Complete Spontaneous Recovery Research Articles

Первичная иммунная тромбоцитопения у детей: анализ эффективности лечения в соответствии с Национальными клиническими рекомендациями

AIM. To assess the treatment efficacy in children with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). MATERIALS & METHODS. The analysis included 13 ITP patients (6 girls and 7 boys) with the mean age of 9.5 years (range 4–17 years) admitted to the Pediatric Hospital of the Tver region in 2023. Primary ITP was preceded by infection in 9 (69 %) children and by measles vaccination in 1 (8 %) child. The mean time after infection onset was 11 days (range 5–15 days). As assessed by the pediatric bleeding score, hemorrhage severity was of grade 1 in 4 (31 %), grade 2 in 3 (23 %), and grade 3 in 6 (46 %) patients. Hematuria was identified in 3 (23 %) patients, and menorrhagia was detected in 1 (8 %) patient. The mean platelet count by the time of admission to the hospital was 9 × 109/L (range 1–86 × 109/L). RESULTS. The incidence of newly diagnosed primary ITP appeared to be 5.7 cases per 100,000 children in the Tver region. Treatment started with 20 mg/m2 IV dexamethasone on Day 1–3 in 7 (54 %) children, 1000 mg/kg IVIG on Day 1 in 2 (15 %) children, and 2 mg/kg prednisolone per os during 21 days in 1 (8 %) child. Dynamic follow-up was conducted on 3 (23 %) patients. In 2 (17 %) patients, steroid therapy had to be discontinued and IVIG was started due to increased hemorrhage and/or developing corticosteroid complications. Partial and complete responses were achieved in 8 (62 %) and 4 (31 %) patients, respectively. In 1 (8 %) case, the response was not assessed. The overall response rate to the first-line therapy was 92 %. The mean platelet count at hospital discharge was 107 × 109/L (range 20–307 × 109/L), and the mean number of hospital days was 10.2 (range 2–23). The platelet count decrease to grade 1/2 was observed in 3 (23 %) children during the first 6 weeks followed by spontaneous complete recovery during the subsequent 1–2 weeks. CONCLUSION. The treatment of pediatric primary ITP in full compliance with the National Clinical Guidelines showed very high efficacy in terms of achieving primary response and preventing relapses. The relatively high overall IVIG use rate was accounted for by a slow response to corticosteroids, increased hemorrhage, risk factors, and parental concern.

Clinical Profile of Adults with Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes: Results of an Ambispective Clinical Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND. Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) is a heterogenous group of rare genetically determined diseases with variable hematologic and nonhematologic manifestations. The implementation of highly specific methods of genetic diagnosis advanced the understanding of IBMFS and allowed its application also beyond pediatrics. That presupposes an awareness of clinical features and reference points for recognizing IBMFS in adults. AIM. To describe the clinical profile of adult IBMFS patients. MATERIALS & METHODS. This ambispective single-center study enrolled 35 patients (10 women and 25 men) with IBMFS. Patients were aged 18–51 years (median 26 years). The following IBMFS were identified: congenital dyskeratosis (n = 10; 28 %), Diamond-Blackfan anemia (n = 9; 26 %), Fanconi anemia (n = 7; 20 %), GATA2 deficiency (n = 3; 8 %), Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (n = 1; 3 %), GATA2 deficiency (n = 1; 3 %), amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (n = 1; 3 %), bone marrow failure syndrome type 3 (n = 1; 3 %), severe congenital neutropenia (n = 1; 3 %), bone marrow failure with SAMD9 mutation (n = 1; 3 %). These diseases were analyzed in terms of hematologic and nonhematologic manifestations as well as main diagnosis stages and factors that contribute to recognizing IBMFS. RESULTS. Monolinear cytopenia, bilinear cytopenia, and pancytopenia were identified at hematologic onset in 18 (52 %), 6 (17 %), and 11 (31 %) patients, respectively. The median age of patients by hematologic onset was 15 years (range 0–43 years), in 14 (40 %) patients cytopenia was newly diagnosed at the age of > 18 years. In 23 (63 %) patients hypocellular bone marrow was reported, 7 (20 %) and 5 (14 %) patients had pure red cell aplasia and multilineage myelodysplasia, respectively. Chromosomal aberrations were identified in 2 patients. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clone was detected in none of 27 examined patients. In 12 (34 %) patients, the criteria for non-severe aplastic anemia were met. Temporary partial or complete spontaneous hematologic recovery was observed in 6 (17 %) patients. Abnormalities with partial or complete organ dysfunctions were identified in 14 patients, whereas all patients showed minor congenital defects. All 7 Fanconi anemia patients and 9 out of 10 congenital dyskeratosis patients demonstrated organ damage specific to these diseases. Family history predominantly showing malignant neoplasms in relatives was reported in 15 (43 %) patients. Initial hematological examination yielded suspect of IBMFS in 12 (34 %) patients with the median time to diagnosis of 6 months. In 23 (66 %) patients, hematologic defects with cytopenia were erroneously accounted for by various acquired diseases, which led to a delayed correct diagnosis (median 7 years). The key factors in suspecting IBMFS were organ abnormalities and positive family history. The IBMFS diagnosis was verified by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) in 29 (83 %) patients and by other specific methods in 4 (11 %) patients. In 2 patients, the diagnosis was established on the basis of complete clinical criteria alone. CONCLUSION. IBMFS is a matter of current concern and a difficult-to-recognize clinical challenge in adult hematology patients. Differential diagnosis of acquired and congenital bone marrow failure needs to be performed irrespective of patient’s age. A detailed physical examination of patients, family history, and critical analysis of clinical profile and disease course allow for early suspicion of IBMFS. Suspected IBMFS is an indication for referral of patients to specialized centers and performing genetic diagnostics including NGS.

