Kenichi Kase

Early CT signs in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors: Temporal profile and prognostic significance

AIM Although computed tomography (CT) signs of ischaemia, including loss of boundary (LOB) between grey matter and white matter and cortical sulcal effacement, in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors are known, their temporal profile and prognostic significance remains unclear; their clarification is necessary. METHODS Brain CT scans were obtained immediately after resuscitation in 75 non-traumatic CA survivors in a prospective fashion. They were divided into two groups according to the CA-return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) interval: < or =20 min vs. >20 min. The incidence of the CT signs and predictability of these signs for outcome, assessed 6 months after CA, was evaluated and compared. RESULTS The incidence of the positive LOB sign was 24% in the < or =20-min group and 83% in the >20-min group, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). The interval of 20 min seemed to be the time window for the LOB development. The incidence of the positive sulcal effacement sign was 0% in the < or =20 min group and 34% in the >20-min group, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.004). A positive LOB sign was predictive of unfavourable outcome with an 81% sensitivity and 92% specificity. A positive sulcal effacement sign was predictive of unfavourable outcome with a 32% sensitivity and 100% specificity. CONCLUSION A time window may exist for ischaemic CT signs in CA survivors. The LOB sign may develop when the CA-ROSC interval exceeds 20 min, whereas the sulcal effacement sign may develop later. However, their temporal profile and outcome predictability should be verified by multicentre studies.

Headache, cardiac arrest, and intracranial hemorrhage

Headache is one of the most common manifestations of non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, which is an uncommon, but not rare, cause of cardiac arrest in adults. History of a sudden headache preceding collapse may be a helpful clue to estimate the cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Medical records of witnessed OHCA patients were reviewed to identify those who complained of a sudden headache preceding collapse, and the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage among them as well as their clinical characteristics was investigated retrospectively. During the 12-month period, 124 patients who sustained a witnessed OHCA were treated. Among them, 74 (60%) collapsed without any pain complaint, and only 6 (5%) complained of a sudden headache preceding collapse. All of the six patients were resuscitated: four had a severe subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), while the other two had a massive cerebellar hemorrhage. By contrast, 39 of the 74 patients who collapsed without any pain were resuscitated. Among them, another six patients were found to harbor an SAH. Thus, a total of 12 among the 124 witnessed OHCA (10%) sustained a fatal intracranial hemorrhage. While OHCA patients who collapse complaining of a sudden headache are uncommonly seen in the emergency room, they have a high likelihood of harboring a severe intracranial hemorrhage. It should also be reminded that approximately half of patients whose cardiac arrest is due to an intracranial hemorrhage may collapse without complaining of a headache. The prognosis of those with cerebral origin of OHCA is invariably poor, although they may relatively easily be resuscitated temporarily. Focus needs to be directed to avoid sudden death from a potentially treatable cerebral lesion, and public education to promote the awareness for the symptoms of potentially lethal hemorrhagic stroke is warranted.

Two cases of resected esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma

Two cases of resected esophageal mucoepidermoid carcinoma are described herein. Case 1, a 56-year-old man, had an ulcerous lesion of 6.5 cm in length, in the lower esophagus and a small skin tumor of 0.5 cm in diameter, in the forehead. Pathologic studies of both tumors revealed mucoepidermoid carcinoma. This case was therefore considered to be a primary tumor of the esophagus with skin metastasis. The patient was alive and well when last seen, 15 months after his operation. Case 2, a 66-year-old man, had a long ulcerous lesion of 9.0 cm in length, in the mid-thoracic and lower esophagus. The tumor had invaded the aorta and the membranous portion of the left main bronchus, and therefore complete resection was impossible. The patient died of mediastinal recurrence only 3 months after his operation in spite of postoperative irradiation. A review of the literature showed that this tumor has a much greater incidence of rapid recurrence and distant metastasis, regardless of treatment, than usual squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. In order to establish and accurate diagnosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, alcian blue and/or mucicarmin staining of the endoscopic biopsy specimen should be performed if the tumor contains both glandular and squamous cell carcinoma.

Cardiac arrest due to food asphyxiation in adults: Resuscitation profiles and outcomes

AIM Food asphyxiation is uncommon but unignorable cause of sudden death in the elderly. Several autopsy studies, which identified those at particular risk, have been conducted on the subject. Resuscitation profiles and outcomes of food asphyxiation victims presenting with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) to the emergency department, however, have rarely been reported. METHODS Data on adults (> or = 20 years) presenting with OHCA after witnessed food asphyxiation were retrieved from an institutional database. Clinical variables were evaluated to identify their demographic characteristics. Their outcomes, represented by return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival rate, were also investigated. RESULTS Sixty-nine food asphyxiation victims presenting with OHCA were identified during the 4-year period. Food asphyxiation occurred most frequently in the age group of 71-80 years, followed by that of 81-90 years. The majority of victims had medical conditions that adversely affected mastication/swallowing, such as dementia. Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed only in 26%, although bystanders often attempted to clear the airway without performing CPR. Despite the high ROSC rate of 78%, only 7% survived to discharge. Asphyxiation-ROSC interval might play a crucial role in determining the outcomes: the interval was < or = 10 min in all survivors, while it was longer than 10 min in all non-survivors. CONCLUSION Because of their advanced age and debilitating general condition, it may be difficult to substantially improve the outcomes of food asphyxiation victims. Effort should be directed to prevent food asphyxiation, and public education to perform standard CPR for food asphyxiation victims including the Heimlich manoeuvre is warranted.

