Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Refill-Related Cardiac Arrest: A Case Report.

We present the case of a 45-year-old male with a history of multiple sclerosis complicated by spasticity and paraplegia, who developed altered mental status and type II respiratory failure requiring intubation on the same day his intrathecal baclofen pump was refilled by his pain physician. Shortly after admission, the patient experienced cardiac arrest four times within two hours until the pump contents were aspirated, and the patient was stabilized. This case report emphasizes the significance of vigilance and prompt recognition of intrathecal baclofen poisoning, which can lead to life-threatening toxicities and withdrawals.

Prescription for crisis: the compounding effect of community drug shortages on Lebanon's healthcare system.

The multifaceted crises that Lebanon is facing have led to a shortage of medications in the country's community pharmacies. This shortage has triggered a cascade of adverse effects, rippling throughout the nation's healthcare system. In this report, we examine the causes, which range from economic turmoil to inadequate resource distribution, along with the profound impacts on public health, such as increased length of hospital stays and compromised patient care.

Advancing critical care recovery: The pivotal role of machine learning in early detection of intensive care unit-acquired weakness.

This editorial explores the significant challenge of intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW), a prevalent condition affecting critically ill patients, characterized by profound muscle weakness and complicating patient recovery. Highlighting the paradox of modern medical advances, it emphasizes the urgent need for early identification and intervention to mitigate ICU-AW's impact. Innovatively, the study by Wang is showcased for employing a multilayer perceptron neural network model, achieving high accuracy in predicting ICU-AW risk.

Outpatient insulin use in type 2 diabetes mellitus and acute respiratory distress syndrome outcomes: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: The impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is debatable. T2DM was suspected to reduce the risk and complications of ARDS. However, during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), T2DM predisposed patients to ARDS, especially those who were on insulin at home.

The Concomitant Occurrence of Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Fournier's Gangrene.

Background: Fournier's gangrene represents a life-threatening necrotising infection affecting the perineal region, while hidradenitis suppurativa is characterised by a chronic inflammatory skin condition. The simultaneous occurrence of both conditions is exceedingly rare.

Case Description: A 42-year-old female with a documented history of severe untreated hidradenitis suppurativa presented for shortness of breath, fever and lethargy, along with extensive wounds and skin breakdown involving the left axilla, perineum, lower back, lumbosacral region and bilateral gluteal areas, extending to the perineum.

Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD) Implantation as Secondary Prevention of Cardiac Sarcoidosis-Associated Ventricular Tachycardia.

Background: Cardiac sarcoidosis can cause a wide range of symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest pain, oedema, and fatal arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia (VT). Because the symptoms can be nonspecific, diagnosing cardiac sarcoidosis can be challenging. Treatment options may include corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, immunosuppressive drugs to prevent further damage, medications to control symptoms, ablation procedures, and defibrillators to prevent cardiac arrest.

Choosing and accessing COVID-19 treatment options: a qualitative study with patients, caregivers, and health care providers in Lebanon.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has strained healthcare systems globally, particularly in terms of access to medicines. Lebanon has been greatly affected by the pandemic, having faced concomitant financial and economic crises. The objective of the study was to understand the experiences of patients with COVID-19 in Lebanon, as well as those of their families, and healthcare providers, with regards to their treatment decisions and accessibility to COVID-19 medicines.

Hungatella hathewayi bacteremia due to acute appendicitis: A case report and a narrative review.

Hungatella species, including Hungatella hathewayi and Hungatella effluvii, previously identified as part of the Clostridium genus, are anaerobic bacteria primarily residing in the gut microbiome, with infrequent implications in human infections. This article presents the case of an 87-year-old Asian male admitted for a hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state with septic shock secondary to Hungatella hathewayi bacteremia originating from acute appendicitis. Remarkably, the bacterium was detected in the blood 48 hours before the emergence of clinical and radiographic evidence of acute appendicitis.

GLP-1 receptor agonists: A novel pharmacotherapy for binge eating (Binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa)? A systematic review.

Objective: Systematically review evidence on using GLP-1RAs for reducing BEB in BED and BN.

Methods: Comprehensive literature search (PubMed and Google Scholar) conducted for studies evaluating GLP-1Ras for BEB. Extracted data on study characteristics, efficacy, and safety.

