Are Recurrence Rates for “Traditional” Transvaginal Prolapse Repairs Really that High? What Does the Evidence Show?

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common and bothersome condition. Multiple methods for surgical repair exist, and much attention has been given to improving the efficacy of repair by implementing mesh interposition. Standard (native tissue-based) repairs in the anterior compartment have long been thought to be associated with high anatomical recurrence rates and the currently available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) support this thinking. However, subjective improvement in pelvic pressure and bulging and quality of life indices are similarly improved in both standard and mesh-augmented repairs. No RCTs are available to compare standard and mesh-augmented repairs in the posterior compartment. Despite the presence of RCTs, the data is often inconsistent and questions remain regarding the optimal criteria to describe POP recurrence. While there is a role for both types of repair, the optimal patient scenario is not known.     

MR findings in iatrogenic Gerbode defect

Congenital or acquired communication between left ventricle and right atrium is rare and can be easily overlooked as an eccentric tricuspid regurgitation jet. MRI is the ideal modality for accurate diagnosis, providing details for surgical planning about the location and size of the defect.     

Novel Atlantic bottlenose dolphin parainfluenza virus TtPIV-1 clusters with bovine PIV-3 genotype B strains

Parainfluenza virus 3 (PIV-3) is a common viral infection not only in humans, but also in many other species. Serological evidence suggests that nearly 100 % of children in the United States have been infected with PIV-3 by 5 years of age. Similarly, in cattle, PIV-3 is commonly associated with bovine respiratory disease complex. A novel dolphin PIV-3 (TtPIV-1) was described by Nollens et al. in 2008 from a dolphin that was diagnosed with an unknown respiratory illness. At that time, TtPIV-1 was found to be most similar to, but distinct from, bovine PIV-3 (BPIV-3). In the present study, similar viral growth kinetics and pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, and CXCL8) production were seen between BPIV-3 and TtPIV-1 in BEAS-2B, MDBK, and Vero cell lines. Initial nomenclature of TtPIV-1 was based on partial sequence of the fusion and RNA polymerase genes. Based on the similarities we saw with the in vitro work, it was important to examine the TtPIV-1 genome in more detail. Full genome sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis revealed that all six viral genes of TtPIV-1 clustered within the recently described BPIV-3 genotype B strains, and it is proposed that TtPIV-1 be re-classified with BPIV-3 genotype B strains.