Motonori Nakagawa

Leukocytapheresis for the treatment of active pouchitis: a pilot study

BackgroundPouchitis is a major long-term complication of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of leukocytapheresis for the treatment of active pouchitis.MethodsEight patients with active pouchitis received leukocytapheresis weekly for 5 weeks in an open-label treatment protocol together with baseline therapy.ResultsPatients showed significant improvement in their pouchitis disease activity index scores, from 9.5 (range, 8–10) to 4.0 (range, 2–8) (P < 0.05). Six (75%) of the 8 treated patients achieved remission. No adverse events were observed.ConclusionsLeukocytapheresis therapy could be a new therapeutic strategy for patients with pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. These encouraging results lead us to propose a randomized controlled trial.

Capillary hemangioma of the liver with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome in a neonate: report of a case.

Abstract: Hepatic hemangiomas are benign tumors, and therefore minimally invasive treatment such as irradiation or steroid therapy is often recommended. However, in patients who have a hemangioma complicated by Kasabach-Merritt syndrome, surgical intervention should also be considered because of its confirmative therapeutic effect. We present herein the case of a 32-day-old male infant in whom a huge hepatic hemangioma associated with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome was treated by surgical intervention together with strong antidisseminated intravascular coagulation therapy.