INTERNATIONAL ABSTRACTS

points were difficult to find, and a lateral viewing en- doscope was more useful for the detection of bleeding stoma1 ulcer. A single ulcer was found in seven cases, multiple ulcers in three cases, and unknown in two cases. Bleeding stoma1 ulcers appeared in various forms and shapes. Endoscopic local injection with hy- pertonic saline-epinephrine solution was greatly use- ful to stop the bleeding from stoma1 ulcers; however, six cases were surgically treated because of unsuc- cessful endoscopic hemostasis.

Clinical significance of plasma aldosterone in acute ce- rebrovascular disease. Takahashi H, Tsuji Y. Jpn J Acute Med 1987;11:1947-1951.

We have reported that an increase in plasma aldo- sterone level was observed after severe head trauma. The present study was undertaken to examine whether the measurement of plasma aldosterone level is valu- able to assess and evaluate the clinical status of a pa- tient with acute cerebrovascular disease. 132 patients admitted to our hospital were studied; serial blood samples were obtained at the time of admission, on the third day, and on the seventh day. In unconscious pa- tients, the aldosterone concentrations were shown to be 195.7 ? 77.7 pg/mL on admission, falling to 73.6 + 36.4 pg/mL on the seventh day. In conscious patients, plasma aldosterone concentrations remained within normal limits. Initial aldosterone values in the patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage were recorded to be higher than others. The mean plasma aldosterone lev- els in the “poor” outcome group were significantly higher than those in the “good” group.

Transcatheter arterial embolization for chronic arterlo- venous fistula due to blunt abdominal trauma. Mit- suya K, Kusano S, Murata K, Ohuchi H, Maekawa K. Jpn J Acute Med 1988;12:65-71.

Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was per- formed for three patients with chronic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) following abdominal blunt trauma. Chronic AVF in the pelvis and liver had multiple feed- ers, resembling congenital arteriovenous malforma- tion, which were successfully occluded by TAE with a combined use of gelfoam, cyanoacrylate and Ivalon. On the other hand, AVF with a single feeder in the spleen was successfully occluded with gelfoam alone. TAE is useful as an alternative to surgery in treating chronic AVF because of its safety and usefulness in preservation of organ function.

Endoscopic local injection of hypertonic saline- epinephrine solution to the upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A study during the last 5-year period. Koh T, Asanuma T, Masuda K, Adachi T, Shimabukuro T, Yoshino H, Miyazaki Y, Naka H, Kawauchi H,

Ueda N, Watanabe T, Hirao M. Jpn J Acute Med 1988;12:73-79.

One hundred fifty seven patients with upper gastro- intestinal bleeding were treated with endoscopic local injection of hypertonic saline-epinephrine (HS-E) so- lution at our hospital during a 5-year period from April 1981 to March 1986. 157 cases included 112 gastric ulcers, 20 duodenal ulcers, 9 gastric cancers, 5 Mal- lory-Weiss syndromes, 3 stoma1 ulcers, and others. Cases with serious systemic diseases were 38.9% of the total and included 19 decompensatory liver cirrho- ses, 10 postoperative bleedings, 6 malignant tumors of other organs, 5 cerebrovascular attacks, 5 renal fail- ures, 3 multiple bone fractures, and others. In all cases without serious systemic diseases, permanent arrest of hemorrhage was demonstrated. In cases with serious systemic diseases, permanent and temporary arrests of hemorrhage were demonstrated in 86.9% and 6.6%, respectively. No apparent hemostatic effect was seen in 6.6%. Local injection of HS-E solution can be re- peated in large quantities and applied for various types of bleeding, producing excellent hemostasis.

Survival sensor via orbiting satellite. Nakajima I. Jpn J Acute Med 1988;12:81-90.

A world-wide communication system for traffic di- sasters by means of a satellite is aimed to be put to practical use in 1991. But the information transmitted by the system contains only the distress occurrence and contains no vital information on the survivors. In the shipwrecks frequently occurring every year, sci- entific sensoring is not performed on the existence and condition of survivors. In reality the judgment “prob- ably no survivor” is made, and the most important human life is taken lightly. We developed a system in which a survival sensor was worn by a subject and the subject’s electrocardiographic signals were transmit- ted to the orbiting satellite “Fuji”. The radio signal from the “Fuji” was powerful and we could success- fully reproduce electrocardiographic signals transmit- ted from the sensor. This system uses the survival sensor and transmits vital information from the trans- mitter equipped in a ship and lifeboat in distress via the circulating satellite. This sensor will also be effective in an air accident involving a jumbo jet or in a moun- tain-climbing accident.

The findings of coronary angiography during the attack of severe unstable angina pectoris. Nagao K, Kan- matsuse K, Satoh Y, Yamashita M, Emoto H, Yumi K, Watanabe I, Koono T, Kajiwara N. Jpn J Acute Med 1988;12:91-97.

To investigate the pathogenesis of unstable angina pectoris and the mechanism of onset in acute myocar-

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