Pediatric Thyroidectomy: NSQIP-P Analysis of Adverse Perioperative Outcomes.

Background: This study identifies risk factors and 30-day adverse outcomes of pediatric patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Methods: Retrospective analysis utilizing the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement-Pediatric Database (2015-2016). Study population includes pediatric patients (≤18 years) who underwent hemithyroidectomy (HT), total thyroidectomy (TT), and total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection (TT+ND).

Eye-of-the-tiger Sign in Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation.

A 68-year-old male patient presented to the neurology clinic with tremor, lightheadedness, and a history of syncope. Exam showed mild Parkinsonism. Neuroimaging revealed symmetric lesions of the globus pallidus (the eye-of-the-tiger sign) concerning for neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA).

Guidelines for radiographic imaging of cranial neuropathies.

Disruption of the complex pathways of the 12 cranial nerves can occur at any site along their course, and many, varied pathologic processes may initially manifest as dysfunction and neuropathy. Radiographic imaging (computed topography or magnetic resonance imaging) is frequently used to evaluate cranial neuropathies; however, indications for imaging and imaging method of choice vary considerably between the cranial nerves. The purpose of this review is to provide an analysis of the diagnostic yield and the most clinically appropriate means to evaluate cranial neuropathies using radiographic imaging.

Cost-conscious decisions in the timing of operation for minimally symptomatic inguinal hernias in male patients.

Background: Expectant management (EM) and early open repair (OR) are safe and effective as initial management strategies for minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia in male patients. Extended follow-up of patients in EM protocols have shown that most patients will eventually require repair, but it is not clear which strategy is less costly over the long term.

Methods: We constructed a mathematical model to compare 3rd-party payer expenditures for EM vs OR or laparoscopic repair in a simulated cohort of patients with inguinal hernia.

Optimal Frequency of Psychosocial Distress Screening in Radiation Oncology.

Purpose: To accurately hypothesize the optimal frequency of psychosocial distress screening in patients undergoing radiation therapy using exploratory modeling of prospective data.

Materials And Methods: Between October 2010 and May 2011, 71 RT patients underwent daily screening with the Distress Thermometer. Prevalences of Distress Thermometer scores ≥ 4 were recorded.

Alternative diagnoses at paediatric appendicitis MRI.

As the utilization of MRI in the assessment for paediatric appendicitis increases in clinical practice, it is important to recognize alternative diagnoses as the cause of abdominal pain. The purpose of this review is to share our institution's experience using MRI in the evaluation of 510 paediatric patients presenting with suspected appendicitis over a 30 month interval (July 2011 to December 2013). An alternative diagnosis was documented in 98/510 (19.

Relationship between obesity, diabetes and the risk of thyroid cancer.

Purpose: Analyze the relationship between obesity and type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and the development of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Materials And Methods: A randomized case-controlled retrospective chart review of outpatient clinic patients at an academic medical center between January 2005 and December 2012. DTC patients were compared to two control groups: primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPTH) patients with euthyroid state and Internal Medicine (IM) patients.

An implemented MRI program to eliminate radiation from the evaluation of pediatric appendicitis.

Background: Recent efforts have been directed at reducing ionizing radiation delivered by CT scans to children in the evaluation of appendicitis. MRI has emerged as an alternative diagnostic modality. The clinical outcomes associated with MRI in this setting are not well-described.

Biomarker identification in psychiatric disorders: from neuroscience to clinical practice.

Patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit several neurobehavioral and neuropsychological alterations compared to healthy controls. However, signature endpoints of these behavioral manifestations have not yet been translated into clinical tests for diagnosis and follow-up measures. Recently, neuroproteomic approaches have been utilized to identify unique signature markers indicative of these disorders.

An updated overview of animal models in neuropsychiatry.

Animal models are vital tools to study the genetic, molecular, cellular, and environmental parameters involved in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Over the years, these models have expanded our understanding of the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Although animal models have been widely used in psychiatry, and despite several years of extensive research with these models, their validity is still being investigated and presents a challenge to both investigators and clinicians as well.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and CT perfusion changes.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) can present with focal neurologic deficits, mimicking a stroke and can often represent a diagnostic challenge when presenting atypically. A high degree of suspicion is required in the clinical setting in order to yield the diagnosis. Cerebral CT perfusion (CTP) is utilized in many institutions as the first line in acute stroke imaging.

Spatially adherent graphemic perseveration.

Background: There are several forms of agraphia, including: aphasic agraphia, where patients have impairments in writing the correct words or correctly spelling words; apraxic agraphia, where patients are impaired in making the movements needed to write letters; and spatial agraphia, where patients might fail to write letters on one side of a word or write on one side of a page. In several of these agraphic disorders, patients can make perseverative errors, and perseverative errors can even be seen in patients who do not have aphasia or apraxic agraphia. Patients who make continuous perseverative errors repeatedly writes the same letter (fruuuit) or word, and patients with recurrent perseverations change their letters, but then incorrectly use letter or word that was previously used (fruiut).