- SHOWA University Hospital
- Departments and Specialties
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Departments and Specialties
Departments
Respirology and Allergology
The number of patients with respiratory diseases and allergic diseases has been steadily increasing in line with the unprecedented aging of society and changes in the social environment. At the Department of Respirology and Allergology, doctors who have specialized knowledge, experience and passion treat patients with all types of respiratory diseases including pneumonia, lung cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and interstitial pneumonia, and allergic diseases such as food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis. We practice team medicine, which is a characteristic of Showa University, to apply the most appropriate specialty and contribute to our patients and community medicine through the provision of holistic therapy.Thoracic Surgery
Gastroenterology
At our department, every doctor keeps on acquiring latest knowledges and cutting-edgeclinical skills for the best of patients with cordial compassion and sincerity.Actually, we master general medical care in the field of gastroenterology, which are dividedinto alimentary tract, hepatology, gallbladder, and pancreatology. Furthermore, each doctoralso trains to get specialty to develop evidence-based practical knowledges to help morepatients with complex and difficult pathogenesis. As a result, there are a lot of medicalspecialists certified by several famous medical institutes. Advanced basic and clinicalresearches are organized with patients' informed consent to contribute to the developmentof current medical skill. Consequently, we have got various public and private medicalresearch grants. Furthermore, there are a lot of our published papers by authorized peer-review journals each year. We also accept medical students and residents from foreigncountries as well as Japanese doctors.We welcome patients introduced by other medical institutions and sincerely hope thatpatients would receive medical treatment with security.
General and Gastroenterological Surgery
Based on our guiding philosophy of Shisei Ikkan (to practice surgical treatment with sincerity to help patients), which was set by the university founder Dr. Shusuke Kamijo, our basic policies are, first, to ensure safety with an ethical viewpoint; second, to focus on curability; and third, to provide unique and creative treatments. This department has had a dramatic increase in the number of surgeries for malignant tumors. As a high-volume center, we will provide high-quality and minimally invasive surgical treatments which aim to improve the QOL of our patients by actively promoting advanced robot/computer-aided surgeries based on minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.Our principle is to provide minimally invasive surgeries that maintain curability, perioperative management without complications, and provision of hospitalization without concern. We prepare detailed explanatory documents on the patient’s condition and perioperative management manuals for patients, and provide treatments based on the team medicine system where medical staff work together and closely with the patient. In addition, the Digestive Disease Center closely coordinates with other departments such as Gastroenterology, Radiology, and Oncology and determines the best treatment policy for each patient in line with their wishes.
Esophageal Surgery
The laboratory began performing thoracoscopic esophagus cancer operations in 1996, and now operates on more than 130 cases of esophagus cancer every year. We conduct minimally invasive surgeries with a thoracoscope for nearly 100% of our patients. We conduct perioperative management to reduce postoperative complications by conducting thorough breathing exercises from before the operation and providing team medicine by coordinating multiple specialties. We also actively perform minimally invasive surgeries on benign diseases in the esophagus. Please consult us if you are suffering from a disease related to the esophagus.Cardiology
Our department provides treatments in the field of circulatory organ diseases in general (ischemic heart disease, arrhythmia, valvular disease, cardiac insufficiency, peripheral arterial disease, venous system diseases, adult congenital heart disease). A specialist in each field provides diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. Furthermore, considering that primary and secondary prevention of these diseases are also important, we actively provide management of lifestyle diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes, dyslipidemia, etc.). We have 76 hospital beds (14 beds in Coronary Care Unit, 62 beds in general wards), and our goal is for the entire medical staff to work together so that we can face our patients with honesty and provide advanced medical services. We also focus on training for medical interns and young cardiologists who will play important roles in the future.Cardiovascular Surgery
Pediatric Cardiovascular Medicine
Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
Obstetrics and Gynecology
We have established a system for diagnosis and treatment that supports the health of women of all ages and all situations, including pregnancy and delivery, benign or malignant gynecologic tumors, infertility, adolescent troubles, menopausal disorders, pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence. To handle medicine in obstetrics and gynecology which continues to advance and subspecialize in recent years, we have also established a special outpatient section for each area, and provide highly advanced medical treatments as a university hospital in addition to general practice. Furthermore, as a university hospital, we provide education to pregraduate and postgraduate doctors to cultivate outstanding doctors, and conduct studies aiming to develop new diagnostic and treatment methods.Pediatrics
Pediatric Surgery
Just as there are surgery departments and internal medicine departments for adults, there are also specialties in surgery and internal medicine within the field of pediatrics. The Pediatric Surgery Department is responsible for this branch of surgery. Recent progress in medical technology has enabled prenatal diagnosis and treatments during the fetal period. To provide consistent neonatal care from the fetal period until after birth, Showa University Hospital conducts team medicine which allows obstetrics (perinatal department), neonatology, and pediatric surgery to work together beyond the boundaries of departments at the Children’s Medical Center. The Pediatric Surgery Department aims to provide minimally invasive treatments which take into account the esthetic outcome centering on laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of all organic diseases.Neurosurgery
I have been in charge of the Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University School of Medicine, since April 2012. After graduating the University of Tokyo in 1984 and serving in the Tama region of Tokyo for more than 20 years, I have worked mainly in surgical repairs of cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral aneurysm, carotid artery stenosis, and bypass surgery, as well as surgery of benign brain tumors.The intravascular treatment of cerebrovascular diseases using catheters has developed remarkably. Furthermore, brain tumor surgeries have become safer, as the transcatheter embolization method is performed prior to the main surgery to mitigate the amount of bleeding during surgery by blocking the vasa vasorum.
