How reliable is artificial intelligence in the diagnosis of cholesteatoma on CT images?

Purpose: This study analysed the main artificial intelligence (AI) models for the diagnosis of cholesteatoma on computed tomography (CT), evaluating their performance and comparing them with each other. The increasing application of AI in radiology requires a systematic comparison of available methodologies.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted, selecting relevant articles from the main databases.

The Lumbosacral Erector Spinae Plane Block for Abdominal Hysterectomy: A Case Report.

After major abdominal surgery and open hysterectomy, postoperative pain management is often challenging. Various abdominal fascial and truncal blocks, including paravertebral, erector spinae plane, transversus abdominis plane, and quadratus lumborum blocks, have been evaluated for their efficacy. When used in a multimodal pain control strategy, after an open abdominal hysterectomy under spinal anesthesia, the novel sacral erector spinae plane block showed promising results in terms of safety, efficacy, and minimal invasiveness.

Living Donor Nephrectomy: Analysis of Trends and Outcomes From a Contemporary National Dataset.

Objective: To analyze the temporal trends and perioperative and long-term outcomes of living donor kidney nephrectomy in the United States.

Methods: The PearlDiverTM Mariner database (Pearl-Diver Technologies, Colorado Springs, CO, USA) was used for our retrospective analysis. The data were identified using ICD-9/10 codes, as well as CPT codes.

MKELM based multi-classification model for foreign accent identification.

The automatic identification of foreign accents can play a crucial role in various speech systems, including speaker identification, e-learning, telephone banking, and more. Additionally, it can greatly enhance the robustness of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems. Non-native accents in speech signals are characterized by distinct pronunciations, prosody, and voice characteristics of the speaker.

Contemporary management of ischemic priapism: A 12-year population-based analysis from a large US database.

Background: Priapism is a urological condition characterized by a persistent erection. The management varies based on its subclassifications. Despite established clinical guidelines for ischemic priapism, there is a lack of large-scale research focused on patient characteristics and management strategies.

Partial nephrectomy in elderly patients: a systematic review and analysis of comparative outcomes.

Purpose: The management of renal masses in the elderly population is particularly challenging, as these patients are often more frail and potentially more susceptible to surgical morbidity. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the outcomes of partial nephrectomy (PN) for treating renal masses in elderly individuals.

Methods: A systematic electronic literature search was conducted in May 2024 using the Medline (via PubMed) database by searching publications up to April 2024.

Combining Intravenous Thrombolysis and Dual Antiplatelet Treatment in Patients With Minor Ischemic Stroke: A Propensity Matched Analysis of the READAPT Study Cohort.

Background: The optimal treatment for acute minor ischemic stroke is still undefined. and options include dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT), intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), or their combination. We aimed to investigate benefits and risks of combining IVT and DAPT versus DAPT alone in patients with MIS.

Upfront versus deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy following targeted or immunotherapy: a population-based propensity score-matched analysis of perioperative complications.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of postoperative complications after cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) following first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), and to compare it with postoperative complications of upfront CN.

Methods: For this population-based retrospective study, the PearlDiver Mariner database (PearlDiver Technologies, Colorado Springs, CO), a database of insurance billing records was analyzed. Using relevant ICD-9/10 and CPT codes, patients diagnosed with mRCC between 2011 and 2021, who received first-line systemic molecular therapy (SMT), either tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) or immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), were identified.

Clinical, Radiologic, and Surgical Features of Brain Metastases in Colorectal Cancer. A Strong Correlation Between Surgical Patterns and Outcome.

Background: Brain metastases (BMs) from colorectal cancer (CRC) are a small percentage of metastatic patients and surgery is considered the best choice to improve survival. While most research has focused on the risk of CRC spreading to the brain, no studies have examined the characteristics of BMs in relation to surgery and outcome. In this study, we evaluate the clinical and radiologic features of BMs from CRC patients who underwent surgery and analyze their outcomes.

Characteristics, trends, and management of Penile cancer in the United States: A population-based study.

Background: Penile cancer (PeCa) is a rare disease. HPV infection, smoking, phimosis, and lichen sclerosus represent well-known associated risk factors.

Objectives: Primary aim of our study is to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of PeCa and to outline the adopted diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Incidence, Timing, and Pattern of Atypical Recurrence after Minimally Invasive Surgery for Urothelial Carcinoma.

