Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Investigation Of Oral Sex As A Risk Factor For Recurrent Vaginitis: A Case Study, Humza M. Baig, Kate B. Barker, Joy Zarandy

Research Day

Background:

Recurrent Vaginitis is defined as having three or more confirmed episodes within a year. Recurrence rates of vaginitis have been reported in up to 60% of previously infected women. The most common bacterial cause is due to Gardnerella vaginalis, while Candida albicans is the most common fungal cause; both microorganisms can cause opportunistic infections when imbalances occur in the vaginal environment. Commonly known risk factors include multiple sex partners, unprotected sex, douching, recent antibiotic use, and estrogen therapy.

Case Presentation:

A healthy 34-year-old female is complaining of recurrent episodes of vaginitis since the birth of her son two years …

End Of Life In The Ed – Brain Death And Organ Transplantation, Madison Cohen, Robert Griffin, Donald Penney

Research Day

Brain death is defined as the irreversible loss of all brain and brainstem functions. While the criteria for diagnosing brain death have been established and refined since 1995, physicians remain uncomfortable with making the diagnosis leading to delays in pronouncing the patient as brain dead. While seemingly benign, a delay in pronouncing a patient as brain dead can place a financial burden on the family and cause additional and unnecessary emotional distress. Furthermore, delayed pronunciation of death causes improper delegation of the medical care team's resources and loss of the patient's potential to serve as an organ donor. The purpose …

A Headfirst Approach – Concussion Management And Novel Diagnostic Testing, Madison Cohen, Kevin Wang, Julienne Ryland, Donald Penney

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of concussions has become increasingly prevalent across a multitude of sports. Despite this, the current guidelines for concussion management are not well defined, which creates a significant barrier to proper evaluation and care.

OBJECTIVES: This manuscript was designed to help physicians, athletic trainers, coaches, and parents understand the clinical signs of concussion and management from the moment of injury to the athlete’s return to play. Additionally, we reviewed post-concussion sequelae and their incidence following concussion management.

METHODS: In order to better define the current approach to the management of sports-related concussions we completed a comprehensive literature review …

Silicone Stenting For Chronic Ureteral Obstruction Improves Stent Exchange Frequency, Bebe Eke, Noah Canvasser

Research Day

Introduction and Objective

Chronic ureter stenting is recommended for patients with malignant ureteral obstruction, or with benign ureteral obstruction that cannot tolerate or do not want definitive surgical management. Stents are exchanged at time intervals often limited by stent encrustation. Prior in vitro studies have demonstrated that silicone stents have less encrustation. Our objective was to compare patients undergoing chronic exchanges with polymer-based and silicone stents.

Methods

This IRB-approved retrospective study included all adult patients who underwent chronic ureter stent exchange from August 2017 through August 2022. Patients were stented with either a Boston Scientific PercuflexTM Plus or a Cook …

A Nine-Year Longitudinal Case Study Of A 27-Year-Old Male With Neurocysticercosis Presenting With New Onset Seizures, Ciara Doyle, Veronica Thompson, Amanda Ho, Joy Zarandy

Research Day

Background:

Taenia solium is a cestode endemic to regions of Latin America, Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania, and serves as the most common cause of acquired epilepsy in the world. T. solium eggs are transmitted fecal-orally when a human or pig host ingests contaminated food or water. Larvae hatch from the intestines and invade into muscle, tissue, or organs, forming cysts called cysticerci. Cysticerci involving the central nervous system is termed neurocysticercosis (NCC). Patients with NCC typically remain asymptomatic for 3-5 years in the viable stage until the host’s immune response is activated in the degenerating stage. Immune-mediated degradation of …

Is There Any Benefit To Adding Corticosteroids To Radiofrequency Ablation Treatments: A Systemic Review., Lee James, Petar Jen, Nikolas Jen, Stefan Jen

Research Day

Introduction: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a procedure done for chronic pain which uses thermal energy to nociceptive pathways with the goal of disrupting pain signaling. The thermal energy leads to nervous tissue disruption using radiofrequency currents through an electrode placed near the target area. RFA has been shown to have an increase in pain reduction as well as an increase in functional ability when compared to corticosteroid injections (CSI), another common treatment for both acute and chronic pain. Many clinicians have logically combined RFA and CI together to achieve a synergistic effect. This study aims to look at the current …

Rare First Rib Pseudoarthrosis With Thoracic Outlet Syndrome In Pediatric Gymnast: A Case Report, Jessica M. Kraft, Ann L. Contrucci, Gary E. Freed

Research Day

Background: This case study evaluates the diagnosis and treatment of a 12 year old Caucasian male gymnast who had several diagnoses including an isolated first rib fracture, resultant pseudoarthrosis of the first rib, and the development of symptomatic thoracic outlet syndrome. We discuss the causes, prevalence, and suggestions for prompt diagnosis and treatment of these conditions in pediatric patients. Although all three conditions are rare in a child, this case highlights the importance of having a high clinical index of suspicion in recurrent pain in pre-pubertal athletes.

