Point-of-care Ultrasound Used in the Diagnosis of Reverse Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a 50-year-old patient who presented to the emergency department with palpitations, nausea, vomiting, and chest discomfort. She was found to have a reduced ejection fraction and basal wall hypokinesis on point-of-care ultrasound concerning for reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Discussion: Reverse takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a rare variant of takotsubo cardiomyopathy and involves basal ballooning instead of apical ballooning.

Maxillary Dental Anatomy and Physiology: Endodontic and Periodontal.

The maxillary sinus floor is formed by the alveolar process of the maxilla. Frequently, the roots of maxillary molars and premolars may protrude into the sinus cavity, with only a thin membrane separating them. Endodontic infections are characterized by mixed biofilms of anaerobic and proteolytic bacteria that can infect the root canal space and accessory anatomy of those teeth producing apical periodontitis.

A Double-blinded Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing the Efficacy of Opioid Disposal Instructions with Parental Education on Proper Opioid Disposal Rates Following Ambulatory Pediatric Urologic Surgery.

Objectives: To determine if the administration of standardized opioid disposal instructions with focused parental education improves proper disposal of leftover opioid medication among families of children undergoing ambulatory urologic surgery compared to routine postoperative instructions.

Methods: A prospective, double-blinded, single-center randomized controlled trial was conducted in children 6-18 years undergoing ambulatory urology procedures between October 2021 and April 2023. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive either the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opioid disposal best practices worksheet plus nursing parental education or routine postoperative instructions alone.

Identification and Validation of Prognostic Model for Tumor Microenvironment-Associated Genes in Bladder Cancer Based on Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Data Sets.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cellular diversity in bladder cancer (BLCA) progression, leveraging single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data to identify potential prognostic biomarkers and construct a prognostic model for BLCA.

Methods: We analyzed scRNA-seq data of normal and tumor bladder cells from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to uncover crucial markers within the bladder TME. The study compared gene expression in normal versus tumor bladder cells, identifying differentially expressed genes.

Unraveling the Complexities of Uretero-Enteric Strictures: A Modern Review.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review article is to provide a contemporary overview of benign uretero-enteric anastomotic stricture (UAS) management and outcomes.

Recent Findings: In this article, we will review the most recent studies investigating UAS and evaluate etiology, potential risk factors, presentation, diagnosis, and management options, along with personal insight gained from our experience with managing this challenging reconstructive complication. Benign UAS is a relatively common long-term complication of intestinal urinary diversion, affecting approximately 1 in 10 patients.

Firearm Fatalities in the Pediatric Population: A Retrospective Study From the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Gunshot injuries are one of the leading causes of death from trauma in the United States. In recent years, the US has experienced an increasing number of fatal pediatric cases related to firearms.A search of the database of the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office over the period January 2016-December 2021 revealed 418 deaths by gunshot wounds (GSWs) among people aged between 0 and 18 years old.

Recurrent Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding due to Radiation-Induced Hemorrhagic Gastroduodenal Ectasia: A Review of Current Treatment Options for Radiation-Induced Gastric Injury.

Introduction: Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most common medical emergencies that present to the hospital, and delineating the underlying etiology is essential to provide adequate definitive treatment. The purpose of this case report was to review the diagnosis and treatment of a rare complication known as radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis (RIHG) that can occur in patients with prior radiation exposure. The motivation for this study arose from the identification of a case within our institution.

Association of circulating tumor DNA with patient prognosis in surgically resected renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Despite complete resection, 20%-50% of patients with localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) experience recurrence within 5 years. Accurate assessment of prognosis in high-risk patients would aid in improving outcomes. Here we evaluate the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in RCC using banked samples and clinical data from a single institution.

Flecainide overdose-induced wide-complex tachyarrhythmia treated with sodium bicarbonate infusion.

Flecainide is a medication used to treat supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Cases of overdoses are rare, however, can lead to significant cardiac effects. In previous cases of flecainide toxicity, treatment with sodium bicarbonate, intravenous lipid emulsion and amiodarone have been reported to be effective in preventing cardiovascular collapse and reestablishing baseline rhythm.

Urine Biopsy as Dynamic Biomarker to Enhance Clinical Staging of Bladder Cancer in Radical Cystectomy Candidates.