In September 2014, Professor Tomoaki Terada, who is the leading authority on intravascular treatment of the brain in Japan, and medical instructors and specialists in intravascular treatment who studied under him, joined the Neurosurgery Department of Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital. We take pride in providing top-level treatment in Japan for both intravascular treatment and craniotomy along with the neurosurgery group of Showa University. At Showa University Hospital, Dr. Hirotaka Okumura has been working on treatments as an expert in intravascular treatment and has produced outstanding results. In addition, in 2016 we were certified as one of 23 advanced facilities in the country to provide the flow-diverter stent treatment. The total annual number of surgeries performed at the four facilities of Showa University exceeds 1200, one of the largest in Japan.
The Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University considers both catheter treatment and craniotomy for all patients and recommends the best treatment policy from the standpoint of the patient to be treated.
Cerebral aneurysm
Cerebral aneurysms vary greatly in shape and size. Some are very difficult to treat and require meticulous treatment tailored to each patient. At present, almost equal numbers of intravascular treatment and craniotomy are performed in Japan, and the ratio of such operations is nearly the same at the Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University.It is of course important to first consider intravascular treatment which does not open up the brain, particularly for elderly people, patients taking preventive drugs for thrombosis such as cerebral infarction and cardiothrombus, patients with basilar top aneurysms, and so forth. However, craniotomy is clearly better in terms of curability and safety for some types of aneurysm including small- to medium-sized middle cerebral artery aneurysms. Ideally, high levels of both intravascular treatment and craniotomy should be offered.
Since an unruptured cerebral aneurysm is often discovered in symptomless patients through medical checkups of the brain, etc., it is necessary to provide treatment such that the patient can continue working or living as they used to, even after the surgery. To enable this, a “bloodless surgery” should be the ultimate aim, in which neither the brain nor the blood vessels are damaged.
The Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University is often considered to be a pioneering hospital that excels at treating cerebral aneurysms. In addition, Dr. Mizutani, who is the hospital department director, was named as a “master of cerebral aneurysm treatment” in Japan for performing bloodless surgeries, and is also included among the 50 great doctors mentioned in the Yukan Fuji Special Issue; Pocketbook on Healthy Life. He has a wealth of experience of treating difficult cerebral aneurysms, and has performed dissection of cerebral aneurysms in more than 400 cases, which is probably the largest number of such cases in the world.
Director Mizutani provides guidance on surgeries in various academic societies, including certifying surgical technique instructors for cerebral stroke. He attracts patients not only from within Japan but also overseas such as China, who come to the hospital in order to be operated on by him.
Regarding aneurysms that are difficult to treat, Dr. Mizutani has worked on 107 cases of giant aneurysm (15 mm and larger), 129 cases of paraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysm, and 140 cases of vertebra-basilar artery aneurysm while serving as hospital department director (July 2001 to 2018). Although paraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysm requires special skills as it is located close to the optic nerve, he developed a technique to safely remove the anterior clinoid process with a micro luer while protecting the optic nerve, and has had successful results.
Furthermore, giant aneurysms have large variations in individual branching vessels and hemodynamics, and thus require experience and skills in treatment. We provide carefully-planned treatments tailored for each patient by combining the latest imaging techniques, intravascular treatment and craniotomy.
