Medical Specialties Commons^™

Acute Effusive Pericarditis: A Late Complication Of Covid-19., Kelli Fox, Jessica A Prokup, Kyle Butson, Kim Jordan

Heart and Vascular Articles

As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, the medical community continues to discover novel clinical manifestations of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. Often, extrapulmonary manifestations occur simultaneously with pulmonary disease. However, there is a paucity of literature describing the cardiac manifestations of COVID-19 in the absence of pulmonary findings. We report a rare case of acute pericarditis presenting with pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in a 43-year-old man diagnosed with COVID-19. This case emphasizes the importance of continued investigation regarding diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 and its related symptoms.

Respiratory Viral Panels And Pediatric Airway Evaluation: The Role Of Testing For Upper Respiratory Infections To Stratify Perioperative Risk., Weston L Niermeyer, Jessica Ball, Noah Worobetz, Tran Bourgeois, Amanda Onwuka, Candice Burrier, Tendy Chiang

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

OBJECTIVES: Children admitted with stridor and respiratory distress comprise a complex patient group that requires the otolaryngologist to decide when to assess and intervene with direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy (DLB). Historically, the diagnosis of viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) can lead to postponement of surgery due to concerns of perioperative complications related to acute illness. Respiratory viral panels (RVP) are often used to confirm the presence of recent or active viral infection and can affect the differential diagnosis of upper airway obstruction. This study examined whether positive RVP testing is associated with perioperative complications and operative findings in pediatric …

Same-Day Discharge After Subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Implantation Is Safe And Cost-Effective., Jill Swinning, Kelli Fox, Sreedhar Billakanty, Shannon Brown, Nagesh Chopra, Eugene Fu, Jennifer James, Gregory Kidwell, James Kleman, Victoria Murnane, Steven Nelson, Allan Nichols, S Kay Nichols, Andrea Robinson, Anish Amin

Heart and Vascular Articles

The feasibility and safety of same-day discharge after transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation is well-established. However, subcutaneous ICDs (S-ICDs) are now increasingly being implanted, and the feasibility, safety, and potential cost savings associated with same-day discharge after S-ICD placement has not been widely investigated. In a small cohort of patients (n = 24) who underwent S-ICD implantation at our institution, 54% were successfully discharged on the same day as their implant procedure. Procedure-related complications were not apparent in this sampling and the reduction in health care costs was high, suggesting this protocol has immense benefit in today's health care environment. As …

The First Reported Case Of Hyperreninemic Hypoaldosteronism Due To Mucopolysaccharidosis Disorder., Antony Gayed, Valerie A Schott, Laura Meltzer

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are rare genetic lysosomal storage disorders caused by a deficiency of enzymes that catalyze the breakdown of glycosaminoglycans. MPS-III, also known as Sanfilippo syndrome, is caused by a deficiency of one of four enzymes that catalyze heparan sulfate proteoglycan degradation. MPS-IIIA results from a deficiency of heparan sulfatase. The natural history of MPS-IIIA is marked by progressive neurodegeneration. A nine-year-old boy with developmental delay presented with progressive three-month functional decline culminating in emergency department presentation for lethargy and immobility. Laboratory workup revealed hepatic and renal failure, coagulopathy, pancytopenia, hypernatremia, and uremia requiring emergent dialysis. He developed hyperkalemia during …

A Spontaneous Isolated Superior Mesenteric Artery Dissection Associated With Cocaine Abuse: A Pathomechanistic Association., Rayan S El-Zein, Jeffrey Sobecki, Roy Greenberg, Michael Keleher, Robert A Palma

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Spontaneous isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection (SISMAD) is a rare potentially fatal disease. We present a case of cocaine-related SISMAD in a patient with abdominal pain. A 38-year-old African American male with hypertension and alcohol, cocaine, and tobacco abuse presented with abdominal pain and recent cocaine use. A CT angiogram revealed SISMAD; he was treated with conservative management. Cocaine and SISMAD share similar pathophysiologic mechanisms pertaining to vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis and increased shear stress at fixed vascular positions. Our report emphasizes the need to consider cocaine abuse in SISMAD pathophysiology, risk stratification, and treatment algorithms in future studies.

