Surgical management of the rheumatoid hand and wrist

Management of the patient with rheumatoid arthritis of the hand and wrist demands a methodical approach. Multidisciplinary assessment and treatment in conjunction with a rheumatologist and dedicated hand therapist are essential. Initial treatment should be conservative. However, when patients develop severe deformities refractory to medical treatment, or there is impending tendon rupture or nerve compression, surgical intervention is required. This article aims to provide a current review of the principles and common conditions in surgery for rheumatoid arthritis of the hand and wrist.     

Heart rupture as an acute complication of cocaine abuse: A case report

The purpose of this study is to show a very rare complication of acute cocaine poisoning, namely heart rupture. In the present case report, acute cocaine intoxication caused massive myocardial infarction, resulting in heart rupture and cardiac tamponade. A crime scene investigation found a dead body on the street in a drug dealing district. Examination of the body showed no external injuries. A thorough autopsy was performed showing massive cardiac tamponade with 510 ml of blood within the pericardium and full-thickness tissue lesion at the posterior wall of the left ventricle of 3.5 × 3 cm. Histological examination in hematoxylin and eosin was performed and confirmed the interruption of the posterior wall of the left ventricle with the presence of blood. In fact, although the correlation between cocaine and myocardial damage is well established, the relationship between heart rupture and acute cocaine intoxication is an extremely rare event. Moreover, since there are, to date, few reports of similar deaths, our report provides useful information regarding sudden death in a cocaine abuser. It is, therefore, of crucial importance to report this case to the scientific community.     

妊娠期糖尿病患者血糖控制与妊娠结局的关系

目的探究妊娠期糖尿病(GDM)患者血糖控制与妊娠结局的关系。方法2017年12月—2019年12月间对该院65例GDM患者的病历资料做回顾性分析,并随机选取30名正常妊娠的孕妇作为健康对照组,GDM患者均给予常规治疗,依据血糖控制情况分为达标组及未达标组,血糖达标以美国糖尿病协会制定的血糖控制目标为标准,分别比较3组对象及围产儿并发症发生情况。结果3组对象分娩前FBG、2 hPG、HbAlc水平比较差异有统计学意义(F=36.100、37.634、48.209,P<0.05);达标组羊水过多、胎膜早破、妊娠期高血压、酮症酸中毒发生率分别为(5.45%、7.27%、5.45%、9.09%)均较未达标组的(60.00%、50.00%、60.00%、70.00%)更低,差异有统计学意义(χ²=21.104、12.950、19.059、20.854,P<0.05),与健康对照组比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),3组产后感染、产后出血、剖宫产发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);达标组巨大儿、新生儿窒息、新生儿低血糖、胎儿窘迫发生率分别为(7.27%、5.45%、3.64%、1.82%)均较未达标组的(60.00%、50.00%、40.00%、40.00%)更低,差异有统计学意义(χ²=18.071、15.557、9.366、12.412,P<0.05),与健康对照组比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),3组早产儿发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论GDM患者血糖水平控制情况与其妊娠结局及围产儿并发症具有密切关系。     

Splenic Artery Embolization after Delayed Splenic Rupture Following Blunt Trauma: Is Nonoperative Management Still an Option in This Cohort?

Patients treated with splenic artery embolization (SAE) >48 hours after a blunt injury for a delayed splenic rupture (DSR) were assessed for the need for a subsequent splenectomy. Thirty-four patients underwent SAE for DSR over 10 years at our level 1 trauma center, performed at a median of 4.5 days after the injury (interquartile range = 5.5), and the patients were followed up for a median of 11 months (interquartile range = 31). There were 3 occurrences of rebleeds, and 2 patients required splenectomy (5.9%). This study showed that treatment with SAE after DSR results in splenic salvage in 94.1% of patients.     

