Removal Of Gland Research Articles

Early hypocalcemia following thyroidectomy in Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background: Hypocalcaemia is a recognized complication after thyroidectomy, which may be transient or permanent due to impairment of blood supply, injury, or inadvertent removal of the parathyroid gland. Parathormone, secreted by parathyroid gland, plays an important role in calcium homeostasis. Purpose of this study was to enable early detection of hypocalcaemia after thyroidectomy, aiding in patient management, early discharge, and reduced hospital stay. Methods: This study was conducted in the otolaryngology and head-neck surgery department of Kurmitola General Hospital over 12 months, from January 2020 to December 2020. Patients with various indications were selected based on eligibility criteria through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a data collection sheet, then cleaned, edited, and tabulated. The results were analyzed using the student’s unpaired t-test (quantitative data) to determine their significance, with a p cut-off set at <0.05. Results: Data analysis of 30 patients (30% male, 70% female) revealed that 13 patients experienced hypocalcaemia, while 17 showed normocalcaemia. Among the 13 hypocalcaemic patients, 10 (76.92%) had asymptomatic (subclinical) hypocalcaemia, and 3 (23.08%) had symptomatic hypocalcaemia. Hypocalcaemia was observed in 46.15% of patients within 24 hours post-surgery, 38.46% within 48 hours, and 15.39% within 72 hours. The results indicated a female predominance in the development of hypocalcaemia. Conclusions: The study suggests that serum calcium levels significantly decrease after total thyroidectomy, with most cases occurring within 48-72 hours post-surgery.

The vital role of melatonin in the intestinal mucosal barrier integrity in chick

BackgroundThe intestinal tract, as the main place for nutrient digestion and absorption, is closely related to the health of livestock and poultry. Melatonin secreted by the pineal gland acts as an endocrine transport signaling molecule to regulate intestinal function. However, the effect on intestinal function after pineal removal is unclear. MethodsWe raised 24 chicks under 400-700 nm white light with or without pinealectomy for 21 days. We used electron microscopy, HE staining, PAS staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining and western blot to detect intestinal physical and to explore the effect of melatonin secreted by the pineal gland on the intestinal mucosa barrier function. ResultsThe results showed that after pineal gland removal, the structure of the intestinal villi is severely damaged. Moreover, there was an obviously down-regulation in the villi length, the number of goblet cells and and its secretion of MUC2 protein, the expression level of tight junction proteins (Occludin and ZO-1) and lysozyme secreted by paneth cells, number of PCNA positive cells and macrophage, and an up-regualtion in crypt depth and apoptosis level after pinealectomy, suggesting pinealectomy-mediated melatonin level decrease damaged the intestinal physical, chemical and immune barriers. ConclusionOur findings provide new theoretical support for the future use of melatonin in intestinal development and new ideas about the relationship between endocrine hormone and intestinal physiology.

6891 Exclusive Normetanephrine Secreting Pheochromocytoma In A Young Male

Abstract Disclosure: E. Askar: None. H. Moran: None. IntroductionPheochromocytomas and paragangliomas arise from chromaffin cells and produce excessive catecholamines. Hypertension is their primary clinical symptom. they differ in their catecholamine secretory phenotype; paragangliomas typically secrete norepinephrine, while pheochromocytomas typically secrete epinephrine. Here, we present a case 21-year-old male with pheochromocytoma with elevated norepinephrine but normal epinephrine levels.Case presentationA 21 -year-old male with no past medical history presented with episodes of palpitations, sweating, and elevated blood pressure. He also reported abdominal pain. On admission, his blood pressure was 143/92 mmHg, pulse was 71/min, respiration was 16/min, and oxygen saturation was 100% in room air. The rest of physical exam was not significant. His electrolyte panel was normal. Computed tomography (CT) abdomen and pelvis with contrast was performed and showed a right adrenal mass measuring 4.9 x 4.0 x 6.5 cm which is predominantly hypoattenuating (approximately 30 Hounsfield units) with thick nodular rim of enhancement. Hormonal workup showed normal serum testosterone, DHEA-S, AM cortisol, ACTH, aldosterone, plasma metanephrine, and urine metanephrine, but profoundly high plasma normetanephrine 3641.6 (0.0-210.1) pg/mL. His 24-hour urinary normetanephrine was elevated at 14874 (80-440) ug/24hr, confirming a pheochromocytoma. The high norepinephrine level in the setting of normal epinephrine raised suspicion for Von Hippel Lindau (VHL). He was started on alpha and beta blockage and had laparoscopic removal of the right adrenal gland. The pathology report confirmed the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma confined to right adrenal. The patient was then referred for genetic testing. Conclusion: Pheochromocytoma can be a part of familial disorders, although being sporadic in nature most of the time. As demonstrated in our case, the hallmark of pheochromocytoma associated with VHL is nearly exclusive normetanephrine secretion and a high ratio of normetanephrine to metanephrine. Confirmation and testing of genes aid in proper monitoring and follow-up. The preferred course of treatment is radical resection. Presentation: 6/2/2024

