Right Atrial Strain in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension-A Prospective Observational Study.

Right ventricular (RV) afterload due to elevated pulmonary arterial (PA) pressure in pulmonary hypertension (PH) causes long-term right atrial (RA) remodeling and dysfunction. RA function has been shown to correlate with PA pressures and outcome in both adult and pediatric patients with PH. We studied the role of RA strain in estimating PA pressures in congenital heart disease (CHD)-associated PH. Children below 12 years undergoing elective repair of CHD with left-to-right shunts and echocardiographic evidence of PH were included. RA reservoir, conduit and contractile strain along with conventional measures of RV function and PA pressure were measured using transthoracic echocardiography after induction of anaesthesia. Pre-and post-repair invasive PA pressures were measured after surgical exposure. 51 children with a median age of 24 months (range 4-144 months) were included, most of whom were undergoing VSD closure. Contractile RA strain showed good correlation with pre-repair systolic PA pressure in mmHg (r = 0.59, 95%CI 0.37-0.75) or expressed as a percentage of SBP (r = 0.67, 95%CI 0.49-0.80). It also predicted persistent postoperative PH as well as pre-repair pulmonary artery acceleration time and right ventricular systolic pressure measured from tricuspid regurgitation jet. The trends of correlation observed suggest a possible prognostic role of RA strain in ACHD with PH and potential utility in its echocardiographic assessment. The observed findings merit deeper evaluation in larger cohorts.

Pathological Complete Response as Outcome Modifier in Breast Cancer Patients and Brain Metastasis.

Breast cancer with brain metastases (BCBM) has dreadful outcomes. Various factors influencing outcomes are age, receptors status, number of distant metastases, performance status, leptomeningeal metastasis, chemotherapies, and whole brain radiation dose. This study aimed to find outcome-modifying factors in BCBM. Clinical, demographic, subtype, and pathological response of primary brain imaging characteristics of BCBM patients were correlated with brain metastasis-free interval and survival after brain metastasis was studied from January 2020 to March 2022. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients had the earliest presentation for brain metastases (mean 45.4 years) vs luminal B (mean 57.93 years). Both brain metastasis-free interval (BMFI) and brain metastasis overall survival (BMOS) were maximum in HER2-positive subtype (mean 22.8 and 11.55 months) and least in TNBC patients (mean 9.8 and 2.12 months), respectively. Low-graded prognosis assessment (GPA) score and leptomeningeal metastasis were associated with the worst outcomes. BMFI and BMOS in patients with pathological complete response (PCR) were at 28.5 and 15.1 months, in partial response were 18.5 and 7.66 months, and with stable or progressive disease were 11 and 1.36 months, respectively. In the present study, PCR was the only modifiable parameter that changed breast cancer outcomes with brain metastasis and leptomeningeal metastasis was associated with the worst outcomes. Our study favors that PCR has prognostic importance.

Comparative metabolomics of MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAMR identifies potential metabolic pathways in tamoxifen resistant breast cancer cells.

OBJECTIVES: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women. An Estrogen Receptor (ER) antagonist called tamoxifen is used as an adjuvant therapy for ER-positive breast cancers. Approximately 40% of patients develop tamoxifen resistance (TAMR) while receiving treatment. Cancer cells can rewire their metabolism to develop resistant phenotypes, and their metabolic state determines how receptive they are to chemotherapy. METHODS: Metabolite extraction from human MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAMR cells was done using the methanol-methanol-water extraction method. After treating the dried samples with methoxamine hydrochloride in pyridine, the samples were derivatized with 2,2,2-Trifluoro-N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)-acetamide, and Chlorotrimethylsilane (MSTFA + 1% TMCS). The Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) raw data were processed using MSdial and Metaboanalyst for analysis. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that 35 metabolites were elevated in TAMR cells whereas 25 metabolites were downregulated. N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, lysine, uracil, tyrosine, alanine, and o-phosphoserine were upregulated in TAMR cells, while hydroxyproline, glutamine, N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid, threonic acid, pyroglutamic acid, glutamine, o-phosphoethanolamine, oxoglutaric acid, and myoinositol were found to be downregulated. Multivariate analysis revealed a distinct separation between the two cell lines, as evidenced by their metabolite levels. The enriched pathways of deregulated metabolites included valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation, Citric Acid Cycle, Warburg effect, Malate-Aspartate shuttle, glucose-alanine cycle, propanoate metabolism, and Phospholipid biosynthesis. CONCLUSION: This study revealed dysregulation of various metabolic processes in TAMR cells, which may be crucial in elucidating the molecular basis of the mechanisms underlying acquired tamoxifen resistance.

