Risk factors for unsuccessful removal of central venous access ports implanted in the forearm of adult oncologic patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk factors for unsuccessful removal of a central venous access port (CV port) implanted in the forearm of adult oncologic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 97 adult oncologic patients (51 males, 46 females; age range, 30-88 years; mean age, 63.7 years) in whom removal of a CV port implanted in the forearm was attempted at our hospital between January 2015 and May 2021. Gender, age at removal, body mass index, and diagnosis were examined as patient characteristics; and indwelling period, indwelling side, and indication for removal were examined as factors associated with removal of a CV port. These variables were compared between successful and unsuccessful cases using univariate analysis. Then, multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for unsuccessful removal of a CV port using variables with a significant difference in the univariate analysis. A receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve was drawn for significant risk factors in the multivariate analysis and the Youden index was used to determine the optimum cut-off value for predicting unsuccessful removal of a CV port. RESULTS: Removal of CV ports was successful in 79 cases (81.4%), but unsuccessful in 18 cases (18.6%) due to fixation of the catheter to the vessel wall. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the indwelling period (odds ratio 1.048; 95% confidence interval 1.026-1.070; P < 0.0001) was a significant independent risk factor for unsuccessful removal of a CV port. ROC analysis showed that the cut-off value for successful removal was 41 months, and 54% of cases with an indwelling period > 60 months had unsuccessful removal. CONCLUSION: The indwelling period is an independent risk factor for unsuccessful removal of a CV port implanted in the forearm of adult oncologic patients, with a cut-off of 41 months.

Ultraselective transcatheter arterial embolization with small-sized microcoils for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of ultraselective transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with small-sized microcoils for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were 17 consecutive patients (mean age, 69 years) with LGIB who were treated with ultraselective TAE using small-sized microcoils between December 2013 and December 2019. Ultraselective TAE was defined as embolization of one or both of the long or short branches of the vasa recta. The etiologies of bleeding were colonic diverticulosis in 16 patients (94%) and malignancy in one patient (6%). The bleeding foci were in the ascending colon in 11 patients (65%), transverse colon in 2 patients (12%), and sigmoid colon in 4 patients (23%). A total of 18 branches (diameter: range 0.5-1.5 mm, mean 1.1 mm) of the vasa recta in 17 patients were embolized with small-sized microcoils (size range 1-3 mm, mean combined lengths of all microcoils 7.6 cm). The mean follow-up period was 19 months (range 1-80 months). The technical and clinical success rate, recurrent bleeding rate, major complications and long-term clinical outcomes were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: Technical and clinical success was achieved in all patients (17/17). The rates of early recurrent bleeding (within 30 days of TAE) and major complications were 0% (0/17). Recurrent bleeding occurred in one patient at 2 months after TAE, but was stopped with conservative treatment. There were no other bleeding episodes or complications in the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Ultraselective TAE with small-sized microcoils is a highly effective and safe treatment modality for LGIB.

Utility of the Virtual Liver Parenchymal Perfusion Area Using a Commercially Available Workstation in Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of the virtual liver parenchymal perfusion area using a commercially available workstation and liver analysis software in conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This method was retrospectively applied to 29 treated HCCs in 23 patients. The virtual embolic area (VEA) was estimated based on cone beam computed tomography during hepatic arteriography using a commercially available workstation and liver analysis software by two observer groups (group A: experts; group B: semi-experts). The real embolic area (REA) was defined as the area where iodized oil accumulated on computed tomography at 1 week after cTACE. The REA was estimated by each of the two groups, and the mean REA between the groups (mREA) was used as a standard reference. Agreement of volume and cross-sectional area in three orthogonal planes between the VEA and mREA were analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: The ICCs for volume between VEA and mREA were 0.97 and 0.88 for groups A and B, respectively, and those for cross-sectional area were 0.94 and 0.88 for the axial plane, 0.95 and 0.83 for the coronal plane, and 0.87 and 0.74 for the sagittal plane, respectively. Thus, the overall agreement was excellent, except for the sagittal imaging plane in group B. CONCLUSION: This method using a commercially available workstation and liver analysis software can be useful for estimating the embolic area in cTACE.

Percutaneous drainage of psoas and iliopsoas muscle abscesses with a one-step technique under real-time computed tomography fluoroscopic guidance.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility and safety of drainage catheter installation for psoas/iliopsoas muscle abscesses using a one-step technique under the guidance of real-time computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten psoas or iliopsoas muscle abscesses in 7 patients that were treated with percutaneous drainage were included in this study. All drainage procedures were carried out using a one-step technique under real-time CT fluoroscopic guidance. RESULTS: The drainage catheter insertion was performed successfully with the one-step technique in all lesions. Improvements in the patients' symptoms and blood test results were seen after the drainage procedure in all cases. In addition, postoperative CT scans demonstrated that the abscesses had reduced in size or disappeared in all but one patient, who was transferred to another institution while the drainage catheter was still in place. No major complications were seen in any case. CONCLUSION: The one-step procedure is simple to perform. The percutaneous drainage of psoas or iliopsoas muscle abscesses with the one-step technique under real-time CT fluoroscopic guidance is accurate and safe. Moreover, compared with the two-step technique the one-step procedure results in a shorter drainage procedure and exposes the patient and operator to lower amounts of radiation. J. Med. Invest. 63: 323-327, August, 2016.

