Surgical Criteria Research Articles

Abstract 182: Optimal Timeframe from Securing Mycotic Aneurysms to Cardiac Surgery: A Single Center Study

Introduction Infectious Intracranial Aneurysms (IIAs), commonly referred to as mycotic aneurysms, are a common sequela of infective endocarditis (IE). Approximately 65% of patients found to have IIAs also have IE, and IIAs occur in up to 10% of patients with IE. Currently, there are no guidelines for the management of IIAs due to the small sample size of observational studies and no randomized controlled studies. In addition to management techniques regarding IIAs, strategic cardiac valve surgery planning also remains imperative. Standard recommendations are to delay cardiac surgery by four weeks if patients are treated conservatively and if they remain stable. However, if one is able to embolize and secure IIAs, then that delay between endovascular therapy (EVT) and surgery may be shortened. We present a single‐center experience demonstrating the timing between securing mycotic aneurysms and cardiac surgery. Methods This is a single‐center retrospective observational study of patients admitted with IE who were found to have IIAs at our institute from 2016 to 2022. Descriptive statistics were performed using SAS statistical software and Microsoft Excel. Results Out of a total of 862 patients with IE, 25 patients (3.0%) were identified to have 41 IIAs (single aneurysm in 18 patients and multiple aneurysms in 7 patients). The median (IQR) age of our population was 45 (27‐65) years, with 28/41 (68.3%) male patients. The most common location of IIAs was the distal segments of the posterior and middle cerebral arteries in both groups. Of these 41 IIAs, 24/41 (58.5%) were ruptured and 17/41 (41.5%) were unruptured. A total of 14/24 (58.3%) ruptured IIAs were treated vs. none were treated in the unruptured IIAs group (P=0.001). A total of 8/41 (19.5%) IIAs were secured before undergoing cardiac valve surgery. The median (minimum‐maximum) number of days between securing aneurysms to valvular surgery was 18 (10‐29). Only 2/41 (4.9%) IIAs were detected following valvular surgery. Those were treated on day 3 and day 15 following surgery. There were 4/41 (9.7%) secured IIAs that did not undergo valvular surgery as they did not meet surgical criteria or had surgery planned at another admission. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that a timeframe of 2‐3 weeks from securing IIAs to cardiac surgery is considered safe. However, one should note that our cohort consists of a small sample size. Therefore, additional large multicenter observational studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Diagnosis and management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a 2023 update from the Canadian Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Collaborative

ObjectiveThe Canadian Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Collaborative sought to make its existing clinical practice guideline, published in 2018, into a ‘living document’.Design and main outcome measuresCritical appraisal of CDH literature...

Prognoses of Patients Treated With Surgical Therapy Versus Continuation of Local-Plus-Systemic Therapy Following Successful Down-Staging of Intermediate-Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Real-World Study.

The difference in the prognoses between treatment with surgical therapy and continuation of local-plus-systemic therapy following successful down-staging of intermediate-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Data of 405 patients with intermediate-advanced HCC treated at 30 hospitals across China from January 2017 to July 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received local-plus-systemic therapy and were divided into the surgical (n = 100) and nonsurgical groups (n = 305) according to whether they received surgical therapy. The differences between long-term prognoses of the 2 groups were compared. Subgroup analysis was performed in 173 HCC patients who met the criteria for surgical resection following down-staging. Multivariable analysis of all patients showed that surgical therapy, hazard ratio (HR): 0.289, 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.136-0.613) was a protective factor for overall survival (OS), but not for event-free survival (EFS). Multivariable analysis of 173 intermediate-advanced HCC patients who met the criteria for surgical resection after conversion therapy showed that surgical therapy (HR: 0.282, 95% CI, 0.121-0.655) was a protective factor for OS, but not for EFS. Similar results were obtained after propensity score matching. For patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B (HR: 0.171, 95% CI, 0.039-0.751) and C (HR: 0.269, 95% CI, 0.085-0.854), surgical therapy was also a protective factor for OS. Overall, for patients with intermediate-advanced HCC who underwent local-plus-systemic therapies, surgical therapy is a protective factor for long-term prognosis and can prolong OS, and for those who met the surgical resection criteria after conversion therapy, surgical therapy is recommended.

