Background: Patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers typically harbor significant concerns regarding their prospects for healing or the potential for major amputation. Nonetheless, a scarcity of data addressing this prevalent and critical query exists. Thus, the aim of this study was to create an initial risk-scoring system to forecast the prognosis of individuals with diabetic hindfoot ulcers, leveraging assessments of ischemia and infection severity, which are recognized as the principal risk factors for amputation. Methods: Ischemia severity was categorized as iS0, iS1, or iS2 based on transcutaneous partial oxygen tension values, while infection severity was classified as iN0, iN1, or iN2 according to the results of tissue and bone biopsy cultures. Risk scores were determined by summing the scores for ischemia and infection severity, yielding a range of 0 to 4. Wound healing outcomes were graded as either healed with or without major amputation. Wound healing outcomes were assessed based on the assigned risk scores. Results: With ascending risk scores, the proportion of patients subjected to major amputation also increased (P value for trend < 0.001). Univariable logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between escalating risk scores and major amputation incidence. Patients with a risk score of 4 exhibited a 41-fold higher likelihood of undergoing major amputation compared to those with a risk score of 0. Conclusion Risk scores can serve as a reliable predictor of the major amputation rate in patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers.

Background: Patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers typically harbor significant concerns regarding their prospects for healing or the potential for major amputation. Nonetheless, a scarcity of data addressing this prevalent and critical query exists. Thus, the aim of this study was to create an initial risk-scoring system to forecast the prognosis of individuals with diabetic hindfoot ulcers, leveraging assessments of ischemia and infection severity, which are recognized as the principal risk factors for amputation. Methods: Ischemia severity was categorized as iS0, iS1, or iS2 based on transcutaneous partial oxygen tension values, while infection severity was classified as iN0, iN1, or iN2 according to the results of tissue and bone biopsy cultures. Risk scores were determined by summing the scores for ischemia and infection severity, yielding a range of 0 to 4. Wound healing outcomes were graded as either healed with or without major amputation. Wound healing outcomes were assessed based on the assigned risk scores. Results: With ascending risk scores, the proportion of patients subjected to major amputation also increased (P value for trend < 0.001). Univariable logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between escalating risk scores and major amputation incidence. Patients with a risk score of 4 exhibited a 41-fold higher likelihood of undergoing major amputation compared to those with a risk score of 0. Conclusion Risk scores can serve as a reliable predictor of the major amputation rate in patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers.

Purpose: The optimal reconstruction method following distal gastrectomy has not been elucidated. Since Billroth-II (B-II) reconstruction is commonly associated with increased bile reflux, Braun jejunojejunostomy has been proposed to reduce this complication. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 325 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with B-II reconstruction between January 2015 and December 2017, comprising 159 patients without Braun anastomosis and 166 with Braun anastomosis.Outcomes were assessed over three years using annual gastroscopy based on the residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis. Results: In the first postoperative year, the group with Braun anastomosis showed a significant reduction in bile reflux compared to the group without Braun anastomosis (75.9% vs. 86.2%; P=0.019). Moreover, multivariate analysis identified Braun anastomosis as the sole factor associated with this outcome. Additionally, the group with Braun anastomosis had a lower incidence of heartburn (12.0% vs. 20.1%; P=0.047) and reduced use of prokinetics (P<0.001) and acid reducers (P=0.002) compared to the group without Braun anastomosis.However, these benefits diminished in subsequent years, with no significant differences in residual food, gastritis, or reflux esophagitis between the groups. Both groups showed similar body mass index scores and nutritional outcomes over the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusions Although Braun anastomosis offers short-term benefits in reducing bile reflux after B-II reconstruction, these effects are not sustainable. The routine use of Braun anastomosis should be reconsidered, though either approach remains a viable option depending on the patient’s circumstances.

