Exploring the dynamics of ultrasound training in medical education: current trends, debates, and approaches to didactics and hands-on learning.

Introduction: Medical education, especially in ultrasound training, is undergoing significant changes. This study examines practical issues in ultrasound medical education, emphasizing state-of-the-art teaching methods, their effectiveness, and implementation challenges.

Methods: The study analyzed advancements in ultrasound education, including randomized controlled trials comparing peer-to-peer teaching with traditional faculty-led instruction.

Direct Convective Delivery for Nervous System Gene Therapy.

Convection-enhanced delivery for central nervous system gene therapy is an emerging treatment strategy to modify the course of previously untreatable or inadequately treated neurologic conditions, including brain tumors, metabolic disorders, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disorders. Ongoing nervous system gene therapy clinical trials highlight advantages and ongoing challenges to this therapeutic paradigm.

Short-course subcutaneous alemtuzumab induces clinical responses in relapsed T-cell large granular leukemia.

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Validity of Woven EndoBridge sizing based on the device-to-aneurysm volume ratio.

Background: The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) is a treatment modality available for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms, specifically beneficial in wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms. Conventional sizing methods rely on the manipulation of aneurysm width and height measurements. This results in frequent need for re-sizing after initial WEB insertion attempts.

The impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on completing bariatric surgery at a single academic institution.

Background: Underutilization of bariatric surgery is multifactorial. This study aimed to understand the association of SDOH on not achieving surgery.

Methods: 1081 applications for primary MBS from January-December 2021 were stratified into those that completed surgery (COM; n = 415), in progress > 1-year (IP; n = 107), dropped out (DO; n = 379), and never started (NS; n = 180).

Obesity and lack of breastfeeding: a perfect storm to augment risk of breast cancer?

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive subtypes of breast cancer with higher rates of recurrence and distant metastasis, as well as decreased 5-year survival rates. Racial disparities are evident in the incidence and mortality rates of triple negative breast cancer particularly increased in young African American women. Concurrently, young African American women have multiple risk factors for TNBC including higher rates of premenopausal abdominal obesity (higher waist-hip ratio) and lower rates of breastfeeding with higher parity, implicating these factors as potentially contributors to poor outcomes.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided gastrojejunostomy for management of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome.

The mainstay of treatment for superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome involves aggressive enteral feeding distal to the area of obstruction. We present a case of palliative endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided gastrojejunostomy as management of SMA syndrome in a patient with concomitant metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Following the procedure, our patient demonstrated significantly improved tolerance of oral intake.

Choroidal effusion after initiation of topical dorzolamide treatment.

We report a case of unilateral serous choroidal effusion in a patient without prior glaucoma surgeries that developed within 1 week of starting topical dorzolamide. A Caucasian female in her 60s with a history of severe primary open-angle glaucoma in the left eye without prior glaucoma surgeries developed irritation and subsequently blurry vision in her left eye within 1 week of starting topical dorzolamide 2% in the left eye only. Funduscopic exam and B-scan ultrasound demonstrated a serous choroidal effusion in the nasal and temporal periphery.

Low Rates of Short-Term Anastomotic Complications After Kono-S versus Side-to-Side Stapled Anastomosis.

Introduction: The Kono-S (KS) anastomosis for Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with improved endoscopic and clinical long-term outcomes. Ileocolonic anastomoses in CD are associated with an unacceptable anastomotic complication rate - up to 40%. Investigation of short-term benefits of KS is thus warranted.

Role for Lumbar Cerebrospinal Fluid Drainage in High-risk Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair: A Narrative Review.

Lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage is one of the few preventative and therapeutic practices that may reduce spinal cord ischemia in high-risk thoracic endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (TEVAR). Although this is part of clinical guidelines in open thoracoabdominal aortic repair, there are no randomized controlled trials that provide convincing evidence on the protection conferred by CSF drainage in high-risk TEVAR patients. This gap in knowledge obfuscates clinical decision making given the risk of significant complications of CSF drain insertion and management.

Medical Misinformation and Quality of Public Video Content on Cannabis for Chronic Pain Management: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the YouTube Platform.

Background: As cannabis legalization expands nationally and globally, its use for chronic pain increases, prompting people to seek information on social media platforms like YouTube. This study evaluates the accuracy and quality of information of popular YouTube videos on cannabis for chronic pain.

Methods: Using search terms related to cannabis for pain, the top 66 videos by view count were selected.

Disparities in Next-Generation Genetic Sequencing Among Individuals with Cancer.

Background: We sought to investigate disparities in the utilization of next-generation genetic sequencing (NGS) across demographic groups related to several  common cancer subtypes.

Methods: Data on patients aged 65 years or older with a diagnosis of gastrointestinal, lung, and breast cancer between 2015 and 2020 were obtained from the Medicare Standard Analytic Files. Propensity score matching was employed to reduce selection bias, and logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate racial, ethnic, and sex-based disparities in NGS utilization.

Contemporary Approaches to Head and Neck Reconstruction.

This article aims to provide an update on techniques related to head and neck reconstruction using microvascular free tissue transfer, focusing on strategies for donor vessel selection in the vessel depleted neck, use of vein grafting and mechanical arterial coupling, estimating flap volume loss, and utilization of virtual planning and medical modeling for midface and mandibular reconstruction.

Recreational cannabis excise taxation in the USA: Constructing a comparable tax measure for empirical analysis.

Background: As of August 2023, 20 states in the US have established recreational cannabis retail markets and impose excise taxes on these products. However, there is significant heterogeneity in the bases (i.e.

Intersection of Race and Gender in the Cardiothoracic Workforce: Study of Representation and Salary.

Background: Cardiothoracic surgery lacks gender and racial/ethnic diversity. Recent studies have highlighted disparities based on gender and race/ethnicity among academic cardiothoracic surgeons. The impact of the intersection of these factors on representation and salary is unknown.

Factors impacting tumor displacement artifact and pseudo-lymphovascular invasion in testicular germ cell tumors.

Objectives: Testicular germ cell tumors are susceptible to tumor displacement artifact (TDA), which produces pseudo-lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and confounds the identification of true LVI. Our study aimed to evaluate tumor displacement artifact and pseudo-LVI in testicular germ cell tumors and determine if prolonged fixation improves histological quality.

Methods: A retrospective search identified 121 orchiectomies with slides that were reviewed to assess TDA and pseudo-LVI.

Evolving Role of Lymphedema Surgery on Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Multi-Institutional Algorithmic Approach.

: Recent advancements in breast cancer treatment have led to increased survival rates, prompting a shift towards addressing breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). Despite the evolving role of lymphatic surgery in breast reconstruction, there is limited literature evaluating the current role of lymphatic surgery in breast reconstruction. This review aims to evaluate the state of lymphatic surgery in breast reconstruction, analyzing surgical techniques and proposing a multi-institutional algorithmic approach.