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Abstract Background The real‐world data on the safety profile of ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation among elderly patients is not well‐established. This study aimed to evaluate the procedural outcomes among those aged 18–64 years versus those aged ≥65 years who underwent catheter ablation of VT. Method Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, our study included patients aged ≥18 years who underwent VT catheter ablation between 2017 and 2020. We divided the patients into non‐elderly (18–64 years old) and elderly age groups (≥65 years old). We then analyzed the in‐hospital procedural outcome and 30‐day readmission between these two groups. Results Our study included 2075 (49.1%) non‐elderly patients and 2153 (50.9%) elderly patients who underwent VT ablation. Post‐procedurally, elderly patients had significantly higher rates of prolonged index hospitalization (≥7 days; 35.5% vs. 29.3%, p

Ichthyosis is a group of genetic disorders characterized by generalized dry skin and scaling, and it can be frequently associated with erythroderma. Here, we report a case of ichthyosis associated with a rare syndrome. A 6-year-old congenitally deaf female presented with severe scaling and generalized erythema for 6 months which began with a scaly plaque over the face at the age of 18 months and gradually covered the whole body. Three similar episodes happened after that with a gap of 6 months. There were multiple scaly erythematous plaques present over the trunk and limbs and thick hyperkeratotic plaques were present in axillary and inguinal folds. The scalp hairs were sparse. Histopathology showed psoriasiform changes. Salivary sample sent for genetic analysis revealed an heterozygous mutation c.42C>G (p.Asn14Lys) in GJB2 gene that is known to harbor pathogenic mutations associated with keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) syndrome. KID syndrome presents with the triad of keratitis, progressive erythrokeratoderma, and hearing loss.

Introduction: Appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies, but its clinical diagnosis is still a big challenge for surgeons to decrease the negative appendectomy rate. Aim: To validate and compare alvarado, Appendicitis Inflammatory Response (AIR) score and adult appendicitis scoring system in diagnosing acute appendicitis. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India, from December 2020 to May 2022 on 100 patients who were clinically suspected of acute appendicitis. All three scores {AIR, Adult Appendicitis Score (AAS), Alvarado} were calculated. Diagnostic tests were used to calculate sensitivity, specificity, Negative Predictive Value (NPV) and Positive Predictive Value (PPV). DeLong test were used to compare the area under the curve of three scores with each other for predicting acute appendicitis and the final result was compared with the histopathological report. The data was presented as numbersvand percentage and the p-value

Background: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation is increasingly performed worldwide with improving safety. Outpatient CIED implantation has similar complication rates compared to those implants which are hospitalized. Here, we analyze patient preferences on discharge timing after CIED implantation. Objective: To identify and understand the factors contributing to patient preferences towards same-day or next-day discharge after CIED implantation. Methods: One hundred and two patients undergoing new CIED implants were included in the study at two separate hospitals in CT (CT group) and FL (FL group) from 2018-2019. A 7-question survey was administered to the patients after the procedure. Survey responses and demographic data were statistically analyzed. Results: Seventy-four percent of CT group and 58% of the FL group responded with a 10 score (0-10) that they were ready to be discharged home the same day (p=0.09). Both groups reported a low number of patients feeling safer by having a remote monitor provided at the time of discharge (44% CT group, 28% FL group; p=0.123). The mean distance of patients living from the hospital in CT group (21.6 miles) was significantly lower than that for the FL group (35.5 miles); p=0.01. Hypertension (86% vs 52%; p=0.0002) and Diabetes mellitus (44% vs 21%; p=0.013) were more prevalent in the FL group compared to the CT group. Conclusion: Despite the influence of local practices, the majority of patients preferred same-day discharge after CIED implantation. Improved patient education regarding the ability of remote monitors to provide real-time response to acute events is needed.

Background: Reconstruction of extensive defects of the perineum and scrotal region, with exposure of the testes, following avulsion injury or severe infections represents a significant challenge. Replacement with sensate, durable cover is mandatory for functional, cosmetic, and psychological reasons. A wide range of flap techniques has been reported for this purpose with their advantages and disadvantages. We describe the use of the anteromedial thigh flap in our case series with the advantages and disadvantages. Materials and Methods: We had seven patients in our series, of which two patients were posttraumatic defects and other five were post-Fournier’s gangrene unilateral scrotal defects. We describe few case examples in the series in detail, of which the first patient was 21-year-old labor who presented with avulsion injury to penis and scrotum. He had a loss of scrotal skin near totally, except for 2cm × 2cm areas posteroinferiorly. In addition, he also had a loss of penile skin from the glans to the base of the penis. We used bilateral anteromedial thigh fasciocutaneous flap based on the longitudinal axiality of the anteromedial thigh suprafascial plexus for reconstruction. The patient had an excellent recovery, a good aesthetic result at the end of 1 year. Another posttraumatic defect was unilateral and the patient also had a good recovery.The other five patients in series were of Fournier’s gangrene. All patients underwent initially debridement and then flap cover on day 7. All of them needed unilateral scrotal reconstruction. The unilateral anteromedial flap was carried out with good recovery at the end of the 6 weeks. Results: This flap has provided nice durable cover for the testes with an acceptable aesthetic appearance, although the color match was not good in case 3 of the series. Conclusion: In conclusion, anteromedial fasciocutaneous thigh flap is a good choice for scrotal reconstruction that could provide a sensate, durable cover that fulfills patient satisfaction. It is technically easy and has favorable functional and aesthetic results.