Regional and periodic asymmetries in the effect of Russia-Ukraine war on global stock markets.

This study aims to investigate regional and periodic asymmetries in the impact of the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war on global equity markets. Employing the event study methodology, the current study examines global stock market reactions within a 61-day window centred around the event day, i.e., February 24, 2022. MSCI equity indices of 47 sample countries have been utilized to ensure uniformity in the index development methodology. They provide broader coverage of global equity markets by including large and mid-cap companies, representing approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization for each sampled country. The study extends the event window to 61 days to assess the enduring effects of the war over a relatively longer period. The research delineates regional and periodic asymmetries and posits that the impact of the war on a market is contingent upon its geographical proximity and trade relations with Russia and Ukraine. Additionally, the impact is stronger during a shorter window surrounding the event date but diminishes over the extended period.

Early and mid-term outcomes of double-chambered right ventricle repair: An 8-year experience.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Double-chambered right ventricle is a rare and progressive condition that is characterised by obstruction of the right ventricular tract. Double-chambered right ventricle is usually associated with ventricular septal defect. Early surgical intervention is recommended in patients with these defects. Based on this background, the present study aimed to review early and midterm outcomes of primary repair after double-chambered right ventricle. METHODS: Between January 2014 and June 2021, 64 patients with a mean age of 13.42 ± 12.31 years underwent surgical repair for double-chambered right ventricle. The clinical outcomes of these patients were reviewed and assessed retrospectively. RESULTS: An associated ventricular septal defect was present in all the recruited patients; 48 (75%) patients of sub-arterial type, 15 (23.4%) of perimembranous, and 1 (1.6%) patient of muscular type. The patients were followed up for a mean period of 46.73 ± 27.37 months. During their follow-up, a significant decrease in the mean pressure gradient from 62.33 ± 5.52 mmHg preoperatively to 15.73 ± 2.94 mmHg postoperatively was observed (p < 0.001). Notably, there were no hospital deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The development of double-chambered right ventricle in association with ventricular septal defect results in an increased pressure gradient within the right ventricle. The defect needs correction in a timely manner. In our experience, the surgical correction of double-chambered right ventricle is safe and shows excellent early and mid-term results.

Effect of Thyroidectomy on Tracheal Remodeling and Airway Physiology in Apparently Asymptomatic Patients with Goiter: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Tracheal airflow limitation is frequently reported in patients with goiter but is severely underestimated, and studies on how goiter and its treatment affect trachea are scarce. Moreover, the choice of the optimal treatment for individual patient with asymptomatic goiter is not straightforward. Therefore, in this study we aim to investigate the effect of goiter and subsequent thyroidectomy on tracheal anatomy and change in airflow in asymptomatic patient with goiter. METHODS: Seventy patients undergoing total/hemithyroidectomy (TT/HT) from Feb 2020 to Feb 2021 satisfying inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. Neck radiograph (NR) and forced spirometry (FS) were performed preoperatively and on postoperative day 10 and 6 weeks and 3 months. RESULTS: Out of 70 patients, 84.3% patients were female, and mean duration and weight of goiter were 54.7 months and 72.21 gm, respectively. Of 70 patients, 57 were of benign pathology. Significant improvement in tracheal compression with moderate improvement in deviation was observed after surgery. Preoperative spirometry showed significant reduction in almost all parameters. After surgery, a weak improvement was observed at postoperative day 10 and 6 weeks; however, significant improvement in FEV1, PEFR, FEV1/FEV0.5, and FEF50%/FIF50% was observed at postoperative 3 months. Patient with right sided and those with ≥ 8 mm deviation were associated with poorer pulmonary function. Weak correlation was observed between neck NR and spirometry parameters. Weight of the thyroid gland significantly correlated with ratio of MVV/FEV1. CONCLUSION: Patients with asymptomatic goiter can have significant abnormal changes in airflow as evidenced by FS and NR. Thyroidectomy is followed by gradual restoration of tracheal deviation and compression with significant improvement in pulmonary airflow.

