The importance of clinician, patient and researcher collaborations in Alport syndrome.

Alport syndrome is caused by mutations in the genes COL4A3, COL4A4 or COL4A5 and is characterised by progressive glomerular disease, sensorineural hearing loss and ocular defects. Occurring in less than 1:5000, Alport syndrome is a rare genetic disorder but still accounts for > 1% of the prevalent population receiving renal replacement therapy. There is also increasing awareness about the risk of chronic kidney disease in individuals with heterozygous mutations in Alport syndrome genes.

Overcoming metallic artefacts from orthopaedic wrist volar plating on a low-field MRI scanner.

Purpose: To quantitatively compare the artefact reduction between standard and metallic artefact reduction (MAR) fast spin echo (FSE) T2 sequences in a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner (0.3 T) in patients with titanium volar wrist plating.

Materials And Methods: Sixteen patients with fractures of the distal radius, treated with titanium volar wrist plating and screws, were examined using a dedicated 0.

Safety and usefulness of flexible hand-held laser fibers in microsurgical removal of acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas).

Aims: We performed a retrospective non-randomized study to analyze the results of microsurgery of acoustic neuromas (AN) using two different flexible hand-held laser fibers, CO2 (Omniguide(®)) and 2μ-Thulium (Revolix jr(®)).

Methods: From September 2010 to June 2015, 84 patients suffering from AN have been operated on with microsurgical technique via retrosigmoid (RS) approach. In 42 cases tumor resection was performed with the assistance of hand-held flexible laser (L-group): in 8 cases CO2-fiber and in 34 2μ-Thulium-fiber.

Are abdominal aortic aneurysms with hostile neck really unsuitable for EVAR? Our experience.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms with hostile neck, comparing the results with those of patients with ideal anatomical conditions.

Materials And Methods: From January 2005 to December 2013, 300 patients were treated with EVAR at our institution. Patients with a prior Angio-CT scan were included in the study and they were then retrospectively divided into two groups: patients with suitable anatomy that were treated within guidelines of the manufacturers (wIFU: 94 patients, four treated in emergency) and those with unsuitable anatomy that were treated outside of said guidelines (oIFU: 70 patients, 16 treated in emergency).

Isolated iliac artery aneurysms: a single-centre experience.

Purpose: This paper reviews our experience in endovascular treatment of isolated iliac artery aneurysms (IIAAs) with a large number of patients.

Materials And Methods: From May 2005 to September 2013, 45 patients (43 men and two women; mean age, 74 ± 10 years) with a total of 59 IIAAs underwent endovascular treatment at our institute. We evaluated technical success, long-term patency, early and late complications and overall mortality.