Background Metastatic sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (sRCC) is an aggressive variant of RCC with generally poor prognosis. Treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors or chemotherapy generates only short-lived responses. Recent research has suggested a role for combination checkpoint inhibition as first line treatment for metastatic sRCC. This therapy consists of induction with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 inhibitor, ipilimumab, administered with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor, nivolumab. After completion of four cycles of combination therapy, single-agent maintenance nivolumab is recommended until progression. Patients who progress on maintenance nivolumab are switched to alternate therapy. Herein, we present a case of a patient with RCC who progressed on maintenance nivolumab who, on retreatment with ipilimumab, demonstrated a significant response In addition, we summarize important findings to support the role of salvage ipilimumab in patients with sRCC.Case presentation A 46-year-old man presented with flank pain and hematuria, the work up of which noted a left kidney mass for which he underwent nephrectomy and was diagnosed with localized sRCC with 60% sarcomatoid differentiation. Within 3 months of nephrectomy, he presented with recurrent flank pain and was diagnosed with recurrence of disease. He was treated with ipilimumab 1 mg/kg and nivolumab 3 mg/kg for four doses and demonstrated a partial response. He was then transitioned to single agent nivolumab maintenance. After 3 months on maintenance therapy, he was noted to have progression of disease. Given prior response to immune check point combination, it was decided to rechallenge the patient with 1 mg/kg ipilimumab. After two doses of ipilimumab and nivolumab combination therapy, the patient was noted to have a partial response. He maintained a response for an additional 9 months and treatment was eventually discontinued due to grade 3 toxicity and progression.Conclusions This case report demonstrates the utility of retreatment with ipilimumab as a salvage option for patients progressing on maintenance PD-1 inhibitors in metastatic RCC. Further studies are needed to identify predictors of response and toxicity to this approach, as well as the optimal scheduling of ipilimumab with maintenance nivolumab.

Background:18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging is not routine in patients with localized pancreatic cancer (PC). We evaluated the prognostic value of PET/CT in patients who received neoadjuvant therapy.Methods: Patients with localized PC underwent pretreatment PET/CT with or without posttreatment (preop) PET/CT. Maximum standardized uptake values (SUV) were classified as high or low based on a cut point of 7.5 at diagnosis (SUVdx) and 3.5 after neoadjuvant therapy (preoperative; SUVpreop). Preop carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) was classified as normal ( ≤ 35 U/mL) or elevated.Results: Pretreatment PET/CT imaging was performed on 201 consecutive patients; SUVdx was high in 98 (49%) and low in 103 (51%). Preop PET/CT was available in 104 (52%) of the 201 patients; SUVpreop was high in 60 (58%) and low in 44 (42%). Following neoadjuvant therapy, preop CA19-9 was normal in 90 (45%) patients and elevated in 111 (55%). Median overall survival (OS) of all patients was 27 months; 33 months for the 103 patients with a low SUVdx and 22 months for the 98 patients with a high SUVdx (p = 0.03). Median OS for patients with low SUVdx/normal preop CA19-9, high SUVdx/normal preop CA19-9, low SUVdx/elevated preop CA19-9, and high SUVdx/elevated preop CA19-9 were 66, 34, 23, and 17 months, respectively (p < 0.0001). OS was 44 months for the 148 (74%) patients who completed all intended neoadjuvant therapy and surgery and 13 months for the 53 (26%) who did not undergo surgery (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Pretreatment PET/CT avidity and preop CA19-9 are clinically significant prognostic markers in patients with PC.

Firearm-related deaths are on the rise in the United States, especially among our youth. Tragically, proper firearm storage and safety could have prevented a great number of these deaths. Professional and public health organizations have thus encouraged physicians to provide direct patient counseling on firearm safety. Yet, even with these recommendations, the majority of physicians are still not talking to their patients about this issue. There may be many reasons for this, including concerns about liability, feeling unprepared, patient discomfort, and lack of time during office visits. Despite these concerns, we argue that physicians have an ethical obligation to discuss firearm safety with their patients. Making these discussions a part of routine clinical care would go a long way in the bipartisan effort to protect public safety and improve public health., The number of people who die each year in the United States from firearm-related injuries is on the rise, with more than 38,000 deaths in 2016 alone. (1) This burden [...]

Sleep is thought to play an important role in memory consolidation. Here we tested whether sleep alters the subjective value associated with objects located in spatial clusters that were navigated to in a large-scale virtual town. We found that sleep enhances a generalization of the value of high-value objects to the value of locally clustered objects, resulting in an impaired memory for the value of high-valued objects. Our results are consistent with (a) spatial context helping to bind items together in long-term memory and serve as a basis for generalizing across memories and (b) sleep mediating memory effects on salient/reward-related items.

Ichthyosis is a group of genetic disorders characterized by generalized dry skin and scaling, and it can be frequently associated with erythroderma. Here, we report a case of ichthyosis associated with a rare syndrome. A 6-year-old congenitally deaf female presented with severe scaling and generalized erythema for 6 months which began with a scaly plaque over the face at the age of 18 months and gradually covered the whole body. Three similar episodes happened after that with a gap of 6 months. There were multiple scaly erythematous plaques present over the trunk and limbs and thick hyperkeratotic plaques were present in axillary and inguinal folds. The scalp hairs were sparse. Histopathology showed psoriasiform changes. Salivary sample sent for genetic analysis revealed an heterozygous mutation c.42C>G (p.Asn14Lys) in GJB2 gene that is known to harbor pathogenic mutations associated with keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) syndrome. KID syndrome presents with the triad of keratitis, progressive erythrokeratoderma, and hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]