We also welcome second opinions on cerebral aneurysms and dissecting cerebral aneurysms. Since each cerebral aneurysm has a different size, shape and part, the difficulty of operation varies greatly, and the patient must select a doctor who is capable of handling his or her case.
While Showa University Hospital sees a large percentage of intractable aneurysm cases, among the 432 cases of craniotomy to treat asymptomatic unruptured cerebral aneurysms from 2012 to 2018, as many as 99.1% of the patients were able to resume daily life by themselves (mRS0-2), with no cases of bedridden patients or deaths. We take great pride in this figure.
Our result for 2018 was 100% ｍRS(0-2).
Carotid artery stenosis
Our department also excels in the treatment of carotid artery stenosis. We have performed approximately 800 cases of carotid endarterectomy in which Dr. Mizutani was the lead surgeon, and more than 1500 cases of carotid artery stent in which Professor Tomoaki Terada or Dr. Hirotaka Okumura was the lead surgeon. We have both the largest number of treatment cases and the best outcomes in Japan.The results of carotid endarterectomy at Showa University Hospital have been stable at approximately 99%.
Brain tumors, functional neurosurgery
The Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University also specializes in brain tumor treatment (pituitary adenoma, meningioma, neurinoma, glioma, metastatic brain tumors, etc.) and functional neurosurgery (facial spasms, trigeminal neuralgia), in addition to cerebrovascular diseases. Professor Katsuyoshi Shimizu, who is in charge of these fields, has a wealth of experience with skull base tumors and acoustic neuroma, which are difficult to operate. He performs minimally invasive keyhole surgeries for treating hemifacial spasm and trigeminal neuralgia, and has treated one of the largest number of cases for the surgery which does not involve brain retractors, with few complications and favorable treatment results. Patients are referred to him from all over the country.Associate professor Tanioka is in charge of the treatment of pituitary tumors such as pituitary adenoma. He conducts endonasal surgeries which do not require craniotomy; this surgery is performed by inserting a neuroendoscope from the nose. It is a minimally invasive and safe treatment, and he has much experience.
Epilepsy surgery
The Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University also handles the surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy patients who are difficult to treat with drugs, and is certified as a facility offering epilepsy surgery. Assistant Professor Yosuke Sato is in charge of this field.Assistant Professor Yosuke Sato transferred from Niigata University to the Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University after studying abroad in Toronto (Canada), which is a global center of epilepsy surgery. In epilepsy surgery, the lesion part must be treated with minimum invasion by a safe technique, while taking into consideration the brain functions in particular even among different fields in neurosurgery. Assistant Professor Yosuke Sato also has broad experience in surgeries of cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral aneurysms as well as brain tumors, and has both a strong theoretical background and excellent techniques, having received academic society awards, etc. for a technique to identify the foci of epilepsy seizure.
Epilepsy surgery is a field which has few specialists compared with the high level of demand. Accordingly, we have established a system for helping many epilepsy patients after starting up the epilepsy surgery team led by Assistant Professor Yosuke Sato at the Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University.
The range of patients with intractable epilepsy treated by the team varies from small children to adults, and they engage in close cooperation with Pediatrics when the patient is a child. They conduct a detailed preoperative evaluation using video electroencephalography, 3-Tesla high-field MRI, cerebral blood flow testing, etc. They can provide all treatments in epilepsy surgery, including intracranial electrode placement, craniotomy, and vagus nerve stimulation. They also offer consultations on whether epilepsy surgery is applicable.
In addition, they train and instruct epilepsy specialists in coordination with other hospital departments such as Pediatrics, Neurology, and Psychiatry, and actively conduct scientific research on epilepsy.
Treatment experience and achievements
The number of neurosurgery operations led by Dr. Mizutani for the period from July 2001 to 2018, which covers his time at Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical Center where he worked as the department director and his work at Showa University, totaled 9461. Of these, there were 1839 cases of surgical clipping of cerebral aneurysm, 851 cases of carotid endarterectomy, 470 cases of cerebrovascular bypass surgery, and 1094 cases of brain tumorectomy in which he acted as the operating surgeon, instructing assistant, or supervisor. Thus, he has been involved in one of the largest number of cases in Japan. He has also operated on more than 100 cases of cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM). In addition, Professor Tomoaki Terada at Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital has worked on nearly 3000 cases of intravascular treatment.In April 2017, a technique certification system was introduced for surgeries of cerebrovascular diseases: experience in performing the three types of surgery, which are craniotomy of cerebral aneurysm, carotid endarterectomy, and bypass surgery, makes one eligible for certification as a certified surgeon or medical instructor. The Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University has produced many certified surgeons and medical instructors through their leading number of cases for these three surgeries in the country; 30 surgeons were certified for surgical technique for cerebral stroke and four specialists for intravascular treatment in FY 2017.
