The main aim of this article is to establish the actual prevalence of renal vein variations (circumaortic renal vein, retroaortic renal vein, double renal vein), and to increase awareness about them. ...To this purpose, we have performed a meta-analysis of prevalence, using the MetaXL package, We included 105 articles in the final analysis of prevalence, of which 88 contained data about retroaortic renal vein, 84 - about circumaortic renal vein, and 51 - about multiple renal veins. The overall prevalence for retroaortic renal vein was 3% (CI:2.4-3.6%), for circumaortic renal vein - 3.5% (CI:2.8-4.4%), and for multiple renal veins - 16.7% (14.3-19.2%), much higher on the right 16.6 (14.2-19.1%) than on the left side 2.1 (1.3-3.2%). The results were relatively homogenous between studies, with only a minor publication bias overall.
Myocardial bridging, a congenital abnormality in which a coronary artery tunnels through the myocardial fibres was usually considered a benign condition. Many studies suggested a potential ...hemodynamic significance of myocardial bridging and some, usually case reports, implied a possible correlation between it and various cardiovascular pathologies like acute myocardial infarction, ventricular rupture, life-threatening arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, apical ballooning syndrome or sudden death. The main objective of this article is to evaluate whether myocardial bridging may be associated with significant cardiac effects or if it is strictly a benign anatomical variation. To this purpose, we performed a meta-analysis (performed using the inverse variance heterogeneity model) and meta-regression, on scientific articles selected from three main databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed). The study included 21 articles. MB was associated with major adverse cardiac events - OR = 1.52 (1.01-2.30), and myocardial ischemia OR = 3.00 (1.02-8.82) but not with acute myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, ischemia identified using imaging techniques, or positive exercise stress testing. Overall, myocardial bridging may have significant cardiovascular consequences (MACE, myocardial ischemia). More studies are needed to reveal/refute a clear association with MI, sudden death or other cardiovascular pathologies.
Anatomic variations of the superficial temporal artery Rusu, Mugurel Constantin; Jianu, Adelina Maria; Rădoi, Petrinel Mugurel
Surgical and radiologic anatomy (English ed.),
03/2021, Letnik:
43, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The superficial temporal artery (STA) is a terminal branch of the external carotid artery. It is commonly described as coursing posterior to the mandibular condyle and over the posterior zygomatic ...root (PZR) and then dividing terminally into parietal and frontal branches. However, possible variations of the main trunk of the STA have seemingly been overlooked. This study retrospectively examined the archived head tomography angiograms of 43 patients to determine the morphology and topography of the STA prior to its terminal bifurcation. In 79% of patients, the STA topography related to the mandibular condyle was bilaterally symmetrical, either retrocondylar (65.1%) or laterocondylar (13.6%). The parietal branch was sometimes absent unilaterally (16.3%) or bilaterally (9.3%). In 2/43 cases, the frontal branch of the STA was unilaterally absent. When both terminal branches were present, the bifurcation was retrocondylar or immediately above the PZR when on the PZR, or the terminal division of the STA was high above the PZR. In 88.4% of the STAs, different patterns of kinking and coiling were documented, including retrocondylar kinks (27.9%), laterocondylar kinks (20.9%), kinks placed on the PZR (81.4%) and variably oriented suprazygomatic kinks (32.6%). Five of the 86 STAs were coiled, one retrocondylar, one laterocondylar, and three other placed on the PZR. Two cases showed unilateral pseudoaneurysms of the STA, one above the PZR and the other on the temporomandibular joint. The STA is surgically important; therefore, the number of anatomical studies of the STA should increase.
The external carotid artery (ECA) normally bifurcates terminally with the superficial temporal artery (STA) and the maxillary artery (MA). From the horizontally coursing, mandibular segment of the MA ...leaves the middle meningeal artery (MMA). We hereby report a previously unknown anatomic possibility, incidentally found during an angio-CT scan in an adult female patient. Unilaterally, the ECA was terminally trifurcated, sending off the MA, STA, and MMA. On that side, the mandibular segment of the MA had a gamma-loop and the contralateral one had a U-loop; both these loops were inferior to the lateral pterygoid muscle, closely approaching the respective lingula of the mandible. These findings are relevant during surgery of the parotid gland and infratemporal fossa, approaches of the MMA, and inferior alveolar nerve blocks. The modified origin of the MMA could be explained by an altered development of the primitive stapedial artery.
The Diversity of the Linguofacial Trunk Dumitru, Cătălin Constantin; Vrapciu, Alexandra Diana; Rusu, Mugurel Constantin
Medicina,
02/2024, Letnik:
60, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
: Typically, the external carotid artery (ECA) sends off separate anterior branches: the superior thyroid, lingual, and facial arteries. These could, however, form common trunks: thyrolinguofacial, ...linguofacial (LFT), or thyrolingual. Although known, the LFT variant was poorly detailed previously, and most authors just counted the variant. We aimed to demonstrate the individual anatomical possibilities of the LFT on a case-by-case basis.
