当科の准教授・診療教授である赤井卓也先生が30年以上の長きにわたって取り組んできた、頭蓋骨縫合早期癒合症の治療成績をまとめた論文がNeurol Med Chir (Tokyo)誌に掲載されました。術後の経過観察期間は5〜38年（平均17.3年）です。日本のみならず海外からの報告を含めても、これだけ長期間における治療成績を明らかにしたものはきわめて稀だと思います。経過観察期間中、再手術は症候群性で31%に、非症候群性で8%に必要となり、再手術は、頭蓋骨変形の重症度、初回手術の年齢に依存することが判明しました。
今年、赤井先生も黒田も還暦を迎えますが、まだまだ老け込む歳でもなければ、「まとめ」に入る老境でもありません。しかし、今回の研究は赤井先生のお仕事の重要なマイルストーンになると確信しています。現在、赤井先生が中心となって、国内では初めての頭蓋骨縫合早期癒合症の全国登録事業が開始されています。この疾患を患う子どもたちの将来が今まで以上に明るくなるための一助になってほしいと願ってやみません。
Boys and girls, be ambitious!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34707067/
Akai T, Yamashita M, Shiro T, Hamada S, Maruyama K, Iizuka H, Kuroda S
Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 2021 Oct 27. doi: 10.2176/nmc.oa.2021-0101. Online ahead of print.
Long-term Outcomes of Non-syndromic and Syndromic Craniosynostosis: Analysis of Demographic, Morphologic, and Surgical Factors
A Voyage to Depth of Neuroscience Vol. 80
Dr. Takuya Akai, Associate Professor and Clinical Professor of our department, has published a paper in Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) summarizing the results of his treatment of craniosynostosis, which he has been working on for longer than 30 years. The postoperative follow-up period ranges from 5 to 38 years (average 17.3 years). This is the first time that the results of treatment for such a long period of time have been clarified, not only in Japan but also in other countries. During the follow-up period, repeat surgery was required in 31% of syndromic patients and 8% of nonsyndromic patients, and was found to depend on the severity of the skull deformity and the age of the initial surgery.
This year, both Dr. Akai and Dr. Kuroda will celebrate their 60th birthday, but they are not yet old enough or old enough to “summarize” their works. However, I am sure that this research will be an important milestone in Dr. Akai’s work. Currently, Dr. Akai is leading a project to start a nationwide registry of craniosynostosis, the first of its kind in Japan. I sincerely hope that this project will help make the future of children with this disease brighter than ever.
Boys and girls, be ambitious!