Concept of medical care
To deliver stable results in many surgeries, we put utmost priority on safety and certainty. For every patient, the entire team examines the data in detail while using the latest imaging systems to recommend the best treatment policy, including choosing not to cut. We conduct regular tests and provide long-term follow-up for all patients who undergo surgery.We recruit medical interns and entering doctors with our full training system.
We actively accept secondary and tertiary emergency diseases mainly consisting of acute cerebral stroke (cerebral infarction, subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage) and head trauma 24/7. All of our staff are ready to provide you with the very best care.
Emergency and Critical Care Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Diabetes，Metabolism and Endocrinology
When you meet an old friend after several decades such as at a school reunion, have you ever thought "he looks really old" or "she looks young and fantastic"? Some people cannot control their diseases unless they take a handful of drugs, while others never seem to fall sick, even though they are of the same age. Each day, the Department of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology conducts awareness activities and research on the origin of this difference, and how we can slow the speed of aging and maintain our mental and physical health for as long as possible, so that we can extend the period of staying healthy, young and capable of living independently (healthy life years).Past work has shown that a major cause of aging is that proteins become covered with saccharides and undergo denaturation and deterioration due to excessive reaction between the proteins, which are like the framework of the human body, and saccharides, which are a precious source of energy. These proteins that are covered excessively with saccharides are called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and it has been discovered that people who have accumulated more AGEs in their bodies tend to develop diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, chronic kidney diseases, fatty liver, menopausal disorders, periodontal diseases, infertility, and cataract, and that their aging progresses rapidly and shortens their lives. Patients with diabetes and pre-diabetes are likely to accumulate AGE as their blood sugar levels increase, and so the management of blood sugar and checking for complications from an early stage become especially important.
AGEs are also contained in food products that we eat every day, and it has been found that approximately 7% of AGEs in food are absorbed by the body. In general, it is known that high levels of AGEs are formed when meat products or fatty foods are deep-fried or baked at high temperatures. That is, large amounts of AGEs are contained in dishes that have been browned. In contrast, cooking by slowly steaming or boiling food for a long time with a lot of water does not create high levels of AGEs. In addition, we must be careful about excessive consumption of carbonated beverages that contain high levels of fructose corn syrup, as fructose forms AGEs 10 times more easily than glucose.
We were the first in the world to establish a method to measure AGEs in blood, and so far have shown by measuring the AGEs of more than 6,000 people that the AGE value correlates with many geriatric diseases. More recently, a device which can measure the AGE level accumulated in the body simply in just 1 minute was developed, and it has been found that the higher the AGE value measured with this device, the more advanced aging in the person and shorter the life. The Department of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology of Showa University can perform such tests, and allows a person to learn their degree of internal aging as a specific figure. They then receive detailed instructions on diet and lifestyle to prevent AGE accumulation.
Our Department has conducted awareness activities on AGEs through TV, newspapers and magazines, and we intend to continue to publicize the latest information. We have also succeeded in developing a drug which blocks the actions of AGEs in animal models, and are working hard on research toward clinical application. The entire medical staff strive to make many patients happy and stay healthy. Please feel free to visit the Department of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology of Showa University for a health consultation.