Network Meta-Analysis To Compare Venaseal With Other Superficial Venous Therapies For Chronic Venous Insufficiency., Raghu Kolluri, Janice Chung, Sue Kim, Nibir Nath, Bhoomika Bajaj Bhalla, Tarun Jain, Joseph Zygmunt, Alun Davies

Heart and Vascular Articles

OBJECTIVE: Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared different interventions for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) management, but mixed comparison of these interventions is lacking. The aim of this network meta-analysis was to compare VenaSeal closure system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minn) with endovenous laser ablation (EVLA), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), mechanochemical ablation, sclerotherapy, and surgery for management of CVI to achieve anatomic success (complete closure of treated vein within 6 months after intervention) as the primary outcome and health-related quality of life (HRQoL; EuroQol-5 Dimension, Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire), Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), pain scores, and adverse events as secondary outcomes.

METHODS: …

Does Race Impact Functional Outcomes In Patients Undergoing Robotic Partial Nephrectomy?, Ugo G Falagario, Alberto Martini, John Pfail, Patrick-Julien Treacy, Kennedy E Okhawere, Bheesham D Dayal, John P Sfakianos, Ronney Abaza, Daniel D Eun, Akshay Bhandari, James R Porter, Ashok K Hemal, Ketan K Badani

Surgery Articles

BACKGROUND: The role of race on functional outcomes after robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) is still a matter of debate. We aimed to evaluate the clinical and pathologic characteristics of African American (AA) and Caucasian patients who underwent RPN and analyzed the association between race and functional outcomes.

METHODS: Data was obtained from a multi-institutional database of patients who underwent RPN in 6 institutions in the USA. We identified 999 patients with complete clinical data. Sixty-three patients (6.3%) were AA, and each patient was matched (1:3) to Caucasian patients by age at surgery, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and renal score. …

Splicing Profile By Capture Rna-Seq Identifies Pathogenic Germline Variants In Tumor Suppressor Genes., Tyler Landrith, Bing Li, Ashley A Cass, Blair R Conner, Holly Laduca, Danielle B Mckenna, Kara N Maxwell, Susan Domchek, Nichole A Morman, Christopher Heinlen, Deborah Wham, Cathryn Koptiuch, Jennie Vagher, Ragene Rivera, Ann Bunnell, Gayle Patel, Jennifer L Geurts, Morgan M Depas, Shraddha Gaonkar, Sara Pirzadeh-Miller, Rebekah Krukenberg, Meredith Seidel, Robert Pilarski, Meagan Farmer, Khateriaa Pyrtel, Kara Milliron, John Lee, Elizabeth Hoodfar, Deepika Nathan, Amanda C Ganzak, Sitao Wu, Huy Vuong, Dong Xu, Aarani Arulmoli, Melissa Parra, Lily Hoang, Bhuvan Molparia, Michele Fennessy, Susanne Fox, Sinead Charpentier, Julia Burdette, Tina Pesaran, Jessica Profato, Brandon Smith, Ginger Haynes, Emily Dalton, Joy Rae-Radecki Crandall, Ruth Baxter, Hsiao-Mei Lu, Brigette Tippin-Davis, Aaron Elliott, Elizabeth Chao, Rachid Karam

Oncology Articles

Germline variants in tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) can result in RNA mis-splicing and predisposition to cancer. However, identification of variants that impact splicing remains a challenge, contributing to a substantial proportion of patients with suspected hereditary cancer syndromes remaining without a molecular diagnosis. To address this, we used capture RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to generate a splicing profile of 18 TSGs (APC, ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDH1, CHEK2, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, MUTYH, NF1, PALB2, PMS2, PTEN, RAD51C, RAD51D, and TP53) in 345 whole-blood …

Leech Me Alone! Atraumatic Hemarthrosis After Hirudotherapy., Janine Curcio, Christopher M Lloyd

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

A 58-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of knee pain and swelling after performing hirudotherapy (leech therapy) approximately one week prior. Knee arthrocentesis demonstrated significant hemarthrosis. Hirudotherapy is being used for a broad array of reasons including treatment of osteoarthritis, to plastic and reconstructive surgery. Case reports and journal articles often discuss cutaneous reactions, bleeding, and infection as common adverse events. Intra-articular bleeding is not commonly mentioned. With hirudotherapy being utilized more as alternative therapy for osteoarthritis and joint pain, physicians should be aware of hemarthrosis as a possible adverse reaction.

