Recent Developments in Ventricular Assist Device Therapy.

The evolution of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) from large, pulsatile systems to compact, continuous-flow pumps has significantly improved implantation outcomes and patient mobility. Minimally invasive surgical techniques have emerged that offer reduced morbidity and enhanced recovery for LVAD recipients. Innovations in wireless power transfer technologies aim to mitigate driveline-related complications, enhancing patient safety and quality of life.

Understanding exposure risk using soil testing and GIS around an abandoned asbestos mine.

Abandoned asbestos mines are a potential source of environmental contamination and exposure for nearby residents. The asbestos exposure risk may persist even after the cessation of mining activity if the mine is not properly closed. One such abandoned mine is at Roro Hills in the Jharkhand state of India.

Urine Retention Versus Post-obstructive Diuresis as a Potential Cause of Acute Hyponatremia: A Case Report.

Acute urine retention is a common urologic emergency that is frequently seen in the Emergency room (ER). Standard treatment includes placing a urinary catheter or a suprapubic catheter with outpatient urologic follow-up. Urine retention can cause complications, such as hyponatremia and post-obstructive diuresis.

Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Levels: The Grim Reaper Sign in Acute Pancreatitis?

Background And Aims: Acute pancreatitis (AP) frequently presents in emergency departments and poses challenges in predicting severity and mortality. Established scoring systems like Ranson criteria, Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE) II, and Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) have varying effectiveness. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme released during tissue damage, shows promise as a marker for organ injury in AP.

Rapid Neurological Decline due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is an exceedingly rare condition with an incidence of one case per million people worldwide. It is diagnosed with symptoms of rapid neurological decline, positive CSF biomarkers, and diagnostic findings on MRI and EEG. There is no known effective therapy for CJD and prompt diagnosis is required to prepare for the expected disease prognosis and goals of care discussions.

Rapidly Progressing Secondary Organizing Pneumonia in a Case of Systemic Sclerosis Sine Scleroderma - A Diagnostic Urgency: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Systemic sclerosis sine (latin: without) scleroderma (ssSSc), also called visceral scleroderma, is characterized by internal organ involvement and abnormal serologic abnormalities in the complete or partial absence of cutaneous manifestations of systemic sclerosis.1,2 Pulmonary involvement in scleroderma consists of interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension. Usual interstitial pneumonia (45.

Whip-it Beyond Desserts: Causing Subacute Combined Degeneration - Case Report and Literature Review.

Nitrous oxide (NO) has been increasingly used for recreational purposes due to its dissociative and euphoric properties. Exposure to NO results in the deactivation of in vivo vitamin B, leading to subsequent neurological sequelae due to vitamin B deficiency.7 Current management focuses on cessation of exposure and replacement therapy, yet patients may continue to suffer from permanent neurological damage.

A Rare Presentation of Bacteremia Secondary to Skin and Soft Tissue Infection.

is a rod-shaped, flagellated, non-lactose fermenting, gram negative bacterium, usually found in water and soil habitats. generally causes nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients. Increased infection rates are seen in those patients with medical devices inserted, due to this organism's innate ability to attach to moist and inanimate objects.

Primary Raynaud's Phenomenon.

The authors present a clinical image of primary Raynaud's phenomenon and briefly review its pathophysiology, differential diagnosis, and need for longitudinal follow up.

Inpatient Versus Outpatient MRI? Outcomes for Hospitalized Patients With New Liver Masses.

No guidelines exist to guide hospitalists on whether inpatient MRI should be pursued for incidental liver masses. Here, we compare outcomes between patients who receive an inpatient MRI and those who did not, following detection of suspicious liver masses during hospitalization. A retrospective study of hospitalized patients with new HCC from Jan 1st, 2020 through Dec 31st, 2021 was conducted.

Insulin Therapy for Acute Pancreatitis in a Patient With Lipase Maturation Factor 1 Mutation: A Case Report.

Acute pancreatitis is a frequent cause of hospital admission, managed with intravenous (IV) fluids, analgesia, and oral feeding when tolerated. In patients with hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis, insulin and other therapies may be necessary for disease resolution. We present a case of a patient with severe acute pancreatitis and euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with known lipase maturation factor 1 (LMF1) gene mutations, which can impact insulin efficacy on triglyceride metabolism through altered lipoprotein lipase activity, successfully treated with intravenous insulin.

Hyperhomocysteinemia-associated Thrombosis in Patients With Pernicious Anemia.

Introduction: Cobalamin deficiency (CD) due to pernicious anemia (PA) leads to hyperhomocystinemia, a risk factor for thrombosis. However, the clinical presentations and outcomes of hyperhomocystinemia-associated thrombosis (HAT) are not fully understood.

Methods: We undertook a literature search using PUBMED, SCOPUS and WEB OF SCIENCE databases for the terms "pernicious anemia AND thrombosis", "pernicious anemia AND embolism", "pernicious anemia AND thromboembolism", "autoimmune gastritis AND thrombosis", "autoimmune gastritis AND embolism", "autoimmune gastritis AND thromboembolism" through January 2024 and reviewed the published literature.

