Project description:Biliary-enteric fistula is a rare complication of cholelithiasis that can lead to gallstone ileus. Gallstone impaction in the duodenum and pylorus is extremely rare and can lead to gastric outlet obstruction, a condition known as Bouveret syndrome. Bouveret syndrome needs to be diagnosed and managed in a timely fashion, as it has a high mortality rate. We describe a case of an elderly patient who presented with Bouveret syndrome secondary to impaction of the biliary calculus in the first part of duodenum.
Project description:Video 1Treatment of Bouveret syndrome with stone fragmentation using an endoscopic submucosal dissection knife. A 61-year-old man with a 3-decade history of recurrent cholecystitis presented to the community emergency department with severe right upper quadrant pain. A CT scan was performed and revealed gangrenous cholecystitis with likely cholecystoduodenal fistulous communication.After discussion with the patient and the HPB team, the plan was made to attempt endoscopic extraction of the obstructing stone. This would be performed in the operating room, such that if endoscopic extraction was not possible, surgical management would proceed.During the endoscopy, 1 L of liquid material was suctioned and the retained solids were cleared as best as possible. The large obstructing stone was then seen in the duodenal cap. In the cap, we could appreciate the obstructing stone and the fistulous tract.We then passed a guidewire distal to the stone and advanced a 15- to 20-mm extraction balloon over the guidewire. The balloon was passed distal to the stone and inflated to 20 mm. We then applied firm, steady traction in an attempt to extract the stone.With the double-channel gastroscope, we passed a second wire and extraction balloon distal to the stone to increase the amount of traction that could be applied. Both balloons were inflated distal to the stone, and steady, firm traction was again applied. Unfortunately, this was not successful either.We then decided to use a regular ERCP needle knife to incise the stone. Because the knife was delicate, it was easily deformable, so we decided to switch to a triangle-tip knife.Using the "PreciseSECT" mode on the electrosurgical unit, the stone was repeatedly incised. Particular care was taken to avoid flinging the knife and damaging the duodenal wall.Saline was used as the irrigation solution to ensure electrosurgical conductivity when the current was applied.At this point, we could appreciate fragmentation of the stones after repeated incision.After about 3 hours of stone incision and fragmentation, the guidewire was passed beyond the stone; the extraction balloon was advanced over the wire; and the balloon was again inflated with steady traction applied. This time, the stone was successfully extracted from the stomach.The duodenum was then examined. There were no remaining large pieces of stone or any significant mucosal damage or perforation.Using a mechanical lithotripter, the remaining larger fragments of stone were fragmented and extracted. However, because the stone had a large diameter, lithotripsy at the center was not initially possible, and the smaller lateral aspects had to be performed until the stone was completely fragmented.This case demonstrates the incision and fragmentation of a massive gallstone with the use of an endoscopic submucosal dissection knife and electrosurgical unit.With cautious application of this technique, successful endoscopic management of a large gallstone causing Bouveret syndrome was achieved. This technique avoided open surgical management and allowed for elective cholecystectomy at a later date with less morbidity.
Project description:Background: The tuberous breast is a rare malformation that can affect psychosocial well-being in young women. Its management represents a great challenge to plastic surgeons. Many surgical procedures have been described to correct different grades of tuberous breast deformity (TBD). The authors describe their one-stage technique for correcting grade 2 TBD. Methods: Sixteen women affected by grade 2 TBD treated with glandular flaps, silicone gel prosthesis, and only an hemiperiareolar incision between January 2018 and January 2019 were reviewed. The age range was 19–27 years (mean age was 25). Follow-up average was 25 months (range 16–33 months). To evaluate the results, we used two analogic scales with values from 1 to 3, where the lower value was the worst result. First, an independent medical team of three plastic surgeons evaluated two parameters: correction of deformity and symmetry. Then, patients were asked to judge the result obtained. Results: The resulting breast has a normal-shaped areola without bulging, a natural shape, a volume matching the contralateral breast, and no evidence of “double-bubble” deformity or irregularities of the lower pole shape. Conclusion: We propose this one-stage approach with hemiperiareolar incision, to minimize time interval to obtain final results in TBD correction, with reduced scar dimensions to avoid all the possible complications related to the round block suture.
Project description:Morton's syndrome (MS) is a common cause of neuropathic chronic forefoot pain, characterised by the development of a swelling of the common digital plantar nerve, whose aetiology is not fully known. There is currently no gold standard of treatment; nonoperative management commonly involves manual therapies, orthoses therapy and infiltrative techniques, while surgery is indicated after failure of conservative measures. The present preliminary study prospectively evaluates patients affected by MS treated by Fascial Manipulation technique (FM), a noninvasive manual therapy, focused on the release of the deep fascia, reducing its stiffness. Patients with clinical and sonographic diagnosis of MS with at least a 4-month history of neuropathic symptoms underwent a cycle of three weekly FM sessions. Clinical follow-up, including VAS and AOFAS scores, was performed 21 days (T1) and 3 months (T2) after treatment. Nine patients, among 28 recruited initially, completed the manual therapy sessions and relative follow-up points. This noninvasive pain treatment led to significant improvement of VAS (p = 0.0034) and AOFAS scores (p = 0.0240) at the first follow-up (T1). At 3-month follow-up (T2), both scores decreased slightly, remaining however superior to the pre-treatment values. Only VAS was still significant (p = 0.0184). Despite the small size of the case series, this pilot study is unique in supporting Fascial Manipulation in the nonoperative treatment of MS. Further studies are needed with a large cohort of gender balanced patients to confirm the encouraging results obtained.
Project description:PurposeTo report the technique of amniotic membrane transplantation dressing during the acute phase of Stevens-Johnson syndrome.MethodsInterventional case report. We report the clinical presentation, surgical technique and clinical outcome of a patient with acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome and progressive tarsal conjunctival epithelial loss.ResultsA 10-year-old girl presented with extensive corneal, bulbar and tarsal conjunctival epithelial loss and severe ocular pain during the acute phase of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Fornix cleaning and daily rodding was not tolerated, and there was no response to medical drug therapy. Emergency amniotic membrane transplant surgery was performed in both eyes. The conjunctival epithelium recovered completely and the ocular surface remained moist. There was almost complete resolution of ocular pain in the immediate postoperative period. There were no surgical complications and no signs of ocular cicatrisation after 6 months.ConclusionsIn the acute phase of severe Stevens-Johnson syndrome, conservative measures of daily fornix cleaning and rodding may not be practical. AMT dressing may be successfully used to reduce ocular inflammation, promote epithelialisation and prevent ocular cicatrisation.
Project description:Ferroptosis in lung epithelium and endothelium contributes to the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a critical and frequently fatal condition marked by acute inflammation and elevated pulmonary vascular permeability. Despite this, there are currently no FDA-approved therapeutics specifically targeting ferroptosis for ARDS management. In this investigation, we identified Dipyridamole (DIPY) as a potent ferroptosis inhibitor in pulmonary epithelial and endothelial cells via screening 259 FDA-approved drugs. The anti-ferroptotic and therapeutic efficacy of DIPY was validated in two ARDS mouse models (LPS-induced acute lung injury and CLP-induced sepsis) and human airway organoids (hAOs).