Background/Aims: The mechanism via which supra-esophageal symptoms are generated is unclear. We assessed upper esophageal sphincter (UES) function in novel fashion using functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) topography. We hypothesize that symptoms related to aspiration of esophageal contents may be associated with a more distensible UES. Methods: FLIP and reflux symptom index score data from patients undergoing diagnostic evaluation for an esophageal complaint over a 10-month period were analyzed retrospectively. UES distensibility on FLIP was studied at 40-70 mL volumes with in-depth analysis at 50 and 60 mL. Symptoms were compared between patients with low, middle, and high UES-distensibility index (UES-DI). Receiveroperating characteristic analysis was performed to determine associations between the UES-DI and individual reflux symptom index symptom item scores. Results: One hundred and eleven subjects were included. Overall, the associations between UES-DI and symptoms that could be related to supra-esophageal aspiration were strongest at the 50 mL FLIP volume. Choking item score was highest in the high UES-DI group (2.8) vs 1.4 (P < 0.001) in the middle UES-DI and 1.1 (P = 0.004) in the low UES-DI groups. Similarly, the cough item score was highest in the high UES-DI group (2.7) vs 1.5 (P = 0.009) and 0.9 (P = 0.002) groups. Conclusion A higher UES-DI measures defective barrier function which could may be the main pathophysiology that generates supra-esophageal symptoms.

The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) (MicroVention/Terumo) device is a treatment option for wideneck bifurcation aneurysms. An uncommon adverse effect is WEB device migration. While certain bailout strategies for WEB recovery have been described, there is still a paucity of information on optimal strategies to maximize both short and long-term post-operative outcomes. We add 2 cases at our institution to the existing literature of WEBectomy in the setting of complicated intracranial aneurysm treatment. We discuss the long-term imaging outcomes with additional fluoroscopy video demonstrating our technique. Our findings reflect a clear benefit for the use of the Amplatz GooseneckTM microsnare (Medtronic) device as a means of WEB recovery, coupled with potential stent-assisted WEB embolization to remove the aneurysm from the parent circulation, while minimizing recurrence and thromboembolic complications.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) screening can lead to potential over-diagnosis/over-treatment of indolent cancers. There is a need to optimize practices to better risk-stratify patients. We examined initial longitudinal outcomes of mid-life men with an elevated baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) following initiation of a novel screening program within a system-wide network. Materials and Methods: We assessed our primary care network patients ages 40 to 49 years with a PSA measured following implementation of an electronic health record screening algorithm from 2/2/2017–2/21/2018. The multidisciplinary algorithm was developed taking factors including age, race, family history, and PSA into consideration to provide a personalized approach to urology referral to be used with shared decision-making. Outcomes of men with PSA ≥1.5 ng/mL were evaluated through 7/2021. Statistical analyses identified factors associated with PCa detection. Clinically significant PCa (csPCa) was defined as Gleason Grade Group (GGG) ≥2 or GGG1 with PSA ≥10 ng/mL. Results: The study cohort contained 564 patients, with 330 (58.5%) referred to urology for elevated PSA. Forty-nine (8.7%) underwent biopsy; of these, 20 (40.8%) returned with PCa. Eleven (2.0% of total cohort and 55% of PCa diagnoses) had csPCa. Early referral timing (odds ratio [OR], 4.58) and higher PSA (OR, 1.07) were significantly associated with PCa at biopsy on multivariable analysis (both p<0.05), while other risk factors were not. Referred patients had higher mean PSAs (2.97 vs. 1.98, p=0.001). Conclusions Preliminary outcomes following implementation of a multidisciplinary screening algorithm identified PCa in a small, important percentage of men in their forties. These results provide insight into baseline PSA measurement to provide early risk stratification and detection of csPCa in patients with otherwise extended life expectancy. Further follow-up is needed to possibly determine the prognostic significance of such mid-life screening and optimize primary care physician-urologist coordination.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a multiplex real-time PCR assay for simultaneous identification and toxigenic type characterization of Clostridium difficile. METHODS: The multiplex real-time PCR assay targeted and simultaneously detected triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) and binary toxin (cdtA) genes, and toxin A (tcdA) and B (tcdB) genes in the first and sec tubes, respectively. The results of multiplex real-time PCR were compared to those of the BD GeneOhm Cdiff assay, targeting the tcdB gene alone. The toxigenic culture was used as the reference, where toxin genes were detected by multiplex real-time PCR. RESULTS: A total of 351 stool samples from consecutive patients were included in the study. Fifty-five stool samples (15.6%) were determined to be positive for the presence of C. difficile by using multiplex real-time PCR. Of these, 48 (87.2%) were toxigenic (46 tcdA and tcdB-positive, two positive for only tcdB) and 11 (22.9%) were cdtA-positive. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of the multiplex real-time PCR compared with the toxigenic culture were 95.6%, 98.6%, 91.6%, and 99.3%, respectively. The analytical sensitivity of the multiplex real-time PCR assay was determined to be 103colonyforming unit (CFU)/g spiked stool sample and 0.0625 pg genomic DNA from culture. Analytical specificity determined by using 15 enteric and non-clostridial reference strains was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The multiplex real-time PCR assay accurately detected C. difficile isolates from diarrheal stool samples and characterized its toxin genes in a single PCR run.
ADP Ribose Transferases/genetics ; Bacterial Proteins/*genetics ; Bacterial Toxins/*genetics ; Clostridium difficile/isolation & purification/*metabolism ; DNA, Bacterial/genetics/metabolism ; Enterotoxins/genetics ; Feces/*microbiology ; Humans ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prospective Studies ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Triose-Phosphate Isomerase/genetics

PURPOSE: Periprosthetic fracture (PPF) is a serious complication that occurs in 0.3%-2.5% of all total knee arthroplasties used to treat end-stage arthritis. To our knowledge, there are no studies in the literature that evaluate the association between time to surgery after PPF and early postoperative infections or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This study tests our hypothesis that delayed time to surgery increases rates of postoperative infection and DVT after PPF surgery. METHODS: Our study cohort included patients undergoing PPF surgery in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2006-2015). The patients were dichotomized based on time to surgery: group 1 with time ≤2 days and group 2 with time >2 days. A 2-by-2 contingency table and Fisher's exact test were used to evaluate the association between complications and time to surgery groups, and multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for demographics and known risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 263 patients (80% females) with a mean age of 73.9 ± 12.0 years were identified receiving PPF surgery, among which 216 patients were in group 1 and 47 patients in group 2. Complications in group 1 included 3 (1.4%) superficial infections (SI), 1 (0.5%) organ space infection (OSI), 1 (0.5%) wound dehiscence (WD), and 4 (1.9%) deep vein thrombosis (DVT); while complications in group 2 included 1 (2.1%) SI, 1 (2.1%) OSI, 1 (2.1%) DVT, and no WD. No significant difference was detected in postoperative complications between the two groups. However, patients in group 2 were more likely (p = 0.0013) to receive blood transfusions (57.5%) than those in group 1 (32.4%). CONCLUSION Our study indicates patients with delayed time to surgery have higher chance to receive blood transfusions, but no significant difference in postoperative complications (SI, OSI, WD, or DVT) between the two groups.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; adverse effects ; Blood Transfusion ; statistics & numerical data ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Infection ; epidemiology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Periprosthetic Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Surgical Wound Dehiscence ; epidemiology ; Surgical Wound Infection ; epidemiology ; Time Factors ; Venous Thrombosis ; epidemiology