Case presentation: A 10 year old Caucasian male presented with a two to …

Upper Urinary Tract Transitional Cell Carcinoma And Lymph Node Involvement: Pre And Post Operative Outcomes, Brittney Henderson, Son Young, Mark Quiring, Scott Serpico, Edward Wu, Emma Troyer, Ryan Moriarty, Thomas Mueller, Gordon Brown

Research Day

Background: Upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinomas (UUT-TCC) comprise any malignancy arising from the renal pelvis to distal ureter. These cancers account for approximately 5-10% of all urothelial tumors. Two-thirds of cases are invasive with an estimated 5-year survival rate less than 50%. Pathologic staging, invasion into local structures, and lymph node involvement influence the overall survival rate. Lymph node dissection (LND) is associated with higher overall survival rates in UUT-TCC patients, likely by decreasing regional lymph node metastasis. Current literature suggests that removing eight to ten regional lymph nodes may improve survival. The outcomes of upper urinary tract malignancies …

Modified Excisional Biopsy Technique For Confirmed Or Highly Suspected Melanomas, Batul Momin, Katrina Hansen

Research Day

There are a variety of biopsy techniques for sampling confirmed or highly suspicious melanomas, including excisional, scoop-shave or “saucerization”, shave, and punch biopsy. Herein, we present a case in which a combination approach of saucerization and excisional biopsy was used for a patient with an inadequately sampled melanoma. In the literature, excisional biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing melanoma. This technique is accomplished with a full-thickness, fusiform removal of the lesion with a scalpel to the level of adipose tissue (2). The drawback to this technique is the slightly distorted anatomy that can occur during wound closure. Albeit rare, …

Pustular Psoriasis And The Potential Therapeutic Usage Of An Il-36 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody, Jeannel T. Miclat, Shafik Habal

Research Day

Pustular psoriasis is an uncommon subtype of psoriasis that dramatically affects the quality of life of affected patients. Pustules can emerge anywhere along the trunk, limbs, soles, palms, and fingers, which debilitates the functionality of these appendages. Currently, there are no approved treatments for pustular psoriasis in the US; off-label usage of psoriasis vulgaris medications is usually prescribed. These treatments are insufficient for patients with difficult to manage or severe forms of pustular psoriasis. Psoriasis vulgaris biologic medications mainly target the IL-17 and IL-23 axis. However, novel clinical findings have demonstrated that pustular psoriasis’s central inflammatory axis depends on the …

A Bone Of Contention: A Dynamic Ultrasound Assessment Of The Role Of The Radial Head In The Arthrokinematics Of The Proximal Radioulnar Joint, Kolson Lamb, Madison D. Hendricks, Courtney E. Grimes, Cameron A. Johnson, David Nguyen, Ruth Maher

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: The arthrokinematics of the proximal radioulnar joint (PRUJ) are believed to follow the convex-concave rule, meaning that when the convex radial head articulates with the concave radial notch on the ulna, rolling and gliding occur in opposite directions during forearm pronation and supination. Previous research using helical computerized tomography (CT) identified that the sequence of joint actions is in contrast with this rule, which would indicate a posterior glide of the radius on the ulna during pronation movement and the converse during supination.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study are to determine the arthrokinematics of the PRUJ while being …

Malignancy Or Dermatophyte Infection? The Challenges In Evaluation Of Chronic Diffuse Rashes, Margi Nayak, Humaira Bibi, Anthony Cimmino, Xuan Ouyang, Jonathan Fairley

Research Day

Introduction: The purpose of our case presentation is to help understand the use of diagnostic studies in differentiating diffuse rashes with potentially underlying malignant etiology from infectious etiology.

