No abstract

The conversion rate increased over the 12-year interval of the study. A history of preoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy and a thickened gallbladder wall contributed to the likelihood of conversion.

Most advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients experience chronic pain resistant to cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors. However, the cells and molecules involved in this advanced OA pain remain poorly understood. In this study, we developed a rat model of advanced knee OA by modification of the monoiodoacetate-induced OA pain model and examined involvement of synovial macrophages in advanced OA pain. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors, such as celecoxib and naproxen, and a steroid were ineffective, but an opioid and anti–nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody was effective for pain management in the advanced OA model. Similar to advanced OA patients, histological analysis indicated severe bone marrow damages, synovitis, and cartilage damage and an increase of macrophages with high expression of interleukin-1β, NGF, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) 1, NOS2, and COX-2 in the knee joint of the advanced OA model. Intravenous injection of clodronate liposomes depleted synovial macrophages, which decreased the level of not only proinflammatory mediator interleukin-1β but also NGF in the knee joint, leading to pain suppression in the advanced OA model. These data suggest the involvement of synovial macrophages in advanced knee OA pain resistant to COX inhibitors by increasing proinflammatory mediators, and that drugs targeting synovial macrophages might have potent analgesic effects.

The Joint Commission International (JCI) is responsible for upholding standards in healthcare and organizations in compliance receive accreditation. JCI requires quality improvement on patient safety goals, but requirements may prolong the total procedure/surgery time and reduce efficiency. Here, we evaluate the impact of JCI requirements on time periods in the operating room. We included patients who received elective and emergency surgeries under general anesthesia at Juntendo University Hospital between December 2014 and June 2016. Patients were classified as before and after JCI accreditation on December 12, 2015. The primary outcome was total procedure/surgery time. Secondary outcomes include five time periods comprising the total procedure/surgery time: pre-anesthesia time, anesthesia induction time, procedure/surgery time, anesthesia awareness time and post-anesthesia time. We compared these time periods between patients before and after JCI accreditation and patients were matched for age, sex and the specific type of surgery. Although total procedure/surgery time did not change significantly, pre-anesthesia time significantly increased (8.2 ± 6.9 minutes vs. 8.5 ± 6.9 minutes, before vs. after JCI, respectively, p = 0.028) and anesthesia induction time significantly decreased (34.4 ± 16.1 minutes vs. 33.6 ± 15.4 minutes, before vs. after JCI, respectively, p = 0.037) after JCI accreditation. Other secondary study outcomes did not change significantly. Quality improvement initiatives associated with time periods in the operating room can be achieved without undermining efficiency.