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Background: Trauma is an independent risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Due to contraindications or delay in starting pharmacological prophylaxis among trauma patients with a high risk of bleeding, the inferior vena cava (IVC) filter has been utilized as alternative prevention for pulmonary embolism (PE). Albeit, its clinical efficacy has remained uncertain. Therefore, we performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness and safety of prophylactic IVC filters in severely injured patients. Methods: Three databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane) were searched from August 1, 2012, to October 27, 2021. Independent reviewers performed data extraction and quality assessment. Relative risk (RR) at 95% confidence interval (CI) pooled in a randomized meta-analysis. A parallel clinical practice guideline committee assessed the certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach. The outcomes of interest included VTE, PE, deep venous thrombosis, mortality, and IVC filter complications. Results: We included 10 controlled studies (47 140 patients), of which 3 studies (310 patients) were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 7 were observational studies (46 830 patients). IVC filters demonstrated no significant reduction in PE and fatal PE (RR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.06-1.28 and RR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.01-7.84, respectively) by pooling RCTs with low certainty. However, it demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of PE and fatal PE (RR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.12-0.55 and RR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.011-0.81, respectively) by pooling observational studies with very low certainty. IVC filter did not improve mortality in both RCTs and observational studies (RR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.86-2.43 and RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.3-1.31, respectively). Conclusion: In trauma patients, moderate risk reduction of PE and fatal PE was demonstrated among observational data but not RCTs. The desirable effect is not robust to outweigh the undesirable effects associated with IVC filter complications. Current evidence suggests against routinely using prophylactic IVC filters.

Background: Early use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) decreases the need for endotracheal intubation (EI) in different respiratory failure causes. While HFNC is used in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) under weak recommendations, its efficacy remains to be investigated. Objectives: The primary objective was to examine HFNC efficacy in preventing EI among COVID-19 patients with AHRF. Secondary objectives were to determine predictors of HFNC success/failure, mortality rate, and length of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Patients and Methods: This is a prospective cohort study conducted at a single tertiary care centre in Saudi Arabia from April to August 2020. Adult patients admitted to the ICU with AHRF secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia and managed with HFNC were included. We excluded patients who were intubated or managed with non-invasive ventilation before HFNC. Results: Forty-four patients received HFNC for a median duration of 3 days (interquartile range, 1–5 days). The mean age was 57 ± 14 years, and 86% were men. HFNC failure and EI occurred in 29 (66%) patients. Patients in whom HNFC treatment failed had a higher risk of death (52% versus 0%; P = 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, a high SOFA score and a low ROX index were significantly associated with HFNC failure (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.93; P = 0.025; and HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42–0.88; P = 0.008, respectively). Conclusions: One-third of hypoxemic COVID-19 patients who received HFNC did not require intubation. High SOFA score and low ROX index were associated with HFNC failure.

Abdullah Yousef,1 Waleed Albuali,1 Mohammed AlOmari,1 Abdullah AlMutairi,1 Hamad W Albuali,2 Faisal O AlQurashi,1 Hassan M Alshaqaq2 1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Waleed Albuali, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Tel +96638966877 ext. 1616, 1226, Email wbuali@iau.edu.sa; wbuali0000@gmail.comBackground: Organophosphate (OP) poisoning is one of the most common etiologies of poisoning in the pediatric age group.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics, clinical features, clinical course, and outcomes of children with toxicity from organophosphates admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit.Methods: A retrospective review of hospital medical records of all children aged 14 years and younger who were admitted to the PICU with a provisional diagnosis of organophosphate poisoning at King Fahad Hospital of the University (KFHU), Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia, between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2018, was conducted. Patients with incomplete medical record information or with suspicion or evidence of one or more agents other than organophosphate were excluded from the study.Results: Thirty-one patients were enrolled in the study. The median age of the study population was 2 years, and 19 (61%) were males. The majority of patients (68%) had more than one route of organophosphate exposure. Skin exposure was reported in 26 patients (84%). Only three patients (10%) had suicidal organophosphate exposure from organophosphates, while the majority (28 patients; 90%) had accidental poisoning. Bronchorrhea was the most prevalent presenting feature, reported in 28 patients (90%). 17 patients (55%) were treated with intravenous atropine and (45%) were used a combination of pralidoxime with atropine for treatment. Five patients (16%) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. Twelve patients (39%) needed endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation secondary to respiratory failure.Conclusion: The presenting features of organophosphate poisoning differ widely in children. Risk factors for mortality for PICU patients with organophosphate poisoning include delayed hospital arrival by more than 1 hour, inhalational route of exposure, need for mechanical ventilation, and high lactate levels in the first 24 hours post-exposure.Keywords: organophosphate, poisoning, toxicology, pediatric, intensive care

