Paratesticular Fibrous Pseudotumor in Children: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background: Paratesticular fibrous pseudotumor (PFP) is a rare benign tumor that can mimic malignant tumors; thus, radical orchiectomy was the standard treatment in the past.

Observation: A 15-year-old boy came to our attention for a hard right inguinal swelling. An ultrasound showed a highly vascularized mass.

Unilateral Papillary Cystadenoma of the Epididymis as a First Presentation of Von Hippel-Lindau Disease.

Association between papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis (PCE) and Von Hippel-Lindau Disease (VHLD) is well known and stronger for bilateral tumors. Unilateral PCE occurs either as a sporadic tumor without evidence of VHLD or in the context of a known diagnosis of VHLD, indeed it has never been reported as the first manifestation of VHLD. In contrast, we report the case of a boy with an apparently isolated, unilateral PCE that resulted to be the first manifestation of an unknown VHLD.

Preoperative Rehabilitation in Lung Cancer Patients: Yoga Approach.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Surgical removal remains the best option for most tumors of this type. Reduction of cigarette consumption in patients with lung cancer candidates for the surgery could limit the impact of tobacco on postsurgical outcomes.

Transoral robotic surgery for the base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma: a preliminary comparison between da Vinci Xi and Si.

Considering the emerging advantages related to da Vinci Xi robotic platform, the aim of this study is to compare for the first time the operative outcomes of this tool to the previous da Vinci Si during transoral robotic surgery (TORS), both performed for squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the base of tongue (BOT). Intra- and peri-operative outcomes of eight patients with early stage (T1-T2) of the BOT carcinoma and undergoing TORS by means of the da Vinci Xi robotic platform (Xi-TORS) are compared with the da Vinci Si group ones (Si-TORS). With respect to Si-TORS group, Xi-TORS group demonstrated a significantly shorter overall operative time, console time, and intraoperative blood loss, as well as peri-operative pain intensity and length of mean hospital stays and nasogastric tube positioning.

Body-worn triaxial accelerometer coherence and reliability related to static posturography in unilateral vestibular failure.

Since changes in vestibular function may be one cause of disequilibrium, major advances in measuring postural control and sensory integration in vestibular impairments have been achieved by using posturography. However, in order to overcome problems related to this type of technology, body-worn accelerometers (ACC) have been proposed as a portable, low-cost alternative to posturography for measurements of postural sway in a friendly and ecologic environment. Due to the fact that no study to date has shown the experimental validity of ACC-based measures of body sway with respect to posturography for subjects with vestibular deficits, the aim of the present study was: i) to develop and validate a practical tool that can allow clinicians to measure postural sway derangements in an otoneurological setting by ACC, and ii) to provide reliable, sensitive and accurate automatic analysis of sway that could help in discriminating unilateral vestibular failure (UVF) patients.

Medication Adherence to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: 2-Year Analysis of Medication Adherence to Imatinib Treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and Correlation with the Depth of Molecular Response.

Objective: Adherence to tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment is a significant factor in the achievement of a good clinical response in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The aim of this retrospective study is to investigate 1- and 2-year medication adherence to imatinib treatment, linking adherence rates with the clinical outcome, in accordance with European LeukemiaNet Recommendations for the management of CML. We have tried to find a cutoff value for adherence in order to achieve a good clinical outcome.

Somatic, hematologic phenotype, long-term outcome, and effect of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. An analysis of 97 Fanconi anemia patients from the Italian national database on behalf of the Marrow Failure Study Group of the AIEOP (Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology).

We analyzed 97 Fanconi anemia patients from a clinic/biological database for genotype, somatic, and hematologic phenotype, adverse hematological events, solid tumors, and treatment. Seventy-two patients belonged to complementation group A. Eighty percent of patients presented with mild/moderate somatic phenotype and most with cytopenia.

Conservative management of primary non-refluxing megaureter during the first year of life: A longitudinal observational study.

Introduction: There is a lack of prospective studies that include a selected population of patients with primary non-refluxing megaureter (PM). Thus, a longitudinal observational study was designed to follow from birth a selected population of children with PM; all were antenatally diagnosed. In this paper, the outcomes observed in the first year of life are presented.

Diagnosis and management of acquired aplastic anemia in childhood. Guidelines from the Marrow Failure Study Group of the Pediatric Haemato-Oncology Italian Association (AIEOP).

Acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is a rare heterogeneous disease characterized by pancytopenia and hypoplastic bone marrow. The incidence is 2-3/million inhabitants/year, in Europe, but higher in East Asia. Survival in severe aplastic anemia (SAA) has markedly improved in the past 2 decades because of advances in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, immunosuppressive and biologic drugs, and supportive care.