Purpose: There is significant interest in identifying complete responders to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) before radical cystectomy (RC) to potentially avoid removal of a pathologically benign bladder. However, clinical restaging after NAC is highly inaccurate. The objective of this study was to develop a next-generation sequencing-based molecular assay using urine to enhance clinical staging of patients with bladder cancer.

Direct to Patient Synchronous Teledermatology During COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, teledermatology became a popular mode of health care delivery. Thus, deciphering which diagnoses are best suited for synchronous video visits is important to guide providers on appropriate patient care. We conducted a retrospective study of 1,647 submitted synchronous video visits from September 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 at a single, large academic institution.

Endoscopic management of surgical complications.

While the endoscopic management of surgical complications like leaks, fistulas, and perforations is rapidly evolving, its core principles revolve around closure, drainage, and containment. Effectively managing these conditions relies on several factors, such as the underlying cause, chronicity of the lesion, tissue viability, co-morbidities, availability of devices, and expertise required to perform the endoscopy. In contrast to acute perforation, fistulas and leaks often demand a multimodal approach requiring more than one session to achieve the required results.

Role of Gut Microbiome in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Urothelial Carcinoma: A Multi-institutional Prospective Cohort Evaluation.

Unlabelled: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is linked with clinical advantages in urothelial carcinoma for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Despite comprehensive research into the influence of tumor mutation expression profiles and clinicopathologic factors on chemotherapy response, the role of the gut microbiome (GM) in bladder cancer chemotherapy response remains poorly understood. This study examines the variance in the GM of patients with bladder cancer compared with healthy adults, and investigates GM compositional differences between patients who respond to chemotherapy versus those who exhibit residual disease.

Long-term bladder outcomes using a prescriber pattern scoring system for posterior urethral valves.

Background: Urinary drainage for posterior urethral valves can be achieved with valve ablation (VA) or diversion by vesicostomy (VES) or cutaneous ureterostomy (CU). The effect of these interventions on long-term bladder function remains debated, and voiding symptomatology after VES or CU reversal has been poorly characterized.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and scope of physician treatment patterns as a surrogate for retention or incontinence symptomatology among PUV patients undergoing primary VA or diversion by VES/CU and determine rates of progression to augmentation.

Drug-Induced Liver Injury in Pregnancy: The U.S. Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network Experience.

There are limited data on the causative agents and characteristics of drug-induced liver injury in pregnant individuals. Data from patients with drug-induced liver injury enrolled in the ongoing multicenter Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network between 2004 and 2022 and occurring during pregnancy or 6 months postpartum were reviewed and compared with cases of drug-induced liver injury in nonpregnant women of childbearing age. Among 325 individuals of childbearing age in the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network, 16 cases of drug-induced liver injury (5%) occurred during pregnancy or postpartum.

Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus on Routine Pelvic US for Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a prevalent and potentially debilitating condition that mostly affects individuals of reproductive age, and often has a substantial diagnostic delay. US is usually the first-line imaging modality used when patients report chronic pelvic pain or have issues of infertility, both common symptoms of endometriosis. Other than the visualization of an endometrioma, sonologists frequently do not appreciate endometriosis on routine transvaginal US images.

Catatonia and melancholia interface: exploring a new paradigm for evaluation and treatment. A case series and literature review.

Background: Catatonia has been increasingly associated with mood disorders and is recognized as a specifier in the DSM-5 and DSM-5-TR. The DSM-5-TR recognizes melancholia as a specifier for depressive episodes in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. It is characterized by severe anhedonia, lack of reactivity, excessive or delusional guilt, and significant vegetative symptoms.

Amiodarone and Dronedarone Causes Liver Injury with Distinctly Different Clinical Presentations.

Objective: To describe hepatotoxicity due to amiodarone and dronedarone from the DILIN and the US FDA's surveillance database.

Methods: Hepatotoxicity due to amiodarone and dronedarone enrolled in the U.S.

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial miniforceps biopsy an urban center experience.

Background: The role of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in staging mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is well established. However, evidence of its diagnostic utility in other pathologies-such as lymphoma-remains inadequate. This retrospective observational study aims to determine the diagnostic yield of EBUS-guided miniforceps biopsy (EBUS-MFB) compared to EBUS-TBNA in both malignant and nonmalignant conditions.