Comparative analysis of VenaBlock and VenaSeal Systems for catheter-guided endovenous cyanoacrylate closure in treating chronic venous insufficiency of the lower extremity: effectiveness and feasibility.

Cyanoacrylate adhesive closure (CAC) systems are widely used to treat varicose veins. In terms of efficacy and safety, these nonthermal, non-tumescent methods are noninferior to endovenous thermal ablation techniques. However, no published studies have compared products that use CAC systems. VenaSeal® (Medtronic, Santa Rosa, CA, USA) and VenaBlock® (Invamed) are the most commonly used CAC-based products worldwide. This study aimed to focus on the efficacy of these two commonly used products, with little emphasis on safety. Published full-text articles on the VenaBlock® and VenaSeal® systems were searched. Data for each product were evaluated by comparing them with each other in terms of effectiveness. In total, 1882 extremities from 11 studies using VenaBlock® and 524 extremities from eight studies using VenaSeal® were included and compared. Both devices were effective, and their cumulative recanalization-free survival rates were similar (P=0.188) at the 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, and 60-month follow-ups. Both products improved the venous clinical severity score (VCSS) and quality of life (QoL) scores. VenaBlock® and VenaSeal® are effective in terms of cumulative recanalization-free survival rates, and no significant difference was found between the two groups (P=0.188). Both significantly improve the VCSS and QoL scores. CAC is feasible for the treatment of varicose veins.

Examining the effects of coronary artery disease- and mitochondrial biogenesis-related genes' and microRNAs' expression levels on metabolic disorders in epicardial adipose tissue.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) surrounds the heart and coronary arteries and is important for comprehending the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to evaluate the expressions of mitochondrial biogenesis- and CAD-related genes and miRNAs in EAT by comparing them to visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in CAD, diabetes, and obesity subgroups. METHODS: In this study, a total of 93 individuals were recruited, and EAT samples (63 CAD; 30 non-CAD) and VAT samples from 65 individuals (46 CAD; 19 non-CAD) were collected. For further analysis, the study population was divided according to obesity and diabetes status. PRKAA1, PPARGC1A, SIRT1, RELA, TNFA, and miR-155-5p, let-7g-5p, miR-1247-5p, miR-326 expression levels were examined. RESULTS: PRKAA1 and let-7g-5p were differentially expressed in EAT compared to VAT. TNFA expression was upregulated significantly in both tissues of CAD patients. In EAT, PRKAA1, PPARGC1A, and SIRT1 were downregulated with diabetes. Moreover, PPARGC1A expression is decreased under the condition of obesity in both tissues. EAT expressions of miR-1247-5p and miR-326 were downregulated with obesity, while miR-155-5p is decreased only in the VAT of obese. Also, miRNAs and genes were correlated with biochemical parameters and each other in EAT and VAT (p < 0.050). CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrating distinct let-7g-5p and AMPKα1 mRNA expression between EAT and VAT underscores the importance of tissue-specific regulation in different clinical outcomes. In addition, the differential expressions of investigated genes and miRNAs highlight their responsiveness to obesity, DM, and CAD in adipose tissues.

Complete surgical revascularization after NSTEMI and unstable angina in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease: Institutional experience.

INTRODUCTION: The feasibility and standardization of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and unstable angina (UA) remain topics of ongoing debate. In this study, feasibility and early-term outcomes of CABG in patients with NSTE-ACS and UA were discussed. METHODS: This study enrolled 79 patients who underwent on-pump CABG with complete revascularization between January 2020 and May 2022. the survival rates analyzed using Kaplan Meier test with log rank test. The p value of statistical significance was taken as below 0.05. RESULTS: Preoperatively, the patients had a mean age of 60.9 years and a BMI of 28.0. The medical history included hypertension (50.6%), peripheral arterial disease and atrial fibrillation (12.7%), and other comorbidities such as COPD (22.8%) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (44.3%). Intraoperatively, the mean distal anastomosis count was 3.4, with average cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times of 84.0 and 49.0 min, respectively. Early-term outcomes revealed low rates of mortality (2.5%) and complications such as myocardial infarction (1.3%), acute kidney injury (5.1%) and transient ischemic attack (5.1%). Post-discharge outcomes demonstrated low cardiac and all-cause mortality rates (2.5% and 3.8%, respectively) and a high overall survival rate (93.7%) at 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the feasibility and positive outcomes of complete surgical revascularization in patients with UA and NSTE-ACS. It showed no graft occlusion or stroke, low complication rates and promising survival outcomes. Further research is needed for confirmation and to establish the procedure's efficacy and safety in this patient population.

Digital evaluation of the dimensional accuracy of four different implant impression techniques.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the dimensional accuracy of four different implant impression techniques of a mandibular edentulous model with five parallel implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five dental implants were placed in an edentulous mandibular model in parallel. A total of forty impressions were obtained using four different impression techniques. In Group 1 (G1) and Group 2 (G2), closed tray impressions with and without plastic caps, respectively, were used. In Group 3 (G3) and Group 4 (G4), open tray impressions with a direct splinted technique and an improved direct splinted technique, respectively, were used. All the impressions were poured with Type IV dental stone. Master model and study casts were scanned with a laser optical scanner and aligned by observing the superpositions of the anatomical landmarks using a software program. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Fifty measurements of the apical, coronal, and angular discrepancies of the master and study casts were obtained (n = 50) and statistically analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance and post hoc (least significant difference ) and Friedman's tests. RESULTS: The lowest accuracy was obtained from G2 when the angular (1.48°), coronal (0.32 µm), and apical (0.14 µm) deviations were tested (P < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant differences were found among the other groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In cases with five parallel mandibular implants, improved accuracy was achieved using the direct splinted technique, the improved direct splinted technique, or the closed tray impression technique with snap on plastic caps.

A preliminary report of patients treated with early loaded implants using computerized tomography-guided surgical stents: flapless versus conventional flapped surgery.

The objective of this clinical study was to compare the survival rates of early loaded implants placed using flapless and flapped surgical techniques and to determine the bone density in the implant recipient sites using computerized tomography (CT). The study population consisted of 12 patients who were referred implant placement. One group consisted of five patients referred for the placement of 14 implants and treated with a flapless procedure. The other group consisted of seven patients referred for the placement of 45 implants with a conventional flapped procedure. Patients were selected randomly. CT machine was used for pre-operative evaluation of the jaw bone and the mean bone density value of each implant recipient site was recorded in Hounsfield units (HU). All implants were placed using CT-guided surgical stents. The early loading protocols included 2 months of healing in the mandible and 3 months of healing in the maxilla. Single-implant crowns, implant-supported fixed partial dentures, and implant-retained over dentures were delivered to the patients. Of 59 implants placed, one was lost in the conventional flapped group within the first month of healing, meaning overall implant survival rate of 98.3% average 9 months later. The highest average bone density value (801 +/- 239 HU) was found in the anterior mandible, followed by 673 +/- 449 HU for the posterior maxilla, 669 +/-346 HU for the anterior maxilla and 538 +/- 271 HU for the posterior mandible. The results of this study show that the early loading of implants placed utilizing flapless surgical technique with CT-guided surgical stents may be possible.

Implantation of the cuff of A.U.S. around of all the corpora.

Originally, the implantation of the cuff A.U.S. in the male population is performed around the vesical neck or bulbous urethra. When this was not safe or possible (repeated surgery of the prostate and or severe urethral strictures) we implanted the cuff around all the corpora of the penis.