Medical education in Syria at a time of crisis: Analysis of the results of the knowledge-based National Medical Examination.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored how the Syrian crisis, training conditions, and relocation influenced the National Medical Examination (NME) scores of final-year medical students. METHODS: Results of the NME were used to denote the performance of final-year medical students between 2014 and 2021. The NME is a mandatory standardised test that measures the knowledge and competence of students in various clinical subjects. We categorised the data into two periods: period-I (2014-2018) and period-II (2019-2021). Period-I represents students who trained under hostile circumstances, which refer to the devastating effects of a decade-long Syrian crisis. Period-II represents post-hostilities phase, which is marked by a deepening economic crisis. RESULTS: Collected data included test scores for a total of 18 312 final-year medical students from nine medical schools (from six public and three private universities). NME scores improved significantly in period-II compared with period-I tests (p < 0.0001). Campus location or relocation during the crisis affected the results significantly, with higher scores from students of medical schools located in lower-risk regions compared with those from medical schools located in high-risk regions (p < 0.0001), both during and in the post-hostilities phases. Also, students of medical schools re-located to lesser-risk regions scored significantly less than those of medical schools located in high-risk regions (p < 0.0001), but their scores remained inferior to that of students of medical schools that were originally located in lower-risk regions (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Academic performance of final year medical students can be adversely affected by crises and conflicts, with a clear tendency to recovery upon crises resolution. The study underscores the importance of maintaining and safeguarding the infrastructure of educational institutions, especially during times of crisis. Governments and educational authorities should prioritise resource allocation to ensure that medical schools have access to essential services, learning resources, and teaching personnel.

Primary cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma in a mitral valve involved with rheumatic disease.

A 51-year-old female underwent emergency mitral valve replacement for mitral stenosis with an undetermined mass which was attached to the anterior mitral leaflet. Histopathological testing of the excised specimen confirmed the diagnosis of rheumatic mitral disease in combination with a primary rhabdomyosarcoma. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with pazopanib hydrochloride was given. At 10 months of follow-up, repeated computed tomographic screening has not shown any signs of local recurrence or secondary metastases. The potential for the existence of primary rhabdomyosarcomas should be borne in mind when faced with undetermined masses on mitral leaflets, even in the presence of rheumatic disease.

Uncharted surgical therapy for acquired perforating dermatoses.

Acquired perforating dermatoses represent an uncommon group of chronic papulonodular dermatoses of unknown aetiology, characterized clinically by intense itching; and histopathologically by transepidermal elimination of dermal components. Definitive targeted pharmacological approaches are lacking, and the disease is usually refractory to therapy. We report here a case of rapid remission of acquired perforating dermatosis following simple thymectomy. If a role for the thymus in the pathogenesis of acquired perforating dermatoses was to be established, this could pave the way for a yet uncharted surgical therapy for these debilitating conditions.

Effectiveness of peer-assisted teaching of medical English skills to non-native English-speaking medical students.

Background: Peer-assisted learning has been shown to be constructive in numerous aspects of undergraduate medical education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of peer-assisted teaching of medical English skills to non-native English-speaking students. Methods: A medical English conversation course was conducted at Damascus University by a group of students. Targeted participants were intermediate level fellow students from the same program. A longitudinal study was carried out between 1 st to 31 st March 2019 to assess changes in self-assessment of English language skills among course participants. Pre- and post-course appraisal involved a review of previous experience with medical English language, a self-assessment of five English language skills, and an objective measurement of medical English knowledge. In addition, participants were requested to respond to a set of statements related to the importance and the usefulness of peer-assisted teaching of medical English skills. Paired-sample Student t-test was used to compare pre- and post-course appraisal results. Results: 42 students attended the course and completed pre- and post-course appraisals in full. Data analyses showed a statistically significant increase in participants' confidence in speaking medical English in public ( p<0.001) and using English in various medical settings (presenting and discussing cases, writing clinical reports, interviewing patients and reading English medical texts). Objective measurements of medical English knowledge confirmed a significant increase in participants' knowledge of methods of administration of therapeutics, knowledge of human body parts in English and familiarity with English medical abbreviations. Most participants agreed that peer-education was effective in teaching medical English skills to non-native English-speaking students and in increasing their confidence when using English in real-life medical scenarios. Conclusions: The present study highlights the effectiveness of peer-assisted teaching of medical English skills to non-native English-speaking medical students. Further validation is required and should compare the effectiveness of traditional versus peer-assisted teaching approaches.

