Using Temporary Prostatic Stents to Eliminate Bacterial Colonization in Men with Chronic Indwelling Catheters: A Pilot Study.

Background Chronic urinary catheterization is commonly associated with chronic bacterial colonization and high rates of symptomatic infection that increase morbidity and mortality. This study describes the results of replacing chronic catheters with temporary prostatic stents (TPS) to reduce bacterial colonization rates. Methods Twenty-two chronically catheterized adult male patients were enrolled.

Daptomycin-induced Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia.

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a rare entity, often resulting in respiratory failure and the attended mortality. Daptomycin-induced AEP results from immune-mediated pulmonary epithelial cell injury. A 65-year-old male on treatment with intravenous daptomycin for three weeks came to the hospital for worsening dyspnea and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis : a sino-orbital masquerader.

A 58-year-old Caucasian male presented with left periorbital oedema extending to the nasal area for 1 year along with nasal discharge for 1 month. Lab work was significant for positive cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. CT scan showed solid mass along the nasal soft tissue with bony nasal destruction.

Where is My Spleen? - A Case of Splenosis Diagnosed Years Later after Splenectomy.

Hepatic splenosis was first described in 1939 and is a rare condition that results from splenic trauma or splenectomy. A 43-year-old man with a past medical history significant for a prior splenectomy was admitted to the hospital due to right upper quadrant pain for two days. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen suggested features of hepatic adenoma, however, a percutaneous biopsy showed the mass within the liver to be a discrete collection of splenic tissue, apparently the result of a traumatic splenic rupture years ago.

Geriatric Trauma Protocol.

Study design for a quality improvement project. Objective was to implement a geriatric trauma protocol (GTP) based on American College of Surgeons recommendations to improve patient outcomes. Geriatric trauma patients comprise a vulnerable and high-risk trauma population, and must be treated with specific protocols that take into account physiological, psychosocial, environmental, and pharmacological needs.

A retrospective chart review of opioid represcribing following nonfatal overdose at a Veterans Affairs hospital.

Introduction: Opioid-related overdoses have risen despite extensive media coverage and apparent awareness of this public health crisis. Emergency department visits related to opioid use nearly tripled from 2004 to 2011. Patients with mental illness are more likely to be prescribed opioids and have higher rates of overdose.

Primary Gastric Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Primary gastric squamous cell carcinoma (PGSCC) is an extremely rare cause of gastric malignancy. We present a 66-year-old man with a past medical history of stage I left palpebral marginal zone lymphoma status post radiation. The patient was complaining of a two-year history of bloating and early satiety.

Evaluation and Treatment of Female Sexual Pain: A Clinical Review.

Dyspareunia and vulvodynia are genital pain disorders that have devastating effects on women's quality of life. These disorders occur with high prevalence and place a significant financial burden on women and the health care system. Many women do not report genital pain, and most providers do not inquire about this type of pain.

Intestinal Spirochetosis in an Immunocompetent Patient.

Intestinal spirochetosis (IS) is an infestation defined by the presence of spirochetes on the surface of the colonic mucosa. The implicated organisms can be or . We present the case of a 66-year-old man with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, morbid obesity, and gastroesophageal reflux.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Coronary Artery Disease (from the Million Veteran Program).

Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in the general population but has not been well studied in US veterans. We obtained self-reported alcohol consumption from Million Veteran Program participants. Using electronic health records, CAD events were defined as 1 inpatient or 2 outpatient diagnosis codes for CAD, or 1 code for a coronary procedure.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Metastasized to Colon.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an infrequent cause of malignancy that accounts for 1% of all tumors of the oral and maxillofacial region. We present a 59-year-old woman with a past medical history of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the left salivary gland treated with radiation and thoracotomy due to lung metastasis. Years after the onset of diagnosis, she presented with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms.

Spontaneous regression of a primary squamous cell lung cancer following biopsy: a case report.

Background: Spontaneous regression has been defined as occurring when the malignant tumor mass partially or completely disappears without any treatment or as a result of a therapy considered inadequate to influence systemic neoplastic disease. Recently, studies have implicated immunological responses as likely being involved. We report a case of a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung who experienced spontaneous regression following biopsy without other intervention.

A Barium Swallow Study Leading to an Incidental Finding on a Screening Colonoscopy.

Barolith is a mixture of firm feces with barium sulfate, and a frequent cause of obstruction of the appendiceal lumen that can result in appendicitis. Nonetheless, some other complications like aspiration, allergic reaction, and bowel obstruction have also been reported.  We present the case of a 71-year-old man with a history of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), who came to the gastroenterology clinic complaining of intermittent loose stools and dysphagia to solids for the past months.

Paraganglioma of the Urinary Bladder: A Rare Cause of Hypertension and Urinary Tract Infections.

