Rectal Carcinoma with Heterotopic Bone: Report of a Case

Heterotopic bone is rarely present in malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. We herein report a case of rectal adenocarcinoma with heterotopic bone. A 46-year-old Japanese male presented to our hospital with abdominal distension and constipation. Colonoscopic examination showed an ulcerated polypoid tumor of the rectum which nearly obstructed the rectal lumen. Abdominal computed tomography showed a tumor of the rectum with calcified deposits. Low anterior resection with lateral lymph node dissection was performed under the tentative diagnosis of rectal cancer. Histological examination of the resected specimen showed mucinous carcinoma of the rectum with heterotopic bone. One of the metastatic lymph nodes dissected also showed heterotopic bone. In the present report, we describe this rare tumor and briefly review the pertinent literature regarding rectal cancer with heterotopic bone

Minimally invasive approach for cancer of the esophagogastric junction

The incidence of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer is increasing in the world. EGJ cancer is traditionally classified by the Siewert classification, despite its limitations. The definition and classification of EGJ cancer is a controversial topic. Thus, the best available strategy for the surgical treatment of EGJ cancer remains controversial. This chapter reviews a minimally invasive approaches for EGJ cancer. Most operations for EGJ cancer that are performed by open surgery can be performed minimally invasively. A minimally invasive transthoracic approach (Ivor-Lewis or McKeown esophagectomy) is the optimal surgical approach for Siewert type I cancer. Mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy, which was recently reported, may be a suitable surgical option, especially for frail patients with Siewert type I cancer. Generally, laparoscopic total or proximal gastrectomy is regarded as the standard for surgerical method for Siewert type III cancer, while both laparoscopic gastrectomy (with lower esophagectomy) or a minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis approach are recommended for Siewert type II cancer. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has the potential to shorten the length of hospitalization, reduce the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications, and improve quality of life with a similar margin status, nodal harvest, and survival rate to open techniques. However, as the existing literature is still limited, the choice of surgical method should be judged by the experienced surgeons, especially in MIS. This review reveals that further large clinical stuidies are need to deepen our understanding of MIS for EGJ cancer

Gemba-Digitalisierung – Wie japanische Automobilunternehmen IoT-Technologien einsetzen

Der Beitrag untersucht den Einsatz von IoT-Technologien in japanischen Automobilunternehmen. Auf der Basis von Fallstudien in sieben Unternehmen wird mit der Gemba-Digitalisierung ein Modus identifiziert, der auch für deutsche Unternehmen und Digitalisierungsexperten sowie die Forschung hierzulande von Interesse ist. Kennzeichnend für die Gemba-Digitalisierung sind die Shopfloor-Orientierung der Digitalisierungsaktivitäten, ihr pragmatischer Low-Cost-Ansatz, der Respekt für das praktische Wissen der Produktionsarbeiter und die Einbettung in die in japanischen Unternehmen verbreitete Gemba-Kultur