Final Two-Year Outcomes For The Sentry Bioconvertible Inferior Vena Cava Filter In Patients Requiring Temporary Protection From Pulmonary Embolism., Michael D Dake, Timothy P Murphy, Albrecht H Krämer, Michael D Darcy, Luke E Sewall, Michael A Curi, Matthew S Johnson, Frank Arena, James L Swischuk, Gary M Ansel, Mitchell J Silver, Souheil Saddekni, Jayson S Brower, Robert Mendes, Sentry Trial Investigators

Heart and Vascular Articles

PURPOSE: To report final 2-year outcomes with the Sentry bioconvertible inferior vena cava (IVC) filter in patients requiring temporary protection against pulmonary embolism (PE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective multicenter trial, the Sentry filter was implanted in 129 patients with documented deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or PE (67.5%) or who were at temporary risk of developing DVT/PE (32.6%). Patients were monitored and bioconversion status ascertained by radiography, computed tomography (CT), and CT venography through 2 years.

RESULTS: The composite primary 6-month endpoint of clinical success was achieved in 97.4% (111/114) of patients. The rate of new symptomatic PE was …

Doctor, I'M Seeing Two Of Everything., Alex Davis, Christopher M Lloyd

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Acute diplopia is a rare chief complaint with a broad differential diagnosis; key historical and physical characteristics aid with emergency management. This case report discusses the important findings, imaging, and multidisciplinary interaction between emergency medicine, ophthalmology, and neurology regarding the approach to addressing acute painless vertical diplopia. A 51-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED), reporting that he was seeing 'two of everything,' since awakening. Although the patient had a history of ischemic stroke, he had never experienced this sensation of diplopia. His ED workup was essentially unremarkable; he was admitted for evaluation of the possibilities of a fourth …

Paclitaxel-Coated Zilver Ptx Drug-Eluting Stent Treatment Does Not Result In Increased Long-Term All-Cause Mortality Compared To Uncoated Devices., Michael D Dake, Gary M Ansel, Marc Bosiers, Andrew Holden, Osamu Iida, Michael R Jaff, Aaron E Lottes, Erin E O'Leary, Alan T Saunders, Marc Schermerhorn, Hiroyoshi Yokoi, Thomas Zeller

Heart and Vascular Articles

PURPOSE: Patient-level data from two large studies of the Zilver PTX drug-eluting stent (DES) with long-term follow-up and concurrent non-drug comparator groups were analyzed to determine whether there was an increased mortality risk due to paclitaxel.

METHODS: Data from the Zilver PTX randomized controlled trial (RCT) and Zilver PTX and bare metal stent (BMS) Japan post-market surveillance studies were analyzed. Five-year follow-up is complete in both DES studies; follow-up for the BMS study was limited to 3 years and is complete. Kaplan-Meier analyses assessed mortality. A Cox proportional hazards model identified significant factors related to mortality.

RESULTS: In the RCT, …

Dynamic Conformal Arcs For Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: A Comparison With Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy., Rasmus Bokrantz, Minna Wedenberg, Peter Sandwall

Oncology Articles

This study constitutes a feasibility assessment of dynamic conformal arc (DCA) therapy as an alternative to volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of lung cancer. The rationale for DCA is lower geometric complexity and hence reduced risk for interplay errors induced by respiratory motion. Forward planned DCA and inverse planned DCA based on segment-weight optimization were compared to VMAT for single arc treatments of five lung patients. Analysis of dose-volume histograms and clinical goal fulfillment revealed that DCA can generate satisfactory and near equivalent dosimetric quality to VMAT, except for complex tumor geometries. Segment-weight optimized DCA …

Balsalazide-Induced Pneumonitis Causing Dyspnea In A Patient With Inflammatory Bowel Disease., Jeffrey Sobecki, Kruti Patel, Ryan Kahl, Mark Minaudo

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Inflammatory bowel disease complications can be related to inflammatory bowel disease-related pulmonary diseases or a form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis secondary to the immunosuppressive medications. We present a patient with intermittent chest pain and hypoxic respiratory failure who was found to have balsalazide-induced pneumonitis. We discuss the treatment and long-term outlook.

Metastatic Melanoma Of The Gallbladder Presenting As Polyp In Acute Cholecystitis., Nirvana B Saraswat, William B Devoe

Oncology Articles

Malignant melanoma is an aggressive neural crest cell-derived neoplasm with a propensity for metastasis to almost any organ. Gastrointestinal metastasis may manifest as gallbladder polyps. We report a case of metastatic malignant melanoma diagnosed in an 81-year-old male after cholecystectomy performed for acute cholecystitis. Cholecystectomy remains the standard of care for treatment of isolated gallbladder metastasis, especially in the setting of symptomatic disease. Mutation-directed chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic modalities serve as efficacious adjunctive therapy in addition to primary surgical resection for this rare condition.