Cocaine-induced Vasculitis: Uncommon Manifestations in the Lower Extremities - A Case Report.

Levamisole-induced vasculitis is a recognized dermatopathologic phenomenon frequently observed in individuals engaged in illicit substance use, particularly cocaine. Levimasole's structural resemblance to cocaine leads to its utilization as a cutting or bulking agent, creating an illusion of unaltered purity. While this vasculitis typically manifests in cartilaginous areas such as the ears and nose, it can also occur, though less commonly, in the lower extremities.

: An Unlikely Device-related Infection.

Implantable cardiac devices, including cardiac pacemakers, are not without risk for infection, carrying a mortality and morbidity of around 5-15%. Gram positive organisms are most common in 91% of cases, whereas gram negative organisms are less common, found in 2% of cases secondary to gram negative organisms other than . Here, we present a rare case of the gram-negative organism leading to a pacemaker site infection.

Spontaneous Splenic Rupture Leading to the Diagnosis of CML.

Background: Spontaneous splenic rupture (SSR) is a known complication of hematologic malignancy. Rare cases have been reported in which patients presented with SSR prior to diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We present a case of atraumatic SSR due to CML presenting as persistent abdominal pain.

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Presenting With VT Electrical Storm.

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a right ventricular disease caused by desmosomal gene mutations leading to fibro-fatty replacement of the myocardium causing ventricular arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia (VT). A 59-year-old female presented with new onset VT manifesting as shortness of breath and chest discomfort. Diagnostic workup revealed right ventricular dilation/dysfunction on echocardiogram, VT with left bundle branch block (LBBB) and diffuse T wave inversions (TWIs) on EKG.

Massive Carbon Black Inhalation.

Carbon black is the general term for a powdery commercial form of carbon. It can cause adverse health effects after inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact. Exposure to carbon black particles can have adverse effects on the respiratory system; this exposure usually occurs when people inhale contaminated air in the workplace.

Gene Editing: Developments, Ethical Considerations, and Future Directions.

An examination of recent developments related to CRISPR technology, ethical considerations of the application of such technologies, and future directions for germline editing.

MAFLD: Exploring the Systemic Effects Beyond Liver.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a growing global health concern which is driven by the increasing prevalence of diabetes and obesity. MAFLD is characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver, which encompasses a range of conditions, from simple hepatic steatosis to more severe forms. This condition is associated with various complications, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), liver cirrhosis, and even malignancy.

Severe Hypercalcemia Following Hip Joint Implantation of Calcium Sulfate Antibiotic Beads: Case Series and Review of Literature.

Purpose: The diagnosis and management of hypercalcemia in hospitalized patients can be challenging. Hypercalcemia is often associated with significant morbidity and end-organ damage which may delay a patient's recovery.

Methods: We report a case series of three patients who underwent orthopedic procedures with intraoperative placement of vancomycin-loaded calcium sulfate beads.

Validation of SCAI Shock Staging in Critically Ill Medical Intensive Care Unit Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock.

Purpose: This study evaluated the predictive value of SCAI shock staging for mortality in patients with sepsis and septic shock admitted to the medical ICU.

Materials And Methods: This is a single-center historical cohort study. We analyzed data for adults (≥18-year-old) admitted to the medical ICU at Mayo Clinic St.

Marginal Zone Lymphoma in a Case of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treated With Adalimumab Therapy.

Marginal zone lymphoma has seldom been described in relation to adalimumab used for treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa. Although studies have shown an increased risk of lymphoma with adalimumab, most of these studies were done in patients with underlying inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis where the disease itself presents as a confounder for lymphoma. Our case described adds to the role of chronic anti-TNF alpha therapy as a possible etiology of lymphoma.

Oropharyngeal Lymphogranuloma Venereum: A Clinical Reasoning Challenge and Literature Review.

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted infection typically caused by serovars L1-L3 of . These serovars are tissue-invasive with a preponderance for lymphatic spread and can be acquired via unprotected oral, anal, or vaginal sex. We present the case of a 23-year-old with a prior history of syphilis admitted with four weeks of progressively enlarging painful right cervical lymphadenopathy.

Pulmonary Embolism in Long Standing Diabetes: A Hint Towards Pancreatic Carcinoma.

Pancreatic carcinoma has remained one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Cancer originating in the head of pancreas is often detected early in the disease due to biliary obstruction resulting in jaundice. In contrast, cancer of the pancreatic body and tail remains indolent, presenting late with significantly increased tumor burden and distant metastasis.

Poor Outcome of Rare Lactobacillus Bacteremia and Endocarditis in a Patient With Frequent Consumption of Live Culture Yogurts.

is a gram-positive bacterium commonly found in dairy products and used as a probiotic due to its resistance to acid and bile. While generally considered safe, rare cases of bacteremia and endocarditis have been reported, primarily in individuals with significant risk factors. This report discusses an elderly male with a history of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and asthma, who developed bacteremia and endocarditis after consuming large quantities of Greek yogurt.