Improving door-to-reperfusion time in acute ischemic stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience from a public comprehensive stroke center in Brazil.

Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on global health, resulting in a strain on healthcare services worldwide. The faster a patient with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) receives reperfusion treatment, the greater the odds of a good functional outcome. To maintain the time-dependent processes in acute stroke care, strategies to reorganize infrastructure and optimize human and medical resources were needed. Methods: Data from AIS patients who received thrombolytic therapy were prospectively assessed in the emergency department (ED) of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre from 2019 to 2021. Treatment times for each stage were measured, and the reasons for a delay in receiving thrombolytic therapy were evaluated. Results: A total of 256 patients received thrombolytic therapy during this period. Patients who arrived by the emergency medical service (EMS) had a lower median door-to-needle time (DNT). In the multivariable analysis, the independent predictors of DNT >60 min were previous atrial fibrillation (OR 7) and receiving thrombolysis in the ED (OR 9). The majority of patients had more than one reason for treatment delay. The main reasons were as follows: delay in starting the CT scan, delay in the decision-making process after the CT scan, and delay in reducing blood pressure. Several actions were implemented during the study period. The most important factor that contributed to a decrease in DNT was starting the bolus and continuous infusion of tPA on the CT scan table (decreased the median DNT from 74 to 52, DNT ≤ 60 min in 67% of patients treated at radiology service vs. 24% of patients treated in the ED). The DNT decreased from 78 min to 66 min in 2020 and 57 min in 2021 (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Acute stroke care continued to be a priority despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of a thrombolytic bolus and the start of continuous infusion on the CT scan table was the main factor that contributed to the reduction of DNT. Continuous monitoring of service times is essential for improving the quality of the stroke center and achieving better functional outcomes for patients.

Morphometric Study of the Internal Globus Pallidus Using the Robert, Barnard, and Brown Staining Method.

BACKGROUND: The globus pallidus internus (Gpi) is a major target in functional neurosurgery. Anatomical studies are crucial for correct planning and good surgical outcomes in this region. The present study described the anatomical coordinates of the Gpi and its relationship with other brain structures and compared the findings with those from previous anatomical studies. METHODS: We obtained 35 coronal and 5 horizontal brain specimens from the Department of Anatomy and stained them using the Robert, Barnard, and Brown technique. After excluding defective samples, 60 nuclei were analyzed by assessing their distances to the anatomical references and the trajectories to these nuclei. RESULTS: The barycenter of the Gpi was identified at the level of the mammillary bodies and 1 cm above the intercommissural plane. Thereafter, the distances to other structures were found. The mean ± standard deviation distance was 15.62 ± 2.66 mm to the wall of the third ventricle and 17.02 ± 2.69 mm to its midline, 4.74 ± 1.12 mm to the optic tract, 2.51 ± 0.8 mm and 13.56 ± 2 mm to the internal and external capsule, and 21.3 ± 2.44 mm to the insular cortex. The cortical point of entry should be located 22.03 ± 4.34 mm to 48.74 ± 4.44 mm from the midline. CONCLUSION: The Gpi has less variability in distance to closer anatomical references, such as the optic tract and internal capsule. Distant locations showed a more inhomogeneous pattern. Anatomical studies such as ours are important for the development of new therapeutic approaches and can be used as a basis for new research involving volumetric and specific group analyses.

Psychological aspects and quality of life in Medical Residency. / Aspectos psicológicos e qualidade de vida na Residência Médica.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the perception of quality of life among residents in the first year of Medical Residency compared to the one among residents in other years of training, given the importance of this issue in health. METHODS: a comparative and cross-sectional analytical study performed from February to April 2016 in a reference tertiary trauma hospital in Brazil. Resident physicians were voluntarily submitted to an online questionnaire on quality of life (called WHOQOL-BREF), validated by World Health Organization (WHO). They were divided into two groups: first year of residency (R1) and other years of residency. RESULTS: ninety-seven residents of several medical specialties answered the questionnaire. Of these, 59 were men and 38 were women. The mean age was 27.7 years. First-year residents accounted for 49.5% of the interviewees. Overall, quality of life was considered regular in both groups. In relation to psychological domain, there was a significant difference between the R1 group (with worse scores in this domain) and the non-R1 group (p<0.0000001). CONCLUSION: first-year residents' quality of life is worse than the one of the residents from other years, having a significant variation of positive feelings, learning capacity, memory, thought and concentration, self-esteem, body image and appearance, and negative feelings.

OBJETIVO: avaliar a percepção de qualidade de vida entre residentes no primeiro ano de Residência Médica em relação aos residentes de outros anos, dada a importância dessa questão na saúde. MÉTODOS: estudo comparativo, transversal e analítico realizado no período de fevereiro a abril de 2016, realizado em um hospital de trauma terciário de referência do Brasil. Médicos residentes foram submetidos voluntariamente ao questionário validado da Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) sobre qualidade de vida, o WHOQOL-BREF, com preenchimento online. Os residentes foram divididos em dois grupos: primeiro ano de residência (R1) e outros anos de residência. RESULTADOS: noventa e sete residentes de diversas especialidades médicas responderam ao questionário. Desses, 59 eram homens e 38, mulheres. A média de idade foi de 27,7 anos. Residentes do primeiro ano representaram 49,5% dos entrevistados. A qualidade de vida de maneira global foi considerada regular em ambos os grupos. Em relação ao domínio psicológico, houve diferença significativa entre o R1 (este, com piores escores neste domínio) e os demais anos de residência (p<0,0000001). CONCLUSÃO: a qualidade de vida dos residentes do primeiro ano é pior em relação aos demais, tendo uma variação significativa de sentimento positivo, capacidade de aprender, memória, pensamento e concentração, autoestima, imagem corporal e aparência e sentimentos negativos em relação aos médicos residentes dos outros anos.

