Surgical Treatment of Spontaneous Superficial Temporal Artery Arteriovenous Malformation: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein, bypassing the capillary network. An AVM of the superficial temporal artery (STA) can occur after trauma, iatrogenic injury, infection, or spontaneously. Spontaneous, or iatrogenic, presentations of STA AVM are thought to be rare, with very few reported cases. Symptoms include local pain, headache, tinnitus, or paresthesia, in addition to a palpable mass associated with thrill on palpation. Options for diagnosis include intra-arterial angiography, doppler ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and computed tomography angiography (CTA). Current management options include surgical excision, ligation, and embolization; however, it is unknown which treatment is superior in terms of recurrence and which carries a lower risk of complications. CASE REPORT We present a case of a spontaneous STA AVM in a 76-year-old woman with past medical history significant for seasonal allergies and hyperlipidemia, who presented with pulsatile tinnitus and a palpable, tender mass located to the left temporal area. The mass had been present for several years, with gradual increase in size two to three years prior to presentation. She denied any history of trauma or procedure prior to presentation of the pulsatile mass. She underwent open excision with complete resolution of symptoms and no recurrence at 11-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AVM of the STA is a condition that can occur secondary to trauma, infection, iatrogenic injury, or spontaneously. Spontaneous, or iatrogenic, presentations of STA AVM are thought to be rare, with very few cases documented in the literature. Surgical treatment remains the standard of management, with options including surgical excision, ligation, or embolization.

Primary repair of complete Achilles tear augmented with amnion allograft wrap in college basketball player with a history of contralateral Achilles rupture: a case report.

Background: The Achilles tendon is the thickest tendon in the human body and is responsible for plantar flexion with muscle contraction. It is able to withstand tensile loads as large as ten times the body's weight or greater at times of peak stress on the tendon. Due to the repetitive and massive stress inflicted on the Achilles tendon, it is prone to injuries, especially in running and jumping athletes. Ruptures typically present after unsustainable stress placed on the tendon from rapid contraction with classic presentation of a sudden "pop". These injuries tend to occur in middle-aged men after atypical physical exertion with complaints of immense pain in the posterior lower leg. Case Description: This case examines a 20-year-old athlete presenting to the emergency department after sustaining a left calf injury while playing basketball. The patient suffered a full-thickness tear of the Achilles tendon with retraction and subsequent anterior and posterior tibiofibular ligament deficiency. This presentation is unique as he has a past medical history of an Achilles tear in the contralateral limb. Conclusions: This study concluded that the bilateral Achilles tears in such a young patient were caused by anatomical blood supply watershed area to the Achilles tendon and anatomical ankle alignment abnormalities. This study provided a viable option to successfully repair complex Achilles tears via close reduction internal fixation (CRIF) with allograft matrix.

Simultaneous minimally invasive uniportal atrial septal defect repair and pulmonary lobectomy: a case report.

Background: Combination of non-oncological pulmonary and cardiac conditions is common entity in modern thoracic surgery, allowing concurrent surgical correction. Multiple publications in the literature address the success of simultaneous interventions for combined conditions, however almost all are performed with an open approach. Case Description: A 49-year-old male with past medical history significant for bronchiectasis, complicated by fibrosis of the middle lobe, presented with dyspnea, recurrent hemoptysis, and nonproductive cough. Echocardiography revealed a large atrial septal defect (ASD), biventricular enlargement with severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. After multidisciplinary evaluation, patient was taken to the operating room for simultaneous cardiac intervention with right middle lobectomy. The total duration of surgery was 332 min, with cross-clamp time of 79 min. Estimated blood loss was 800 mL. Patient was extubated 3 h postoperatively, chest tube was removed on postoperative day 4 and the patient was discharged home on postoperative day 8 without postoperative complications. Conclusions: In this article, we describe the first case of simultaneous thoracoscopic uniportal intervention with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in the treatment of multiple congenital heart defects and pulmonary complications of bronchiectasis. Presented case demonstrates potential advantage and feasibility of minimally invasive simultaneous procedures in patients with concurrent pulmonary and cardiac conditions. The described approach allowed radical surgical intervention to address both problems in the single setting, while retaining advantage of minimally invasive intervention.

Sliding Inguinal Bladder Hernia: An Open and Minimally Invasive Robotic-Assisted Repair.

Inguinal hernia repair, although a common procedure, can present in complicated ways such as a sliding inguinal bladder hernia (IBH). This rare type of hernia can alter a patient's quality of life by obstructing urination, requiring manual scrotal compression to fully empty the bladder, and lead to devastating complications such as hydronephrosis and kidney failure. Treatment is typically by open inguinal hernia repair with manual bladder reduction, but this method poses risks of iatrogenic injury to the bladder. Within this case series, IBH repairs via open and robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedures are compared, and the morbidity and mortality of each method are analyzed. Although risk of recurrence is similar for both procedures, robotic surgeries are linked to decreased postoperative pain and length of hospital stay. The ease of dissection of pelvic anatomy and detailed view of the associated structures that robotic surgery can provide during a complex hernia repair encourages its use for IBH.