Isolated pulmonary metastasis (IPM) is a rare entity that accounts for 10% of pulmonary metastases seen in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to evaluate the overall 5-year survival of IPM originating from CRC and identify potential prognostic factors affecting the overall survival (OS).A retrospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary care center. The study included all patients diagnosed with CRC aged 18-75 years who underwent primary tumor resection with curative intent between 2008 and 2015, and developed IPM. Patients with no follow-up and those with extra-pulmonary metastases were excluded.The prevalence of IPM in the overall CRC cases was 4.18% (20/478 patients). The mean age of patients with IPM was 52.7 ± 12.9 years. Ten patients had synchronous IPM (50%), thirteen had unilateral (65%), and eleven underwent metastasectomy (55%). The 5-year OS was 40%, and the mean OS was 3.12 ± 1.85 years. Several factors were found to be associated with a favorable outcome, which include unilateral IPM (3.69 vs. 2.07 years; P = 0.024), metachronous (4.25 vs. 2.14 years; P = 0.017), metastasectomy (4.81 vs. 1.83 years; P = 0.005). In addition, mortality was likely to be decreased by more than 90% after metastasectomy (unadjusted odds ratio = 0.071; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01-0.8; P = 0.032).Forty percent of the included patients survived the 5-year follow-up. Better survival was associated with the metastases being unilateral, metachronous, and metastasectomy. Mortality was lower in patients with pulmonary recurrence after metastasectomy.

Background Whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) has been a mainstay and an integral part of the evaluation of polytrauma patients in trauma centers and emergency departments (ED) for a comprehensive evaluation of the extent of injuries. However, routine use of WBCT remains controversial since it exposes patients to radiation and exponentially increases financial expense. The primary objective was to determine the rate of negative WBCT in polytrauma patients. Patients and Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is a dedicated trauma center with a mean of 237,392 ED visits and 10,714 trauma per year. The study included all adult (≥18 years) polytrauma patients who presented to our ED, requiring trauma team activation, and underwent WBCT as part of their evaluation from January 2016 to May 2017. We excluded pediatric patients, patients transferred from another facility, and pregnant patients. The primary endpoint was to measure the rate of negative WBCT in polytraumatized patients. Results A total of 186 patients were included with a mean age of 28.8 ± 12.9 years. The rate of negative WBCT scans was 20.4%. The positive scans were subclassified based on the number of anatomical body regions that were affected radiologically. One body region was affected in 47 patients (31.8%), two body regions were affected in 50 patients (33.8%), and ≥3 body regions were affected in 51 patients (34.3%). In a subset analysis, we identified that oxygen saturation

