Medicine
-
Central neurocytoma is rare benign tumor that occurs in high probability in young adults in the lateral ventricle. Herein, we report an unusual case of an elderly woman who was diagnosed with central neurocytoma isolated to the third ventricle. This deeply located tumor was effectively treated using gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR). ⋯ Previous studies have reported that tumors in unusual locations, such as those isolated to the third ventricle, are different according to age, either in young children or elderly individuals. Although complete surgical resection is an effective treatment for central neurocytoma, it is often difficult to approach these tumors through surgery. GKR could, therefore, be an alternative primary treatment option for deeply located central neurocytomas in elderly patients.
-
Observational Study
Ultrasound risk evaluation of thyroid nodules that are "unspecified" in the 2015 American Thyroid Association management guidelines: A retrospective study.
This study sought to assess the malignant risks of "unspecified" thyroid nodules; that is, nodules that were not of a type described in the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and ultrasound (US) data for 1808 consecutive patients with 2614 thyroid nodules who underwent thyroidectomy between January 2015 and December 2015. Nodules with US features that did not satisfy the criteria for any risk category in the 2015 ATA guidelines were defined as "unspecified" nodules. ⋯ The percentages of nodules with ACR-TIRADS grades TR2, TR3, TR4, and TR5 were 5.7%, 2.9%, 70.0%, and 21.4%, respectively. Among the "unspecified" nodules, there were significantly more nodules in Kwak-TIRADS categories 4b and 4c in the malignant pathology group than in the benign pathology group (P <.01). Our results imply that "unspecified" thyroid nodules based on the ATA guidelines could partly be evaluated using the Kwak-TIRADS and that the ATA guidelines could incorporate more accurate malignant risk stratification.
-
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) most commonly occurs in postmenopausal women who have been exposed to a triggering event such as acute physical or emotional distress. Sepsis-induced TTS in young premenopausal women were rarely reported. In particular, the relationship between sepsis-induced TTS and sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) remains to be illuminated. ⋯ In this report, we describe 2 young premenopausal women with sepsis-induced TTS. There is an overlap between sepsis-induced TTS and SIC, and SIC could be a special type of TTS, which occurs under the stress of sepsis.
-
The association between tamoxifen use and risk of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism in women with breast cancer has been reported in the Western population. The study aimed to evaluate the association between tamoxifen use and deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism in older women with breast cancer in Taiwan. We conducted a retrospective case-control study using the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. ⋯ After adjustment for confounding variables, the adjusted OR of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism was 1.95 for subjects with ever use of tamoxifen (95% CI 1.45, 2.62), as compared with never use of tamoxifen. In addition, atrial fibrillation (adjusted OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.89, 7.35) and chronic kidney disease (adjusted OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.06, 2.80) were also associated with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Tamoxifen use is associated with 1.95-fold increased odds of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism among older women with breast cancer in Taiwan.
-
Case Reports
A chronic sinus tract infection developing after suture anchoring of the ankle: A case report.
Suture anchors are increasingly used to fix soft tissue to bone. Favorable outcomes of the modified Brostrom operation (MBO) using suture anchors have been reported. However, to the best of our knowledge, few complications of suture anchors used in ankle surgery have been described. Here, we present a rare case of successful treatment of a chronic sinus tract infection developing after the MBO using a suture anchor. ⋯ To obtain wound healing, the chronic sinus tract must be removed. If the suture anchor is the cause of infection, it should be removed.