Aspectos psicológicos e qualidade de vida na Residência Médica / Psychological aspects and quality of life in Medical Residency

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar a percepção de qualidade de vida entre residentes no primeiro ano de Residência Médica em relação aos residentes de outros anos, dada a importância dessa questão na saúde. Métodos: estudo comparativo, transversal e analítico realizado no período de fevereiro a abril de 2016, realizado em um hospital de trauma terciário de referência do Brasil. Médicos residentes foram submetidos voluntariamente ao questionário validado da Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) sobre qualidade de vida, o WHOQOL-BREF, com preenchimento online. Os residentes foram divididos em dois grupos: primeiro ano de residência (R1) e outros anos de residência. Resultados: noventa e sete residentes de diversas especialidades médicas responderam ao questionário. Desses, 59 eram homens e 38, mulheres. A média de idade foi de 27,7 anos. Residentes do primeiro ano representaram 49,5% dos entrevistados. A qualidade de vida de maneira global foi considerada regular em ambos os grupos. Em relação ao domínio psicológico, houve diferença significativa entre o R1 (este, com piores escores neste domínio) e os demais anos de residência (p<0,0000001). Conclusão: a qualidade de vida dos residentes do primeiro ano é pior em relação aos demais, tendo uma variação significativa de sentimento positivo, capacidade de aprender, memória, pensamento e concentração, autoestima, imagem corporal e aparência e sentimentos negativos em relação aos médicos residentes dos outros anos.

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the perception of quality of life among residents in the first year of Medical Residency compared to the one among residents in other years of training, given the importance of this issue in health. Methods: a comparative and cross-sectional analytical study performed from February to April 2016 in a reference tertiary trauma hospital in Brazil. Resident physicians were voluntarily submitted to an online questionnaire on quality of life (called WHOQOL-BREF), validated by World Health Organization (WHO). They were divided into two groups: first year of residency (R1) and other years of residency. Results: ninety-seven residents of several medical specialties answered the questionnaire. Of these, 59 were men and 38 were women. The mean age was 27.7 years. First-year residents accounted for 49.5% of the interviewees. Overall, quality of life was considered regular in both groups. In relation to psychological domain, there was a significant difference between the R1 group (with worse scores in this domain) and the non-R1 group (p<0.0000001). Conclusion: first-year residents' quality of life is worse than the one of the residents from other years, having a significant variation of positive feelings, learning capacity, memory, thought and concentration, self-esteem, body image and appearance, and negative feelings.

Síndrome de Morbihan ­ relato atípico de uma doença pouco conhecida / Morbihan syndrome ­ an atypical report of a rare condition

A síndrome de Morbihan é uma doença rara, de fisiopatologia pouco conhecida, tipicamente caracterizada por edema e eritema facial, de aparecimento lento, simétrico, afetando terço superior da face. Este relato de caso se trata de um paciente com caso atípico de Síndrome de Morbihan, com acometimento assimétrico de face. Foram ressaltados aspectos clínicos e histopatológicos para diagnóstico dessa rara patologia, possíveis diagnósticos diferenciais e opções de tratamento. Também foi buscado difundir formas menos típicas desta doença.

Morbihan syndrome is a rare condition and its pathogenesis is not fully known. This entityh is characterized by facial edema and facial erythema, with a slow, symmetrical appearance, affecting the upper portion of the face. This case report is about a patient with an atypical case of Morbihan syndrome, with asymmetric facial involvement. Clinical and histopathological aspects were highlighted aiming the diagnosis of this rare pathology, as well as possible differential diagnoses and treatment options. It has also been aimed to call attention to less typical forms of this disease.

Morphometric Analysis of the Nucleus Accumbens Using the Mulligan Staining Method.

BACKGROUND: There is a need to further anatomically describe the nucleus accumbens (NA), as there is a growing neurosurgical interest in this locus but a limited understanding of its structure. In this study, we evaluated quantitative NA parameters and spatial relationships with adjacent structures found in the telencephalon. METHODS: A total of 155 NA specimens from coronal sections and 3 NA specimens from transverse sections were stained using the Mulligan technique as modified by Barnard et al. The distance from the NA to other structures was then measured. RESULTS: The mean radius of the 155 NAs in the coronal sections was 6.23 ± 0.964 mm, averaging 8.99 ± 2.02 mm from midline (coordinate x), 27.09 ± 3.15 mm from the insula, 12.95 ± 3.21 mm from the outer border of the putamen, 10.52 ± 2.66 mm from the upper border of the caudate, and 8.84 ± 2.93 mm from the midline of the lateral ventricle. The mean distance from the NA center of gravity to the middle of the intercommissural line parallel to the midline (coordinate y) was 17.08 ±3.61 mm, and the mean vertical distance from the intercommissural line to the NA was 8.12 ± 1.265 mm. CONCLUSIONS: We obtained the stereotactic coordinates of (x, y, z) = (8, 17, -8) for the NA. From this and other delineations of the described position of the NA, it is possible to contribute to stereotactic surgical atlases, improving neurosurgical interventions in this structure.