Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist anakinra in association with remdesivir in severe COVID-19: A case report.

We report the first successful treatment with the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra, in association with the most promising and available antiviral therapy, of a severe case of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We describe the diagnosis, clinical course, and management of the case, including the respiratory failure at presentation, the progression to a scenario characterized by profound inflammatory dysregulation similar to that observed during macrophage activation syndrome, and the clinical improvement after treatment with the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra. This case highlights the high tolerability and the interesting immunomodulatory profile of the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra in the setting of severe COVID-19 associated with remdesivir therapy. Further studies are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of this combination strategy in the treatment of this emerging infection.

Sleeve valve-sparing procedure in bicuspid aortic valve: early and midterm clinical results.

BACKGROUND: Patients with aortic root ectasia and bicuspid aortic valve benefit of the treatment with aortic valve sparing procedure, with excellent long-term results. The Sleeve-procedure is one of the options in patients with aortic root diseases and it might be suitable for patients with a bicuspid valve. METHODS: From October 2006 to December 2018, 42 consecutive patients with bicuspid aortic valve and aortic root ectasia/aneurysm, with or without aortic regurgitation, were surgically treated with the Sleeve-procedure. RESULTS: In 20 patients (48%) leaflets surgery was necessary and consisted of raphe mobilization/resection in 17 patients, plication of both leaflets in 2 patients and a two-commissures resuspension in 1 patient. During a mean clinical follow-up time of 4.4±3.1 years, the survival rate was 100%, 1 patient required a reoperation at 6.1 years postoperatively, with an overall freedom from reoperation of 94±5%. The rest of the patients (41/42), had no more than mild residual aortic valve regurgitation. With a mean follow-up of 4.3±1.7 years the magnetic resonance imaging performed in 26 patients, did not show signs of aortic wall herniation through the key-holes or persisting creases of the aortic wall inside the prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with aortic root disease and bicuspid aortic valve may be treated with Sleeve technique with excellent midterm results. However, a longer follow-up is required before drawing any solid conclusion.

Robotic Shaving Technique in 25 Patients Affected by Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis of the Rectovaginal Space.

Minimally invasive surgery represents the gold standard for the management of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) involving the rectovaginal septum (RVS). This analysis aimed to evaluate the feasibility of robotic-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) and clinical outcomes in terms of long-term complications, pain relief, and recurrence rate for the treatment of DIE of the RVS. A prospective cohort study of robotic procedures was performed between October 2010 and July 2014, including removal of endometriotic nodules from the RVS with rectal shaving alone or in combination with accessory procedures. In all cases, the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) score for endometriosis was >40 points (stage IV). Twenty-five consecutive patients underwent RAL, with a successful complete nodule debulking by the wall shaving technique. Pathology confirmed the adequacy of the surgical specimen and the median largest endometriotic nodule was of 21 mm (range, 10-60 mm), with free margins in all cases. The median operative time from skin opening to closure was 174 minutes (range, 75-300 minutes), and blood loss was close to 0 mL. The median revised Enzian score for location A (RVS) was 2 (range, 1-3). The most frequent Enzian class was A2B0C0 (48%), followed by A3B0C0 (12%). In 3 cases (12%), partial vaginal resection was required to remove endometriotic nodules of the RVS (1 each in classes A3B0C1FI, A3B0C0FO, and A3B0C0). No intraoperative complications occurred. This series has a median long-term follow up of 22 months (range, 6-50 months) currently available with an optimal operative time, demonstrating good long-term outcomes. Our data support robotics as a safe and attractive alternative for comprehensive surgical treatment of DIE.

Abdominal wall actinomycosis simulating a malignant neoplasm: Case report and review of the literature.

Abdominal wall actinomycosis is a rare disease frequently associated with the presence of an intra uterine device. We report on a case of a 47-year-old woman who had used an intrauterine device for many years and had removed it about a month prior to the identification of an abdominal wall abscess caused by Actinomyces israelii. The abscess mimicked a malignancy and the patient underwent a demolitive surgical treatment. The diagnosis was obtained only after histopathological examination. Postoperatively, the patient developed an infection of the wound which was treated with daily medication. The combination of long-term high dose antibiotic therapy with surgery led to successful treatment.

"Pseudotumoral" hepatic areas in acute alcoholic hepatitis: a computed tomography and histological study.

Computed tomography (CT) findings in acute alcoholic hepatitis (AAH) have not been investigated and a "pseudotumoral aspect" of the liver parenchyma has rarely been reported as an exceedingly unusual finding. We observed 11 patients with AAH over a 1-yr period, five of whom underwent CT for concomitant clinical reasons. Arterial enhancement indicated areas of hypervascularized tissue in all cases, and the histological findings were fully consistent with AAH without any sign of malignancy. The present findings suggest that the above pattern is not uncommon in AAH and should be carefully considered in order to avoid diagnostic errors.

Papillary cystic and solid tumour of the pancreas: description of a clinical case in a young woman.

Papillary cystic and solid tumour of the pancreas is a very rare variant form of pancreatic tumour. Such neoplasms have a malignant potential, but their prognosis is good if they are diagnosed early and treated by radical surgical resection. This paper describes a case of a young woman with papillary cystic and solid tumour of the pancreas, localized in the body and tail of the pancreas and treated by distal pancreatectomy. The authors discuss the pathogenesis and the clinical, histological, radiological and surgical features of this tumour.