Interventional Oncology Meets Immuno-oncology: Combination Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is undergoing transformational changes due to the emergence of various novel immunotherapies and their combination with image-guided locoregional therapies. In this setting, immunotherapy is expected to become one of the standards of care in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings across all disease stages of HCC. Currently, more than 50 ongoing prospective clinical trials are investigating various end points for the combination of immunotherapy with both percutaneous and catheter-directed therapies.

Residual Ultrasound-Enhancing Agents Mimicking Portal Venous Gas.

Sonographic detection of mobile echogenic foci within the main portal vein and its branches or within the liver parenchyma extending along the portal triads to the periphery of the liver is an alarming finding that has been associated with portal venous gas in the setting of bowel ischemia. Ultrasound-enhancing agents (UEAs) have been widely utilized in abdominal ultrasound for evaluation of organ neoplasms and vascular patency as well as in echocardiography for the evaluation of cardiac function. The appearance of UEAs on abdominal ultrasound can resemble gas like that seen in the portal venous system and liver in patients with bowel ischemia; therefore, UEA residuals should always be a part of the differential diagnosis of echogenic foci when seen on abdominal ultrasounds with preceding recent UEA administration.

A multi-center analysis of visual outcomes following open globe injury.

The purpose of this study was to examine how demographics, etiology, and clinical examination findings are related to visual outcomes in subjects with open globe injury (OGI) across a large and generalizable sample. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using data collected from the electronic medical records of four tertiary university centers for subjects with OGI presenting from 2018 to 2021. Demographic information, injury mechanisms, clinical exam findings, visual acuity (VA) at presentation and most recent follow-up were recorded.

Utility and rationale for continuous EEG monitoring: a primer for the general intensivist.

This review offers a comprehensive guide for general intensivists on the utility of continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring for critically ill patients. Beyond the primary role of EEG in detecting seizures, this review explores its utility in neuroprognostication, monitoring neurological deterioration, assessing treatment responses, and aiding rehabilitation in patients with encephalopathy, coma, or other consciousness disorders. Most seizures and status epilepticus (SE) events in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting are nonconvulsive or subtle, making cEEG essential for identifying these otherwise silent events.

Visual Outcomes and Risk of Endophthalmitis in Open Globe Injuries without Intraocular Foreign Bodies with Delayed Repair.

Purpose: To assess and compare the rate of endophthalmitis and visual outcomes in cases of open globe injuries (OGIs) without intraocular foreign bodies repaired within and greater than 24 hours from the time of injury.

Design: A retrospective review of 2002 cases of OGIs presenting to a single institution.

Participants: Patients with OGIs were admitted and managed according to a standardized protocol.

Effect of Filtered Blood Return on Outcomes of Pulmonary Aspiration Thrombectomy.

Objectives: To assess the effects of filtered blood reinfusion (FBR) on procedural outcomes of aspiration thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism (PE).

Materials And Methods: A total of 171 patients who underwent aspiration thrombectomy for intermediate-high-risk or high-risk PE between December 2018 and September 2022 were included, 84 of whom underwent thrombectomy with FBR and 87 without. Demographic data, vital signs, laboratory values, procedural details, pulmonary arterial pressures, transfusion needs, length of hospital stay, and procedure-related adverse events were recorded.

Unlocking the complete blood count as a risk stratification tool for breast cancer using machine learning: a large scale retrospective study.

Optimizing early breast cancer (BC) detection requires effective risk assessment tools. This retrospective study from Brazil showcases the efficacy of machine learning in discerning complex patterns within routine blood tests, presenting a globally accessible and cost-effective approach for risk evaluation. We analyzed complete blood count (CBC) tests from 396,848 women aged 40-70, who underwent breast imaging or biopsies within six months after their CBC test.

Ultrasound evaluation of portal venous gas and its mimics.

Portal venous gas on abdominal ultrasound classically represents an indirect indicator of bowel ischemia, a critical condition which poses a high patient mortality and therefore warrants emergent corrective action. While the classic appearance of portal venous gas on ultrasound is well-described in the literature, the characteristic descriptors are nonspecific and may actually represent other less emergent mimics. Therefore, while radiologists should remain vigilant for the detection of findings corresponding to portal venous gas, they should also be aware of similar-appearing entities in order to provide the most accurate diagnosis.

Recovery of Vision in Open Globe Injury Patients with Initial No Light Perception Vision.

Purpose: To identify clinical characteristics of injured eyes associated with visual recovery in patients with open globe injuries (OGIs) and presenting with no light perception (NLP) vision.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Subjects: All patients presenting to Massachusetts Eye and Ear with OGI and NLP vision from January 1999 to March 2022.

