Special features of SARS-CoV-2 in daily practice

The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (commonly known as SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus (designated as 2019-nCoV), which was isolated for the first time after the Chinese health authorities reported a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Optimal management of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 disease is evolving quickly and treatment guidelines, based on scientific evidence and experts' opinions with clinical experience, are constantly being updated. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak as a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern". The total lack of immune protection brought about a severe spread of the contagion all over the world. For this reason, diagnostic tools, patient management and therapeutic approaches have been tested along the way, in the desperate race to break free from the widespread infection and its fatal respiratory complications. Current medical knowledge and research on severe and critical patients' management and experimental treatments are still evolving, but several protocols on minimizing risk of infection among the general population, patients and healthcare workers have been approved and diffused by International Health Authorities.

Research on the effect of health care integration on patients’ negative emotions and satisfaction with lung cancer nursing activities

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is a clinical disease with multiple malignant tumors. Currently, it is difficult for patients to benefit from routine clinical nursing due to the lack of a pertinent and systematic approach.

AIM

To investigate the effect of integrated nursing care on the negative emotions and satisfaction of lung cancer patients.

METHODS

From January 2018 to December 2019, 92 patients with lung cancer were selected and divided into the study group and the control group; there were 46 patients in each group. The control group received routine nursing, and the study group received integrated medical care in addition to the care received by the control group. Negative emotions before and after the intervention, the self-management ability score after the intervention, family care burden after the intervention and nursing satisfaction after the intervention were measured in the two groups.

RESULTS

After the intervention, the self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale scores in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the scores for health knowledge, self-concept, self-responsibility and self-care skills in the study group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the scores for individual burden and responsibility burden in the study group were lower than those before the intervention (P < 0.05); and the nursing satisfaction in the study group (93.48%) was higher than that in the control group (78.26%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

An integrated nursing care approach for lung cancer patients can effectively relieve the patient’s negative feelings, improve their self-management ability, help to reduce the burden of family care and improve patient satisfaction with nursing activities.

Streptococcus agalactiae: Identification methods, antimicrobial susceptibility, and resistance genes in pregnant women

BACKGROUND

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a normal component of the gastrointestinal and genital microbiota in humans and can lead to important infections in newborns.

AIM

To compare GBS isolation and identification methods as well as to assess the antibiotic susceptibility and to identify resistance genes in GBS strains from pregnant women attended in healthcare services from the city of Vitória da Conquista, in Bahia State, Brazil.

METHODS

From January 2017 to February 2018, vaginorectal swabs were obtained from 186 participants and the samples were seeded onto chromogenic agar for GBS before and after inoculation in selective broth. Confirmatory identification using 3 CAMP and latex tests was performed in samples with GBS-suggestive colonies. Then, disk diffusion antibiograms were performed in GBS-positive samples, and the detection of the resistance genes ermB, ermTR, mefA, and linB in the clindamycin and/or erythromycin-resistant samples was carried out.

RESULTS

Thirty-two samples (17.2%) were GBS-positive. The culture in chromogenic agar after sample incubation in selective broth was the most sensitive method (96.9%) for GBS detection. All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, cefotaxime, and vancomycin. Clindamycin resistance was observed in 6 samples (18.8%), while 8 samples (25%) were erythromycin-resistant. All erythromycin and/or clindamycin-resistant GBS strains had negative D-tests. Two strains (25%) presented an M phenotype and 6 isolates (75%) presented a cMLSB phenotype. The ermB gene was identified in 4 samples (44.4%), the mefA gene was also found in 4 samples (44.4%), the ermTR gene was identified in 1 isolate (11.1%), and the linB gene was not found in any isolate.

CONCLUSION

This study evidenced that the screening for SGB can be performed by means of various methods, including chromogenic media, and that the chemoprophylaxis for pregnant women who cannot use penicillin must be susceptibility-guided.

Sweet syndrome as a paraneoplastic manifestation of cholangiocarcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Sweet’s syndrome, also known as acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a rare skin disorder that may be associated with cancer.

CASE SUMMARY

A 58-year-old female presented with a cholestatic syndrome and significant weight loss three months before admission. Five months earlier, she had abruptly developed skin lesions with erythematous papules that evolved to erythematous blisters. Clinical evaluation and laboratory tests confirmed hepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Skin lesions histopathological findings showed neutrophilic dermatosis, massive edema, fibrin, necrosis, and elastosis. These results, in association with the macroscopic aspects of the findings, led to the diagnosis of paraneoplastic Sweet’s syndrome due to cholangiocarcinoma. As staging was consistent with an advanced tumor without a cure perspective, we opted to perform percutaneous biliary drainage, and subsequently, palliative care. Eventually, after a few weeks, the patient died.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the diagnosis of the underlying disease-causing Sweet’s syndrome must be accurate, and patients need to be followed-up, as neoplasia such as cholangiocarcinoma may be a later manifestation.

Laparoscopic resection of primary retroperitoneal schwannoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Schwannomas are rare, often benign, tumors deriving from Schwann cells that have low incidence in the retroperitoneal region (0.5% to 5%). Their diagnosis is hardly confirmed at early stage due to lack of specific features in signs, symptoms and imaging tests. Thus, it is necessary performing guided punch biopsy in order to identify it. Tumor removal is the treatment of choice due to its low sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy.

CASE SUMMARY

Forty-seven years old female patient who was hospitalized for elective orthopedic procedure, without complications, evolved with severe pain in the lower limbs, thigh and gluteal region associated with neurogenic claudication. Persistent pain required magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine, which showed epidural collection with dural compression and massive heterogeneous perihepatic nodular lesion. The surgical team opted for draining the collection, as well as requested an MRI of the abdomen and pelvis, whose analysis showed expansive lesion in the retroperitoneum, in close contact with the inferior vena cava and with the right renal vein. A guided puncture was performed for diagnostic clarification, which showed immunohistochemical profile compatible with schwannoma. The selected treatment comprised retroperitoneum tumor resection in association with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patient was discharged and remained stable after 4-mo follow-up; she remains under follow-up to check the need of cancer investigations.

CONCLUSION

Schwannoma features requires surgical treatment based on laparoscopic resection, which often presents low relapse rates and optimistic prognosis.

Relationship between granulomatous lobular mastitis and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphism

BACKGROUND

Variations in the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene have been reported as risk factors for numerous conditions, including cardiovascular disease, thrombophilia, stroke, hypertension and pregnancy-related complications. Moreover, it was reported there is an association between breast cancer and mutations in MTHFR-C677T. However, whether there is an association between MTHFR gene polymorphism and granulomatous lobular mastitis or not has been rarely investigated.

AIM

To analyze the association between MTHFR gene polymorphism and granulomatous lobular mastitis.

METHODS

Fifty-one patients with granulomatous lobular mastitis admitted to The First Hospital of Kunming were selected as study samples. Their hospitalization time ranged from February 2018 to February 2019. The 51 patients were included in the experimental group, and another 51 women who underwent physical examination at The First Hospital of Kunming in the same period were included in the control group. Deoxyribonucleic acid and MTFR genetic polymorphism testing were performed in each group. The association between MTHFR gene polymorphism and granulomatous lobular mastitis was observed.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in genotype frequency and allele frequency of C/C and C/T between the experimental group and the control group (all P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in frequency of T/T genotype between the two groups (P > 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in genotype frequency and allele frequency of A/A, A/C and C/C between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

MTHFR gene C677T locus polymorphism is closely related to granulomatous lobular mastitis.

Multidisciplinary approach to suspected sudden unexpected infant death caused by milk-aspiration: A case report

BACKGROUND

The term sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is not always properly invoked. It refers to a broad range of conditions that sometimes defy classification. There is not only a strong emotional impact on the family, but such cases are also quite complex. Underlying causes may be multiple, not always readily apparent, and have potential repercussions, especially in terms of forensics.

CASE SUMMARY

A 5-month-old male baby was pronounced dead following acute lung failure and cardiopulmonary arrest. The parents had immediately rushed their child to the hospital, stating the baby was found prone and not breathing. Total-body postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) was performed, revealing a hypodense material of indeterminate nature within the main airways and areas of ground-glass parenchymal change. At autopsy, the respiratory tract mucosa appeared edematous and was coated with a whitish stringy material. There was widespread airspace reduction due to parenchymal collapse. Alveolar sacs and bronchial openings contained abundant amorphous material admixed with white blood cells. Immunohistochemical studies were performed, targeting CD15, CD68, and alpha-lactalbumin. Ultimately, the focus was on alpha-lactalbumin (milk protein), which showed marked immunopositivity within alveolar spaces. Cytoplasmic staining of macrophages was also particularly prominent.

