Ustekinumab is a promising option for the treatment of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease.

Background And Aim: Postoperative recurrence (POR) following ileocolonic resection is a major concern in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The role of ustekinumab (UST) in this setting is poorly known.

Methods: All consecutive CD patients with a baseline colonoscopy at 6-12 months from ileocolonic resection showing POR (Rutgeerts score ≥ i2) who were treated with UST after the baseline colonoscopy and with an available post-treatment endoscopy, were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (SN-IBD).

Severe Activity of Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19.

Background: Data from the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic suggested that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not at higher risk of being infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) than the general population and that a worse prognosis is not associated with immunomodulatory drugs, with the possible exception of systemic steroids.

Methods: This retrospective, observational study included consecutive IBD patients from the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SN-IBD) cohort who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis (polymerase chain reaction-confirmed presence of the viral genome in a nasopharyngeal swab) during the second COVID-19 pandemic wave (September 2020 to December 2020). Data regarding demographics, IBD features and treatments, and comorbidities were analyzed in correlation with COVID-19 clinical outcomes.

Training in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Tips and Tricks of the Trade.

Coronary artery bypass is often the first procedure cardiac surgeons are confronted with during their residencies. This article discusses the surgical steps and the potential difficulties encountered during this procedure and how they can be solved. The "point of view" of an experienced surgeon is provided to the trainees and to the readers.

Ischemic stroke due to hypoperfusion in a patient with a previously unrecognized Danon disease.

Danon disease, an X-linked multisystemic disorder, is due to deficiency of Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein 2 (LAMP2). It is usually characterized by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mental retardation and skeletal myopathy, sometimes also with atypical features. A 20-year-old man with cognitive impairment was admitted to the Emergency Room because of a sudden chest pain.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in saliva of women with HPV genital lesions.

Background: The human papilloma viruses (HPVs) are DNA viruses associated with benign and malignant lesions of skin and mucous membranes. The HPVs has been implicated as the cause of virtually all cervical cancers worldwide but studies showed that these viruses can cause numerous cancers in several tissues including Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). At least 90 % of HPV-positive OSCCs are associated with high-risk (or oncogenic) HPV-16 and oral infection confers an approximate 50-fold increase in risk for HPV-positive OSCC.

Nodal Ratio as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Four or More Positive Axillary Nodes Treated with Breast-conserving Therapy and Regional Nodal Irradiation.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the axillary lymph node ratio (i.e. positive axillary nodes to nodes removed) in patients with breast cancer treated with conservative surgery and regional radiotherapy.

Prognostic Implications of Acute Renal Failure after Surgery for Type A Acute Aortic Dissection.

Background: "Type A" acute aortic dissection (AAAD) is the most challenging among the emergency operations in cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the role of acute renal failure (ARF) in postoperative survival of patients operated for AAAD.

Methods: From February 2010 to April 2012, 37 consecutive patients were operated at our department for AAAD.

Higher levels of oxidative DNA damage in cervical cells are correlated with the grade of dysplasia and HPV infection.

The Human papillomavirus is responsible for the most common sexually transmitted infection and is also known to be an oncogenic virus that is associated with cervical, anogenital, and head-neck cancers. The present study aims to assess whether oxidative DNA damage is correlated with the grade of HPV-related lesions. Moreover, we evaluated clinical data and unhealthy lifestyles to verify their possible influence on the genesis of oxidative DNA damage in cervical cells.

Vitamin D Deficiency in HIV Infection: Not Only a Bone Disorder.

Hypovitaminosis D is a worldwide disorder, with a high prevalence in the general population of both Western and developing countries. In HIV patients, several studies have linked vitamin D status with bone disease, neurocognitive impairment, depression, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, infections, autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes mellitus, and cancer. In this review, we focus on the most recent epidemiological and experimental data dealing with the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and HIV infection.

Cotard and Capgras syndrome after ischemic stroke.

Capgras and Cotard are delusional misidentification syndromes characterized by delusions about oneself, others, places, and objects. To date, there are few cases of comorbidity of both syndromes. We describe a case of aphasic stroke patient affected by cerebral ischemia localized in right temporoparietal region.

