Active surveillance is a feasible and safe strategy in selected patients with papillary thyroid cancer and suspicious cervical lymph nodes detected after thyroidectomy.

Objective: After initial treatment, up to 30% of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) have incomplete response, mainly cervical lymph node (LN) disease. Previous studies have suggested that active surveillance (AS) is a possible option for these patients. Our aim was to report the results of AS in patients with PTC and cervical LN disease. Materials and methods: In this retrospective observational study, we included adult patients treated and followed for PTC, who presented with cervical LN disease and were managed with AS. Growth was defined as an increase ≥ 3mm in either diameter. Results: We included 32 patients: 27 (84.4%) women, age of 39 ± 14 years, all initially treated with total thyroidectomy, and 22 (69%) with therapeutic neck dissection. Cervical LN disease was diagnosed 1 year (0.3-12.6) after initial management, with a diameter of 9.0 mm (6.0-19.0). After a median AS of 4.3 years (0.6-14.1), 4 (12.5%) patients had LNgrowth: 2 (50%) of whom were surgically removed, 1 (25%) was effectively treated with radiotherapy, and 1 (25%) had a scheduled surgery. Tg increase was the only predictive factor of LN growth evaluated as both the delta Tg (p < 0.0366) and percentage of Tg change (p < 0.0140). None of the included patients died, had local complications due to LN growth or salvage therapy, or developed distant metastases during follow-up. Conclusion: In selected patients with PTC and suspicious cervical LNs diagnosed after initial treatment, AS is a feasible and safe strategy as it allows effective identification and treatment of the minority of patients who progress.

Responsiveness of the cervical joint position error test to detect changes in neck proprioception following four weeks of home-based proprioceptive training.

INTRODUCTION: People with chronic neck pain (CNP) commonly exhibit a range of physical impairments including cervical proprioceptive deficits. Assessing proprioception using a head mounted laser to assess joint position error (JPE) is a reliable and valid measure. However, the responsiveness of this measure has not been assessed. OBJECTIVE: To assess the responsiveness of the measure of cervical JPE after a 4-week home-based neck proprioceptive training intervention in people with CNP. DESIGN: An observational study to assess the responsiveness of the measure of cervical JPE. METHODS: The JPE test was assessed in people with CNP before and after 4 weeks of neck proprioception training. JPE was assessed as participants performed neck joint position sense tests for flexion, extension, right rotation, and left rotation in sitting and standing which were performed in a random order. Both the absolute and constant JPE were assessed. The intervention consisted of neck repositioning exercises as well as movement sense exercises. Cohen's d effect size was used to assess the internal responsiveness of the JPE test. The Pearson's correlation was used to assess the change of scores of the laser pointer and measures from inertial measurement units (IMUs) (external responsiveness). RESULTS: After 4 weeks of proprioception training, JPE assessed in sitting reduced from 2.69◦-3.57◦ to 1.88◦-1.98◦ for flexion, extension, and right rotation with large effect sizes (Cohen's d range: 1.25-2.00). For left rotation, JPE reduced from 3.23◦ to 1.9◦, and the effect size was close to being large (Cohen's d: 0.79). When assessed in standing, JPE reduced from 3.49◦-4.52◦ to 1.5◦-2.33◦ with large effect sizes (Cohen's d range: 0.89-1.25) for flexion, extension, right rotation, and left rotation. Large effect sizes were not observed for the constant JPE when assessed in either sitting or standing. The assessment of the external responsiveness revealed weak correlations between the change of scores obtained from the laser pointer and the IMUs for all movements, apart from the constant JPE in sitting for left rotation, which showed a strong correlation (r = 0.7). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the measure of the JPE has sufficient internal responsiveness, however, the external responsiveness was inadequate. Further research is advised.

Congenital cystic neck mass of thymic origin.

