Pancreatic surface morphology and its classification.

INTRODUCTION: Anomalies and variants of development of the pancreas are relatively frequent. These variations can often lead to misdiagnosis and unnecessary medical procedures. Although, pancreatic diseases are a constantly researched field, fundamental research is relatively understudied and re-evaluation of the pancreatic morphology is performed rarely.

A rare case of primary adrenal lymphoma.

Adrenal gland incidentaloma (incidental - sudden, accidental) is a mass of the adrenal gland(s), accidentally detected by an instru-mental examination conducted for other reasons. The frequency of detection of this pathology based on computer tomography of the abdominal organs is 0.5%-2%. In most cases, the mass is represented by adrenocortical adenomas without hormonal secretion. It is an extremely rare case (less than 1% of all cases) when the adrenal incidentaloma is a primary adrenal lymphoma, which accounts for 1% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas and 3% of all extranodal lymphomas with a few cases reported in the literature. In our article, we present a case of left adrenal incidentaloma of the adrenal gland, which, during further observation and examination, increased in size, which was the reason for performing laparoscopic adrenalectomy. According to the results of the histological examination, the mass turned out to be diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Screening, Diagnostic and Prognostic Tests for COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review.

While molecular testing with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains the gold-standard test for COVID-19 diagnosis and screening, more rapid or affordable molecular and antigen testing options have been developed. More affordable, point-of-care antigen testing, despite being less sensitive compared to molecular assays, might be preferable for wider screening initiatives. Simple laboratory, imaging and clinical parameters could facilitate prognostication and triage. This comprehensive review summarises current evidence on the diagnostic, screening and prognostic tests for COVID-19.

Unusual development of the celiac trunk and its clinical significance.

We describe a case of unusual development of the celiac trunk observed in the cadaver of 1-year old male child. The celiac trunk branched into five vessels: the splenic, common hepatic and left gastric arteries, the left inferior diaphragmatic artery, and a short trunk that branched into the right inferior diaphragmatic artery and right accessory hepatic artery. Additionally, the manner of branching of the vessel was unusual: it was possible to distinguish two branching points that corresponded to its s-shaped trajectory. There were also other variations of vascular supply, such as the presence of a left accessory hepatic artery, an additional superior pancreatoduodenal artery, and others. It should be noted that multiple developmental variations can be common in clinical practice and clinicians should be aware of them during diagnostic and interventional procedures.

Apresentamos um relato de caso de desenvolvimento incomum do tronco celíaco em um cadáver do sexo masculino de 1 ano de idade. O tronco celíaco ramificou-se para cinco vasos: as artérias esplênica, hepática comum e gástrica esquerda, a artéria diafragmática inferior esquerda e um tronco pequeno que se ramificou para a artéria diafragmática inferior direita e para a artéria hepática direita acessória. Além disso, a forma como o vaso se ramificou foi incomum: é possível distinguir dois pontos de ramificação que correspondem à trajetória em formato de S. Também houve outras variações do suprimento vascular, como a presença da artéria hepática esquerda acessória, da artéria pancreaticoduodenal superior acessória e outras. Cabe observar que a variação de desenvolvimento múltipla pode ser comum na prática clínica, e os médicos devem estar cientes dela durante os procedimentos de diagnóstico e intervenção.

Multidimensional indices in the assessment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a very common disease, is the third leading cause of death worldwide. Due to the significant heterogeneity of clinical phenotypes of COPD there is no single method suitable for predicting patients' health status and outcomes, and therefore multidimensional indices, assessing different components of the disease, were developed and are recommended for clinical practice by international guidelines. Several indices have been widely accepted: BODE and its modifications, ADO, DOSE, CODEX, COTE. They differ in their composition and aim, while they are more accurate and better validated in specific settings and populations. We review the characteristics, strengths and limitations of these indices, and we discuss their role in routine management of patients with COPD, as well as in specific clinical scenarios, such as resuscitation and ceiling of care, or decisions to offer more invasive treatments. This analysis may help clinicians to use those indexes in a more practical and appropriate way.

A rare case of intrathymic epidermoid cyst.

Thymic cysts are a rare abnormality accounting for 1%-3% of all mediastinal masses. In most cases, they are asymptomatic and localized in the anterior mediastinum. Despite their benign nature, the presence of a mass is an indication for surgery to obtain a histological conclusion and reliably exclude an oncological process. Epidermoid cysts are rare and only a few cases are described in the literature. In our case report, we present a rare case of examination and treatment of a patient with a large anterior mediastinum mass, which, according to the results of histology, was an epidermoid cyst of the thymus.

A case of presacral teratoid cyst in an adult patient.

