Two arterial variations of the hand and wrist present bilaterally (persistent median artery and superficial dorsal branch of the radial artery): ultrasound findings.

PURPOSE: Arterial variations of the upper limb may bear high importance for many clinical procedures, including the use of flaps in plastic surgery. We present a feasible way for visualization and confirmation of presence of these variations. METHODS: All variations were detected by ultrasonography and confirmed by Color Doppler Imaging. Proper documentation was taken in order to present our findings. RESULTS: We report a case of a 19-year-old female who showed two concomitant arterial variations of the forearm and the hand bilaterally. These two variations were the persistent median artery and the superficial dorsal branch of the radial artery which both significantly contributed to the blood supply of the hand. All examinations were performed by the same investigator and all findings were reviewed by an experienced sonographist. CONCLUSION: An unusual arrangement of the arterial system can be easily detected. We present a feasible way to prevent iatrogenic injuries and increase utilization of anatomical variants knowledge in surgery by using ultrasound prior to planning surgical procedures.

Ultrasound appearance and targeted therapy of symptomatic neural lesions in the breast and chest wall after breast cancer surgery.

AIM: To evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound (US) in identification of nerve lesions after breast cancer surgery in patients with neuropathic pain and assess the effect of a targeted US-guided therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with neuropathic pain after breast cancer surgery underwent US examination. Nerve lesions identified by US were treated by a US-guided application of a mixture of local anesthetics and corticoids. The patients reported pain relief on a 100-point scale (0% = no effect, 100% = complete relief) and its duration in the next 18 months. RESULTS: We performed 17 interventions in 11 women. A neuroma was observed in 2 patients, edema of the nerve in 5 patients, and scarring across the nerve in 4 patients. The affected nerves were the intercostobrachial nerve (5 patients), the long thoracic nerve (4), cutaneous branch of the pectoral nerve (1), and both the intercostobrachial and the long thoracic nerve (1). After 15 (88%) interventions, the patients reported relief (55±32%) with a median duration of 3 months (0.5-18 months). CONCLUSION: In patients after breast cancer surgery, ultrasound can reliably identify small painful neural lesions which can be efficiently treated by ultrasound-guided intervention.

The Lucerne Toolbox 2 to optimise axillary management for early breast cancer: a multidisciplinary expert consensus.

Clinical axillary lymph node management in early breast cancer has evolved from being merely an aspect of surgical management and now includes the entire multidisciplinary team. The second edition of the "Lucerne Toolbox", a multidisciplinary consortium of European cancer societies and patient representatives, addresses the challenges of clinical axillary lymph node management, from diagnosis to local therapy of the axilla. Five working packages were developed, following the patients' journey and addressing specific clinical scenarios. Panellists voted on 72 statements, reaching consensus (agreement of 75% or more) in 52.8%, majority (51%-74% agreement) in 43.1%, and no decision in 4.2%. Based on the votes, targeted imaging and standardized pathology of lymph nodes should be a prerequisite to planning local and systemic therapy, axillary lymph node dissection can be replaced by sentinel lymph node biopsy ( ± targeted approaches) in a majority of scenarios; and positive patient outcomes should be driven by both low recurrence risks and low rates of lymphoedema.

Ulnar Neuropathy at the Elbow: From Ultrasound Scanning to Treatment.

Ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE) is commonly encountered in clinical practice. It results from either static or dynamic compression of the ulnar nerve. While the retroepicondylar groove and its surrounding structures are quite superficial, the use of ultrasound (US) imaging is associated with the following advantages: (1) an excellent spatial resolution allows a detailed morphological assessment of the ulnar nerve and adjacent structures, (2) dynamic imaging represents the gold standard for assessing the ulnar nerve stability in the retroepicondylar groove during flexion/extension, and (3) US guidance bears the capability of increasing the accuracy and safety of injections. This review aims to illustrate the ulnar nerve's detailed anatomy at the elbow using cadaveric images to understand better both static and dynamic imaging of the ulnar nerve around the elbow. Pathologies covering ulnar nerve instability, idiopathic cubital tunnel syndrome, space-occupying lesions (e.g., ganglion, heterotopic ossification, aberrant veins, and anconeus epitrochlearis muscle) are presented. Additionally, the authors also exemplify the scientific evidence from the literature supporting the proposition that US guidance is beneficial in injection therapy of UNE. The non-surgical management description covers activity modifications, splinting, neuromobilization/gliding exercise, and physical agents. In the operative treatment description, an emphasis is put on two commonly used approaches-in situ decompression and anterior transpositions.

Coronary artery disease prediction based on breast arterial calcification in women undergoing mammography as a screening for breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to test the potential role of breast arterial calcification (BAC) in the prediction of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women. The criterion standard for CAD diagnostics was coronary angiography. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 163 consecutive women, who underwent digital mammography and coronary angiography in our hospital. We assessed the presence and severity of BAC, and tested whether the presence and/or extent of BAC could be a predictor for CAD, quantified by Gensini score. RESULTS: BAC was presented in 34 patients (21%). Neither the presence of CAD (17 patients, 50%, vs 55 42.6%, P = 0.44), nor the Gensini score (20.5 ±â€Š29.7 vs 15.4 ±â€Š24.1, P = 0.3) differed significantly between BAC-present and BAC-absent patients.A finding of triple-vessel disease, however, more frequently occurred in the BAC-present (seven patients, 20.6%) than in the BAC-absent (nine patients, 7%) group, odds ratio (OR) 3.1, 95% CI 1-9.5, P = 0.049. The presence of BAC did not significantly increase the odds for the presence of CAD (OR = 1.29, P = 0.54). Among the subgroup of patients with CAD, BAC presence was associated with triple vessel disease (OR = 3.34, P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: We did not confirm BAC as a predictor of CAD. However, BAC showed association with more severe forms of coronary atherosclerosis (triple vessel disease).

Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A728 .

Breast conservation and axillary management after primary systemic therapy in patients with early-stage breast cancer: the Lucerne toolbox.

Primary systemic therapy is increasingly used in the treatment of patients with early-stage breast cancer, but few guidelines specifically address optimal locoregional therapies. Therefore, we established an international consortium to discuss clinical evidence and to provide expert advice on technical management of patients with early-stage breast cancer. The steering committee prepared six working packages to address all major clinical questions from diagnosis to surgery. During a consensus meeting that included members from European scientific oncology societies, clinical trial groups, and patient advocates, statements were discussed and voted on. A consensus was reached in 42% of statements, a majority in 38%, and no decision in 21%. Based on these findings, the panel developed clinical guidance recommendations and a toolbox to overcome many clinical and technical requirements associated with the diagnosis, response assessment, surgical planning, and surgery of patients with early-stage breast cancer. This guidance could convince clinicians and patients of the major clinical advancements purported by primary systemic therapy, the use of less extensive and more targeted surgery to improve the lives of patients with breast cancer.