Clinicohistoradiological and surgical outcome in diffuse midline glioma.

PURPOSE: Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) with H3K27M mutation is a rare and aggressive midline high grade glioma with a predominant astrocytic differentiation and K27M mutation in either H3F3A or HIST1H3B/C. This tumor is more common in children than in adults. The current study was aimed to determine clinicohistoradiological and surgical outcome of patients who have undergone surgery for DMG and study disease severity of patients with DMG. METHODS: This is an observational study in which 29 DMG patients were evaluated for clinicohistoradiological and surgical outcomes by assessing the pre and postoperative neurological status. RESULT: Survival duration was significantly high in patients with age > 18 years (p = 0.02). Patients who had undergone Radiation Therapy showed higher survival rate (p = 0.05) and the cases with low levels of Ki 67 index had improved post operative outcome (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: DMG with H3K27M mutation in newly classified Central Nervous System tumor are WHO grade IV Tumors, comprising H3K27M mutation as molecular marker for diagnosis and related with a poor prognosis.

Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: Technical tips, learning curve, short-term clinical outcome, and brief review.

BACKGROUND: Current trends in spine surgeries have shifted to minimally invasive procedures. Minimally invasive approaches are getting more popular for lumbar interbody fusion procedures. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to report technical modifications, learning curve, and short-term clinical results in minimally invasive transforaminal interbody fusion (MITLIF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All MITLIF cases performed from 2018 July to March 2020 were included. First three authors were operating surgeons. Visual analog scores (VAS) scoring for pain, Macnab criteria, and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used for outcome assessment. Operating time, radiation exposure, and complications were assessed separately in a group of 20 as per time sequence in series to assess the learning curve. RESULTS: A total of 61 patients were included. Various indications included spondylolisthesis, failed back surgery, calcified lumbar disc, and spondylodiscitis. Mean age was 47.08 ± 12.06. Intraoperative blood loss was 97.04 ± 25.58. Mean operating time and number of C-arm shots were 190.75 ± 37.11 and 159.3 ± 74.54, respectively, in initial 20 cases which however reduced in later operated cases. Significant improvement in VAS and ODI scores was observed at follow-up of 6.34 ± 4.67 months. Three cases needed surgical revision in the initial 20 cases, and there were no revision surgeries in later operated cases. CONCLUSION: MITLIF could be done in failed back surgery cases, spondylodiscitis, and deformity corrections in addition to spondylolisthesis. It has advantages of less injury to soft tissues, maintaining the posterior tension band, decrease in blood loss and hospital stays, and early mobilization. However, it has longer learning curve and takes minimum 20 cases for the surgeon to acquire reasonable experience and confidence.

Role of angiotensin-converting enzyme as prognostic marker in thoracic trauma: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Chest injuries, accounting for 25% of all trauma-related deaths, are one of the main causes of death in young adults. Our priority is the early identification of life-threatening injuries both immediate and delayed. The role of various biomarkers, such as Clara cell protein 16, von Willebrand factor, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor, and angiopoietin, has been studied in trauma-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) levels have been studied in non-trauma-related ARDS. The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the role of ACE levels as a prognostic marker in thoracic trauma. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted to evaluate serum ACE levels in thoracic trauma patients and to explore its prognostic potential with regard to clinical outcome. A total of 48 thoracic trauma patients were included in the study. RESULTS: The mean ACE level in the study population was 66.54+-11.18. A strong positive correlation was found among serum ACE levels and Thoracic Trauma Severity Score (TTSS). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that serum ACE levels are increased in thoracic trauma patients with higher levels, indicating the severe nature of trauma in concordance with increased TTSS scores.