Hashimoto’s thyroidits and other causes of hypothyrodisim – systematic review

Introduction and objective: The aim of the study is to summarize the knowledge about hypothyroidism, with particular emphasis on Hashimoto's disease, as its most common cause.
 Review metods: Literature review of PubMed database using key words contained in ‘Medical Subject Headings’ MeSH. State of Knowledge: Hashimoto's disease is the most common form of thyroiditis, as well as main cause of hypothyroidism. It is an autoimmune disease that leads to gradual fibrosis and atrophy of the thyroid gland. It occurs several times more frequently in women than in men. Treatment mainly involves supplementation of thyroid hormones due to the progressive hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine (L-T4) therapy has a long history of clinical use, a defined pharmacological profile, and is considered as safe treatment of hypothyroidism of the thyroid gland. There are also other, less common causes of hypothyroidism, such as postoperative hypothyroidism, de Quervain's disease, post-radioactive iodine treatment status, drug-induced and central hypothyroidism, which are equally important and should not be forgotten during the diagnostic process.
 Summary: Hypothyroidism can be caused by various factors, the main being Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Regardless of the etiology, treatment in most cases involves levothyroxine (LT-4) supplementation, which leads to euthyroidism and resolution of symptoms. Surgery may need to be performed in pateitns who meet the surgical criteria and show unresponsiveness to conservative treatment.

Comparison between primary Ahmed valve implantation and primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in pseudophakic patients with exfoliative glaucoma.

To compare the efficacy and safety of primary Ahmed valve implantation (AVI) and primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) in patients with pseudophakic exfoliative glaucoma (XFG). All enrolled patients were divided into two groups: the TRAB group, comprising patients who underwent trabeculectomy with MMC, and the AVI group, comprising patients who underwent AVI. Intraocular pressure (IOP), mean deviation (MD), endothelial cell density of cornea (ECD), and the number of topical anti-glaucoma agents used during study period were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical success rates were compared between two groups using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Three levels of surgical success were defined as follows: (1) IOP ≤ 18mmHg and an IOP reduction of 20% without medication; (2) IOP ≤ 15mmHg and an IOP reduction of 25% without medication; and (3) IOP ≤ 18mmHg and an IOP reduction of 20%, irrespective of medication. The TRAB and AVI groups comprised 40 and 36 patients, respectively. At 36months postoperatively, IOP was 15.7 ± 2.8mmHg in the TRAB group and 16.9 ± 3.3mmHg in the AVI group (p = 0.140). Surgical success rates in the TRAB group were 47.5, 37.5, and 77.5% and those in the AVI group were 41.6, 33.3, and 75.0% at 36months for surgical criteria 1, 2, and 3, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the success rates between the two groups. However, regarding surgical criteria 2, the success rate of the AVI group at 1year was significantly better than that of the TRAB group (p = 0.030). Primary AVI was not inferior to primary trabeculectomy with MMC in medically uncontrolled patients with XFG.

Retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas: Predictive factors for incomplete resection

Curative management of retroperitoneal sarcoma relies on surgery, and complete monoblock resection is one of the main prognostic factors. The goal of this study was to search predictive factors for incomplete resection. All patients undergoing surgery for retroperitoneal sarcoma in two University hospitals between 2010 and 202 were included. The main endpoint was incomplete resection (R1 ad R2) after surgery. Secondary analysis was performed where marginal R0 resection was considered as complete. Univariate and multivariable analysis of demographics, radiological, surgical and pathologic criteria were performed. Overall survival, local and distant recurrence were evaluated. Fifty-eight patients were included in the study. Fifty patients had incomplete resection, of which seven had marginal R0 resection. In multivariable analysis, none of the factors analyzed were associated with incomplete resection. In secondary analysis, undifferentiated liposarcoma histology (OR 12.3, 95% CI [1.416-107.303], P=0.023) was statistically significantly associated with incomplete resection. Low grade (grade I) histology was predictive of complete resection (OR 0.24, 95% CI [0.060-0.959], P=0.043). Median follow-up duration was 27 months. Local and distant recurrence rates at three years were 37% and 22.4%, respectively. In this study, we highlighted several predictive factors for incomplete resection. These factors enable us to define target populations that could most benefit from complementary therapy along with surgery.

