A case of acquired von Willebrand disease in severe pediatric pulmonary hypertension contributing to bleeding following reverse Potts shunt.

The reverse Potts shunt is increasingly used as a palliative measure for end-stage pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) as a means to offload the right ventricle and improve functional status. This case report describes a child who developed significant hemothorax after reverse Potts shunt that required surgical exploration, blood product administration, and prolonged intensive care hospitalization. Despite lack of preoperative bleeding symptoms, testing revealed acquired von Willebrand disease (aVWD), with subsequent resolution of bleeding.

Insulin sensitivity and obstructive sleep apnea in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adults is linked with insulin resistance (IR) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, less is known about these associations in adolescents.

Methods: We studied 3 groups of adolescents: 27 obese PCOS (OPCOS) (ages 13-21)11 normal-weight PCOS (NPCOS) (ages 13-21 years), and 8 healthy controls (ages 18-21 years).

The effects of common footwear on stance-phase mechanical properties of the prosthetic foot-shoe system.

Background: Prosthetic feet are prescribed based on their mechanical function and user functional level. Subtle changes to the stiffness and hysteresis of heel, midfoot, and forefoot regions can influence the dynamics and economy of gait in prosthesis users. However, the user's choice of shoes may alter the prosthetic foot-shoe system mechanical characteristics, compromising carefully prescribed and rigorously engineered performance of feet.