The prelacrimal recess approach (PLRA) has advanced endoscopic sinonasal surgery by providing improved access to the maxillary sinus and adjacent anatomical regions while preserving critical structures such as the inferior turbinate (IT) and nasolacrimal duct (NLD). First introduced in 2013, the PLRA has become an important technique for addressing various sinonasal pathologies. This review comprehensively evaluates the advancements, applications, and outcomes associated with the PLRA. The PLRA enables superior visualization and access to regions that are traditionally difficult to reach with conventional techniques. Standardized surgical steps emphasize meticulous preservation of the NLD and IT, while technical modifications have broadened its feasibility in patients with narrow prelacrimal recesses. Applications of the PLRA span diverse pathologies, including sinonasal inverted papilloma, fungal infections, odontogenic cysts, and tumors of the lacrimal system, orbit, and skull base. Anatomical studies reveal significant variations in prelacrimal recess dimensions across populations, affecting surgical feasibility. Sex-specific differences, ethnic variations, and age-related factors are important in patient selection. Clinical outcomes from multiple investigations validate the PLRA’s efficacy in maintaining sinonasal function while achieving comprehensive lesion removal. Comparative analyses with traditional approaches underscore the PLRA’s advantages in reducing postoperative morbidity and recurrence rates. Integration of the PLRA with complementary surgical approaches further expands its therapeutic applications while maintaining favorable safety profiles. The PLRA is a safe and effective surgical method that offers favorable outcomes in disease management, symptom resolution, and anatomical preservation. With ongoing innovations and refinements, the PLRA is poised to remain a cornerstone of minimally invasive sinonasal surgery, enabling the precise and safe treatment of complex pathologies.

Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Background and Objectives: Outcomes of deferring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) without invasive physiologic assessment for intermediate coronary lesions is uncertain.We sought to compare long-term outcomes between medical treatment and PCI of intermediate lesions without invasive physiologic assessment. Methods: A total of 899 patients with intermediate coronary lesions between 50% and 70% diameter-stenosis were randomized to the conservative group (n=449) or the aggressive group (n=450). For intermediate lesions, PCI was performed in the aggressive group, but was deferred in the conservative group. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE, a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction [MI], or ischemia-driven any revascularization) at 3 years. Results: The number of treated lesions per patient was 0.8±0.9 in the conservative group and 1.7±0.9 in the aggressive group (p=0.001). At 3 years, the conservative group had a significantly higher incidence of MACE than the aggressive group (13.8% vs. 9.3%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–2.21; p=0.049), mainly driven by revascularization of target intermediate lesion (6.5% vs. 1.1%; HR, 5.69; 95% CI, 2.20–14.73;p<0.001). Between 1 and 3 years after the index procedure, compared to the aggressive group, the conservative group had significantly higher incidence of cardiac death or MI (3.2% vs.0.7%; HR, 4.34; 95% CI, 1.24–15.22; p=0.022) and ischemia-driven any revascularization. Conclusions For intermediate lesions, medical therapy alone, guided only by angiography, was associated with a higher risk of MACE at 3 years compared with performing PCI, mainly due to increased revascularization.

Background: The prognosis of end-of-life patients is challenging, and clinicians have attempted to predict survival more accurately. High serum creatinine (sCr) levels are associated with lower survival rates in patients with various cancers; however, low sCr levels are commonly expected in patients with terminal cancer because of muscle wasting and malnutrition. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of low and high sCr levels and their association with survival duration in patients with terminal cancer in a palliative care unit. Methods: We analyzed the medical records of 280 patients admitted to a palliative care unit. Patients were divided into low (<0.5 mg/dL), normal (0.5–1.2 mg/dL), and high (>1.2 mg/dL) sCr groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves using sCr levels were plotted and compared using the log-rank test. Using stepwise selection, a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the significant prognostic factors. Results: The median survival durations in the high-, low-, and normal-sCr groups were 9.57 days, 22.26 days, and 27.51 days, respectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model identified that males (hazard ratio [HR], 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16–2.85), poor performance status (HR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.12–10.54), total parenteral nutrition use (HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.09–3.1), high sCr (HR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.52–4.94), and low sCr (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07–1.43) were significantly associated with a shorter survival time. Conclusion Low and high serum creatinine levels were significantly associated with poor survival in patients with cancer at the end-of-life stage. Therefore, readily available and simple biomarkers may help plan advanced care in palliative care settings.

