Need For Invasive Interventions Research Articles

CORRELATION RATIO OF CHRONIC ENDOMETRITIS WITH ANAMNESTIC FACTORS AND ULTRASOUND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENDOMETRIUM IN WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE

The diagnosis of chronic endometritis is problematic because of its asymptomatic course and the need for invasive uterineprocedures to confi rm the diagnosis histologically. Therefore, it is important to identify factors that indicate a high risk of this condition. Aim: The aim of this study is to identify factors that have a statistically signifi cant correlation with the presence of CE in women of reproductive age and to validate them by histologic examination of the endometrium.Material and Methods. A retrospective analysis of 400 histories of women of reproductive age who underwent hysteroscopyand endometrial biopsy for histologic examination was performed. Histologically, 154 women (38.5 %) were found to havechronic endometritis (the group of women with chronic endometritis), while 246 women (61.5 %) were found to have otherconditions unrelated to chronic endometritis (the group of women without chronic endometritis). Analysis of anamnestic factors and ultrasound criteria associated with an increased likelihood of chronic endometritis was performed when comparing data from women in these groups. The strength of the relationship between these factors on the one hand and the development of chronic endometritis on the other hand was assessed by calculating the Kendall’s τ (tau) rank correlation coeffi cient. The strength of the relationship between the mentioned factor and CE was considered strong (+++) with a τ coeffi cient of 0.5 or higher, moderate (++) with a τ coeffi cient in the range of 0.2 to 0.499, weak (+) with a τ coeffi cient in the range of 0.1 to 0.199. A τ-coeffi cient value between 0 and 0.099 indicated no correlation between the factor and chronic endometritis.The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of patient- centered care, the requirements of the Tokyo Declaration of the World Medical Association, the international recommendations of the Helsinki Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine, the laws of Ukraine, and the Code of Ethics of the Ukrainian Physician.The paper is an excerpt from the initiative scientifi c research project of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology No.2 at Poltava State Medical University, entitled «Optimization of approaches to the management of pregnancy in women at high risk of obstetric and perinatal pathology» (State registration number 0122U201228, duration: 10.2022-09.2027) in collaboration with the Department of Pathological Physiology at Poltava State Medical University.Results and Discussion. The determination of the correlation coeffi cient allowed us to identify the factors with the strongestassociation with chronic endometritis. Among them are 5 infectious factors: cervicitis in the past medical history (τ coeffi cient 0.625245229; p<0.0000000001); chronic infl ammation of the uterine appendages (τ coeffi cient 0.522536031; p<0.0000000001); sexually transmitted diseases in the past medical history (τ coeffi cient 0.547218916; p<0.0000000001); chronic urogenital infl ammatory diseases in the sexual partner (τ coeffi cient 0. 529314979; p<0.0000000001); previous multiple use of intrauterine contraception (τ-coeffi cient 0.502383401; p<0.0000000001); 4 symptomatic consequential factors: infertility in past medical history (τ-coeffi cient 0.683492482; p<0.0000000001); missed miscarriages in past medical history (τ-coeffi cient 0. 644489429; p<0.0000000001); recurrent early pregnancy loss (τ-coeffi cient 0.625942138; p<0.0000000001); abnormal uterine bleeding (τ-coeffi cient 0.650850348; p<0.0000000001); and 4 ultrasound criteria, such as the presence of local endometrial thickening in the form of a polyp (τ-coeffi cient 0.641820318; p<0. 0000000001); increased echogenicity of the endometrium (τ-coeffi cient 0.665249637; p<0.0000000001); heterogeneity of the endometrial echo structure with areas of increased and decreased echogenicity (τ-coeffi cient 0.693152163; p<0.0000000001); hyperechogenic structures in the basal layer of the endometrium (τ-coeffi cient 0.521658745; p<0.0000000001). In our opinion, the combination of an infectious or symptomatic factor with an ultrasound criterion indicates a high probability of chronic endometritis. In the absence of ultrasound signs, the combination of 1 infectious and 1 symptomatic- consequential factor indicates a high risk of chronic endometritis. To confirm the representativeness of this method, we analyzed endometrial biopsies obtained by curettage in 100 women with this combination of factors. The diagnosis was confi rmed histologically in 87 women. Conclusion. Our proposed assessment of high-risk criteria for chronic endometritis, based on the combination of infectious,symptomatic- consequential, and ultrasound criteria, allows predicting the presence of this pathology in 87 % of patients withoutтthe need for invasive interventions. This helps to improve patient selection for hysteroscopy and avoid unnecessary uterine interventions in the diagnosis of chronic endometritis in women planning pregnancy.