Neck masses are frequently seen in children. The differential diagnosis includes infectious, congenital and neoplastic lesions. We report a case of rare thymic neck mass in a boy in his middle childhood presented with a history of a left anterolateral neck mass not associated with fever, dysphagia or shortness of breath. The radiographic evaluation showed a picture of a thymopharyngeal duct cyst. Thymic remnant and thymopharyngeal duct cyst are caused by the failure of obliteration and might appear as a lateral neck mass in children. The most effective treatment for a thymopharyngeal duct cyst is total surgical excision. This particular case highlights the importance for clinicians to have a high index of suspicion for a broad differential diagnosis when evaluating paediatric patients who present with neck mass. Additionally, we emphasise the importance of consistently considering thymopharyngeal cyst as differential diagnosis.

Preliminary Study on Effects of Neck Exoskeleton Structural Design in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Neck muscle weakness due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can result in dropped head syndrome, adversely impacting the quality of life of those affected. Static neck collars are currently prescribed to hold the head in a fixed upright position. However, these braces are uncomfortable and do not allow any voluntary head-neck movements. By contrast, powered neck exoskeletons have the potential to enable head-neck movements. Our group has recently improved the mechanical structure of a state-of-the-art neck exoskeleton through a weighted optimization. To evaluate the effect of the structural changes, we conducted an experiment in which patients with ALS were asked to perform head-neck tracking tasks while using the two versions of the neck exoskeleton. We found that the neck muscle activation was significantly reduced when assisted by the structurally enhanced design compared to no assistance provided. The improved structure also improved kinematics tracking performance, allowing users to better achieve the desired head poses. In comparison, the previous design did not help reduce the muscle effort required to perform these tasks and even slightly worsened the kinematic tracking performance. It was also found that biomechanical benefits gained from using the structurally improved design were consistent across participants with both mild and severe neck weakness. Furthermore, we observed that participants preferred to use the powered neck exoskeletons to voluntarily move their heads and make eye contact during a conversation task rather than remain in a fixed upright position. Each of these findings highlights the importance of the structural design of neck exoskeletons in achieving desired biomechanical benefits and suggests that neck exoskeletons can be a viable method to improve the daily life of patients with ALS.

Comparative analysis of GoPro and digital cameras in head and neck flap harvesting surgery video documentation: an innovative and efficient method for surgical education.

BACKGROUND: An urgent need exists for innovative surgical video recording techniques in head and neck reconstructive surgeries, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where a surge in surgical procedures necessitates more skilled surgeons. This demand, significantly intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the critical role of surgical videos in medical education. We aimed to identify a straightforward, high-quality approach to recording surgical videos at a low economic cost in the operating room, thereby contributing to enhanced patient care. METHODS: The recording was comprised of six head and neck flap harvesting surgeries using GoPro or two types of digital cameras. Data were extracted from the recorded videos and their subsequent editing process. Some of the participants were subsequently interviewed. RESULTS: Both cameras, set at 4 K resolution and 30 frames per second (fps), produced satisfactory results. The GoPro, worn on the surgeon's head, moves in sync with the surgeon, offering a unique first-person perspective of the operation without needing an additional assistant. Though cost-effective and efficient, it lacks a zoom feature essential for close-up views. In contrast, while requiring occasional repositioning, the digital camera captures finer anatomical details due to its superior image quality and zoom capabilities. CONCLUSION: Merging these two systems could significantly advance the field of surgical video recording. This innovation holds promise for enhancing technical communication and bolstering video-based medical education, potentially addressing the global shortage of specialized surgeons.

Interdisciplinary Management of Vascular Anomalies in the Head and Neck. / Interdisziplinäres Management vaskulärer Anomalien im Kopf-Hals-Bereich.