Acne Severity And Sleep Quality In Adults., Kory P Schrom, Sayeeda Ahsanuddin, Michelle Baechtold, Raghav Tripathi, Amy Ramser, Elma Baron

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Poor sleep quality is extremely prevalent, with about one third of adults in the USA obtaining less than the recommended amount of sleep. In addition, poor sleep quality has been linked to an increased risk of many conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, psychiatric conditions, and overall all-cause mortality. Research has shown that sleep disturbance does impact skin disease, although many details of this relationship are still unclear. The goal of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between acne severity and sleep quality in adults. Forty subjects with acne were recruited from dermatology clinics in Cleveland, OH, to …

Outcomes In Patients With Gunshot Wounds To The Brain., Leigh Anna Robinson, Lauren M Turco, Bryce Robinson, Joshua G Corsa, Michael Mount, Amy V Hamrick, John Berne, Dalier R Mederos, Allison G Mcnickle, Paul J Chestovich, Jason Weinberger, Areg Grigorian, Jeffry Nahmias, Jane K Lee, Kevin L Chow, Erik J Olson, Jose L Pascual, Rachele Solomon, Danielle A Pigneri, Husayn A Ladhani, Joanne Fraifogl, Jeffrey Claridge, Terry Curry, Todd W Costantini, Manasnun Kongwibulwut, Haytham Kaafarani, Janika San Roman, Craig Schreiber, Anna Goldenberg-Sandau, Parker Hu, Patrick Bosarge, Rindi Uhlich, Nicole Lunardi, Farooq Usmani, Joseph Victor Sakran, Jessica M Babcock, Juan Carlos Quispe, Lawrence Lottenberg, Donna Cabral, Grace Chang, Jhoanna Gulmatico, Jonathan J Parks, Rishi Rattan, Jennifer Massetti, Onaona Gurney, Brandon Bruns, Alison A Smith, Chrissy Guidry, Matthew E Kutcher, Melissa S Logan, Michelle Y Kincaid, Chance Spalding, Matthew Noorbaksh, Frances H Philp, Benjamin Cragun, Robert D Winfield

Trauma and Acute Care Articles

INTRODUCTION: Gunshot wounds to the brain (GSWB) confer high lethality and uncertain recovery. It is unclear which patients benefit from aggressive resuscitation, and furthermore whether patients with GSWB undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) have potential for survival or organ donation. Therefore, we sought to determine the rates of survival and organ donation, as well as identify factors associated with both outcomes in patients with GSWB undergoing CPR.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective, multicenter study at 25 US trauma centers including dates between June 1, 2011 and December 31, 2017. Patients were included if they suffered isolated GSWB and required CPR at …

Prognostic Value Of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio In Patients With Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis., Yazan Abu Omar, Tejinder Randhawa, Bashar Attar, Rohit Agrawal, Yuchen Wang, Rayli Pichardo, Muhammad B Majeed, Sanjay A Patel

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Background Prednisolone is considered the cornerstone treatment for severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH). However, its use is limited by the increased risk of infection in an already immunocompromised patient population. Among patients with severe AH, there exists a group of non-responders who do not benefit from prednisolone therapy. Day-4 Lille score is a widely employed prognostic model used to identify this non-responder subgroup. The present study evaluates the prognostic ability of the inflammatory marker, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), as a stand-alone model and in conjunction with the day-4 Lille score. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients diagnosed …

Intraoperative Reboa: An Analysis Of The American Association For The Surgery Of Trauma Aorta Registry., Michael A Vella, Ryan Peter Dumas, Joseph Dubose, Jonathan Morrison, Thomas Scalea, Laura Moore, Jeanette Podbielski, Kenji Inaba, Alice Piccinini, David S Kauvar, Valorie L Baggenstoss, Chance Spalding, Charles Fox, Ernest E Moore, Jeremy W Cannon, Aast Aorta Study Group

Trauma and Acute Care Articles

BACKGROUND: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a less-invasive technique for aortic occlusion (AO). Commonly performed in the emergency department (ED), the role of intraoperative placement is less defined. We hypothesized that operating room (OR) placement is associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

METHODS: The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma AORTA registry was used to identify patients undergoing REBOA. Injury characteristics and outcomes data were compared between OR and ED groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality; secondary outcomes included total AO time, transfusion requirements, and acute kidney injury.