Nephrology
Our department treats kidney diseases in general as well as diseases that require blood purifying treatment. These diseases include nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney diseases as complications of systemic diseases such as rheumatism and collagen disease, hereditary kidney diseases, chronic kidney diseases, and acute/chronic renal failure. For end stage renal failure, we perform maintenance and management of blood purifying treatment (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis) and provide treatment for various complications that occur as a result of dialysis therapy.Hematology
This department is certified by the Japan Society of Hematology, Japan Bone Marrow Transplant Association Unrelated Donor Bone Marrow, Japan Bone Marrow Transplant Association Unrelated Peripheral Blood Stem Cell and Japan Cord Blood Bank Network Registered Transplant Facility. It operates with 50 rooms including 12 bio-clean rooms. Our medical treatments contain hematological diseases such as anemia, leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, malignant lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and hemorrhagic disease. From allowing outpatient drug therapy to receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, we broadly treat the patients who are required for specialized diagnosis and treatment. We also provide the representative contact for HIV infections in Showa University Hospital.Oncology
In recent years, the number of deaths caused by malignant neoplasms and cancers has been increasing, and we have entered an era when one out of two Japanese citizens develops some type of cancer, and one out of three dies of cancer. Especially when metastasis from the primary lesion is observed in a distant part from the outset, or when the cancer recurs after surgery, the treatment results are not always satisfactory. The Oncology Department treats such cancer patients mainly with chemotherapy; in other words, it is a specialized department for anticancer drug treatment.In the U.S., doctors in surgery almost never deal with anticancer agents; chemotherapy for cancer is provided mainly by medical oncologists. In Japan, oncology departments are gradually becoming more common in university hospitals and general hospitals, in addition to hospitals specializing in cancer. The Oncology Department of Showa University is a relatively new department in internal medicine at Showa University, having been established in 2009.
Our department makes the following promises to our cancer patients:
- We will try to achieve the best level of treatment results in Japan through the provision of chemotherapy consisting of the latest standard of care.
- We will try to provide cancer therapy with a high degree of satisfaction for the patient through the provision of excellent team medicine in cooperation with doctors of other related departments such as surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and palliative doctors, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists and social workers, in addition to medical oncologists.
- We will promote the development of next-generation therapies through the provision of experimental therapies, which typically involve clinical trials.
Furthermore, with regard to medical education, we will actively accept young doctors who aim to become medical oncologists as well as provide education for the students of the School of Medicine, and help them to acquire qualifications as specialists and academic degrees through medical research. We accept doctors who wish to receive training, and medical oncologists who want to work with us as instructors at the School of Medicine, from all over the country and at any time.
Infectious Diseases
Various infectious diseases, including Covid-19 and nosocomial infection with multidrug-resistant bacteria, have often made news headlines in recent years. Since infectious diseases do not stay in one organ but spread to various organs, they closely involve many different departments. Although each department used to work on the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases separately, the types of infectious diseases have increased recently, making it more difficult to diagnose and treat them. This department is a hospital department which specializes in infectious diseases, and we strive to provide appropriate diagnosis and effective treatment of infectious diseases, encourage effective prevention methods, etc. Prevention of nosocomial infection is another of our important roles. We also focus on the education and awareness of young doctors, nurses, etc. with regard to infectious diseases.Oriental Medicine
While there are various types of diseases and disease states that Western medicine is good at addressing, general malaise, chronic symptoms, multiple disease states and symptoms, etc. are areas where Kampo (Chinese) medicine can be effective. The motto of our outpatient department is to "respect the diagnosis and treatment of modern medicine and provide treatments while utilizing the benefits of Kampo medicine. We seek to maximize the effects of Kampo medicine within modern medicine." This is the policy guiding our diagnosis and treatment.Palliative Medicine
We provide seamless palliative care mainly to cancer patients who are admitted to the hospital regardless of time or place, in order to mitigate the physical and mental suffering that comes with cancer treatments or the cancer itself, from the early stage of cancer diagnosis to the terminal stage.The palliative care team aims to improve quality of life (QOL) by preventing and mitigating pain through accurate assessment and mitigation of the patient’s condition from the early stage from multiple different perspectives.
