遠藤 和洋

2001年〜2011年に施行した大腿ヘルニア手術症例52例を検討した。全例でCT施行し、大腿ヘルニアの術前診断は41例(CT正診率80%)だった。嵌頓群は37例(71%)で、イレウス症状は20例(嵌頓群の54%)で認め、全例緊急手術を要した。ヘルニア内容は小腸27例(73%)が最も多かった。腸切除は16例(43%)で施行した。発症から手術までの経過時間は、切除群と非切除群で平均値は同等で有意差を認めなかった(P=0.621)。後壁補強はMcVay法が37例(95%)で施行され、非嵌頓群では各種メッシュ法が53%で選択されていた。術後合併症は嵌頓群で有意に多かったが、腸切除の有無では有意差を認めなかった。腸切除を避けるためには、早期診断・治療が必要であり、発症からできるだけ早いタイミングでの介入が有効と考えられた。(著者抄録)

胆膵領域の診断に用いられる画像診断装置の進歩は著しい。これら画像診断装置から得られる高精細の情報を、系統的に活用する手法の開発が必要である。われわれは、画像情報を処理することによるvirtual 3D model(仮想三次元モデル)を作成した。さらに、産業界で用いられる3次元プリンタのrapid prototyping法によりreal 3D model(実体3次元モデル)を作成する手法を開発した。本手法により患者の個人情報を直接反映した臓器モデルが作成可能である。Virtual 3D modelは、コンピューター上での加工、処理が容易である。Real 3D modelは直接の大きさの把握や曲面の理解などに寄与する。デジタルとアナログの組み合わせにより、より詳細な理解や情報共有が得られる。今後は臨床のみならず、教育や患者コミュニケーションツールとしての活用も期待される。(著者抄録)

ドレナージが必要な膵嚢胞は径の大きな有症状膵仮性嚢胞に限られる.急性膵炎後の膵仮性嚢胞に対する経皮的ドレナージは根治的治療とはなり難いが,全身状態不良例,嚢胞壁の脆弱例に対する感染コントロールのために行う適応はある.慢性膵炎の急性増悪による膵仮性嚢胞は内視鏡的ドレナージ,外科的内瘻造設術の良い適応であり,経皮的ドレナージの適応はごく限られる.経皮的ドレナージはUSガイド下,CTガイド下に行われ,もっとも問題となる合併症は難治性の膵液瘻形成で,追加治療の可能性を常に念頭におく必要がある.膵嚢胞に対する経皮的ドレナージの適応になる症例は限られているが,その手技について習熟することは重要である.(著者抄録)

大腸癌の予後および治療法の選択は深達度と密接に関係している.CT colonographyでは,MDCTの技術革新に伴って,短時間で仮想内視鏡像や仮想注腸像,MPR像といった様々なpost processing imageの作成が可能となった.一方,大腸内視鏡や注腸造影検査においては,これまでに培われたそれぞれの診断基準が存在する.CT colonographyにおける大腸癌の深達度診断においては,得られた様々なpost processing imageに,従来のモダリティで培われた診断基準を用いて,総合的に診断することで的確な深達度診断が可能と考える.(著者抄録)

BACKGROUND: There are no studies to date using air as an enteral contrast medium for small bowel expansion in virtual enteroscopy. We examine the feasibility of air as an enteral contrast medium for virtual enteroscopy to achieve small bowel expansion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two volunteers and six patients were examined. The six patients included three with small bowel tumors, one with small bowel hemorrhage and two with suspected cases of post-operative small bowel stenosis. A duodenal tube was inserted under fluoroscopy and approximately 2000 ml air was administered prior to scanning. A 16-detector row computed tomography apparatus was used with 2-mm thick slices. Intravenous contrast material was administered to the patients, but not to the volunteers. Computed tomography scanning was performed two to three times until the air reached the colon. Two examiners reconstructed multi-planar reformation, volume rendering and virtual endoscopy. These images were compared with double balloon enteroscopic findings and/or resected specimens. RESULTS: There were no complications associated with this examination. In the volunteers the difference between the circular folds of the jejunum and those of the ileum was clearly visualized on virtual endoscopy. Angiodysplasia (9 mm), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (15 mm) and arteriovenous malformation were clearly detected by virtual endoscopy. In contrast, one tumor could not be detected because of inadequate intestinal distension. In the two suspected cases of the stenosis, the lesion was not identified because stenotic lesions were not differentiated from normal peristalsis of the small bowel. CONCLUSIONS: Air is a feasible enteral contrast material for virtual enteroscopy.

