Subsequent Patient Management Research Articles

Make it SIMPLE: enhanced shock management by focused cardiac ultrasound.

BackgroundShock is a spectrum of circulatory failure that, if not properly managed, would lead to high mortality. Special diagnostic and treatment strategies are essential to save lives. However, clinical and laboratory findings are always non-specific, resulting in clinical dilemmas.Main contentFocused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) has emerged as one of the power tools for clinicians to answer simple clinical questions and guide subsequent management in hypotensive patients. This article will review the development and utility of FoCUS in different types of shock. The sonographic features and ultrasound enhanced management of hypotensive patients by a de novo “SIMPLE” approach will be described. Current evidence on FoCUS will also be reviewed.ConclusionFocused cardiac ultrasound provides timely and valuable information for the evaluation of shock. It helps to improve the diagnostic accuracy, narrow the possible differential diagnoses, and guide specific management. SIMPLE is an easy-to-remember mnemonic for non-cardiologists or novice clinical sonographers to apply FoCUS and interpret the specific sonographic findings when evaluating patients in shock.

Metabolic assessment of Merkel cell carcinoma: the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive skin tumor associated with a high mortality rate. The present study evaluated the role of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) in subsequent management of patients with MCC. A total of 101 consecutive F-FDG PET/CT studies of 46 patients with MCC (28 men, 68±15.4 years) were retrospectively evaluated and the role in clinical care was documented. There were 40 positive studies (40%) in 28 patients (61%); of these, 33 studies (33%) in 27 patients (59%) showed metastatic disease. Fifty-two PET/CT studies (51%) in 23/46 (50%) patients were negative. Fifty-three studies (52%) were performed for staging or restaging in 41 patients, 29 scans (29%) were performed for routine follow-up in 10 patients, nine studies were carried out for suspected recurrent disease in eight patients, and 10 studies were carried out for assessment of response to therapy in seven patients. On the basis of PET/CT results, there was a change in disease stage in 12 studies in 12 patients (26%) and further change in the management of seven patients (15%). Overall, 2/29 routine follow-up studies were positive with further impact on management in one patient. F-FDG PET-CT altered the stage of one of four patients and changed the management of one of seven MCC patients. In the majority of patients, a negative F-FDG PET-CT study excluded active MCC with a high degree of confidence. PET-CT contributed toward patient management when performed for staging and restaging, monitoring response to treatment, and suspected recurrent disease, but not in the routine follow-up of asymptomatic patients with MCC.

Current practices of Asia-Pacific cardiologists in the utilization of bioresorbable scaffolds

Background & aimsAlthough Absorb Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds (A-BVS) are routinely used in the Asia-Pacific, there is little information on patient selection or deployment technique here. This document investigates the experiences of leading interventional cardiologists from the Asia-Pacific region with a focus on patient characteristics, deployment techniques and management. Methods and resultsA detailed questionnaire was distributed to 28 highly-experienced interventional cardiologists (‘Authors’) from 13 Asia-Pacific countries. The results were discussed at a meeting on patient selection, technical consideration, deployment practices and patient management. Potential patient benefits of Absorb compared to metallic DES, the learning curve for patient selection and preparation, device deployment, and subsequent patient management approaches are presented. ConclusionsCurrent practices are derived from guidelines optimized for European patients. Differences in approach exist in the Asia-Pacific context, including limited access to imaging and frequency of occurrence of complex lesions. Nevertheless, the use of the Absorb BVS (‘Absorb’) in certain Asia-Pacific countries has flourished and practices here are continuing to mature.

Can we reduce the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome type I in distal radius fractures? The Liverpool experience

Introduction Complex regional pain syndrome is a multifaceted condition, which is relatively common after distal radius fracture. Method A series of audits and service evaluations were conducted from 2004 to 2013 to investigate the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome type I and any correlation to tight, restrictive, over-flexed casts. Simple subsequent clinical and patient management changes were implemented and impact re-evaluated. Results These audits have contributed to organisational learning and a subsequent reduction in the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome type I in non-operatively managed distal radius fracture from 25%, in keeping with expected incidence in the relevant literature, to a rare event (<1%). Conclusion The authors suggest that careful attention to the prevention of complex regional pain syndrome through staff and patient awareness, vigilance for warning signs and minor modifications to the traditional management of distal radius fractures can significantly reduce the incidence of complex regional pain syndrome type I after distal radius fracture.