Unveiling Therapeutic Potential: A Systematic Review of Photobiomodulation Therapy and Biological Dressings for Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

Introduction: Diabetes poses a global health challenge, giving rise to various complications, including diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). DFUs, marked by ischemic ulcers susceptible to infection and amputation, underscore the urgency for innovative treatments. This study investigated the impact of photobiomodulation therapy (PBT) and autologous platelet gel (APG) on DFUs recovery. Methods: We systematically searched Web of Science, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Google Scholar (2015-2023) by using pertinent terms like "photobiomodulation therapy," "low level light therapy," and "platelet gel." After meticulous data extraction and review, 57 articles were chosen and categorized. Among these, three randomized controlled trials involving 186 participants were selected for APG analysis. Results: Findings demonstrate that APG application carries minimal risk and offers promising improvements in healing time, grade, pain reduction, and granulation tissue formation. Similarly, diverse PBT modalities involving distinct probes and wavelengths exhibit the potential to enhance tissue perfusion, expedite healing, and impede wound progression, reducing the need for invasive interventions. Conclusion: PBT and APG emerge as valuable tools to augment wound healing, mitigate inflammation, and avert amputation, representing compelling therapeutic options for DFUs.

4D Printing Shape-Morphing Hybrid Biomaterials for Advanced Bioengineering Applications.

Four-dimensional (4D) printing is an innovative additive manufacturing technology used to fabricate structures that can evolve over time when exposed to a predefined environmental stimulus. 4D printed objects are no longer static objects but programmable active structures that accomplish their functions thanks to a change over time in their physical/chemical properties that usually displays macroscopically as a shapeshifting in response to an external stimulus. 4D printing is characterized by several entangled features (e.g., involved material(s), structure geometry, and applied stimulus entities) that need to be carefully coupled to obtain a favorable fabrication and a functioning structure. Overall, the integration of micro-/nanofabrication methods of biomaterials with nanomaterials represents a promising approach for the development of advanced materials. The ability to construct complex and multifunctional triggerable structures capable of being activated allows for the control of biomedical device activity, reducing the need for invasive interventions. Such advancements provide new tools to biomedical engineers and clinicians to design dynamically actuated implantable devices. In this context, the aim of this review is to demonstrate the potential of 4D printing as an enabling manufacturing technology to code the environmentally triggered physical evolution of structures and devices of biomedical interest.

Impact of preoperative chemotherapy on perioperative morbidity in combined resection of colon cancer and liver metastases

BackgroundPreoperative chemotherapy, or neoadjuvant therapy (NAC) can be used to improve resectability but can also have hepatotoxic effects on the future liver remnant. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of NAC on 30-day morbidity among patients undergoing a resection of primary colon cancer and synchronous liver metastases (sLM). MethodsThis was a retrospective study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2012–2020). The association between NAC and 30-day overall morbidity, the primary outcome, was assessed. Subgroup analyses for low and high-risk procedures were performed. ResultsAmong 968 patients who underwent the combined resection, 571 (58.99%) received NAC. There was a lower rate of 30-day overall morbidity among patients who received NAC (34.50% vs. 41.56%, p = 0.026) and no difference in rates of postoperative liver failure, bile leak, need for invasive intervention for hepatic procedure, and anastomotic leak. On adjusted analyses, patients who received NAC had decreased odds of overall morbidity (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55–0.97, p = 0.031) compared to patients who did not receive NAC. On subgroup analyses, patients who received NAC prior to a low risk combined resection had lower rates of overall morbidity on both adjusted and unadjusted analyses. Among those undergoing high-risk combined resections, there was no difference in overall morbidity. Discussion and ConclusionPatients who are deemed to be candidates for preoperative chemotherapy can proceed with planned neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to combined resection of primary colon cancer and sLM as preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy does not appear to be associated with increased postoperative morbidity.