Surgical outcomes and long-term follow-up of patients with large ventricular septal defects with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension: single-center experience

Purpose: In this retrospective study, pediatric patients who underwent surgery for large ventricular septal defect (VSD) with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) were evaluated in detail in terms of clinical characteristics, and long-term results, and reinterpreted with the current surgical criteria.
 Materials and Methods: Twenty-four patients who underwent surgery for large VSD due to PAH between 1994 and 2005 were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to their pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) and compared (group 1 with PVRI

Repair of Aortic Regurgitation in Young Adults: Sooner Rather Than Later.

Background Establishing surgical criteria for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in severe aortic regurgitation in young adults is challenging due to the lack of evidence-based recommendations. We studied indications for AVR in young adults with severe aortic regurgitation and their outcomes, as well as the relationship between presurgical echocardiographic parameters and postoperative left ventricular (LV) size, function, clinical events, and valve-related complications. Methods and Results Data were collected retrospectively on 172 consecutive adult patients who underwent AVR or repair for severe aortic regurgitation between 2005 and 2019 in a tertiary cardiac center (age at surgery 29 [22-41] years, 81% male). One-third underwent surgery before meeting guideline indications. Postsurgery, 65% achieved LV size and function normalization. LV ejection fraction showed no significant change from baseline. A higher presurgical LV end-systolic diameter correlated with a lack of LV normalization (odds ratio per 1-cm increase 2.81, P<0.01). The baseline LV end-systolic diameter cut-off for predicting lack of LV normalization was 43 mm. Pre- and postoperative LV dimensions and postoperative LV ejection fraction predicted clinical events during follow-up. Prosthetic valve-related complications occurred in 20.3% during an average 5.6-year follow-up. Freedom from aortic reintervention was 98%, 96.5%, and 85.4% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Conclusions Young adult patients with increased baseline LV end-systolic diameter or prior cardiac surgery are less likely to achieve LV normalization after AVR. Clinicians should carefully balance the long-term benefits of AVR against procedural risks and future interventions, especially in younger patients. Evidence-based criteria for AVR in severe aortic regurgitation in young adults are crucial to improve outcomes.

941 A Systematic Review of Surgical Intervention Criteria for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

Abstract Aim Elective surgical repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) is the only treatment that prevents dissection or rupture. Current guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology, recommend an aortic diameter threshold of 5.5cm for surgical intervention of TAAs. Recent studies have questioned the efficacy of current guidelines as they highlighted that the majority of dissections occur before reaching the threshold. This review aims to determine if an aortic diameter of 5.5cm is an appropriate threshold for prophylactic surgical repair of non-syndromic ascending TAAs. Method A search of Ovid MEDLINE and Pubmed databases was performed. Search terms included “ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm”, “ATAA”, “aortic diameter” and “aortic size paradox”. Non-English papers, animal studies and case reports were excluded. Reference lists from each article were assessed for further literature which met the inclusion criteria. Results 22 studies were included. Four themes emerged from these papers which support lowering the threshold for prophylactic surgery: quantifying the changes in aortic diameter that occur during dissection, the discovery of the aortic size paradox, the identification of a new hinge point, and the improved safety of modern surgery. Regardless of this evidence, it appears to be unjustified to lower the threshold based on relative risk calculations. Conclusions Despite current guidelines, the use of aortic diameter as a risk assessment tool for TAAs is inadequate. Multiple studies have shown the ineffectiveness of a 5.5cm threshold, suggesting revision of current surgical guidelines is warranted.