A 40 y.o. F with a past medical history significant for anemia presented to the ED with painful rashes that had been getting worse for over 1 year. She mentioned that initially the rash began on her arm around the time when her 2 dogs were being treated for fungal infection and then it started spreading to her chest, back, upper extremities, lower extremities, abdomen, and genital areas as well. She described …

The Impact Of Medication Therapy Management Services On Pediatric Patients With Medical Complexities, Charisma Osuagwu, Erica Wong, Savion Carswell, Sophia Jenkins, Xinyu Wang, Yujin Kim

Research Day

Introduction

Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a service provided by healthcare providers to ensure the best medical outcomes, particularly for those with multiple chronic conditions. It is often provided for senior populations supported under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Studies show that patients provided with MTM services have higher medication adherence rates and experience fewer complications. However, there are few studies on MTM counseling in pediatric populations. In this literature review study, we investigated the potential impact of MTM services for underserved pediatric populations with chronic conditions or disabilities who are likely to benefit from MTM services.

Methods …

A Seemingly Low Risk Patient Develops Urosepsis As A Complication Of Transrectal Prostate Biopsy: A Case Study, Nicole Peritz, Gabrielle Oquendo, Yuhyun Kang, Elijah Humphries, Joy Zarandy

Research Day

Background:

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men, and the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Approximately 1 million Americans undergo prostate biopsies annually, with 97% undergoing the transrectal prostate biopsy (TRPB). While TRPB is reliable and relatively low risk, nearly 7% of patients develop infectious complications, with 3% requiring hospitalization due to sepsis. Risk factors for developing infection post-TRPB include antibiotic resistance, >10 biopsy cores, diabetes mellitus, indwelling catheter, and African-American ethnicity. Identifying risk factors, considering a transperineal biopsy approach, and utilizing pre-procedural practices like rectal sterilization, screening urinalysis, prophylactic antibiotics, …

Participation Of Children And Youth With And Without Cerebral Palsy Across Settings: An Exploratory Study, Teresa Long Pierce, Alyssa Laforme Fiss

Research Day

Introduction: Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common pediatric health conditions resulting in childhood disability. Children with CP experience varying levels of functional impairments due to muscle weakness, alterations in muscle tone, balance deficits, and loss of selective motor control. These impairments and activity limitations are thought to contribute to lower levels of participation. Studies examining participation of children with CP have found that participation is positively correlated with increased physical activity and have concluded that environment is a significant predictor of participation. However, research examining participation across specific environments is lacking. Additionally, research investigating the influence of various …

Management Of Patient With Impaction Secondary To Undigested Sunflower Seed Bezoar: A Case Report, Sufia Ahmed, Anthony Adetomiwa

Research Day

Introduction: Bezoars are aggregates of undigested plant fibers, hair, or seeds that may impact in any portion of the GI tract. These bezoars if left can lead to significant complications, including perforation and peritonitis.

Methods: We report a case of a 4-year-old female patient who presented to the emergency department with constipation and severe lower abdominal pain following unsupervised consumption of a large unknown volume of sunflower seeds. Initial radiograph revealed an undigested bezoar of seeds in the sigmoid colon and rectum. The patient was managed with mineral oil enema and manual disimpaction under conscious sedation. Subsequent radiographs revealed a …

Rare Presentation Of Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma In The Finger: Case Report And Review Of Literature, F. Rhana Mousavi, Bassem Bekheit, Emon Alavi, Nick A. Hirad, Abanoub Gabra

Research Day

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary tumor of the liver that primarily develops in the setting of chronic liver disease. HCC is difficult to diagnose due to it requiring the use of multiple imaging modalities with the goal to detect tumors when they are less than or equal to 2 cm in size to allow all possible treatment options to be used. Herein, we discuss a 69-year-old male with stage IV liver cancer residing in hospice presenting with left middle finger osteomyelitis and extreme pain. Radiology revealed a destructive lesion but pathology provided the diagnosis of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma in …

A Radiologic Analysis: Relationships Of The Thoracic Spine To Aid Palpation Of The Thoracic Transverse Processes, Christopher Baker, Darshan Patel, Michael B. Roberts, Kristie Petree, Randall L. Mcgill

Research Day

Introduction: In the field of osteopathic manipulative medicine, palpation is an important skill used by physicians to localize structures to diagnose and treat patients with somatic dysfunction throughout the musculoskeletal system. Specifically, in the thoracic spine, physicians can use the more superficial spinous process of each vertebra to assist in locating the deeper, more challenging to palpate, transverse process of the vertebra. Historically, the “rule of threes”, proposed by Mitchell et al in 1979, describing the relationships between spinous processes and transverse processes of the thoracic spine has been taught in osteopathic medical schools. However, another model was more recently …

A Cadaveric Case Study On Lung Cancer Pathology, Anna Beth Boyette, Sarah Kate Boyette, Haley Garrett, Janai Groves, Perry Chandler Mullis, Sofia Sirocchi, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst both genders, currently accounting for about 18% of all cancer deaths.