Abstract 4924: Retrospective evaluation of a system model of the BCL2 family of proteins as a predictive and prognostic biomarker for the clinical outcome of stage II-IV colorectal cancer patients

Abstract With 1.4 million new cases every year, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer worldwide [Globocan 2012, WHO]. Despite therapeutic advances and improvements in overall care, TNM staging remains the best prognostic indicator for CRC patients’ clinical outcomes and is pivotal for deciding on use of adjuvant chemotherapy after resection of the tumour. Adjuvant chemotherapy is not recommended for many stage II patients and mostly high-risk patients receive chemotherapy. However, there is a lack of robust biomarkers for identifying patient response to chemotherapy, recurrence and mortality risk. We developed a system model of the BCL2 family of proteins (DR_MOMP) to assess the sensitivity of cells to genotoxic stress and to induce apoptosis triggered by chemotherapy. It calculates the stress dose required to induce mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) based on absolute protein levels and the interaction of pro- and anti-apoptotic BCL2 family proteins. Cells predicted to require a high stress dose showed decreased cell death rates after being exposed to 5FU and Oxaliplatin. Profiles of BAK, BAX, BCL2, BCL(X)L and MCL1 were determined by Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) technology in FFPE primary tumours collected from two distinct cohorts: stage III CRC patients who underwent adjuvant 5FU-based chemotherapy (n = 128), and stage II CRC patients from a completed clinical trial with patients randomised to adjuvant 5FU-based chemotherapy or observation only (n = 138). Protein profiles were inputted into DR_MOMP to determine chemotherapy sensitivity and to classify patients into high- or low risk categories. Findings were validated on the TCGA COAD cohort using both protein (RPPA) and mRNA (SeqV2 RSEM) expression data. Stage II patients classified as high-risk by DR_MOMP and randomised to observation only had approximately 2-fold increased risk of death from CRC compared to those classified as low-risk or received chemotherapy (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.2-4.8; p-value = 0.0199). Among stage III patients treated with FOLFOX, those classified as high- versus low-risk had a more than 10-fold increased risk of death from CRC (HR 10.6; 95% CI 2.4-46.3; p-value < 0.0001). We validated this finding in 261 stage II-IV patients of the TCGA COAD cohort (HR 10.6; 95% CI 1.2-12.5; p-value = 0.0125). DR_MOMP predicted mortality risk independent of TNM staging and KRAS mutation status. Our system delivers a novel predictive and prognostic biomarker that could be combined with TNM staging when assessing initial risk and subsequent clinical management of CRC patients. Citation Format: Andreas U. Lindner, Manuela Salvucci, Mattia Cremona, Naser Monsefi, Sarah Curry, Clare Morgan, Alexa Resler, Robert O’Byrne, Orna Bacon, Michael Stuehler, Lorna Flanagan, Richard Wilson, Patrick G. Johnston, Manuel Salto-Tellez, Sophie Camilleri-Broët, Deborah A. McNamara, Bryan T. Hennessy, Elaine W. Kay, Pierre Laurent-Puig, Sandra Van Schaeybroeck, Jochen H.M. Prehn. Retrospective evaluation of a system model of the BCL2 family of proteins as a predictive and prognostic biomarker for the clinical outcome of stage II-IV colorectal cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4924.

Misplacement of central venous catheter into the left internal mammary vein

SummaryCentral venous catheter insertion is a commonly performed procedure in anaesthesia and critical care in order to assist fluid management and to allow administration of intravenous medications. Central venous catheter misplacement can occur, even in expert hands, despite the widespread use of ultrasound guidance. In this case report, we describe central venous catheter misplacement into the left internal mammary vein and subsequent patient management.