Trends in maternal ICU admissions at a quaternary centre in Montreal, Canada, and impact of maternal age on critical care outcomes.

Advancing maternal age is increasingly prevalent and is associated with severe maternal morbidity often requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. To describe maternal ICU admissions at a quaternary care hospital in Montreal, Canada, and evaluate the association between maternal age and composite of: need for invasive interventions, ICU stay > 48 h, or maternal death. Chart review of ICU admissions during pregnancy/postpartum (2006-2016); logistic regressions to evaluate the impact of age on outcomes. With 5.1 ICU admissions per 1000 deliveries, we included 187 women (mean age 32 ± 6.3 years; 20 (10.7%) ≥ 40 years). The composite outcome occurred in 105 (56.2%) patients; there were two maternal deaths. Age ≥ 40 years increased the odds of invasive interventions (OR 4.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-14.1) but not of the composite outcome (OR 2.30; 95% CI 0.66-8.02). Peripartum women aged ≥ 40 years had worse outcomes in ICU, with an increased need for invasive interventions.

Внутрішньочеревна гіпертензія як ускладнення гострого панкреатиту

The aim of our work was to review modern aspects of pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of intra-abdominal hypertension as a complication of the severe course of acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis is a systemic disease, the severe course of which is associated with organ dysfunction and increased intra-abdominal pressure. The frequency of intra-abdominal hypertension in patients with severe acute pancreatitis is 60%, while 10-30% of patients in this category hospitalized in the intensive care unit have abdominal compartment syndrome. An increase in intraabdominal pressure has a negative effect on the course of acute pancreatitis. Namely, multiple organ failure occurs more often; pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis, prolonged systemic inflammatory response syndrome, complications during the use of enteral nutrition, the need for invasive interventions, the length of hospitalization and the percentage of deaths increase. Determination of intra-abdominal pressure through the urinary bladder in patients with severe acute pancreatitis should be considered as a standard for diagnosing intraabdominal hypertension. It has been proven that the use of paracentesis with drainage of the abdominal cavity in the staged treatment of patients with a complicated course of acute pancreatitis (peripancreatic accumulation of fluid in the early period of the disease) reliably reduces intra-abdominal pressure after 72 h since the detection of fluid (17.4 ± 2.6 and 11.4 ± 1.6 mm Hg), serum amylase (774.3 ± 233.9 and 472.7 ± 168.6 Units/l), procalcitonin (1.3 ± 0.7 and 0.6 ± 0.5 ng/ml) and interleukin-6 (531.3 ± 120.9 and 417.1 ± 82.4 pg/ml). Achievements in intensive care, optimization of indications for surgical interventions, early enteral nutrition, rational use of liquid resuscitation and the growing role of minimally invasive interventions have had a positive effect on the prognosis of acute pancreatitis, overall morbidity and led to a decrease in deaths in this category of patients. However, the prevention and treatment of persistent intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome require further study and improvement.

Hemodialysis Access Type and Access Patency Loss: An Observational Cohort Study

Access patency outcomes for arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) as compared with arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) who have achieved a functioning permanent access are not fully explored. Observational cohort study. Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged≥18 years with kidney failure who were newly using a permanent access for maintenance HD from the United States Renal Data System (2010-2015). Patients using an oral anticoagulant were excluded. AVG or AVF. Loss of primary unassisted, primary assisted, and secondary patency. Outcomes were characterized using cumulative incidence curves, and HRs adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical factors were estimated for the comparison of AVF versus AVG. The cohort included 60,329 and 17,763 patients newly using an AVF and AVG, respectively, for HD. Over 3 years of follow-up, AVG users, compared to AVF users, had a higher cumulative incidence of loss of primary unassisted patency (87% vs 69%; HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.52-1.60), loss of primary assisted patency (69% vs 25%; HR, 3.79; 95% CI, 3.67-3.92), and loss of secondary patency (22% vs 10%; HR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.92-2.16). Stratified analyses revealed differences by subgroups; in particular, incidence of patency loss was higher among patients who underwent prior interventions to maintain prefunctional access patency and Black patients. This analysis focused on outcomes occurring after first successful use of a permanent access and thus does not inform about risk of patency loss during access maturation. Among patients with kidney failure who successfully used a permanent access for HD, patency loss was consistently substantially higher in those using AVGs compared with AVFs. New interventions, such as prophylactic drugs, are needed to improve access longevity and reduce the need for invasive interventions, particularly among patients unable to receive a fistula.

