Asahikawa Medical UniversityAsahikawa Medical University is located in the middle of the Hokkaido Island and the most northern part of Japan. The Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University was established in 1975. Dr. Sasajima is the third Professor of the Department. The Department consists of 55 beds. Approximately 800 patients are treated and operated here yearly. The Department is dedicated to providing to excellent patients care, outstanding education, and bringing innovative world class to the community.

The Department recognizes three inter-related major goals: Clinical Excellence, Education, and Research. Department of Surgery (with Prof. Sasajima as its head) is divided into four specialized divisions: the division of Cardiovascular Surgery (led by Prof. Sasajima), Thoracic Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery, and Pediatric Surgery. Our surgeons perform a wide variety of operations, including heart, vascular and endovascular, lung, breast, gastrointestinal, and colorectal.

At the division of Cardiovascular Surgery, the highest quality services: diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for a broad range of blood vessels or circulatory problems, including heart, arterial, venous, and lymphatic diseases are provided. At the division patients with critical lower limb ischemia mainly due to arteriosclerosis obliterans (especially diabetic atherosclerosis/dialysis) or Buerger's disease come from all over Japan to undergo bypass surgery.

The Department supports a broad range of clinical and basic scientific research programs. Current clinical and basic research activities include: mechanism of atherosclerosis (AGEs; role of MMP in arterial calcification); mechanism of vein graft stenosis due to progressive intimal hyperplasia; gene therapy to prevent intimal hyperplasia of vein graft; angiogenesis in clitical limb ischemia (clinical trial using HGF plasmid); vascular grafts (biological fate in human subjects; development of a new sealant and infection resistant prosthesis; enhancement of endothelialization; functional difference of endothelial cells between animals);gene therapy of lymphoedema. Throughout the period from 1975 until the present, the Department of Surgery has been active clinically and in the research field. Numbers of theses have been written, numerous papers published.

Curriculum Vitae of Professor

Tadahiro Sasajima

Professor and Chairman of Department of Surgery
Asahikawa Medical University
Tadahiro Sasajima, MD, Ph.D

Dr. Sasajima was born in Sapporo and raised in Shizunai-cho in southern Hokkaido. He graduated and received his medical degree from Hokkaido University School of Medicine in 1971, and his doctor degree of medical science in 1983 from Hokkaido University School of Medicine.

Prior to his arrival at the Asahikawa Medical University, Dr. Sasajima had postgraduate general and cardiovascular surgery training at the Department of Surgery, Hokkaido University Hospital and the Department of Surgery, Kushiro City Hospital.

He spent additional two years at the Research Institute of Applied Electronics, Hokkaido University for researching local pulsatile intramyocardial pressure as a vector force. Form 1992 to 1993 he researched supported by the Japanese Government at the Hope Heart Institute working with Dr. Sauvage, in Seattle, USA. . In 1998, he became Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Asahikawa Medical University.

His research interests include focus on the biological fate of vascular grafts, pathophysiology and surgical management of vascular occlusive diseases such as atherosclerosis obliterans and Buerger’s disease, and the mechanism of atherosclerosis.
Gene therapies for vein graft intimal hyperplasia and lymphoedema have been started 4 years ago; development of a new vascular prosthesis is the other important project; researchs of a new sealant for polyester grafts and infection resistant vascular grafts are on going in cooperation with Technology of Hokkaido University and Macrotec Co.

His published over 700 articles and book chapters, recent publications are shown in the following "Publication" section.

He is the editorial in chief of the Japanese Society for Vascular Surgery, and an editorial member of the Japanese Society for Cardiovascular Surgery.

