Masato Furuyama

Carcinoma of the thyroid manifested as hyperthyroidism caused by functional bone metastasis.

A rare case of hyperthyroidism in the presence of a functioning bone metastasis secondary to an occult thyroid cancer is reported. A 59-year-old womans pelvic bone metastasis was much too extensive and hypervascular to permit resection. An I-131 scan showed striking activity in the pelvic metastasis, which reflected ectopic excessive production of thyroid hormone by a functioning metastatic thyroid carcinoma. After total thyroidectomy, the patient received I-131 ablation and transcutaneous intra-arterial embolization therapy but her metastasis progressively enlarged. Microscopically, concomitant follicular and papillary cancer was found in close proximity to the thyroid. The patient now has vertebral metastases, and her hyperthyroid state still requires methymazole to prevent thyrotoxicosis.

Abdominal aneurysm with aortoduodenal fistula.

Two patients having the abdominal aneurysm with aortoduodenal fistula were treated surgically, but graft infection occurred. One patient died about 6 months after and the other about one year after the operation due to massive hemorrhage from the postoperative aortointestinal fistula. The difficulties in the treatment of the aortoduodenal fistula were discussed.

Ultrasonic flow wave pattern as a prognostic indicator in peripheral arterial reconstruction

A prognostic flowmetric study on 80 reconstructed arteries of the lower extremity was carried out to assess the flow wave patterns detected using a bidirectional doppler flowmeter. In 21 of 80 arteries, changes in the flow wave pattern were noted. For 10 of 21 affected arteries, an immediate arteriography revealed localized stenotic lesions at the distal anastomosis in a short segment of the implanted autogenous vein graft or at the proximal host artery. Immediate repairs for the lesions were successfully performed by a minor surgery in 8 of 10 cases and the flow wave pattern reverted to normal. Two were not successful, as the occlusion was complete before attempting the repair. The remaining 11 are now under conservative management as these patients refused further surgery. The ultrasonically driven flow wave pattern proved to be a useful indicator to assess the patency of the reconstructed peripheral artery to detect possible stenosis and thereby to take proper corrective measures and hence prevent a late occlusion.

Comparative study of the fibrinolytic activity of pseudointima in varying types of autovein grafting

Three types of autovein grafting procedures have been commonly employed for peripheral arterial reconstruction, that is, non-reversed, resersed and in-situ autovein grafting, and these procedures were comparatively studied in dogs to assess the best one for grafting. In the fibrinolytic activity of the internal surface of the grafts, as measured by standard fibrin plate method and Todds fibrin slide technique, the in-situ autovein graft showed the highes activity, 139.5% in the mean, followed by 18% (mean) in the reversed autovein graft and 5.2% (mean) in the nonreversed autovein graft. The extent of fibrous proliferation of the pseudointima was least in the in-situ graft followed by the reversed and the non-reversed graft. These results suggest that preservation of the vasa vasorum is the most impotant factor to minimize fibrous proliferation of the graft pseudointima and to maintain high fibrinolytic activity on the internal surface of the graft. Consequently, the in-situ autovein grafting appears to be the most suitable method to ensure peripheral arterial continuity following surgical reconstruction.

Long-term results of reconstructive surgery for aorto-iliac arterial occlusive lesions

We report a review of 215 reconstructions for aorto-iliac arterial occlusive lesions, involving 156 patients. At 13 years, the cumulative patency rate of 158 aorto-femoral or aorto-iliac dacron synthetic bypass prostheses was 71.6 per cent as compared to 52.7 per cent at 5 years for 22 blunt endarterectomies and 47.4 per cent at 6 years for 35 axillo-femoral bypass prostheses. Of the 158 synthetic bypass prostheses, the cumulative patency rate at 13 years was 85.1 per cent in cases with no occlusive involvement of the peripheral arteries, significantly higher (p<0.03) than the 39.3 per cent patency rate at 7 years in cases in which associated femoro-politeal occlusive lesions were not treated. At 12 years, the patency rate was 53.2 per cent in cases in which associated femoro-popliteal occlusive lesions were treated during the same reconstructive intervention, i.e. markedly higher (p<0.08) than in patients in whom the degree of outflow in the distal vessels was poor. Our findings indicated that, in order to achieve a satisfactory long-term patency rate, it is important to treat associated occulusive lesions in the femoro-popliteal arteries.

Long-term results of reconstructive surgery for femoro-popliteal arterial occlusive lesions.

