INTRODUCTION

Testicular torsion is a true urologic emergency. It occurs when the blood supply to the testis is compromised as the vessels twist along the spermatic cord. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are critical to prevent prolonged ischemia time which is crucial to its prognosis. This paper aimed to present cases of testicular torsion who underwent testis sparing surgery for torsion.

Cases of testicular torsion admitted at the institution from January 2023 to July 2024 were reviewed. Demographic data, scrotal ultrasound findings, intraoperative findings and ischemia time were documented. Patients who underwent tunica albuginea fasciotomy with tunica vaginalis flap were monitored post-surgery via scrotal ultrasound, documenting testicular size.

Twenty seven (27) cases of testicular torsion were reviewed. Of these cases, 4 improved after detorsion and orchidopexy, 12 cases with > 72 hours ischemia time and failed detorsion underwent orchiectomy, 11 cases with < 72 hours of ischemia time, tunica albuginea fasciotomy were performed. Five (5) of these 11 cases showed no improvement in appearance and no bleeding was observed and subsequent orchiectomy was performed. Six cases demonstrated improvement in appearance and bleeding after tunica albuginea fasciotomy, tunica vaginalis flap used to cover the resulting defect. Of these 6 cases, 2 cases showed intact testicular size, 1 case had testicular atrophy on monitoring and 3 cases were lost to follow-up.

Testicular torsion remains to be a critical urologic emergency. Prompt diagnosis and immediate surgery required to improve salvage rates. Tunica albuginea incision, with subsequent tunica vaginalis flap may be an option for the urologist to improve salvage, although not consistently prevent testicular atrophy.

OBJECTIVE

Epidemiological studies on the prevalence and management of depression are limited in the Philippines. This review aimed to assess the prevalence of depression in the Philippines and explore the distribution of patient journey touchpoints including awareness, screening, diagnosis, treatment, adherence, and remission of depression.

A structured literature search was conducted in the Medline, Embase, Biosis, and HERDIN PLUS databases to identify records published in English between 01 January 2010 and 31 December 2019 that reported key patient journey touchpoints in depression management in the Philippines. An unstructured literature search was conducted in public or government websites with no date restriction. Data from all sources were extracted and presented descriptively.

Of the 348 records retrieved, one article was included in the final analysis. The prevalence of depression was reported to be 3.34% in the Philippines. There was no data available on any of the identified patient journey touchpoints in depression.

The study findings highlight the need for more evidence-based studies in the Philippines to accurately understand the complexity of patient journey in patients with depression. This in turn can help in optimizing resource utilization, providing guidance for clinical practice, and health care reforms in the Philippines.

Pelvic kidneys are anatomical abnormalities that occur when the kidney does not rise from the pelvis during embryogenesis. The majority of cases are asymptomatic, though they are associated with higher risks for traumatic injury, infections, renal calculi, and other urological issues. Because of its advantages of flexion and deflection, retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) employing flexible ureterorenoscopy (fURS) is an alternative treatment method for small- to medium-sized calculi in anatomically aberrant kidneys. Presented here is a case of a 43-year-old male with a renal stone in a pelvic left kidney with the ureter crossing the midlineand is located at the prevertebral region at the level of L4 to S1.

Purpose: In the modern era of precision medicine, next-generation sequencing (NGS) is employed for a variety of clinical purposes. The aim of this study was to investigate the trends and clinical characteristics of NGS testing in South Korea. Materials and Methods: This nationwide, population-based, retrospective cohort study examined National Health Insurance Service claims data from 2017 to 2021 for NGS and from 2008 to 2021 for gene-targeted anticancer drugs. Results: Among the total 98,748 claims, there were 51,407 (52.1%) solid cancer panels, 30,173 (30.5%) hereditary disease panels, and 17,168 (17.4%) hematolymphoid cancer panels. The number of annual claims showed a persistent upward trend, exhibiting a 5.4-fold increase, from 5,436 in 2017 to 29,557 in 2021. In the solid cancer panel, colorectal cancer was the most common (19.2%), followed by lung cancer (18.8%). The annual claims for targeted cancer drugs have increased 25.7-fold, from 3,932 in 2008 to 101,211 in 2020. Drugs for the treatment of lung cancer accounted for 488,819 (71.9%) claims. The number of patients who received non-hereditary NGS testing has substantially increased, and among them, the count of patients prescribed targeted anticancer drugs consistently rose from 508 (13.9%) in 2017 to 2,245 (12.3%) in 2020. Conclusion This study highlights the rising nationwide demand for comprehensive genetic testing for disease diagnosis and treatment following NGS reimbursement by the National Health Insurance in South Korea, in addition to the need for greater utilization of targeted anticancer drugs.