The Impact of Moderate Hypophosphatemia on the Clinical Management of Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

Background and objective The impact of moderate hypophosphatemia (hypoP) on primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and its use as an independent surgical criterion has not been adequately evaluated in the literature. In light of this, we conducted this study to address the scarcity of data on this topic. Methods We conducted a retrospective evaluation of data related to 164 (133 females and 31 males) patients with PHPT who met the criteria for inclusion in the study. HypoP, which is indicated by phosphorus (P) levels lower than 2.5 mg/dL, was found in 78 (47.5%) patients, and moderate hypoP (1-1.99 mg/dL) was found in 25 patients (15.2%). Results PHPT severity was worse in hypoP patients than non-hypoP patients, as evidenced by higher levels ofmean serum calcium (12.9 ±1.0 mg/dL vs. 11.1 ±0.3 mg/dL respectively,p<0.001), parathormone (PTH) [median (interquartile range, IQR): 455.3 (455.3)ng/L vs.124.0 (84.0)ng/L respectively, p<0.001] and mean 24-hour urinary calcium (414.6 ±168.5 mg/day vs. 291.5 ±161.4 mg/day respectively, p=0.026) as well as lower levels of mean BMI (25.6 ±3.9 kg/m2vs. 29.0 ±4.0 kg/m2 respectively, p=0.18) and mean 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (13.8 ±7.3 µg/L vs. 18.2 ±7.8 µg/L respectively, p=0.001). Among the whole study populationas well as among patients with Ca levels <1.0 mg/dLaccording to the upper limit of normal, P level was determined to be an independent factor affecting the indication for surgical treatment [β: -1.96,p=0.038, odds ratio (OR): 0.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02-0.89 and β: -2.3, p=0.034, OR: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.12-0.84 respectively]. Conclusion We found a strong correlation between moderate hypoP and the severity of the biochemical manifestations of PHPT. In asymptomatic PHPT patients, moderate hypoP was predictive of surgical indication, independent of age and level of hypercalcemia.

Actualización de las pruebas de imagen utilizadas en la localización de patología paratiroidea

Preoperative localization of parathyroid pathology, generally a parathyroid adenoma, can be difficult in some cases due to the anatomical variants that these glands present. The objective of this review is to analyse the different imaging techniques used for preoperative localization of parathyroid pathology (scintigraphy, ultrasound, CT, MRI and PET).There is great variability between the different tests for the preoperative localization of parathyroid pathology. The importance of knowing the different diagnostic options lies in the need to choose the most suitable test at each moment and for each patient for an adequate management of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) with surgical criteria.

Pathological and radiological response following neoadjuvant treatments in primary localized resectable myxofibrosarcoma and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the extremities and trunk wall.

To explore the correlation between pathological and radiological response to preoperative treatments and outcome in surgically treated patients with myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS). All consecutive patients with primary localized MFS and UPS of the extremities and trunk wall surgically treated with curative intent at our center (2005-2021) were included. Clinical data including residual visible tumor (VT%) on surgical specimen and Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor (RECIST) were retrieved. Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival and disease-free survival, and cumulative incidence of local relapse and distant metastasis were estimated in a competing risk framework according to RECIST and VT%, overall and by treatment group. Cox and Fine and Gray multivariable models were performed. Of 693 patients affected by primary MFS and UPS, 233 (66 MFS and 167 UPS) were treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy (naChT), radiotherapy (naRT), or both (naChT-RT). VT% was ≤5% in 13/46 (28.2%), 24/99 (24.2%), and 40/88 (45.4%) patients, respectively. There were 11/46 (29.7%), 22/99 (22.7%), and 23/88 (26.1%) RECIST partial responses and 18/46 (48.6%), 59/99 (60.8%), and 60/88 (68.2%) RECIST stable disease, respectively. In naChT, a trend for a better survival was observed when VT% ≤5% (p=.09), whereas RECIST partial responses and stable disease had the same outcome. VT% was not associated with outcome in naRT or naChT-RT, whereas RECIST response was. In primary localized MFS and UPS treated with neoadjuvant therapies, VT% seems more relevant than size reduction after naChT, whereas the opposite is true when naRT is administered alone or concurrent to ChT.