Presacral teratoid cyst (PTC) is a congenital structural abnormality located in the pararectal area and containing tissues from different germ layers. Cases of diagnosis and treatment of PTC in adults are extremely rare and there is little information about the treatment tactics and prognosis. We describe a case of PTC in a 28-year-old woman, with a description of the diagnostic process, preoperative and postoperative management, as well as a brief review of the literature on this topic. A reconstructive surgery was performed on the perineum, including: parasacral access, excision of the presacral cyst together with removal of the coccyx and plastic of the opening. The postoperative observation of the patient was without complications.

Bifid Pancreatic Tail: an Anatomical Case Series and their Classification.

Anomalies and variants of development of the pancreas are relatively frequent. Bifid pancreatic tail is a rare anatomic variation with only a few cases reported in the literature. The present case series were encountered during dissection of 50 anatomical specimens of the pancreas, spleen, and duodenum. We observed four unusual cases (8%) of bifid pancreatic tail. One case was of a vertically oriented bifid pancreas tail (2%), in another case, the tails here horizontally oriented (2%) and in two cases the bifid tails were horizontally oriented but unequal (4%). The bifid tails had an arterial supply that penetrated the glands between the tails and two out of four were also supplied by the superior horizontal pancreatic artery of Popova. The ductal system usually bifurcated at the level of the tails, but a case of trifurcation was also encountered. The current cases should be taken into account in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery to avoid misdiagnosis and to comprehensively assess the patient preoperatively.

Unusual development of the celiac trunk and its clinical significance / Desenvolvimento incomum do tronco celíaco e sua importância clínica

Abstract We describe a case of unusual development of the celiac trunk observed in the cadaver of 1-year old male child. The celiac trunk branched into five vessels: the splenic, common hepatic and left gastric arteries, the left inferior diaphragmatic artery, and a short trunk that branched into the right inferior diaphragmatic artery and right accessory hepatic artery. Additionally, the manner of branching of the vessel was unusual: it was possible to distinguish two branching points that corresponded to its s-shaped trajectory. There were also other variations of vascular supply, such as the presence of a left accessory hepatic artery, an additional superior pancreatoduodenal artery, and others. It should be noted that multiple developmental variations can be common in clinical practice and clinicians should be aware of them during diagnostic and interventional procedures.

Resumo Apresentamos um relato de caso de desenvolvimento incomum do tronco celíaco em um cadáver do sexo masculino de 1 ano de idade. O tronco celíaco ramificou-se para cinco vasos: as artérias esplênica, hepática comum e gástrica esquerda, a artéria diafragmática inferior esquerda e um tronco pequeno que se ramificou para a artéria diafragmática inferior direita e para a artéria hepática direita acessória. Além disso, a forma como o vaso se ramificou foi incomum: é possível distinguir dois pontos de ramificação que correspondem à trajetória em formato de S. Também houve outras variações do suprimento vascular, como a presença da artéria hepática esquerda acessória, da artéria pancreaticoduodenal superior acessória e outras. Cabe observar que a variação de desenvolvimento múltipla pode ser comum na prática clínica, e os médicos devem estar cientes dela durante os procedimentos de diagnóstico e intervenção.

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum ­ a Rare Asthma Complication.

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease worldwide and its prevalence is increasing. Acute asthma complications are often the reason for admission to emergency healthcare service. In our article we present a case of a rare asthma complication ­ spontaneous pneumomediastinum with a short review of its incidence, etiology, diagnosis and management. Spontaneus pneumothorax is important to differentiate with secondary pneumomediastinum as well as other conditions as cardiac diseases (acute coronary syndrome, pericarditis, cardiac tamponade, pneumopericardium), lung diseases (pneumothorax, pulmonary embolism, tracheobronchial tree rupture), musculoskeletal disorders, and diseases of the esophagus (rupture and perforation o the esophagus). A chest X-ray is often reliable for diagnosis of spontaneous pneumomediastinum and when inconclusive, can be followed by CT. The management is usually conservative with oxygen and analgesia. Surgery is required only in cases of tracheobronchial compression.

A Case of Unusual Vascularization of Upper Abdominal Cavity' Organs.

We describe a case report of multiple arterial variations of internal organs of upper abdominal cavity in a cadaver of 63-year-old female. There were several developmental variations of the vascular supply of the stomach, pancreas, spleen, and liver. There were several accessory arteries: left gastric, left hepatic, and posterior gastric artery as well as several arteries that had abnormal origin. The variations were discovered during macroscopical dissection at the department of human anatomy. It should be noted that multiple developmental variation can be common in clinical practice and clinicians should be aware of them during diagnostic and interventional procedures.

Pancreas divisum: a reemerging risk factor for pancreatic diseases.