Vascular anomalies in the head and neck area are usually rare diseases and pose a particular diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. They are divided into vascular tumours and vascular malformations. A distinction is made between benign tumours, such as infantile haemangioma, and rare malignant tumours, such as angiosarcoma. Vascular malformations are categorised as simple malformations, mixed malformations, large vessel anomalies and those associated with other anomalies. Treatment is interdisciplinary and various modalities are available. These include clinical observation, sclerotherapy, embolisation, ablative and coagulating procedures, surgical resection and systemic drug therapy. Treatment is challenging, as vascular anomalies in the head and neck region practically always affect function and aesthetics. A better understanding of the genetic and molecular biological basis of vascular anomalies has recently led to clinical research into targeted drug therapies. This article provides an up-to-date overview of the diagnosis, clinic and treatment of vascular anomalies in the head and neck region.

Efficacy of Triglyceride Glucose Index-Neck Circumference and Triglyceride Glucose Index-Neck-to-Height Ratio in the Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases and Metabolic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: A group of characteristics known as metabolic syndrome raises the chance of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance (IR) and obesity are regarded as critical metabolic syndrome pathophysiology. OBJECTIVES: The diagnostic accuracy of IR indicators, triglyceride (TG) glucose index-neck circumference (TyG-NC), and TG glucose index-neck-to-height ratio (TyG-NHtR) to be evaluated for the detection of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome in nondiabetic individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted and passed by the Ethics Committee of the institute. The age should be 18 years or older, and subjects should not have diabetes. Each patient's clinical information was gathered, and lab tests were run. The study was done for a period of 1 year. RESULTS: The study has 100 participants. Around 74% of the group was women. Only 26.5% of the group had an obesity diagnosis. Poor fasting plasma glucose levels were found in 19.4% of the research team. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-area under the curve (AUC) testing revealed that all examined IR indices can differentiate individuals with metabolic syndrome from those who are healthy. Our analysis laid out the soaring high area under the ROC curve for TyG index and the low stunted area under the ROC curve for TyG-NC. For obesity, all indices showed appreciable diagnostic efficacy, indicating the maximum achieved area under the ROC curve for TyG index and the minimum recorded metabolic score for IR. The AUC in the case of the metabolic score for IR (METS-IR) male sample population was found to be not statistically compelling. CONCLUSION: The exploration of indirect indices, the proposed ones, namely TyG-NC and TyG-NHtR, emphasized an intricate link between cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome.

Measurement proprieties of the CROM instrument for assessing head posture, neck retraction and protraction.

BACKGROUND: The CROM instrument is widely used clinically and in research to measure neck range of motion. However, its measurement proprieties during the assessment of protraction and retraction movements were not examined so far. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the intra- and inter-rater reliability, the concurrent validity of the CROM for measuring head posture, retraction and protraction in healthy subjects. METHODS: Thirty-three asymptomatic subjects were recruited and assigned in a random order to one of two raters. After a 10-min break, they were examined by a second rater (Assessment 1). After a 30-min break, both raters repeated the examination (Assessment 2). The examination consisted of measuring the head posture, maximum head protraction and maximum retraction. Each movement was repeated 3 times and measured simultaneously with the CROM and with a 3D capture system laboratory. RESULTS: The intra-rater reliability of the CROM was excellent for both raters for head posture and all head movements (ICC>0.9, 95% CI: 0.82-0.99, p < 0.01). The inter-rater reliability was excellent for head posture (ICC>0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98, p < 0.01) and good-to-excellent for all movements at both time-points (ICC = 0.73-0.98, 95%CI: 0.45-0.99, p < 0.01). The validity analysis showed moderate-to-strong correlation between instruments for the head posture and head movements [(r) = -0.47 to -0.78), 95% CI: 0.99 to -0.24, p < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: The CROM instrument has good-to-excellent reliability and adequate validity for measuring cervical position and displacement in the sagittal plane.