The management of urothelial carcinoma has evolved with the introduction of minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopic or robotic procedures, challenging the traditional approach of open surgery, and giving rise to atypical recurrences (ARs). ARs include port-site metastasis and peritoneal carcinomatosis, yet discrepancies persist among authors regarding their precise classification. Incidence rates of ARs vary widely across studies, ranging from less than 1% to over 10% in both muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and upper tract urothelial tumor (UTUC).

Surgical Resection and Immediate Reconstruction with a Bilayer Wound Collagen Matrix of a Rare Oral Angiosarcoma: A Case Report.

Angiosarcomas are malignant vascular tumors that commonly occur on the skin of the head and neck, breast, or scalp. Oral angiosarcoma is a rare tumor (0.0077% of all cancers in Europe), and regarding this atypical localization, no formal treatment trials have been conducted yet.

Incidence and management of BPH surgery-related urethral stricture: results from a large U.S. database.

Introduction And Objectives: Urethral stricture (US) is a well-known complication after surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study aimed to evaluate the contemporary incidence of the US after different types of BPH surgery, to identify associated risk factors and to assess its management.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the PearlDiver™ Mariner database, containing de-identified patient records compiled between 2011 and 2022.

Incidence and Management of Radiation Cystitis After Pelvic Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: Analysis From a National Database.

Objective: To determine the incidence of radiation cystitis on prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy (RT), evaluating the most used management strategies, and identifying potential risk factors associated with the development of this condition.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the PearlDiver Mariner database, containing patient records compiled between 2011 and 2022. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were employed to identify population and outcomes.

Comparative Outcomes of Open Radical Cystectomy vs. Robot-Assisted Approaches with Intracorporeal and Extracorporeal Urinary Diversion: A Meta-Analysis and Network Meta-Analysis of Perioperative and Quality of Life Outcomes.

To conduct a comprehensive systematic review and network meta-analysis of RCTs that compare outcomes of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with intra- or extracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD or ECUD) and the standard open approach (oRC). A systematic review identified RCTs including patients aged >18 years with non-metastatic bladder cancer treated with RARC (ICUD or ECUD) vs. oRC and reporting peri- and post-operative outcomes and quality of life (QoL) assessment.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Surgery: A Snapshot of Trends, Costs, and Surgical Retreatment Rates in the USA.

Background: An increasing number of novel surgical treatments (NSTs) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have been proposed over time to achieve similar functional outcomes, but better perioperative and sexual outcomes than traditional procedures.

Objective: To assess the trends in the utilization and costs of BPH surgical procedures over the past decade, and to analyze the need for surgical retreatment after each procedure.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A retrospective observational population-based analysis was conducted using the PearlDiver Mariner (PearlDiver Technologies, Colorado Springs, CO, USA) database, including all-payer nationally available claims records collected from 2011 to 2022.

Probing corporeal awareness in women through virtual reality induction of embreathment illusion.

We capitalized on the respiratory bodily illusion that we discovered in a previous study and called 'Embreathment' where we showed that breathing modulates corporeal awareness in men. Despite the relevance of the issue, no such studies are available in women. To bridge this gap, we tested whether the synchronization of avatar-participant respiration patterns influenced females' bodily awareness.

Smelling TNT: Trends of the Terminal Nerve.

There is very little knowledge regarding the terminal nerve, from its implications in the involvement and pathogenesis of certain conditions, to its embryological origin. With this review, we try to summarize the most important evidence on the terminal nerve, aiming to clarify its anatomy and the various functions attributed to it, to better interpret its potential involvement in pathological processes. Recent studies have also suggested its potential role in the control of human reproductive functions and behaviors.

Incidental Prostate Cancer in Patients Treated for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Analysis from a Contemporary National Dataset.

(1) Background: Prostate Cancer (PCa) may be incidentally diagnosed during the microscopic evaluation of resected tissue from BPH surgeries, characterizing the clinical condition known as incidental PCa (iPCa). This study aims to assess the prevalence of iPCa following BPH surgery to evaluate the associated surgical procedures and to scrutinize preoperative and postoperative management. (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the PearlDiver™ Mariner database, containing patient records compiled between 2011 and 2021.