秀昭 内山

Mirror image hepatectomy in a patient with situs inversus totalis.

BACKGROUND Hepatectomy in a patient with situs inversus patient is technically challenging because of its complete mirror image anatomy, especially for a tumor located deep in the liver. Incorrectly identifying intrahepatic vessels and biliary system would lead to serious complications. We experienced a hepatectomy for a tumor in a patient with situs inversus totalis with referring to computer-generated mirror images. METHODS A 66-year-old female patient with situs inversus totalis was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, 5 cm in diameter, centrally located just above the hepatic hilum compressing the right and left hepatic duct. The liver infected with hepatitis C was cirrhotic with a moderate amount of ascites. We preoperatively created several diagrams of the mirror image anatomy and made plans for how to resect this tumor, presupposing the patient had an ordinary anatomy. The tumor was successfully enucleated with referring to these diagrams. RESULTS The operation time was 454 minutes. Five units of fresh frozen plasma was transfused intraoperatively. Although she suffered refractory ascites which needed repeated paracentesis, she managed to leave the hospital two months after the operation. CONCLUSION Creating a mirror image anatomy enables surgeons to safely perform a complex hepatectomy in a patient with situs inversus totalis.

The Practice of Emergency Medicine in Fukuoka City Hospital, A Secondary Emergency Facility in Japan

OBJECTIVE The transition of emergency departments and the current situation of emergency medicine (EM) in Fukuoka City Hospital (FCH) were reviewed. METHODS The data concerning emergency medicine, such as the transition of intra-hospital emergency systems, were obtained from annual reports published in our hospital. Additionally, the data regarding educational programs for emergency room staff, the number of patients taken to the emergency room by ambulances, the activities regarding the Fukuoka Medical Rally (FMR) and the disaster relief team (DRT) were also reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS Departments of neurology, neurosurgery, emergency, and cardiology were opened sequentially, starting in 2003, with an establishment of facilities of an emergency room (ER), intensive care unit (ICU), stroke care unit (SCU), and coronary care unit (CCU). Regarding educational programs, lectures and demonstrations on basic and advanced life support techniques were given to all staff annually starting in 2004, and resident doctors completed rotations in the ER and the ICU for three months. FCH staff consistently obtained excellent results at the FMR. Ambulance crews attended lectures and received training on EM and intra-tracheal intubation. The numbers of patients taken by ambulance to FCH increased from 129 in 2002 to 2,316 in 2011. The DRT was dispatched to respond to disasters that occurred in Japan. CONCLUSIONS As a secondary emergency hospital, FCH has developed a system to accept emergency patients. This project will contribute to the improvement of the EM system in the area.