Ovine Biosynthetic Grafts for Aortoiliac Reconstructions in Nonsterile Operative Fields.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic vascular grafts placed surgically or via endovascular techniques can be subject to the risk of life-threatening graft infections. The Omniflow II vascular prosthesis is a biosynthetic graft that was reported to have favorable properties in resisting infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our 3 years' experience of using the Omniflow II prostheses for aortoiliac reconstructions in patients considered to carry a substantial risk of subsequent prosthetic graft infections (prevention group) as well as in patients with actively infected prosthetic vascular grafts (treatment group). RESULTS: Aorto-bi-iliac (n = 4) and aortobifemoral (n = 12) vascular reconstructions were performed using bifurcated Omniflow II prostheses in nine patients in the prevention group and seven patients in the treatment group. During mean follow-up of 28.6 ± 17.2 months, there was one case of graft infection (6.3%) and graft thrombosis (6.3%) with subsequent successful thrombectomy. Early and late surgical revisions were required in eight (50%) and two (12.6%) patients, respectively. All graft prostheses were patent at last follow-up. CONCLUSION: Using bifurcated Omniflow II vascular prostheses in patients with or at a high risk of vascular graft infection is advisable, and is associated with acceptable reinfection and patency rates.

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for pulmonary hypertension linked to thalassemia.

This report supports the feasibility of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in thalassemic patients, and highlights the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the cause of pulmonary hypertension prior to determining the likelihood of surgical cure.

Direct true lumen cannulation in type A acute aortic dissection: A review of an 11 years' experience.

OBJECTIVES: Direct true lumen cannulation (DTLC) of the aorta is an alternative cardiopulmonary bypass cannulation technique in the context of type A acute aortic dissection (A-AAD). DTLC has been reported to be effective in restoring adequate perfusion to jeopardized organs. This study reports and compares operative outcomes with DTLC or alternative cannulation techniques in a large cohort of patients with A-AAD. METHODS: All patients who underwent surgery for A-AAD between January 2006 and January 2017 in Mainz university hospital were reviewed. The choice of cannulation technique was left to the operating surgeon, however DTLC was our preference in patients who were in state of shock or showed signs of tamponade or hypoperfusion, in cases of potential cerebral malperfusion, as well as in patients who were under resuscitation. RESULTS: A total of 528 patients (63% males, mean age 64±13.8 years) underwent emergency surgery for A-AAD. The DTLC technique was used in 52.4% of patients. The DTLC group of patients had worse clinical status at the time of presentation with more shock, tamponade, true lumen collapse, cerebral and other malperfusion states. New neurologic events were diagnosed in around 8% of patients in each group following surgery, but there was a trend for quicker neurological recovery in the DTLC-group. Early mortality rates, short-term and long-term survival rates did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: DTLC is a safe cannulation technique that enables effective antegrade true lumen perfusion in complicated A-AAD scenarios, and is an advantageous addition to the aortic surgeons' armamentarium.

Comparison of safety and outcomes with two approaches to the mitral valve.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The efficacy of the superior trans-septal (STS) approach to the mitral valve has been offset by the perceived risks of adverse postoperative events. The aim of this study was to review our experience with using the left atriotomy (LA) and STS approaches in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. METHODS: Charts of patients who underwent mitral valve surgery by a single surgeon over a period of 20 years were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 319 patients (aged 42.9 ± 16.2 years) were studied. Surgical operations were carried out through the LA approach in 111 patients, and through the STS approach in 208 patients. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable in terms of patients' characteristics, but cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were longer in the STS approach group (P = .0005). No technical complications related to either approach occurred. Rates of re-exploration for postoperative bleeding, durations of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, in-hospital days, and mortality were comparable in both approaches. Statistical analyses indicated that a patient was more likely to maintain a preoperative sinus rhythm if the LA approach rather than the STS approach was used (P < .05). On the other hand, when the preoperative heart rhythm was atrial fibrillation, no significant difference in perioperative changes in heart rhythm was observed between the two approaches. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that the routine use of the STS approach is not associated with important adverse postoperative outcomes, but is associated with increased incidence of postoperative sinus node dysfunction in patients who were in sinus rhythm preoperatively.