Approche psychométrique de la métacognition : étude pilote en population clinique

BackgroundMetacognition describes the process of thinking about one's own thought processes. This concept was introduced by Flavell in 1979 and has since been widely developed in the cognitive approach to mood and anxiety disorders. As it happens, many recent studies have underlined the links between metacognition and anxio-depressive symptoms, pointing out the interest of assessing its various dimensions. The short form of the Metacognitions Questionnaire is a brief multidimensional measure of a range of metacognitive processes and metacognitive beliefs about worry and cognition relevant to the vulnerability to and the maintenance of emotional disorders. The aim of this study was twofold: firstly to adapt and validate a French version of the short form of the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30) and to assess its psychometric properties in a clinical sample, and secondly to investigate metacognitive predictors of anxiety and depression in this sample. MethodThe sample included 55 clinical participants (24 men, 31 women, mean age=51.33±14.62) with DSM-IV-TR psychiatric disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder). Instrument reliability (internal consistency), construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis), and convergent validity were measured. The total score and the five subscale scores were also compared with previous results in non-clinical samples. ResultsReliability analyses indicated that the French version of the MCQ-30 possessed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.84), and confirmatory factor analysis supported the MCQ's original five-factor structure. Correlation with measurements of depression, anxiety and pathological worry demonstrated convergent validity (r=0.62, P<0.01 for anxiety; r=0.47, P<0.01 for rumination; r=0.33, P<0.05 for depression). Moreover, our clinical sample scored higher on the global scale when compared to previous non-clinical samples (mean score=71.85±13.57 while previous studies global scores ranged from 48.41±13.31 to 65.89±17.17). Consistent with others studies, negative beliefs about worry concerning uncontrollability and danger, as well as beliefs about the need to control thoughts were the strongest predictors of pathological worry (respectively r=0.68, P<0.01 and r=0.48, P<0.01) and depression (respectively r=0.45, P<0.01 and r=0.39, P<0.01), providing further support for the validity of the measure. ConclusionThese findings provide general support for the internal consistency of the French version of the MCQ-30, as well as its five-factor structure and its good concurrent validity in a clinical sample. They also confirm that this version is a valuable tool for the assessment of various dimensions of metacognition, in relation to the anxio-depressive symptomatology and the subsequent management of patients.

Frequency of Mammary Artery Coiling in Single-Ventricle Patients and Future Coronary Artery Grafting.

Pre-Fontan coil closure of aorto-pulmonary collaterals decreases single-ventricle volume load and improves outcome. Coiling of right and left internal mammary arteries may present a challenge to cardiothoracic surgery teams caring for these patients when future coronary artery bypass grafting is needed for SV patients. The goal of this study was to determine the frequency of internal mammary artery coil closure in SV patients in a single tertiary care center. A retrospective review of all pediatric single-ventricle patients who underwent cardiac catheterization between March 2009 and October 2015 at Rush Center for Congenital Heart Disease was performed. Fifty-one patients' charts were reviewed. Twenty-five patients received coil closure of one or more internal mammary artery (coil group) and 26 received no coil closure (no-coil group). In the coil group, 21 (84%) had their collateral vessels coiled in the pre-Fontan period and 4 (16%) had their vessels coiled in the post-Fontan period. In the coil group, 18 (72%) had their right internal mammary artery coiled and 7 (28%) had both right and left internal mammary arteries coiled. None of the coil group had isolated coil closure of the left internal mammary artery. This study is the first to verify the frequency of right and/or left internal mammary artery coil closure in SV patients and the potential impact on future coronary artery bypass grafting. Extensive peri-Fontan coiling of the internal mammary arteries presents a significant potential challenge for subsequent management of SV patients as older adults.

CAD-RADS™: Coronary Artery Disease – Reporting and Data System: An Expert Consensus Document of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT), the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the North American Society for Cardiovascular Imaging (NASCI). Endorsed by the American College of Cardiology

The intent of CAD-RADS – Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System is to create a standardized method to communicate findings of coronary CT angiography (coronary CTA) in order to facilitate decision-making regarding further patient management. The suggested CAD-RADS classification is applied on a per-patient basis and represents the highest-grade coronary artery lesion documented by coronary CTA. It ranges from CAD-RADS 0 (Zero) for the complete absence of stenosis and plaque to CAD-RADS 5 for the presence of at least one totally occluded coronary artery and should always be interpreted in conjunction with the impression found in the report. Specific recommendations are provided for further management of patients with stable or acute chest pain based on the CAD-RADS classification. The main goal of CAD-RADS is to standardize reporting of coronary CTA results and to facilitate communication of test results to referring physicians along with suggestions for subsequent patient management. In addition, CAD-RADS will provide a framework of standardization that may benefit education, research, peer-review and quality assurance with the potential to ultimately result in improved quality of care.

