrest occurred. An arterial blood gas analysis showed marked lactic acidosis. Chronic kidney disease, heart failure, sedatives, and hypoventilation might have contributed to refractory hypotension due to severe acidosis in this case.

Indications for EMR/ESD in cases of early gastric cancer: relationship between histological type, depth of wall invasion, and lymph node metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Limited surgery by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric cancer is frequently performed in many institutions. These techniques do preserve gastric function and maintain a high quality of life but may compromise survival. The treatment strategy for early tumors should therefore be based on a complete cure, and limited surgery must thus have clear indications. METHODS: D2 gastric resection was performed in 278 early gastric adenocarcinomas, and a retrospective histological review of the specimens was made. The extended indications for EMR or ESD, according to the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association Treatment guidelines for gastric cancer in Japan, were also assessed. RESULTS: Of the 278 early gastric cancers, 115 were mucosal (M) cancers without ulcer. No lymph node metastases were seen in these specimens. Six of the 41 specimens of M cancer with ulcers had lymph node metastases at the N1 level only. One of these had lymph node metastases from a tumor measuring less than 3 cm in size. Twenty-eight of 122 submucosal cancers had lymph node metastases (23%). Twenty of these were SM1 tumors and 5 had lymph node metastases; 4 of these 5 had lymph node metastases despite the absence of vascular invasion. CONCLUSION: Three cases had lymph node metastases that met the extended criteria for EMR/ESD. EMR and/or ESD should be limited to M cancers without ulcer or differentiated-type M cancer with ulcers smaller than 2 cm. When the depth of tumor invasion is deeper than M, then a gastric resection with lymph node dissection is necessary.