OBJECTIVES: The overall purpose of this study was to evaluate the pathology associated with the patient’s cause of death, cardiorespiratory failure and lung cancer. The secondary aims of this study were to confirm the presence of malignant neoplasms within a human cadaver, determine the type of cancer present, and take specimens for histological examination to evaluate the patient’s cause of death.

METHODS: This is a case report from one of the cadavers in the Gross Anatomy laboratory at the …

A Cadaveric Case Study On Metastatic Breast Cancer Pathology, Janai L. Groves, Haley B. Garrett, Savannah J. Finley, Jada M. Glenn, Itza M. Garcia, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States. The exact etiology of breast cancer is unknown, but over 70% of breast cancer cases involve only two risk factors: being a woman and being over the age of 50. Women with a family history of breast cancer, as well as women who experience early menopause, have an even greater risk of developing this disease. When considering racial demographics, African-American women have a 4-8% lower incidence rate of breast cancer than Caucasian women but are 40% more likely to die from the disease. Breast cancer …

Cadaveric Study: Sign Of Leser-Trélat Associated With Breast Cancer, Brigitte L. Cochran, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Seborrheic keratoses (SK) is considered the most common benign skin lesions found in individuals that are middle aged and older. In dermatology practice, these lesions pose no threat to the individual but can be concerning for cosmetic and underlying malignancy reasons when they cover most of the skin surface. Of specific concern is the sign of Leser-Trélat, which has been documented as a cutaneous harbinger of underlying malignancy associated with proliferation of the size and/or number seborrheic keratoses. This rare sign is usually caused by malignancies such as gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma and lung, kidney, liver, pancreatic cancer or malignant melanoma. …

Liver Cirrhosis, Hydroureter And Splenomegaly In A Cadaver : A Case Study, Steven Li, Manuel S. Linarte, Teighlor N. Livingston, Nahimie K. Louissaint, Tyanna N. Mccladdie, Nishi Patel, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

Background: Liver cirrhosis is among the most common causes of death in the United States. Cirrhosis can result from alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Advanced cases of liver cirrhosis may result in complications such as portal hypertension, hepatosplenomegaly, varices, and many others.

Case Presentation: This report describes a case of extensive liver cirrhosis found during the cadaveric dissection of a 71-year-old male. Observation revealed a slightly enlarged, cirrhotic liver with recanalization of the umbilical vein (of the round ligament). The patient also had significant splenomegaly, indicative of portal hypertension, and dilation of the left ureter. In …

Paradoxical Embolism Entrapped In A Patent Foramen Ovale, Mohammad Malik, Macy Rowan, Lucas Seibolt, Barney Beaver

Research Day

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), venous thromboembolisms affect 900,000 people and cause up to 100,000 deaths yearly. A less common subset of these cases includes those of which the emboli, though originating in venous vasculature, are able to pass through intracardiac defects, including a patent foramen ovale (PFO). PFOs are relatively common in the general population, with an incidence of approximately 20-30%. Though oftentimes asymptomatic, PFOs may present an opportunity for an embolism to bypass the lungs and utilize a more direct route to the systemic circulation, otherwise known as paradoxical embolism. One feared complication of …

A Unique Case Of Atrial Fibrillation Secondary To Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma, Mohammad J. Malik, Emily K. Wilson, Vijay Bandhakavi

Research Day

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is widely considered to be the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia with an incidence of roughly 1-2% in the United States alone. The incidence of AF has been known to increase with advancing age and thus presents a significant burden on healthcare systems across the globe. AF arises as a result of several mechanisms including structural changes that occur to the heart overtime. Here we present a case in which a 63-year-old male with no past medical history except heavy tobacco use presented to the emergency department complaining of shortness of breath. He also endorsed having palpitations and …

Prevalence Of Hyperostosis Frontalis In Georgia Elderly Cadaver Population, Sara G. Meawad, Tristan C. Henris, Ansley Myrick, Savita Arya, Shiv Dhiman

Research Day

Introduction

Hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) is a condition that causes a benign thickening of the frontal bone. Many studies in the past have correlated sex with the incidence of HFI. Additionally, females, especially those postmenopausal, seem to be the predominant group affected. The primary objective of this study is to explore incidence of HFI and how it relates to the different sexes. The secondary objective is to further investigate the correlation of HFI with liver and gonadal pathologies.