Ultrasound Evaluation of the Protector Role of the Pronator Quadratus Suture in Volar Plating

The main complication of volar locking plates for distal radius fractures is flexor tendon rupture. The flexor pollicis longus (FPL) is the most commonly ruptured. Repair of the pronator quadratus (PQ) is one of the ways to prevent tendon rupture. The main purpose of this series was to evaluate the role of PQ repair after volar plating to prevent flexor tendon rupture using ultrasound (US). This work was a mono‐operator prospective series of 20 consecutive patients with volar locking plates for distal radius fracture between September 2014 and May 2015. The PQ was repaired in all patients. A clinical, ultrasound, and perioperative evaluation of the flexor tendon was performed by this same surgeon. There was no flexor tendon rupture or tenosynovitis. There were no type A cases, which are characterized by contact between the plate and the FPL, and mostly type C cases, which are characterized by no contact between the plate and the FPL on US imaging. The suture of the PQ was sustainable over time when we removed the plate. Pronator quadratus repair is one of the ways to prevent flexor tendon rupture after volar plating. The outward‐running suture is an effective technique for repairing the PQ. Ultrasound may be helpful during follow‐up to detect asymptomatic flexor tendon irritation.     

Association between R1 resection and oncological outcome in resectable gastrointestinal stromal tumors without tumor rupture: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe influence of positive microscopic margin (R1) resection on the prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is controversial. Tumor rupture is significantly associated with the occurrence of R1 resection and may be a confounder of R1 resection in GISTs. The present meta-analysis evaluated the real influence of R1 resection on the prognosis of GISTs by excluding the confounding effect of tumor rupture.MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched. Studies that compared R1 with negative microscopic margin (R0) resection in GIST patients and reported the time-to-event data of recurrence-free survival (RFS) or disease-free survival (DFS) were eligible for inclusion. The quality of the observational studies was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale.ResultsOf the 4896 records screened, 23 retrospective studies with 6248 participants were selected. In the overall analysis, R1 resection resulted in a significantly shorter RFS/DFS than R0 resection for GISTs (HR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.54–2.10, P < 0.001, I² = 14%). However, the inferior RFS/DFS vanished when tumor rupture cases were excluded (HR = 1.34, 95% CI = 0.98–1.83, P = 0.07, I² = 33%). Sensitivity analysis by high-quality studies brought about a more robust HR of 1.15 (95% CI = 0.88–1.50, P = 0.29), with low heterogeneity (I² = 0%). The qualities of evidence for the outcomes were high.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis shows that R1 resection did not influence the survival outcome of GISTs. Reresection may not be necessary when positive microscopic margins exist. This analysis could provide high-quality evidence for the development of guidelines.     

Cost-effectiveness of maternal immunization against neonatal invasive Group B Streptococcus in the Netherlands

BackgroundNeonatal invasive Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection causes considerable disease burden in the Netherlands. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) prevents early-onset disease (EOD), but has no effect on late-onset disease (LOD). A potential maternal GBS vaccine could prevent both EOD and LOD by conferring immunity in neonates.ObjectiveExplore under which circumstances maternal vaccination against GBS would be cost-effective as an addition to, or replacement for the current risk factor-based IAP prevention strategy in the Netherlands.MethodsWe assessed the maximum cost-effective price per dose of a trivalent (serotypes Ia, Ib, and III) and hexavalent (additional serotypes II, IV, and V) GBS vaccine in addition to, or as a replacement for IAP. To project the prevented costs and disease burden, a decision tree model was developed to reflect neonatal GBS disease and long-term health outcomes among a cohort based on 169,836 live births in the Netherlands in 2017.ResultsUnder base-case conditions, maternal immunization with a trivalent vaccine would gain 186 QALYs and prevent more than €3.1 million in health care costs when implemented in addition to IAP. Immunization implemented as a replacement for IAP would gain 88 QALYs compared to the current prevention strategy, prevent €1.5 million in health care costs, and avoid potentially ~ 30,000 IAP administrations. The base-case results correspond to a maximum price of €58 per dose (vaccine + administration costs; using a threshold of €20,000/QALY). Expanding the serotype coverage to a hexavalent vaccine would only have a limited additional impact on the cost-effectiveness in the Netherlands.ConclusionsA maternal GBS vaccine could be cost-effective when implemented in addition to the current risk factor-based IAP prevention strategy in the Netherlands. Discontinuation of IAP would save costs and prevent antibiotic use, however, is projected to lead to a lower health gain compared to vaccination in addition to IAP.