[A Case of a Breast Cancer Patient with Cardiac Metastasis].

The patient was a 65-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Stage III A triple-negative breast cancer(T2N2aM0)at the age of 63. AC chemotherapy(3 months)followed by paclitaxel plus bevacizumab(4 months)was administered as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After chemotherapy, she underwent mastectomy and lymph node dissection.

Obstetric anaesthesia practice: Dashboard as a dynamic audit tool.

Rapid advances and improved networking abilities have led to the widespread adoption of technology in healthcare, especially focused on diagnostics, documentation and evaluation, or mining of data to improve outcomes. Current technology allows for rapid and accurate decision-making in clinical care decisions for individual patients, collation and analysis at different levels for administrative and financial purposes, and the ability to visualise, analyse, and share data in real time for departmental needs. The adoption of technology may help to improve efficiency and efficacy of healthcare services.

Ivabradine abrogates TNF-α-induced degradation of articular cartilage matrix.

Ivabradine is most commonly used for the treatment of worsening cardiac failure in patients who cannot tolerate the maximum dose of β-blockers or in whom treatment with β-blockers is contraindicated. While ivabradine is regarded as a highly selective "funny current" (I) inhibitor, the molecular mechanism behind the effect of this drug remains poorly understood. In the present study, we applied ivabradine in the context of osteoarthritis by treating primary human chondrocytes with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and measuring degradation of the articular cartilage matrix as well as the expression of various enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Maternal critical care in resource-limited settings. Narrative review.

Maternal critical care reflects interdisciplinary care in any hospital area according to the severity of illness of the pregnant woman. The admission rate to intensive care units is below 1% (0.08-0.

Critical care in obstetrics.

Pregnancy is a normal physiologic process with the potential for pathologic states. Pregnancy has several unique characteristics including an utero-placental interface, a physiologic stress that can cause pathologic states to develop, and a maternal-foetal interface that can affect two lives simultaneously or in isolation. Critical illness in pregnant women may result from deteriorating preexisting conditions, diseases that are co-incidental to pregnancy, or pregnancy-specific conditions.

Safety and efficacy of elbasvir and grazoprevir in Japanese hemodialysis patients with genotype 1b hepatitis C virus infection.

Background: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in hemodialysis patients is high and results in a poor prognosis. Thus, safer and more effective treatment regimens are required. In this prospective multicenter study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of the novel HCV-NS5A-inhibitor, elbasvir, and protease inhibitor, grazoprevir in Japanese hemodialysis patients with genotype 1b HCV infection.

Placement of tracheobronchial silicone Y-stents: Multicenter experience and systematic review of the literature.

Background: Airway obstruction or tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) near the tracheal carina requires placement of Y-shaped stents. Herein, we describe our multicenter experience with the placement of Dumon silicone Y-stents. We also conduct a systematic review for studies describing the deployment of airway silicone Y-stents.

Testosterone effects on pain and brain activation patterns.

Background: This study investigated whether pain and pain-related unpleasantness ratings were altered by blood testosterone levels. We also investigated whether activation of brain regions that represent pain intensity [primary somatosensory cortex (S1)] and pain-related unpleasantness [perigenual ACC (pACC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)] were affected by blood testosterone levels.

Methods: Twenty-six healthy men were recruited.

Progression of Hip Displacement during Radiographic Surveillance in Patients with Cerebral Palsy.

Progression of hip displacement is common in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). We aimed to investigate the rate of progression of hip displacement in patients with CP by assessing changes in radiographic indices according to Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level during hip surveillance. We analyzed the medical records of patients with CP aged < 20 years who underwent at least 6 months interval of serial hip radiographs before any surgical hip intervention, including reconstructive surgery.

The Clinical Significance of Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebrae on the Surgical Outcomes of Lumbar Discectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Young Adults.

Objective: To evaluate whether the presence of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) affects the clinical outcomes of microdiscectomy (MD) in young adults with lumbar disc herniation.

Methods: We retrospectively included 398 patients who were followed-up for at least 2 years after MD for lumbar disc herniation at L4/5 (disc above the LSTV). The patients were divided into 2 groups.

Radiologic Findings and Risk Factors of Adjacent Segment Degeneration after Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion : A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study with 3-Year Follow-Up Using MRI.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to figure out the radiologic findings and risk factors related to adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using 3-year follow-up radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance image (MRI).