Pheochromocytoma is a neoplasm, which develops from cells of the chromaffin tissues that are derived from the ectodermic neural system and mostly situated within the adrenal medulla. Approximately 15% of pheochromocytoma cases arise from extra-adrenal chromaffin tissue. Pheochromocytoma of the bladder is rare and accounts for less than 0.

Targeting chaperonin containing TCP1 (CCT) as a molecular therapeutic for small cell lung cancer.

Identifying new druggable targets is desired to meet the needs for effective cancer treatments. To this end, we previously reported the efficacy of a therapeutic peptide called CT20p that displays selective cytotoxicity through inhibition of a multi-subunit, protein-folding complex called Chaperonin-Containing TCP-1 (CCT). To investigate the role of CCT in cancer progression, we examined protein levels of CCT subunits in liver, prostate, and lung cancer using human tissue microarrays.

Using the Electronic Health Record Data in Real Time and Predictive Analytics to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Postoperative/Surgical Site Infections.

Of critical concern to hospitals today is the prevention of postoperative (surgical site) infections that often result in increased lengths of stays for patients, increased resource demands and costs, loss of public trust and lawsuits, and needless pain and suffering for patients and their families. While all surgical patients have the potential to develop a postoperative infection, the main challenge is to identify key risk factors (both patient centered and operational) through an electronic early-warning system to reduce the likelihood of a postoperative infection from occurring. Currently, most postoperative infection risk prevention practices encompass limited use of informatics technologies or do not maximize the potential benefits.

Octreotide long-acting repeatable in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors: patient selection and perspectives.

Over the past three decades, the incidence and prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors have gradually increased. Due to the slow-growing nature of these tumors, most cases are diagnosed at advanced stages. Prognosis and survival are associated with location of primary lesion, biochemical functional status, differentiation, initial staging, and response to therapy.

Difficult to Treat Focal, Stiff Person Syndrome of the Left Upper Extremity.

Background: Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurologic disorder characterized by muscle rigidity. It is a disorder of reduced GABA activity leading to increased muscle tone and often painful spasms. It generally presents in the axial musculature but rarely can involve only one limb, typically a lower extremity.

Two Cases of Lepromatous Leprosy from Exposure to Armadillos in Florida.

The first patient was a 41-year-old white man who was referred to the dermatology clinic with a 2-year history of numerous erythematous, hypoesthetic, poorly demarcated papules and plaques present on the trunk, buttocks, and bilateral upper and lower extremities (Figures 1 and 2). The lesions had initially begun as localized erythematous plaques on the right flank, and were diagnosed and treated as cellulitis and allergic contact dermatitis by primary care on separate occasions, with no resolution and continued gradual but persistent spread.

Methylphenidate for Apathy in Community-Dwelling Older Veterans With Mild Alzheimer's Disease: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: Apathy is a common behavioral problem in Alzheimer's disease. Apathy has profound consequences, such as functional impairment, higher service utilization, higher caregiver burden, and increased mortality. The authors' objective was to study the effects of methylphenidate on apathy in Alzheimer's disease.

Multicentred international review of orbital exenteration and reconstruction in oculoplastic and orbit practice.

Background: Orbital exenteration is a disfiguring procedure reserved for life-threatening malignancies. This study examines the clinical course and outcomes of a large series of patients who underwent orbital exenteration for malignant periocular neoplasms.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent orbital exenteration from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2015 at four tertiary referral centres in the USA, Australia and Canada.

Proximal Renal Tubular Acidosis (Fanconi Syndrome) Induced by Apremilast: A Case Report.

Apremilast is a recently developed phosphodiesterase 4-inhibitory medication approved for use to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. We report a case of Fanconi syndrome and proximal renal tubular acidosis that was associated with this medication. Our patient was started on treatment with apremilast 2 weeks before his admission.

PSMA-Targeted Theranostic Nanocarrier for Prostate Cancer.

Herein, we report the use of a theranostic nanocarrier (Folate-HBPE(CT20p)) to deliver a therapeutic peptide to prostate cancer tumors that express PSMA (folate hydrolase 1). The therapeutic peptide (CT20p) targets and inhibits the chaperonin-containing TCP-1 (CCT) protein-folding complex, is selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells, and is non-toxic to normal tissue. With the delivery of CT20p to prostate cancer cells via PSMA, a dual level of cancer specificity is achieved: (1) selective targeting to PSMA-expressing prostate tumors, and (2) specific cytotoxicity to cancer cells with minimal toxicity to normal cells.

Silent tracheobronchial chondritis in a patient with a delayed diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis.

Relapsing polychondritis is a very rare autoimmune disease characterised by a relapsing inflammation of hyaline, elastic and fibrous cartilaginous tissues. The incidence is estimated to be between 3.5 and 4.