136-55: Pericardial effusion during transvenous lead extraction: not always the same story

Purpose: Pericardial effusion (PE) may be a life-threatening complication of lead extraction procedure (TLE). We evaluated causative mechanism of PE formation during TLE and subsequent patient management. Method: From January 2009 to June 2015, TLE of 264 leads in 184 patients(pts)(mean age 69 ± 14 years, 131 male, mean BMI 27 ± 11m2/kg, LVEF 43± 27%) was performed. Indications for TLE included lead dysfunction (60.4%), upgrade (18.9%), infection (13.2%), or other (6.3%). TLE was first attempted using mechanical approach, and eventually combined with laser technique. Extraction procedures were performed under general anesthesia with continuous invasive arterial blood pressure and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) monitoring. Severity of PE was defined as mild (<10 mm), moderate (11–20 mm), or severe (≥20 mm). Summary of Results: TLE was complete for 256 of 264 leads (97.0%). PE developed in 11 pts (6.0%): mild in 6 pts (3.3%) and severe in 5 pts (2.7%). All patients with severe PE experienced hemodynamic instability; 3 pts required urgent cardiac surgery and 2 patients were treated medically. Key differences between these patients was the site of lesion, namely RV in all patients treated in a conservative manner (fluid infusion and repeated echocardiographic examinations). Laceration of the superior vena cava (2 pts) and right atrial free wall (1 pt) resulted in rescue surgery. Pre-discharge transthoracic echocardiography excluded PE evolution in all cases and no recurrences occurred during follow-up. Conclusion: Sudden onset of severe PE during TLE is a life-threatening condition. Evolution and subsequent pt management depends on the site of lesion, with RV site lesions being self-limiting.

Cytogenetic findings in patients with intellectual disability and/or multiple congenital anomalies

Introduction: Chromosomal abnormalities are a major etiology of intellectual disability (ID) and multiple congenital anomalies (MCAs). Screening for chromosomal aberrations by clinical diagnostic techniques has been primarily performed through standard karyotyping. Methods: A cytogenetic study involving 1730 individuals with ID and/or MCA was conducted using lymphocyte culture and high-resolution G-banding method. Results: Various types of chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 440 patients (25.5%). Numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities, respectively, were observed in 63.3% (278 out of 440) and 36.7% (162 out of 440) patients. Among the chromosomal abnormalities, sexual chromosomal abnormalities were found in some cases, and Klinefelter syndrome with 2.5% frequency was the most frequent sex chromosomal abnormality. Autosomal abnormalities were found in cases, and Down syndrome was the most frequent autosomal chromosomal abnormality occurring in 41.0% of detected abnormalities. Conclusion: The higher contribution of chromosome aberrations in the northwest of Iran indicates the importance of cytogenetic evaluation in the etiology of MCA and/or ID patients. Genetic counseling was provided to the family members to explain the recurrence risk as well as the need for prenatal diagnosis in subsequent pregnancies and management of patients by collected data bank.

A Modified Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (mTI-RADS) For Thyroid Nodules in Coexisting Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.

To develop a conventional ultrasound (US) modified Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (mTI-RADS) to stratify the malignancy risk of thyroid nodule in coexisting Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). The study included 138 malignant and 292 benign thyroid nodules confirmed by cytological or histopathological results. The risk score (RS) for each significant US feature was estimated by multiplying corresponding regression coefficient and the total score for each nodule was defined as the sum of these individual scores. The mTI-RADS was established according to the total RS and divided into category 3, 4a, 4b, 4c and 5. Marked hypoechogenicity, taller-than-wide shape, poorly-defined margin, microcalcification or macrocalcification and halo sign absence were statistically significant US features in prediction of thyroid malignancy (all p < 0.05). The total RS for each nodule was defined as following: RS = 2.1× (if marked hypoechogenicity) + 1.2× (if taller-than-wide shape) + 1.7× (if no halo sign) + 0.6× (if poorly-defined margin) + 1.2× (if microcalcification or macrocalcification). The malignancy rates in mTI-RADS category 3, 4a, 4b, 4c and 5 nodules were 3.7%, 19.3%, 38.1%, 62.7% and 94.1%, respectively, with significant differences among different categories (P < 0.001). The mTI-RADS category may facilitate subsequent treatment management in HT patients.

