Impact of COVID-19 pandemic at a level 1 trauma center.

Introduction: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic commonly called COVID-19 brought new changes to healthcare delivery in the US. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of acute surgical care for patients at a Level 1 trauma center during the lockdown period of the pandemic from March 13-May 1 2020. Methods: All trauma admission to the University Medical Center Level 1 Trauma Center from March 13 to May 13, 2020, were retrospectively abstracted and compared to the same period during 2019. Analysis focused on the lockdown period of March 13-May 1, 2020, and compared to the same dates in 2019. Abstracted data included demographics, care timeframes, length of stay, and mortality. The data were analyzed using Chi-Square, Fisher Exact, and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: A total of 305 (2019) vs. 220 (2020) procedures were analyzed. No significant differences were seen in mean BMI, Injury Severity Score, American Society of Anesthesia Score, and Charlson Comorbidity Index between the two groups. Diagnosis time, interval to surgery, anesthesia time, surgical preparation time, operation time, transit time, mean hospital stay, and mortality were similar. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly affect the trauma surgery service line, aside from case volume, at a Level 1 trauma center in West Texas during the lockdown period. Despite changes to healthcare delivery during the pandemic, care of surgical patients was conserved as timely and of high quality.

Diagnosis and management of occult non-missile penetrating brain injury.

Penetrating brain injury (PBI) is a subtype of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that has been steadily increasing in prevalence and causing significant mortality in trauma patients. In an emergent setting, it is important to determine the mechanism of injury and decide whether a PBI or a blunt TBI has occurred in order to guide diagnostic imaging and subsequent treatment. In cases where a PBI has been likely or has occurred, it is important to initiate treatment expeditiously as rapid interventions have been shown to lead to better outcomes. However, in cases of unwitnessed pediatric trauma, it can be difficult to ascertain the specific method of injury due to a lack of reliable sources. In such cases of unwitnessed trauma, PBI should be included in the differential of any orbitocranial injury. In this series, we present two cases of unwitnessed pediatric orbitocranial injury that highlight the importance of gathering a detailed history, obtaining appropriate imaging studies, and using physician intuition.

Severe thrombocytopaenia induced by systemic lupus erythematosus presenting as haemorrhagic oral bullae in a paediatric patient.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with varying dermatological findings. We review a unique presentation of SLE with a literature review. A previously healthy early adolescent female presented with painful, oral mucosal bullae filled with sanguineous fluid. She endorsed a tender right knee, but examination revealed no additional abnormalities. CBC demonstrated severe pancytopaenia. Further workup, including Coombs positive RBCs and positive ANA, anti-Smith, and anti-dsDNA antibodies, confirmed Lupus as the aetiology of this patient's presentation. A form of blistering SLE and resultant thrombocytopaenia was likely responsible for the patient's oral manifestations. After receiving 60 g intravenous immunoglobulin and 3 days high-dose pulse corticosteroids, her dermatological symptoms resolved. Although cases of blistering SLE with mucosal bullae have been described in the literature, this is the first documented case of haemorrhagic mucosal bullae as the presenting symptom of thrombocytopaenia in SLE in a paediatric patient.

Opsoclonus myoclonus and ataxia syndrome with supraventricular tachycardia.

Pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus and ataxia syndrome (OMAS) is a neurologic disorder characterized by disturbances in eye movement, muscle jerks, ataxia, sleep, and mood. In approximately 50% of cases, it is a paraneoplastic syndrome associated with a neuroblastoma. In the remaining cases, it is believed that the tumor is occult, has involuted, or there is a preceding immune-stimulating event. While neuroblastomas can be associated with other paraneoplastic syndromes, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is rarely reported in the literature, and to our knowledge, this is the first case of SVT secondary to idiopathic OMAS. Confounding treatment toxicity, including intravenous immunoglobulin and other immunomodulatory drugs, should be screened for possible cardiovascular side effects in OMAS patients. The development of cardiac arrhythmias during OMAS treatment is not a contraindication to therapy. In these patients, arrhythmias should be controlled with vagal maneuvers or antiarrhythmics as needed while OMAS treatment is completed.

Gabapentin as a Symptomatic Modifier in Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome: A Case Report and Assessment of Treatment Modalities.

Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a rare constellation of neurogenic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms resulting from compression of the celiac trunk and celiac plexus by the median arcuate ligament. MALS is characterized by nonspecific symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, unintentional weight loss due to food aversion, and postprandial epigastric abdominal pain. We present a case of atypical, chronic MALS that confounded clinicians for over a decade and led to various misdiagnoses, including early-onset Parkinson's disease. Of the constellation of symptoms that MALS may present with, postprandial epigastric pain is a classic symptom and increases the index of suspicion for the diagnosis; however, the absence of the classic symptom of postprandial epigastric pain and the predomination of nonspecific GI symptoms and syncope in our patient further clouded clinicians' ability to diagnose MALS. Upon further investigation, we elucidated a link between gabapentin, which our patient was chronically prescribed, and its efficacy in decreasing neurogenic hypersensitivity in the GI tract. Our case and the implications of gabapentin use to decrease neurogenic pain from MALS represents a novel addition to the literature on MALS treatment modalities and elucidates new avenues for continued research in the use of gabapentin as a symptom-modifying agent in the nonoperative and preoperative treatment of MALS.

Possible clinical implications of prostate capsule thickness and glandular epithelial cell density in benign prostate hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: The negative correlation between BPH-size and incidence of prostate cancer (PCa) is well-documented in the literature, however the exact mechanism is not well-understood. The present study uses histo-anatomical imaging to study prostate volume in correlation to prostate capsule thickness, and glandular epithelial cell density within the peripheral zone (PZ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specimens were selected from radical prostatectomies ranging from 20 to 160 mL based on ease of anatomical reconstruction by the slides. A total of 60 patients were selected and underwent quantitative measurements of prostate capsule thickness and glandular epithelial density within the PZ using computer-based imaging software. Pearson's correlation and a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between these measured parameters and the clinical characteristic of these patients. RESULTS: Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a strongly significant, negative correlation between prostate volume and glandular epithelial cell density (r(58)=-0.554, p<0.001), and a strongly significant, positive correlation between prostate volume and average capsule thickness (r(58)=0.462, p<0.001). Results of multiple regression analysis showed that average glandular epithelial cell density added statistically to this prediction (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that growth of the transition zone in BPH causes increased fibrosis of the PZ, leading to atrophy and fibrosis of glandular cells. As 80% of PCa originates from the glandular epithelium within the PZ, this observed phenomenon may explain the inverse correlation between BPH and PCa that is well-documented in the literature.

Anatomical Changes of the Peripheral Zone Depending on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Size and Their Potential Clinical Implications:A Review for Clinicians.

INTRODUCTION: The inverse relationship between benign prostate hypertrophy and incidence/severity of prostate cancer is well documented in the clinical literature. However, this phenomenon is not well understood. The purpose of this review is to offer an update in the evolving hypothesis of how benign prostate hypertrophy may be protective in prostate cancer. METHODS: A literature search was conducted on PubMed limited to articles published within the past 10 years with the search criteria of "interaction" AND "benign prostate hypertrophy" AND "prostate cancer" as well as the key words of this paper. RESULTS: Nine articles from the literature search met inclusion criteria. The articles analyze the prostate on parameters of peripheral zone volume, glandular tissue density and prostate capsule thickness. All 9 articles described peripheral zone atrophy and transition zone hypertrophy in benign prostate hypertrophy patients. CONCLUSIONS: As the transition zone grows in benign prostate hypertrophy, volume and glandular density of the peripheral zone as well as the prostate capsule undergo significant changes. The disease processes outlined in this review support the hypothesis that the growing transition zone compresses the peripheral zone against the prostatic capsule causing secondary atrophy, apoptosis, and necrosis of the peripheral zone's glandular tissue. If this hypertrophy-induced disease process of glandular tissue atrophy within the peripheral zone is confirmed in future studies, it will have relevant clinical implications on the diagnosis and treatment of benign prostate hypertrophy and prostate cancer.

Carcinoma adenoide quístico de parótida. A propósito de un caso / Parotid cystic adenoid carcinoma. About a case

El carcinoma adenoide quístico constituye el 3,1 por ciento de las neoplasias malignas de la glándula parótida. Se caracteriza por la invasión perineural, la escasa afectación ganglionar y frecuentes metástasis tardías a distancia. Existen tres patrones histológicos: tubular, cribiforme y sólido, siendo este último el menos frecuente y el de peor pronóstico. El tratamiento de elección es quirúrgico.Aportamos el caso de una paciente, diagnosticada de carcinoma adenoide quístico a los 11 años de edad y que en su evolución presentó dos metástasis óseas 10 años después del tratamiento quirúrgico inicial (AU)