Takashi Yano

Urinary microalbumin as a marker for intermittent claudication

OBJECTIVEnThe urinary microalbumin concentration was analysed in patients with intermittent claudication in order to investigate its usefulness as a marker for intermittent claudication.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnUrinary samples were collected prior to and following exercise in 15 patients with claudication. The patients walked on a treadmill as far as possible until they were stopped by pain. Urinary microalbumin concentration was measured by a latex agglutination system, and the result was considered abnormal when the concentration exceeded 10 mg/g creatinine. The ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) at rest and the time taken for the ankle pressure to return to the resting level following exercise (ABI recovery time) also were measured.nnnRESULTSnIn seven (47%) of the patients, the urinary microalbumin concentration was elevated to more than 10 mg/g creatinine following exercise, while in eight (53%) it remained normal. The ABI recovery time was significantly longer in the patients in whom the microalbumin concentration was elevated, compared to that in patients without an elevated concentration. The urinary microalbumin concentration following exercise was reduced significantly when the walking distance was decreased 50% or 15%. Following vascular bypass surgery, the elevation in urinary microalbumin concentration was reduced.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe use of urinary microalbumin as a diagnostic marker for intermittent claudication is limited. However, in cases where the concentration is elevated, it can be used to follow the course of the disease.

Thoracoscopic sympathectomy for Buerger's disease: A report on the successful treatment of four patients

We describe herein the successful treatment of four patients with ischemic ulcers or gangrene of the fingers due to Buergers disease by thoracoscopic sympathectomy, a new method of surgery which eliminates the difficulties associated with the traditional “open” approaches to the thoracic sympathetic chain, such as poor exposure, risk of damage to the adjacent structures, and postoperative pain. After the patients were placed in the lateral decubitus position with unilateral pulmonary ventilation, the thoracic sympathetic ganglia (T) from the lower third of T1 to T3 were resected endoscopically. The operative results were excellent, with improvement or complete resolution of the ulcer being achieved in all four patients. All of the patients were satisfied with the results in terms of ulcer healing, postoperative pain, and cosmetic appearance. Although a postoperative air leakage developed in one patient with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, it was successfully treated with an adhesive agent. None of the patients developed Horners syndrome. Thus, because thoracoscopic sympathectomy is easier to perform with a lower risk of complications than conventional thoracic sympathectomy, we recommend this operative approach as the procedure of choice for surgical thoracic sympathectomy.

Fibromuscular dysplasia as a cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

A 53-year-old woman presented with abdominal discomfort and was diagnosed using ultrasonography to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Aortography revealed a saccular aneurysm 4 cm in diameter of the infrarenal aorta with a ‘string of beads’ appearance. The renal and other visceral arteries appeared to be normal. Resection and graft replacement was performed because of the possibility of rupture. Histological examination of the specimen revealed the most common type of fibromuscular dysplasia, namely medial fibroplasia. Fibromuscular dysplasia should be considered as a potential cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm in female patients with no atherosclerosis risk factors.

Influences of bradykinin on the microcirculation.

Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Branch Hospital, Nagoya and the First Department of Surgery, Nagoya Universitv, School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. * Nagoya University Branch Hospital, Nagoya, Japan. Bradykinin is the prototype of a group of related vasoactive polypeptides termed &dquo;kinines&dquo;, and the pathophysiological significance of the peptide is recently discussed as a chemical mediator of the inflammatory response. Elliott et al (1) reported that pure bradykinin produces vasodilation, increased capillary permeability and pain. However, the effects of bradykinin on the postcapillary vascular bed are complex. As vasodilation and exudation are the most characteristic phenomena in the inflammatory response, it is important for the pathogenesis of the various vascular diseases to observe the influences of bradykinin on the microcirculation in the vessel wall. The following experiments were therefore undertaken in an effort to resolve some of these

Successful removal of an infected pacemaker lead using cardiopulmonary bypass in an 89-year-old patient.

We report the case of an 89-year-old patient suffering from endocarditis with septicemia caused by a growth on a pacemaker lead. The entire pacemaker system was successfully removed using cardiopulmonary bypass. Although the patient was an octogenarian in poor condition with a systemic infection, an aggressive operation with careful perioperative management gave a good clinical result. As far as we know, this is the oldest patient in whom a pacemaker system has been removed using cardiopulmonary bypass.

Hemodynamic assessment of chronic venous insufficiency

To study the pathogenesis of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), photoplethysmography and strain-gauge plethysmography were simultaneously performed in 84 patients. Of the 128 limbs studied, 24 were normal, 64 had primary varicose veins and 40 had post-thrombotic syndrome. Venography was also performed in all patients. The results of this study indicate that reflux in the superficial veins is the main pathophysiology involved in the development of CVI, though incompetence of the perforators and deep veins plays some role. In post-thrombotic syndrome, however, CVI is mainly a sequel of deep venous incompetence, the condition being complicated by incompetent perforators and superficial venous reflux.

Below-Elbow Joint Arterial Reconstruction for Chronic Ischaemia

Ten below-elbow joint arterial bypass grafts performed in nine patients for chronic upper extremity ischaemia are reviewed. The cause of the ischaemia was thromboangiitis obliterans in four patients, iatrogenic trauma in four and unknown aetiology in one. Graft revision was required in two patients with thromboangiitis obliterans who underwent axillary-brachial bypass. Eight grafts, including one reoperation, have remained patent from 1 to 10 years (mean 54.3 months). Graft failure after 5 months did not occur, at which time the primary patency rate was 80%. In general, the long-term patency rates of autogenous vein bypass graft to the forearm were satisfactory. Aggressive arterial reconstruction is especially indicated in significant chronic upper extremity ischaemia resulting from iatrogenic trauma, as chances of success are excellent. Clinical and technical problems of in situ vein bypass in the upper extremity are discussed.