Early postoperative risk stratification in patients with pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy

BackgroundEarly stratification of postoperative pancreatic fistula according to severity and/or need for invasive intervention may improve outcomes after pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study aimed to identify the early postoperative variables that may predict postoperative pancreatic fistula severity. MethodsAll patients diagnosed with biochemical leak and clinically relevant-postoperative pancreatic fistula based on drain fluid amylase >300 U/L on the fifth postoperative day after pancreaticoduodenectomy were identified from a consecutive cohort from Birmingham, UK. Demographics, intraoperative parameters, and postoperative laboratory results on postoperative days 1 through 7 were retrospectively extracted. Independent predictors of clinically relevant-postoperative pancreatic fistula were identified using multivariable binary logistic regression and converted into a risk score, which was applied to an external cohort from Verona, Italy. ResultsThe Birmingham cohort had 187 patients diagnosed with postoperative pancreatic fistula (biochemical leak: 99, clinically relevant: 88). In clinically relevant-postoperative pancreatic fistula patients, the leak became clinically relevant at a median of 9 days (interquartile range: 6–13) after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Male sex (P = .002), drain fluid amylase-postoperative day 3 (P < .001), c-reactive protein postoperative day 3 (P < .001), and albumin-postoperative day 3 (P = .028) were found to be significant predictors of clinically relevant-postoperative pancreatic fistula on multivariable analysis. The multivariable model was converted into a risk score with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78 (standard error: 0.038). This score significantly predicted the need for invasive intervention (postoperative pancreatic fistula grades B3 and C) in the Verona cohort (n = 121; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.68; standard error = 0.06; P = .006) but did not predict clinically relevant-postoperative pancreatic fistula when grades B1 and B2 were included (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.52; standard error = 0.07; P = .802). ConclusionWe developed a novel risk score based on early postoperative laboratory values that can accurately predict higher grades of clinically relevant-postoperative pancreatic fistula requiring invasive intervention. Early identification of severe postoperative pancreatic fistula may allow earlier intervention.

ABLATE MY BREATH AWAY: A CASE REPORT OF PHRENIC NERVE DAMAGE POSTABLATION FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION LEADING TO SYMPTOMATIC RIGHT HEMIDIAPHRAGM PARALYSIS

ABLATE MY BREATH AWAY: A CASE REPORT OF PHRENIC NERVE DAMAGE POSTABLATION FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION LEADING TO SYMPTOMATIC RIGHT HEMIDIAPHRAGM PARALYSIS

Disopyramide is a safe and effective treatment for children with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BackgroundLeft ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) is present in 1/3 of children with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Disopyramide improves symptoms associated with LVOTO and delays surgical intervention in adults, but it is not licensed in children. AimTo describe a single-centre thirty-year experience of using disopyramide to treat LVOTO-related symptoms in a paediatric HCM cohort. MethodsClinical data were collected for all patients meeting diagnostic criteria for HCM (<18 years) at the time of initiation, 6 months after, and last follow-up or end of disopyramide treatment. It included demographics, clinical history, 12‑lead electrocardiography, and echocardiography. Comparisons between baseline and 6 month follow up, and end of follow up respectively were performed. ResultsFifty-one patients with HCM were started on disopyramide at a mean age 10.2±5.3 years. At 6 months, of those previously symptomatic, 33(86.8%) reported an improvement of symptoms and 12(31.6%) were asymptomatic. PR interval, corrected QT interval and maximal LVOT gradient had not significantly changed, but fewer participants were noted to have systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve 31 (72.1%) vs. 26 (57.80%). Patients were followed up for a median of 1.9 years (IQR 0.83–4.5). Nine patients (17.6%) reported side effects, and eleven patients (33.3%) with initial improvement in symptoms reported a return or worsening of symptoms requiring a change in medication (n = 4, 12.1%) or left ventricular septal myomectomy (n = 7, 21.2%) during follow up. ConclusionDisopyramide is a safe and effective treatment for LVOTO-related symptoms in childhood obstructive HCM. Any delay in the need for invasive intervention, particularly during childhood, is of clear clinical benefit.