ALLEVIATION OF ARSENIC INDUCED THYROID DYSFUNCTION AND BODY WEIGHT ALTERATIONS BY CURCUMIN

Background: Arsenic is notorious for being used in many homicidal cases. This study was designed to observe the toxic effects of low dose of arsenic on thyroid gland and body weight and its amelioration by curcumin. Method: Thirty healthy female Sprague Dawley rats (body weight ~230 g) were procured from The National Institute of Health Islamabad. After one week of acclimatization, animals were randomly divided into three groups (n=10 each), e.g., Control group (C), Experimental group-1 (E1) and Experimental group-2 (E2). The duration of the experiment was one month. Weight of the animals was checked before and at the end of experiment. All the animals were continued on standard diet and distilled water during experimental period. E1 was given 10 µg/10 mL of arsenic by oral gavage daily. E2 was given 10 µg/10 mL of arsenic along with Curcumin (50 mg/Kg body weight/day). At the end of experiment, the rats were euthanized to draw the blood and removal of thyroid gland. Serum Triiodothyronine, Tetraiodothyronine and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone were measured by ELISA. Histological changes were observed after haematoxylin and eosin staining. Statistical analysis was done on SPSS-22 and p?0.05 was considered significant. Results: The histological findings of thyroid gland, body weight and serum T3, T4 and TSH in E1 exhibited abnormal results. E2 group showed the protecting role of curcumin suggesting protective role of curcumin. Conclusion: Curcumin has protective effects against arsenic induced thyroid disruption and body weight alterations. Pak J Physiol 2024;20(3): DOI: https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v20i3.1686

Long-Term Outcome of Surgery for Grade 4 Gynecomastia: A Single-Center Experience

Abstract Background Gynecomastia results in a feminine appearance of the male chest, leading to social embarrassment and loss of self-esteem in the afflicted males. Grade 4 gynecomastia is expected to have less than perfect results with liposuction and gland excision alone. This study was done to assess the long-term outcome of this surgery for grade 4 gynecomastia. Materials and Methods From January 2021 to December 2022, 81 patients with grade 4 gynecomastia were treated by us. All the patients underwent vibration amplification of sound energy at resonance (VASER) and suction-assisted liposuction of the chest and side rolls with excision of the gland with crescentic lift in the cases with ptosis. A retrospective study was done to analyze the long-term surgical outcomes in these patients by review of clinical records. Results Symmetry was achieved in 37/39 patients with grade 4a gynecomastia but only in 33/42 patients with grade 4b gynecomastia. The inframammary fold disappeared in 35/39 patients with grade 4a gynecomastia but only in 25/42 of grade 4b gynecomastia patients. Ptosis was corrected in 35/42 grade 4b gynecomastia patients. The mean follow-up was 15 months (range: 12–24 months). Only seven patients desired a second stage to correct the remaining deformity. Conclusion Liposuction with gland removal alone in grade 4a gynecomastia and with liposuction with crescentic nipple–areola complex (NAC) lift in patients of grade 4b gynecomastia give satisfactory results in patients with massively enlarged breasts. While grade 4a gynecomastia has overall better results and lesser complications as compared with grade 4b gynecomastia, the latter also has acceptable outcomes. Realistic prognosis needs to be explained to the patient preoperatively.