Purpose: Men are increasingly turning toward online direct-to-consumer (DTC) men’s health platforms to fulfill their health needs. Research surrounding these platforms is lacking and the motivations and predictors underlying this online health-seeking behavior is largely unknown. This review scopes the existing literature concerning DTC men’s health and identifies factors influencing engagement, as well as health outcomes of this platform. Materials and Methods: A structured search was performed following PRISMA guidelines. CINAHL via EBSCO, Embase, MEDLINE via Ovid, PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science were searched. Results: Peer-reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies with a focus on demographics and characteristics of those using DTC men’s health platforms, as well as studies related to patient outcomes using such platforms, were included. Ten of the 3,003 studies identified met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Four cross-sectional descriptive studies evaluated the motivations behind men’s engagement with DTC platforms. Convenience, embarrassment and health motivation were identified as predominant factors associated with DTC platform use. The review identified a lack of qualitative studies, and major limitations were noted in the quantitative studies that impacted the accuracy of findings. Six further quantitative studies explored the quality of care provided by DTC platforms. DTC platforms were found to have a varying level of adherence to established clinical guidelines, but appeared to provide satisfactory patient outcomes with low levels of patient-reported side effects and adverse events. Conclusions There is a lack of research within the DTC men’s health space given the infancy of the field. Important predictors and motivations underlying men’s choices in accessing these platforms have been noted across several studies. However, further studies need to be conducted to investigate the psychosocial underpinnings of this behavior. Studies across a wider variety of male health conditions treated by these platforms will also help to provide insights to guide patient-centered care within the DTC landscape.

Purpose: Several predictive models have been developed to predict the pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC); however, few are broadly applicable owing to radiologic complexity and institution-specific clinical variables, and none have been externally validated. This study aimed to develop and externally validate a machine learning model that predicts pCR after NAC in patients with breast cancer using routinely collected clinical and demographic variables. Methods: The electronic medical records of patients with advanced breast cancer who underwent NAC before surgical resection between January 2017 and December 2020 were reviewed. Patient data from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were divided into training and internal validation cohorts. Five machine learning techniques, including gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector machine, random forest, decision tree, and neural network, were used to build predictive models, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was compared to select the best model. Finally, the model was validated using an independent cohort from Seoul National University Hospital. Results: A total of 1,003 patients were included in the study: 287, 71, and 645 in the training, internal validation, and external validation cohorts, respectively. Overall, 36.3% of the patients achieved pCR. Among the five machine learning models, the GBM showed the highest AUC for pCR prediction (AUC, 0.903; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.833–0.972).External validation confirmed an AUC of 0.833 (95% CI, 0.800–0.865). Conclusion Commonly available clinical and demographic variables were used to develop a machine learning model for predicting pCR following NAC. External validation of the model demonstrated good discrimination power, indicating that routinely collected variables were sufficient to build a good prediction model.

Objective: We reported a case of Descemet's membrane detachment (DMD) following ripcord removal of a Baerveldt shunt in a post-corneal transplant eye, and the interventions done. Method: This is a case report Results: A 65-year-old male with multiple surgeries (phacoemulsification, two corneal transplants, and Baerveldt shunt implantation) in the right eye developed increased intraocular pressures, prompting removal of the intraluminal stent (ripcord) of the shunt. This was complicated by hypotony and DMD. Ripcord reinsertion and viscoelastic injection were performed to reattach the Descemet's membrane (DM) but failed. 0.1mL of 14% perfluoropropane (C3F8) gas was injected into the anterior chamber that successfully reattached the DM with return to pre-operative best-corrected visual acuity after 1 week. Conclusion Injection of an expansive gas (C3F8) was effective in repairing a corneal graft DMD in an eye with a Baerveldt shunt.
Glaucoma Drainage Implants ; Corneal Transplantation

Androgen insensitivity syndrome is an X-linked recessive condition resulting in a failure of normal masculinization of the external genitalia in a chromosomally male individual. We describe two phenotypically female siblings aged 27 and 18 years, who presented with primary amenorrhea. The older sibling first consulted because of her desire to be pregnant while her younger sibling consulted upon the physician’s advice. Clinical presentation, physical examination, hormonal and imaging studies and a male (46XY) karyotype confirmed the diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) in both individuals. Both of them underwent exploratory laparotomy with histopathology confirming presence of immature testicular tissue. Hormone replacement therapy was then started. Both were advised to undergo psychosocial counseling and both chose to be women. This case report is significant since there are only a few local case reports about siblings presenting with this condition.
Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome ; Karyotyping