Highlights • Retroperitoneal cystic lesions are uncommon heterogeneous clinical entities with no clear pathogenesis. • Their clinical presentations are different with challenging diagnosis. Many cases may be discovered incidentally. • Care must be taken during the operation not to cause spillage of its content. • Laparoscopic excision is technically challenging but can be done safely by experienced laparoscopic surgeon., Introduction Retroperitoneal cystic lesions are uncommon heterogeneous clinical entities with no definite incidence. Their clinical presentations are different and their diagnosis is challenging. The management necessitates complete surgical excision, usually via laparotomy. Recently, laparoscopic approach is being increasingly used. Case presentation A 29-year-old female patient was referred for an incidentally-discovered huge retroperitoneal cyst. Imaging studies revealed a retroperitoneal cyst, measuring 13 * 11 cm. Diagnostic laparoscopy showed a retroperitoneal cyst displacing the small bowel and the right colon to the left side. The peritoneal covering was dissected from the cyst with caution not to cause cyst rupture. The cyst was removed partially using Endobag, then aspiration of its content to facilitate its delivery. The patient had a smooth uneventful postoperative course. Discussion The retroperitoneal space is large, expandable space which enables retroperitoneal cystic lesions to grow asymptomatic. CT scan remains the best imaging modality. Aspiration of its content is not routinely done as its sensitivity and specificity has been reported low. Moreover, it carries the risk of leakage of the cyst content into the peritoneal space. Open surgical complete excision is the traditional management and remains of choice. However, laparoscopic management can be tried with caution not to cause content spillage. Intraoperatively, controlled aspiration of the cyst helps in its retrieval. Conclusion Primary retoperitoneal mucinous cystadenoma is a rare clinical entity that is usually incidentally discovered. Laparoscopic excision is safe and feasible if done by an expert laparoscopic surgeon. Care should always be taken not to cause spillage of its content.

BackgroundThe increasing burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) is straining intensive care unit (ICU) resources globally. Early use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) decreases the need for endotracheal intubation (EI) in different causes of respiratory failure. While HFNC is used in COVID-19-related AHRF, its efficacy remains to be investigated. We aimed to examine whether the use of high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNO) prevents the need for intubation in COVID-19 with (AHRF).MethodsThis is a single-center prospective observational study that was conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia the period from April, 2020 to August, 2020. Adults patients admitted to the ICU with AHRF secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia and managed with HFNC were included. We excluded hemodynamically unstable patients and those who were intubated or managed with non-invasive ventilation. Patients’ data and clinical outcomes were pre-defined. The primary outcome was to determine the rate of EI among patients who were treated with HFNC. Secondary outcomes included predictors of HFNC success/failure, mortality, and hospital length of stay. ResultsWe consecutively screened 111 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with AHRF,. Out of those, 44 (40%) patients received HFNC with a median duration of three days (IQR, 1–5). The median age was 57 years (interquartile range [IQR], 46–64), and 82% were men. HFNC failure and EI occurred in 29 (66%) patients. Patients who failed HFNC treatment had higher risk of death compared to those who did not (52% vs. 0%; p=0.001). At baseline, the prevalence of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and asthma was higher in the HFNC failure group. After adjustment for possible confounders, a high Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and a low ROX index were significantly associated with HFNC failure (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.93; p=0.025; and HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42–0.88; p=0.008, respectively). ConclusionsIn this prospective study, one-third of hypoxemic COVID-19 patients who received HFNC did not require intubation. High SOFA score and low ROX index were associated with HFNC failure.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) of the pancreas are rare neoplasms accounting for 1-2% of all pancreatic tumors and have a general female predominance. We report a case and intraoperative videos of SPN involving the whole pancreatic tail. A 19-year-old female patient initially presented to another healthcare facility complaining of abdominal pain, which was started 6 years ago. A contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen showed a large mass measuring 15.6 cm × 11.6 cm × 11 cm, arising from the pancreas with an enhancing cystic component. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy, which revealed a huge mass occupying most of the abdominal cavity. Thus, we proceeded with a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. Intraoperatively, the frozen section showed that the mass had features of a solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas with negative resection margins. The SPN diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. The pathophysiology behind the development of SPN and its cellular origin is still a matter of debate with multiple proposed hypotheses. SPNs are asymptomatic in almost 70% of all cases and usually discovered incidentally. The pre-operative diagnosis of SPNs remains a clinical challenge despite all the current advances in the diagnostic modalities. Surgical management with negative resection margins is the mainstay of treatment, even with metastasis and vascular invasion, surgical excision should be performed whenever feasible. The recurrence rate after surgical resection has been reported to be 3-9%. The prognosis of SPN limited to the pancreas is generally excellent with over 95% cure rate following complete surgical resection. SPN is a rare entity of a controversial origin but is considered as a low-grade malignancy. Surgical resection to achieve complete excision constitutes the mainstay of treatment, which mostly results in an excellent prognosis.