Presurgical evaluation of hemifacial spasm and spasmodic torticollis caused by a neurovascular conflict from AICA with 3T MRI integrated by 3D drive and 3D TOF image fusion: A case report and review of the literature.

Background: Hemifacial spasm (HS) and spasmodic torticollis (ST) are well-known disorders that are caused by a neurovascular conflict. HS is characterized by irregular, involuntary muscle contractions on one side of the face due to spasms of orbicularis oris and orbicularis oculi muscles, and is usually caused by vascular compression of the VII cranial nerve. ST is an extremely painful chronic movement disorder causing the neck to involuntary turn to the side, upward and/or downward.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after left ventricular remodeling: port access approach.

Cases of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm caused by patch leakage after left ventricular remodeling are quite rare. We describe the case of a 66-year-old man operated on through a left thoracotomy using the Port Access platform to treat patch detachment after left ventricular remodeling.

Partial aortic root remodeling in case of ascending aortic aneurysms.

Objective: In degenerative ascending aortic aneurysms (AAAs), the pathological process may extend into the aortic root, causing aortic regurgitation (AR). As often one or two sinuses are involved, ascending aorta replacement should be associated with selected sinus replacement.

Methods: Thirty patients (21 men and 9 women; mean ± SD age, 70.

Two cases of right atrial myxoma in redo patients. A mere coincidence?

We describe two cases of right atrial myxoma in redo patients who had previously undergone to coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABGs) and mitral valve replacement respectively. Both of patients experienced effort dyspnea and were assessed by trans-thoracic echocardiography, revealing the right atrial masses. They were operated on for myxoma resection and postoperative course was uneventful.

Role of preoperative femoral artery color Doppler echocardiography in minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

Objective: Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) through a right thoracotomy has been developed in the past decades, leading to a significant improvement of postoperative outcome. The risk for complications during peripheral cannulation should be considered. We report our experience of preoperative evaluation by color Doppler echocardiography for patients scheduled for MICS.

Budd-Chiari syndrome complicating the surgical closure of patent foramen ovale in right minithoracotomy.

We present the case of a 45-year old female operated on for minimally invasive closure of patent foramen ovale, who suffered in the postoperative course of the Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by the thrombotic occlusion of the inferior vena cava. Medical treatment with oral anticoagulants and heparin was promptly established, avoiding a further increase of the thrombus that completely disappeared 3 months later.

Minimally invasive implantation of the myopore sutureless myocardial pacing lead.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy improves symptoms and survival of patients with congestive heart failure. Usually, the transvenous placement of the left ventricular lead is feasible, but in case of anatomic abnormalities of the coronary sinus, an unintended left phrenic nerve stimulation, a dislodgement of the percutaneous electrode, or a loss of capture of the electrode, surgical treatment should be considered. From January 2010 to September 2011, 15 patients underwent surgical implantation of the left ventricular lead after failure of transvenous placement.

Aortic valve replacement through the upper ministernotomy: preliminary experience with modified technique.

Minimally invasive approach for aortic valve surgery has been developed since 1995, reducing the complications related to the full sternotomy. We have introduced a new method for central cannulation that reduces the length of surgical incision for the aortic valve replacement through upper mini-sternotomy. To improve the surgical view without enlargement of the incision, two small additional incisions are performed for both arterial and atrial cannulation.

Right atrial lipoma in patient with Cowden syndrome.

Primary cardiac tumors are rarest form of cancer and the lipoma represent about 8% of these tumors. Cowden disease is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, associated to a germline mutation of the PTEN gene, characterized by multiple hamartomas and an increased risk of breast, thyroid and endometrial carcinomas. For the first time, we describe a right atrial lipoma in a patient affected by Cowden syndrome.

Left atrial paraganglioma: diagnosis and surgical management.

Cardiac paragangliomas are rare entities, that often remain asymptomatic. Complete surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment even if it can be difficult for the infiltration of the near mediastinal structures. We describe the case of a young man with hypertensive crisis, headache and diabetes, affected by cardiac paraganglioma, infiltrating the left atrial roof.