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex disease with an interplay of genetic and environmental factors. In the United States, AD affects 10.7% of children andyc 7.2% of adults. Similarly in the Philippines, the prevalence of AD is 12.7% in the under 18 population, and 2% in the over 18 population. While AD affects all ages, the burden of the disease is greater in the pediatric population. The pathogenesis of AD is multifactorial. Variations in genes responsible for epidermal barrier function, keratinocyte terminal differentiation, and the innate and adaptive immune responses have been linked to AD. A null mutation involving the filaggrin gene is the strongest known risk factor for AD. This mutation results in a loss of filaggrin (FLG) protein by at least 50%. Filaggrin breakdown products form part of the natural moisturizing factor (NMF) of the skin, which is essential in skin hydration. A decrease in NMF and an increase in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) are observed in AD patients with FLG mutation. The defective barrier in AD patients decreases skin defenses against irritation and allergen penetration. Exposure to certain environmental chemicals like formaldehyde may worsen this barrier. This may lead to increased skin permeability to aeroallergens that leads to dermatitis in sensitized patients. Barrier defects may also play a role in epicutaneous sensitization and the subsequent development of other atopic conditions, such as bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. The Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) consensus on AD aims to provide a comprehensive guideline and evidence-based recommendations in the management of this condition, with consideration of cultural factors that are often encountered in the Philippine setting. These guidelines are intended to provide practitioners with an overview of the holistic approach in the management of AD, ameliorating the negative effects of the disease and improving overall quality of life.. Methodology: A group of 21 board-certified dermatologists from the Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) convened to discuss aspects in the clinical management of AD. Database and literature search included the full-text articles of observational studies, randomized controlled clinical trials, and observational studies using the Cochrane library, PubMed, Hardin (for Philippine based studies) as well as data from the PDS health information system. The terms used in combinations from the literature included “atopic dermatitis”, “atopic eczema”, “emollients”, “topical corticosteroids”, “topical calcineurin inhibitors”, “anti-histamines” and “phototherapy”. A total of fifty (50) full text articles were reviewed and found applicable for the scope of the study. Articles were assessed using the modified Jadad scale, with score interpretations as follows: (5- excellent, 3- good, 1– poor). Consensus guidelines for AD from within and outside of the region were also reviewed, from the 2013 Asia-Pacific guidelines, 2014 Taiwanese Dermatological Association consensus, 2016 guidelines in the management of AD in Singapore, 2014 American Academy of Dermatology guidelines, and the 2020 Japanese guidelines for AD. From the literature review, proposed consensus statements were developed, and a Delphi survey was conducted over two separate virtual meetings. Individual dermatologists provided Likert Scoring (1- strongly disagree to 5- strongly agree) based on consensus statements. A consensus was deemed reached at mean scores of > 4.00, a near consensus at > 3.5, and no consensus at <3.5. Summary: AD is a chronic relapsing condition with a significant burden of disease, most commonly affecting the pediatric population. The PDS AD Consensus Guidelines summarizes the standards of therapy and the therapeutic ladder in the management of AD based on published clinical trials and literature review. While these modalities remain the cornerstone of therapy, an individualized approach is the key to the holistic management of an AD patient. Knowledge and awareness of frequently associated conditions, whether in the realm of food allergies, contact allergies, or secondary infections, is paramount. In addition to the standard therapeutic armamentarium, the physician must also consider cultural practices and be knowledgeable of alternative therapeutic options. Referral to a specialist is recommended for recalcitrant cases of AD, or when initiation of systemic immunosuppressive agents, phototherapy, or biologic agents is contemplated.

Purpose: Patients with respiratory failure associated with neurological dysfunction often require mechanical ventilator support, which poses increased economic burden and ventilator-associated complications. A diaphragm pacing system (DPS) is an implanted device that provides respiratory support for such patients. In this systematic review, we reviewed the literature to assess the safety and efficacy of DPS for patients with respiratory failure resulting from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or cervical spinal cord injuries. Materials and Methods: The following databases were searched from July 10 to July 30, 2018: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochran library, KoreaMed, Research Information Sharing Service, Korean studies Information Service System, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, and Korean Medical database. The abstracts and full texts of the searched articles were reviewed by two reviewers. Results: The search keywords generated 197 articles: two randomized controlled trials, two case-control studies, and one case report involving patients with ALS; one cohort study, one case-control study, and two case reports involving patients with cervical spine injury; and one case report involving patients with both conditions were included. The primary outcome was safety profile (complications and adverse event) and efficacy (overall survival and sleep improvement). Complications and adverse events were more common in patients with ALS and spinal cord injury receiving DPS than in controls. Efficacy outcomes were inconsistent across ALS studies. Conclusion Based on safety and efficacy results, we do not support using DPS to manage respiratory failure in patients with ALS or cervical spine injury.