The influence of cancer on the reprogramming of lipid metabolism in healthy thyroid tissues of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Over the years we observed changes in the metabolism of glucose, amino acids, fatty acids (FA) and nucleotides in cancer cells in order to maintain their viability and proliferate. Moreover, as the latest data show, cancer also forces a complete change in the behavior of other tissues. For instance, fat-filled adipocytes are often found in the vicinity of invasive solid human tumors. We investigated the effects of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) on the lipid metabolism of healthy tissue distant from the tumor. Thyroid tissue was collected from female patients immediately after surgical removal of the entire thyroid gland. Blood samples were collected from PTC patients and healthy volunteers. Real-time PCR assays were performed to analyze the expression of lipogenic genes and a broad panel of FA was determined using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. The concentration of lipids was higher in paratumor tissue than in healthy thyroid tissue (p = 0.005). The lipogenic genes tested were significantly increased in paratumor tissue compared to healthy tissue, especially enzymes related to the synthesis of very long-chain saturated and polyunsaturated FAs (VLCSFAs and PUFAs, respectively) (p < 0.001). The FA profile also showed increased levels of C22-C26, VLCSFAs and almost all PUFAs in paratumor tissue (p < 0.05). Our study suggests that a restructuring of lipid metabolism occurs in the adjacent healthy thyroid gland and that the metabolism of VLCSFAs and PUFAs is higher in the paratumor tissue than in the distant tissue of the healthy thyroid gland.

Glucocorticoids impair T lymphopoiesis after myocardial infarction.

The thymus, where T lymphocytes develop and mature, is sensitive to insults such as tissue ischemia or injury. The insults can cause thymic atrophy and compromise T-cell development, potentially impairing adaptive immunity. The objective of this study was to investigate whether myocardial infarction (MI) induces thymic injury to impair T lymphopoiesis and to uncover the underlying mechanisms. When compared with sham controls, MI mice at day 7 post-MI exhibited smaller thymus, lower cellularity, as well as less thymocytes at different developmental stages, indicative of T-lymphopoiesis impairment following MI. Accordingly, the spleen of MI mice has less T cells and recent thymic emigrants (RTEs), implying that the thymus of MI mice releases fewer mature thymocytes than sham controls. Interestingly, the secretory function of splenic T cells was not affected by MI. Further experiments showed that the reduction of thymocytes in MI mice was due to increased thymocyte apoptosis. Removal of adrenal glands by adrenalectomy (ADX) prevented MI-induced thymic injury and dysfunction, whereas corticosterone supplementation in ADX + MI mice reinduced thymic injury and dysfunction, indicating that glucocorticoids mediate thymic damage triggered by MI. Eosinophils play essential roles in thymic regeneration postirradiation, and eosinophil-deficient mice exhibit impaired thymic recovery after sublethal irradiation. Interestingly, the thymus was fully regenerated in both wild-type and eosinophil-deficient mice at day 14 post-MI, suggesting that eosinophils are not critical for thymus regeneration post-MI. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that MI-induced glucocorticoids trigger thymocyte apoptosis and impair T lymphopoiesis, resulting in less mature thymocyte release to the spleen.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The thymus is essential for maintaining whole body T-cell output. Thymic injury can adversely affect T lymphopoiesis and T-cell immune response. This study demonstrates that MI induces thymocyte apoptosis and compromises T lymphopoiesis, resulting in fewer releases of mature thymocytes to the spleen. This process is mediated by glucocorticoids secreted by adrenal glands. Therefore, targeting glucocorticoids represents a novel approach to attenuate post-MI thymic injury.