Modular organization of functional brain networks in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Previous studies have indicated that brain functional plasticity and reorganization in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). However, the effects of cervical cord compression on the functional integration and separation between and/or within modules remain unclear. This study aimed to address these questions using graph theory. Functional MRI was conducted on 46 DCM patients and 35 healthy controls (HCs). The intra- and inter-modular connectivity properties of the whole-brain functional network and nodal topological properties were then calculated using theoretical graph analysis. The difference in categorical variables between groups was compared using a chi-squared test, while that between continuous variables was evaluated using a two-sample t-test. Correlation analysis was conducted between modular connectivity properties and clinical parameters. Modules interaction analyses showed that the DCM group had significantly greater inter-module connections than the HCs group (DMN-FPN: t = 2.38, p = 0.02); inversely, the DCM group had significantly lower intra-module connections than the HCs group (SMN: t = - 2.13, p = 0.036). Compared to HCs, DCM patients exhibited higher nodal topological properties in the default-mode network and frontal-parietal network. In contrast, DCM patients exhibited lower nodal topological properties in the sensorimotor network. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score was positively correlated with inter-module connections (r = 0.330, FDR p = 0.029) but not correlated with intra-module connections. This study reported alterations in modular connections and nodal centralities in DCM patients. Decreased nodal topological properties and intra-modular connection in the sensory-motor regions may indicate sensory-motor dysfunction. Additionally, increased nodal topological properties and inter-modular connection in the default mode network and frontal-parietal network may serve as a compensatory mechanism for sensory-motor dysfunction in DCM patients. This could provide an implicative neural basis to better understand alterations in brain networks and the patterns of changes in brain plasticity in DCM patients.

Use of bone landmarks for assessing the safety of acupuncture on the posterior midline of the neck region.

OBJECTIVE: Many acupuncture acupoints are located on the posterior midline of the neck region. The needling depth for acupuncture is important for practitioners, and an unsafe needling depth increases the possibility of damage to the spinal cord and brainstem. Can the safety of acupuncture be assessed by examining bone structures? We focused on this aim to carry out this study. METHODS: The shortest distance from the posterior border of the foramen magnum to the line joining both upper ends of the posterior border of the mastoid process was measured on 29 skulls. Distances from the posterior border of the vertebral foramen to the tip of the spinous process and posterior tubercle of the atlas were measured and evaluated from 197 dry cervical vertebrae and 31 lateral cervical radiographs of patient subjects. The anatomic relationships of the vertebral canal with the external occipital protuberance, tip of the spinous process of the axis, tip of the posterior tubercle of the atlas, and upper end of the posterior border of the mastoid process were observed and evaluated via lateral cervical radiography. RESULTS: The shortest distance from the foramen magnum to the line between the mastoid processes was 4.65±1.75 mm, and the distance from the superior border of the vertebral foramen of the atlas to the posterior tubercle was less than the distance from the inferior border. The distance from the superior border of the vertebral canal to the tip of the spinous process in C2-C7 was greater than the distance from the inferior border. The mean lengths of the superior border of the C2 spinous process and the inferior border of the C7 spinous process were greater than 21 mm and 31 mm, respectively. The line from the upper end of the posterior border of the mastoid process to the tip of the C2 spinous process or 10 mm deep to the tip of the C2 spinous process was posterior to the vertebral canal. CONCLUSIONS: On the posterior midline of the neck region between the tip of spinous process of axis and external occipital protuberance, if the needle reaches the depth of the line between the upper end of posterior border of mastoid process and the tip of the spinous process of the axis, approximately 10 mm along the spinous process of the axis, the needle is in the safe region. The mean length of the C2-C7 spinous process is suitable to accommodate the needling depth of the adjacent acupoint. Bone structures can be used to effectively assess the safety of acupuncture on the posterior midline of the neck region.

Surgical Management of the Neck in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Oral cavity cancer remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with a poor prognosis once the disease has metastasized to cervical lymph nodes. The anatomy of lymphatic drainage in the neck gives us a roadmap to follow when assessing for metastasis, although the predictive factors are still not well understood. The mainstay of treatment continues to be neck dissection. However, there is much debate on the management of the clinically negative neck. The necessity of elective neck dissection has been questioned in recent years, with other options such as sentinel lymph node biopsy gaining popularity. This review will explore the aspects of surgical management of the neck in oral cavity cancer and highlights the further research that needs to be done.