Recurrent reflex syncope in idiopathic intracranial hypertension patient resolved after lumbar puncture: pathogenetic implications

BackgroundIdiopathic intracranial hypertension is a disease characterized by increased intracranial cerebrospinal fluid volume and pressure without evidence of other intracranial pathology. Dural sinuses are rigid structures representing a privileged low-pressure intracranial compartment. Rigidity of dural sinus ensures that the large physiologic fluctuations of cerebrospinal fluid pressure associated with postural changes or to Valsalva effect cannot be transmitted to the sinus. An abnormal dural sinus collapsibility, especially when associated with various anatomical sinus narrowing, has been proposed as a key factor in the pathogenesis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. This pathogenetic model is based on an excessive collapsibility of the dural sinuses that leads to the triggering of a self-limiting venous collapse positive feedback-loop between the cerebrospinal fluid pressure, that compresses the sinus, and the increased dural sinus pressure upstream, that reduces the cerebrospinal fluid reabsorption rate, increasing cerebrospinal fluid volume and pressure at the expense of intracranial compliance and promoting further sinus compression. Intracranial compliance is the ability of the craniospinal space to accept small volumetric increases of one of its compartments without appreciable intracranial pressure rise. In idiopathic intracranial hypertension, a condition associated with a reduced rate of CSF reabsorption leading to its volumetric expansion, a pathologically reduced IC precedes and accompanies the rise of ICP. Syncope is defined as a transient loss of consciousness due to a transient cerebral hypoperfusion characterized by rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. A transient global cerebral hypoperfusion represents the final mechanism of syncope determined by cardiac output and/or total peripheral resistance decrease. There are many causes determining low cardiac output including reflex bradycardia, arrhythmias, cardiac structural disease, inadequate venous return, and chronotropic and inotropic incompetence. Typically, syncopal transient loss of consciousness is mainly referred to an extracranial mechanism triggering a decrease in cardiac output and/or total peripheral resistance. Conversely, the association of syncope with a deranged control of intracranial compliance related to cerebral venous outflow disorders has been only anecdotally reported.Case PresentationWe report on a 57-year-old woman with daily recurrent orthostatic hypotension syncope and idiopathic intracranial hypertension-related headaches, which resolved after lumbar puncture with cerebrospinal fluid subtraction.ConclusionsA novel mechanism underlying the triggering of orthostatic syncope in the presence of intracranial hypertension-dependent reduced intracranial compliance is discussed.