Purpose: The optimal reconstruction method following distal gastrectomy has not been elucidated. Since Billroth-II (B-II) reconstruction is commonly associated with increased bile reflux, Braun jejunojejunostomy has been proposed to reduce this complication. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 325 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with B-II reconstruction between January 2015 and December 2017, comprising 159 patients without Braun anastomosis and 166 with Braun anastomosis.Outcomes were assessed over three years using annual gastroscopy based on the residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis. Results: In the first postoperative year, the group with Braun anastomosis showed a significant reduction in bile reflux compared to the group without Braun anastomosis (75.9% vs. 86.2%; P=0.019). Moreover, multivariate analysis identified Braun anastomosis as the sole factor associated with this outcome. Additionally, the group with Braun anastomosis had a lower incidence of heartburn (12.0% vs. 20.1%; P=0.047) and reduced use of prokinetics (P<0.001) and acid reducers (P=0.002) compared to the group without Braun anastomosis.However, these benefits diminished in subsequent years, with no significant differences in residual food, gastritis, or reflux esophagitis between the groups. Both groups showed similar body mass index scores and nutritional outcomes over the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusions Although Braun anastomosis offers short-term benefits in reducing bile reflux after B-II reconstruction, these effects are not sustainable. The routine use of Braun anastomosis should be reconsidered, though either approach remains a viable option depending on the patient’s circumstances.

Background: Patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers typically harbor significant concerns regarding their prospects for healing or the potential for major amputation. Nonetheless, a scarcity of data addressing this prevalent and critical query exists. Thus, the aim of this study was to create an initial risk-scoring system to forecast the prognosis of individuals with diabetic hindfoot ulcers, leveraging assessments of ischemia and infection severity, which are recognized as the principal risk factors for amputation. Methods: Ischemia severity was categorized as iS0, iS1, or iS2 based on transcutaneous partial oxygen tension values, while infection severity was classified as iN0, iN1, or iN2 according to the results of tissue and bone biopsy cultures. Risk scores were determined by summing the scores for ischemia and infection severity, yielding a range of 0 to 4. Wound healing outcomes were graded as either healed with or without major amputation. Wound healing outcomes were assessed based on the assigned risk scores. Results: With ascending risk scores, the proportion of patients subjected to major amputation also increased (P value for trend < 0.001). Univariable logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between escalating risk scores and major amputation incidence. Patients with a risk score of 4 exhibited a 41-fold higher likelihood of undergoing major amputation compared to those with a risk score of 0. Conclusion Risk scores can serve as a reliable predictor of the major amputation rate in patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers.

Purpose: The optimal reconstruction method following distal gastrectomy has not been elucidated. Since Billroth-II (B-II) reconstruction is commonly associated with increased bile reflux, Braun jejunojejunostomy has been proposed to reduce this complication. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 325 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with B-II reconstruction between January 2015 and December 2017, comprising 159 patients without Braun anastomosis and 166 with Braun anastomosis.Outcomes were assessed over three years using annual gastroscopy based on the residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis. Results: In the first postoperative year, the group with Braun anastomosis showed a significant reduction in bile reflux compared to the group without Braun anastomosis (75.9% vs. 86.2%; P=0.019). Moreover, multivariate analysis identified Braun anastomosis as the sole factor associated with this outcome. Additionally, the group with Braun anastomosis had a lower incidence of heartburn (12.0% vs. 20.1%; P=0.047) and reduced use of prokinetics (P<0.001) and acid reducers (P=0.002) compared to the group without Braun anastomosis.However, these benefits diminished in subsequent years, with no significant differences in residual food, gastritis, or reflux esophagitis between the groups. Both groups showed similar body mass index scores and nutritional outcomes over the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusions Although Braun anastomosis offers short-term benefits in reducing bile reflux after B-II reconstruction, these effects are not sustainable. The routine use of Braun anastomosis should be reconsidered, though either approach remains a viable option depending on the patient’s circumstances.

Background: Patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers typically harbor significant concerns regarding their prospects for healing or the potential for major amputation. Nonetheless, a scarcity of data addressing this prevalent and critical query exists. Thus, the aim of this study was to create an initial risk-scoring system to forecast the prognosis of individuals with diabetic hindfoot ulcers, leveraging assessments of ischemia and infection severity, which are recognized as the principal risk factors for amputation. Methods: Ischemia severity was categorized as iS0, iS1, or iS2 based on transcutaneous partial oxygen tension values, while infection severity was classified as iN0, iN1, or iN2 according to the results of tissue and bone biopsy cultures. Risk scores were determined by summing the scores for ischemia and infection severity, yielding a range of 0 to 4. Wound healing outcomes were graded as either healed with or without major amputation. Wound healing outcomes were assessed based on the assigned risk scores. Results: With ascending risk scores, the proportion of patients subjected to major amputation also increased (P value for trend < 0.001). Univariable logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between escalating risk scores and major amputation incidence. Patients with a risk score of 4 exhibited a 41-fold higher likelihood of undergoing major amputation compared to those with a risk score of 0. Conclusion Risk scores can serve as a reliable predictor of the major amputation rate in patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers.