Review of clinical practice guidelines for hypoparathyroidism

Hypoparathyroidism is an endocrine disease characterized by reduced production of parathyroid hormone by the parathyroid glands or tissue resistance to its action. This is accompanied by disturbances in phosphorus-calcium metabolism.The main cause of hypoparathyroidism is damage or removal of the parathyroid glands during surgery on the neck organs. Autoimmune hypoparathyroidism is the second most common form of the disease, which occurs, as a rule, within the autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1.The development of chronic hypoparathyroidism of any etiology requires lifelong appointment of multicomponent therapy, as well as careful monitoring and an individual approach. In the absence of adequate dynamic monitoring, multiple complications develop from vital organs, in particular calcification of the urinary system, soft tissues and the brain; cardiovascular pathology; visual disturbances; muscle and bone diseases leading to decreased quality of life of patients.Thus, timely diagnosis, rationally selected drug therapy and competent patient management will reduce the risks of complications, improve the prognosis, and reduce the frequency of hospitalizations and disability of patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism.The article presents the main recommendations of the new project of clinical guidelines for patients with hypoparathyroidism, approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in 2021. They include the algorithms of diagnosis, treatment and dynamic monitoring of hypoparathyroidism, as well as management of postsurgical hypocalcemia and medical care of and the disease during pregnancy.

Cell-Death Metabolites from Cocconeis scutellum var. parva Identified by Integrating Bioactivity-Based Fractionation and Non-Targeted Metabolomic Approaches.

Epiphytic diatoms growing in Mediterranean seagrass meadows, particularly those of the genus Cocconeis, are abundant and ecologically significant, even in naturally acidified environments. One intriguing aspect of some benthic diatoms is their production of an unidentified cell-death-promoting compound, which induces destruction of the androgenic gland in Hippolyte inermis Leach, 1816, a shrimp exhibiting protandric hermaphroditism, principally under normal environmental pH levels. The consumption of Cocconeis spp. by this shrimp is vital for maintaining the stability of its natural populations. Although many attempts have been made to reveal the identity of the apoptotic compound, it is still unknown. In this study, we strategically integrated a bioactivity-based fractionation, a metabolomic approach, and two different experimental avenues to identify potential apoptotic metabolites from Cocconeis scutellum var. parva responsible for the sex reversal in H. inermis. Our integrated analysis uncovered two potential candidate metabolites, one putatively identified as a lysophosphatidylglycerol (LPG) (16:1) and the other classified as a fatty acid ester. This is the first time LPG (16:1) has been reported in C. scutellum var. parva and associated with cell-death processes. These candidate metabolites mark substantial progress in elucidating the factors responsible for triggering the removal of the androgenic gland in the early post-larval phases of H. inermis.

The GLAND-IQ Technique for Surgical Correction of Moderate to Severe Gynecomastia.

Surgical correction of gynecomastia currently ranks in the top five cosmetic procedures performed in men in the United States. Although removal of excess gland is relatively straightforward, the combination of glandular/fatty excess, significant skin redundancy, nipple ptosis, and nipple-areolar complex hypertrophy poses a significant challenge in the male patient desiring inconspicuous scars. The latter renders any form of skin and nipple reduction/elevation using traditional mastopexy patterns or breast amputation with free nipple grafting less favorable due to the surgical stigmata and scars produced with these techniques. To that end, we present our experience treating cases of moderate to severe gynecomastia involving significant skin excess (defined as Simon grade IIb and III) with a technique focused on avoiding visible extra-areolar scars, called the glandular excision, liposuction-assisted, areolar mastopexy for nipple repositioning and skin reduction with internal quilting sutures.

The Role of Decreased Expression of Glucocorticoid Receptors in the Development of Itsenko-Cushing Syndrome