CONCLUSION

Postmortem investigations are thus essential to identify causes of death and surrounding circumstances. PMCT is a useful tool in this setting, given the frequent dearth of autopsy findings and ambiguity as to cause of death in SUID cases. These findings, later confirmed by immunohistochemical investigations, were indicative of active pneumonia due to aspirated milk. The present account illustrates the importance a broad diagnostic approach to SUID in cases of forensic concern. PMCT is a very valuable aid in cases of forensic interest, as it can provide useful information in all those situations in which the cause of death is uncertain or there are no suggestive dynamics or lesions.

Epidermolytic acanthoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Epidermolytic acanthoma (EA) is a rare benign skin lesion, usually found in the genital area of men and women, with epidermolytic hyperkeratosis as its distinguishing histologic characteristic. It is commonly misdiagnosed as condyloma accuminatum, verruca, and seborrheic keratosis. Since this lesion is benign, treatment is not necessary. However, it is often misdiagnosed, and patients are likely to undergo incorrect counseling and unnecessary treatment, causing undue burden to the patient. This study seeks to increase awareness of this rare condition to prevent future misdiagnoses.

CASE SUMMARY

A 55-year-old man living with human immunodeficiency virus presented for anal cancer screening. His physical examination revealed a flesh colored papule at the anal margin. The initial differential diagnosis included molluscum contagiosum, anal condyloma, and basal cell carcinoma. The lesion was excised to obtain a definitive diagnosis and was discovered to be EA.

CONCLUSION

EA is often misdiagnosed due to its similarity to other dermatologic conditions. Careful examination and pathologic evaluation should be obtained to ensure proper diagnosis.

Awareness and attitude of fecal microbiota transplantation through transendoscopic enteral tubing among inflammatory bowel disease patients

BACKGROUND

Transendoscopic enteral tubing (TET) has been used in China as a novel delivery route for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) into the whole colon with a high degree of patient satisfaction among adults.

AIM

To explore the recognition and attitudes of FMT through TET in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

An anonymous questionnaire, evaluating their awareness and attitudes toward FMT and TET was distributed among IBD patients in two provinces of Eastern and Southwestern China. Question formats included single-choice questions, multiple-choice questions and sorting questions. Patients who had not undergone FMT were mainly investigated for their cognition and acceptance of FMT and TET. Patients who had experience of FMT, the way they underwent FMT and acceptance of TET were the main interest. Then all the patients were asked whether they would recommend FMT and TET. This study also analyzed the preference of FMT delivery in IBD patients and the patient-related factors associated with it.

RESULTS

A total of 620 eligible questionnaires were included in the analysis. The survey showed that 44.6% (228/511) of patients did not know that FMT is a therapeutic option in IBD, and 80.6% (412/511) of them did not know the concept of TET. More than half (63.2%, 323/511) of the participants stated that they would agree to undergo FMT through TET. Of the patients who underwent FMT via TET [62.4% (68/109)], the majority [95.6% (65/68)] of them were satisfied with TET. Patients who had undergone FMT and TET were more likely to recommend FMT than patients who had not (94.5% vs 86.3%, P = 0.018 and 98.5% vs 87.8%, P = 0.017). Patients’ choice for the delivery way of FMT would be affected by the type of disease and whether the patient had the experience of FMT. When compared to patients without experience of FMT, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients who had experience of FMT preferred mid-gut TET (P < 0.001) and colonic TET (P < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Patients’ experience of FMT through TET lead them to maintain a positive attitude towards FMT. The present findings highlighted the significance of patient education on FMT and TET.

Gastroduodenitis associated with ulcerative colitis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is defined as a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can occur in any part of the large bowel. In addition, UC affects only the large bowel except for backwash ileitis and pouchitis, whereas Crohn's disease (CD) affects the entire digestive tract. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients tend to be diagnosed with CD or indeterminate colitis when combined with gastric lesion. However, in recent years, some UC patients are reported to have various degrees of lesions in gastroduodenum. Here, we report a case of gastroduodenitis associated with UC (GDUC).

CASE SUMMARY

A 25-year-old man with a history of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome presented to the hospital with mucopurulent bloody stool and epigastric persistent colic pain for 2 wk. Continuous superficial ulcers and spontaneous bleeding were observed under colonoscopy. Subsequent gastroscopy revealed mucosa with diffuse edema, ulcers, errhysis, and granular and friable changes in the stomach and duodenal bulb, which were similar to the appearance of the rectum. After ruling out other possibilities according to a series of examinations, a diagnosis of GDUC was considered. The patient hesitated about intravenous corticosteroids, so he received a standardized treatment with pentasa of 3.2 g/d. After 0.5 mo of treatment, the patient’s symptoms achieved complete remission. Follow-up endoscopy and imaging findings showed no evidence of recurrence for 26 mo.

CONCLUSION

The occurrence of gastrointestinal involvement in UC is rare, which may open a new window for studying the etiology and pathogenesis of UC. Physicians should consider broad differential diagnosis by endoscopic biopsy and laboratory examinations.

Osteochondral lesion of talus with gout tophi deposition: A case report

BACKGROUND

Osteochondral lesion of talus is a broad term used to describe an injury or abnormality of the talar articular cartilage and adjacent bone. It arises from diverse causes, and although trauma is implicated in many cases, it does not account for the etiology of every lesion. Gout is a chronic arthritic disease caused by excess levels of uric acid in blood. Intraosseous deposition of monosodium urate in the clavicle, femur, patella and calcaneus was reported previously. Gout is common disease but rare at a young age, especially during teenage years. Osteochondral lesion caused by intra-articular gouty invasion is very rare.

CASE SUMMARY

We encountered a rare case of a 16-year-old male who has osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) with gout. He had fluctuating pain for more than 2 years. We could see intra-articular tophi with magnetic resonance image (MRI) and arthroscopy. We performed arthroscopic exploration, debridement and microfracture. Symptoms were resolved after operation, and bony coverage at the lesion was seen on postoperative images. We had checked image and uric acid levels for 18 mo.

CONCLUSION

It is rare to see OLT with gouty tophi in young adults. While it is challenging, the accuracy of diagnosis can be improved through history taking, MRI and arthroscopy.

Efficacy of stool multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay in adult patients with acute infectious diarrhea

BACKGROUND

Recently, stool multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have been developed for identifying diarrhea-causing bacterial pathogens. Furthermore, fecal calprotectin is a well-known effective marker for intestinal mucosal inflammation.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of stool multiplex PCR and fecal calprotectin in acute infectious diarrhea.

METHODS

Overall, 400 patients with acute infectious diarrhea were enrolled from Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital (January 2016 to December 2018). Multiplex PCR detected 7 enteropathogenic bacteria including Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Aeromonas, Vibrio, and Clostridium difficile. We reviewed clinical and laboratory findings using stool multiplex PCR.

RESULTS

Stool multiplex PCR test detected considerably more bacterial pathogens than stool culture (49.2% vs 5.2%), with Campylobacter as the most common pathogen (54%). Patients with positive stool PCR showed elevated fecal calprotectin expression compared to patients with negative stool PCR (1124.5 ± 816.9 mg/kg vs 609 ± 713.2 mg/kg, P = 0.001). C-reactive protein (OR = 1.01, 95%CI: 1.001-1.027, P = 0.034) and sigmoidoscopy-detected colitis (OR = 4.76, 95%CI: 1.101-20.551, P = 0.037) were independent factors in stool PCR-based detection of bacterial pathogens. Sensitivity and specificity of calprotectin were evaluated to be 70.5% and 60.9%, respectively (adjusted cut-off value = 388 mg/kg).

CONCLUSION

Stool multiplex PCR test has increased sensitivity in detecting pathogens than conventional culture, and it is correlated with calprotectin expression. Stool multiplex PCR and calprotectin may be effective in predicting clinical severity of infectious diarrhea.

Large lingual heterotopic gastrointestinal cyst in a newborn: A case report

BACKGROUND

Heterotopic gastrointestinal cysts have gastrointestinal epithelium in the cyst wall and rarely occur in the oral cavity. Most are found in the neonatal period. However, heterotopic gastrointestinal cysts that are diagnosed as a congenital tongue cyst by routine ultrasonography are extremely rare.

CASE SUMMARY

A 12-day-old female presented with swelling of the anterior tongue. The obstetrician had detected significant tongue swelling on fetal ultrasonography in the 35^th gestational week. The female was born by cesarean delivery at gestational week 39. She soon became dyspneic, and the cyst was aspirated. After the aspiration, her breathing recovered and she started breastfeeding. The cyst was excised under general anesthesia on the 67^th day. Histopathologic examination showed that that cyst wall consisted of a lining of columnar gastrointestinal-type epithelium and pseudostratified ciliated epithelium. The patient restarted breastfeeding 3 h after surgery. The postoperative course was uneventful.

CONCLUSION

Airway distress and feeding difficulty were successfully avoided by cyst aspiration, and surgical resection was performed with no perioperative complications.

Diagnosis and treatment of mixed infection of hepatic cystic and alveolar echinococcosis: Four case reports

BACKGROUND

Mixed infection of hepatic cystic and alveolar echinococcosis is extremely rare. This article reveals the typical imaging manifestations of cystic and alveolar echinococcosis and investigates the diagnosis and surgical experience of mixed infection of hepatic cystic and alveolar echinococcosis.

CASE SUMMARY

From January 2017 to May 2019, 4 cases with rare mixed infection of hepatic cystic and alveolar echinococcosis were admitted and treated by the Division of General Surgery of Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital. Three of the patients occasionally had upper abdominal discomfort, but it did not affect their daily lives. However, hepatic echinococcosis was found in one patient by physical examination, and the patient had no discomfort. All 4 cases were Tibetans who had lived in pastoral areas of southern Qinghai for a long time. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for echinococcosis was positive for all patients. Moreover, abdominal computed tomography showed typical imaging manifestations of cystic and alveolar echinococcosis including coexisting “honeycomb sign,” and “spotted calcification.” Three of the patients underwent radical resection, and 1 case underwent palliative resection. All 4 patients developed different types of surgical complications after the operation, but all of them recovered and were discharged after symptomatic treatment.

CONCLUSION

There are no problems diagnosing mixed infection of hepatic cystic and alveolar echinococcosis. The difficulties involve preoperative evaluation and treatment of surgical complications.

Gallbladder sarcomatoid carcinoma: Seven case reports

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare and aggressive tumor, and little is known about its clinical behavior, prognosis, and optimal treatment.

CASE SUMMARY

From 1997 to 2017, we collected seven cases of gallbladder sarcomatoid carcinoma at our institution. The median patient age was 68.5 years. Six (85.7%) patients were female. Overall, 85.7% (6/7) of the tumors had a maximal diameter greater than 7 cm. Late TNM stage was associated with a significantly poor prognosis. All patients with advanced-stage (III/IV) disease died from metastases or disease progression shortly after surgery. One patient with stage IIIB disease who received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (gemcitabine and capecitabine) achieved a progression-free survival (PFS) of 12 mo and overall survival of 15 mo, which might be the longest PFS reported among patients who ultimately experienced recurrence or metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a unique and aggressive gallbladder malignancy. Surgery is suggested as the first and only recognized treatment. There is a significant difference in prognosis between patients with early-stage and advanced-stage disease. Postoperative adjuvant therapy may bring survival benefits for locally advanced patients. Gemcitabine combined with fluorouracil and radiotherapy could be a potential strategy.

Complexities of diagnosis and management of COVID-19 in autoimmune diseases: Potential benefits and detriments of immunosuppression

Recent advances in our understanding of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the associated acute respiratory distress syndrome might approximate the cytokine release syndrome of severe immune-mediated disease. Importantly, this presumption provides the rationale for utilization of therapy, until recently reserved mostly for autoimmune diseases (ADs), in the management of COVID-19 hyperinflammation condition and has led to an extensive discussion for the potential benefits and detriments of immunosuppression. Our paper intends to examine the available recommendations, complexities in diagnosis and management when dealing with patients with ADs amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Mimicking a flare of an underlying AD, overlapping pathological lung patterns, probability of higher rates of false-positive antibody test, and lack of concrete data are only a part of the detrimental and specific characteristics of COVID-19 outbreak among the population with ADs. The administration of pharmaceutical therapy should not undermine the physical and psychological status of the patient with the maximum utilization of telemedicine. Researchers and clinicians should be vigilant for upcoming research for insight and perspective to fine-tune the clinical guidelines and practice and to weigh the potential benefits and detrimental effects of the applied immunomodulating therapy.

Surgical strategy used in multilevel cervical disc replacement and cervical hybrid surgery: Four case reports

BACKGROUND

Multilevel artificial cervical disc replacement and anterior hybrid surgery have been introduced as reliable treatments for multilevel cervical degenerative disc disease. Surgical techniques are important for resolving patients’ symptoms and maintaining the normal functioning of cervical implants. However, the use of inappropriate surgical strategies could lead to complications such as implant migration and neurological deficit. In this paper, we summarize our surgical strategies used in multilevel cervical disc replacement and hybrid surgery into five major notes.

CASE SUMMARY

We share the key notes and our surgical procedures in the form of four typical case presentations. All patients were diagnosed with cervical degenerative disc disease with myelopathy or radiculopathy and needed multilevel cervical spine surgery. The first case demonstrated that index levels indicating the presence of highly serious spinal cord compression required a prioritized decompression. The second case demonstrated that the disc replacement should be performed before fusion in cervical hybrid surgery. The third and forth cases demonstrated that a top-down implantation sequence was needed in continuous two-level cervical disc replacement. The symptoms of all patients were significantly relieved after surgery.

CONCLUSION

We hope that our surgical strategies can help improve the performance and outcomes of multilevel cervical spine surgery.

Incidental anal 18fluorodeoxyglucose uptake: Should we further examine the patient?

BACKGROUND

There are no studies on incidental anal ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸FDG) uptake.

AIM

To assess the rate and aetiologies of incidental anal ¹⁸FDG uptake and to evaluate the correlation between ¹⁸FDG positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) parameters and the diagnosis of an anorectal disease.

METHODS

The data from patients with incidental anal ¹⁸FDG uptake were retrospectively analysed. Patients who underwent anorectal examinations were identified and compared to those who did not undergo examinations. Patients who were offered treatment were then identified and compared to those who did not receive treatment.

RESULTS

Among the 43020 ¹⁸FDG PET/CT scans performed, 197 ¹⁸FDG PET/CT scans of 146 patients (0.45%) reported incidental anal uptake. Among the 134 patients included, 48 (35.8%) patients underwent anorectal examinations, and anorectal diseases were diagnosed in 33 (69.0%) of these patients and treated in 18/48 (37.5%) patients. Among the examined patients, those with a pathology requiring treatment had significantly smaller metabolic volumes (MV) 30 and MV41 values and higher maximal and mean standardized uptake value measurements than those who did not require treatment.

CONCLUSION

Incidental anal ¹⁸FDG uptake is rare, but a reliable anorectal diagnosis is commonly obtained when an anorectal examination is performed. The diagnosis of an anorectal disease induces treatment in more than one-third of the patients. These data should encourage practitioners to explore incidental anal ¹⁸FDG uptake systematically.

Diagnosis of an actively bleeding brachial artery hematoma by contrast-enhanced ultrasound: A case report

BACKGROUND

Active bleeding due to arterial injury following the acupuncture can sometimes represent a life-threatening complication. Only few reports of an actively bleeding hematoma diagnosed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound, which enables the depiction of vascular, have been reported.

CASE SUMMARY

Here, we report the case of a 75-year-old woman, who presented with sudden swelling, ecchymosis, and pain in the upper left limb. She underwent an acupuncture treatment of traditional Chinese medicine followed by a deep shoulder massage 2 d before admission to hospital. A few hours after the massage, her left upper arm was red, swollen and progressively aggravated. Ultrasonography showed a large hematoma (11.2 cm × 3.5 cm × 3.4 cm) beside the left brachial artery. Color Doppler ultrasound revealed that blood flow signals of the arteries branched into the hematoma. The contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed microbubbles from the brachial artery passing into the hematoma, diffused within the hematoma with the local surge of red blood cells, and disappearing after approximately 17 s. The microbubbles were likely due to bleeding from the arteries. After pressure bandaging treatment, the hematoma became smaller (3.1 cm × 1.7 cm) and organized according to ultrasonography performed 20 d later.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights the ultimate importance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the diagnosis of an actively bleeding hematoma.

Clinical efficacy of tocilizumab treatment in severe and critical COVID-19 patients

BACKGROUND

The main pathophysiological basis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causing respiratory failure is a cytokine storm and interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important component of the COVID-19 cytokine storm. As a specific antagonist of IL-6, tocilizumab may block the cytokine storm of COVID-19. The Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines of New Coronavirus Pneumonia (7^th Edition) includes tocilizumab as a recommended drug for immunotherapy in severe and critical COVID-19 patients. However, the specific clinical efficacy of tocilizumab in the treatment of COVID-19 patients is worth studying.

AIM

To determine the clinical efficacy of tocilizumab in inhibiting the cytokine storm in COVID-19.

METHODS

In total, 19 severe and critical COVID-19 patients were enrolled in this study, and were treated with tocilizumab in Optical Valley Campus of Hubei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from February 20 to March 31, 2020. The imaging manifestations and clinical data before and after treatment were analyzed retrospectively, including routine peripheral venous blood tests, routine blood biochemical tests, coagulation test, C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, and arterial blood gas analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 19 patients in this group, 13 (68.4%) had significantly improved symptoms of COVID-19 (5 patients were discharged directly and 8 patients were transferred after improvement) following treatment. One case was invalid, 1 case was exacerbated, and 4 deaths (21.1%) were observed (all critical cases). The lymphocyte count, CRP, lactic acid, oxygenation index, fibrinogen (FIB) and IL-6 levels were significantly different in the improved group.

CONCLUSION

Tocilizumab treatment is effective against IL-6 in COVID-19 patients, but it does not completely inhibit the inflammation and cytokine storm in all patients with COVID-19.In the clinical treatment of COVID-19 patients, attention should be paid to the timing of drug administration and other adjuvant treatments.

Portal gas in neonates; is it always surgical? A case report

BACKGROUND

Hepatic portal venous gas in infants is frequently due to late presentation of necrotizing enterocolitis which is considered a relative indicator for surgical intervention.

CASE SUMMARY

A preterm baby underwent an umbilical catheter placement and discovered in abdominal radiograph to have air in the portal venous system due to malpositioning of the umbilical catheter.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic portal venous gas in infants without signs of necrotizing enterocolitis could result from malposition of umbilical venous catheter, and in that case, should be managed medically, with no need for surgical intervention.

Traumatic neuroma of remnant cystic duct mimicking duodenal subepithelial tumor: A case report

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal subepithelial tumors (GSTs), incidentally detected during upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, may be lesions derived from the GI wall or may be caused by compression from external organs. In general, traumatic neuroma is a benign nerve tumor that results from postoperative nerve injury, occurring in the bile duct as one of the complications after cholecystectomy. This is the first case report demonstrating that neuroma of the cystic duct can be incorrectly perceived as a duodenal subepithelial tumor by compressing the duodenal wall.

CASE SUMMARY

We report the case of a 72-year-old man with traumatic neuroma of the cystic duct after cholecystectomy. This tumor was mistaken for a duodenal subepithelial tumor on preoperative upper GI endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography due to external compression of the GI wall. The patient had no symptoms, and his laboratory test results were normal. However, in a series of follow-up endoscopies, the tumor was found to have grown in size, so it was surgically resected. The lesion was completely removed by laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 7 without complications.

CONCLUSION

Traumatic neuroma of the cystic duct can be mistaken for GSTs in GI endoscopy.

Autoimmune hepatitis in a patient with immunoglobulin A nephropathy: A case report

BACKGROUND

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most commonly encountered glomerular disease in Asian countries. It has a broad clinical presentation, and it is frequently associated with other conditions. Chronic liver disease is well recognized as the leading cause of secondary IgAN. However, cases of IgAN associated with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have seldom been reported.

CASE SUMMARY

A 63-year-old Korean woman was admitted to Pusan National University Hospital for an evaluation of abdominal pain and elevated liver enzymes. Two weeks prior, she had presented to our hospital with proteinuria of approximately 1350 mg/d and hematuria and was diagnosed with IgAN. Autoimmune profiles were highly positive for antinuclear antibodies, and symptoms related to portal hypertension including ascites and peripheral edema were present. A diagnosis of AIH was made according to the simplified scoring system of the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group. Despite immunosuppression with prednisolone and azathioprine, rapid deterioration of liver function led to end-stage liver disease. After a living-donor liver transplantation, liver function gradually improved, and she had maintained stable liver and kidney function at the six months follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Cases of secondary IgAN with chronic liver disease have been frequently reported in the literature but are rarely associated with AIH. We encountered an IgAN patient with concurrent progressive liver failure due to AIH.

Diagnosis and treatment of an elderly patient with 2019-nCoV pneumonia and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Gansu Province: A case report

BACKGROUND

In December 2019, the first patient with 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was reported in Wuhan, China, and the disease spread rapidly across the country and surrounding countries within 2 mo. As of February 29, 2020, a total of 91 confirmed cases had been reported in Gansu Province. This case report of the diagnosis and treatment of an elderly patient with 2019-nCoV pneumonia complicated by acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Gansu Province aims to provide a better reference for the treatment of patients in the future.

CASE SUMMARY

The patient, a 94-year-old female, lived in Maiji District of Tianshui, Gansu Province, China. On January 30, 2020, she was admitted to the Fourth People’s Hospital of Tianshui after 9 d of close contact with a patient with 2019-nCoV pneumonia. She was subsequently admitted to Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine for isolation and transferred to Tianshui Gansu Provincial Hospital of Infectious Diseases on February 3, 2020 for treatment. Upon initial examination, her body temperature was 36.7 °C , pulse was 80, breathing was 20, and blood pressure was 130/80 mmHg. She was conscious with normal development and normal nutrition. The pharynx was not red, and bilateral tonsils were not red and swollen. The lungs sounded slightly coarse with no dry or wet rales. The first symptoms were cough and fatigue on 2 February. The patient was hospitalized for 12 d. After active treatment, she was discharged on February 14 with a good prognosis.

CONCLUSION

A history of exposure to the affected area or patient is a major cause of 2019-nCoV infection, and population clustering is a high risk factor for transmission. Patients may not necessarily have respiratory system symptoms as the only clinical manifestation but may also have concomitant or first onset digestive symptoms. Attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Nucleic acid testing is extremely important and needs to be repeated several times. Laboratory and auxiliary examination indicators during the first week of admission are extremely important. It is feasible to carry out dynamic and continuous index monitoring, which can predict and guide the prevention and treatment of multiple organ dysfunction and the prognosis of the disease.

Novel deletion mutation in Bruton’s tyrosine kinase results in X-linked agammaglobulinemia: A case report

BACKGROUND

X-linked agammaglobulinemia is a primary immunodeficiency disease caused by gene mutations of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). We found a new mutation point and summarized the correlation analysis and performed a literature review.

CASE SUMMARY

The proband was a 5-year-old boy. He was admitted to our hospital due to a recurrent cough and a fever that had persisted for a month. He had a history of multiple respiratory infections and sinusitis. There was no immunodeficiency or recurrent infection history among his family members. Agammaglobulinemia was characterized as follows: Immunoglobulin (Ig) A, 90.0 mg/dL (90-450 mg/dL); IgG, 20.0 mg/dL (800-1800 mg/dL); and IgM, 18.0 mg/dL (60-280 mg/dL). Notably, the assessment of IgG subtypes revealed the following very low levels: Subtype 1, 0.26 g/L (3.62-12.28 g/L); subtype 2, 0.10 g/L (0.57-2.9 g/L); subtype 3, 0.009 g/L (0.129-0.789 g/L); and subtype 4, 0.003 g/L (0.013-1.446 g/L). Cellular immunological test results were as follows: CD3, 74.6% (50%-84.0%); CD4, 47.3% (27.0%-51.0%); and CD8, 24.9% (15.0%-44.0%). A de novo hemizygous deletion in BTK was detected: c.902_c.904delAAG/p.E301del. Transcript levels of the mutant BTK were similar to those of the wild-type gene, though overexpression resulted in markedly reduced levels of mutant BTK (9.49% ± 1.58%), relative to the wild-type BTK (75.8% ± 2.98%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

This case of X-linked agammaglobulinemia was attributed to a de novo hemizygous deletion mutation in BTK (c.902_c.904delAAG/p.E301del). The mutation resulted in markedly reduced BTK protein stability in vitro.

Radioactive 125I seed implantation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer: A retrospective analysis of 50 cases

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer is one of the common malignant tumors of the digestive system, and radical resection is the first choice of treatment for pancreatic cancer. If patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer cannot be treated in time and effectively, their disease often develops rapidly and their survival period is very short.

AIM

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of ¹²⁵I seed implantation in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

The demographics and perioperative outcomes of a consecutive series of patients who underwent ¹²⁵I seed implantation to treat locally advanced pancreatic cancer between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the results of preoperative computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, the treatment planning system was used to determine the area and number of ¹²⁵I seeds implanted. During the operation, ¹²⁵I seeds were implanted into the tumor under the guidance of intraoperative ultrasound, with a spacing of 1.5 cm and a row spacing of 1.5 cm. For patients with obstructive jaundice and digestive tract obstruction, choledochojejunostomy and gastroenterostomy were performed simultaneously. After operation, the patients were divided into a non-chemotherapy group and a chemotherapy group that received gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel treatment.

RESULTS

Among the 50 patients, there were 29 males and 21 females, with a mean age of 56.9 ± 9.8 years. The main reason for the failure of radical resection was superior mesenteric artery invasion (37, 74%), followed by superior mesenteric vein invasion (33, 66%). Twenty-one (62%) patients underwent palliative surgery and postoperative pain relief occurred in 40 (80%) patients. The estimated blood loss in operation was 107.4 ± 115.3 mL and none of the patient received blood transfusion. The postoperative hospital stay was 7.5 ± 4.2 d; one patient had biliary fistula and three had pancreatic fistula, all of whom recovered after conservative treatment. After operation, 26 patients received chemotherapy and 24 did not. The 1-year survival rate was significantly higher in patients who received chemotherapy than in those who did not (60.7% vs 35.9%, P = 0.034). The mean overall survival of patients of the chemotherapy group and non-chemotherapy group was 14 and 11 mo, respectively (χ² = 3.970, P = 0.046).

CONCLUSION

Radioactive ¹²⁵I seed implantation combined with postoperative chemotherapy can prolong the survival time, relieve pain, and improve the quality of life of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Multidisciplinary treatment of life-threatening hemoptysis and paraplegia of choriocarcinoma with pulmonary, hepatic and spinal metastases: A case report

BACKGROUND

Although choriocarcinoma is thought to be a malignancy curable by chemotherapy, there remain difficult and challenging problems in cases with high prognostic scores or extensive metastases, for which the treatment is limited. Particularly, chemotherapy in combination with other treatments offers promising therapeutic potential for these cases.

CASE SUMMARY

We present the case of a 40-year-old female patient who suffered from life-threatening hemoptysis and paraplegia due to choriocarcinoma with pulmonary, hepatic and spinal metastases. The patient successfully recovered after multidisciplinary treatment consisting of 21 cycles of intravenous chemotherapy, radiofrequency ablation of multiple hepatic metastases, intensity-modulated radiation therapy for spinal metastases and routine physiotherapy. To our knowledge, it is the first reported case of recovery from pulmonary, hepatic and spinal metastases of choriocarcinoma with no specific primary site. Moreover, this is the first reported clinical attempt on 5-d actinomycin D as primary chemotherapy in ultrahigh-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.

CONCLUSION

The case supports the opinion that the individualized treatment of choriocarcinoma by a multidisciplinary approach can accomplish optimal therapeutic effects.

Active surveillance in metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A 20-year single-institutional experience

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are heterogeneous and indolent; systemic therapy is not essential for every patient with metastatic PanNET. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines state that delaying treatment is an option for PanNET with distant metastasis, if the patient has stable disease. However, specific factors that influence surveillance were not mentioned. In addition, data regarding the period of active surveillance in patients with metastatic PanNET are lacking.

AIM

To specifically determine factors influencing active surveillance in patients with liver metastatic nonfunctioning PanNETs (NF-PanNETs).

METHODS

Seventy-six patients with liver metastatic NF-PanNETs who received active surveillance from a high-volume institution were enrolled. Time to disease progression (TTP) and time to initiation of systemic therapy were determined.

RESULTS

Thirty-one (40.8%) patients had recurrent liver disease after R0 resection; 45 (59.2%) were diagnosed with liver metastasis. The median follow-up period was 42 mo and 90.7% patients were observed to have disease progression. The median TTP (mTTP) was 10 mo. Multivariate analysis showed that the largest axis of the liver metastasis > 5 mm (P = 0.04), non-resection of the primary tumor (P = 0.024), and T3-4 stage (P = 0.028) were associated with a shorter TTP. The mTTP in patients with no risk factors was 24 mo, which was significantly longer than that in patients with one (10 mo) or more (6 mo) risk factors (P < 0.001). A nomogram with three risk factors showed reasonable calibration, with a C-index of 0.603 (95% confidence interval: 0.47-0.74).

CONCLUSION

Active surveillance may only be safe for metastatic NF-PanNET patients with favorable risk factors, and other patients progressed rapidly without treatment. Further studies with a larger sample size and a control group are needed.

Gender medicine: Lessons from COVID-19 and other medical conditions for designing health policy

Gender-specific differences in the prevalence, incidence, comorbidities, prognosis, severity, risk factors, drug-related aspects and outcomes of various medical conditions are well documented. We present a literature review on the extent to which research in this field has developed over the years, and reveal gaps in gender-sensitive awareness between the clinical portrayal and the translation into gender-specific treatment regimens, guidelines and into gender-oriented preventive strategies and health policies. Subsequently, through the lens of gender, we describe these domains in detail for four selected medical conditions: Asthma, obesity and overweight, chronic kidney disease and coronavirus disease 2019. As some of the key gender differences become more apparent during adolescence, we focus on this developmental stage. Finally, we propose a model which is based on three influential issues: (1) Investigating gender-specific medical profiles of related health conditions, rather than a single disease; (2) The dynamics of gender disparities across developmental stages; and (3) An integrative approach which takes into account additional risk factors (ethnicity, socio-demographic variables, minorities, lifestyle habits etc.). Increasing the awareness of gender-specific medicine in daily practice and in tailored guidelines, already among adolescents, may reduce inequities, facilitate the prediction of future trends and properly address the characteristics and needs of certain subpopulations within each gender.

Majocchi's granuloma caused by Trichophyton rubrum after facial injection with hyaluronic acid: A case report

BACKGROUND

Facial cosmetic procedures become popular for people with a desire to have a younger appearance, and cosmetic technology has developed rapidly over the past several decades. However, increasing complications related to cosmetic injections have been reported, and infection is one of the most serious problems and can cause anxiety and facial injury. We here report a case of Majocchi's granuloma (MG) caused by Trichophyton rubrum after facial injection of hyaluronic acid.

CASE SUMMARY

A 37-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a history of red papules, nodules, and abscesses on her left zygomatic arch for 2 mo. She had received a cosmetic injection of hyaluronic acid on the left side of her face prior to the appearance of the lesions. MG caused by Trichophyton rubrum after facial injection of hyaluronic acid was diagnosed based on morphology and molecular biological identification. In vitro antifungal susceptibility testing was conducted according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M38-A2 method. Minimal inhibitory concentrations were used to evaluate the antifungal susceptibility. The antifungal agents and their minimal inhibitory concentrations for the strain were terbinafine (< 0.5 μg/mL), itraconazole (0.06 μg/mL), amphotericin B (0.25 μg/mL), fluconazole (32 μg/mL), voriconazole (0.125 μg/mL), posaconazole (0.125 μg/mL), and isavuconazole (0.06 μg/mL). We initially administered 250 mg/d oral terbinafine for 2 mo, but the patient still had painful papules, nodules and abscesses on her face. Then, we adjusted the treatment to itraconazole 400 mg/d for 8 wk based on the in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing results. The skin lesions improved significantly, and there was no recurrence during follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This case revealed that facial injection of hyaluronic acid may cause serious MG. Antifungal susceptibility testing should be considered in the treatment of MG caused by Trichophyton rubrum.

Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate dependent Rac exchange factor 1 is a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate dependent Rac exchange factor 1 (P-Rex1) was reported to be a risk factor in several cancers, including breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma, but its expression and role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not yet been fully studied.

AIM

To explore the expression of P-Rex1 in HCC, and further evaluate its potential application in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC, especially in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related patients.

METHODS

P-Rex1 expression in HCC was evaluated by real-time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of P-Rex1 was subjected to correlation analysis with clinical features, such as lymph node invasion, distant metastasis, HBV infection, patient's age and gender. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to examine the potential role of P-Rex1 as a diagnostic biomarker in HCC. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine the association between P-Rex1 expression and overall survival, progression-free survival and relapse-free survival. Bioinformatic analysis was used to validate the clinical findings.

RESULTS

P-Rex1 expression was significantly increased in HCC tumors than adjacent tissues. The expression of P-Rex1 was higher in HCC patients with lymph node invasion, distant metastasis, HBV infection and positive alpha-fetoprotein, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that P-Rex1 was a diagnostic biomarker with a higher area under the curve value, especially in patients with HBV infection. Survival analysis showed that patients with higher P-Rex1 expression had a favorable survival rate, even in early-stage patients.

CONCLUSION

P-Rex1 expression was highly increased in HCC, and the expression level of P-Rex1 was positively correlated with tumor progression. P-Rex1 has a higher efficiency in the diagnosis of HBV-related HCC, and could also be used as a favorable prognostic factor for HCC patients.

Shear wave elastography may be sensitive and more precise than transient elastography in predicting significant fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Noninvasive measurements including transient elastography (TE) and two-dimensional shear wave elastography (SWE) have been used clinically instead of liver biopsy for regular assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

AIM

To investigate the diagnostic efficiency of SWE compared to TE by assessing independent influencing factors and performance for diagnosing significant fibrosis based on our cohort of treatment-naive CHB patients.

METHODS

Fifty-four treatment-naive CHB patients who underwent liver biopsy to determine whether to initiate antiviral therapy were enrolled. SWE, TE, serum tests and liver biopsy were performed for all participants. The fibrosis-4 and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index scores were also calculated. Potential independent influencing factors on SWE and TE values were analyzed. Based on liver pathology results, the agreement and correlation were determined, and a comparison of the two methods was performed.

RESULTS

There were 27 cases (50%) of mild fibrosis (F0-F2) and 27 (50%) cases of significant fibrosis (F3-F6); fibrosis was assessed with the Ishak scoring system. Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that the fibrosis stage was the only factor that affected the SWE values (P < 0.001), whereas the total bilirubin level (P = 0.013) and fibrosis stage (P = 0.037) were independent factors that affected TE values. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis showed that the number of independent factors (VIP > 1) was higher for TE than SWE. Bland-Altman analysis showed satisfactory agreement between liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) of SWE and TE. Both SWE and TE could significantly discriminate significant fibrosis from mild fibrosis (P < 0.001). SWE exhibited a higher correlation with LSMs of liver fibrosis than TE (r = 0.65 and 0.50, P < 0.001). The diagnostic performance of SWE was better than that of TE for significant fibrosis (F > 2). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of SWE and TE were 0.786 and 0.714, respectively. The optimal LSM cutoff values of SWE and TE were 9.05 kPa and 8.15 kPa, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Compared to the TE value, the SWE value was less affected by other factors. SWE may be more sensitive and precise than TE in predicting significant fibrosis (> F2) in CHB patients.

Autoimmunity as the comet tail of COVID-19 pandemic

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can give rise to different clinical manifestations that are directly related to viral tissue damage or indirectly induced by the antiviral immune response. Hyper-activation of the immune system in an attempt to eradicate the infection may trigger autoimmunity. Several immune-mediated disorders have been described in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals. These include cutaneous rashes and vasculitis, autoimmune cytopenia, anti-phospholipid syndrome, central or peripheral neuropathy, myositis and myocarditis. On the other hand, rheumatic patients were reported to have similar coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence, morbidity and mortality rates compared to general population. This opinion review will summarize the crucial immunologic steps which occur during SARS-CoV-2-infection that may link autoimmunity to COVID-19 and provides an opportunity for further discussion regarding this association.

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in the follow up of neuroendocrine neoplasms of appendix

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine tumors of appendix (ANETs) known as carcinoids, are rare endocrine neoplasms originated from enterochromaffin cells of gastrointestinal tract. ANETs are the third most frequent (16.7%) gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors, with the incidence of 0.08-0.2 cases/100000 during one year. Incidental ANETs occur in 0.2%-0.7% of emergency surgical resections because of suspected appendicitis which is usually the first manifestation of ANET. Although there are a lot of papers about application of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors, there are very rare sporadic cases described about ANETs particularly.

AIM

To establish the role of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) in the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors of appendix (ANET).

METHODS

The total of 35 patients was investigated, 23 females and 12 males, average age (43.7 ± 17.3 years). All patients had histological diagnosis of ANET (34 carcinoids of appendix and one tubular carcinoid). Majority of tumors have been found incidentally during surgery of: Acute appendicitis (n = 15), perforated appendicitis (n = 2), ileus (n = 3), hysterectomy (n = 3), ruptured ovarian cyst (n = 2), caecal volvulus (n = 1), while 9 patients had diagnosis of appendiceal tumor before the surgery. Seventeen patients had tumor grade (G) G1, 12 G2 and 6 G3. The right hemicolectomy was performed in 13, while the rest of the patients had appendectomy only. SRS was done early (2 h) and late (24 h) after i.v. application of 740 MBq technetium-99m ethylenediamine-N, N'-diacetic acid Hydrazinonicotinyl-Tyr3-Octreotide (technetium-99m-Tektrotyd, Polatom, Poland). SRS was performed for restaging in all the patients after surgery.

RESULTS

There were 12 true positive (TP), 19 true negative, 3 false positive and 1 false negative SRS result. Sensitivity of the method was 92.31%, specificity was 86.36%, positive predictive value was 80.00%, negative predictive value was 95.00% and accuracy 88.57%. Receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that SRS scintigraphy is a good test for detection TP cases [area under the curve of 0.850, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.710-0.990, P < 001]. Single photon emission computed tomography contributed diagnosis in 7 TP findings. In 10 patients Krenning score was 4 and in 2 was 3. In 8 patients SRS significantly changed the management of the patients (in two surgery was repeated, in 4 somatostatin analogues and in two peptide receptor radionuclide therapy). Median progression-free survival in SRS positive patients was 52 months (95%CI: 39.7-117.3 mo) while in SRS negative patients it was 60 months (95%CI: 42.8-77.1 mo), without statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.434).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our results confirmed the value of SRS in the follow-up of the patients with ANET after surgery, if recurrences or metastases are suspected.

Cauda equina arachnoiditis – a rare manifestation of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease: A case report

BACKGROUND

Data regarding the neuroradiology features of the West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease (WNV NID) is rather scarce. To contribute to the knowledge of the WNV NID, we present a patient with a combination of encephalitis and acute flaccid paresis, with cauda equina arachnoiditis as the main magnetic resonance (MR) finding.

CASE SUMMARY

A 72-year-old female patient was admitted due to fever, headache and gait instability. During the first several days she developed somnolence, aphasia, urinary incontinence, constipation, and asymmetric lower extremities weakness. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis indicated encephalitis. Native brain computed tomography and MR were unremarkable, while spinal MR demonstrated cauda equina enhancement without cord lesions. Virology testing revealed WNV IgM and IgG antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, which confirmed acute WNV NID. The treatment was supportive. After two months only a slight improvement was noticed but cognitive impairment, loss of sphincter control and asymmetric inferior extremities weakness remained. The patient died after a month on chronic rehabilitation.

CONCLUSION

Cauda equina arachnoiditis is a rare, but possible neuroradiological feature in acute flaccid paresis form of WNV NID.

Diagnostic value of ultrasound in the spontaneous rupture of renal angiomyolipoma during pregnancy: A case report

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of renal angiomyolipoma (RAML) is a life-threatening clinical emergency. When it occurs during pregnancy, it is compared to a “bomb explosion,” which makes the diagnosis and treatment more challenging. An ultrasound examination is a quick and safe examination with the benefit of no radiation exposure, which is always preferred for pregnant women. Currently, cases of spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of RAML during pregnancy are rare, as is the diagnostic value and characteristics of ultrasound. The lack of understanding of the condition among ultrasound doctors makes it prone to misdiagnosis. In this study, we present the case of a pregnant woman who was preliminarily diagnosed with spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of the left RAML using ultrasound and discuss the ultrasound characteristics.

CASE SUMMARY

A 38-year-old woman in her 19^th wk of pregnancy (G2P1) was referred to our clinic for a sudden, persistent pain on the left side of the waist. She had not undergone any previous related abdominal examination. Ultrasound of the urinary system revealed a giant nonhomogenous lump in the left kidney area. The diagnosis was considered spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of the left RAML in pregnancy via ultrasound. Her left-side waist pain continued to be intense. Subsequently, she underwent computed tomography, which led to the same diagnosis. Based on many factors, the patient underwent left nephrectomy after the induction of labor. The pathological result was the rupture and hemorrhage of a vascular leiomyoma lipoma.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound examination plays an important role in the diagnosis of the spontaneous rupture and hemorrhage of RAML during pregnancy.

Emergency surgery in COVID-19 outbreak: Has anything changed? Single center experience

BACKGROUND

The current coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic is changing the organization of health care and has had a direct impact on the management of surgical patients.At the General Surgery Department of Sant’Anna University Hospital in Ferrara, Italy, surgical activities were progressively reduced during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. During this period, only one operating room was available for elective cancer surgeries and another for emergency surgeries. Moreover, the number of beds for surgical patients had to be reduced to provide beds and personnel for the new COVID-19 wards.

AIM

To compare 2 different period (from March 9 to April 9 2019 and from March 9 to April 9 2020), searching differences in terms of number and type of interventions in emergency surgery of a main University Hospital in Ferrara, a city in Emilia Romagna region, North of Italy.

METHODS

This retrospective study was carried out at the General Surgery Department of Sant’Anna University Hospital in Ferrara, Italy. We examined the number of emergency surgeries performed and patient outcomes during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy and subsequent total lockdown. We then drew a comparison with the number of surgeries performed and their outcomes during the same period in 2019. The study examined all adult patients who underwent emergency surgery from March 9 to April 9, 2019 (n = 46), and those who underwent surgery during the first month of the lockdown, from March 9 to April 9, 2020 (n = 27). Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification scores and types of surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 27 patients underwent emergency surgery at Sant’Anna University Hospital in Ferrara during the first month of the lockdown. This represents a 41.3% reduction in the number of patients who were hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery compared to the same period in 2019. The complication rate during the pandemic period was substantially higher than it was during the analogous period in 2019: 15 out of 27 cases from March 9 to April 9, 2020 (55) vs 17 out of 46 cases from March 9 to April 9, 2019 (36.9). Of the 27 patients who underwent emergency surgery during the pandemic, 10 were screened for COVID-19 using both thorax high resolution computerized tomography and a naso-pharyngeal swab, while 9 only underwent thorax high resolution computerized tomography. Only 1 patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and died following surgery.

CONCLUSION

There was a significant reduction in emergency surgeries at our center during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is plausible that there were analogous reductions at other centers across Italy.

Comparison of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel and FOLFIRINOX in metastatic pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GA) and modified FOLFIRINOX (FFX) have been widely used as standard first-line treatment in pancreatic cancer. However, it is unclear which regimen is more efficacious.

AIM

To evaluate a retrospective analysis comparing the efficacy and safety of FFX and GA as first-line chemotherapeutic regimens in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed and compared outcomes in 101 patients who presented with pancreatic cancer and were treated with either GA (n = 54) or FFX (n = 47). Moreover, we performed subgroup analysis based on the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between two groups in baseline characteristics, except for the ECOG performance status. The median progression-free survival (PFS) (6.43 mo vs 4.90 mo, P = 0.058) was comparable between two groups; however, median overall survival (OS) (10.17 mo vs 6.93 mo, P = 0.008) was longer in patients who received GA regimen. In patients with ECOG 0 (PFS: 8.93 mo vs 5.43 mo, P = 0.002; OS: 16.10 mo vs 6.97 mo, P = 0.000) and those with NLR < 3 (PFS: 8.10 mo vs 6.57 mo, P = 0.008; OS: 12.87 mo vs 9.93 mo, P = 0.002), GA regimen showed higher efficacy.

CONCLUSION

GA regimen may be recommended to the patients with NLR < 3 or ECOG 0 status although GA and FFX showed comparable efficacy outcomes in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Lung adenocarcinoma harboring rare epidermal growth factor receptor L858R and V834L mutations treated with icotinib: A case report

BACKGROUND

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine-kinase inhibitors are widely used for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations. However, patients with rare, even compound EGFR mutations have different responses to EGFR-tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, which bring uncertainty to clinical treatment.

CASE SUMMARY

A 45-year-old female patient presented with a 3-mo history of cough and white sputum without chest pain. Chest computed tomography revealed lung space-occupying lesions and multiple lymphadenectasis. Bronchoscopy and pathology suggested lung adenocarcinoma. Compound variation of EGFR gene (exon 21 L858R/V834L) was detected in both tissue and circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid samples. As a result of next-generation sequencing and her family’s wishes, the patient was given oral treatment with icotinib hydrochloride (125 mg/d, tid) from March 21, 2019 and has achieved stable disease for the last 1 year.

CONCLUSION

Non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR L858R/V834L was treated successfully with icotinib, and it may be a new medication treatment option.

Disseminated osteomyelitis after urinary tract infection in immunocompetent adult: A case report

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections. Acute pyelonephritis or upper urinary tract infection is often accompanied by bacteremia; however, bacteremia resolves in most cases without complication. Rarely, complications due to bacteremia occur. One of these is osteomyelitis. It mainly affects the lumbar vertebral bodies, and rarely affects other site.

CASE SUMMARY

An 80-year-old woman presented to the hospital with a two-month history of pain in both legs. Two months ago, she was admitted to the hospital for fever, flank pain, and urinary frequency and was diagnosed with bacteremic UTI. During hospitalization, she complained of pain in both legs; however, the pain resolved shortly after, and no abnormalities were observed on physical examination. Therefore, she was placed on 2-wk antibiotic therapy for UTI without further evaluation for leg pain. However, pain recurred after discharge and persisted; therefore, an imaging test was performed. Bone scan and magnetic resonance imaging suggested osseous infection in both femurs, tibiae and patellae. Surgical treatment was performed, and tissue- and bone cultures revealed Escherichia coli, a previously observed pathogen, which demonstrated same antibiotic sensitivities, as noted in previous UTI. She was diagnosed with disseminated osteomyelitis, as a complication of UTI, and was placed on an 8-wk antibiotic therapy.

CONCLUSION

Indication for osteomyelitis should be high regardless of bone pain at sites other than lumbar spine after or during UTI.

Delayed perforation after endoscopic resection of a colonic laterally spreading tumor: A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) have been widely used for the treatment of early gastrointestinal cancer. Endoscopic piecemeal mucosal resection (EPMR) is derived from the combination of EMR and ESD. Delayed perforation with peritonitis after colonic EPMR is a rare but severe complication, sometimes requiring surgery. There are some associated risk factors, including patient- (location, diameter, and presence of fibrosis) and procedure-related factors. Early recognition and timely treatment are crucial for its management.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a case in which delayed perforation with peritonitis was treated using endoscopic closure. A 54-year-old man was diagnosed with a 30-mm-diameter laterally spreading tumor in the colonic hepatic curvature. Fifteen hours after endoscopic resection, peritonitis caused by delayed perforation occurred and gradually aggravated. Conservative treatment was ineffective and no obvious perforation was observed. After timely endoscopic closure, the patient was discharged on postoperative day 4.

CONCLUSION

In occasion of localized peritonitis aggravating without macroscopic perforation, endoscopic closure is an effective treatment for delayed perforation with stable vital signs in the early stage.

First branchial cleft cyst accompanied by external auditory canal atresia and middle ear malformation: A case report

BACKGROUND

We report a rare case of first branchial cleft anomaly (FBCA) accompanied by bony atresia of the external auditory canal, middle ear malformation, and location malformation of the facial nerve according to the intraoperative findings.

CASE SUMMARY

A 19-year-old male patient presented to our department with a mass behind the right earlobe and recurrent postauricular swelling and pain since childhood, he also had severe hearing loss in the right ear since birth. The patient underwent surgery including mass removal, mastoidectomy, and simultaneous meatoplasty and ossiculoplasty under microscopy. No facial palsy or recurrence was noted during postoperative follow-up.

CONCLUSION

FBCAs are rare, and to our knowledge, this is the first report of FBCA accompanied by external auditory canal bony atresia, middle ear malformation, and location malformation of the facial nerve. An effective postauricular approach under microscopy facilitated complete lesion removal and simultaneous otologic reconstruction.

Novel computerized psychometric tests as primary screening tools for the diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a critical neurocognitive complication of decompensated liver cirrhosis and portosystemic shunting, which results in a wide range of cognitive deficits including impairments in working attention, psychomotor speed, and executive function. Current guidelines have recommended paper-and-pencil psychometric tests for the diagnosis of MHE. Most high-risk cirrhotic patients are required to be examined; however, paper-and-pencil psychometric tests are neither convenient nor rapid to perform in the clinic. Recently, novel computerized psychometric tests, including the inhibitory control test, EncephalApp Stroop App, and critical flicker frequency, have been proven to be rapid, effective, and convenient methods for screening MHE in clinical practice and for identifying high-risk cirrhotic patients for further validation using rigid neuropsychometric examinations. However, diagnostic accuracy of these tests is influenced by educational background, age, and cultural differences. This review summarizes clinical evidence of the application of novel computerized psychometric tests for screening MHE.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis with airway mucosa involvement: A case report

BACKGROUND

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a severe cutaneous adverse reaction characterized by sterile pustules on erythematous skin associated with fever and leukocytosis. The annual incidence of AGEP is estimated to be 1-5 cases per million. Cases of AGEP with oral mucosa involvement have been reported. However, reports of AGEP involving airway mucosa are limited.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a 42-year-old woman with serious AGEP involving the airway mucosa. The patient initially developed fever and a small rash on her forehead and face. Over the next 2 d, she developed a diffuse, pustular rash over her trunk and legs. In addition, she complained of a cough with white foam-like sputum, chest tightness and dyspnea. Four days later, due to dyspnea, her mental status started to gradually deteriorate. She became more and more drowsy. Biopsies of the skin and airway mucosa suggested the diagnosis of AGEP. According to the European study of severe cutaneous adverse reactions group’s scoring system, the patient scored +6 indicating a probable diagnosis of AGEP. She received intravenous methylprednisolone 120 mg/12 h for 3 d, and was eventually discharged in good condition. This patient had already experienced respiratory failure and airway mucosa involvement on admission; however, the clinicians had an insufficient understanding of AGEP. Glucocorticoid was administered for more than 10 d following onset of the disease, and her overall prognosis was satisfactory.

CONCLUSION

This case represents a rare clinical feature of AGEP and an important finding for clinicians.