Transsternal Approach for Broncho-Pleural Fistula Closure After Right Pneumonectomy.

Broncho-pleural fistula (BPF) is an abnormal communication between the bronchial lumen and the pleural space that typically occurs postoperatively. Surgical intervention is typically needed to patch the fistula; however, current literature lacks a gold standard for which treatment to use. With a high mortality rate, there is a clear urgency for quick and successful intervention. This case examines a 59-year-old patient presenting with a BPF 14 years after incidental pneumonectomy during upper lobectomy for invasive aspergillus. A fistula was appreciated during bronchoscopy with contrast injection. The fistula was closed via the transsternal approach through median sternotomy and pericardiotomy. This case report aims to provide a viable option to successfully repair a BPF via the transsternal approach.

Robotic Transgastric Reconstruction of the Double Lumen Esophagus.

Double lumen esophagus is an extremely rare condition, developing in most cases as a complication of antireflux procedures or gastroesophageal reflux itself secondary to the severe inflammatory process in and around the lower esophagus. We describe a case of iatrogenic double lumen esophagus after multiple previous Nissen fundoplications for chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease. There is no standard surgical intervention for the management of this complication. We present a first report of successful robot-assisted surgical reconstruction of a double lumen esophagus.

Minimally Invasive Diaphragm Plication for Acquired Unilateral Diaphragm Paralysis: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Diaphragm paralysis is a relatively uncommon entity that can be both congenital and acquired in nature. While commonly asymptomatic, it can also cause a significant decrease in pulmonary function and reserve, particularly in patients with underlying pulmonary diseases. Our aim was to summarize the current literature regarding the minimally invasive techniques used in the surgical correction of acquired diaphragm paralysis via traditional and robotic minimally invasive approaches. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of available literature using the Cochrane methodology and reported findings according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. Results: A total of 6,561 citations were identified through initial database and reference searches, of which 90 articles met the inclusion criteria for review. After further assessment, 33 appropriate full-text studies were selected for the review. Of the selected publications, the majority represented case reports and single-center retrospective studies with level of evidence 4. Only 1 level 2b study (individual cohort study) was identified, comparing minimally invasive and open approaches. Conclusions: Each of the minimally invasive approaches has its unique benefits and disadvantages, which are summarized and delineated in this article. Ultimately, no preferred method of diaphragm plication for diaphragm paralysis can be recommended at this time based on clinical data. The choice of procedure and surgical approach continues to be selected based on the surgeon's experience and preference.

Sit-ups and emergency abdominal surgery: a rare case of intestinal volvulus and resultant chylous ascites incited by abdominal exercises.

Chylous ascites is a unique phenomenon defined in the literature by ascitic fluid with a triglyceride content >200 mg/dl. This rather rare entity can be associated with a number of different pathologies related to abnormalities within the lymphatic system. This case report serves to demonstrate an intestinal volvulus and resultant chylous ascites found on exploratory laparotomy in an otherwise healthy individual who participated in routine, extreme abdominal exercises.

Surgical management of rare benign tumors of the sternum.

Primary benign tumors of the sternum are an exceedingly rare entity. Surgical techniques regarding intervention for these lesions are not clearly defined in the literature given their scarcity. Operative techniques include en-bloc resection of the tumor, and this has proven to be successful in preventing local recurrence despite benign nature of the lesion. Given the often extensive defect created by the excision, reconstruction is frequently necessary; depending on the size of the defect, either autologous bone grafting or the use of synthetic materials may be indicated. This study serves to present two cases of rare primary benign tumors of the sternum, giant cell tumors and osteoma spongiosum and to summarize the available literature. We present a review of the literature of 17sternal giant cell tumor cases reported so far including our patient and unique case of osteoma spongiosum of the sternum, that discusses their surgical management, as well as reconstructive techniques that provided an excellent clinical result and a lack of recurrence on long term follow-up.

Currarino-Silverman syndrome: diagnosis and treatment of rare chest wall deformity, a case series.

BACKGROUND: Currarino-Silverman (CS) syndrome is an extremely rare congenital deformity of the anterior chest wall. The syndrome is often combined with congenital heart defects and spinal abnormalities. As of currently, there is a lack of definite description in the literature about this type of pectus deformity. Typically, patients do not require surgical intervention for medical reasons, and the correction is usually only for cosmetic purposes. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate surgical intervention for CS syndrome at a tertiary care facility, and to summarize the available literature. METHODS: Patients with CS syndrome were retrospectively reviewed from a period of June 2012 to August 2019. An extensive literature search for "Currarino-Silverman syndrome," "pouter pigeon chest," "chondromanubrial deformity," "type 2 pectus carinatum" and "pectus arcuatum" was performed. RESULTS: Four clinical cases of CS syndrome are presented, two of which were symptomatic and corrected. The procedure of choice was the modified Ravitch-type thoracoplasty with double osteotomy and implantation of support plates. CONCLUSIONS: There is no clear definition of CS syndrome in the literature. Correct and uniform classification plays a crucial role in the surgical treatment of this pathology. Due to the extreme rarity of the disease, challenging deformity, and variable anatomy of the fused sternum, there are no clear guidelines in treatment approaches. The correction is mostly pursued only for cosmetic results, and the best surgical option for CS syndrome remains the relatively aggressive Ravitch-type procedure with multi-level wedge osteotomy.