Background: Itsenko-Cushing syndrome is caused by unregulated excessive cortisol incretion by the adrenal cortex. The causes of increased stimulation of cortisol incretion by the adrenal cortex, leading to hyperplasia and tumors (adenoma and cancer) of the adrenal cortex, as well as to adenoma of the pituitary gland itself, remain unclear to date. Materials and Methods: 6 patients with adrenal Itsenko-Cushing syndrome with adrenal cortex adenoma were under observation. The age of the patients ranged from 24 to 87 years. The patients underwent removal of the adrenal gland on the affected side. The control group consisted of 6 individuals who underwent surgical treatment of varicocele and hernias of various localization. In patients of the main group and control group, with their consent, a small fragment of skin from the edge of the surgical wound was taken for examination, which were fixed in a 10% formalin solution. Results: The presence of adrenal Itsenko-Cushing syndrome in patients of the main group was confirmed by laboratory and instrumental studies, as well as characteristic clinical manifestations. The average Histochemical score of the expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) of the skin in patients of the main group with Itsenko-Cushing adrenal syndrome was 2.7 times less than the same value in the control group. Conclusions: A decrease in the formation or absence of glucocorticoid receptors (congenital or acquired) blocks the negative feedback of cortisol suppression of corticoliberin production by the hypothalamus and ACTH-pituitary gland. The resulting excessive incretion of corticoliberin becomes the main link in pathogenesis of pituitary adenoma formation, and an excessive incretion of ACTH leads to the formation of cortical hyperplasia and tumors (adenomas, cancers) of the adrenal cortex. Unregulated excessive cortisol production by hyperplastic adrenal tissues or benign/malignant adrenal tumors leads to overcoming resistance to glucocorticoids and, according to the principle of negative feedback, suppresses the production of corticoliberin by the hypothalamus and ACTH-pituitary gland. As a result, the pituitary form of Itsenko-Cushing syndrome turns into an adrenal form with an unregulated increase in cortisol levels and a decrease in ACTH levels. Transfusion of the mononuclear fraction of peripheral blood obtained from healthy donors, which allows the pluripotent stem cells contained in it to partially replace the altered cells of all tissues of patients, is a promising method of treating patients with Itsenko-Cushing syndrome due to a hereditary decrease in the expression of glucocorticoid receptors.

Ranula– A case report and literature review

Ranula, a salivary gland disorder, manifests as a cystic swelling on the floor of the mouth and can arise from various etiologies such as trauma, obstruction, or inflammation. This article explores the diversity of treatment modalities proposed for ranula, including incision and drainage, marsupialization, and sublingual gland removal. The recurrence of ranula is discussed in relation to treatment types, with reported rates varying significantly. This article discusses a case study of intraoral swelling in a 19-year-old male patient, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing ranula in clinical practice.

Effects on Voice Quality of Thyroidectomy: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study Using Voice Maps

ObjectivesThis study aims to explore the effects of thyroidectomy - a surgical intervention involving the removal of the thyroid gland—on voice quality, as represented by acoustic and electroglottographic measures. Given the thyroid gland's proximity to the inferior and superior laryngeal nerves, thyroidectomy carries a potential risk of affecting vocal function. While earlier studies have documented effects on the voice range, few studies have looked at voice quality after thyroidectomy. Since voice quality effects could manifest in many ways, that a priori are unknown, we wish to apply an exploratory approach that collects many data points from several metrics. MethodsA voice-mapping analysis paradigm was applied retrospectively on a corpus of spoken and sung sentences produced by patients who had had thyroid surgery. Voice quality changes were assessed objectively for 57 patients prior to surgery and two months after surgery, by making comparative voice maps, pre- and post-intervention, of six acoustic and electroglottographic (EGG) metrics. ResultsAfter thyroidectomy, statistically significant changes consistent with a worsening of voice quality were observed in most metrics. For all individual metrics, however, the effect sizes were too small to be clinically relevant. Statistical clustering of the metrics helped to clarify the nature of these changes. While partial thyroidectomy demonstrated greater uniformity than did total thyroidectomy, the type of perioperative damage had no discernible impact on voice quality. ConclusionsChanges in voice quality after thyroidectomy were related mostly to increased phonatory instability in both the acoustic and EGG metrics. Clustered voice metrics exhibited a higher correlation to voice complaints than did individual voice metrics.

Factors affecting the rates of incidental parathyroidectomy during thyroidectomy.

