Rare Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Smooth Muscle Tumor in a Patient with AIDS: A Case Report.

CASE: A 34-year-old man with poorly controlled acquired immune deficiency syndrome underwent excision of a left arm mass. The histopathologic workup identified the features of an Epstein-Barr virus-associated smooth muscle tumor (EBV-SMT). The patient was readmitted 5 months later for vomiting and found to have liver metastases that were confirmed to be EBV-SMT. Six months after discharge, there was no recurrence of the arm mass or increase in the size of the liver metastases. CONCLUSION: Most commonly found in immunocompromised patients, EBV-SMTs are rare tumors that can be mistaken for a leiomyosarcoma.

Treatment Trends, Complications, and Effects of Comorbidities on Distal Radius Fractures.

Background: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are the most common upper extremity fractures in adults. This study seeks to elucidate the impact age, fracture type, and patient comorbidities have on the current treatment of DRFs and risk of complications. We hypothesized that comorbidities rather than age would relate to the risk of complications in the treatment of DRFs. Methods: A retrospective review of data was performed for patients treated between 2007 and 2014 using Truven Health MarketScan Research Databases. Patients who sustained a DRF were separated into "closed" versus "open" treatment groups, and the association between patient demographics, treatment type, and comorbidities with complication rates was analyzed, along with the trend of treatment modalities throughout the study time interval. Results: In total, 155 353 DRFs were identified; closed treatment predominated in all age groups with the highest percentage of open treatment occurring in the 50- to 59-year age group. Between 2007 and 2014, there was an increase in the rate of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) in all age groups <90 with the largest increase (11%) occurring in the 70- to 79-year age group. Higher complication rates were observed in the open treatment group in all ages <90 years with a trend toward decreasing complication rates as age increased. Comorbidities were more strongly associated with the risk of developing complications than age. Conclusions: Closed treatment of DRFs remains the predominant treatment method among all age groups, but DRFs are increasingly being treated with ORIF. Emphasis on the patients' comorbidities rather than chronological age should be considered in the treatment decision-making process of elderly patients with DRFs.

Thromboprophylaxis in Spinal Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: Determine the incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in spinal surgery patients receiving no thromboprophylaxis, mechanoprophylaxis, and chemoprophylaxis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The incidence of thromboembolic complications after spinal surgery is not well established. Although a variety of effective mechanical and chemical thromboprophylaxis interventions exist, their role in spinal surgery remains unclear. Spine surgeons are faced with the difficult decision of balancing the risk of death from a thromboembolic complication against the risk of permanent neurological damage from an epidural hematoma (EDH). METHODS: The Medline database was queried using combinations of the terms related to the aforementioned subject matter. Articles meeting our predetermined inclusion criteria were reviewed and relevant data extracted. Meta-analyses were created using a random-effects model for incidence of DVT and PE by type of thromboprophylaxis, method of screening, and study type. RESULTS: Twenty-eight articles were included in the final analyses. The higher mean incidence of DVT and PE in the mechanoprophylaxis group (DVT: 1%, PE: 0.81%) compared to the chemoprophylaxis group (DVT: 0.85%, PE: 0.58%) was not observed to be statistically significant. Six percent of PEs was fatal; the rate of EDHs was 0.3%. The incidence of DVT was higher in prospective studies (1.4%) compared to retrospective studies (0.61%); the incidence of DVT was not affected by whether the study screened only symptomatic patients. CONCLUSION: Although the incidence of DVT and PE was relatively low regardless of prophylaxis type, the true incidence is difficult to determine given the heterogeneous nature of the small number of studies available in the literature. Our findings suggest there may be a role for chemoprophylaxis given the relatively high rate of fatal PE. Future studies are needed to determine which patient population would benefit most from chemoprophylaxis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.