Benign renal cysts are fluid-filled sacs that originate from the kidneys. Infected renal cysts are a rare manifestation of benign renal cysts, that can be managed with antibiotic therapy, drainage, and surgery. A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with an infected renal cyst. Initial treatment managed with only broad-spectrum antibiotics, as percutaneous drainage was postponed due to apparent clinical improvement. However, his condition deteriorated, leading to cardiac arrest. Radiological intervention with cyst drainage resulted in rapid improvement. The patient recovered successfully and was discharged 16 days later. A follow-up computed tomography revealed a marked reduction in cyst size, with normal blood and urine tests, and the patient remained asymptomatic.

Background: The prognosis of end-of-life patients is challenging, and clinicians have attempted to predict survival more accurately. High serum creatinine (sCr) levels are associated with lower survival rates in patients with various cancers; however, low sCr levels are commonly expected in patients with terminal cancer because of muscle wasting and malnutrition. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of low and high sCr levels and their association with survival duration in patients with terminal cancer in a palliative care unit. Methods: We analyzed the medical records of 280 patients admitted to a palliative care unit. Patients were divided into low (<0.5 mg/dL), normal (0.5–1.2 mg/dL), and high (>1.2 mg/dL) sCr groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves using sCr levels were plotted and compared using the log-rank test. Using stepwise selection, a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the significant prognostic factors. Results: The median survival durations in the high-, low-, and normal-sCr groups were 9.57 days, 22.26 days, and 27.51 days, respectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model identified that males (hazard ratio [HR], 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16–2.85), poor performance status (HR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.12–10.54), total parenteral nutrition use (HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.09–3.1), high sCr (HR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.52–4.94), and low sCr (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07–1.43) were significantly associated with a shorter survival time. Conclusion Low and high serum creatinine levels were significantly associated with poor survival in patients with cancer at the end-of-life stage. Therefore, readily available and simple biomarkers may help plan advanced care in palliative care settings.

Benign renal cysts are fluid-filled sacs that originate from the kidneys. Infected renal cysts are a rare manifestation of benign renal cysts, that can be managed with antibiotic therapy, drainage, and surgery. A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with an infected renal cyst. Initial treatment managed with only broad-spectrum antibiotics, as percutaneous drainage was postponed due to apparent clinical improvement. However, his condition deteriorated, leading to cardiac arrest. Radiological intervention with cyst drainage resulted in rapid improvement. The patient recovered successfully and was discharged 16 days later. A follow-up computed tomography revealed a marked reduction in cyst size, with normal blood and urine tests, and the patient remained asymptomatic.

Objective: It has been 1 year since the start of the worldwide coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study analyzed the indirect effects of COVID-19 on treating patients with non-infectious diseases by comparing the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after the pandemic. Methods: The target group included patients aged at least 16 years diagnosed with acute appendicitis between February 23 and July 31, 2020. Patients diagnosed during the same period in 2019 were selected as the control group. The differences in the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after COVID-19 were investigated, and the association with various variables was analyzed using the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The study included 120 subjects in 2019 (pre-COVID group) and 119 cases in 2020 (post-COVID group). The pre-COVID group included 25 cases (20.8%) of complicated appendicitis, while the post-COVID group included 48 cases (40.3%). The median time from symptom onset to visit (pre-hospital time) increased from 15 to 22 hours, and the median time from the visit to surgery (in-hospital time) increased from 7 to 11 hours. Multivariate regression analysis of the three variables revealed odds ratios (95% CIs) of pre-hospital time, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and inclusion in the post-COVID group of 1.02 (1.01-1.02), 2.07 (1.11-3.86), and 2.15 (1.12-4.11), respectively. Conclusion The incidence of complicated appendicitis increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a healthcare system that can minimize the delay in treating non-infectious emergency patients is needed.