Does body mass index influence surgical options and overall survival in breast cancer patients?

Obesity is a relevant risk factor in breast cancer (BC), but little is known about the effects of overweight and obesity in surgical outcomes of BC patients. The aim of this study is to analyse surgical options and associated overall survival (OS) in overweight and obese women with BC. In this study, 2143 women diagnosed between 2012 and 2016 at the Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO-Porto) were included, and the clinicopathological information was retrieved from the institutional database.

Genetic Variants Are Not Rare in ICD Candidates with Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Time for Next-Generation Sequencing?

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk stratification in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has been based on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), even though SCD may occur with LVEF > 35%. Family history of unexplained SCD, especially in the young, raises concern about potential inheritable risk factors. It remains largely unknown how genetic tests can be integrated into clinical practice, particularly in the selection of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) candidates.

Molecular characterization of Portuguese patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of the heart muscle characterized by ventricular dilatation and impaired systolic function. Familial forms account for 30-50% of cases. Autosomal dominant inheritance is the predominant pattern of transmission.

Validation of the Portuguese version of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III in mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Background: Cognitive assessment is central to the diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia, and it should be performed in all patients in the early stages of the disease. Recently, the 3rd version of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-III) has been developed in order to improve the previous versions.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of ACE-III, namely: reliability and discriminative validity (sensitivity and specificity) in the identification of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, in comparison to other neuropsychological screening tests, as well as to establish its concurrent and divergent validity.

A comparison of predictors and intensity of acute postsurgical pain in patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty.

Background: Acute pain is an expected result after surgery. Nevertheless, when not appropriately controlled, acute pain has a very negative impact on individual clinical outcomes, impairing healing and recovery, and has clear consequences on health care system costs. Augmenting knowledge on predictors and potentially modifiable determinants of acute postsurgical pain can facilitate early identification of and intervention in patients at risk.

Ossiculoplasty in chronic otitis media: Surgical results and prognostic factors of surgical success.

Background And Objectives: The goal of ossiculoplasty is to improve hearing. Successful ossiculoplasty depends on several factors. This retrospective study was carried out to analyze hearing results of ossiculoplasty in ears with chronic otitis media (COM) and evaluate clinical outcomes and factors predictive of hearing improvement.

The Portuguese version of the RhinoQOL Questionnaire: validation and clinical application.

Introduction: Rhinosinusitis constitutes an important health problem, with significant interference in personal, professional, and social functioning. This study presents the validation process of the Portuguese version of the RhinoQOL, to be used as a routine procedure in the assessment of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objective: To demonstrate that the Portuguese version of the RhinoQOL is as valid as the English version to measure symptoms and health-related quality of life in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Capsule Endoscopy: Diagnostic Accuracy of Lewis Score in Patients with Suspected Crohn's Disease.

Background: The Lewis Score (LS) aims to standardize the method of quantification of small bowel inflammatory activity detected by the small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the LS in patients with suspected CD undergoing SBCE.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study including patients who underwent SBCE for suspected CD between September 2006 and February 2013.

Prosthetic aortic valve: a bone in the system.

We report a case of a 73-year-old female patient admitted to the surgical department for a splenic abscess. She had a history of a mechanical aortic valve implanted two years earlier. During the diagnostic work-up, the patient underwent a transesophageal echocardiogram that revealed the presence of multiple paravalvular abscesses, establishing the diagnosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Aortic root to left atrium fistula: a rare complication of infective endocarditis in a native aortic valve.

The image shows a pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa and a fistula between the non-coronary sinus and the left atrium.

Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation after sphincterotomy for difficult choledocholithiasis: A case-controlled study.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) + endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) vs isolated EST.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective single center study over two years, from February 2010 to January 2012. Patients with large (≥ 10 mm), single or multiple bile duct stones (BDS), submitted to endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) were included.

Oral purgative and simethicone before small bowel capsule endoscopy.

Aim: To evaluate small bowel cleansing quality, diagnostic yield and transit time, comparing three cleansing protocols prior to capsule endoscopy.

Methods: Sixty patients were prospectively enrolled and randomized to one of the following cleansing protocols: patients in Group A underwent a 24 h liquid diet and overnight fasting; patients in Group B followed protocol A and subsequently were administered 2 L of polyethylene glycol (PEG) the evening before the procedure; patients in Group C followed protocol B and were additionally administered 100 mg of simethicone 30 min prior to capsule ingestion. Small bowel cleansing was independently assessed by two experienced endoscopists and classified as poor, fair, good or excellent according to the proportion of small bowel mucosa under perfect conditions for visualization.

Lewis Score: a useful clinical tool for patients with suspected Crohn's Disease submitted to capsule endoscopy.

Background/aims: The Lewis Score (LS) can assess inflammatory activity on small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE). We aimed to evaluate the LS usefulness in the setting of suspected Crohn's Disease (CD).

Methods: Retrospective single-center study including 56 patients undergoing SBCE for suspected CD.

Postpartum spontaneous rupture of a liver hematoma associated with preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome.

We report the case of a 28-year-old nulliparous woman who presented at 36 weeks' gestation with preeclampsia: high blood pressure, proteinuria and edema. Serum test results were normal and platelet count was 155 x 10(3)/mm(3). After 30 h the patient initiated severe epigastric pain and vomits, and lab tests presented a slight increase in liver enzymes.