Over-the-Counter Anti-inflammatory Supplements for Adjunctive Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a prevalent chronic disease, poses significant treatment challenges, including side effects and high costs of conventional therapies. This heightens interest in natural, over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory supplements as potential adjunctive treatments. Given their roles in mitigating inflammation and oxidative stress, key factors in RA pathogenesis, these supplements could offer valuable therapeutic adjunctive.

The fragile healthcare system in Lebanon: sounding the alarm about its possible collapse.

Lebanon is currently facing a complex and multifaceted healthcare crisis. The country has been grappling with a severe financial crisis since 2019, which has been compounded by the social unrest, the devastating Beirut blast in 2020, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, many hospitals in Lebanon are facing significant difficulties following the devaluation of the Lebanese currency, which has made it difficult for them to purchase necessary medical supplies and equipment.

Wellens' syndrome following severe COVID-19 infection, an innocent coincidence or a deadly association: two case reports.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with late-onset cardiovascular complications primarily due to a hypercoagulable state. Its association with Wellens' syndrome, which reflects a stenosis in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery, is not well established. We present two cases diagnosed with this syndrome following their COVID-19 acute phase despite taking adequate anticoagulation.

The lack of specialized pediatric cardiac surgeons in Lebanon: a humanitarian catastrophe.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a major public health concern, as it is the most common birth defect and the leading cause of death in the first year of life if adequate surgical interventions were not provided. Unfortunately, in Lebanon, a country that has been assailed by devastating social and economic crises, many specialized Lebanese pediatric heart surgeons fled abroad to secure more stable careers. This has led to the death of many newborns with CHDs.

Burnout rates among Lebanese pre-final and final year medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-centered survey-based study.

Background: Burnout among medical students has always been a major concern.

Objective: To evaluate changes in the prevalence rates of burnout among Lebanese pre-final and final year medical students while taking into consideration the impact of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on both the academical and clinical experiences.

Methods: This is a multi-centered, survey-based, cross-sectional study conducted in October 2021.

Carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to tumoral calcinosis: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent peripheral nerve entrapment disease. Its pathophysiology is multifactorial and defined as idiopathic in most cases. We present a rare case of CTS secondary to tumoral calcinosis and then searched the English literature to present the details of all published cases with this entity.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms experienced by healthcare workers in Lebanon four months following Beirut's ammonium nitrate explosion: a survey-based study.

Background: On August 4, 2020, Lebanon faced one of the deadliest mass casualty explosions the world has witnessed during the twenty-first century. The human and emotional tolls were heavy on attending physicians, clinical fellows, residents, interns, medical students, and registered nurses, who were working in dramatic conditions, triaging, and treating thousands of blast-related casualties. We evaluated the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS), among these healthcare workers (HCWs) from different Lebanese hospitals.

Cardiovascular drug shortages in Lebanon: a broken heart.

For nearly 3 years now, Lebanon has been assailed by compounded crises. With the economic instability, the coronavirus pandemic, and the explosion of the Beirut Port on August 4, 2020; the fragile Lebanese healthcare system has found itself at massive risk of a catastrophic public health crisis secondary to cardiovascular drug shortages. The time has come for public health authorities to find urgent solutions for this national trajedy that is projected to last for years.

Postero-superior tube in a grooved bone vs. transtympanic tube for middle ear ventilation: a retrospective study comparing outcomes in the Lebanese pediatric population.

Background: Myringotomy with trans-tympanic T-tube (TTT) placement is the most common surgical procedure performed in children. Finding a technique that provides longer aeration periods, lower complications rates, and less need for subsequent interventions will help the healthcare system from preventable events.

Objectives: To compare the efficiency and complications rates of the traditional TTT to those of the novel postero-superior tubes in a grooved bone (TGB) for long-term middle ear ventilation in children suffering from recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM), or chronic otitis media with effusion (COME).

Monopolar electrocautery tip vs plasma ablation in tonsillotomy: A randomized case-control study comparing outcomes in pediatric population.

Background: The objective of this study was to compare the low-priced monopolar electrocautery to the high-priced, worldwide used, plasma ablation in tonsillotomy among children aged between three and twelve years, suffering from obstructive breathing disorders (OBD), with respect to post-operative pain, bleeding and related morbidities.

Methods: A randomized case-control study was conducted in the Eye and Ear Hospital International- Lebanon. 103 children aged between three and twelve years suffering from OBD secondary to tonsillar hypertrophy were randomly assigned into two groups.