Effect of radiotherapy on the surface roughness and microhardness of contemporary bioactive restorative materials.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of radiotherapy on the surface microhardness and roughness of different bioactive restorative materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60-disc specimens (5 mm × 2 mm) were performed in four groups (n = 15 each) from Equia Forte HT, Cention N, Activa Bioactive Restorative, and Beautifil II. Following the polishing procedure (600, 1000, 1200 grit silicon carbide papers), all specimens were irradiated at 2 Gy per fraction, five times a week for a total dose of 70 Gy in 30 fractions over 7 weeks. Before and after the irradiation, the specimens were analyzed regarding the surface roughness and microhardness. Surface morphology was also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon test, and paired sample t-test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Significant differences were found after radiation with increased mean roughness of both Cention N (p = 0.001) and Beautifil II (p < 0.001) groups. In terms of microhardness, only the Beautifil II group showed significant differences with decreased values after radiation. There were statistically significant differences among the groups' roughness and microhardness data before and after radiotherapy (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The effect of radiotherapy might differ according to the type of the restorative material. Although results may differ for other tested materials, giomer tends to exhibit worse behaviour in terms of both surface roughness and microhardness. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy, it should be taken into consideration that the treatment process may also have negative effects on the surface properties of anti-caries restorative materials.

Dislipemia y circunferencia de cuello en pacientes de un hospital privado peruano / Dyslipidemia and neck circumference in patients from a Peruvian private hospital

Introducción: Las dislipidemias son alteraciones que están asociadas al riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares, infarto agudo de miocardio, evento cerebrovascular (ECV) o la artropatía periférica.Objetivo: Analizar la relación entre la circunferencia de cuello y el perfil lipídico de pacientes adultos atendidos en la clínica privada Rebagliatti.Materiales y métodos: Investigación de enfoque cuantitativo de diseño no experimental, transversal de nivel correlacional – causal. La muestra del estudio estuvo conformada por 120 pacientes ambulatorios de 18 a 59 años que asistieron a clínica privada Rebagliatti, durante el periodo octubre a noviembre del 2023. La medición de la circunferencia de cuello se realizó con una cinta métrica de la marca Lufkin y los valores del perfil lipídico se obtuvieron de la revisión de la historia clínica del paciente. Para evaluar la relación de las variables se utilizó la prueba no paramétrica coeficiente de correlación de Spearman.Resultados: el promedio de la circunferencia de cuello fue 36,21 ± 2,34 cm, del colesterol total fue 237,55 ± 67,47 mg/dL, del colesterol LDL fue 126,55 ± 34,97 mg/dL, del colesterol HDL fue 37,10 ± 4,35 mg/dL y de los triglicéridos fue 219,72 ± 88,65 mg/dL. Al analizar la relación entre la circunferencia de cuello y el nivel de perfil lipídico se encontró (p<0,05).Conclusiones: La circunferencia de cuello tiene relación directa con el nivel de colesterol total, triglicéridos y colesterol LDL; no obstante, se encontró una relación inversa con el nivel de colesterol HDL en pacientes.(AU)

