Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules (THYCOVID): a retrospective, international, multicentre, cross-sectional study.

Background: Since its outbreak in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has diverted resources from non-urgent and elective procedures, leading to diagnosis and treatment delays, with an increased number of neoplasms at advanced stages worldwide. The aims of this study were to quantify the reduction in surgical activity for indeterminate thyroid nodules during the COVID-19 pandemic; and to evaluate whether delays in surgery led to an increased occurrence of aggressive tumours.

Methods: In this retrospective, international, cross-sectional study, centres were invited to participate in June 22, 2022; each centre joining the study was asked to provide data from medical records on all surgical thyroidectomies consecutively performed from Jan 1, 2019, to Dec 31, 2021.

What makes them different? An exploration of mentoring for female faculty, residents, and medical students pursuing a career in surgery.

Background: This qualitative study examines the roles of mentoring and gender in choosing and continuing in a surgical career for women across the continuum.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were held with a purposive sample of 24 female surgical faculty, residents, and aspiring medical students from one institution between November 2018 and January 2019. Interview transcripts were analyzed using traditional thematic analysis methods aided by computerized software.

Curettage and graft alleviates athletic-limiting pain in benign lytic bone lesions.

Background: Solitary bone cysts (SBC), nonossifying fibromas (NOF), and fibrous dysplasia (FD) create benign intramedullary lytic bone lesions. They are typically asymptomatic and treated conservatively. We present a series of lesions that caused performance-limiting pain in young athletes, a symptom phenomenon and possible treatment indication that has been poorly described in the literature.

Treatment of adult rhabdomyosarcoma.

Objectives: Rhabdomyosarcoma is an exceedingly rare tumor in adults, and standard chemotherapy used for children is much less effective in adults. This study examines short-term outcomes using doxorubicin, ifosfamide, and vincristine for adult rhabdomyosarcoma.

Methods: Pathology records were searched for adults (age, >18) with rhabdomyosarcoma treated at our musculoskeletal tumor center.

Ethanol sclerotherapy reduces pain in symptomatic musculoskeletal hemangiomas.

Unlabelled: Hemangiomas, benign vascular lesions, require intervention if causing pain or functional limitations. Functional deficits are common after excision, favoring minimally invasive treatments. To determine whether ethanol sclerotherapy reduces pain and lesion size and to assess complications in symptomatic musculoskeletal hemangiomas, we retrospectively reviewed 19 patients (six males, 13 females; mean age, 34 years) meeting criteria of confirmed hemangioma, treatment with ethanol sclerotherapy, and minimum of 6 weeks of followup.

Chondromyxoid fibroma involving the metacarpophalangeal joint.

Chondromyxoid fibroma is a rare benign bony tumor classically occurring in the metaphyseal region of the long bones surrounding the knee, but also found with relative frequency in other long bones, the pelvis, ribs, and small foot bones. The small bones of the hand, however, are rarely involved. The tumor is considered a physeal plate remnant and may involve the epiphysis, diaphysis, or both along with its metaphyseal origin.

Increasing the efficiency of in-capillary electrophoretically mediated microanalysis reactions via rapid polarity switching.

We report herein a new approach to enhance the sensitivity or speed of CE-based methods that involve in-line reactions. Rapid polarity switching (RPS) is used as a novel means for in-line mixing of two reactant solutions via rapid (1-5 s) and sequential switching of the applied potential field. By employing the RPS approach with a model chemical reaction, that between creatinine and alkaline picrate, significant enhancement in sensitivity (or a decrease in analysis time) is realized.