Preventie van het postpericardiotomiesyndroom na cardiale heelkunde: wie heeft baat bij profylaxe?

Who should need colchicine for prevention of the postpericardiotomy syndrome? The post-cardiac pericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) is a probably immune-mediated inflammatory process as a reaction on cardiac tissue damage. It is a major cause of pericarditis after cardiac surgery, myocardial infarction or chest trauma, as well as less invasive surgery such as ablations or pacemaker lead insertions. It occurs in up to 29% of all patients following cardiac surgery. PPS is associated with a prolonged hospitalization, readmissions, the need for invasive interventions and a higher mortality rate, especially in case of invasive cardiac surgery. Colchicine prevents PPS at the cost of adverse events. Identification of patients prone to PPS is important to make an adequate prophylactic administration of colchicine possible. The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk factors for developing PPS after cardiac surgery. By reviewing the literature, multiple possible risk factors were identified: patient-related factors, environment-related factors, peri- and postoperative biochemical determinants, and procedure-related factors. A prospective indexation of all these risk factors as well as awareness for PPS can help the clinician to better identify these high-risk groups and optimally use prophylactic colchicine therapy for PPS prevention.

High-Powered Magnet Exposures in Children: A Multi-Center Cohort Study.

High-powered magnets were effectively removed from the US market by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 2012 but returned in 2016 after federal court decisions. The United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit cited imprecise data among other reasons as justification for overturning CPSC protections. Since then, incidence of high-powered magnet exposure has increased markedly, but outcome data are limited. In this study, we aim to describe the epidemiology and outcomes in children seeking medical care for high-powered magnets after reintroduction to market. This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of patients aged 0 to 21 years with a confirmed high-powered magnet exposure (ie, ingestion or insertion) at 25 children's hospitals in the United States between 2017 and 2019. Of 596 patients with high-powered magnet exposures identified, 362 (60.7%) were male and 566 (95%) were <14 years of age. Nearly all sought care for magnet ingestion (n = 574, 96.3%), whereas 17 patients (2.9%) presented for management of nasal or aural magnet foreign bodies, 4 (0.7%) for magnets in their genitourinary tract, and 1 patient (0.2%) had magnets in their respiratory tract. A total of 57 children (9.6%) had a life-threatening morbidity; 276 (46.3%) required an endoscopy, surgery, or both; and 332 (55.7%) required hospitalization. There was no reported mortality. Despite being intended for use by those >14 years of age, high-powered magnets frequently cause morbidity and lead to high need for invasive intervention and hospitalization in children of all ages.

Machine Learning Model for Outcome Prediction of Patients Suffering from Acute Diverticulitis Arriving at the Emergency Department-A Proof of Concept Study.

