Hiroyuki Tashima

Background: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia is a condition of the lower extremities that requires therapeutic intervention. It is characterized by ischemia, tissue loss, neuropathy, infection, and risk of amputation.Case: An 82-year-old woman with a history of bilateral total knee arthroplasty and rheumatoid arthritis underwent a left ankle arthroplasty. Wound healing was delayed, and chronic limb-threatening ischemia was diagnosed. When endovascular therapy was found ineffective, novel low-density lipoprotein apheresis was initiated. Pedicle flap and split-thickness skin grafting were performed to save the affected limb. However, skin necrosis progressed, and the patient underwent left lower limb amputation 17 days after ankle arthroplasty. The stump included a skin graft area, and the decision to fabricate a prosthetic leg was difficult because of the patient’s advanced age, rheumatoid arthritis, and poor upper limb function. However, her cognitive function, muscle strength, and joint range of motion were good. No sign of wound infection was observed, and the patient was able to walk before surgery. Therefore, we decided to fabricate a prosthetic leg. Seventy-five days after amputation, the patient achieved independent walking using a cane and a silver-wheel walker.Discussion: The benefit of novel low-density lipoprotein apheresis helped our decision to fabricate a prosthesis when uncertainty existed about the maturity of a recent amputation in an elderly patient with chronic limb-threatening ischemia. The patient successfully achieved a prosthetic gait under challenging conditions.

The risk of pneumonia and death is higher in acute stroke patients with signs of pulmonary infection on chest computed tomography (CT) at admission. However, few reports have examined the incidence of pneumonia and its predictors in subacute stroke patients. The aim of this study was to examine factors related to post-stroke pneumonia in subacute stroke patients. A total of 340 subacute stroke patients were included. Univariable logistic regression analysis was performed using variables that may contribute to pneumonia, with the development of pneumonia as the dependent variable. Multivariable logistic regression analysis using the three independent variables with the lowest p-values on the univariable logistic regression analysis was also performed to calculate adjusted odds ratios. Twenty-two patients developed pneumonia during hospitalization. The univariable logistic regression analysis showed that the top three items were serum albumin (Alb), functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) score, and signs of pulmonary infection on chest CT at admission. Multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for these three items showed that the presence of signs of pulmonary infection on chest CT at admission was the independent variable (OR: 4.45; 95% CI: 1.54–12.9). When signs of pulmonary infection are seen on admission chest CT, careful follow-up is necessary because pneumonia is significantly more likely to occur during hospitalization.