Objective: Unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) treatment for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is an advanced surgical procedure that has recently gained popularity. Numerous reports from developed countries have demonstrated the effectiveness of this minimally invasive technique. We evaluated the initial outcomes of UBE at a healthcare facility with limited resources. Methods: Clinical and radiographic data of 82 patients with LDH treated between July 2022 and June 2023 using UBE discectomy techniques, including the ipsilateral interlaminar approach, contralateral sublaminar approach, and paraspinal approach, were reviewed. Outcomes were analyzed in terms of the modified MacNab criteria, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and visual analogue scale (VAS), with a mean follow-up of 3.1 months. Results: At the final follow-up, the mean VAS for low back pain improved from 4.5±1.0 to 1.2±0.4 and the VAS for leg pain improved from 7.8±0.9 to 1.6±0.5. The mean JOA score improved from 13.5±2.4 to 24.2±2.1. The modified MacNab criteria were excellent in 56 patients (68.3%), good in 22 (26.9%), and fair in 4 (4.8%). In total, 106 levels of LDH were treated. L4–5 disc herniation was performed in 55 patients (51.9%), L5–S1 in 36 (34.0%), L3–4 in 8 (7.5%), L2–3 in 6 (5.7%), and L1–2 in 1 (0.9%). The ipsilateral interlaminar approach was performed in 93 patients (87.7%), the contralateral sublaminar approach in 7 (6.6%), and the paraspinal approach in 6 (5.7%). Operative time significantly improved after performing 20 cases. In the early stage (1–20 cases), the operation time per level was 102.0±28.2 min, while in the next stage (21–82 cases) it was 78.1±20.4 minutes. No serious complications, including cauda equine syndrome or root palsy, were observed. Three patients had dural tears (2.8%), and 1 had epidural hematoma (0.9%). Conclusion UBE discectomy may be performed safely and effectively for the treatment of LDH in limited-resource settings.

Background: Suicide continues to be a leading cause of death worldwide. Recently, more than 45,000 children in the age group of 10 to 19 years died by suicide, making it the second leading cause of death in the age group of 15 to 19, surpassed only by traffic accidents, tuberculosis, and fighting. Objective: To determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation among adolescents whose parents are separated/divorced; and to explore the factors associated with suicidal ideation and describe adverse experiences among adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 309 adolescents with separated/separated parents in Hue City. Data was collected through direct interviews using a structured questionnaire. Suicidal ideation was defined as the presence of thoughts or plans related to suicide within the last 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation in adolescents with separated/ separated parents. Results: The study found that 15.5% (95% CI:11.7 - 20.1) of adolescents with separated /separated parents reported experiencing suicidal thoughts, in which men accounted 8.4% (95% CI:5.6 – 11.2) and women accounted 7.1% (95% CI:4.5 - 10.6). Several factors were identified as increasing the risk of suicidal ideation, including alcohol use (OR = 3.24; 95% CI:1.42 - 7.42), hyperactivity/inattention (OR = 4.96; 95% CI:1.58 - 15.605), and a poor quality of family relationships (OR = 4.82; 95% CI:1.26 - 18.50). On the contrary, certain factors were found to reduce the risk, including being in the 14-15 age group of 14-15 (OR = 0.26; 95% CI:0.10 - 0.69) and participating in physical activity (OR = 0.44; 95% CI:0.21 – 0.94). Conclusions: The research highlights a significant percentage of adolescents with separated / divided parents who experience suicidal ideation. Therefore, it is imperative for families, schools, and society to develop comprehensive strategies to monitor and address various risky behaviours among students simultaneously.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the occurrence rate of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) and its related factors in aged women with hydatidiform mole (HM) in Tu Du Hospital, Vietnam. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 372 women aged ≥40 years with HM diagnosed through postabortion histopathological assessment in Tu Du Hospital from January 2016 to March 2019. Survival analysis was used for GTN cumulative rate estimation, log-rank test for group comparison, and Cox regression model for determining GTN-related factors. Results: After a 2-year follow-up, 123 patients were found to have GTN at a rate of 33.06% [95% confidence interval (CI): 28.30– 38.10]. GTN occurrence meant that the time was 4.15±2.93 weeks with peaks at week 2 and 3 after curettage abortion. The GTN rate was remarkably higher in the ≥46-year age group than in the 40-to-45-year age group [hazard ratio (HR)=1.63; 95%CI: 1.09– 2.44], as was the vaginal bleeding group compared to the non-bleeding group (HR=1.85; 95%CI: 1.16–2.96). Preventive hysterectomy and preventive chemotherapy plus hysterectomy in the intervention group reduced the GTN risk compared to the no intervention group at HRs of 0.16 (95%CI: 0.09–0.30) and 0.09 (95%CI: 0.04–0.21), respectively. Chemoprophylaxis failed to decrease the GTN risk when comparing the two groups. Conclusion Post-molar pregnancy GTN rate in aged patients was 33.06%, much higher than that of the general population. Preventive hysterectomy or chemoprophylaxis plus hysterectomy are effective treatment methods to support GTN risk reduction.

Objective: This study sought to estimate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and to ascertain risk factors among Vietnamese men with diabetes. Methodology: One hundred and fifty one diabetic patients were recruited from the People’s Hospital 115 between August 2011 and March 2012. They were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire that included the International Index for Erectile Function Questionnaire (IIEF-5) and the World Health Organization (WHO) - Five Well-being Index. Medical history, anthropometric measures, and laboratory test results were recorded. ED was classified based on the IIEF-5 total score. Results: Of the 151 diabetic men, 135 (89%) completed the IIEF-5. The overall prevalence of ED was 84%; majority (65%) were classified as mild to moderate, while 10% were considered severe. The prevalence of ED was higher among those with peripheral neuropathy [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 5.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-21.89] and longer duration of diabetes (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00-1.24). Conclusion ED represents a prevalent major complication among men with type 2 diabetes. The presence of peripheral neuropathy and long duration of diabetes may be useful indicators of ED.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Vietnam ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Surveys and Questionnaires