Yasuki Unemura

Publications (2)3.8 Total impact

• Article: Extracorporeal bioartificial liver using the radial-flow bioreactor in treatment of fatal experimental hepatic encephalopathy.

  Hideki Kanai, Hideki Marushima, Naofumi Kimura, Takamasa Iwaki, Masaya Saito, Haruka Maehashi, Keiko Shimizu, Makiko Muto, Takahiro Masaki, Kiyoshi Ohkawa, [......], Hiroshi Hano, Yoshiaki Hataba, Takahiro Fukuda, Masahiko Nakamura, Naoto Totsuka, Shutaro Ishikawa, Yasuki Unemura, Yuji Ishii, Katsuhiko Yanaga, Tomokazu Matsuura
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  ABSTRACT: An extracorporeal bioartificial liver (BAL) that could prevent death from hepatic encephalopathy in acute hepatic insufficiency was aimed to develop. A functional human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (FLC-4) was cultured in a radial-flow bioreactor. The function of the BAL was tested in mini-pigs with acute hepatic failure induced by alpha-amanitin and lipopolysaccharide. When the BAL system was connected with cultured FLC-4 to three pigs with hepatic dysfunction, all demonstrated electroencephalographic improvement and survived. Relatively low plasma concentrations of S-100 beta protein, as a marker of astrocytic damage, from pigs with hepatic failure during BAL therapy were noted. BAL therapy can prevent irreversible brain damage from hepatic encephalopathy in experimental acute hepatic failure.
  Artificial Organs 03/2007; 31(2):148-51. · 2.00 Impact Factor
• Article: Impact of prophylactic mupirocin for radical esophagectomy.

  Yasuki Unemura, Yuichi Ishida, Yutaka Suzuki, Katsuhiko Yanaga
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  ABSTRACT: The preoperative intranasal application of mupirocin significantly decreases the rate of nosocomial S. aureus infections among patients who are S. aureus carriers. However, it remains unclear whether the routine preoperative use of mupirocin would reduce postoperative S. aureus infections, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, and who would benefit from the prophylactic use of mupirocin. Ninety-six consecutive patients who had undergone elective radical esophagectomy with right thoracotomy and laparotomy were evaluated. Fifty-one patients were given 2% mupirocin calcium ointment 3 times daily over 3 consecutive days before surgery. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors affecting the following three issues: postoperative MRSA infection, postoperative pneumonia, and the length of postoperative hospital stay. In univariate analyses, the preoperative application of mupirocin significantly reduced MRSA infection, postoperative pneumonia, and length of postoperative hospital stay. Multivariate analyses indicated significant associations between mupirocin administration and reductions in both MRSA infection and postoperative pneumonia, but not in length of postoperative hospital stay. Radical esophagectomy with right thoracotomy and laparotomy for esophageal carcinoma warranted the preoperative prophylactic administration of mupirocin in order to reduce postoperative infectious complications from MRSA. Its routine use for such a high-risk procedure is entirely reasonable.
  Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy 11/2006; 12(5):257-63. · 1.80 Impact Factor