Breast Surgery
Orthopedic Surgery
The Orthopedic Surgery Department handles the locomotorium such as bones, joints, muscles, tendons and nerves, and diagnoses, treats and prevents their dysfunction. We treat inflammatory diseases including spinal diseases, articular diseases, traumas, sports injuries, and rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic diseases including osteoporosis. At our department, when including associated hospitals, more than 200 orthopedic surgery staff conduct diagnosis and treatment, enabling us to provide the highest level of care in any field. For consultations, please bring a referral letter.Rehabilitation Medicine
Rehabilitation medicine refers to the field of medicine and care for disorders of activities (life). It not only covers the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries, but also improvements in levels of activity by taking measures for the patient’s environment. That is, we make sure that the remaining abilities are maximized, make arrangements for the use of assistive devices and prepare an environment that improves quality of life, in addition to promoting the recovery of functions. Specifically, we treat paralysis, muscle weakness, deformation, pain, numbness, congenital abnormality, speech impediment, higher brain dysfunction, dysphagia, etc.Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is an area of surgical treatment involving specialized treatments for congenital or acquired morphological abnormality, defects, etc. of body tissues. We deal with the entire body from the head and face to the trunk, external genitalia and ends of the four limbs, and conduct various tissue repairs, transplants and reconstructions using surgical techniques specific to plastic surgery, including unique sutures and microsurgery. Our goal and satisfaction as plastic surgeons is to improve quality of life for everyone through care.Otorhinolaryngology
Our department undertakes the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases, including acute diseases in otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery, chronic diseases and malignant tumors. We have special outpatient areas for nose and paranasal sinus diseases, olfactory disturbance, allergy, otitis media and hearing difficulty, hearing aids, balance, etc. We perform surgeries on four days of the week, totaling some 1,300 cases a year. We actively use optical devices and conduct minimally invasive surgeries. We also conduct training for otorhinolaryngologists, ranging from primary care to advanced diagnosis and treatment. For malignant and benign tumors in the head and neck, we have been providing diagnosis and treatment jointly with the Head and Neck Oncology Center since 2014.Dermatology
Our department provides diagnosis and treatment for all types of skin diseases.Our specialty areas include severe drug eruption, which has been our central focus since the time of our predecessor Professor Masafumi Iijima, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, operation on benign or malignant skin tumors, laser treatment, skin lesion caused by diabetes, fungal infection including tinea pedis, ingrown nails, etc.
Our special outpatient areas include atopic dermatitis, acne, psoriasis, phototherapy, laser, and tumor operation outpatients.
In recent years, biological preparations have been released in the market one after another for psoriasis, hives, and atopic dermatitis, which used to be considered difficult to cure, and have achieved excellent outcomes in dermatology.
Our hospital also actively uses these biological preparations according to each patient’s needs. Please feel free to contact us.
The medical team consisting of multiple doctors is in charge of inpatient diagnosis and treatment.
We provide inpatient treatment for a wide range of diseases from surgeries and chemotherapy on skin tumors and skin cancers, to the treatment of infectious diseases such as chicken pox, measles, and shingles, atopic dermatitis, and drug eruption, introduction of biological treatment of psoriasis, VAC therapy of leg ulcers, pemphigoid, and pemphigus.
In addition, we are currently establishing a more robust diagnosis and treatment system by increasing the number of surgeries, taking the opportunity of our transfer from Showa University East Hospital to the Central Building of Showa University Hospital on April 1, 2017.
Urology
Radiology
The Radiology Department consists of Diagnostic Radiology (image diagnosis), Interventional Radiology (IVR) responsible for image-supported treatments using image diagnosis devices, angiographic methods, etc., and Nuclear Medicine which mainly conducts functional diagnostics.We belong to the Central Medicine Division of the hospital, and engage in diagnosis and treatment at the hospital at the request of other departments.
Radiation Oncology
Anesthesiology
The key role of the Anesthesiology Department is to provide anesthesia for surgeries. However, we are not restricted to this alone, but also enable safe surgeries and protect the lives of our patients by observing the systemic conditions of the patient such as breathing and circulation during the period while the patient’s condition is unstable, from immediately before the operation until after the operation.We offer safe, painless childbirth with high-quality care in delivery rooms. At the adjacent Showa University East Hospital, we also offer pain-clinic diagnosis and treatment to relieve patients suffering from pain by using nerve blocks, etc.
Intenshive Care Department
In our department, a team of full-time doctors led by intensive care specialists manages the 14 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and 16 high care unit (HCU) beds for a wide range of severely affected patients, including post-major operation, acute respiratory failure, impaired consciousness, sepsis/severe infection, shock, electrolyte imbalance and metabolic diseases, and provides 24-hour treatment by a team of diverse specialists including nurses, pharmacists, clinical engineers, physical therapists, and registered dietitians. The goal of treatment at the Intensive Care Department is not only to save lives but also help patients rehabilitate and return to their previous lives.Diagostic Pathology
Our department has two sections: pathological diagnosis and clinical examination. In pathological diagnosis, clinical specialists and cytodiagnosis specialists observe samples excised from lesions during tests or operations, and make a diagnosis. Pathological diagnosis is positioned as the final diagnosis in medicine, and plays an important role in determining the treatment policy.In clinical examination, clinical examination specialists conduct precision control to maintain the reliability of clinical examinations which are essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment, and examine new test items and methods before they are introduced.
