An Unusual Cause of Inguinal Mass in a Patient with Urolithiasis: A Case Report of Deep (Aggressive) Angiomyxoma in a Male Patient.

Deep or aggressive angiomyxoma is an uncommon neoplasm of the pelvis. Although deep angiomyxoma is a benign tumor, its tendency to infiltrate soft tissues and reach a large size (typically > 10 cm) indicates aggressive biological behavior. It is usually present in female patients, but there have been recent reports of male-aggressive angiomyxoma.

A Simple Way to Exclude a Lethal Complication Following Atrial Fibrillation Radiofrequency Ablation: A Case Report.

Esophageal injury is a serious complication following atrial fibrillation catheter ablation procedures. It may manifest as atrio-esophageal fistula, pericardio-esophageal fistula (PEF), or restricted perforation, with high mortality rate if left unoperated. Chest computed tomography with intravenous contrast is the mainstay of diagnosis; however, a definite imaging diagnosis is often delayed and may worsen patient outcomes.

Comparison of fludarabine/melphalan (FM140) with fludarabine/melphalan/BCNU (FBM110) in patients with relapsed/refractory AML undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation - a registry study on behalf of the EBMT Acute Leukemia Working Party.

The treatment of relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with a dismal prognosis. The allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is frequently performed as salvage therapy. Reduced intensity conditioning protocols have been developed with the aim of reducing the leukemia burden without increasing their toxicity.

Renal survival and treatment of adult patients with Primary Focal Segmental glomerulosclerosis: A historical cohort study of the National Greek Registry.

Background/objective: Primary Focal and Segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is one of the most common causes of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Our aim was to describe a large cohort of patients with primary FSGS, identify risk factors associated with worse renal survival and assess the impact of different immunosuppressive regiments on renal survival.

Methods: This was a historical cohort study of adults who were diagnosed with primary FSGS from March 26, 1982, to September 16, 2020.

The learning curve for robotic-assisted pyeloplasty in urologists with no prior robotic experience using an ex-vivo model: A prospective, controlled study.

Introduction: Despite the increasing trend of utilizing robotic techniques in pyeloplasty, little is known about the learning curve for robot-assisted pyeloplasty (RAP) amongst urologists with no prior robotic experience. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the learning curve of residents in the last year or recently appointed urologists performing RAP using an ex-vivo model.

Methods: A prospective ex-vivo model study was conducted including participants who were either residents in the last year or recently appointed urologists.

Unlocking the Secrets of Acute Coronary Syndromes Using Intravascular Imaging: From Pathophysiology to Improving Outcomes.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represents the most severe manifestation of coronary artery disease. Intravascular imaging, both intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), have played crucial roles for the impressive reduction in mortality of ACS. Intravascular imaging is useful for the detection of atherosclerotic mechanism (plaque rupture, calcified nodules, or plaque erosions) and for the evaluation of nonatherosclerotic and nonobstructive types of ACS.

Microsurgical management of previously embolized intracranial aneurysms: A single center experience and literature review.

Background: Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) provides less invasiveness and lower morbidity than microsurgical clipping, albeit with a long-term recurrence rate estimated at 20%. We present our single-center experience and a literature review concerning surgical clipping of recurrent previously coiled aneurysms.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of nine (9) patients' data and final clinical/angiographic outcomes, who underwent surgical clipping of IAs in our center following initial endovascular treatment, over a 12-year period (2010-2022).

New Insights into the Pathogenesis of Intestinal Fibrosis in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Focusing on Intestinal Smooth Muscle Cells.

Strictures in inflammatory bowel disease, especially Crohn's disease (CD), are characterized by increased intestinal wall thickness, which, according to recent accumulating data, is mainly attributed to the expansion of the intestinal smooth muscle layers and to a lesser extent to collagen deposition. In this review, we will discuss the role of intestinal smooth muscle cells (SMCs) as crucial orchestrators of stricture formation. Activated SMCs can synthesize extracellular matrix (ECM), thus contributing to intestinal fibrosis, as well as growth factors and cytokines that can further enhance ECM production, stimulate other surrounding mesenchymal and immune cells, and increase SMC proliferation via paracrine or autocrine signaling.

SoutheAsTern eUrope microciRculATION (SATURATION) registry - Design and rationale.

Background: A considerable number of symptomatic patients leave the cardiac catheterization lab without a definitive diagnosis for their symptoms because no epicardial stenoses are found. The significance of disorders of coronary microvasculature and vasomotion as the cause of symptoms and signs of ischemia has only recently been appreciated. Today we have a wide spectrum of invasive coronary physiology tools but little is known about when and how these tools are used in clinical practice.

Distal radial artery palpability and successful arterial access for coronary angiography: A post-hoc analysis from two randomized trials.

Background: Distal radial artery access (DRA) has been emerged as an alternative for conventional transradial arterial access. While palpation of radial artery is mandatory prior coronary angiography, it remains unknown the clinical impact of palpation in DRA success. Aim of our study is to explore whether the palpability of distal radial artery is linked with higher rates of successful arterial access.

The cornerstones of randomized clinical trials.

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are pivotal in medical research, offering critical evidence on the efficacy and safety of treatments. This paper explores the distinct purposes and designs of superiority, non-inferiority, equivalence, and pragmatic trials, each addressing unique research questions. Superiority trials aim to demonstrate a new treatment's effectiveness over existing standards, while non-inferiority and equivalence trials focus on ensuring new treatments are not significantly worse or are similar to existing ones, respectively.

Late post-EVAR abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture: a meta-analysis study.

This study presents updated information on post-endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) late aortic rupture (LAR) as the data in the literature are limited. It comprises a meta-analysis based on the recent evidence regarding the incidence, causes, treatment outcomes, and prognosis of post-EVAR. A meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines.