•Thrombosis and thrombocytopenia after SARS-CoV-2 viral vector vaccine suggests vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).•Thrombosis in unusual sites (splenic, portal, mesenteric, ...adrenal) is typical of VITT.•Anti-PF4 antibody tests, if available, should be undertaken rapidly for diagnosis.•Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) could mask functional tests to confirm a diagnosis of VITT.•Treatment with IVIg may be associated with false-negative functional tests.
Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) has emerged as a rare side effect of adenoviral vector-based vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and is most frequently reported after use of the Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) vaccine. This report describes a case of severe thrombocytopenia associated with massive pulmonary embolism and portal vein thrombosis occurring 13 days after the administration of the single-dose adenoviral vector-based vaccine Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen Vaccines). Based on early clinical suspicion, the patient quickly received treatment with corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin, followed by a rapid increase in platelet count that allowed timely administration of full-dose anticoagulation. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, however, could mask the ability of anti-platelet factor 4-heparin antibodies to bind and activate platelets in the presence of heparin, leading to false-negative results on the immunoassay functional test. Therefore, if VITT is suspected, blood samples for diagnostic confirmation should be collected prior to any treatment to improve diagnostic performance.
The SARS-COV 2 pandemic has hit on our lives since early 2020. During different contagion waves, both malnutrition and overweight significantly correlated with patient mortality. Immune-nutrition ...(IN) has shown promising results in the clinical course of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in both the rate of extubation and mortality of patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Thus, we wanted to assess the effects of IN on a clinical course of patients admitted to a semi-intensive COVID-19 Unit during the fourth wave of contagion that occurred at the end of 2021.
we prospectively enrolled patients admitted to the semi-intensive COVID-19 Unit of San Benedetto General hospital. All patients had a biochemical, anthropometric, high-resolution tomography chest scan (HRCT) and complete nutritional assessments at the time of admission, after oral administration of immune-nutrition (IN) formula, and at 15 days interval follow-up.
we enrolled 34 consecutive patients (age 70.3 ± 5.4 years, 6 F, BMI 27.0 ± 0.5 kg/m
). Main comorbidities were diabetes (20%, type 2 90 %), hyperuricemia (15%), hypertension (38%), chronic ischemic heart disease (8 %), COPD (8%), anxiety syndrome (5%), and depression (5%). 58% of patients were affected as moderately-to-severely overweight; mini nutritional assessment (MNA) score (4.8 ± 0.7) and phase angle (PA) values (3.8 ± 0.5) suggestive of malnutrition were present in 15% of patients, mainly with a history of cancer. After 15 days upon admission, we recorded 3 deaths (mean age 75.7 ± 5.1 years, BMI 26.3 ± 0.7 kg/m
) and 4 patients were admitted to the ICU. Following IN formula administration, inflammatory markers significantly decreased (
< 0.05) while BMI and PA did not worsen. These latter findings were not observed in a historical control group that did not receive IN. Only one patient needed protein-rich formula administration.
in this overweight COVID-19 population immune-nutrition prevented malnutrition development with a significant decrease of inflammatory markers.
The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to a severe pandemic, starting from early 2020. Intensive care (ICU) management of the COVID-19 disease is difficult with high morbidity and mortality. Early ...nutritional support, especially with whey protein, seems to be crucial in this medical case. Thus, we aimed to assess the effects of an adequate nutritional protocol rich in whey protein on nutritional and inflammatory status, extubating time, and mortality of critically ill COVID-19 patients (CICP).
A prospective single-center exploratory observational study was undertaken on 32 consecutive CICP admitted to the ICU of Santa Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy, and treated with whey protein-enriched formula. Patients' demographics, nutritional status, indexes of inflammation, daily pre-albumin serum levels, duration of mechanical ventilation, and mortality were recorded.
Thirty-two patients were enrolled. Ninety-five percent of them showed a gradual reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP) values and increase in pre-albumin levels after the whey protein-enriched formula. Prealbumin levels were not correlated with a better nutritional status but with a shorter extubating time and better survival.
An adequate administration of whey protein during COVID-19 patients' ICU stays can provide fast achievement of protein targets, reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation, and improving inflammatory status and ICU survival. Further prospective and large-scale, controlled studies are needed to confirm these results.