Publication

  1. Akasaka K, Akasaka N, Sasajima T, Sumpio BE et al. Homocysteine promotes p38-dependent chemotaxis in bovine aortic smooth muscle cells. J Vasc Surg 2005;41:517-22
  2. Sasajima T, Inaba M, Azuma N et al. Novel anastomotic method enables aorto-femoral bypass for patients with porcelain aorta. Year Book of Vasc Surg 2004. Moneta GL. Ed. Mosby. Philadelphia. pp349-50;2004
  3. Koshiko S, Sasajima T, Muraki S et al. Limitations in the use rifampicin-bonded gelatin-sealed grafts against virulent organisms. Year Book of Vasc Surg 2004. Moneta GL. Ed. Mosby. Philadelphia. pp289-90;2004
  4. Asada H, Sasajima T, Inaba M, et al: Venous blood flow through the grafts before harvesting minimizes endothelial cell desquamation immediately after implantation. J Cardiovasc Surg 2004;45:139-42.
  5. Kawai S, Sasajima T, et al.: Biologic degeneration of vein grafts after thrombotic occlusion: Thrombectomy within 3 days results in better indices of viability. J Vasc Surg 2003;38:305-12
  6. Sasajima T, Inaba M, Azuma N et al. Novel anastomotic method enables aorto-femoral bypass for patients with porcelain aorta. J Vasc Surg 2002;35:1016-9.
  7. Akasaka N, Sasajima T, Yamazaki K et al. Lipo-prostaglandin E1 is absorbed by vascular smooth muscle cells, and may enhance reendothelialisation of vein grafts. J Cardiovasc surg .
  8. Haga M, Yamashita A, Paszkowiak J, Sumpio BE: Oscillatory shear stress increases smooth muscle cell proliferation and Akt phosphorylation. J Vasc Surg 2003;37:1277-84
  9. Koshiko S, Sasajima T, Muraki S et al. Limitations in the use rifampicin-bonded gelatin-sealed grafts against virulent organisms. J Vasc Surg 2002;35:779-85.
  10. Azuma N, Akasaka N, Kito H, Ikeda M, Gahtan V, Sasajima T, Sumpio B. Role of p38 MAP Kinase in endothelial cell alignment induced by fluid shear stress. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2001;280:H189-H97.
  11. Azuma N, Duzgun SA, Ikeda M et al. Endothelial cell response to different mechanical forces. J Vasc Surg 2000;32:789-94.
  12. Sasajima T, Takano Y, Hiraishi Y et al. High accumulation of plasminogen and tissue plasminogen activator at the flow surface of mural fibrin in the human arterial system. J Vasc Surg 2000;32:374-82.
  13. Sasajima Y, Sasajima T, Uchida H et al. Postoperative Delirium in Patients with Chronic Lower Limb Ischaemia: What are the Specific Markers? Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2000;20:132-7.
  14. Goh K, Yamamoto H, Inaba M et al. Ruptured mitral valve aneurysm in a patient with quadricuspid aortic valve. J Cardiovasc Surg 2000;41:1-2.
  15. Goh K, Yamamoto H, Tsuda N et al. Konnno Procedure for Infective Endocarditis Involving Aortic Valve in a Small Child. Ann Thorac Surg 2000;69:1264-6.
  16. Azuma N, Aydin Duzgun, Masataka Ikeda et al. Endothelial cell response to different mechanical forces. J Vasc Surg 2000;32:789-94.
  17. Sasajima T, Bhattacharya V, Wu MH et al. Morphology and Histology of Human and Canine Internal Thoracic Arteries. Ann Thorac Surg 1999;68:143-8.
  18. Goh K, Inaba M, Yamamoto H et al. Vascular Clamp for Hemostasis and Stabilization During Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass. Ann Thorac Surg 1999;68:585-6.
  19. Azuma N, Sasajima T, Kubo Y et al. Immunosuppression with FK506 in rat arterial allografts: Fate of allogeneic endothelial cells. J Vasc Surg 1999;694-702.
  20. Sasajima T, Goh K, Asada H et al. Tube Device for Facilitating Distal Anastomosis in Aortic Arch Replacement. Ann Thorac Surg 1998;66:1436-7.
  21. Sasajima T, Wu MH-D, Shi Q et al. Effect of Skeletonizing Dissection on the Internal Thoracic Artery. Ann Thorac Surg 1998;65:1009-13.
  22. Inaba M, Toninelli E, Vanmeter G et al. Retroviral Gene Transfer: Effects on Endothelial Cell Phenotype1. J Surg Res 1998;78:31-6.
  23. Goh K, Sasajima T, Inaba M et al. Isolated Right Ventricular Hypoplasia: Intraoperative Balloon Occlusion Test. Ann Thorac Surg 1998;65:551-3.
  24. Ishikawa M, Morimoto N, Sasajima T et al. Treatment of Primary Varicose Veins: An Assessment of the Combination of High Saphenous Ligation and Sclerotherapy. Surg Today 1998;28:732-5.
  25. Yatsuyanagi E, Sasajima T, Goh K et al. Role of Medial Smooth Muscle Cell Function in Antithrombogenicity of Vein Grafts. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 1998;15:350-6.
  26. Yatsuyanagi E, Hirata S,Yamazaki K et al. Full Thickness Chest Wall Resection for Solitary Sternal Metastasis in Breast Carcinoma. Eur J Surg 2000;166:501-3.
  27. Yatsuyanagi E, Hirata S, Yamazaki K et al. Anastomotic Complications After Bronchoplastic Procedures for Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer. Ann Thorac Surg 2000;70:396-400.
  28. Sasajima T, Yamazaki K, Sugimoto H et al. Sucessful Repair of Tracheal Defect Using Gelatin-Resorcin-Formaldehyde-Glue-Reinforced Fascia Patch.Thorac Cardiov Surg 2000;48:159-161.
  29. Moriyama H, Sasajima T, Hirata S et al. Revascularization of Canine Cryopreserved Tracheal Allografts. Ann Thorac Surg 2000;69:1701-6.
  30. Lehr Je, Pienta KJ, Yamazaki K et al. A Model to study C-MYC and V-H-RAS Induced Prostate Canser Progression in to the Copenagen Rat.Cell Mol Biol 1998;44:949-59.
  31. Sasajima T. Pathological basis and management of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Asian Medical Journal 1998;41:398-404
  32. Sasajima T, Inaba M, Azuma N et al. Myristoyl Gelatin as a Sealant for Dacron Vascular Prostheses. Artificial Organs. 1997;21:287-292.
  33. Goh K, Sasajima T, Inaba M et al. Coronary artery bypass grafting of Takayasu's disease with calcified aorta and subclavian artery obstruction. J Cardiovasc Surg 1997;38:415-7.

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