Functional NMDA receptors are expressed by human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are widely expressed in the central nervous system. However, their presence and function at extraneuronal sites is less well characterized. In the present study, we examined the expression of NMDA receptor subunit mRNA and protein in human pulmonary artery (HPA) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. We demonstrate that both GluN1 and GluN2 subunit mRNAs are expressed in HPA. In addition, GluN1 and GluN2 (A-D) subunit proteins are expressed by human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) in vitro and in vivo. These subunits localize on the surface of HPASMCs and form functional ion channels as evidenced by whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology and reduced phenylephrine-induced contractile responsiveness of human pulmonary artery by the NMDA receptor antagonist MK801 under hypoxic condition. HPASMCs also express high levels of serine racemase and vesicular glutamate transporter 1, suggesting a potential source of endogenous agonists for NMDA receptor activation. Our findings show HPASMCs express functional NMDA receptors in line with their effect on pulmonary vasoconstriction, and thereby suggest a novel therapeutic target for pharmacological modulations in settings associated with pulmonary vascular dysfunction.

Complex anterior chest wall reconstruction after extensive oncologic resections: a narrative review.

Objective: This report serves to showcase four cases of rare, malignant primary neoplasms of the anterior chest wall [chondrosarcoma and basal cell carcinoma (BCC)] that thoracic surgeons may encounter, and different approaches to complex reconstruction that may be necessary following resection. Background: Approximately 60% of the anterior chest wall neoplasms are malignant. The most common types of primary sternal tumors are chondrosarcoma and osteosarcoma. While guidelines for resection of these tumors have been previously described in the literature, guidelines regarding reconstructive techniques of the subsequent large defects are infrequently demonstrated. Methods: The medical records of four adult patients with primary chest wall tumors who underwent resection of the sternum from October 2016 to March 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Radical resection with tumor-free surgical margins offers the best chance for survival, but results in a wide full-thickness defect. Hence, closure of the anterior chest wall defect with skeletal reconstruction is an essential step of the procedure and allows us to highlight surgical techniques and materials that have been used over recent years. Methods described herein include skeletal reconstruction with various hardware or allograft, as well as defect coverage using regional flaps, free tissue transfer, and mesh. Conclusions: Primary chest wall tumors of the sternum are an extremely rare diagnosis with a high malignancy rate. Full-thickness radical en-bloc resection is the most effective treatment option. Subsequent reconstruction of a wide chest wall defect is the most challenging aspect, though crucial in the preservation of the rigidity of the chest wall and protection of underlying structures. Different techniques and materials have been described without clear guidelines in treatment approaches; this paper serves to delineate and describe techniques that achieved successful outcomes.

mTORC1 activation in lung mesenchyme drives sex- and age-dependent pulmonary structure and function decline.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare fatal cystic lung disease due to bi-allelic inactivating mutations in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC1/TSC2) genes coding for suppressors of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). The origin of LAM cells is still unknown. Here, we profile a LAM lung compared to an age- and sex-matched healthy control lung as a hypothesis-generating approach to identify cell subtypes that are specific to LAM. Our single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis reveals novel mesenchymal and transitional alveolar epithelial states unique to LAM lung. This analysis identifies a mesenchymal cell hub coordinating the LAM disease phenotype. Mesenchymal-restricted deletion of Tsc2 in the mouse lung produces a mTORC1-driven pulmonary phenotype, with a progressive disruption of alveolar structure, a decline in pulmonary function, increase of rapamycin-sensitive expression of WNT ligands, and profound female-specific changes in mesenchymal and epithelial lung cell gene expression. Genetic inactivation of WNT signaling reverses age-dependent changes of mTORC1-driven lung phenotype, but WNT activation alone in lung mesenchyme is not sufficient for the development of mouse LAM-like phenotype. The alterations in gene expression are driven by distinctive crosstalk between mesenchymal and epithelial subsets of cells observed in mesenchymal Tsc2-deficient lungs. This study identifies sex- and age-specific gene changes in the mTORC1-activated lung mesenchyme and establishes the importance of the WNT signaling pathway in the mTORC1-driven lung phenotype.

A Stepwise Approach for Postlobectomy Bronchopleural Fistula.

Although rare, bronchopleural fistula (BPF) following anatomic lung resection is a serious complication associated with high rates of mortality (25%-71%). Risk factors for BPF include surgical approach, neoadjuvant therapy, diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. As neoadjuvant treatment is increasingly being administered to patients with locally advanced lung cancer, and as more patients are being diagnosed with lung cancer at an older age-elderly patients present with a higher index of multiple comorbidities-the incidence of BPF among patients undergoing anatomic resection for lung cancer is expected to increase. In this manuscript, we detail risk factors and considerations for BPF and describe a stepwise approach to treat BPF following lobectomy for lung cancer.