Implementing an Interdisciplinary Procedure Curriculum.

Introduction: This curriculum was designed to improve access to procedures for our internal medicine residents.

Methods: We created an interdisciplinary procedure course (IDPC) composed of two simulation sessions and a one-week procedural rotation supervised by multiple specialties including nephrology, cardiology, cardiothoracic anesthesiology, general anesthesiology, and interventional radiology. After the course, residents completed two surveys documenting the number of procedures and their level of confidence on a Likert scale (1 = very unconfident to 5 = very confident) prior to and after completing the curriculum.

A Case of Light Chain Deposition Disease Leading to Acute Liver Failure and Review of Literature.

Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) is a monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease characterized by light chain deposition in soft tissues and viscera, causing systemic organ dysfunction with an underlying lymphoproliferative disorder. While the kidney is the most affected organ, cardiac and hepatic involvement is also seen with LCDD. Hepatic manifestation can range from mild hepatic injury to fulminant liver failure.

Outcomes of Liver Transplantation in Patients With Preexisting Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Advances in surgical and medical technology over the years has made liver transplantation possible for older and higher risk patients. Despite rigorous preoperative cardiac testing, cardiovascular events remain a major cause of death after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, there are little data on the outcomes of OLT in patients with preexisting coronary artery disease (CAD).

Colorectal Dysplasia and Cancer Surveillance in Ulcerative Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a risk factor for the development of inflammation-associated dysplasia or colitis-associated neoplasia (CAN). This transformation results from chronic inflammation, which induces changes in epithelial proliferation, survival, and migration via the induction of chemokines and cytokines. There are notable differences in genetic mutation profiles between CAN in UC patients and sporadic colorectal cancer in the general population.

Optimal Tricuspid Regurgitation Velocity to Screen for Pulmonary Hypertension in Tertiary Referral Centers.

Background: A mean pulmonary artery pressure >20 mm Hg now defines pulmonary hypertension. We hypothesize that echocardiographic thresholds must be adjusted.

Research Question: Should tricuspid regurgitation velocity thresholds to screen for pulmonary hypertension be revised, given the new hemodynamic definition?

Study Design And Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 1,608 patients who underwent both echocardiography and right heart catherization within 4 weeks.