A retrospective review of 156 reconstructions performed for femoro-politeal arterial occlusive lesions in 141 patients was carried out in terms of the reconstructive procedure and the degree of out-flow in the distal vessel. The cumulative patency rate for 95 autogenous vein grafts was 60.7 per cent at 12 years and higher than the 27.4% patency rate for 50 endarterectomies (p<0.001). All of 11 synthetic bypass prostheses failed with late thrombosis within 3 years after operation.The cumulative patency rate in cases with good distal run-off vessel and those with fair distal run-off vessel were 77.1% at 11 years and 57.3% at 12 years, respectively, and these values were significantly superior to 10.3% in cases with poor distal run-off vessel. The patency rate for 41 in situ grafts was 72.2%, being superior to 65.5% for 42 free grafts.

Construction of internal arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis using Inokuchi’s vascular stapler

Using Inokuchi’s vascular stapler, arteriovenous fistulas with an end-to-end fashion for hemodialysis were constructed in 80 patients (82 limbs) with chronic renal failure. In 76 patients and 76 limbs (95%) of a total of 80 patients, the fistulas were patent and hemodialysis could be effectively carried out. Use of Inokuchi’s vascular stapler facilitated a rapid construction of subcutaneous end-to-end arteriovenous fistulas, and no particular training in vascular surgery was required for the operator. Since the anastomosis was constructed in an end-to-end fashion, complications such as swollen hand, peripheral steal syndrome and cardiac failure were nil.

Venous reconstruction by endvenectomy with temporary arteriovenous fistula for stasis syndrome of lower extremity: Experimental and clinical studies

Effect of the temporary arteriovenous fistula on venous reconstruction for stasis syndrome of the lower extremity was studied experimentally and clinically. The canine iliac vein was replaced with an autogenous vein graft in which the intimal surface was roughened by scrubbing with sponge. A temporary arteriovenous fistula which was closed surgically three or four weeks later was created between the femoral vessels. The patency rate for twenty-one grafts was 80.9 per cent for one to thirty-six weeks (mean 8 weeks), in contrast to complete failure in the control group in which no arteriovenous fistula was created. Adequate healing of the luminal surface of the grafts were experimentally demonstrated by light microscopic examination and en face silver staining of the endothel-like cells with the aid of patent arteriovenous fistula for three weeks.This procedure was clinically applied in four patients with stasis syndrome of the lowere extremities. Good function of the reconstructed venous segments in three of four patients was observed for the last 3 to 8 years after the operations. A looping technique using 2-0 monfilament nylon around the fistula devised by us was very helpful to make easy the shunt closure later. Open endvenecoomy with a temporary arteriovenous fistula is believed to be an acceptable approach for segmental chronic occlusive lesion in the iliac vein.

Prognosis of Arteriosclerosis Obliterans Associated with Diabetes.

糖尿病 (DM) を合併した閉塞性動脈硬化症 (ASO) では, DM非合併例に比べ発症年齢が約5歳若く, 臨床的に重症の傾向を示した. また, 血管造影, 趾尖容積脈波にて末梢動脈の病変が強く, 下肢・足趾切断に至る例が少なくなかった. GHb高値の症例に重症例が多く, DMコントロールの不良は動脈硬化を促進すると考えられた. 一方, DMの治療法, 羅病期間と肢趾切断の割合の間には一定の傾向は認められなかった. これらの結果より, DMをコントロールし, 合併症を軽減させた上で可及的に血行再建術を行い, 少しでも多くの血流を末梢に送るようにすることが治療上重要であると考えた.

Idiopathic arterial calcification in 9-year-old boy: a successful reconstruction for ilio-femoral occlusion

We treated a 9-year-old boy suffering from underdevelopment of the length as well as circumference of the left lower extremity due to idiopathic arterial calcification of the left ilio-femoral artery. There was no deposition of calcium on the other arteries and tissues of the body. He had undergone aorto-internal iliac bypass graft with resection of the calcific iliac and superficial femoral arteries in the National Fukuoka Central Hospital when he was 4 years old, but the graft became occluded. He was admitted to the University of the Ryukyus Hospital. The common femoral artery was completely occluded with severe deposition of calcium on the wall and with gritty contents. The profunda femoris artery and the proximal part of the superficial femoral artery were also completely occluded with organized thrombi. Re-establishment of blood flow to the ischemic left lower extremity was performed with an ilio-femoral cross-over synthetic bypass and femoro-popliteal saphenous vein bypass graft,in situ. The patient has been well with adequate pulses of the pedal and posterior tibial artery 8 months after surgery.