Introduction
Chronic hip pain is a common painful condition in the elderly population. A mini invasive technique that is increasingly being considered for management of CHP is the percutaneous ...denervation of hip articular branches via radiofrequency ablation. We described a new ultrasound-guided technique based on the combination of 90° ultrasound-guided anterior radiofrequency ablation of the articular branches of femoral nerve, accessory obturator nerve and obturator nerve for anterior hip, combined with 90° ultrasound-guided ablation of the articular branches of the nerve of the quadratus femoris for posterior pericapsular neurolysis of the hip.
Material e methods
We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients from September 2022 to September 2023 treated for chronic hip pain in the ambulatory of Pain Management, identifying 22 patients who underwent ultrasound guided radiofrequency denervation of anterior hip articular branches alone (Group B); and 22 patients in which was also applied a radiofrequency denervation of the posterior articular branches, in addition to the anterior denervation (Group A). We analysed the pain intensity of both groups measured with numeric rating scale.
Result
The combined anterior plus posterior approach ensured that the results obtained were maintained 6 months after the procedure (T3) with excellent pain control and an average NRS of 1455 for group A. While for the group B, with the anterior approach alone, the NRS at six months showed an upward trend with an average NRS of 3818. The dual approach is more effective in pain relief at 6 months with a statistically significant difference in NRS values (
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion
This retrospective observational study highlighted the greater impact of the double approach (anterior plus posterior) in the denervation of the hip joint, compared to anterior neurolysis alone.
This retrospective study shows the results of a 2 years application of a clinical pathway concerning the indications to NOM based on the patient's hemodynamic answer instead of on the injury grade of ...the lesions.We conducted a retrospective study applied on a patient's cohort, admitted in "Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti of Ancona" and in the Digestive and Emergency Surgery Department of the Santa Maria of Terni hospital between September 2015 and December 2017, all affected by blunt abdominal trauma, involving liver, spleen or both of them managed conservatively. Patients were divided into 3 main groups according to their hemodynamic response to a fluid administration: stable (group A), transient responder (group B) and unstable (group C). Management of patients was performed according to specific institutional pathway, and only patients from category A and B were treated conservatively regardless of the injury grade of lesions.From October 2015 to December 2017, a total amount of 111 trauma patients were treated with NOM. Each patient underwent CT scan at his admission. No contrast pooling was found in 50 pts. (45.04%). Contrast pooling was found in 61 patients (54.95%). The NOM overall outcome resulted in success in 107 patients (96.4%). NOM was successful in 100% of cases of liver trauma patients and was successful in 94.7% of splenic trauma patients (72/76). NOM failure occurred in 4 patients (5.3%) treated for spleen injuries. All these patients received splenectomy: in 1 case to treat pseudoaneurysm, (AAST, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, grade of injury II), in 2 cases because of re-bleeding (AAST grade of injury IV) and in the remaining case was necessary to stop monitoring spleen because the patient should undergo to orthopedic procedure to treat pelvis fracture (AAST grade of injury II).Non-operative management for blunt hepatic and splenic lesions in stable or stabilizable patients seems to be the choice of treatment regardless of the grade of lesions according to the AAST Organ Injury Scale.
Background Planning for and managing patients who follow multidisciplinary paths allow institutions to provide better care administration; greater collaboration among medical staff, patients, and ...their relatives; better patients education; reduced possible complications related to surgery and hospital stay; and increased patient adherence to the proposed treatments due to better information. The ERAS Society’s guidelines align in this direction, and many institutions are now looking to apply the suggestions contained in its items. This effort is especially important in surgical oncology. In this work, we report the experience of our center in developing tailored guidelines for patients undergoing gastrectomy based on evidence from the literature and adapted to address the availability of personnel and equipment in our institute. Methods A permanent institutional working group was established at St. Mary’s Hospital. Evidence‐based comprehensive research was conducted to find optimal perioperative care management for patients undergoing gastrectomy. Evidence and recommendations were thoroughly evaluated and considered together with the items from the ERAS Society’s guidelines. Results A complete patient pathway has been established from the first outpatient visit to discharge. All ERAS items were considered and adapted to our hospital’s care environment. Education, nutrition, anesthesiologist care, surgical approach, and ward organization are the main points of strength highlighted in the present work. Conclusion This proposed institutional evidence‐based protocol show comprehensive management for patients with gastric cancer eligible for enhanced surgical pathways.
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