Intracoronary imaging guidance of percutaneous coronary interventions: how and when to apply validated metrics to improve the outcome.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is still burdened by a substantial number of complications despite constant technological advances, including the advent of intracoronary imaging (ICI) techniques. ICI modalities have been instrumental for the understanding the mechanism of PCI failure. Thanks to the ability to detail the pre-intervention coronary anatomy and identify the features indicative of sub-optimal stent deployment, ICI techniques can be utilised to improve coronary interventions in different clinical scenarios.

Influence of Opacity Depth on Big Bubble Formation During Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty in Corneal Stromal Scars.

Purpose: To identify the key preoperative predictors of big bubble (BB) formation during deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in patients with corneal stromal scars (CSS).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients with CSS after infective keratitis who underwent BB-deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty between January 2021 and July 2023 at a tertiary referral center. Topographic and tomographic data were collected to compare the rates and types of BB formations.

Non-palpable breast lesions localization techniques - A new priority: Results of a Senonetwork survey among breast centers in Italy.

Introduction: Non palpable breast tumors are increasingly diagnosed because of screening programs, and their localization during surgery is essential to ensure an adequate resection. Little is known regarding which techniques are used in "real world".

Materials And Methods: A national web-based survey, with a 21-items questionnaire, was conducted among Breast Centers (BCs) in Italy in 2023.

A randomized phase II trial of Captem or Folfiri as second-line therapy in neuroendocrine carcinomas.

Background: Neuroendocrine Carcinomas (NECs) prognosis is poor.No standard second-line therapy is currently recognized after failure of platinum-based first-line treatment. FOLFIRI and CAPTEM regimens have shown promising activity in preliminary studies.

A multicenter protocol to assess the prognostic significance of the tumor microenvironment in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

Background: The purpose of this multicenter study was to retrospectively investigate the prognostic significance of the tumor microenvironment, in relation to survival in a large cohort of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), using the method proposed by the International TILs Working Group in breast cancer.

Methods: All consecutive patients with biopsy-proven LSCC who underwent total laryngectomy (TL) between January 2014 and January 2023 were retrospectively included in the study. A retrospective review of medical records including surgical, pathological and follow-up reports was performed.

Role of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and the Tumor Microenvironment in the Survival of Malignant Parotid Gland Tumors: A Two-Centre Retrospective Analysis of 107 Patients.

This study aims to retrospectively investigate the prognostic significance of the tumor microenvironment, with a focus on TILs (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes), in relation to survival in a large cohort of patients with parotid gland cancer, and it uses the method proposed by the International TILs Working Group in breast cancer. We included a cohort of consecutive patients with biopsy-proven parotid cancer who underwent surgery between January 2010 and September 2023. A retrospective review of medical records, including surgical, pathological and follow-up reports, was performed.

Outcomes of off-the-shelf preloaded inner branch device for urgent endovascular thoraco-abdominal aortic repair in the ItaliaN Branched Registry of E-nside EnDograft.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the outcomes of endovascular urgent thoracoabdominal aortic (TAAA) repair, using an off-the-shelf preloaded inner branch device (E-nside; Artivion).

Methods: Data from a physician-initiated national multicenter registry, including patients treated with E-nside endograft (INBREED) were prospectively collected (2020-2024); only urgent cases were included in this study. Primary outcomes were technical success and mortality at 30 days.

Impact of Surgeon's Experience and Tumor's Nature in the Use of Intraoperative Facial Nerve Monitoring in Superficial Parotidectomy. Preliminary Results from a Single-Center Retrospective Analysis.

To assess the effectiveness of intraoperative facial nerve monitoring (IFNM) compared to non-monitoring in the prevention of post-operative facial nerve palsy during superficial parotidectomy. Patients treated with curative intent for parotid gland tumors between January 2020 and January 2022 were included. The study population has been divided in 2 groups, based on IFNM: the group A included patients operated with IFNM, whilst group B was the non-monitoring group.

Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: Tips & Tricks for New Users Based on a Retrospective Observational Study of the First 100 Patients.

Aim: To report our institutional experience with full-endoscopic lumbar discectomy (FELD) and analyzed the pertinent literature.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 100 patients who had undergone full-endoscopic discectomy for lumbar disc herniation using either an interlaminar (IL) or transforaminal (TF) approach. All patients underwent pre-operative imaging.

Eliminate LDL cholesterol after heart attack … but only for a while.