Three-dimensional CT for preoperative detection of the left gastric artery and left gastric vein in laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated 3-D CT imaging for preoperative classification of the left gastric artery and vein in patients with early gastric cancer and estimated its clinical benefit. METHODS: Between April 2009 and March 2014, 279 patients underwent preoperative 3-D CT using a 64-row multi-detector CT scanner, followed by laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy. The 3-D CT images of the arterial and portal phases were reconstructed and fused. The operative outcomes were compared between patients who had not undergone 3-D CT (2007-2008) and who had undergone 3-D CT (2009-2011). RESULTS: According to Adachi's classification, the numbers of type I, II, III, IV, V, and VI arterial patterns were 253, 15, 1, 3, 3, and 1, respectively. Three cases could not be classified. According to the Douglass classification, the left gastric vein flowed into the portal vein, splenic vein, junction of the portal vein and splenic vein, and left branch of the portal vein in 119, 111, 36, and 5 patients, respectively. The left gastric vein could not be visualized in six patients, and two patients could not be classified. In addition, the relation was absent for an Adachi type I vein and one of the "other" types of veins. The total operative time was significantly shorter with 3-D CT than without it (P = 0.01), and the degree of lymph-node dissection was significantly higher (P = 0.01). Inflammatory parameters and operative morbidity tended to decrease with 3-D CT. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional CT is a useful modality to visualize the vessel anatomy around the stomach, and it improves clinical effectiveness and reduces the invasiveness of surgery.

Effect of timing of diuresis on response of rat bladder to outlet obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether results similar to a previous study, in which sucrose-induced diuresis started before creating partial outlet obstruction resulted in protection of bladder contractile function in obstructed animals, would be obtained if diuresis were begun after creation of partial outlet obstruction. METHODS: Thirty-six rats were separated into six groups of 6 rats each: group 1, control; group 2, diuresis; group 3, obstructed; group 4, obstructed immediately after diuresis; group 5, obstructed with diuresis beginning 10 days after obstruction; and group 6, obstructed before diuresis. Diuresis was induced by feeding 5% sucrose instead of water. After 3 weeks of obstruction, all bladders were excised, cut into longitudinal strips, and mounted in isolated muscle baths for physiologic study. RESULTS: Sucrose-induced diuresis resulted in a statistically significant increase in bladder mass and a mild increase in smooth muscle contractility compared with the control water-fed group. Obstruction resulted in a fourfold increase in bladder weight and substantial decreases in the responses to all forms of stimulation. The bladder weights of the obstruction plus diuresed groups were all similar to the diuresis-alone group and significantly lower than those of the obstructed group. All diuresed groups showed protection of the contractile responses compared with the obstruction-alone group. Unexpectedly, the group that began diuresis 1 day after obstruction showed the strongest protection. CONCLUSIONS: Diuresis significantly reduced the increase in bladder mass induced by obstruction and also reduced the level of contractile dysfunction. Diuresis begun 1 day after obstruction resulted in the greatest level of protection.

Bladder smooth muscle cell phenotypic changes and implication of expression of contractile proteins (especially caldesmon) in rats after partial outlet obstruction.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to investigate morphological changes in bladder smooth muscle of rats with partial outlet obstruction. We investigated smooth muscle cell phenotypic changes and implication of synthetic phenotype in contractility decrease and bladder compliance after bladder outlet obstruction. METHODS: Partial bladder outlet obstruction was introduced in female rats. Bladder were removed at 1, 3, 6, 10 and 20 weeks after the obstruction. Temporal pattern of changes in bladder mass, light microscopic pathogenesis and phenotypic expression of the bladder smooth muscle cells in the electron micrographs were investigated. Expression of contractile protein was also investigated by the immunoblotting method. RESULTS: Marked increase in bladder mass with marked thickening of smooth muscle layer was observed at 1 week after obstruction. The ratio of myocytes exhibiting contractile and synthetic phenotypes was almost constant until 6 weeks after the obstruction, but thereafter, synthetic phenotypes gradually increased and the ratio (synthetic/contractile phenotype) was 1.5-fold at 20 weeks after the obstruction. Caldesmon was most markedly expressed after the obstruction among contractile proteins examined by the immunoblotting method. CONCLUSION: Phenotypic changes were confirmed in bladder smooth muscle, and the decrease of the ratio of contractile phenotype was observed after long-term obstruction of the bladder outlet. Among the contractile proteins in the bladder smooth muscle cell, caldesmon was considered a reliable marker for predicting the pathogenetic conditions of the bladder.