: 150 archived angioCT files were used. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 147 files of 86 males and 61 females were kept for this study.
: In 34/147 cases, LFTs were found (23.12%). Bilateral LFTs were found in 13/34 cases (38.24%) and unilateral LFTs in 21/34 (61.76%) cases. Forty-seven LFTs were thus identified and further studied for different variables. Regarding the vertical topography of LFT origin, type 1a (suprahyoid and infragonial) was found in 28 LFTs (59.57%), type 1b (suprahyoid and gonial) was found in eight LFTs (17.02%), type 3 (suprahyoid and supragonial) was found in two LFTs (4.25%), type 2 (hyoid level of origin) in eight LFTs (17.02%), and type 3 (infrahyoid origin) in just one LFT (2.12%). Types of the initial course of the LFT were determined: type I, ascending, was found in 22/47 LFTs; type II, descending, in 12/47 LFTs; and type III, transverse, in 13/47 LFTs. Regarding the orientation of the first loop of the LFT, 23/47 LFTs had no loop, 4/47 had anterior loops, 1/47 had a posterior loop, 5/47 had superior loops, 5/47 had inferior loops, and 9/47 had medial loops. The position of the LFT relative to the ECA was classified as medial, anterior, or antero-medial. An amount of 12/47 LFTs were anterior to the ECA, 22/47 were antero-medial, 10/47 were medial, 2/47 were inferior, and 1/47 was lateral. Regarding their general morphology, 23/47 LFTs had a rectilinear course, 22/47 had loops, and 2/47 were coiled. A case-by-case presentation of results further demonstrated the diversity of the LFT.
: In conclusion, the morphology and topography of the LFT are individually specific and unpredictable. It can be anticipated case-by-case by surgeons on CT or MR angiograms.
The microanatomy of the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) is clinically significant. We, thus, aimed at patterning unilateral and bilateral possibilities of SCA origin.
In total, 205 archived records ...of computed tomography and magnetic resonance angiograms were used. There were defined types of SCA origin from the basilar artery (BA): "0"-absent SCA, "1"-preterminal, "2"-collateral SCA, with SCA appearing as a terminal branch of BA, and "3"-SCA from the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) of the cerebral type. Fenestrations and duplications of SCA were recorded. Bilateral combinations of types were recorded as follows: A (1 + 0), B (1 + 1), C (1 + 2), D (1 + 3), E (1 + duplicated SCA), F (2 + 2), G (2 + 3), H (3 + 3), I (3 + duplicated SCA), J (1 + fenestrated SCA).
Type 0 SCAs were found in 0.25%, type 1 in 71.29%, type 2 in 19.06%, and type 3 in 9.41%. Absent and fenestrated SCAs were each found in a single case. The most frequent combinations were B (58.05%), C (13.17%) and F (13.17%). Bilateral symmetrical types occurred in 70.7% of cases. Fetal types of PCA and the artery of Percheron modified the BA ends. Combinations of C, F, and G changed the BA ends or tips; thus, different subtypes resulted in five BA bifurcation patterns, including five BA trifurcations and one BA quadrifurcation. BA trifurcation was also found in cases with duplicated SCAs.
The SCA has various anatomical possibilities of origin and bilateral combinations that are not presented in anatomical lectures. Details on the specific end of the BA should be gathered on a case-by-case basis.
The occipital artery (OA) is a posterior branch of the external carotid artery (ECA). The origin of the OA is commonly referred to a single landmark. We hypothesized that the origin of the OA could ...be variable as referred to the hyoid bone and the gonial angle. We thus aimed at patterning the vertical topographic possibilities of the OA origin.
One hundred archived computed tomography angiograms were randomly selected, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and 90 files were kept (53 males, 37 females). The cases were documented bilaterally for different levels of origin of the OA origin: type 1-infrahyoid; type 2-hyoid; 3-infragonial; 4-gonial; 5-supragonial; 6-origin from the internal carotid artery (ICA).
The incidence of unilateral types in the 180 OAs was: type 1-1.11%, type 2-5.56%, type 3-40.56%, type 4-28.33%, type 5-23.33% and type 6, ICA origin of the OA-1.11%. There was found a significant association between the location of the left and right origins of the OAs (Pearson Chi2 = 59.18,
< 0.001), which suggests the presence of a strong symmetry of the origins. Bilateral symmetry of the vertical types of the OA origin was observed in 56.67% of cases; in 43.33% there was bilateral asymmetry.
The ICA origin of the OA is an extremely rare variant. For surgical planning or prior to endovascular approaches the topography of the OA origin should be carefully documented, as it may be located from an infrahyoid to a supragonial level.
The process of assessing the decision-making capacity of potential subjects before their inclusion in clinical trials is a legal requirement and a moral obligation, as it is essential for respecting ...their autonomy. This issue is especially important in psychiatry patients (such as those diagnosed with schizophrenia). The primary purpose of this article was to evaluate the degree of impairment in each dimension of decision-making capacity in schizophrenia patients compared to non-mentally-ill controls, as quantified by the (MacCAT-CR) instrument. Secondary objectives were (1) to see whether enhanced consent forms are associated with a significant increase in decision-making capacity in schizophrenia patients, and (2) if decision-making capacity in schizophrenia subjects is dependent on the age, gender, or the inpatient status of the subjects.
We systematically reviewed the results obtained from three databases: ISI Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus. Each database was scrutinised using the following keywords: "MacCAT-CR + schizophrenia", "decision-making capacity + schizophrenia", and "informed consent + schizophrenia."
We included 13 studies in the analysis. The effect size between the schizophrenia and the control group was significant, with a difference in means of -4.43 (-5.76; -3.1, p < 0.001) for understanding, -1.17 (-1.49, -0.84, p < 0.001) for appreciation, -1.29 (-1.79, -0.79, p < 0.001) for reasoning, and -0.05 (-0.9, -0.01, p = 0.022) for expressing a choice.
Even if schizophrenia patients have a significantly decreased decision-making capacity compared to non-mentally-ill controls, they should be considered as competent unless very severe changes are identifiable during clinical examination. Enhanced informed consent forms decrease the differences between schizophrenia patients and non-mentally-ill controls (except for the reasoning dimension) and should be used whenever the investigators want to include more ill patients in their clinical trials. Increased age, men gender and an increased percentage of inpatients might increase the differential of decision-making incompetence compared to non-mentally-ill subjects in various dimensions of the decision-making competence as analysed by the MacCAT-CR scale, but the small number of subjects did not allow us (except for one instance) to reach statistical significance.
(1) Background: The anterior cerebral artery (ACA) has a precommunicating A1 segment, followed by a postcommunicating A2 segment. Anatomically, after it sends off from the callosomarginal artery ...(CMA), it continues as the pericallosal artery (PCalA). A detailed pattern of the anatomical variations of the PCalA are needed for practical reasons. (2) Methods: There were 45 retrospectively documented Computed Tomography Angiograms of 32 males and 13 females. (3) Results: In 90 sides, eleven different types of PCalA were documented: type 1: normal origin, above the genu of the corpus callosum (CC) (51.11%); type 2: low origin, below the rostrum of the CC (8.88%); type 3: late origin, above the body of the CC (3.33%); type 4, initial transcallosal course (3.33%); type 5, duplicated PCalA (1.11%); type 6, azygos PCalA (2.22%); type 7, absent PCalA (CMA type of ACA) (7.78%); type 8: CMA continued as PCalA (5.56%); type 9: PCalA continued as the cingular branch (1.11%); type 10: PCalA type of ACA, absent CMA (14.44%); type 11: triple PCalA, with an added median artery of the CC (1.11%). Different types of CMA were also documented: type 0, absent CMA (17.78%); type 1, CMA with frontoparietal distribution (45.56%); type 2, CMA with parietal distribution (22.22%); type 3, low origin of CMA, either from A1, or from A2 (8.88%); type 4, CMA continued as PCalA (5.56%). Ipsilateral combinations of PCalA and CMA types were classified as types A-P. In 33/45 cases (73.3%), the bilateral asymmetry of the combined anatomical patterns of PCalA and CMA was documented. Additional rare variations were found: (a) huge fenestration of A2; (b) bihemispheric ACAs (6/45 cases); (c) twisted arteries within the interhemispheric fissure. (4) Conclusions: The PCalA and CMA are anatomically diverse and unpredictable. Therefore, they should be documented on a case-by-case basis before surgical or endovascular approaches.
: The adult superficial middle cerebral vein (SMCV) commonly drains into the middle cranial fossa. However, different embryonic types persist, in which the SMCV drains into the lateral sinus. The ...basal type of SMCV coursing on the middle fossa floor is a scarce variant.
: During a retrospective study of archived computed tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) files, three rare adult cases of the basal or sphenopetrosal type of SMCV were found and further documented.
: In the first case, which was evaluated via CTA, the basal type of SMCV formed a sagittal loop. It continued on the middle fossa floor, over a dehiscent tegmen tympani, to drain into the lateral sinus. In the second case, documented via MRA, the basal type of SMCV's anterior loop was in the coronal plane and closely related to the internal carotid artery and the cavernous sinus. It continued with the basal segment over a dehiscent glenoid fossa of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). In the third case, documented via CTA, the initial cerebral part of the SMCV had a large fenestration. The middle fossa floor coursed within a well-configured sulcus of the SMCV and received a tributary through the tympanic roof. Its terminal had a tentorial course.
: Beyond the fact that such rare variants of the SMCV can unexpectedly interfere with specific approaches via the middle fossa, dehiscences of the middle fossa floor beneath such variants can determine otic or TMJ symptoms. Possible loops and fenestrations of the SMCV should be considered and documented preoperatively.