Methods: A retrospective matched comparative study was performed for 64 patients who underwent single-level ACDF with a cage and plate. Radiologic parameters, including upper segment range of motion (USROM), lower segment range of motion (LSROM), upper segment disc height (UDH), and lower segment disc height (LDH), clinical outcomes assessed with neck and arm visual analogue scale (VAS), and risk factors were analyzed.

The Fate of Adjacent Segments After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: The Influence of an Anterior Plate System.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with cage alone (ACDF-CA) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with cage and plate (ACDF-CP) with regard to adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) diagnosed by the use of CT and MRI with retrospective matched cohort design.

Methods: This study enrolled 68 patients who underwent single-level ACDF who were diagnosed with cervical degenerative disc disease and were followed up for at least 2 years with plain radiographs, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the operation method: ACDF-CA (33 patients) and ACDF-CP (35 patients).

Back muscle changes after pedicle based dynamic stabilization.

Objective: Many studies have investigated paraspinal muscle changes after posterior lumbar surgery, including lumbar fusion. However, no study has been performed to investigate back muscle changes after pedicle based dynamic stabilization in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal diseases. In this study, the authors compared back muscle cross sectional area (MCSA) changes after non-fusion pedicle based dynamic stabilization.

Morphometrical study of uncinate processes and vertebral body of cervical spine.

Objective: The anatomical knowledge is the most important and has a direct link with success of operation in cervical spine surgery. The authors measured various cervical parameters in cadaveric dry bones and compared with previous reported results.

Methods: We made 255 dry bones age from 19 to 72 years (mean, 42.

Dissolution of pharmacobezoar using carbonated beverage.

Bezoars are concretion of undigested material found in the upper alimentary tract, particularly the stomach. Physiologic disturbances such as gastrointestinal dysmotility or anatomical derangements have been described as contributory in most cases of pharmacobezoars. Gastric phamacobezoars can be treated with endoscopic fragmentation or surgery.

Small cell carcinoma occurring in a case of ulcerative colitis.

A 61-year-old man, with an 8-year history of ulcerative colitis, presented with bleeding per rectum for 4 weeks' duration. Colonoscopy revealed polypoidal neoplasm at the rectosigmoid junction. Histopathology depicted small cell carcinoma.

Gastric lymphoma presenting as phlegmonous gastritis.

Phlegmonous gastritis is an uncommon local or diffuse bacterial infection of the stomach wall. It is an extremely rare disease with a fulminating course and a high mortality rate. A majority of cases are diagnosed only postmortem, and early diagnosis is crucial for survival.

Intradural lumbar disc herniation--is it predictable preoperatively? A report of two cases.

Background Context: Intradural disc herniations are thought to be rare events, and there have been relatively few literature reports of intradural disc herniations available with regard to magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Purpose: The authors describe two patients with intradural lumbar disc herniations, one with and one without preoperative diagnosis, who had different postoperative outcomes.

Study Design: Case study

Methods: The first patient underwent an extended L3 subtotal laminectomy followed by bilateral medial facetectomy and foraminotomy at L3-L4.

Risk factors of developing new symptomatic vertebral compression fractures after percutaneous vertebroplasty in osteoporotic patients.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is an efficient procedure to treat pain due to osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). However, some patient populations experience recurrent vertebral fracture after initial successful procedure. There are a lot of literatures about the effectiveness of this procedure but few concerning the development of recurrent, new compression fracture.

Spinal extradural arachnoid cyst.

Spinal extradural arachnoid cysts are rare expanding lesions in the spinal canal. They usually present with progressive signs and symptoms caused by spinal cord compression if they enlarge. A comprehensive review about spinal extradural arachnoid cyst is made including the author's own case of a 59-year-old woman with a 6-month history of progressive back pain radiating to both legs.

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion in patients with a previous discectomy: minimum 2-year follow-up.

Objective: A retrospective review was conducted to determine the availability of anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) in selected patients who presented with recurrent lumbar disc herniation.

Methods: A total of 22 patients who underwent ALIF were studied clinically and radiographically. The patients were 11 men and 11 women, with a mean age of 46 years (range 23-60 years) at the time of ALIF.