Although we never meet our patients directly, we support high-quality diagnosis and treatment at Showa University Hospital.
Center
Respiratory Disease Center
The Respiratory Disease Center, which consists of the Department of Respirology and Allergology and the Department of Thoracic Surgery, was founded in 2011 based on a plan to develop a center for each organ. While we handle all types of respiratory organ diseases, the main focuses of the Center are neoplastic diseases such as lung cancer, and pleural diseases such as pneumothorax and pleural effusion. It is essential that the internal medicine and surgery departments coordinate seamlessly in the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. The Respiratory Disease Center provides safe and efficient medicine for these diseases as doctors from internal medicine and surgery conduct diagnosis and treatment in adjacent outpatient booths and wards.Esophageal Cancer Center
Digestive Disease Center
The Digestive Disease Center is based on the Department of Gastroenterology and the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, and its goal is to conduct flexible and cooperative medicine with the Department of Oncology, Endoscopy Center and the Department of Radiology. We aim to allow patients to receive the best treatment in the shortest time as we act beyond the boundaries of hospital departments. Although there is no dedicated office for the Center at present, our system enables the best treatment to be provided at the Digestive Disease Center across hospital departments as long as it is a digestive organ disease, even if a patient seeks a consultation at the Department of Gastroenterology, the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, or the Department of Oncology.Kidney Transplant Center
Cardiovascular Disease Center
Center for Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Medicine
Children's Medical Center
Pediatric Cardiovascular Disease Center, Adult Congenital Heart Center
The specialty areas of the Pediatric Cardiovascular Disease Center, Adult Congenital Heart Center are heart diseases that patients are born with (congenital heart diseases), and acquired heart diseases with onset during childhood (coronary artery aneurysm in Kawasaki Disease, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmia, etc.). We work on diagnosis and treatment regardless of age, ranging from fetuses to adults.With Hideshi Tomita as the director, the Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Medicine provides internal medicine treatments and catheter treatments. With Yoshinori Miyahara as the director, the Department of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery provides surgical treatments on congenital heart diseases in all age groups.
Blood Purification Center
The Blood Purification Center has 13 treatment beds, and mainly conducts blood purification treatments (hemodialysis, on-line hemodiafiltration method (HDF)) and various apheresis therapies on inpatients. There are also continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) outpatient and renal failure (renal replacement therapy selection) outpatient areas at the Blood Purification Center.Center for Spine Surgery
The Center for Spine Surgery was established in November 2018 to provide specialized treatments for all spinal diseases, from the neck to the hips.Made up of staff specializing in the spin from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, we provide treatments ranging from general cases of slipped discs, spinal canal stenosis, and cervical myelopathy to spinal deformity (often called “dropped head”) and kyphosis, areas in which our department excels. We also focus on minimally invasive spine surgeries, and conduct operations using endoscopes and hybrid operating rooms. We take pride in providing top-level diagnosis and treatment in the country. Please feel free to seek a consultation.
Head and Neck Oncology Center
The head and neck are important parts that are related to vocalization, mastication, swallowing, taste, breathing, and form of the face. The treatment of head and neck tumors may cause disorders in their functions and forms, and therefore specialized treatment is necessary.A characteristic of the Head and Neck Oncology Center is that we compensate for the shortcomings of treatment only by an otorhinolaryngologist or an oral surgeon, by coordinating with otorhinolaryngologists who specialize in head and neck cancer and oral surgeons who specialize in oral cancer, and thus provide safe and secure medicine.
The diseases we treat are head and neck tumors in general, including head and neck cancer, oral cancer, thyroid cancer, parotid tumor, submandibular gland tumor, and cervical schwannoma.
During treatment, we try to preserve the functions and forms by combining chemotherapy, molecular targeted drugs, radiation therapy and surgery, instead of depending only on surgery. We also provide treatment focusing on the QOL of the patient by combining oral care and oral rehabilitation.