Introduction: Dyslipidemias are alterations that are asso-ciated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, acute myocar-dial infarction, and cerebral vascular disease (CVD).Objective: To analyze the relationship between dyslipide-mia and neck circumference in patients treated in a privatehospital in Peru.Materials and methods: Quantitative research with anon-experimental, cross-sectional design at a correlational –causal level, carried out on 120 patients aged 18-59 who at-tended the Los Andes private clinic in November 2023; loca-ted in the city of Huancayo – Peru. The measurement of neckcircumference was performed with a Lufkin brand measuringtape and the lipid profile through low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TotalChol) and triglycerides (TG), was obtained from the patient’smedical history. A descriptive analysis was performed (mean,standard deviation, minimum, maximum); To evaluate the re-lationship of the variables, the non-parametric Spearman co-rrelation coefficient test was used.Results: the average neck circumference was 36.21 ± 2.34 cm, total cholesterol was 237.55 ± 67.47 mg/dL,LDL cholesterol was 126.55 ± 34.97 mg/dL, HDL choleste-rol was 37.10 ± 4.35 mg/dL and triglycerides was 219.72 ± 88.65 mg/dL. When analyzing the relationship betweenneck circumference with total cholesterol, triglycerides andLDL, a direct and significant relationship was obtained(p<0.05). However, when evaluating the relationship withHDL cholesterol, an inverse and significant relationship wasobtained (p<0.05).Conclusions: Patients with a larger neck circumferencehave a higher risk of dyslipidemia. Likewise, a direct and sig-nificant relationship was found with the level of total choles-terol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol; however, inverse rela-tionship with the level of HDL cholesterol. Therefore, neckcircumference measurement represents a useful and practicalmethod in predicting dyslipidemia.(AU)

Relationship between cervical lordotic angle and cervical segmental motion during craniocervical flexion test: A cross-sectional study.

The craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) is commonly used for assessing the performance and function of the deep cervical flexor muscles; however, objective measurements of cervical segmental motion during craniocervical flexion (CCF) are lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study aimed to investigate cervical segmental motions during CCFT and determine the relationship between changes of cervical segmental motions and the cervical lordotic angle. A cross-sectional study of prospectively collected data. Twenty healthy participants without neck pain underwent standing cervical radiography (lateral view) to measure the cervical lordotic angle, followed by radiography in supine position during the CCFT. The occipito-atlantal (OA) joint angle, atlantoaxial (AA) joint angle, and cervical spinous process posterior displacement (CSPPD) of the C1-C6 vertebrae were measured using lateral cervical radiographs taken during the initial (20 mm Hg) and low-stage (24 mm Hg) CCFT conditions. The CCF motion during the low-stage CCFT was characterized by a significantly increased OA joint angle, decreased AA joint angle, and increased C1-C6 CSPPD compared with the initial stage (P < .05). The change in the value of C1-C6 CSPPD at low-stage CCFT showed a significant positive correlation with the cervical lordotic angle. These results indicate that the cervical lordotic angle is important in minimizing CSPPD and performing appropriately-isolated CCF motion during CCFT.

Predicting central cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a practical nomogram based on retrospective study.

Background: In papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), preoperative ultrasonography frequently reveals the presence of enlarged lymph nodes in the central neck region. These nodes pose a diagnostic challenge due to their potential resemblance to metastatic lymph nodes, thereby impacting the surgical decision-making process for clinicians in terms of determining the appropriate surgical extent. Methods: Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent risk factors associated with central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in PTC patients with HT. Then a prediction model was developed and visualized using a nomogram. The stability of the model was assessed using ten-fold cross-validation. The performance of the model was further evaluated through the use of ROC curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. Results: A total of 376 HT PTC patients were included in this study, comprising 162 patients with CLNM and 214 patients without CLNM. The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, Tg-Ab level, tumor size, punctate echogenic foci, and blood flow grade were identified as independent risk factors associated with the development of CLNM in HT PTC. The area under the curve (AUC) of this model was 0.76 (95% CI [0.71-0.80]). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive value of the model were determined to be 88%, 51%, 67%, and 57%, respectively. Conclusions: The proposed clinic-ultrasound-based nomogram in this study demonstrated a favorable performance in predicting CLNM in HT PTCs. This predictive tool has the potential to assist clinicians in making well-informed decisions regarding the appropriate extent of surgical intervention for patients.

