Fumiaki Oguma

Limited Resection for Noninvasive Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma Diagnosed by Intraoperative Pathologic Examination

BACKGROUND The establishment of limited resection procedures for non-small cell lung cancer is expected. Many groups have suggested noninvasive bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) to be a potential indication for limited resection. METHODS We designed a prospective phase II study evaluating limited resection for noninvasive BAC diagnosed by intraoperative pathologic examination. From 1999 to 2007, limited resection was the procedure in 46 patients (16 men and 30 women; median age, 69 years; range, 49 to 83) who were diagnosed intraoperatively as having noninvasive BAC. The first end point was the predictive value of the intraoperative pathologic examination for noninvasive BAC diagnosis. The second end point was overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-specific survival, calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS We performed wedge resections for 44 patients and segmentectomy for 2 patients. Permanent pathologic examination revealed 3 patients had primary lung adenocarcinomas other than noninvasive BAC. The predictive value of intraoperative pathologic examination for noninvasive BAC diagnosis was 94%. During a median 51-month follow-up, there were only 2 cancer unrelated deaths. The 5-year overall survival rate and the disease-free survival rate were 93%, and the 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was 100%. CONCLUSIONS The results of our prospective phase II study indicate that limited resection, mainly by wedge resection, is a potentially curative surgical procedure and may be an acceptable alternative to lobectomy for patients with noninvasive BAC. Furthermore, an intraoperative pathologic diagnosis of noninvasive BAC is strongly predictive and allows for an intraoperative decision to perform a limited resection in these patients.

Combined warfarin and antiplatelet therapy after St. Jude Medical valve replacement for mitral valve disease

OBJECTIVES The clinical effect of combined warfarin and antiplatelet therapy on the incidence of stroke and postoperative complications after mitral (plus aortic) valve replacement was studied and compared with that observed with warfarin therapy alone. BACKGROUND It has been reported that combined warfarin and antiplatelet therapy may be effective but may be associated with an increased hemorrhagic risk. Therefore, definite benefits of the treatment in patients with an implanted prosthetic valve have not been clearly documented. METHODS Between January 1980 and December 1992, 195 patients with a St. Jude Medical valve at the mitral (plus aortic) position were assigned to receive treatment with either warfarin alone (125 patients) or warfarin plus antiplatelet agents (70 patients), such as dipyridamole (150 or 300 mg daily, 14 patients) or ticlopidine (200 or 400 mg daily, 56 patients). A minimal dose of aspirin (10 to 40 mg) was added (29 patients) if the maximal platelet aggregation rate by collagen was not reduced. The target thrombotest level was 10% to 20%. RESULTS The two treatment groups were similar with regard to gender and age distribution. The number of patients with atrial fibrillation, left atrial thrombus, history of previous stroke, simultaneous aortic valve operation and previously performed valve procedures were comparable in the two groups. Actuarial survival rate at 10 years was 98.3 +/- 1.7% (mean +/- SD) in the warfarin plus antiplatelet group and 90.3 +/- 3.2% in the warfarin group (p < 0.05 at 1 and 9 to 12 years). The actuarial stroke-free rate at 10 years was 95.3 +/- 3.4% and 84.3 +/- 3.8%, respectively (p < 0.05 by the generalized Wilcoxon test). The actuarial complication-free rate at 10 years was 89.4 +/- 4.3% and 67.9 +/- 4.8%, respectively (p < 0.05 by the generalized Wilcoxon test). No hemorrhagic complications were seen in the warfarin plus antiplatelet group. CONCLUSIONS The results strongly indicate the effectiveness and safety of combined warfarin plus antiplatelet treatment after St. Jude Medical valve replacement for mitral (plus aortic) valve disease.

Role played by oxygen in myocardial protection with crystalloid cardioplegic solution.

To evaluate the importance of the oxygen dissolved in crystalloid cardioplegic solution, the protective effects of oxygenated glucose-insulin-potassium cardioplegic solution (O2-GIK) (oxygen tension greater than 600 mm Hg) on the isolated working guinea pig heart were compared with those of deoxygenated (N2-GIK) (oxygen tension less than 10 mm Hg) and aerated GIK solution (GIK) (oxygen tension = 140 to 160 mm Hg). Hearts were subjected to 180 minutes of ischemia with intermittent infusions (every 30 minutes) of cold cardioplegic solution, followed by 30 minutes of normothermic reperfusion. The O2-GIK solution tended to maintain high-energy phosphates at higher levels during ischemia, and resulted in the best recovery of cardiac function. Though not as effective as O2-GIK, GIK solution produced protective effects; N2-GIK solution failed to exert such effects. These results strongly suggest that the protective effects of crystalloid cardioplegic solution are due primarily to the oxygen dissolved in it; anaerobic metabolism or washout of the metabolites plays a minor part.

Malignant Spindle Cell Tumor of the Pericardium

A case of malignant spindle cell tumor occurring in the pericardium in presented. The tumor arose from the pericardium of a 51‐year‐old Japanese woman with no history of exposure to asbestos. The tumor extended into the pericardial and left pleural cavities. The primary and metastatic tumors consisted of fusiform cells with frequent mitoses. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells possessed a discontinuous external lamina, cytoplasmic processes, microfilaments and desmosomal intercellular junctions. Immunohistochemical examination showed that most tumor cells were positive for Leu 7, and several for S 100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Unexpectedly, most of the tumor cells also expressed keratin. These findings favor a diagnosis of sarcomatous mesothelioma with aberrant antigenic expression or heterogeneous differentiation of neoplastic cells. Acta Pathol Jpn 39: 750‐754, 1989.

Surgical excision of a broad-based left atrial myxoma: report of a case.

We report herein the case of a 72-year-old woman who underwent successful resection of an unusual type of broad-based left atrial myxoma. The tumor, which was attached to the fossa ovalis and anterior wall of the left atrium posterior to the aorta, was resected en bloc with the interatrial septum and the affected free wall of the left atrium. The defect in the left atrium and atrial septum was then reconstructed with an equine pericardial patch. To our knowledge, this type of cardiac myxoma, with a base extending from the septum to the atria] wall, has not been previously reported.

Acute Coronary Insufficiency after Aortic Valvular Surgery.

大動脈弁手術203例で, 術後急性冠灌流不全を右冠動脈5例, 左冠動脈2例, 両冠動脈1例の8例 (4%) に経験した. 主症状は, 右冠動脈灌流不全では, 体外循環離脱困難な右心不全3例, 下壁梗塞による左心不全2例, 左冠動脈灌流不全では, 広範梗塞による左心ポンプ不全1例, 心室停止2例であった. 発症直後CABGを追加施行した4症例は全例救命された. Cabrol 手術1例, Piehler 法と弓部置換の同時手術1例の死亡2例では左冠動脈口に縫着した人工血管の血栓閉塞を認めた. 救命6例は術後冠動脈造影で新たな冠動脈病変は認めなかった. 発症原因として, 冠動脈 spasm と拡張障害を伴った左室肥大心における周術期冠予備量の不足が推測された. Piehler 法や Cabrol 手術では冠動脈吻合グラフトの圧迫や吻合部狭窄も示唆された. 救命措置は灌流不全の冠動脈に速やかにCABGを追加する方法が確実であった. 予防対策として適切な手術時間の決定と, 逆行性冠灌流法を含む確実な心筋保護法の応用が考慮された.