The most important factors affecting the development of postoperative hypocalcaemia (PH) include intraoperative trauma to the parathyroid glands, incidental parathyroidectomy (IP), and the surgeon's experience. In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence of IP, evaluate its effect on postoperative calcium levels and investigate the effect of surgeon experience and volume on IP incidence and postoperative calcium levels. This retrospective study included 645 patients who underwent thyroid surgery at the Department of General Surgery, Kütahya Health Sciences University between September 2016 and March 2020. All patients underwent surgery at a single clinic by general surgeons experienced in thyroid surgery and their residents (3-5 years). Normal parathyroid glands were reported in 58 (8.9%) of 645 patients. In 5 (8.6%) of 58 patients the parathyroid gland was detected in the intrathyroidal region. PH developed in ten patients (17.2%) with incidental removal of the parathyroid glands. A statistically significant difference was found between the number of incidentally removed parathyroid glands and the development of hypocalcaemia (p<0.05). Normal parathyroid glands were reported in the pathology of 37 (7.9%) patients operated on by general surgeons and 22 (12.6%) patients operated on by their residents. PH developed in 39 (8.2%) patients operated on by general surgeons and in 8 (4.5%) patients operated on by their residents. We found that the complication rate during the resident training process was the same as that of experienced general surgeons. A thyroidectomy can be safely performed by senior residents during residential training.

Economic burden of patients with post-surgical chronic and transient hypoparathyroidism in the United States examined using insurance claims data.

Hypoparathyroidism (HP) is a rare endocrine disease commonly caused by the removal or damage of parathyroid glands during surgery and resulting in transient (tHP) or chronic (cHP) disease. cHP is associated with multiple complications and comorbid conditions; however, the economic burden has not been well characterized. The objective of this study was to evaluate the healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs associated with post-surgical cHP, using tHP as a reference. This analysis of a US claims database included patients with both an insurance claim for HP and thyroid/neck surgery between October 2014 and December 2019. cHP was defined as an HP claim ≥ 6 months following surgery and tHP was defined as only one HP claim < 6 months following surgery. The cHP index date was the first HP diagnosis claim following their qualifying surgery claim, whereas the tHP index date was the last HP diagnosis claim following the qualifying surgery claim. Patients were continuously enrolled at least 1 year pre- and post-index. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, all-cause HCRU, and costs were descriptively analyzed. Total all-cause costs were calculated as the sum of payments for hospitalizations, emergency department, office/clinic visits, and pharmacy. A total of 1,406 cHP and 773 tHP patients met inclusion criteria. The average age (52.1 years cHP, 53.5 years tHP) and representation of females (83.2% cHP, 81.2% tHP) were similar for both groups. Neck dissection surgery was more prevalent in cHP patients (23.6%) than tHP patients (5.3%). During the 1-2 year follow-up period, cHP patients had a higher prevalence of inpatient admissions (17.4%), and emergency visits (26.0%) than the reference group -tHP patients (14.4% and 21.4% respectively). Among those with a hospitalization, the average number of hospitalizations was 1.5-fold higher for cHP patients. cHP patients also saw more specialists, including endocrinologists (28.7% cHP, 15.8% tHP), cardiologists (16.7% cHP, 9.7% tHP), and nephrologists (4.6% cHP, 3.3% tHP). This study demonstrates the increased healthcare burden of cHP on the healthcare system in contrast to patients with tHP. Effective treatment options are needed to minimize the additional resources utilized by patients whose HP becomes chronic.

Bibliometric analysis of research trends and hotspots on robot-assisted thyroid surgery.