Patient Selection Criteria in Ambulatory Spine Surgery: Single Canadian Provincial Experience

Ambulatory spinal surgery is a care delivery model meant to improve patient outcomes and reduce in-hospital length of stay (LOS). We reviewed the experience of implementing an outpatient spine surgery program in Manitoba, Canada and highlight elements that can be used to reduce LOS and re-presentation to hospital. This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network and independent chart review of adult patients undergoing outpatient spinal surgery between 2015 and 2018. Patient demographics, comorbidities, perioperative course, LOS, and readmissions were analyzed. We included 217 patients in this analysis. The mean LOS was 36.2 hours; 71.98% of patients had a LOS <24 hours. A Kruskal-Wallis test by ranks analysis was conducted and identified 7 elements that correlated with prolonged length of stay (>1 day): age older than 55 (P= 0.027), body mass index >25 (P= 0.045), uncontrolled diabetes (P= 0.015), preoperative use of opioid medication (P= 0.024), American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of 3 (P= 0.023), non-minimally invasive surgical approach, and multilevel procedures. Most (94.1%) of the patients with none of these elements (i.e., age <55, low body mass index, normal/controlled diabetes, minimal preoperative opioid use, American Society of Anesthesiologist classification <3, minimally invasive surgical procedure) had a favorable LOS, <24 hours, compared with 84.8% with 1 risk factor, 80.4% of those with two, 69.8% with three, 53.1% with four, and 31.2% with 5 or more. A small number of patients (14.98%) presented to an emergency department within 90 days of their operation, and there was a 6.28% readmission rate. We identified several patient and surgical criteria that correlate with prolonged length of stays following planned ambulatory spine surgery. Our work provides some empiric evidence to help guide surgeons on which patients and approaches are ideal for ambulatory surgery.

Identification of Surgical Uterine Prolapse in Premenopausal Patients With Clinical or Ultrasound Criteria? A Multicenter Comparative Study.

It is unknown whether diagnosing uterine prolapse (UP) via ultrasound or surgical criteria is superior. Our objective is to determine whether the diagnostic capacity of ultrasound with surgical criteria differs from that of surgical criteria only. This was a multicenter prospective observational study with 54 premenopausal patients with surgical criteria for a dysfunctional pelvic floor pathology who were consecutively recruited for 1 year. Clinical UP with surgical criteria was defined when UP stage II-IV was identified (during pelvic floor consultation), and UP diagnosed by ultrasound with surgical criteria was established when a difference ≥15 mm was found between rest and Valsalva applied to the pubis-uterine fundus. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values were determined to evaluate clinical and ultrasound methodologies as diagnostic tests. UP diagnosed by ultrasound with surgical criteria presented better sensitivity (78.57 vs 35.71%), specificity (92.11 vs 81.58%), positive predictive value (61.83 vs 23.99%), and negative predictive value (96.35 vs 11.37%) than UP diagnosed by surgical criteria only. Ultrasound with surgical criteria is superior to surgical criteria alone when diagnosing UP.

Trabecular bone score increases the proportion of patients with asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism meeting surgical criteria

Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)

Abstract #1398160: A Rare Case of Water Clear Cell Parathyroid Adenoma Escaping Sestamibi Scan and Neck Ultrasound – A Diagnostic Conundrum of a Rare Pathological Intity with a Rare Presentation