Background & Aims: We aimed at identifying specific emergency department (ED) risk factors for developing complicated acute diverticulitis (AD) and evaluate a machine learning model (ML) for predicting complicated AD. Methods: We analyzed data retrieved from unselected consecutive large bowel AD patients from five hospitals from the Mount Sinai health system, NY. The study time frame was from January 2011 through March 2021. Data were used to train and evaluate a gradient-boosting machine learning model to identify patients with complicated diverticulitis, defined as a need for invasive intervention or in-hospital mortality. The model was trained and evaluated on data from four hospitals and externally validated on held-out data from the fifth hospital. Results: The final cohort included 4997 AD visits. Of them, 129 (2.9%) visits had complicated diverticulitis. Patients with complicated diverticulitis were more likely to be men, black, and arrive by ambulance. Regarding laboratory values, patients with complicated diverticulitis had higher levels of absolute neutrophils (AUC 0.73), higher white blood cells (AUC 0.70), platelet count (AUC 0.68) and lactate (AUC 0.61), and lower levels of albumin (AUC 0.69), chloride (AUC 0.64), and sodium (AUC 0.61). In the external validation cohort, the ML model showed AUC 0.85 (95% CI 0.78–0.91) for predicting complicated diverticulitis. For Youden’s index, the model showed a sensitivity of 88% with a false positive rate of 1:3.6. Conclusions: A ML model trained on clinical measures provides a proof of concept performance in predicting complications in patients presenting to the ED with AD. Clinically, it implies that a ML model may classify low-risk patients to be discharged from the ED for further treatment under an ambulatory setting.

Male Disadvantage in Oxidative Stress-Associated Complications of Prematurity: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression.

A widely accepted concept is that boys are more susceptible than girls to oxidative stress-related complications of prematurity, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). We aimed to quantify the effect size of this male disadvantage by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies exploring the association between sex and complications of prematurity. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs were calculated by a random-effects model. Of 1365 potentially relevant studies, 41 met the inclusion criteria (625,680 infants). Male sex was associated with decreased risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fetal distress, and C-section, but increased risk of low Apgar score, intubation at birth, respiratory distress, surfactant use, pneumothorax, postnatal steroids, late onset sepsis, any NEC, NEC > stage 1 (RR 1.12, CI 1.06–1.18), any IVH, severe IVH (RR 1.28, CI 1.22–1.34), severe IVH or PVL, any BPD, moderate/severe BPD (RR 1.23, CI 1.18–1.27), severe ROP (RR 1.14, CI 1.07–1.22), and mortality (RR 1.23, CI 1.16–1.30). In conclusion, preterm boys have higher clinical instability and greater need for invasive interventions than preterm girls. This leads to a male disadvantage in mortality and short-term complications of prematurity.

New and Off-Label Uses of Tranexamic Acid.

New and Off-Label Uses of Tranexamic Acid.

Electrochemically activated solution as bladder irrigation-An individual curative trial in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction and recurrent urinary infections.

Driven by increasing awareness of antibiotic stewardship, especially in the vulnerable group of patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD), whose frequent need for invasive interventions leads to a high incidence of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs), the goal was to find an alternative to antibiotic treatment. Our intention was for the treatment to be locally administered and well-tolerated as well as to avoid the risk of antimicrobial resistance. A retrospective analysis of 12 catheterized NLUTD patients was performed within the setting of an individual curative trial. The decision to implement the investigational intervention was made on an individual basis with the aim of eliminating lower urinary tract bacteria before diagnostic procedures or to treat rUTI. Electrochemically activated solution (ECAS) was used as bladder irrigation (BI). The following assessments were undertaken: microbiological analysis of urine, analysis of leukocytes/erythrocytes (per µl urine); microbial resistance and sensitivity to antibiotics before and after therapy; clinical signs and patients' state of health. Eradication of bacteria or an increase in microbial sensitivity to antibiotics was observed in 50%-70% of patients. No adverse events were seen. Due to the restrictions of an individual curative trial, the results are limited by the small number of patients and the absence of a control group. In NLUTD patients with rUTIs, the use of ECAS BI to eliminate bacteriuria before invasive procedures (e.g., urodynamics, preoperative procedures) or to treat rUTI was shown to be a promising alternative to antibiotic treatment.