Evaluation of syncope in patients referred to afshar heart clinic, yazd, iran from september 2016 to march 2017

Objectives: Syncope is defined as a sudden and transient loss of consciousness followed by complete spontaneous recovery. This study describes the syncope evaluation in patients referred to the Heart Clinic.
 Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 syncope patients referred to Afshar Heart Clinic of Yazd, Iran, from September 2016 to March 2017. After performing clinical workups, the etiology of syncope was diagnosed in each patient. Electrocardiography and blood pressure measurements were done for all patients. Additional clinical tests, including echocardiography, Holter Monitoring, Head-Up tilt table test (HUTT), electroencephalography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, were performed for some patients based on the cardiologist's opinion. The distribution of patient's clinical records, such as age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, history of ischemic heart disease (IHD), duration of syncope, postdrome, prodromal symptoms, and clinical test results according to causes of syncope in patients, were reported.
 Results: Sixty patients with a mean age of 50.7 ± 20.4 years were evaluated (55% male). Thirty-five patients (58.3%) had Neurally Mediated Syncope, 18 patients (30%) had arterioventricular (AV) Block induced syncope, and 7 (11.7%) patients had Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS) induced syncope. Age, hypertension, prodromal symptoms, history of IHD, ECG, Holter monitoring, and HUTT results were associated with the cause of the syncope.
 Conclusions: Cardiac syncopes (AV-Block induced and SSS induced) were related to older age, hypertension, abnormal electrocardiogram, and abnormal Holter monitoring results. Neurally mediated syncope was associated with younger age, prodromal symptoms, and abnormal HUTT results.

Syncope Prediction Scores in the Emergency Department.

Syncope is a common clinical presentation defined as a transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) due to cerebral hypoperfusion, characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. Different clinical decision rules (CDRs) and risk stratification scores have been developed to predict short- and long-term risks for adverse outcomes after syncope. The central theme of these prediction systems is consistent with the ESC syncope guidelines. Initial assessment according to the ESC guideline is essential until an optimal and well-validated risk score is available. The focus should be accurate risk stratification to allow prevention of adverse outcomes and optimize the use of limited healthcare resources. In this review article, we summarize and critically appraise the evidence regarding the CDRs for patients presenting with syncope.

Etiology and Age Distribution of Syncope in Delta Area Patients

Background: Syncope is a Total Loss of Consciousness (TLOC) due to cerebral hypo-perfusion, characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. It shares many clinical features with other disorders; it therefore presents in many differential diagnoses. This group of disorders is labelled TLOC. The aim of the present study was to determine the etiologies and the age distribution of patients with syncope in Delta area.
 Methods: This study included thirty patients who had at least one episode of syncope. All patients in this study were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, laboratory investigations, standard 12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG), Resting Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE). Some patients were subjected to Prolonged ECG monitoring (Holter, Event, ILR), Brain computed tomography (CT) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Tilt table test and Electrophysiology study (EP study).
 Results: Most common ECG rhythm was normal sinus rhythm, complete heart block, left ventricular hypertrophy, Slow Atrial fibrillation (AF), Left bundle branch block (LBBB), ventricular tachycardia. The most common diagnosis of syncope was vasovagal syncope, idiopathic syncope then cardiac syncope. Incidence of idiopathic syncope in populations under 40 years was significantly higher than in populations over 40 years, meanwhile regarding cardiac-related etiology for syncope in patients under age 40 was significantly lower than those patients over age 40.
 Conclusion: For age distribution, the incidence of idiopathic syncope in populations under 40 years was significantly higher than in populations over 40 years, meanwhile cardiac-related etiology for syncope in patients under age 40 was significantly lower than those patients over age 40.

Assessment of the patient with syncope

Syncope is a transient loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion, characterised by rapid onset, short duration and spontaneous complete recovery. The causes range from self-limiting episodes of reflex syncope to conditions that can precede severe illness or death. GPs often provide the first assessment of patients with syncope and this article aims to guide the assessment of these patients to help identify the cause. This will include exploring the common causes of syncope, history taking, examination, investigations, red flags in syncope and management.