Monitoring and management of lung cancer patients following curative-intent treatment: clinical utility of 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

A large number of studies have demonstrated that 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is superior to conventional modalities for the diagnosis of lung cancer and the evaluation of the extent of the disease. However, the efficacy of PET/CT in a follow-up surveillance setting following curative-intent treatments for lung cancer has not yet been established. We reviewed previous papers and evaluated the potential efficacy of PET-CT in the setting of follow-up surveillance. The following are our findings: 1) PET/CT is considered to be superior or equivalent to conventional modalities for the detection of local recurrence. However, inflammatory changes and fibrosis after treatments in local areas often result in false-positive findings; 2) the detection of asymptomatic distant metastasis is considered to be an advantage of PET/CT in a follow-up setting. However, it should be noted that detection of brain metastasis with PET/CT has some limitation, similar to its use in pretreatment staging; 3) additional radiation exposure and higher medical cost arising from the use of PET/CT should be taken into consideration, particularly in patients who might not have cancer after curative-intent treatment and are expected to have a long lifespan. The absence of any data regarding survival benefits and/or improvements in quality of life is another critical issue. In summary, PET/CT is considered to be more accurate and sensitive than conventional modalities for the detection of asymptomatic recurrence after curative-intent treatments. These advantages could modify subsequent management in patients with suspected recurrence and might contribute to the selection of appropriate treatments for recurrence. Therefore, PET/CT may be an alternative to conventional follow-up modalities. However, several important issues remain to be solved. PET/CT in a follow-up surveillance setting is generally not recommended in clinical practice at the moment.

Identifying Adult Dengue Patients at Low Risk for Clinically Significant Bleeding.

BackgroundClinically significant bleeding is important for subsequent optimal case management in dengue patients, but most studies have focused on dengue severity as an outcome. Our study objective was to identify differences in admission parameters between patients who developed clinically significant bleeding and those that did not. We sought to develop a model for discriminating between these patients.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of 4,383 adults aged >18 years who were hospitalized with dengue infection at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore from 2005 to 2008. Patients were divided into those with clinically significant bleeding (n = 188), and those without (n = 4,195). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables on admission were compared between groups to determine factors associated with clinically significant bleeding during hospitalization.ResultsOn admission, female gender (p<0.001); temperature >38°C (p<0.001); nausea/vomiting (p = 0.009) and abdominal pain/tenderness (p = 0.005); lower systolic blood pressure (p<0.001); higher pulse rate (p<0.001); increased absolute neutrophil count (ANC; p<0.001); reduced absolute lymphocyte count (ALC; p<0.001), haematocrit percentage (p<0.001) and platelet count (p = 0.04), and increased prothrombin time (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with clinically significant bleeding on univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that independent variables in the final model were female gender (aOR 2.85; 95% CI: 1.9–4.33); temperature >38°C (aOR 1.81; 95% CI: 1.27–2.61), nausea/vomiting (aOR 1.39; 95% CI: 0.94–2.12), ANC (aOR 1.3; 95% CI: 1.15–1.46), ALC (aOR 0.4; 95% CI: 0.25–0.64), hematocrit percentage (aOR 0.96; 95% CI: 0.92–1.002) and platelet count (aOR 0.993; 95% CI: 0.988–0.998). At the cutoff of -3.919, the model achieved an AUC of 0.758 (sensitivity:0.87, specificity: 0.38, PPV: 0.06, NPV: 0.98).ConclusionClinical risk factors associated with clinically significant bleeding were identified. This model may be useful to complement clinical judgement in triaging adult dengue patients given the dynamic nature of acute dengue, particularly in pre-identifying those less likely to develop clinically significant bleeding.