Early calcific degeneration of the St. Jude Medical Epic aortic bioprosthesis.

This report highlights the need for close surveillance of bioprosthetic valves. Unaccountable degeneration of bioprosthetic valves can develop early after implantation and usually requires replacing the failed valve with a mechanical prosthesis.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic excision of esophageal duplication cyst in an adult.

Esophageal duplication cysts are rarely encountered in adult patients. Complete cyst resection is achievable employing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical techniques, with low morbidity and excellent cosmesis.

Dissected saccular aneurysms of the ascending aorta.

This report highlights the need for distinction between saccular and fusiform aortic aneurysms, considering the high risk of rupture of saccular aneurysms. The management of dissected saccular aneurysms involves elective replacement of the dissected aorta while preserving the aortic valve.

Effective handling of substantial arterial air embolization during extracorporeal perfusion.

This report highlights the need for a coordinated approach to substantial arterial air embolization, considering the high risk of neurologic injury. Appropriate management may involve systemic hypothermia, hyperoxia, and retrograde cerebral perfusion.

Templates of flat pericardial patterns for precise aortic cusp extension.

Background Aortic cusp extension is a subjective and operator-dependent technique. In order to facilitate surgical correction of aortic cusp retraction and reestablishment of adequate cusp coaptation, we sought to develop new templates that can be used to cut flat pericardial sheets into precise cusp extension patches. Methods Each template was designed as a two-dimensional unwrap of the natural geometry of a complete aortic cusp, and a series of templates were made available to correspond with all potential aortic cusp sizes. Based on these templates, aortic cusp extension was performed in 2 patients (aged 54 and 43 years) with significant retraction of the noncoronary aortic cusps and severe aortic valve insufficiency. In each patient, extension of the retracted native noncoronary cusp was undertaken using a bovine pericardial patch that matched the size of adjacent nondiseased native aortic cusps. Results Achieving geometrically perfect aortic cusp extensions was uncomplicated, and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography confirmed satisfactory aortic valve repairs (aortic insufficiency < 1+ and low transvalvular gradients). Early follow-up transthoracic echocardiography confirmed that all valve cusps met at similar heights in the aortic root, and that their excursions were virtually identical. Conclusions The newly designed templates can be used to cut flat pericardial sheets into exact cusp extension patches, and initial clinical experience indicates that they are useful in performing precise aortic cusp extension procedures and restoring adequate aortic valve competence.

Changing pattern and outcome of pediatric chest injuries in urban Syria.

Background Pediatric chest injuries were infrequent in our practice, but the outbreak of the Syrian crisis resulted in an increase in number and a change in the pattern of thoracic trauma incidents. We compared our experience of pediatric chest injuries before and during the crisis. Methods We reviewed the records of 256 children aged 12.8 ± 5 years who were admitted to our hospital with the diagnosis of chest trauma over a 12-year period. Collected data included mechanism of injury, associated injuries, method of management, length of hospital stay, complications, and mortality. Results The incidence of pediatric chest injuries increased significantly following the outbreak of the crisis, and penetrating injuries prevailed, mainly due to shrapnel, bullets, and stab wounds. Forty percent of patients with blunt injuries and 20% of those with penetrating injuries were managed conservatively, whereas urgent thoracotomies were indicated in 10%, mostly in patients with penetrating injuries. Associated injuries were more frequent in patients with blunt injuries and resulted in a longer hospital stay and an increased mortality rate. The overall mortality rate was 7.8% and it was higher in children younger than 7 years of age and in patients who had been subjected to blunt injuries. Conclusions There has been a recent substantial upsurge in the incidence of pediatric thoracic trauma, with a predominance of penetrating injuries. Most patients could be managed nonoperatively, but a small subset required an open thoracotomy. The presence of associated injuries constitutes the main determinant of prognosis in this group of patients.

Usefulness of routine computed tomography in the evaluation of penetrating war injuries to the chest.