Pediatric empyema thoracis: our surgical experience

Incidence of empyema is increasing despite various treatment modalities available. Management of pediatric empyema remains a challenge due to factors like malnutrition, poverty, TB, delay in early intervention and incomplete treatment course. It is necessary to address these issues at ground level. A short 2-year prospective study was carried out at a tertiary care teaching hospital where 17 consecutive cases of pediatric empyema were managed. Among 17 cases, all patients intercostal tube drainage (ICD) was required. Six patients underwent surgical interventions [2 video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and 4 open thoracotomies] while 11 were managed on ICD and antibiotics. Fibrinolytic therapy was not administered in any case. Follow-up showed good lung expansion with apparent rib crowding in 3 cases and no mortality. Majority of empyema in children are post pneumonic. Chest tube drainage, antibiotics along with intrapleural fibrinolytic is a safe and effective method of treating empyema thoracis in children in resource- poor settings and can reduce the need for invasive interventions.

Using sequence clustering to identify clinically relevant subphenotypes in patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has heterogenous clinical courses, indicating that there might be distinct subphenotypes in critically ill patients. Although prior research has identified these subphenotypes, the temporal pattern of multiple clinical features has not been considered in cluster models. We aimed to identify temporal subphenotypes in critically ill patients with COVID-19 using a novel sequence cluster analysis and associate them with clinically relevant outcomes. We analyzed 1036 confirmed critically ill patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-COV-2 infection admitted to the Mount Sinai Health System in New York city. The agglomerative hierarchical clustering method was used with Levenshtein distance and Ward's minimum variance linkage. We identified four subphenotypes. Subphenotype I (N = 233 [22.5%]) included patients with rapid respirations and a rapid heartbeat but less need for invasive interventions within the first 24 hours, along with a relatively good prognosis. Subphenotype II (N = 418 [40.3%]) represented patients with the least degree of ailments, relatively low mortality, and the highest probability of discharge from the hospital. Subphenotype III (N = 259 [25.0%]) represented patients who experienced clinical deterioration during the first 24 hours of intensive care unit admission, leading to poor outcomes. Subphenotype IV (N = 126 [12.2%]) represented an acute respiratory distress syndrome trajectory with an almost universal need for mechanical ventilation. We utilized the sequence cluster analysis to identify clinical subphenotypes in critically ill COVID-19 patients who had distinct temporal patterns and different clinical outcomes. This study points toward the utility of including temporal information in subphenotyping approaches.

Advancements in the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer.

Derived from follicular epithelial cells, differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) accounts for the majority of thyroid malignancies. The threefold increase in DTC incidence over the last three decades has been largely attributed to advancements in detection of papillary thyroid microcarcinomas. Efforts to address the issue of overtreatment have notably included the reclassification of encapsulated follicular variant papillary thyroid cancers (EFVPTC) to non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP). In the last 5 years, the overall management approach for this relatively indolent cancer has become less aggressive. Although surgery and radioiodine ablation remain the mainstay of DTC therapy, the role of active surveillance is being explored. Furthermore, the most recent American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines offer flexibility between lobectomy and total thyroidectomy for thyroid nodules between 1 cm and 4 cm in the absence of extrathyroidal extension or nodal disease. As our understanding of the natural history and molecular underpinnings of DTC evolves, so might our approach to managing low-risk patients, obviating the need for invasive intervention. Simultaneously, advances in interventional and systemic therapies have greatly expanded treatment options for high-risk surgical candidates and patients with widespread disease, and continue to be areas of active investigation. Continued research efforts are essential to improve our ability to offer effective individualized therapy to patients at all disease stages and to reduce the incidence of recurrent and progressive disease.

Light-degradable hydrogels as dynamic triggers for gastrointestinal applications.

Triggerable materials capable of being degraded by selective stimuli stand to transform our capacity to precisely control biomedical device activity and performance while reducing the need for invasive interventions. Here, we describe the development of a modular and tunable light-triggerable hydrogel system capable of interfacing with implantable devices. We apply these materials to two applications in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract: a bariatric balloon and an esophageal stent. We demonstrate biocompatibility and on-demand triggering of the material in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. Moreover, we characterize performance of the system in a porcine large animal model with an accompanying ingestible LED. Light-triggerable hydrogels have the potential to be applied broadly throughout the GI tract and other anatomic areas. By demonstrating the first use of light-degradable hydrogels in vivo, we provide biomedical engineers and clinicians with a previously unavailable, safe, dynamically deliverable, and precise tool to design dynamically actuated implantable devices.