Short- and Long-Term Self-Reported Audiovestibular Symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Patients

Background: Audiovestibular symptoms during the acute stage have been reported in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), while very few studies investigated the long-term audiovestibular manifestations of SARS-CoV-2. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the occurrence of short- and long-term audiovestibular symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Method: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was distributed to severe hospitalized cases and nonhospitalized patients with mild disease, all with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 test results. Participants were inquired to report audiovestibular symptoms during the acute phase and at 6-month follow-up after contracting SARS-CoV-2. Results: A total of 301 participants completed the questionnaire. Auditory symptoms were reported by 21.9% and 1.99% of patients during the acute phase and 6 months post SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively. During the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, aural fullness represents the most common symptoms (18.94%) followed by tinnitus (9.97%) and hearing loss (6.31%). Vestibular symptoms were reported by 34% during the acute phase; most commonly was dizziness (29.9%) followed by vertigo (24.25%) and unsteadiness (8.31%). Long-term and persistent vestibular problems were reported by 3.99% patients. There were no statistically significant differences in self-reported audiovestibular symptoms between patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 disease compared to those with mild disease. Conclusion: The current study showed that audiovestibular symptoms are common among SARS-CoV-2 infected patients during the acute phase of the disease. However, these symptoms are mostly temporary and showed complete spontaneous recovery during the first 2 weeks postinfection.

Clinical case of a vasovagal syncope

Syncope is defined as a transient loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion, characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery of all vital functions without signs of neurological deficits. Syncope is a multidisciplinary medical problem common in clinical practice. As a rule, syncope occurs due to cardiovascular dysfunction of organic or functional origin, which either develops spontaneously or is induced by a trigger. Due to a various etiology differential diagnosis and prognostic evaluation is difficult. This clinical case demonstrates the features of differential diagnosis of vasovagal syncope in a patient with polymorbid pathology and the features of the choice of an adequate management, including recommendations for lifestyle modifications, specialized education regarding prodromal symptoms recognition methods and timely application of countermeasures.

A clinical study of traumatic tympanic membrane perforation

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Tympanic membrane (TM) which forms the partition between external auditory canal and middle ear may be ruptured by trauma. Traumatic TM perforation is a commonly observed condition. Though, several therapeutic interventions have been described, conservative follow-up until spontaneous complete recovery is the most common choice.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> It was a prospective cohort study conducted during a period of 10 months from July 2020 to April 2021, carried out in 30 patients who presented to outpatient department of ENT and casualty of Hassan institute of medical sciences hospital with traumatic TM perforation. After taking informed consent, detailed history was taken, thorough examination of ear was performed and characteristics of perforation were noted. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was conducted, data was statistically analysed.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Mean age group was 33.1 years and 73.3% were males. Ear pain was the commonest symptom with accidental trauma being the most common cause. 70% of them had left TM perforation and posteroinferior quadrant was mostly involved.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Traumatic TM perforation is commonly seen in young adults following accidental trauma and assault. Earache, sudden hearing loss and tinnitus are the common symptoms. Most of the cases heal spontaneously with conservative management.</p>

Acute Hemorrhagic Edema of Infancy: A Diagnostic Challenge for the General Pediatrician.

Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (AHEI), a benign and self-limited disease, can be easily mistaken to be a number of diseases with similar dermatological manifestations but with potentially adverse outcomes. This review aimed to familiarize pediatricians with the natural history, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of AHEI. A PubMed search was conducted in February 2020 in Clinical Queries using the key terms "acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy" OR "Finkelstein disease" OR "Seidlmayer disease". The search strategy included meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, observational studies, and reviews published within the past 10 years. Only papers published in the English literature were included in this review. The information retrieved from the above search was used in the compilation of the present article. AHEI, a rare cutaneous leukocytoclastic small-vessel vasculitis, typically presents with palpable purpura, peripheral acral edema, and frequently with fever, most often in children between 4 and 24 months of age. A significant number of children experience prodromal symptoms of an upper respiratory infection. Fever is typically low grade and is present in approximately 50% of cases. The cutaneous lesions are characterized by rapid onset of small erythematous macules or papules that progress to well demarcated, annular, rosette, medallion-like, or targetoid purpuric plaques or ecchymosis in 24 to 48 hours. The skin lesions are typically palpable, nonpruritic, and symmetrically distributed. Sites of predilection include the face, auricles, and extremities. Edema is typically nonpitting and asymmetrical and occurs primarily on the dorsum of the hands and feet, the face, and the auricles. In spite of the acuteness and extent of the cutaneous findings, the child looks well and nontoxic. Systemic and/or visceral involvement are rare. The differential diagnosis is broad and includes, among others, Henoch-Schönlein purpura. It is crucial to distinguish AHEI from the other diseases since the management of these diseases is quite different. The clinical features of mimickers of AHEI are reviewed and clues to differentiate AHEI from these mimickers are highlighted..AHEI is a benign, self-limited disease with complete spontaneous recovery in one to three weeks in the majority of cases. Recognizing this rare disease is important for the pediatrician to rapidly differentiate AHEI from other potentially serious diseases that require prompt therapy and monitoring. With rapid recognition of AHEI, unnecessary investigations and inappropriate interventions can be prevented and parental anxiety can be avoided.

A UNIQUE CASE OF BILATERAL VOCAL FOLD PARALYSIS FOLLOWING SPINAL ANAESTHESIA

Cranial nerve palsies are potential but rare complications of spinal anaesthesia. Most of the literatures support upper cranial nerve palsies like VI, IV and III cranial nerve palsies. Intrathecal hypotension resulting in tractional injury of the cranial nerves is the likely mechanism of injury. As on date, some cases of unilateral vocal fold paralysis and very little bilateral vocal fold paralysis have been described in case reports. We have described a patient who developed hoarseness and dysphagia 7 days after receiving spinal anaesthesia for fixation of inter-trochanteric fracture femur. The patient was diagnosed with bilateral vocal fold paralysis. He was managed conservatively and exhibited complete spontaneous recovery as has been described in the previously reported cases. Any patient presenting with idiopathic vocal fold paralysis should be enquired about the history of spinal or epidural anaesthesia. If the history is affirmative, then it points towards transient intrathecal hypotension as a potential etiology of the cranial nerve palsy.

Syncope in the Young Adult and in the Athlete: Causes and Clinical Work-up to Exclude a Life-Threatening Cardiac Disease.

Syncope is defined as a transient loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion, characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. It is usually a benign event, but sometimes it may represent the initial presentation of several cardiac disorders associated with sudden cardiac death during physical activity. A careful evaluation is essential particularly in young adults and in competitive athletes in order to exclude the presence of an underlying life-threatening cardiovascular disease. The present review analyzes the main non-cardiac and cardiac causes of syncope and the contribution of the available tools for differential diagnosis. Clinical work-up of the athlete with syncope occurring in extreme environments and management in terms of sports eligibility and disqualification are also discussed.

Role of Biomarkers in the Prediction of Serious Adverse Events after Syncope in Prehospital Assessment: A Multi-Center Observational Study.

Syncope is defined as the nontraumatic, transient loss of awareness of rapid onset, short duration and with complete spontaneous recovery, and accounts for 1%–3% of all visits to the emergency department. The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive capacity of the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) and prehospital lactate (pLA), individually and combined, at the prehospital level to detect patients with syncope at risk of early mortality (within 48 h) in the hospital environment. A prospective, multicenter cohort study without intervention was carried out on syncope patients aged over 18 who were given advanced life support and taken to the hospital. Our study included a total of 361 cases. Early mortality affected 21 patients (5.8%). The combined score formed by the NEWS2 and the pLA (NEWS2-L) obtained an AUC of 0.948 (95% CI: 0.88–1) and an odds ratio of 86.25 (95% CI: 11.36–645.57), which is significantly higher than that obtained by the NEWS2 or pLA in isolation (p = 0.018). The NEWS2-L can help stratify the risk in patients with syncope treated in the prehospital setting, with only the standard measurement of physiological parameters and pLA.