A rare triad in left atrial myxoma.

Atrial myxomas are the most common cardiac tumors, rarely presenting with both systemic embolization and intracranial aneurysms. A 34-year-old woman presented with acute limb ischemia of both lower limbs and right upper limb and on evaluation was diagnosed with left atrial myxoma and intracranial aneurysms. She underwent embolectomy and intracranial aneurysm repair followed by successful excision of left atrial myxoma after 4 weeks. This case is reported for the rare association of myxoma with intracranial aneurysm along with systemic embolization which has not been reported in the literature.

Arterial switch operation and aortic valve replacement for transposition of great arteries in adulthood: two cases from a tertiary care centre in India.

The surgical treatment of transposition of the great arteries, ventricular septal defect, and significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction continues to evolve. The survival of an unrepaired transposition of the great arteries into late adulthood is a rarity. Even when large intracardiac shunts are present, it remains a lethal cyanotic CHD if it is not surgically corrected soon after birth. We present our experience of two cases, both of whom underwent a single-stage arterial switch operation and an aortic valve replacement for this defect.

Successful surgical management of cardiac tamponade following direct intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in a child with Budd-Chiari syndrome: A potentially life-threatening situation.

Direct intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is a technique of portocaval shunting performed through the percutaneous route in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome. Stent migration into right-sided heart chambers or perforations causing hemopericardium and cardiac tamponade is rare and underreported. In a child with a coexisting decompensated liver disease, surgical intervention and cardiopulmonary bypass can be challenging. However, surgical management in these life-threatening situations is better than redo interventions.

SurgGrip: a compliant 3D printed gripper for vision-based grasping of surgical thin instruments.

This paper presents a conceptual design and implementation of a soft, compliant 3D printed gripper (SurgGrip), conceived for automated grasping of various surgery-based thin-flat instruments. The proposed solution includes (1) a gripper with a resilient mechanism to increase safety and better adaptation to the unstructured environment; (2) flat fingertips with mortise and tenon joint to facilitate pinching and enveloping based grasping of thin and random shape tools; (3) a soft pad on the fingertips to enable the high surface area to maintain stable grasping of the surgical instruments; (4) a four-bar linkage with a leadscrew mechanism to provide a precise finger movement; (5) enable automated manipulation of surgical tools using computer vision. Our gripper model is designed and fabricated by integrating soft and rigid components through a hybrid approach. The SurgGrip shows passive adaptation through inherent compliance of linear and torsional spring. The four-bar linkage mechanism controlled by a motor-leadscrew-nut drive provides precise gripper opening and closing movements. The experimental results show that the SurgGrip can detect, segment through a camera, and grasp surgical instruments (maximum 606.73 gs), with a 67% success rate (grasped 10 out of 12 selected tools) at 3.21 mm/s grasping speed and 15.81 s object grasping time autonomously. Besides, we demonstrated the pick and place abilities of SurgGrip on flat and nonflat surfaces in real-time. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11012-022-01594-6.

Nuclear cardiology for a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Cardiac surgeons are commonly faced with issues regarding the balance between the potential risk and the potential benefit of a surgical procedure. Nuclear cardiology procedures such as single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography provide the surgeon with objective information that augments standard clinical and angiographic assessments related to the diagnosis, prognosis, and potential benefit from any intervention. Myocardial perfusion is imaged with the use of radiopharmaceuticals that accumulate rapidly in the myocardium in proportion to the myocardial blood flow. Radionuclide lung imaging most commonly involves the demonstration of pulmonary perfusion using technetium-99 m macro aggregate albumin (Tc-99 m MAA), as well as the assessment of ventilation using inspired inert gas, usually xenon, or Tc-99 m-labelled aerosols. Nuclear cardiology is extensively used as a part of the work-up of ischemic heart disease and cardiac failure in deciding the optimal therapeutic strategy with its ability to predict the severity of the disease. It has also proved extremely useful in the management of congenital heart disease and the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, among many other applications. Myocardial perfusion imaging is a basic adjunct to the noninvasive assessment of patients with stable angina, baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, post-revascularisation assessment, and heart failure. This review article covers a summary of basic concepts of nuclear cardiology about what a cardiac surgeon should be aware of. To many, it is just a perfusion test, but the versatility, reliability, and future of the technology are without a doubt.