Parathyroid water-clear cell hyperplasia (WCCH) and water-clear cell adenoma (WCCA) are extremely rare causes of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). WCCH contributes to < 1% of all PHPT however WCCA is exceptionally rare and has been reported only in less than 30 case reports. We are presenting a very rare indolent pathological entity with a very rare presentation escaping common diagnostic measures of Sestamibi scan and neck ultrasound. A 63-year-old female presented for evaluation of severe osteoporosis with a T-score of -3.6. Laboratory workup revealed elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) of 122 pg/ml (reference range 12-88 pg/ml), Normal calcium 9.8 mg/dl, Normal vitamin D 50 ng/ml, and normal magnesium 2.2 mg/dl. 24-hour urine calcium was 421 mg/24H. Diagnosis was consistent with normocalcemic PHPT and meeting surgical criteria with osteoporosis and high urine calcium. Sestamibi scan did not identify any focal activity. CT H&N revealed an 8 mm mass inferior and posterior to right thyroid lobe with partial washout and slightly different enhancement compared to thyroid gland. Neck ultrasound (US) reported that previously noted tissue activity on the CT H&N is not visualized and most likely represents normal thyroid tissue. Patient was referred to otolaryngology surgery and underwent four gland explorations, including right inferior and left superior parathyroidectomy. Pathology of superior parathyroid gland revealed parathyroid water clear cell adenoma. 3-month Postoperative PTH 29.4 pg/ml and calcium level of 9.3 mg/dl. Solitary parathyroid adenoma (SPA) attributes to 80-85% of PHPT. Majority of cases is due to Chief cell adenomas, less frequent pathologies include oxyphil cell adenoma, lipoadenoma, WCCA or mixed type. Scientific literature regarding WCCA presentation and diagnosis is blurred due to its rarity. Clinical presentation of WCCA resembles other etiologies of PHPT, though some data suggest that is frequently indolent and manifests with mild PHPT. Literature suggests that WCCA has low biochemical activity and most cases had normal to mildly elevated calcium-our patient support this hypothesis-. Hypercalcemia does not manifest until significant growth of the adenoma, though few reported cases manifested with hypercalcemia. Unlike other SPA where Sestamibi scan sensitivity is 91%, literature suggests possibility of false-negative results with WCCA which is hypothesized to be attributed to its different histology of glycogen-rich vacuolized cytoplasm that leads to fast Sestamibi wash-out, for the same reason data suggest that US is more decisive given high water content of cells -Our patient didn’t follow this rule and escaped Sistamibi and US though seen on CT- which still makes the diagnosis of WCCA a conundrum. Some cases underwent surgical excision based on clinical diagnosis which led to revision of PHPT and/or hypercalcemia. There is no available data suggesting different long-term follow-up regimens for WCCA compared to other SPA. Further literature with longer follow-up is needed for this extremely rare entity for a comprehensive understanding of its natural course.

Predictors of Future Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery in de novo Parkinson's Disease.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is offered to a subset of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. It is unclear if there are features at diagnosis that predict future DBS surgery. To assess predictors of eventual DBS surgery in de novo PD patients. Subjects from the Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) database with newly diagnosed, sporadic PD (n = 416) were identified and stratified by their eventual DBS status (DBS+, n = 43; DBS-, n = 373). A total of 50 baseline clinical, imaging, and biospecimen features were extracted for each subject and cross-validated lasso regression was used for feature reduction. Multivariate logistic regression assessed their relationship with DBS status and a receiver operating characteristic curve evaluated model performance. Linear mixed effect models assessed disease progression over 4 years in DBS+ and DBS- patients. Age at symptom onset, Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stage, tremor score, and ratio of CSF Tau to amyloid-beta 1-42 (Tau: Ab) were identified as important baseline features for predicting DBS surgery. Each independently predicted DBS surgery (area under the curve = 0.83). DBS- patients had faster memory decline (P < 0.05), while DBS+ patients had faster decline in H&Y stage (P < 0.001) and motor scores (P < 0.05) prior to surgery. The identified features may be used for early identification of patients who may be surgical candidates during the course of their disease. Disease progression in these groups reflects surgical eligibility criteria, with DBS- patients having more rapid decline in memory while DBS+ patients experienced a faster decline in motor scores prior to DBS surgery.

