The Sequence and Reconstructive Modality of Breast Cancer Treatments Affects Wait Times to Adjunctive Therapies in Patients Undergoing Mastectomy with Immediate Breast Reconstruction.

Breast cancer care requires both oncologists and plastic surgeons. Coordinating these specialists and combining extirpative and reconstructive procedures before adjunctive therapies can cause delays in care. For patients with less advanced disease, surgery is performed before adjunctive therapies, requiring early specialist coordination and the possibility of surgical complications.

Temporal Sequencing of Multimodal Treatment in Immediate Breast Reconstruction and Implications for Wait Times: A Regional Canadian Cross-Sectional Study.

Treatment of breast cancer requires a multimodal approach with numerous independent specialists. Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) adds another layer of coordination to comprehensive breast cancer care. To optimize health outcomes for patients seeking IBR, it is essential to efficiently coordinate the temporal sequence of care modalities inclusive of reconstruction.

Decreased Use of Anti-Inflammatory Medications in Autoimmune Connective Tissue Disease Patients Following Breast Implant Removal: A National Analysis.

Background: Recent case studies demonstrate resolution of rheumatologic symptoms following implant explantation, raising concern around breast implant illness and associated inflammatory symptomatology. In patients with connective tissue disorders (CTD) and breast implants, we quantified the number of anti-inflammatory medications as a proxy for inflammation and disease burden before and after implant removal.

Methods: Using the Clinformatics Data Mart Database, adult female patients from 2003 to 2021 were queried.

Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Immediate Breast Reconstruction Access.

Aims: As a result of COVID-19, there have been restrictions on surgical interventions across Canada. Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR), while an essential component of cancer care, is classified as elective surgery and therefore has been restricted in access over the course of the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to compare wait times for breast cancer patients undergoing surgical intervention for IBR before and since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Best Under Stress: An Analysis of Breast Tissue Expander Response to External Forces.

Background: The use of breast tissue expanders (TEs) in breast reconstruction is accompanied by undesired changes to the chest wall and lateral plane. Breast TEs are designed to create a naturally formed breast pocket by capitalizing on the ductile response of skin tissue; however, in practice, the use of expanders is accompanied by undesired changes to the chest wall and lateral plane.

Objectives: The authors of this study compared 3 comparably sized and commercially available breast TEs to assess the mechanical profile and functionality of each design.

Electrocardiographic Findings in Professional Male Athletes.

Objective: To generate granular normative electrocardiogram (ECG) data and characterize the variation by ethnicity and sport played.

Design: Cross-sectional study; ECGs were collected from preseason screening programs from 2012 to 2019 and interpreted in accordance with athlete-specific guidelines.

Setting: Of the professional athletes based in Vancouver, the North Shore Heart Centre performs the annual preparticipation ECG screening.

Rivaroxaban-Associated Bullous Pemphigoid in a Patient With Atrial Fibrillation.

Rivaroxaban is commonly used for prevention of thromboembolic diseases in patients with atrial fibrillation. We report a case of an 86-year-old man with hypertension, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and atrial fibrillation who developed bullous eruptions 1 week after a rivaroxaban dose increase. He was subsequently hospitalized, and direct immunofluorescence confirmed bullous pemphigoid (BP).

Patient-Reported Experiences in Outpatient Telehealth Heart Failure Management.

Background: With the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the delivery of routine outpatient heart failure (HF) care abruptly shifted to telehealth. Appropriate HF management extensively relies upon patient-reported symptoms. With the growing attention towards patient-centered care, our team recognized an invaluable opportunity to solicit patient-reported subjective experiences regarding telehealth.

Dysregulation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Diabetic Retinopathy and Potential Therapeutic Targets.

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is an insidious neurovascular disorder secondary to chronic glycemic dysregulation in elderly diabetic patients. In the later stages of DR, the disease manifests as fluid infiltrating the macula, culminating in the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment in working age adults. With the current mainstay treatments preoccupied with slowing down the progression of DR, this presents an unsustainable solution from both an economic and quality of life perspective.