Abstract TMP43: Fluoxetine May Enhance Visual Recovery After Acute Ischemic Stroke by Cortical Remapping of the Blind Visual Field

Post-stroke homonymous hemianopia is disabling and complete spontaneous recovery is rare (12.5%). Other than acute revascularization, no proven treatments are available to enhance recovery. Compensatory training may lead to modest functional improvements, but does not restore native function. As such, therapies effective beyond the acute stage are desperately needed. In this phase IIa single-center, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial, we tested whether fluoxetine (FLX) enhances visual recovery after an ischemic stroke by facilitating cortical remapping as measured by fMRI. We randomized 10 consecutive adults in a 1:1 ratio to 90 days of FLX 20 mg daily vs placebo within 5 days of a stroke in the PCA ( n = 9) or MCA ( n = 1) territory causing an isolated homonymous field defect. Only one subject was treated with tPA. The primary outcome measure was percent improvement in perimetric mean deviation (PMD) as measured by automated Humphrey perimetry at 6 months. Eight subjects completed the study. Intention-to-treat analysis of the primary outcome measure showed a non-significant benefit of FLX ( n = 4) over placebo (70.5 ± 21.1% vs 30.1 ± 23.5%; one-tailed t -test, p = 0.12). Complete recovery occurred more frequently than expected in both groups (75% vs 25%), but was significantly greater than 12.5% only in the FLX group ( p = 0.007 vs p = 0.41). Percent improvement in PMD significantly correlated with scores on the 25-item Visual Functioning Questionnaire, a vision-targeted measure of health-related quality of life ( r 2 = 0.74; p = 0.012). Subjects in both groups who fully recovered showed fMRI evidence of cortical remapping by expansion and shifting of the center of their ipsilesional V1 receptive fields. In those with partial recovery, fMRI showed no cortical remapping, but a return of function in normal retinotopic locations, possibly due to recovery of “stunned” tissue. In conclusion, these results illustrate the feasibility of our approach, suggest a trend in favor of FLX, and have the potential to inform the design of a multi-center trial. Our fMRI analysis raises testable hypotheses about post-stroke recovery and suggests that FLX may improve outcomes by enabling the same kind of plasticity that underlies spontaneous recovery.

2018 Chinese Pediatric Cardiology Society (CPCS) guideline for diagnosis and treatment of syncope in children and adolescents

Syncope belongs to the transient loss of consciousness (TLOC), characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. It is common in children and adolescents, accounting for 1% to 2% of emergency department visits.Recurrent syncope can seriously affect children's physical and mental health, learning ability and quality of life and sometimes cardiac syncope even poses a risk of sudden death. The present guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of syncope in children and adolescents was developed for guiding a better clinical management of pediatric syncope. Based on the globally recent development and the evidence-based data in China, 2018 Chinese Pediatric Cardiology Society (CPCS) guideline for diagnosis and treatment of syncope in children and adolescents was jointly prepared by the Pediatric Cardiology Society, Chinese Pediatric Society, Chinese Medical Association (CMA)/Committee on Pediatric Syncope, Pediatricians Branch, Chinese Medical Doctor Association (CMDA)/Committee on Pediatric Cardiology, Chinese College of Cardiovascular Physicians, Chinese Medical Doctor Association (CMDA)/Pediatric Cardiology Society, Beijing Pediatric Society, Beijing Medical Association (BMA). The present guideline includes the underlying diseases of syncope in children and adolescents, the diagnostic procedures, methodology and clinical significance of standing test and head-up tilt test, the clinical diagnosis vasovagal syncope, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, orthostatic hypotension and orthostatic hypertension, and the treatment of syncope as well as follow-up.