BACKGROUND: In natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), the endoscope has the disadvantages of an unstable visual field and wide blind space. We developed a compact charge-coupled device (CCD) camera unit that can be transgastrointestinally placed in the abdominal cavity. METHODS: The requisites for a wireless CCD camera unit for use in NOTES have been cited as: monitoring performance, fixation to the abdominal wall, attitude control, and antifogging functionality. Models to meet these requisites were prepared to assess their performance. The monitor had a CCD with dimensions of 7 x 7 x 7 mm and resolution of 410,000 pixels. The unit had a structure that allowed its attachment to the endoscope apex when placed to the abdominal wall. The abdominal wall fixation unit was equipped with a pantograph-type needle structure that was easily activated and retained by changing the polarity of an electromagnetic force. The pantograph-type needle head was designed to rotate by 360 degrees as an attitude-control mechanism, and both the pantograph and attitude-control mechanisms enabled attitude control in horizontal and vertical directions by a magnetic force applied from outside the body. Fogging was prevented by a vibration mechanism that physically cleaned the CCD lens surface and by titanium dioxide coating of the lens surface. RESULTS: The CCD camera unit was confirmed to have sufficient performance as an auxiliary monitor for endoscopy in terms of visual field and resolution. The pantograph-type needle structure successfully completed fixation of the CCD camera unit to the abdominal wall. Unit attitude was easily controlled, and fogging could be addressed by water supply before insertion of the CCD camera unit into the peritoneal cavity. CONCLUSIONS: The wireless CCD camera unit was verified to function as an effective second eye in NOTES by using the described mechanisms and antifogging coating.

CONTEXT: Although rare, a pancreatic arteriovenous malformation can have serious consequences. A diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation requires evidence of aberrant communication between the arterial and the venous systems. This report describes a case where the use of multi-detector row CT and specific post-processing methods provided a diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation. This minimally invasive diagnostic approach resulted in a clear, precise and comprehensive visual representation of the pancreatic arteriovenous malformation. CASE REPORT: A 60-year-old man with right hypochondriac pain presented with a mass in the head of the pancreas. The hypochondriac pain resolved spontaneously and physical examination revealed no abnormal findings. A multi-detector row CT study was performed. The data obtained in the arterial phase demonstrated a high-contrast mass in the head of the pancreas and early enhancement of the portal vein. A maximum intensity projection method clarified the aberrant vascular communication. Changes in Hounsfield numbers were observed using a multi-planar reformation method. A volume-rendering method was used to create a 3D model which demonstrated the spatial relationship between the aberrant vascular communication and the surrounding tissue. An annual follow-up study using this technique showed no significant alteration. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-detector row CT with specific post-processing methods is a useful diagnostic tool for pancreatic arteriovenous malformation.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: We tried to determine whether the customization of an X-TRACT Tissue Morcellator could avoid the laceration-induced distension of surgical incisions/openings when transintestinally removing resected liver tissue from the body, when the greatest dimension of the tissue exceeded the dimension of the opening. METHODS: Pigs were used to examine changes in the caliber and shape of surgical incisions made with a conventional hook knife and insulation-tipped diathermic (IT) knife for electrodissection in endoscopy, and to examine changes in circular incision made with a customized X-TRACT Tissue Morcellator. The ENDO CATCH II device was used to remove tissue. RESULTS: Laceration occurred in the "roundness-lost portion" of the surgical incisions made with the hook knife, thus confirming the greatest dimension of the distended incisions and the occurrence of an irregular laceration. In the circular incision that were made with the customized X-TRACT Tissue Morcellator, by contrast, the removal of resected liver tissue whose greatest dimension was fivefold greater than that of the surgical openings did not increase the caliber of the openings. The shape of the openings remained round, and no laceration was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the customized X-TRACT Tissue Morcellator with an electrifiable round cutter allowed the performance of transintestinal hepatectomy and the removal of a solid organ through surgical openings that had been made in the gastrointestinal wall.