Anti‑phenolic glycolipid‑I seropositivity among household contacts of leprosy patients in Egypt.

Leprosy is a chronic, debilitating disease lacking a definitive diagnostic biomarker. Serum anti-phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) IgM antibody level is considered an important diagnostic and prognostic marker for leprosy patients. However, there is limited evidence on the role of anti-PGL-I IgM antibody level as early predictive biomarker of subclinical infection among Egyptian household contacts of leprosy patients.

Efficacy and safety of active vitamin D supplementation in chronic spontaneous urticaria patients.

Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common skin disorder affecting negatively patients' lives. Vitamin D deficiency has been reported to be associated to many allergic skin disorders.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between the serum level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D and CSU and to assess the efficacy and safety of active vitamin D in management of CSU.

Aggregation properties of triamcinolone acetonide injection in human serum: considerations when performing epidural steroid injections.

Background: Morbidity has been reported as a sequelae of crystalline steroid epidural steroid injections (ESIs), and particulate steroid size, aggregation, and embolization in brain and spinal cord may be the mechanism related to these neurologic effects.

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the aggregation properties of triamcinolone acetonide in commonly used local anesthetics with and without human serum.

Setting: This study was conducted in an academic tertiary care center.

The significance of enlarged cervical lymph nodes in diagnosing thyroid cancer.

Introduction: We aim to investigate the significance of enlarged cervical lymph nodes (ECLN) identified by initial surgeon-performed ultrasound (US) as a tool for determining the risk of malignancy in the patients presenting with suspicious thyroid nodules.

Methods: Radiological and surgical reports were retrospectively reviewed for the patients with suspicious thyroid nodules who underwent thyroidectomy and preoperative comprehensive neck US. Ultrasonographic features of the identified cervical lymph nodes were correlated with the final pathology report.

Robotic Thyroidectomy Versus Nonrobotic Approaches: A Meta-Analysis Examining Surgical Outcomes.

Background Robotic surgery has been recently used as a novel tool for remote access thyroid surgery. We performed a meta-analysis of the current literature to examine the safety and oncological efficacy of robotic surgery compared to endoscopic and conventional approaches for different thyroid procedures. Methods A systematic search of the online data bases was done using the following (MeSH) terms "robotic surgery," "robotic thyroidectomy," "robot-assisted thyroidectomy," and "robot-assisted thyroid surgery.

Lithium-Associated Hyperparathyroidism: A Pooled Analysis.

Background: Lithium treatment has been associated with hyperparathyroidism (HPT). However, there are conflicting data regarding the rate of single- (SGD) versus multiple-gland disease (MGD) as well as the optimum surgical approach in these cases.

Methods: Published data were identified through systematic electronic literature searches.

Electrophysiologic identification and monitoring of the external branch of superior laryngeal nerve during thyroidectomy.

Objective: The aim of the study is to examine the correlation between weight, gender, and race with external branch of superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) visualization. Furthermore, we compared normative EBSLN neural-monitoring values to those of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN).

Study Design: Retrospective study.

The impact of thyroid nodule size on the risk of malignancy in follicular neoplasms.

Background/aim: Studies have shown that the risk of malignancy in follicular neoplasms is as high as 30%. Often, surgery is recommended for such lesions, not for therapeutic purposes but as a diagnostic method, leading to increased hospital costs and related morbidities. Recent studies have suggested that tumor size predicts malignant potential of these follicular neoplasms.

Different surgical approaches in parathyroid adenoma resections.

Three patients were referred to our clinic for the management of a persistent symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism. Pre-operative imageological localization revealed evidence of an adenoma. Here we are presenting three videos demonstrating the different surgical approaches of parathyroid adenoma resection, with the use of an intraoperative gamma probe and nerve monitoring.

Modified robotic-assisted thyroidectomy: an initial experience with the retroauricular approach.

Objectives/hypothesis: New approaches for robotic-assisted thyroidectomy, including the retroauricular approach, were recently described. We have modified the established surgical approach for retroauricular robotic thyroidectomy. Herein, we report our initial experience to identify challenges and limitations of this new surgical approach.

Retroauricular robotic thyroidectomy with concomitant neck-lift surgery.

Background: Robotic-assisted thyroid surgery using a retroauricular approach was reported as a novel remote access technique for hemithyroidectomy. We report our experience with this remote access technique using a single incision in the retroauricular crease and occipital hairline incision. For the first time, we show additional neck-lift surgery performed concomitantly to achieve better cosmetic outcomes.

Alternate incision-site thyroidectomy.

Purpose Of Review: Thyroid surgery has evolved throughout the years, from being one of the riskiest surgeries into one of the safest surgical procedures performed today. Recent technologic innovations have allowed surgeons to remove the thyroid gland from a remote site while avoiding visible neck scars. This article aims to provide the reader with an overview of the current alternate-site approaches used and their capability to assist the surgeons in accomplishing remote-access thyroid surgery.