A rare case of synovial sarcoma of diaphragm.

BACKGROUND: Primary diaphragmatic synovial sarcoma is a rare clinical entity with only few cases reported in the literature. It is found mainly in young adults, in the limbs. However, the name is a misnomer as it probably arises from primitive mesenchyme rather than articular surfaces of the joints. CASE: We report a case of 21-year-old patient with synovial sarcoma of the diaphragm, treated by complete surgical excision of the tumor with diaphragmatic reconstruction and confirmed on immunohistopathology. The peculiarity of this case stems from the atypical location of the tumor with complete surgical resection and thereby providing a better quality of life for the patient. CONCLUSION: Synovial sarcoma of the diaphragm is a rare malignancy and more data and research is needed for defining the best management for this tumor.

Aneurysmal Oscillation of the Capnogram: A Case Report.

Variations in the alveolar plateau phase of the capnogram are often confused with spontaneous breathing efforts in an intubated patient. The oscillations in the capnogram due to a large ascending thoracic aneurysm are a separate entity from cardiogenic oscillations, and can be an indicator of underlying bronchial or lung compression.

Osteoclastic variant of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: An insight into a rarest of rare entity.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is a rare and a very aggressive thyroid malignancy with a dismal prognosis. It has a short history and presents with a rapidly increasing neck mass associated with compressive symptoms like pain, hoarseness of voice, dysphagia and shortness of breath. Osteoclastic variant is an extremely rare variant, which is, characterize by presence of a large number of multinucleated giant cells, which resemble osteoclasts. Here we report two cases of this unusual variant in a 68 years old and 49 years old male with a short history of thyroid swelling.

Large collateral from the right coronary artery in a case of coarctation of the aorta with bilateral subclavian artery aneurysms in an adult.

Here, we present a case of a 26-year-old gentleman who presented with a rare combination of bilateral huge subclavian artery aneurysms, coarctation of the aorta with a large coronary artery collateral and a bovine aortic arch. Various mediastinal collaterals have been described in previous cases of coarctation of the aorta, but the association of coronary collaterals is a rare occurrence. To the best of our knowledge, this case has not been reported in literature yet.

Psychological distress and body image disturbances after modified radical mastectomy among breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study from a tertiary care centre in North India.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and treatment can affect women both physically and psychologically. Women with BC undergo various painful and debilitating therapies as well as emotional trauma. Additionally, treatment modalities can bring about multiple changes, causing distress and alteration in one's appearance. This study aimed to assess the psychological distress and body image disturbances after modified radical mastectomy (MRM) among BC survivors. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in North India on 165 female survivors of BC who underwent MRM and attended outpatient follow-up. The median (interquartile range) age was 42 (36-51) years. Patients were evaluated using MINI 6·0·0 to assess for psychiatric comorbidities. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to measure psychological distress. Additionally, the ten-item Body Image Satisfaction (BIS-10) scale was used to evaluate body image disturbances. Findings: The rates of depression, anxiety, and stress were 27·8%, 31·5%, and 24·8%, respectively. Most patients (92%) experienced body image disturbances, and BC survivors who completed treatment within 12 months were more likely (p < 0·01) to have body image disturbances than women who had a long time since completion of treatment. Body image disturbances were not associated with age or psychological distress. Interpretation: Depression, anxiety, stress, and body image issues are common among BC survivors. Follow-up management plans for BC survivors should also include evaluation and treatment of psychological distress and addressing body image disturbances in patients undergoing mastectomy. Funding: Not applicable.

Surgical Challenges in a Case of a Recurrent Giant Pleomorphic Liposarcoma of Neck And Mediastinum in a Child: A Rare Occurrence.

Liposarcomas are rare in childhood, representing < 1% of all childhood soft tissue sarcomas. The most frequent site of involvement are the extremities with the involvement of head and neck being an absolute rarity. Pleomorphic subtype of liposarcoma is pretty aggressive and hence portends a poor prognosis. Here, we present the case of a child who presented with a recurrence of liposarcoma in the neck and mediastinum within 3 months of the index surgery. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-021-02837-w.