Granular Cell Tumor of the Breast Preoperatively Diagnosed by Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology : Report of a Case

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) have a characteristic cytological appearance, and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been suggested to be the diagnostic modality of choice. However, the differential diagnosis has not yet been well described. We herein describe a rare case of GCT of the breast and discuss the differential diagnosis. A 53-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a left breast mass. In clinical and radiological examinations, the mass was suspected to be malignant. Cytologically, the tumor was composed of cohesive groups of cells with a syncytial appearance, and the cells contained abundant, finely eosinophilic cytoplasmic granules and small round-to-slightly-oval nuclei, thus suggesting the presence of benign GCT. The results of immunohistochemical staining supported the proposed deviation from Schwann cells. This case emphasizes the fact that GCTs are a rare but important possibility in the differential diagnosis of breast tumors, and that FNAC may provide clinically useful information on the management of such lesions.

Successful treatment for descending necrotizing mediastinitis with severe thoracic emphysema using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is a rare, highly fatal disease that occurs as a complication of a cervical or odontogenic infection spreading into the mediastinum. We herein report of a 50-year-old man with DNM and severe thoracic emphysema who was successfully treated using surgical drainage by videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and a transcervical approach. Chest enhanced computed tomography on admission revealed massive left pleural effusion, pneumothorax, absolute collapse of the left lung, and a mediastinal shift to the right side with emphysema. We urgently performed left thoracic and mediastinal drainage using VATS. Retropharyngeal and upper mediastinal drainage was performed transcervically on the third hospital day. He recovered and was discharged on hospital day 57. Surgical drainage is the most important therapy in the treatment of DNM, but there is no standard surgical approach. We believe that VATS is a less invasive, effective modality for draining the posterior mediastinum.

Necrotizing enterocolitis associated with Clostridium butyricum in a Japanese man

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) caused by Clostridium butyricum is common in neonates; however, a case of NEC in adults has not been previously reported. An 84‐year‐old Japanese man developed C. butyricum‐related NEC during hospitalization for treatment of stab wounds to the left side of the neck and lower abdomen, without organ damage, and concomitant pneumonia.

Prognostic significance of acute pain preceding out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Background Sudden loss of consciousness (LOC) and chest pain are common manifestations of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). History of acute pain may be helpful in estimating aetiology and prognosis of OHCA victims. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between acute pain at various locations preceding collapse and outcome. Methods Clinical data of 250 witnessed, non-traumatic OHCA victims were reviewed, and the incidence of pain based on anatomical distribution was documented. The focus was on identifying the difference between those collapsing with LOC alone and those collapsing with chest pain (CP). Clinical variables predictive of survival were identified using a logistic regression model. Results Among the 250 victims, 55.2% collapsed with LOC alone. The incidence of acute pain was: 28.0% for CP, 3.2% for headache, 2.8% for abdominal pain and 2.4% for back pain. The overall 6-month survival rate was 7.2%. The LOC group had a significantly higher return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rate compared with the CP group (48.6% vs 31.4%, p<0.05). The rate was elevated in the LOC group; however, only when the initial rhythm was non-shockable. There was no significant intergroup difference in the survival rate. Initial shockable rhythm positively and history of cardiovascular diseases negatively predicted survival. None of the victims in the headache, abdominal pain or back pain groups survived. Conclusion The LOC groups seemingly higher ROSC rate may be due to its aetiological heterogeneity. Complaint of a headache, abdominal pain or back pain in OHCA victims carries a poor prognosis.

Difference in severity and distribution of bodily injuries following collision between drivers of K-cars and standard vehicles

BACKGROUND Although K-cars, small four-wheeled vehicles with an engine capacity of <660 cc, have been used almost exclusively in Japan, they have recently become increasingly popular in other countries. Therefore, reporting the characteristics of bodily injuries sustained by K-car drivers after road traffic accidents (RTAs) may be important not only for health professionals but also for car manufacturers. METHODS A single-center, retrospective observational study was conducted using prospectively acquired data. Between January 2010 and December 2017, 494 restrained drivers (331 men/163 women with a mean age of 45.1 years) whose vehicles had been severely damaged in RTAs underwent whole-body computed tomography prospectively. They were subsequently dichotomized into 221 K-car drivers and 273 standard vehicle drivers and compared for severity and distribution of bodily injuries. RESULTS K-car drivers tended to be older and were significantly more likely to be female than standard vehicle drivers. The frequency of subjects with severe bodily injuries significantly higher among K-car drivers than among standard vehicle drivers (21.7% vs. 14.3%; p = 0.04), and the frequency of bowel/mesentery injuries tended to be higher in the former (9.0% vs. 4.4%; p = 0.06). However, the frequency of abdominal solid viscus injuries did not differ significantly between the two groups. Multivariable regression analysis showed that age [odds ratio (OR): 1.022; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.998-1.047; p = 0.07] and K-cars (OR: 3.708; 95% CI: 0.984-6.236; p =  0.05) tended to be associated with bowel/mesentery injuries in restrained drivers. The frequency of pelvic/hip fractures also tended to be higher in K-car drivers than in standard vehicle drivers (5.9% vs. 2.6%; p =  0.10). By contrast, the severity and frequency of the upper torso injuries were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Compared to standard vehicle drivers, K-car drivers seem to experience more severe bodily injuries after severe RTAs. Despite there being no answer for the increased frequency of only hollow viscus injuries but not solid viscus injuries among restrained K-car drivers, advanced age may, at least in part, be responsible. Given the limitations inherent to this studys single-center, retrospective design, multi-center prospective studies are warranted to verify our findings.