Diabetic macular ischaemia- a new therapeutic target?

Diabetic macular ischaemia (DMI) is traditionally defined and graded based on the angiographic evidence of an enlarged and irregular foveal avascular zone. However, these anatomical changes are not surrogate markers for visual impairment. We postulate that there are vascular phenotypes of DMI based on the relative perfusion deficits of various retinal capillary plexuses and choriocapillaris. This review highlights several mechanistic pathways, including the role of hypoxia and the complex relation between neurons, glia, and microvasculature. The current animal models are reviewed, with shortcomings noted. Therefore, utilising the advancing technology of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to identify the reversible DMI phenotypes may be the key to successful therapeutic interventions for DMI. However, there is a need to standardise the nomenclature of OCTA perfusion status. Visual acuity is not an ideal endpoint for DMI clinical trials. New trial endpoints that represent disease progression need to be developed before irreversible vision loss in patients with DMI. Natural history studies are required to determine the course of each vascular and neuronal parameter to define the DMI phenotypes. These DMI phenotypes may also partly explain the development and recurrence of diabetic macular oedema. It is also currently unclear where and how DMI fits into the diabetic retinopathy severity scales, further highlighting the need to better define the progression of diabetic retinopathy and DMI based on both multimodal imaging and visual function. Finally, we discuss a complete set of proposed therapeutic pathways for DMI, including cell-based therapies that may provide restorative potential.     

Postoperative development of sarcopenia is a strong predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and upper gastric cancer

Background

There were few studies assessed the postoperative sarcopenia in patients with cancers. The objective of present study was to assess whether postoperative development of sarcopenia could predict a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, (AEG) and upper gastric cancer (UGC).

Sentinel lymph node localization and staging with a low-dose of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) enhanced MRI and magnetometer in patients with cutaneous melanoma of the extremity - The MAGMEN feasibility study

BackgroundIn patients with melanoma, sentinel lymph node (SLN) status is pivotal for treatment decisions. Current routine for SLN detection combines Technetium^99m (Tc⁹⁹) lymphoscintigraphy and blue dye (BD). The primary aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of using a low dose of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) injected intracutaneously to detect and identify the SLN, and the secondary aim was to investigate if a low dose of SPIO would enable a preoperative MRI-evaluation of SLN status.MethodsPatients with melanoma of the extremities were eligible. Before surgery, a baseline MRI of the nodal basin was followed by an injection of a low dose (0.02–0.5 mL) of SPIO and then a second MRI (SPIO-MRI). Tc⁹⁹ and BD was used in parallel and all nodes with a superparamagnetic and/or radioactive signal were harvested and analyzed.ResultsFifteen patients were included and the SLNB procedure was successful in all patients (27 SLNs removed). All superparamagnetic SLNs were visualized by MRI corresponding to the same nodes on scintigraphy. Micrometastatic deposits were identified in four SLNs taken from three patients, and SPIO-MRI correctly predicted two of the metastases. There was an association between MRI artefacts in the lymph node and the dose SPIO given.DiscussionIt is feasible to detect SLN in patients with melanoma using a low dose of SPIO injected intracutaneously compared with the standard dual technique. A low dose of SPIO reduces the lymph node MRI artefacts, opening up for a non-invasive assessment of SLN status in patients with cancer.     

Cardiac-type total anomalous pulmonary venous return is not benign

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the association between morphological variation and postsurgical pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis (PPVS) in patients with cardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).MethodsThis single-center, retrospective study included 168 pediatric patients who underwent surgical repair of cardiac TAPVC from 2013 to 2019 (connection to the coronary sinus [CS], n = 136; connection directly to the right atrium [RA], n = 32). Three-dimensional computed tomography modeling and geometric analysis were performed to investigate the morphological features; their relevance to the PPVS was examined.ResultsThe connection type had no association with PPVS (CS type: 18% vs right atrial type: 19%; P = .89) but there was a higher incidence of PPVS in patients with a single PV orifice than > 1 orifice (P < .001). Confluence-to-total PV area ratio (hazard ratio, 4.78, 95% CI, 1.86-12.32; P = .001) and length of drainage route (hazard ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.14-1.31; P < .001) had a 4- and 1-fold increase in the risk for PPVS in the CS type after adjustment for age and preoperative pulmonary venous obstruction. In the right atrial type, those with anomalous PV return to the RA roof were more likely to develop PPVS than to the posterior wall of the RA (P < .001).ConclusionsThe number of inter-junction PV orifice correlated with PPVS development in cardiac TAPVC. The confluence-to-total PV ratio, length of drainage route, and anomalous PV return to the RA roof are important predictors for PPVS. Morphological subcategorization in this clinical setting can potentially assist in surgical decision-making.     

Three-dimensional measurement of radiographic bone–implant contact lengths of zygomatic implants in zygomatic bone: a retrospective study of 66 implants in 28 patients

Zygomatic implant treatment is widely applied for severe maxillary atrophy to help rehabilitate the maxillary dentition. This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the actual radiographic bone–implant contact (rBIC) lengths of zygomatic implants. The records of 28 patients who underwent zygomatic implant surgery and subsequent follow-up examinations between August 2013 and September 2018 in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital were reviewed. The surgeries were performed by a single surgeon using the same treatment protocol. All patients had a computed tomography scan at 1 year after the surgery. Using three-dimensional imaging software, an investigator measured the rBIC lengths of 66 implants and documented their clinical status. The implant survival rate was 100%. The mean rBIC length was significantly longer in male patients than in female patients (20.80 ± 5.88 mm versus 17.79 ± 6.34 mm; P = 0.028). The mean rBIC length of double zygomatic implants was significantly longer when compared to that of single implants (21.11 ± 6.23 mm versus 17.75 ± 5.85 mm; P = 0.027). This article is novel in reporting the exact rBIC lengths of zygomatic implants in a clinical setting. The results showed that zygomatic implants are a viable treatment modality for full-mouth rehabilitation.     

Simultaneously recorded intracranial and scalp high frequency oscillations help identify patients with poor postsurgical seizure outcome

ObjectiveHigh frequency oscillations (HFO) between 80–500 Hz are markers of epileptic areas in intracranial and maybe also scalp EEG. We investigate simultaneous recordings of scalp and intracranial EEG and hypothesize that scalp HFOs provide important additional clinical information in the presurgical setting.MethodsSpikes and HFOs were visually identified in all intracranial scalp EEG channels. Analysis of correlation of event location between intracranial and scalp EEG as well as relationship between events and the SOZ and zone of surgical removal was performed.Results24 patients could be included, 23 showed spikes and 19 HFOs on scalp recordings. In 15/19 patients highest scalp HFO rate was located over the implantation side, with 13 patients having the highest scalp and intracranial HFO rate over the same region. 17 patients underwent surgery, 7 became seizure free. Patients with poor post-operative outcome showed significantly more regions with HFO than those with seizure free outcome.ConclusionsScalp HFOs are mostly located over the SOZ. Widespread scalp HFOs are indicative of a larger epileptic network and associated with poor postsurgical outcome.SignificanceAnalysis of scalp HFO add clinically important information about the extent of epileptic areas during presurgical simultaneous scalp and intracranial EEG recordings.