OBJECTIVES: This review was conducted to compare the contributions of chest X-ray (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) towards detecting intrathoracic damage in patients with penetrating war injuries to the chest and to determine whether identification of additional injuries by chest CT will have an impact on the choice of therapeutic interventions and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We reviewed records of 449 patients (374 men, mean age 29.3 ± 14.8 years) who were admitted to our hospital with penetrating war injuries to the chest over a 7-year period. Collected data included mechanisms of injury, associated injuries, results of CXRs and chest CTs, methods of management, in-hospital stays, complications and mortalities. RESULTS: Immediate screening CXRs were obtained in all patients not requiring emergent thoracotomies, of which 91.4% showed positive signs of injury. Chest CTs were performed at the discretion of the physicians in 49.4% of patients, and CXR-positive findings were confirmed in all cases, while revealing additional injuries in 11% of patients. Chest CT findings led to additional closed chest drainage in 5.6% of patients but had no impact on treatment strategy in 94.4% of scanned patients. Follow-up CXRs showed new positive findings in 22 patients, leading to additional closed chest drainage in 3 patients and delayed open thoracotomies in 7 other patients. CONCLUSIONS: CXRs continue as the primary diagnostic modality in the assessment of patients with penetrating war injuries to the chest. Chest CTs can be omitted in most patients, thus reducing CT imaging case-load substantially, while most clinically significant chest injuries remain sufficiently recognized.

Reconstructive surgery of the aortic valve.

Reconstructive surgery of the aortic valve is a safe alternative to aortic valve replacement in many patients with aortic regurgitation, with satisfactory durability and an overall and cardiovascular survival advantage. It is also associated with higher rates of freedom from valve-related and anticoagulation-related events.

Precise moulded autologous pericardial configurations for aortic cusp reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES: In order to facilitate surgical repair of complex aortic cusp deformities and restoration of aortic valve competence, new moulds were developed to shape the glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium into precise cusp-like configurations that can be used in aortic cusp reconstruction. METHODS: The new moulds embodied the natural geometry of single aortic cusps, and a series of moulds were made available to correspond with all potential aortic cusp sizes. Aortic valve reconstruction using moulded autologous pericardial cusps was performed in 2 patients (both males, aged 14 and 19 years) with large outlet-type ventricular septal defects, extensive deformation of prolapsed right coronary cusps and severe aortic valve insufficiency. In each patient, the diseased right aortic cusp was excised and was replaced by a moulded autologous pericardial cusp that equalled the size of adjacent undiseased native cusps. RESULTS: Excellent coaptation with adjoining native aortic cusps could be readily observed and intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography confirmed satisfactory aortic valve repair (aortic insufficiency <1+ and low-transvalvular gradients). Follow-up transthoracic echocardiography confirmed that aortic valve function remained stable in both patients 2 years postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Initial clinical experience indicated that constructing geometrically perfect cusp-like configurations was uncomplicated and implantation of the moulded autologous pericardial cusps restored adequate aortic valve competence. We believe that the simplicity and reproducibility of this approach may assist in the dissemination of aortic cusp reconstruction procedures.

Off-pump grafting does not reduce postoperative pulmonary dysfunction.

Objectives Pulmonary dysfunction is a recognized postoperative complication that may be linked to use of cardiopulmonary bypass. The off-pump technique of coronary artery bypass aims to avoid some of the complications that may be related to cardiopulmonary bypass. In this study, we compared the influence of on-pump or off-pump coronary artery bypass on pulmonary gas exchange following routine surgery. Methods Fifty patients (mean age 60.4 ± 8.4 years) with no preexisting lung disease and good left ventricular function undergoing primary coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively randomized to undergo surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass. Alveolar/arterial oxygen pressure gradients were calculated prior to induction of anesthesia while the patients were breathing room air, and repeated postoperatively during mechanical ventilation and after extubation while inspiring 3 specific fractions of oxygen. Results Baseline preoperative arterial blood gases and alveolar/arterial oxygen pressure gradients were similar in both groups. At both postoperative stages, the partial pressure of arterial oxygen and alveolar/arterial oxygen pressure gradients increased with increasing fraction of inspired oxygen, but there were no statistically significant differences between patients who underwent surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass, either during ventilation or after extubation. Conclusions Off-pump surgery is not associated with superior pulmonary gas exchange in the early postoperative period following routine coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with good left ventricular function and no preexisting lung disease.