Elimination of Lumbar Plexus Injury by Changing the Entry Point and Traction Direction of the Psoas Major Muscle in Transpsoas Lateral Lumbar Spine Surgery.

Background and Objectives: The lateral approach is commonly used for anterior column reconstruction, indirect decompression, and fusion in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases and spinal deformities. However, intraoperative lumbar plexus injury may occur. This is a retrospective comparative study to investigate and compare neurological complications between the conventional lateral approach and a modified lateral approach at L4/5. Materials and Methods: Patients with a lumbar degenerative disease requiring single-level intervertebral fusion at L4/5 were included and categorized into group X and group A. Patients in group X underwent conventional extreme lateral interbody fusion, while those in group A underwent a modified surgical procedure that included splitting of the anterior third of the psoas muscle, which was dilated by the retractor on the anterior third of the intervertebral disc. The incidence of lumbar plexus injury, defined as a decrease of ≥1 grade on manual muscle testing of hip flexors and knee extensors and sensory impairment of the thigh for ≥3 weeks, on the approach side, was investigated. Results: Each group comprised 50 patients. No significant between-group differences in age, sex, body mass index, and approach side were observed. There was a significant between-group difference in intraoperative neuromonitoring stimulation value (13.1 ± 5.4 mA in group X vs. 18.5 ± 2.3 mA in group A, p < 0.001). The incidence of neurological complications was significantly higher in group X than in group A (10.0% vs. 0.0%, respectively, p < 0.05). Conclusions: In our modified procedure, the anterior third of the psoas muscle was entered and split, and the intervertebral disc could be reached without damaging the lumbar plexus. When performing lumbar surgery using the lateral approach, lumbar plexus injury can be avoided by following surgical indication criteria based on the location of the lumbar plexus with respect to the psoas muscle and changing the transpsoas approach to the intervertebral disc.

The importance of hypophosphatemia in the clinical management of primary hyperparathyroidism.

The levels of serum phosphorus (P) are low or low-normal in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), and there is an inverse relationship between the levels of parathormone (PTH) and P. However, when considering the diagnostic and surgical indication criteria of PHPT, serum P levels are generally ignored. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the association of serum P levels with the clinical outcomes of PHPT. A retrospective evaluation was made of the data of 424 consecutive patients (370 females, 54 males) with PHPT who presented at our centre. The mean age of the study population was 57 ± 11.68years. The mean P was 2.57 ± 0.53mg/dl. Asymptomatic disease was determined in 199 (47%) patients. Male patients had significantly lower levels of P. Symptomatic patients and patients with renal stones, vitamin D < 20µg/l, calcium level ≥ 11.2mg/dl, 24h urinary calcium > 400mg/day, or hypomagnesemia, were seen to have significantly lower levels of P (p < 0.05). Hypophosphatemia (hypoP) was found in 202 of 424 patients (47%), and these patients had a higher rate of symptomatic disease (63% to 44%, p < .0001). Of the 61 (88%) patients with moderate hypoP, 54 (88%) had at least one of the surgical criteria. A statistically significant increase in the incidence of hypoP was determined in symptomatic and male patients. In the patients with hypoP, serum PTH and urine calcium levels were found to be higher, and lumbar T-scores and serum vitamin D levels were lower. The patients with hypoP had higher rates of renal stones and osteoporosis (p < 0.05). The current study results show that hypoP is associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis and renal stones in PHPT patients. Even if patients are asymptomatic, moderate hypoP may be associated with poor outcomes of PHPT. Therefore, moderate hypoP may be a new criterion for parathyroidectomy, regardless of hypercalcemia level.

Long-term outcomes on the rates of total knee replacement amongst patients with end-stage knee osteoarthritis who meet surgical criteria and received a non-invasive biomechanical intervention.

Long-term outcomes on the rates of total knee replacement amongst patients with end-stage knee osteoarthritis who meet surgical criteria and received a non-invasive biomechanical intervention.