Purpose: To report a case of irreversible corneal endothelial cell damage associated with amantadine administration.Case summary: A 60-year-old female patient was referred with bilateral painless corneal edema. There was no history of ocular trauma or surgery. The was no sign of ocular surface inflammation, such as, conjunctival injection, either. At presentation, her best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/100 in the right eye and 20/50 in the left eye. Review of the past medical history revealed that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and had been taking amantadine (100 mg, twice a day) for 3 years. At 7 weeks after cessation of amantadine, corneal edema was resolved bilaterally and BCVA improved to 20/30 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. However, specular microscopy showed low endothelial cell density (ECD) with 886 ± 297/mm2 in the right eye and 926 ± 374/mm2 in the left eye. At 4 months after cessation, there was no corneal edema and BCVA was 20/25 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. However, ECD was low with 852 ± 249/mm2 in the right eye and 903 ± 332/mm2 in the left eye. Conclusions In cases with bilateral corneal edema without no obvious pathology, the history of medication, such as, amantadine, should be reviewed. Although cessation of amantadine can lead to improvement of corneal edema, irreversible damage of the corneal endothelial cells may remain. Serial evaluation of corneal endothelial cells is therefore recommended in patients with systemic amantadine administration.

Background: The positive effects of technology-lipid-colloid (TLC) dressings impregnated with nano-oligosaccharide factors (NOSF) have been well documented. However, there is insufficient study on the specific impact of TLC-NOSF dressings on epithelization in patients with diabetes who have partial-thickness wounds. This article presents the results of a pilot clinical trial conducted to address the aforementioned issue. Methods: Twenty patients with diabetes who underwent split-thickness skin grafting were enrolled in this study. Half of the donor site was covered with a TLC-NOSF dressing, whereas the other half was covered with a TLC dressing. The ratio of complete epithelialization within 14 days postoperatively was compared between the two groups. Furthermore, progress of epithelialization was assessed to determine whether the TLC or TLC-NOSF dressing promoted more rapid epithelialization. Results: Seventeen patients completed the study. The percentages of complete epithelialization in the TLC and TLC-NOSF dressing groups were 41% (7/17) and 53% (9/17), respectively (P = 0.49). Regarding the degree of epithelialization, the differences between the TLC-NOSF and TLC dressing were not statistically significant. The TLC-NOSF dressing was superior in nine patients, while the TLC dressing was superior in two patients. Six patients demonstrated “no significant difference” (P = 0.11). Conclusion Based on the current results alone, it is difficult to definitively conclude that TLC-NOSF dressings are superior to TLC dressings. However, these findings suggest a potential positive effect of TLC-NOSF dressings. Further large-scale studies are required to validate these results.

Background: To compare knee laxity between the conventional round tunnel and oval tunnel techniques in primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in a porcine knee model. Methods: Twenty porcine knees were used for evaluating laxity in terms of anterior translation and anterolateral rotation. The study determined porcine knee kinematics on the Instron instruments under simulated Lachman (89 N anterior tibial load) at 15°, 30°, and 60° of flexion and a simulated pivot shift test (89 N anterior tibial load, 10 Nm valgus, and 4 Nm internal tibial torque) at 30° of flexion. Kinematics were recorded for intact (n = 10), ACL-deficient (n = 10), and conventional round (n = 10) or oval tunnel (n = 10) techniques. All measurements were repeated twice, and the average was used for comparison. Results: Under the Lachman test, the conventional round tunnel and oval tunnel both showed significantly larger anterior tibial translation (ATT) at 30° and 60° compared to the intact knee (p < 0.05), but smaller ATT compared to the ACL-deficient knees (p < 0.05). However, there were no differences in ATT between the conventional round tunnel and oval tunnel techniques (p > 0.05). Under simulated pivot shift at 30° flexion, there was a significant difference between the conventional round tunnel and oval tunnel techniques (round vs. oval: 4.27 ± 0.87 mm vs. 3.52 ± 0.49 mm, p = 0.028). Conclusions Both conventional round tunnel and oval tunnel techniques reduced ATT compared to ACL-deficient knees but failed to restore normal knee stability. However, the oval tunnel technique showed better rotational stability at 30° than the round tunnel technique. These findings suggest that the oval tunnel technique would be a reasonable option in anatomical single-bundle ACL reconstruction.