Thyroid surgery involves the partial or complete removal of the thyroid gland and is a frequently performed surgical procedure. The adoption of robots, equipped with flexible and stable operating systems, has garnered acceptance among numerous surgeons for their capability to enable precise anatomical dissection in thyroid surgery. To gain a comprehensive insight into the present research landscape of robot-assisted thyroid surgery, this paper endeavored to conduct a thorough analysis of the field through bibliometric analysis. Relevant literature pertaining to robot-assisted thyroid surgery was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database, spanning from the inception of WOSCC to October 17, 2022. Visual analyses of publication quantity, distribution across countries/regions, institutions/organizations, authorship, journals, references, and keywords were conducted using Microsoft Excel, the bibliometrix package in R, Citescape, and VOSviewer software. A total of 505 articles from 406 institutions in 36 countries/regions were included. South Korea emerged with highest number of publications. Notably, Professor CHUNG WY from Yonsei University in South Korea and the journal "Surg Endosc" stood out with the most publications. The current research landscape indicated significant interest in endoscopic thyroidectomy, surgical procedures, and the axillary approach. In addition, transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TROT), and learning curve (LC) were recognized as research frontiers, representing potential future hotspots in this field. This study marks the first bibliometric analysis of the literature on robot-assisted thyroid surgery. The results highlight endoscopic thyroidectomy, surgical procedures, and the axillary approach as current research hotspots, with TROT and LC identified as potential future research hotspots.

Endoscopic endonasal pituitary sacrifice for select tumors with retrochiasmatic and/or retrosellar extension: surgical anatomy, operative technique, and case series.

Tumors located in the retrochiasmatic region with extension to the third ventricle might be difficult to access when the pituitary-chiasmatic corridor is narrow. Similarly, tumor extension into the interpeduncular and retrosellar space poses a major surgical challenge. Pituitary transposition techniques have been developed to gain additional access. However, when preoperative pituitary function is already impaired or the risk of postoperative panhypopituitarism (PH) is considered to be particularly high, removal of the pituitary gland (PG) might be the preferred option to increase the working corridor. The aim of this study was to describe the relevant surgical anatomy, operative steps, and clinical experience with the endoscopic endonasal pituitary sacrifice (EEPS) and transsellar approach. This study comprised anatomical dissections to highlight the relevant surgical steps and a retrospective case series reporting clinical characteristics, indications, and outcomes of patients who underwent EEPS. The surgical technique is as follows: both lateral opticocarotid recesses are exposed laterally, the limbus sphenoidale superiorly, and the sellar floor inferiorly. After opening the dura, the PG is detached circumferentially and mobilized off the medial walls of the cavernous sinuses. The descending branches of the superior hypophyseal artery are coagulated, and the stalk is transected. After removal of the PG, drilling of the dorsum sellae and bilateral posterior clinoidectomies are performed to gain access to the hypothalamic region, interpeduncular, and prepontine cisterns. From 2018 to 2023, 11 patients underwent EEPS. The cohort comprised mostly tuberoinfundibular craniopharyngiomas (n = 8, 73%). Seven (64%) patients had partial or complete anterior PG dysfunction preoperatively, while 4 (36%) had preoperative diabetes insipidus. Because of the specific tumor configuration, the chance of preserving endocrine function was estimated to be very low in patients with intact function. The main reasons for pituitary sacrifice were impaired visibility and surgical accessibility to the retrochiasmatic and retrosellar spaces. Gross-total tumor resection was achieved in 10 (91%) patients and near-total resection in 1 (9%) patient. Two (18%) patients experienced a postoperative CSF leak, requiring surgical revision. When preoperative pituitary function is already impaired or the risk for postoperative PH is considered particularly high, the EEPS and transsellar approach appears to be a feasible surgical option to improve visibility and accessibility to the retrochiasmatic hypothalamic and retrosellar spaces, thus increasing tumor resectability.

PREVALENCE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF POST-THYROIDECTOMY HYPOCALCAEMIA

Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia is a recognised and potentially significant complication arising from the surgical removal of the thyroid gland. The study's main objective is to find the prevalence and pathophysiology of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. This prospective observational study was conducted in Civil Hospital Quetta from June 2021 to July 2022. A total of 162 patients undergoing thyroidectomy for various indications, including thyroid cancer, hyperthyroidism, and goiter, were enrolled in the study. Before surgery, baseline data were gathered, including demographic information, medical history, and preoperative serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, from the 162 enrolled patients scheduled for thyroidectomy. Data were collected from 162 patients from both genders. The mean age of patients was 48.5 ± 8.2 years, with 70% female. The diagnoses included 40% with thyroid cancer, 30% with hyperthyroidism, and 30% with a large goiter. Preoperative serum calcium levels were 9.0 ± 0.5 mg/dL, parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were 45 ± 9.80 pg/mL, and vitamin D levels were 25.5 ± 6.3 ng/mL. A history of hypocalcemia was noted in 5% of the participants. The mean serum calcium level was 9.0 mg/dL, with a standard deviation of 0.5. However, at 48 hours post-op, there was a decrease in the mean serum calcium level to 7.8 mg/dL, with a standard deviation of 0.7. It is concluded that the interaction between reduced serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels highlights the immediate impact of surgery on calcium homeostasis.

