Access to Paid Parental Leave for Academic Surgeons.

Background: Parental leave is linked to health benefits for both child and parent. It is unclear whether surgeons at academic centers have access to paid parental leave. The aim of this study was to determine parental leave policies at the top academic medical centers in the United States to identify trends among institutions.

Carotid duplex criteria for patients with contralateral occlusion.

Background: Contralateral occlusion (CLO) occurs in approximately 8% of patients undergoing intervention for carotid artery stenosis. Patients with CLO have increased stroke risk compared with patients without CLO, but standard carotid duplex ultrasonography (CDUS) criteria are not a reliable manner to screen or follow patients with CLO. Because appropriate duplex criteria for these patients are not well understood, this article defines CDUS parameters that accurately predict carotid artery stenosis at our institution.

Carotid artery stenting has increased risk of external carotid artery occlusion compared with carotid endarterectomy.

Objective: The external carotid artery (ECA) can be an important source of cerebral blood flow in cases of high-grade internal carotid artery stenosis or occlusion. However, the treatment of the ECA is fundamentally different between carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS). CEA is routinely associated with endarterectomy of the ECA, whereas CAS excludes the ECA from direct flow.

Influence of the hostile neck on restenosis after carotid stenting.

Background: Carotid artery stenting (CAS) for carotid stenosis is favored over carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with a hostile neck from prior CEA or cervical irradiation (XRT). However, the restenosis rate after CAS in patients with hostile necks is variable in the literature. The objective of this study was to quantify differences in the in-stent restenosis (ISR)/occlusion and reintervention rates after CAS in patients with and without a hostile neck.

Predictors of bone mineral density improvement in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism.

Introduction: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) results in increased bone turnover, resulting in bone mineral density (BMD) reduction and a predisposition towards fractures. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) is the only definitive cure.

Objective: The primary goals of this study were to investigate the impact of PTX on BMD in patients with PHPT and to identify factors associated with post-operative BMD improvement using a multivariate model.