Clinical efficacy and tolerability of an immune-stimulant(*) constituted by inactivated bacterial bodies in the prophylaxis of infectious episodes of airways: a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicentre study.

Background: (Buccalin ®) is a Bacterial Lysates (BL) that belongs to a family of immune-stimulators, developed more than 30 years ago and it still has a role in the prophylaxis of Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections (RRTI). However, original studies were conducted with an approach that does not seem to be aligned with the present methodologies. In addition, concomitant therapies substantially improved in the last decades.

Medication adherence and persistence in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with adalimumab and etanercept. Six years of analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate medication adherence and persistence of patients treated with Etanercept and Adalimumab for Rheumatoid Arthritis, also giving economic evaluations on therapy costs for Received Daily Dose (RDD).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study took into account 6 years from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2012. Medication adherence was quantified utilizing the ratio between RDD and Prescribed Daily Dose (PDD).

Patient adherence and persistence with Imatinib, Nilotinib, Dasatinib in clinical practice.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate adherence and persistence of patients treated with Imatinib, Nilotinib or Dasatinib, also giving economic evaluations on therapy costs for Received Daily Dose (RDD).

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, we took into account 3 years from 1st Jan. 2009 to 31st March.

Preliminary evaluation of the safety and efficacy of standard intravenous immunoglobulins in pregnant women with primary cytomegalovirus infection.

Hyperimmune globulins were reported to prevent and treat fetal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy. Here, we report that infusions of standard human intravenous immunoglobulin significantly increase CMV IgG titers and avidity indexes in pregnant women, paving the way to their use for passive transfer of maternal CMV humoral immunity to fetuses. Preliminary data on perinatal outcomes of the first 67 newborns are encouraging.

Ultrasound-guided Hartmann's solution enema: first-choice procedure for reducing idiopathic intussusception.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided Hartmann's solution enema (US-E) and radiological liquid enema (RX-E) in reducing idiopathic ileocecocolic intussusceptions in relation to patient age and symptom duration.

Materials And Methods: The study group consisted of 42 patients with idiopathic ileocecocolic intussusception treated with US-E (20 patients) or RX-E (23 patients), with one patient undergoing both procedures owing to recurrence. Patients were divided into subgroups according to age (<6 months, 6-12 months, >12 months) and symptom duration (<12 h, 12-24 h, >24 h).

Case report: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of pancreatic origin in a patient with down syndrome: The role of diagnostic ultrasound.

Introduction: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a benign solid tumor of uncertain etiology.

Materials And Methods: We report a case of a 4-year-old Down syndrome affected child, who had a pancreatic mass identified by ultrasonography (US) and confirmed by computed tomography (CT).

Results: Monitoring of IMT was performed by serial US studies, and at follow-up after 4 years there was no relapse.

A case of multiple vertebral segmentation defects, unilateral renal agenesis, and an unusual 'Cooley-like' hand appearance.

We report an apparently healthy 5-year-old girl with multiple vertebral segmentation defects, partial fusion of some left ribs, abnormal vertebral arches, left renal agenesis, and a 'Cooley-like' hand appearance radiologically. The costovertebral defects were extensive but not contiguous, which establishes this case as being different from the Mendelian forms of spondylocostal dysostosis. The extended skeletal involvement raises the question as to how this case is classified within this heterogeneous group of disorders and we believe this might represent a new and distinct entity.

Serum cystatin C as a reliable marker of changes in glomerular filtration rate in children with urinary tract malformations.

Purpose: Cystatin C has been suggested as a simple method of estimating GFR more accurately than creatinine in children. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of cystatin C with serum creatinine and the Schwartz formula for estimating GFR in patients with UTMs.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively compared 72 patients with UTMs (20 days to 36 months old, 58 males and 14 females) with a group of 72 healthy controls (10 days to 48 months old, 53 males and 19 females).

Survey of Lyme disease in Abruzzo (Italy).

This study reports the diagnostic activity for the serological diagnosis of Lyme Disease (LD) in the patients of Abruzzo, a central region of Italy. During the period from August 1994 to July 1999, serological examinations for anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies were performed on 1089 samples from 769 patients with symptomatology consistent with LD. Using an immunoenzymatic technique which was confirmed with Western Blot, 29 patients were diagnosed positive.

Transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULAA): a safe and useful alternative for uncomplicated appendicitis.

Aim: To compare transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULAA) and open appendectomy (OA) in cases of acute uncomplicated appendicitis.

Methods: 58 TULAA and 65 OA in patients with a preoperative diagnosis of acute uncomplicated appendicitis are compared. Pneumoperitoneum was obtained with a transumbilical 10 mm trocar (telescope access) and a 5 mm operative channel introduced in the left iliac fossa.