Expert Recommendations on the Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in the United Arab Emirates.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, progressive, type 2 inflammatory esophageal disease presenting as dysphagia to solid food and non-obstructive food impaction. Knowledge gaps exist in its diagnosis and management. These expert recommendations focused on the diagnosis of EoE in the United Arab Emirates.

Evolving strategies: Enhancements in managing eosinophilic esophagitis in pediatric patients.

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a newly recognized disease first described about 50 years ago. The definition, diagnosis, and management have evolved with new published consensus guidelines and newly approved treatment available to pediatricians, enabling a better understanding of this disease and more targeted treatment for patients. We describe the definition, presentation, and diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis including management, challenges, and future directions in children.

Discrepancies Between Intraoperative and Postoperative Ankle Motion Measured for Anterior-Approach Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

Background: Although intraoperative ankle motion serves as a foundational reference for anticipated motion after surgery and guides the addition of procedures to enhance ankle motion in total ankle arthroplasty (TAA), the relationship between intraoperative and postoperative ankle motion remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the discrepancy between intraoperative and postoperative ankle range of motion (ROM) following TAAs using the anterior-approach, fixed-bearing systems.

Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 67 patients (67 ankles) who underwent primary TAA at a single institution.

Direct stick embolization of a rectal venous malformation via transanal minimally invasive surgery.

Rectal venous malformations (VMs) are rare clinical entities with variable patterns of presentation. Treatment requires unique, targeted strategies based on the symptoms, associated complications, and location, depth, and extent of the lesion. We present a rare case of a large, isolated rectal VM treated by direct stick embolization (DSE) using transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS).

COVID-19-induced liver injury in infants, children, and adolescents.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) typically presents with fever and respiratory symptoms in children. Most children develop an asymptomatic and mild illness, with a minority requiring specialist medical care. Gastrointestinal manifestations and liver injury can also occur in children following infection.

Early predictors of remission in children and adolescents with new-onset epilepsy: A prospective study.

Purpose: This study aims to identify predictive factors of a two-year remission (2YR) in a cohort of children and adolescents with new-onset seizures based on baseline clinical characteristics, initial EEG and brain MRI findings.

Methods: A prospective cohort of 688 patients with new onset seizures, initiated on treatment with antiseizure medication was evaluated. 2YR was defined as achieving at least two years of seizure freedom during the follow-up period.

Improving Sleep Health Among Refugees: A Systematic Review.

Purpose Of Review: Sleep disorders among refugees are common yet understudied. Interventions are difficult in resource-limited settings where most of these populations live. A systematic review of sleep disorders in refugee populations is warranted to identify prevalence, comorbidities, and the limitations of the current state of sleep health among refugees.

Gastrointestinal manifestations in children with COVID-19 infection: Retrospective tertiary center experience.

Objective: The majority of pediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) cases demonstrate asymptomatic, mild or moderate disease. The main symptoms in children with COVID-19 are respiratory symptoms but some patients develop gastrointestinal symptoms and liver injury. We aim to review gastrointestinal symptoms and liver injury in children with confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Effect of time to operative repair within twenty-four hours on visual acuity outcomes for open globe injuries.

Purpose: Convention is to perform open globe injury (OGI) repair within 24 h to minimize risk of endophthalmitis. However, there are limited data assessing how time to operative repair (OR) within 24 h impacts postoperative visual acuity (VA).

Methods: Manual retrospective chart review of 633 eyes at Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) with a diagnosis of OGI between 2012 and 2022.

Creation of an Ex Vivo Renal Perfusion Model to Investigate Microwave Ablation.

This study hypothesized that an ex vivo renal perfusion model can create smaller microwave ablation (MWA) measurements during perfused states compared with nonperfused states across multiple device settings. Nine bovine kidneys, a fluoroscopic compatible perfusion model, and a commercially-available clinical MWA system were used to perform 72 ablations (36 perfused and 36 nonperfused) at 9 different device settings. Comparing perfused and nonperfused ablations at each device setting, significant differences in volume existed for 6 of 9 settings (P < .

Is endoscopy beneficial in pediatric laparoscopic gastrostomy insertion; A 9-year comparative study.

Objectives: Advancements in pediatric percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement (PEG), laparoscopic-assisted gastrostomy (LAG) technique, and laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (LAPEG) procedure have opened up new options for gastrostomy tube placement. LAPEG utilizes endoscopy and laparoscopy for gastrostomy insertion. This review compares the outcomes and complications of LAG and LAPEG techniques in children.