The Role of Endometrial Biopsy in the Preoperative Detection of Uterine Leiomyosarcoma

Study ObjectiveTo assess the sensitivity of preoperative endometrial biopsy in detection of uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS). Study DesignRetrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database (Canadian Task Force III). SettingTwo academic tertiary referral centers. PatientsAll cases of ULMS treated at participating institutions between January 2005 and August 2012 were identified following IRB approval. InterventionsAbstracted data included demographics, preoperative evaluation, presenting symptom, surgical management, pathology and clinical outcomes. Chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis. Measurements and Main Results329 cases were identified, of which 152 cases had complete pathologic data available for review. Sixty-eight (45%) of 152 patients had endometrial sampling prior to surgery. Patients with postmenopausal bleeding were significantly more likely to be biopsied preoperatively (51.6% vs 9.5%, p = <.0001). Of those sampled, 43 (63%) underwent endometrial pipelle biopsies and 25 (37%) had dilation and curettage. Endometrial sampling was significantly more likely to detect a concern for malignancy in patients who presented with postmenopausal bleeding (72.7% vs 32.3%, p = 0.002), however it was less likely to detect malignancy in patients with abnormal premenopausal bleeding (31.8% vs 64.3%, p = .02), compared to other presenting symptoms. Overall, 51.5% of patients with ULMS on final pathology had preoperative endometrial biopsies in which leiomyosarcoma or atypical spindle cell proliferation were diagnosed, whereas 35.5% of the pre-operative biopsies identified ULMS specifically. ConclusionsThe sensitivity of an endometrial biopsy to detect ULMS is low, illustrating the difficulty of diagnosing ULMS preoperatively. As expected, the probability that an endometrial biopsy will detect ULMS or a related worrisome pathological finding is higher for patients with post-menopausal bleeding. Thus, benign endometrial biopsy results, particularly in pre-menopausal patients, should be interpreted with caution if there is suspicion for leiomyosarcoma. However, a positive or suspicious result can play an important role in the subsequent management of patients with ULMS, even if the absolute numbers of affected patients are small.

Blue-light cystoscopy’s effects on management of bladder cancer when compared to traditional white-light cystoscopy.

378 Background: Fluorescence cystoscopy (also known as blue-light cystoscopy (BL)) is an adjunct to white light cystoscopy (WL) and aids in visualization of tumors that may be missed with WL as well as allow more complete resection of tumors. Herein we present the impact of BL on subsequent patient management in a real world setting. Methods: A total of 116 consecutive patients who underwent simultaneous BL and WL from January 2013 through December 2014 were included in the study. Pathology and operative reports were reviewed to determine the grade and stage of the tumors and whether they were viewed under BL or WL. Results: Of the 116 patients, a total of 161 biopsies and/or transurethral resected specimens were analyzed. Of these, 46 (28.6%) lesions were seen only with BL, none were seen only with white light, 109 (67.7%) were seen with both, and 7 (4.4%) were identified via random biopsies. Of the 46 lesions seen only on BL, 17 (37%) were positive for cancer, while, of the 109 lesions seen with WL and BL, 84 (77%) were positive. Of the 17 (37%) true positive tumors seen only on BL, the stage and grades were; 5 (29.4%) low-grade Ta, 2 (11.8%) high-grade Ta, 1 (5.9%) high-grade T1, and 9 (52.9%) CIS. There were no instances of a tumor being found on WL that was not also visualized with BL. In this patient cohort, the false positive rates were 23% and 63% for WL and BL, respectively. The false negative rates were 0.9% and 2.1% for WL and BL, respectively. For the 46 (28.6%) lesions that were visible by BL, WL cystoscopy was not able to visualize 10 (21.7%) tumors visualized by BL. In addition, there was one patient who had multiple lesions sent for pathology by BL and WL, and the lesions identified by BL were of higher stage than the lesions visualized by WL. Conclusions: BL identified additional tumors that would have been missed with WL. Moreover, in patients who had tumors visualized only with BL, 11 (26.8%) were high-grade, including one (2.4%) patient with T1 tumor and 8 (19.5%) with CIS. Thus, BL identified a number of high-risk tumors, which had a significant impact on the subsequent management of patients with bladder cancer.