Novel use of Cytosorb™ haemadsorption to provide biochemical control in liver impairment

We describe the use of Cytosorb™, a synthetic extracorporeal haemoperfusion adsorption column, in the management of two patients with drug induced cholestasis and a third with alcoholic hepatitis and subsequent acute on chronic liver failure. Cytosorb was used in these patients to remove bilirubin and bile acids by supporting impaired excretory hepatic function, alleviating symptoms with the intention of serving as a bridge to endogenous recovery. The first two cases demonstrate favourable biochemical and symptomatic responses; the third case demonstrated a good biochemical response but subsequently died from the complications of multiple organ failure. These cases suggest Cytosorb™ be evaluated as an adjunct to support liver excretory functions in other arenas, such as acute liver failure or overdose. It remains unclear whether extracorporeal therapies removing liver toxins allow faster or more complete spontaneous recovery of endogenous function.

Schwannoma as a rare cause of syncope: A case report

Syncope is a loss of consciousness due to transient global cerebral hypoperfusion and characterized by rapid onset, short term and spontaneous complete recovery. The cases with syncope need to be carefully and thoroughly evaluated. Our patient who is 56 year old male was admitted with complaints of syncope and hand numbness. We presented mediastinal schwannoma as a rare cause of syncope in our case.

TVT and TOT: a comparison between these two techniques based on our clinical experience

A retrospective evaluation and a comparison of results from two minimally invasive surgery techniques that we adopted for the treatment of SUI. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In this study we evaluated 113 selected patients who underwent SUI minimally invasive surgery from 1-1-2000 to 31-12-2007. 87 patients underwent epidural anesthesia. 26 local anesthesia. In Group A (TVT) 61 patients were enrolled, mean age 57.6 (±22). 43 patients (70%) were on menopause. In Group B (TOT out-in) 52 patients were enrolled (for 34 of them we used the Obtape® sling while for 18 the Obtryx® one), their mean age was 58.5 (±20.5) and 39 patients (75%) were on menopause. Patients from both groups did not undergo any past previous urogynecological surgery and suffered from stress urinary incontinence with cervico-urethral hypermobility butno other associated pathology. The pre-operative work-up included an evaluation of patients based on ICS guidelines. RESULTS. Group A (TVT) - mean follow-up 66.3 months, dry patients 53/61 (86.8%). Bladder perforations resolved by catheterization 3/61 (5%). Transient voiding dysfunction 14/61 (22.8%). "De novo" urgency 8/61 (13%). One patient on self-catheterization due to persistent urinary retention underwent a single-side section of the sling with spontaneous micturition and complete continence recovery. Group B (TOT out-in) - mean follow-up 35.5 months, dry patients 43/52 (82%). 4 patients (7.6%) complained oftransient voiding dysfunction, 5 patients (9.5%) for "de novo" urgency, 1 patient underwent a sling removal due to vaginal erosion 4 months after surgery (Obtape®).

Traumatic Perforation of the Tympanic Membrane: A Review of 80 Cases

BackgroundTraumatic perforation of the tympanic membrane (TPTM) is often encountered in primary care or in the emergency department (ED). Several therapeutic interventions have been described, but conservative follow-up until spontaneous complete recovery is the most common choice. ObjectiveOur goal was to analyze the trauma mechanism, perforation characteristics, and outcome of patients with TPTM. MethodsThe study included patients examined in the ED of a tertiary, university-affiliated medical center because of TPTM between 2012 and 2016. Their medical records were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, trauma mechanism, clinical characteristics, and outcome. A phone survey was performed to obtain the missing information of all the patients who did not continue their follow-up in our outpatient clinic. ResultsWe reviewed the histories of 80 patients with a mean age of 26.7 ± 14.6 years (20 children; 25%). TPTM was caused by blunt trauma in 45 patients (56%) and penetrating trauma in 35 patients (44%). Thirty-five patients (44%) completed their follow-up in the hospital outpatient clinic, with a mean duration of 6.2 weeks. Twenty-five patients (38%) completed their follow-up in a community-based otolaryngology clinic, 6 patients (9%) chose not to complete their follow-up, and 14 patients were lost to follow-up. Of the 60 patients who completed follow-up, 56 patients recovered spontaneously, 3 patients underwent successful tympanoplasty, and 1 patient was referred to surgery but was lost to follow-up. All children healed spontaneously. ConclusionTPTM was more common in young males with main mechanisms of blunt trauma (an assault) or cleaning the ear canal. All children demonstrated complete spontaneous recovery.