Methods

A study is designed to explore the prevalence of hyperostosis frontalis interna among sexes in a sample of cadavers (n=38) at …

A Postmortem Analysis Of Embalmed Lungs, A Human Cadaver Study, Frederick S. Merdian, Matthew Peterman, Odinaka Osigwe, Vikash Patel, Savita Arya

Research Day

OBJECTIVE: The human cadaveric study is vital to fully understanding lung pathologies and the prevalence of potentially cancerous neoplasms upon death in the general population. Developing an accurate knowledge of human respiratory neoplastic pathology is vital in furthering the field of respiratory medicine. This study aims to analyze a cohort of lung sets belonging to human cadavers for visible potentially pathogenic neoplasms and contrast this with epidemiological data available for representative populations.

METHODS: Cadaveric lungs (n= 20 pairs; 38 individual lungs) were isolated, and gross observations were performed of the parietal surface of both lungs. These samples were part of …

A Combined Radio-Immunotherapy Regimen Eradicates Late-Stage Melanoma In Mice., Sritha Moram, Alexander Rakhmilevich, Noah Tsarovsky, Mildred Felder, Amy Erbe, Alex Pieper, Jen Zaborek, Emily Cheng, Cole Witt, Paul Sondel

Research Day

Advanced cancers are typically resistant to treatment, which leads to most experimental cancer immunotherapy approaches being tested against smaller tumors. In this study, we show that even late-stage, weakly immunogenic mouse B78 melanomas, with tumor volumes of 1500-2000 mm3, can be eradicated by a combined radio-immunotherapy regimen (CRIR) which includes local radiotherapy, intratumoral interleukin 12, slow-release systemic interleukin 2 and checkpoint blockade with anti-CTLA-4 antibody. Flow analysis of the tumors revealed a reduction in T regulatory (Treg) cells and an increase in CD8/Treg ratios following CRIR. T cell depletion did not prevent the rapid shrinkage of treated tumors, but suppressed …

Colonic Stenosis In An Elderly Female, Tiffany R. Pittman, Kylie A. Parrish, Grace M. Perry, Oyindamola C. Orekoya, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

Introduction

Colonic stenosis is commonly caused by chronic inflammation and is a known side effect of inflammatory conditions, such as diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Diverticulosis is a common condition where parts of the colon wall become weakened, forming outpouches. These outpouchings may become inflamed, leading to diverticulitis. This chronic inflammation can cause scarring and fibrosis of the colon, resulting in colonic stenosis. Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, may also result in scarring and colonic stenosis. The incidence rate of patients developing colonic stenosis is 8-13.5% for Crohn's disease and 1-11% for ulcerative colitis. Patients …

Atypical Presentation Of Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease In A Diabetic Female, Alexis Rodriguez, Zhi Kuat, Humaira Bibi, Lawrence Ukpong

Research Day

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for 17.9 million deaths yearly and are the leading cause of mortality in the United States. CVDs are heart and blood vessel disorders, including coronary artery disease (CAD), coronary heart disease (CHD), cerebrovascular disease, cardiomyopathy, and more. In 2018, diabetic adults accounted for 1.87 million hospitalizations for major cardiovascular diseases. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a global epidemic affecting about 422 million people worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported more than 37 million people in the United States are diagnosed with DM, and 1 in …

Case Series Of Common Skin Lesions Encountered In Elderly Cadavers: A Dermatopathology Analysis, Tamryn L. Van Der Horn, Brigitte L. Cochran, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Gaining hands-on experience in both dermatology and pathology is a common barrier that prevents first and second year medical students from refining skills that are not later taught until residency. This prompted a study to develop gross differential diagnostic skills and how to analyze histopathology slides to diagnose common skin lesions to refine skills in both clinical and histology presentation for medical students.

METHODS: A case series was designed to examine multiple shave biopsies on all abnormal skin lesions observed from nine cadavers used for the first-year medical students gross anatomy lab during the year 2022-2023. Biopsies were stained …