RESULTS: Location and timing of catheter insertion …

Floor Of Mouth Thyroglossal Duct Cyst: A Rare Embryologic Course., John Kerr, Weston L Niermeyer, Peter B Baker, Tendy Chiang

Surgery Articles

A thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) is a common pediatric midline neck mass. Most TGDCs occur in the region of the hyoid bone but have been found less commonly in areas from the oral cavity to the sternum. We present the first reported case of a multifocal floor of mouth (FOM)/cervical TGDC representing an atypical embryonic course. We also review atypical presentations of TGDC and provide a summary of cases involving FOM and multifocal cysts.

Tilapia Consumption And Scombroid Poisoning., Ehizogie Edigin, Prasanth Lingamaneni, Juan Sarmiento, Hafeez Shaka, Sanjay A Patel

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Scombroid poisoning, also known as histamine fish poisoning, typically occurs after eating dark meat fish. Higher levels of histidine, which is converted to histamine, causes anaphylaxis-like symptoms upon ingestion. There are few reported cases of scombroid in humans secondary to light meat fish. We present a case secondary to tilapia consumption.

Mortality Assessment Of Paclitaxel-Coated Balloons: Patient-Level Meta-Analysis Of The Illumenate Clinical Program At 3 Years., William A Gray, Michael R Jaff, Sahil A Parikh, Gary M Ansel, Marianne Brodmann, Prakash Krishnan, Mahmood K Razavi, Frank Vermassen, Thomas Zeller, Roseann White, Kenneth Ouriel, Mark A Adelman, Sean P Lyden

Heart and Vascular Articles

BACKGROUND: A recent summary-level meta-analysis comprising randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) of femoropopliteal paclitaxel-coated balloon and stent intervention identified excess late mortality in the paclitaxel-treated patients.

METHODS: We evaluated the safety of the Stellarex drug-coated balloon (DCB) for femoropopliteal artery disease with an independently performed meta-analysis of patient-level data from all patients in the Stellarex femoropopliteal clinical program. To compare mortality after DCB or uncoated percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), we aggregated data from 2 RCTs comprising 419 patients treated with DCB and 170 patients treated with PTA. In an additional analysis, data were aggregated from 6 poolable Stellarex DCB studies (2 …

Perforating Granuloma Annulare Appearing As A Psoriasiform Lesion., Benjamin M Witkoff, Nedyalko N Ivanov, Shannon C Trotter

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

We present a 54-year-old Caucasian female with a history of diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, and ulcerative colitis who presented with nail dystrophy, polyarthralgia in her hands and hips, myalgia, proximal myopathy, dactylitis, and psoriasiform-appearing progressive, painful plaques on the dorsal aspect of her hands. Histologic examination of the lesion from the left index finger revealed an interstitial and necrobiotic granulomatous dermatitis with connective tissue mucin deposition associated with a perivascular lymphoid infiltrate. Additionally, there was focal transepidermal elimination of the necrobiotic material. She was diagnosed with perforating granuloma annulare (PGA). We are unaware of any other cases of PGA in …

Comparison Of Cyanoacrylate Closure And Radiofrequency Ablation For The Treatment Of Incompetent Great Saphenous Veins: 36-Month Outcomes Of The Veclose Randomized Controlled Trial., Nick Morrison, Raghu Kolluri, Michael Vasquez, Monte Madsen, Andrew Jones, Kathleen Gibson

Heart and Vascular Articles

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 36-month efficacy and safety of cyanoacrylate closure for the treatment of incompetent great saphenous veins in comparison with radiofrequency ablation.

METHODS: In this multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial, 222 symptomatic subjects with incompetent great saphenous veins were assigned to either cyanoacrylate closure or radiofrequency ablation. The primary endpoint, complete closure of the target great saphenous vein, was determined using duplex ultrasound examination starting from three-month visit.

RESULTS: At month 36, the great saphenous vein closure rates were 94.4% for the cyanoacrylate closure group and 91.9% for the radiofrequency ablation group. Stable improvement in symptoms and quality …

Mortality Not Correlated With Paclitaxel Exposure: An Independent Patient-Level Meta-Analysis Of A Drug-Coated Balloon., Peter A Schneider, John R Laird, Gheorghe Doros, Qi Gao, Gary Ansel, Marianne Brodmann, Antonio Micari, Mehdi H Shishehbor, Gunnar Tepe, Thomas Zeller

Heart and Vascular Articles

BACKGROUND: Five years of prospective clinical trials confirm that the paclitaxel drug-coated balloon (DCB) (IN.PACT Admiral, Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland) is safe and effective to treat femoropopliteal artery disease. A recent meta-analysis of heterogeneous trials of paclitaxel-based balloons and stents reported that they are associated with increased mortality and that higher doses are linked to higher mortality from 2 to 5 years.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a correlation between paclitaxel exposure and mortality by conducting an independent patient-level meta-analysis of 1,980 patients with up to 5-year follow-up.