Preoperative MRI-based endplate quality: a novel tool for predicting cage subsidence after anterior cervical spine surgery.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to examine the predictive value of a newly developed MRI-based Endplate Bone Quality (EBQ) in relation to the development of cage subsidence following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). METHODS: Patients undergoing ACDF for degenerative cervical diseases between January 2017 and June 2022 were included. Correlation between EBQ scores and segmental height loss was analyzed using Pearson's correlation. ROC analyses were employed to ascertain the EBQ cut-off values that predict the occurrence of cage subsidence. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the risk factors associated with postoperative cage subsidence. RESULTS: 23 individuals (14.56%) exhibited the cage subsidence after ACDF. In the nonsubsidence group, the average EBQ and lowest T-score were determined to be 4.13 ± 1.14 and - 0.84 ± 1.38 g/cm2 respectively. In contrast, the subsidence group exhibited a mean EBQ and lowest T-score of 5.38 ± 0.47 (p < 0.001) and - 1.62 ± 1.34 g/cm2 (p = 0.014), respectively. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.798**) between EBQ and the segmental height loss. The EBQ threshold of 4.70 yielded optimal sensitivity (73.9%) and specificity (93.3%) with AUC of 0.806. Furthermore, the lowest T-score (p = 0.045, OR 0.667) and an elevated cervical EBQ score (p < 0.001, OR 8.385) were identified as significant risk factors for cage subsidence after ACDF. CONCLUSIONS: The EBQ method presents itself as a promising and efficient tool for surgeons to assess patients at risk of cage subsidence and osteoporosis prior to cervical spine surgery, utilizing readily accessible patient data.

The Diagnostic Performance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Categorization of Pediatric Neck Lymph Nodes: Radiologic and Pathologic Correlations.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To present MRI features of neck lymph nodes in benign and malignant conditions in the pediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRIs of the neck of 51 patients 1 to 18 years old (40 boys, 11 girls [10.08±4.73]) with lymph node biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. Those were grouped as benign including reactive (27 [52.9%]) and lymphadenitis (11 [21.6%]), and malignant (13 [25.5%]). The groups were evaluated multiparametrically in terms of quantitative and qualitative variables. RESULTS: The long axis, short axis, area, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the largest lymph node were 21 (17 to 24) mm, 14 (12 to 18) mm, 228.60 (144.79 to 351.82) mm 2 , 2531 (2457 to 2714) mm 2 /s for reactive, 24 (19 to 27) mm, 15 (11 to 20) mm, 271.80 (231.43 to 412.20) mm 2 , 2534 (2425 to 2594) mm 2 /s for lymphadenitis, 27 (23.50 to 31.50) mm, 20 (15 to 22) mm, 377.08 (260.47 to 530.94) mm 2 , 2337 (2254 to 2466) mm 2 /s for malignant, respectively. Statistical analysis of our data suggests that the following parameters are associated with a higher likelihood of malignancy: long axis >22 mm, short axis >16 mm, area >319 cm 2 , ADC value <2367 mm 2 /s, and supraclavicular location. Perinodal and nodal heterogeneity, posterior cervical triangle location are common in lymphadenitis ( P <0.001). Reactive lymph nodes are distributed symmetrically in both neck halves ( P <0.001). CONCLUSION: In the MRI-based approach to lymph nodes, not only long axis, short axis, surface area, and ADC, but also location, distribution, perinodal, and nodal heterogeneity should be used.

Occipito-Cervico-Dorsal Flap for Neck Reconstruction After Postburn Contractures: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Because the head and neck are one of the most frequent locations of burns, it is of paramount importance that plastic surgeons and plastic surgical nurses understand the most effective surgical methods for treating neck contractures and the reconstructive technique required for each case. We introduce the case of a 42-year-old woman who presented with a severe postburn neck contracture that was reconstructed with a pedicled occipito-cervico-dorsal flap. We closed the donor-site wound primarily and completely covered the defect with good results. In addition to conventional skin grafts, dermal matrices, and microsurgical techniques, using an occipito-cervico-dorsal flap should be considered for reconstructing postburn neck contractures as it offers good aesthetic and functional outcomes, provides enough tissue and pliable skin, and results in minimal donor-site morbidity.