Using Patient Portals to Improve Patient Outcomes: Systematic Review.

Background: With the advent of electronic health record (EHR) systems, there is increasing attention on the EHR system with regard to its use in facilitating patients to play active roles in their care via secure patient portals. However, there is no systematic review to comprehensively address patient portal interventions and patient outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to synthesize evidence with regard to the characteristics and psychobehavioral and clinical outcomes of patient portal interventions.

RhoA activity and post-ischemic inflammation in an experimental model of adult rodent anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

Activation of inflammatory cells and the RhoA signaling pathway may contribute to optic nerve damage following non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). We induced an optic nerve infarct with a photothrombotic mechanism in a rat model of AION (rAION). Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to detect activation of RhoA signaling and inflammation.

Cytological diagnosis of metastatic glioblastoma in the pleural effusion of a lung transplant patient.

The extracranial metastasis of glioblastoma is a rare event. We report the case of a patient who developed metastatic glioblastoma in pleural effusion 15 months after lung transplant, with emphasis on differential diagnosis based on cytological material. In our case, tumor cells had pleomorphic nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and fine vesicular chromatin.

Intrapancreatic accessory spleen: a case report and review of literature.

Intrapancreatic accessory spleen is not an uncommon entity and usually located in the tail of the pancreas. Most of them are asymptomatic and incidental findings on radiologic study or at autopsy. On imaging study, it appears to be a well-defined, solitary, and hypervascular lesion; therefore, it may be confused with pancreatic neoplasms, such as neuroendocrine neoplasm, well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, solid pseudopapillary tumor, or metastatic tumor to the pancreas.

Cytology of fine-needle aspiration of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor.

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor (IMT) is a rare spindle cell neoplasm with a relatively indolent course. Its morphology may be confused with both reactive processes and/or malignant neoplasms on FNA specimens. Herein we discuss the cytologic features and IHC studies of IMT.

Minocycline-associated pseudotumor cerebri with severe papilledema.

Background. Pseudotumor cerebri is an acknowledged but unusual complication of oral minocycline use. Vision loss and papilledema have been described as mild and transient, and some authors suggest that treatment is not needed.

Cataract surgery by phacoemulsification in adults with retinopathy of prematurity.

Purpose: To report the preoperative, operative, and postoperative factors associated with phacoemulsification cataract surgery in adults with retinopathy of prematurity.

Methods: Records of patients with retinopathy of prematurity who underwent phacoemulsification at The Wilmer Institute between January 1990 and January 2000 were retrospectively searched. Seventeen adults (9 women, 8 men) with retinopathy of prematurity were identified who had undergone phacoemulsification for visually significant cataract or phacomorphic glaucoma and who had at least 6 months of postoperative follow-up.

Blindness as a complication of Le Fort osteotomies: role of atypical fracture patterns and distortion of the optic canal.

Blindness in patients suffering maxillofacial trauma is usually caused by optic nerve or optic canal injuries. It is, however, an uncommon complication of facial trauma, with a reported incidence of only 3 to 5 percent. This incidence drops dramatically when fractures are performed in the controlled situation of orthognathic surgery.

Recent trends in utilization of procedures in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

The development of minimally invasive techniques and increasing performance of surgery in outpatient settings have had a major influence on otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OLHNS), but little is known about the extent to which these forces have affected the overall distribution and total rate of performance of OLHNS procedures. The aims of this study were to determine whether there has been a change in the total number of people undergoing OLHNS procedures between 1989 and 1992 in Maryland and to identify those procedures for which there has been a significant change in utilization. Data were obtained on 171,579 patients undergoing OLHNS procedures between 1989 and 1992 in Maryland's nonfederal, acute care hospitals, hospital-based outpatient centers, and freestanding multispecialty surgical centers.