There is a clear demonstration of the inverse linear correlation between LDL cholesterol levels and clinical benefit. However, the timing of the action of lipid-lowering drugs is not clear. According to animal studies with recombinant lipoprotein A-1, the composition of atherosclerosis changes within 40 h (with variations in lipid and inflammatory contents).

Management of atrial arrhythmias identified by cardiac devices.

Implantable cardiac devices have shown that atrial fibrillation (AF) is more frequent than previously assumed, with subclinical, asymptomatic, self-limiting manifestations called atrial high-rate events (AHREs) or subclinical AF. The clinical significance and correct therapeutic management of these episodes of subclinical AF is less well defined than in the case of clinically manifest AF. Two important randomized studies on the topic have recently been published, NOAH-AFNET 6 and ARTESIA, which, however, have not definitively clarified the topic.

Application and internal validation of lung ultrasound score in COVID-19 setting: The ECOVITA observational study.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronarovirus-2 associated still causes a significant number of deaths and hospitalizations mainly by the development of respiratory failure. We aim to validate lung ultrasound score in order to predict mortality and the severity of the clinical course related to the need of respiratory support.

Methods: In this prospective multicenter hospital-based cohort study, all adult patients with diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, performed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were included.

Establishment of a Biorepository for Down Syndrome: Experience of the Inter-Institutional Multidisciplinary BioBank - BioBIM.

Background: Down syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is the leading genetic cause of cognitive disability in children and is associated with a high risk of several comorbidities, particularly congenital heart defects, early onset Alzheimer's disease, leukaemia, and autoimmune disorders.

Objective: This study describes the design, methods, and operational procedures employed to establish a biobank dedicated to Down syndrome that can support research projects investigating the effects of various genetic and environmental factors on this complex disease.

Methods: Blood was collected from all recruited subjects, processed, aliquoted and immediately frozen at -80 °C in the Interinstitutional Multidisciplinary BioBank (BioBIM) facilities.

Healthcare professionals' perspectives on the use of PCSK9 inhibitors in cardiovascular disease: an in-depth qualitative study.

Aims: Injectable medicines such as PCSK9 inhibitors are increasingly used to manage risk factors for cardiovascular events with little information around the perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the administrative and clinical practicalities. The aim was to identify the facilitators and barriers on the use of injectable therapies with cardiovascular benefits through interviews with HCPs.

Methods And Results: Qualitative interviews were conducted in the UK (London and Leeds) and Italy (Rome and Milan) in 2021.

Controversy in cardiology: clopidogrel or acetylsalicylic acid in the treatment of chronic coronary syndromes?

Secondary prevention of patients with chronic coronary syndrome is based on the long-term use of a single anti-aggregating drug which is traditionally represented by acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in light of the results of studies and meta-analyses which have demonstrated a clear anti-ischaemic efficacy against of an acceptable increase in the risk of bleeding, especially intracranial and gastrointestinal bleeding. The availability of drugs such as clopidogrel, which inhibits platelet activity through the P2Y12 receptor pathway, has called into question this paradigm, also in consideration of the fact that the scientific evidence that supports the use of ASA in secondary prevention is based on dated studies with some limitations. Over the last few years, randomized trials have demonstrated how clopidogrel has an efficacy profile comparable to that of ASA and a safety profile that is sometimes even better.

Intracoronary imaging to guide percutaneous coronary intervention: from evidence to guidelines.

Despite notable advances in devices and techniques, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is still affected by a substantial number of complications and failure rates. Over the years, the use of intracoronary imaging (ICI) has dramatically improved the understanding of mechanical and technical factors related to successful and failed PCI, becoming a mainstay in complex trans-catheter interventions. However, ICI modalities are invasive, time-consuming, and costly, and a net clinical benefit needs to be shown in order to recommend their routine use in clinical practice.

Tissue expression of miR-449a as risk factor for occult neck metastasis in patients with cT3-T4 N0 laryngeal cancer. A pilot study.

Objective: To explore the potential role of miR-449a as biomarker for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), especially in the decision strategy of neck dissection (ND).

Methods: Each patient underwent total laryngectomy and bilateral ND (levels II-IV); during surgery, tissue samples of around 1 × 0.5 cm were extracted from both healthy tissue adjacent to the tumor and the visibly affected tumor tissue.

The "state of the art" of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring: An Italian neurosurgical survey.

Introduction: Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IOM) is widely used in neurosurgery but specific guidelines are lacking. Therefore, we can assume differences in IOM application between Neurosurgical centers.

Research Question: The section of Functional Neurosurgery of the Italian Society of Neurosurgery realized a survey aiming to obtain general data on the current practice of IOM in Italy.