Chapter 22 - Imaging of head trauma

Imaging is an indispensable part of the initial assessment and subsequent management of patients with head trauma. Initially, it is important for diagnosing the extent of injury and the prompt recognition of treatable injuries to reduce mortality. Subsequently, imaging is useful in following the sequelae of trauma. In this chapter, we review indications for neuroimaging and typical computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols used in the evaluation of a patient with head trauma. We review the role of CT), the imaging modality of choice in the acute setting, and the role of MRI in the evaluation of patients with head trauma. We describe an organized and consistent approach to the interpretation of imaging of these patients. Important topics in head trauma, including fundamental concepts related to skull fractures, intracranial hemorrhage, parenchymal injury, penetrating trauma, cerebrovascular injuries, and secondary effects of trauma, are reviewed. The chapter concludes with advanced neuroimaging techniques for the evaluation of traumatic brain injury, including use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), functional MRI (fMRI), and MR spectroscopy (MRS), techniques which are still under development.

Cochlear Implantation in Children with Cochlear Malformation.

Cochlear implantation (CI) has proven to be an effective treatment for severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Inner ear malformation is a rare anomaly and occurs in approximately 20% of cases with congenital SNHL. In cases with cochlear malformation, CI can be successfully performed in nearly all patients, the exceptions being those with complete labyrinthine and cochlear aplasia. It is important to evaluate the severity of inner ear deformity and other associated anomalies during the preimplantation radiological assessment in order to identify any complication that may potentially occur during the surgery and subsequent patient management.

Validation of models in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison of Hong Kong Liver Cancer with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system in a Chinese cohort.

Accurate staging information is necessary to determine the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to guide subsequent patient management. This study aims to investigate the prognostic performance of the Hong Kong Liver Cancer (HKLC) classification in a Chinese cohort of HCC patients. A total of 668 HCC patients between 2003 and 2012 were included. Performances of the HKLC and the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system were compared using Akaike information criterion (AIC), concordance-index (c-index), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Independent prognostic factors of survival were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses. Independent predictors of survival were Child-Pugh grade (P=0.009), lactate dehydrogenase (P<0.001) and albumin (P=0.001) levels, tumor location (P=0.032), tumor number (P<0.001), tumor size (P<0.001), and vascular invasion (P<0.001). Discriminatory ability was shown to be better for HKLC (AUC at 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.740, 0.695, and 0.615, respectively) than BCLC (AUC at 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.622, 0.569, and 0.548, respectively). On the basis of AIC and c-index, HKLC had a higher predictive power for survival (AIC=4709.480, c-index=0.805) than BCLC (AIC=4852.708, c-index=0.717). In our selected patient population, whose main etiology was hepatitis B, the HKLC system was more suitable for predicting prognosis in a Chinese cohort of HCC patients than the BCLC classification.

Referral Patterns and Positive Airway Pressure Adherence upon Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious medical condition that adds to patient morbidity and mortality. Treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) is the standard of care, but many patients refuse or do not tolerate PAP. Little is known about the subsequent management of these patients. We sought to understand what types of treatment, if any, adult patients with OSA receive who either fail or refuse PAP therapy within our institution. Retrospective chart review. Academic hospital. All adult patients undergoing polysomnogram during the months of March and April 2010 (n = 1174) who were diagnosed with OSA. The electronic medical record was reviewed to determine the subsequent management of patients with a diagnosis of OSA, including tolerance or failure of PAP and referral to specialists upon intolerance. Of 1174 patients, 616 met inclusion criteria. Ultimately, 260 (42%) had documented adherence to PAP. Of 241 untreated patients, 84 patients (35%) were referred for further attempts at management of diagnosed OSA. Nearly half of patients with diagnosed OSA did not have continued treatment or referral. To our knowledge, this is the first study to define the subsequent management of patients who have failed or refused PAP. Despite the known sequelae of OSA, clinicians are not treating a significant percentage of patients with diagnosed OSA. Those who fail to tolerate PAP therapy are unlikely to be referred for additional treatment. Therapies other than PAP may be warranted in this population.