METHODS: Data from 2 single-arm and …

The Clinical Rationale For The Sentry Bioconvertible Inferior Vena Cava Filter For The Prevention Of Pulmonary Embolism., Michael D Dake, Gary M Ansel, Matthew S Johnson, Robert Mendes, H Bob Smouse

Heart and Vascular Articles

The Sentry inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is designed to provide temporary protection against pulmonary embolism (PE) during transient high-risk periods and then to bioconvert after 60 days after implantation. At the time of bioconversion, the device's nitinol arms retract from the filtering position into the caval wall. Subsequently, the stable stent-like nitinol frame is endothelialized. The Sentry bioconvertible IVC filter has been evaluated in a multicenter investigational-device-exemption pivotal trial (NCT01975090) of 129 patients with documented deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or PE, or at temporary risk of developing DVT or PE, and with contraindications to anticoagulation. Successful filter conversion was …

A Prospective, Single-Arm, Multicenter Trial Of Catheter-Directed Mechanical Thrombectomy For Intermediate-Risk Acute Pulmonary Embolism: The Flare Study., Thomas Tu, Catalin Toma, Victor F Tapson, Christopher Adams, Wissam A Jaber, Mitchell Silver, Sameer Khandhar, Rohit Amin, Mitchell Weinberg, Tod Engelhardt, Monica Hunter, David Holmes, Glenn Hoots, Hussam Hamdalla, Robert L Maholic, Scott M Lilly, Kenneth Ouriel, Kenneth Rosenfield, Flare Investigators

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy using the FlowTriever System (Inari Medical, Irvine, California) in a prospective trial of patients with acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE).

BACKGROUND: Catheter-directed thrombolysis has been shown to improve right ventricular (RV) function in patients with PE. However, catheter-directed thrombolysis increases bleeding risk and many patients with PE have relative and absolute contraindications to thrombolysis.

METHODS: Patients with symptomatic, computed tomography-documented PE and RV/left ventricular (LV) ratios ≥0.9 were eligible for enrollment. The primary effectiveness endpoint was core laboratory-assessed change in RV/LV ratio. The …

One-Year Results Of The Liberty 360 Study: Evaluation Of Acute And Midterm Clinical Outcomes Of Peripheral Endovascular Device Interventions., Jihad Mustapha, William Gray, Brad J Martinsen, Ryan W Bolduan, George L Adams, Gary Ansel, Michael R Jaff

Heart and Vascular Articles

PURPOSE: To report the 1-year results of a multicenter study of peripheral artery disease (PAD) treatment with a variety of endovascular treatment strategies employed in routine practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The LIBERTY trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01855412) is a prospective, observational, core laboratory-assessed, multicenter study of endovascular device intervention in 1204 subjects (mean age 69.8±10.7 years; 770 men) stratified by Rutherford category (RC): claudicants (RC2,3; n=501) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) with no/minimal tissue loss (RC4,5; n=603) or significant tissue loss (RC6; n=100). Key outcomes included quality of life (QoL) measures (VascuQol and EuroQol) and freedom from major adverse events …

Multilevel Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Combined With Posterior Stabilization In Lumbar Disc Disease-Prospective Analysis Of Clinical And Functional Outcomes., Diogo Lino Moura, David Lawrence, Josué Pereira Gabriel

Surgery Articles

Objective This was a prospective controlled study with lumbar degenerative disc disease patients submitted to instrumented anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) combined with posterior stabilization. Methods A sample with 64 consecutive patients was operated by the same surgeons over 4 years. Half of the ALIFs occurred at 2 levels, 43.8% at 3 levels, and 6.25% at 1 level. Interbody cages with integrated screws, filled with bone matrix and bone morphogenetic protein 2, were used. Results Half of the patients had undergone previous lumbar spine surgeries, 75% presented with associated degenerative listhesis, and 62.5% had posterior lumbar compression disease. Approximately 56% …

Hnf1Β Diabetes Or Maturity-Onset Diabetes Of The Young Type 5 With Rare Hnf1Β Mutation: A Case Report., Autumn L Haynes, Amber M Healy

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

No abstract provided.