Pancreas divisum (PD) is the most common developmental anatomic variant of pancreatic duct. The attention towards the PD has grown significantly since there are reports that this condition may cause acute relapsing pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis and chronic abdominal pain syndrome. Furthermore, over the years, there have been multiple reports of PD associated with different types of tumors. There is evidence that PD can be associated with pancreatic tumors (up to 12.5% of cases). The golden standard for diagnosing PD is endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, but since it is an invasive procedure magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography with secretin is a good alternative. In case the patient is symptomatic, endoscopic or surgical treatment should be performed. This review describes the key points of the pathophysiology, diagnostic modalities, risks of pancreatitis and tumors, as well as treatment options of PD.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Stroke.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the world and its incidence and prevalence is on the rise. It is evident that COPD is linked to cardiovascular disease. In the last years, several studies demonstrated that COPD may also be a risk factor for stroke, another major cause of death worldwide. Taking in consideration that COPD has multiple comorbidities it is hard to say whether COPD is an independent risk factor for stroke or it is due to confounding effect. This review is aimed to discuss current data on COPD and stroke, potential links, therapy, and prevention. Current data suggest that COPD may increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. The incidence of other stroke subtypes may also be increased in COPD or may be due to confounding effect. However, COPD patients who have stroke are at risk for pulmonary and extrapulmonary complications. We conclude that more studies are needed to further clarify the links between COPD and stroke. The management of COPD as well as the use of prevention therapy is essential to decrease the risk for stroke and should be at special attention in pulmonary medicine and neurology.

Coenzyme Q10 in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases: Current State of the Problem.

The burden of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases is increasing with every year. Although the management of these conditions has improved greatly over the years, it is still far from perfect. With all of this in mind, there is a need for new methods of prophylaxis and treatment. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential compound of the human body. There is growing evidence that CoQ10 is tightly linked to cardiometabolic disorders. Its supplementation can be useful in a variety of chronic and acute disorders. This review analyses the role of CoQ10 in hypertension, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, viral myocarditis, cardiomyopathies, cardiac toxicity, dyslipidemia, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, cardiac procedures and resuscitation.

To sleep, or not to sleep - that is the question, for polysomnography.

Have we reached the point where respiratory polygraphy can replace polysomnography in the assessment of OSAS? http://ow.ly/UxCU30bNopq.

Prevalence and burden of comorbidities in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

The classical definition of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as a lung condition characterized by irreversible airway obstruction is outdated. The systemic involvement in patients with COPD, as well as the interactions between COPD and its comorbidities, justify the description of chronic systemic inflammatory syndrome. The pathogenesis of COPD is closely linked with aging, as well as with cardiovascular, endocrine, musculoskeletal, renal, and gastrointestinal pathologies, decreasing the quality of life of patients with COPD and, furthermore, complicating the management of the disease. The most frequently described comorbidities include skeletal muscle wasting, cachexia (loss of fat-free mass), lung cancer (small cell or non-small cell), pulmonary hypertension, ischemic heart disease, hyperlipidemia, congestive heart failure, normocytic anemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, obstructive sleep apnea, depression, and arthritis. These complex interactions are based on chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, chronic hypoxia, and multiple common predisposing factors, and are currently under intense research. This review article is an overview of the comorbidities of COPD, as well as their interaction and influence on mutual disease progression, prognosis, and quality of life.

Predicting Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: The Impact of Age.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity in the elderly population. COPD leads to a reduced health-related quality of life (HRQL), but the factors which contribute to this are not well understood. A better understanding of the factors which determine HRQL should lead to an improved care for such patients. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate possible age-related differences in HRQL in a population of patients with a similar severity of obstruction. METHODS: A total of 180 consecutive COPD patients were enrolled into the study. We analyzed spirometric data, BODE index and its components, and comorbidities were assessed by the Charlson index. HRQL was assessed by the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 93 'younger' patients (mean age 54.8 ± 3.1 years) and 87 older patients (mean age 73.1 ± 5.5 years). Patients in both groups had a similar severity of obstruction: FEV1 (% from predicted) was 39.9 ± 13.2% in the elderly group compared to 41.7 ± 11.7% in the younger group (p > 0.05). The forward stepwise regression analysis shows that the BODE index, the Charlson index, and the rate of exacerbations are important predictors of deterioration of HRQL in elderly COPD patients, which explains 29% of the total SGRQ score. In the younger COPD patients, the coefficient of determination R2 was 0.27, but the predictors were the BODE index and the rate of exacerbations. CONCLUSIONS: The BODE index, the Charlson index, and the rate of exacerbations were found to be the major determinants of HRQL in elderly COPD patients, while in younger COPD patients, the BODE index and the rate of exacerbations were influential factors.