Long-term outcomes with medical therapy, transcatheter repair, or surgery for isolated tricuspid regurgitation: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Several transcatheter tricuspid valve (TV) repair devices for tricuspid regurgitation (TR) have emerged. However, few studies have compared transcatheter TV repair with medical therapy (MT) alone or isolated TV surgery.

Methods: PubMed and EMBASE were searched in February 2024.

Early Utilization of Mechanical Circulatory Support in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock: The National Cardiogenic Shock Initiative.

Background: Acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices increase systemic blood pressure and end organ perfusion while reducing cardiac filling pressures.

Methods And Results: The National Cardiogenic Shock Initiative (NCT03677180) is a single-arm, multicenter study.

Effect of Alteplase Use on Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Analysis of the Initiation of Anticoagulation After Cardioembolic Stroke Study.

Background Intravenous alteplase improves outcome after acute ischemic stroke without a benefit in 90-day mortality. There are limited data on whether alteplase is associated with reduced mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)-related ischemic stroke whose mortality rate is relatively high. We sought to determine the association of alteplase with hemorrhagic transformation and mortality in patients with AF.

Laryngeal Electromyographic Findings in a Cohort of Recalcitrant Chronic Neurogenic Cough Patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the laryngeal electromyography findings of bilateral thyroarytenoid muscles in 10 patients with chronic, intractable coughing.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort case series. Clinical records were reviewed for demographic information, symptoms, and findings on bilateral laryngeal EMG for 10 patients referred for chronic coughing.

Outcomes and Toxicities of Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) Inhibitors in Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients in the United States: A Real-World, Multicenter Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Although classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is highly curable, 20%-30% of patients will not be cured with conventional treatments. The programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors (PD-1i) nivolumab and pembrolizumab have been Food and Drug Administration-approved for relapsed/refractory (R/R) cHL. There is limited data on the real-world experience with PD-1i in cHL and it is unknown whether fewer selected patients treated with PD-1i derive benefits similar to those observed in published trials.

A Sling Technique for Laparoscopic Resection of Segment Seven of the Liver.

Introduction: As the incidence of liver cancer continues to increase in the setting of cirrhosis, parenchyma-sparing liver resection is increasingly necessary. A technique is described that involves using a sling made from 1-inch-wide packing gauze to retract and rotate the liver to divide the right triangular and coronary ligaments and mobilize segment 7. The right lobe is rotated anteriorly and counterclockwise, allowing access and parenchymal transection of segment 7 under ultrasonographic guidance.

Prediction of Future Epilepsy in Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Who Received Selective Head Cooling.

Epilepsy outcomes after therapeutic hypothermia for neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy are understudied. The authors used multivariable logistic regression to predict epilepsy in neonates after selective head cooling. Sensitivity analyses used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG) interpretations by different clinicians.

A phase 2 trial of dasatinib in patients with locally advanced or stage IV mucosal, acral, or vulvovaginal melanoma: A trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (E2607).

Background: KIT-directed tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as imatinib have demonstrated benefits in KIT-mutant (KIT+) mucosal, acral, vulvovaginal, and chronically sun-damaged (CSD) melanoma. Dasatinib has superior preclinical activity in comparison with other tyrosine kinase inhibitors against cells with the most common KIT mutation, exon 11 . The ECOG-ACRIN E2607 trial assessed dasatinib in patients with these melanoma subtypes.

Similar survival in patients following heart transplantation receiving induction therapy using daclizumab vs. basiliximab.

Background: Induction therapy with interleukin-2 receptor antagonists has been established as an effective immunosuppressive strategy in the management of heart transplant (HTx) recipients. We compared outcomes following HTx in patients receiving basiliximab, daclizumab, or no induction therapy.

Methods And Results: We investigated post-transplant prognosis of patients receiving basiliximab (n=67), daclizumab (n=98) or no induction therapy (n=70).

Multicenter review of diaphragm pacing in spinal cord injury: successful not only in weaning from ventilators but also in bridging to independent respiration.

Background: Ventilator-dependent spinal cord-injured (SCI) patients require significant resources related to ventilator dependence. Diaphragm pacing (DP) has been shown to successfully replace mechanical ventilators for chronic ventilator-dependent tetraplegics. Early use of DP following SCI has not been described.

Robotically assisted hysterectomy in patients with large uteri: outcomes in five community practices.

Objective: To examine outcomes of robotically assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy in patients with benign conditions involving high uterine weight and complex pathology.

Methods: A multicenter study was undertaken in five community practice settings across the United States. All patients who had minimally invasive laparoscopic hysterectomy with robotic assistance March 2006 through July 2009 and uterine weights of at least 250 g were included.

Chronic active mediastinitis in a 7-year-old boy: MRI findings.

A 7-year-old child with a right mediastinal mass was found to have chronic active mediastinitis. The mass spontaneously involuted after biopsy. MRI showed the infiltrative nature of the mass.

Metastatic endometrial carcinoma: rare cause of extrahepatic obstructive jaundice.

We report a very rare case of endometrial carcinoma causing extrahepatic bile duct obstruction. Management of this case and probable mechanism of spread are presented.

Vesiculated erythrocytes as a determination of splenic reticuloendothelial function in pediatric patients with Hodgkin's disease.

Purpose: To determine the effect of low-dose total, or subtotal, nodal irradiation (TNI/sub-TNI) on splenic reticuloendothelial function in pediatric patients with Hodgkin's Disease (HD).

Patients And Methods: Pediatric and adolescent patients with advanced stage HD were accrued from two Pediatric Oncology Group studies and subdivided into three groups: the first had chemotherapy (CT) only; the second received chemotherapy and low-dose (2,100 cGy) TNI or subtotal TNI (sub-TNI); the third underwent staging laparotomy with splenectomy followed by CT, with or without low-dose radiotherapy. Vesiculated erythrocyte counts (VRBC) were performed on all patients using Nomarski interference phase optics at the conclusion of therapy.

The efficacy of influenza vaccine in elderly persons. A meta-analysis and review of the literature.

Objective: To quantify the protective efficacy of influenza vaccine in elderly persons.

Data Sources: A MEDLINE search was done using the index terms influenza vaccine, vaccine efficacy, elderly, mortality, hospitalized, and pneumonia. Appropriate references in the initially selected articles were also reviewed.

Verrucous carcinoma with a dorsal sinus tract.

A verrucous carcinoma of the right foot was presented. A unique finding, a dorsal sinus tract at the base of the fourth toe, was found on examination, which communicated with the tumor. Other reports of a sinus tract extending to the dorsal surface of the foot could not be found in the literature.

Treatment of osteosarcoma with ifosfamide: comparison of response in pediatric patients with recurrent disease versus patients previously untreated: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

This study was designed to test if the activity of a phase II agent, ifosfamide, would have been underestimated if it was tested exclusively in a population of children and young adults with recurrent osteosarcoma. The response rate to ifosfamide was compared in patients younger than 30 years of age with previously untreated osteosarcoma with metastases at diagnosis and/or unresectable primary tumors (stratum 1) with that of patients with recurrent osteosarcoma following adjuvant chemotherapy who were not previously exposed to ifosfamide (stratum 2). Evaluation of response was conducted 3 weeks after two courses of ifosfamide (2400 mg/m2 x 5 days) were administered 3 weeks apart.