Cine clips increase the detection of thyroid pyramidal lobe in routine thyroid sonogram.

Identification and resection of the thyroid pyramidal lobe is important for thyroid cancer surgery in order to prevent interval cancer in residual thyroid tissue. The purpose of this study was to determine how often a thyroid pyramidal lobe is found in patients with and without previous thyroidectomy and to optimise the protocol for identifying thyroid pyramidal lobes during routine thyroid ultrasonography. In this prospective study, a total of 1579 patients who received routine thyroid ultrasound scans at a single centre were enrolled. A dedicated standard scanning protocol was established containing both static images of the anterior neck superior to the thyroid as well as a transverse cine loop starting from the isthmus to the hyoid bone. The presence and features of thyroid pyramidal lobes were evaluated and compared. Detection rate of thyroid pyramidal lobes in patients without thyroidectomy improved from 39.5% (480/1215) to 49.7% (640/1215) with protocol adding cine-loop as compared to protocol without cine-loop. The cine-loops were particularly helpful in the detection of thyroid pyramidal lobes when it is separated from the main lobe or in thyroidectomy patients. By adding assessment with cine-loop into the dedicated protocol, we have further detected different pathologies occurring on thyroid pyramidal lobes including benign and malignant solid nodules and pseudo-nodules of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The addition of dynamic assessment with cine-loop increases the detection rate of thyroid pyramidal lobes. By paying attention to the thyroid pyramidal lobe in pre-operative diagnostic sonographic images, we can help to avoid incomplete removal of the thyroid gland during thyroidectomy.

Adrenalectomy attenuates hyperalgesia but does not regulate muscle wasting in a female rat model of fibromyalgia.

Although it is well established that fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is characterized by chronic diffuse musculoskeletal hyperalgesia, very little is known about the effect of this pathology on muscle tissue plasticity. Therefore, the present study aimed to characterize the putative alterations in skeletal muscle mass in female rats subjected to a FM model by inducing chronic diffuse hyperalgesia (CDH) through double injections of acidic saline (pH 4.0) into the left gastrocnemius muscle at 5-day intervals. To determine protein turnover, the total proteolysis, proteolytic system activities and protein synthesis were evaluated in oxidative soleus muscles of pH 7.2 (control) and pH 4.0 groups at 7 days after CDH induction. All animals underwent behavioural analyses of mechanical hyperalgesia, strength and motor performance. Our results demonstrated that, in addition to hyperalgesia, rats injected with acidic saline exhibited skeletal muscle loss, as evidenced by a decrease in the soleus fibre cross-sectional area. This muscle loss was associated with increased proteasomal proteolysis and expression of the atrophy-related gene (muscle RING-finger protein-1), as well as reduced protein synthesis and decreased protein kinase B/S6 pathway activity. Although the plasma corticosterone concentration did not differ between the control and pH 4.0 groups, the removal of the adrenal glands attenuated hyperalgesia, but it did not prevent the increase in muscle protein loss in acidic saline-injected animals. The data suggests that the stress-related hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is involved in the development of hyperalgesia, but is not responsible for muscle atrophy observed in the FM model induced by intramuscular administration of acidic saline. Although the mechanisms involved in the attenuation of hyperalgesia in rats injected with acidic saline and subjected to adrenalectomy still need to be elucidated, the results found in this study suggest that glucocorticoids may not represent an effective therapeutic approach to alleviate FM symptoms.