Emergency and Critical care Center
Emergency Center
As a gateway for Showa University, the Emergency Center has a 24-hour system of diagnosis and treatment for patients who are brought in by emergency transport; patients who are referred from neighboring medical institutes in an emergency; and patients who visit the hospital directly during non-consultation hours. Doctors from the Department of Emergency Medicine and other hospital departments form a team to handle endogenous diseases for patients aged 6 and older, and trauma for all ages. If necessary, we provide specialized medicine in cooperation with the doctors of other specialty departments inside and outside of the hospital. We admit the patients temporarily to Emergency Center beds at night or on holidays so that they can continue to receive inpatient care at the specialty department or be discharged after consultation with a doctor from each specialty department on the following day. If there is a patient with a serious problem who requires multidisciplinary treatment, treatment will be provided at the Emergency and Critical Care Center or intensive care unit in coordination with the Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Department and the Intensive Care Department.Radiation Oncology Center
Intensive Care Unit
Electronic Intensive Care Unit
The remote intensive care support system (tele-ICU) is a remote medicine system that is attracting much attention. In view of the shortage of intensive care specialists, this system connects multiple ICUs via a network so that an intensive care specialist at another support center located elsewhere can view the information and provide support to the staff and patients at the ICUs in the field through bidirectional communication.Showa University was the first institution to introduce tele-ICU in Asia. We named the system "Showa eConnect" and launched its operation in April 2018.
Coronary Care Unit
The CCU ward was renewed in June 2020 as an ICU/CCU ward that enables collaboration between cardiologists and intensive care doctors beyond departmental boundaries for the purpose of providing advanced medicine as a team. While the conventional CCU ward had been a Coronary Care Unit which mainly worked on treating coronary artery diseases, the new ICU/CCU ward is now a more advanced Cardiac Care Unit where team medicine is provided for cardiovascular diseases in general including severe heart failure and fatal arrhythmia, in addition to coronary artery diseases in general.High Care Unit
Stroke Care Unit
Rehabilitation Center
We manage the rehabilitation at Showa University Hospital and Showa University East Hospital in general. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language-hearing therapists provide rehabilitation for various diseases such as cerebrovascular, locomotorium, major cardiovascular, respiratory organ, cancer, and disuse atrophy under the instructions of doctors from the Rehabilitation Medicine Department. We practice “ONE SHOWA” team medicine, which Showa University excels in, by ensuring close coordination with medical staff in each field outside of the rehabilitation specialty.Central Operation Room
The Central Operation Room has 12 operating rooms on the 6th floor of the central building, and 2 small ones on the 5th floor. Those on the 6th floor are mainly used for operations with general anesthesia, and those on the 5th floor for small operations with local anesthesia. With one room for emergency obstetric operation, delivery or emergency operation available at all times, its occupancy rate is 90% or higher. By type of operation, 30% are endoscopic surgeries using a thoracoscope or laparoscope, and the Departments of Urology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Esophageal Surgery, Gastroenterological Surgery and Thoracic Surgery are also actively introducing robotic surgeries. To obtain certification as a special functioning hospital and cancer base hospital, we will increase operations specialized in malignant diseases in addition to introducing the latest, advanced operating techniques.Palliative Care Center
We provide seamless palliative care mainly to cancer patients who are admitted to the hospital regardless of time or place, in order to mitigate the physical and mental suffering that comes with cancer treatments or the cancer itself, from the early stage of cancer diagnosis to the terminal stage.The palliative care team aims to improve quality of life (QOL) by preventing and mitigating pain through accurate assessment and mitigation of the patient’s condition from the early stage from multiple different perspectives.
Pressure Ulcer Care Center
Oncology Center （Chemotherapy Center）
Showa University Hospital is a medical institution specified as a “regional cancer treatment coordination base hospital,” and functions as a base hospital for the treatment of cancer patients in the South Tokyo region. This Center is a medical department which conducts outpatient chemotherapy procedures on the cancer patients of all departments. Providing anticancer therapy by outpatient treatment is often better considering the QOL of the patients, even though such therapy used to be provided as inpatient care. We provide medical care by implementing outpatient chemotherapy in cooperation with other departments. Furthermore, we play a central role in hospital and clinic cooperation, and focus on the critical path for the five major cancers and prostate cancer.Breast Center
Center for Clinical Genetics
Congenital and hereditary diseases vary widely in the disease and constitution to be treated, as well as the age at which the symptoms appear, and require long-term management. The health management of blood relatives may even be considered for some diseases.As specialists in clinical genetics, this Center provides support for diagnosis and treatment at the main hospital department so that they can handle the diverse effects of congenital and hereditary diseases, and also support the genetic tests which are ordered as necessary. Furthermore, support from diverse medical workers may be necessary depending on the disease, and we make arrangements for such care system and offer continuous psychosocial support to the patients and their family.