Medicine
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Observational Study
Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factor Analysis for Lower-Extremity Amputations in Diabetic Patients With Foot Ulcer Complicated by Necrotizing Fasciitis.
Patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of having diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) or necrotizing fasciitis (NF). The present study aims to examine the clinical characteristics and associated risk factors for lower-extremity amputation (LEA) in patients with DFU complicated by NF. We retrospectively reviewed patients treated at a major diabetic foot center in Taiwan between 2009 and 2014. ⋯ In summary, once DFUs were complicated by NF, the risk of amputation increased. Empirical treatment for NF patients with DFU should cover polymicrobial infections, including anaerobic organisms. The high-grade wound classification and low serum albumin level were associated with LEA.
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This numerical study aimed to evaluate tissue and implant responses to the hybrid surgery (HS) of cervical artificial disc replacement (C-ADR) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Four hybrid strategies of two-level C-ADR and ACDF were compared in terms of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) and implant failure. The rotary C-ADR and semirigid ACDF have been extensively used in the multilevel treatment of cervical instability and degeneration, but the constrained mobility at the ACDF segments can induce postoperative ASD problems. ⋯ The PA strategy is a tradeoff to preserve mobility and reduce cost. The C-ADR of the PA construct preserves the mobility of the C5/C6 segment and shares the transferred motion and loads of the fused C4/C5 segment. The PA construct shows optimal biomechanical results for minimizing ASD and implant failure, whereas the AP strategy is only recommended when cranial degeneration is the major concern.
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The therapy of inflammatory bowel disease, particularly with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, may be associated with a number of cutaneous adverse effects, including psoriasis-like, eczema-like, and lichenoid eruptions. Other rare skin complications are neutrophilic dermatoses such as amicrobial pustulosis of the folds (APF), which is a chronic relapsing pustular disorder classified in this spectrum. The authors analyzed clinical, histopathologic, and cytokine expression profiles of 3 inflammatory bowel disease patients with APF triggered by adalimumab (patient 1) and infliximab (patients 2 and 3). ⋯ Finally, the authors found significant overexpression of both metalloproteinases 2/9 and their inhibitors 1/2. The observation of 3 patients with APF following anti-TNF therapy expands not only the clinical context of APF but also the spectrum of anti-TNF side effects. Overexpression of cytokines/chemokines and molecules amplifying the inflammatory network supports the view that APF is autoinflammatory in origin.
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Case Reports
Early Surgical Management of Large Scalp Infantile Hemangioma Using the TopClosure® Tension-Relief System.
Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common benign vascular neoplasms of infancy and childhood. The majority do not need medical intervention. However, large ulcerated scalp IHs may lead to fatal bleeding as well as severe cosmetic disfigurement that indicate early surgical excision, inflicting substantial surgical risks, with short- and long-term morbidity. ⋯ This is the first reported case of early resection of a scalp hemangioma in the neonatal period, with successful immediate primary closure by application of stress-relaxation technique through the TRS. The application of the TopClosure TRS in this age group has significant advantages. It reduces the complexity and length of surgery, reducing blood loss, eliminating donor site morbidity, improving wound aesthetics, and minimizing the need for future reconstructive procedures.
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Observational Study
Molecular Analysis of Oral Bacteria in Heart Valve of Patients With Cardiovascular Disease by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction.
Structural deficiencies and functional abnormalities of heart valves represent an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and a number of diseases, such as aortic stenosis, have been recently associated with infectious agents. This study aimed to analyze oral bacteria in dental plaque, saliva, and cardiac valves of patients with cardiovascular disease. Samples of supragingival plaque, subgingival plaque, saliva, and cardiac valve tissue were collected from 42 patients with heart valve disease. ⋯ The micro-organism most frequently detected in heart valve samples was the S. mutans (89.3%), followed by P. intermedia (19.1%), P. gingivalis (4.2%), and T. denticola (2.1%). The mean decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) was 26.4 ± 6.9 (mean ± SD), and according to the highest score of periodontal disease observed for each patient, periodontal pockets > 4 mm and dental calculus were detected in 43.4% and 34.7% of patients, respectively. In conclusion, oral bacteria, especially S. mutans, were found in the cardiac valve samples of patients with a high rate of caries and gingivitis/periodontitis.