Long-term medical treatment of patients with severe burns at exposed sites

BACKGROUND

Body parts such as the face and hands are highly exposed during daily life and burns may accumulate in these areas. In addition, residual wounds, scar hyperplasia and contracture often exist in the late stage of a deep burn in these areas, which may affect patients’ appearance, movements, and mental health. However, inadequate attention has been paid to this issue which can result in problems, such as difficulty in healing, possibility of carcinoma, chronic pain and a heavy mental burden.

AIM

To investigate the long-term medical treatment of patients with severe burns at exposed sites following a mass burn casualty event.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 13 patients with severe burns at exposed sites was performed to determine their respective long-term medical treatment. A combined wound dressing scheme consisting of traditional Chinese and Western medicine was introduced to repair residual wounds. Active and passive functional exercises with massage, Chinese herbal baths and compression fixation were proposed to ameliorate the condition of the hands. A combination of physical, chemical and photoelectrical measures was adopted for anti-scar treatment. A psychological intervention and recovery guide was provided which corresponded to the patients’ psychological status.

RESULTS

Compared to patients who did not simultaneously receive the same treatment, patients who underwent systematic treatment recovered with a lower wound infection rate (P < 0.05), a shorter healing time (13.6 ± 3.2 d) compared with (19.1 ± 3.5 d) and more bearable pain during wound dressing at three days, one week and two weeks after a Chinese herbal bath (P < 0.05). Satisfactory results were achieved with regard to restored function of patients’ joints and blood supply to nerve endings, closure of the eyelids and the size of mouth opening tended to be normal, and only 7.1% of patients were diagnosed with severe scar hyperplasia and contracture deformity compared with 30.7% in the control group. In addition, the color, thickness, vascular distribution and softness score of the scars improved (P < 0.01), and the effects of the psychological intervention was remarkable as shown by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale.

CONCLUSION

A better prognosis can be achieved in patients in the late stage of a burn with active residual wound repair, limb functional exercise, anti-scar and psychological rehabilitation.

Intestinal obstruction in pregnancy with reverse rotation of the midgut: A case report

BACKGROUND

Reverse rotation of the midgut is a rare type of intestinal malrotation. Volvulus of the right colon or entire midgut, stenosis of the transverse colon and obstruction of the duodenojejunal junction are common complications of reverse rotation. In this study, we report the first case of intestinal obstruction associated with reverse rotation in pregnancy.

CASE SUMMARY

A 31-year-old woman at 36⁺² wk gestation presented to the emergency department with progressive abdominal cramping, nausea and bilious vomiting. Abdominal ultrasound scanning showed dilatation of the bowel. Computed tomography scanning revealed features of reverse rotation of the midgut with intestinal volvulus. After consultation with the obstetrician, the pregnancy was terminated and exploratory abdominal surgery was performed. Intra-operatively, it was found that the mesentery of the colon and small intestine was insufficiently attached. The right colon and the small intestinal mesentery was twisted, and intestinal necrosis was observed. The duodenum and duodenojejunal junction were curved in front of the transverse colon, and the transverse colon passed through the tunnel behind the mesenteric root. Intestinal reverse rotation with volvulus was confirmed. The ‌necrotic intestine was resected and small intestine mesenteric reconstruction was performed. The patient recovered after surgery. After leaving the hospital, the patient and her daughter remained well during an 8-month follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

We report the diagnosis, treatment and etiology of a pregnant patient with intestinal obstruction due to reverse rotation of the midgut. For similar cases, appropriate diagnosis and treatment should be carried out according to the condition of the fetus and pregnant woman.

Multifocal neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia accompanied by tumorlet formation and pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary tumorlets are nodular hyperplastic neuroendocrine cells (NECs) that extend beyond the basement membrane. They often coexist with other lung diseases such as fibrosis and bronchiectasis, but rarely accompanied by pulmonary sclerosing pneumocytoma (PSP), which has not been reported in the literature.

CASE SUMMARY

A 54-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because she had symptoms of bloody sputum for more than 4 mo and hemoptysis for 1 wk. Computed tomography images showed atrophy accompanied by infections in the middle lobe of her right lung. Moreover, numerous nodules were identified in the middle lobe of the right lung. The patient underwent thoracoscopic pneumonectomy of the middle lobe of the right lung, and the resected mass was pathologically confirmed to have bronchiectasis, multifocal NEC hyperplasia accompanied by tumorlet, and PSP.

CONCLUSION

Our report presents a rare clinical case of bronchiectasis complicated with multifocal NEC hyperplasia, tumorlet, and PSP.

Spontaneous multivessel coronary artery spasm diagnosed with intravascular ultrasound imaging: A case report

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery spasm is a major cause of myocardial ischemia. Although coronary artery spasm has been known for a long time, its mechanism has not yet been identified. Many clinicians, especially young clinicians pay less attention to coronary artery spasm, which may lead to some patients not being appropriately diagnosed and treated in time. We report a patient with spontaneous multivessel coronary artery spasm for more than 30 years diagnosed with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging.

CASE SUMMARY

A 66-year-old Chinese male patient had chest squeezing at rest for more than 30 years. He had a history of cigarette smoking for more than 40 years and hypertension for 10 years. Before presenting at our institution, the patient had undergone coronary angiography 4 times and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty procedures twice at other hospitals without a diagnosis of coronary artery spasm. However, his chest symptoms worsened. Spontaneous multivessel coronary artery spasm occurred during IVUS without provocation testing, and the IVUS image was recorded. Thus, the diagnosis of multifocal spontaneous coronary artery spasm was confirmed. The patient was placed on oral diltiazem, isosorbide mononitrate, and nicorandil to suppress coronary artery spasms. All medications were given at the maximum dosages tolerated by the patient. He was discharged after 5 d without complications. During the six-month follow-up period, the patient was symptom-free.

CONCLUSION

Coronary artery spasm is still prevalent in Eastern countries. It is essential for clinicians to be aware of coronary artery spasm, which may be hard to detect and can be lethal, in order to diagnose and treat patients appropriately.

Liver in the limelight in the corona (COVID-19) time

The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a topic of great interest currently in the medical field due to the significant morbidity and mortality associated with it. There is immense curiosity about this virus as knowledge about it is limited from pathogenesis, host related factors and the variable effect it has on different patient populations. Though it has claimed fame due to its ability to compromise the respiratory system, it possess the capability to infect other organs as well including the liver. It is important for clinicians to recognize that the virus can result in multi-organ dysfunction as well. Presentation with gastrointestinal symptoms and involvement of the liver can be subtle and can be misdiagnosed. Those with pre-existing liver disease may be more susceptible as well as those who are immunosuppressed or have other co-morbidities. This review article provides a brief overview of some of the information that is available so far with regards to how the liver is impacted by the coronavirus.

Factors affecting failed trial of labor and countermeasures: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Vaginal delivery is the ideal mode of delivery for the termination of a pregnancy. However, the cesarean section rate in China is much higher than the published by the World Health Organization in the Lancet in 2010.

AIM

To retrospectively analyze the factors related to failed trial of labor and the clinical indications for cesarean section conversion, explore how to promote the trial of labor success rate, and determine the feasibility of reducing the rate of conversion to cesarean section.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 9240 maternal women who met vaginal delivery conditions and required a trial of labor from January 2016 to December 2018 at our hospital. Among them, 8164 pregnant women who had a successful trial of labor were used as a control group, and 1076 pregnant women who had a failed trial of labor and converted to an emergency cesarean section were used as an observation group. The patients’ clinical data during hospitalization were collected for comparative analysis, the related factors of the failed trial of labor were discussed, and reasonable prevention and resolution strategies were proposed to increase the success rate of trial of labor.

RESULTS

The analysis revealed that advanced age (≥ 35 years old), macrosomia (≥ 4000 g), delayed pregnancy (≥ 41 wk), use of uterine contraction drugs, primipara, and fever during labor were associated with conversion to an emergency cesarean section in the failed trial of labor. Multivariate regression analysis showed that age, gestational age, primipara, use of uterine contraction drugs, fever during birth, and newborn weight led to a higher probability of conversion to an emergency cesarean section in the failed trial of labor. The analysis indicated that the following clinical indications were associated with the conversion to cesarean section in the failed trial of labor: Fetal distress (44.3%), social factors (12.8%), malpresentation (face presentation, persistent occipitoposterior position, and persistent occipitotransverse position) (9.4%), and cephalopelvic disproportion (8.9%).

CONCLUSION

The conversion to emergency cesarean section in failed trial of labor is affected by many factors. Medical staff should take appropriate preventive measures for the main factors, increase the trial of labor success rate, improve the quality of delivery, ensure the safety of mother and child during the perinatal period, and improve the relationship between doctors and patients.